The Mets escaped a sweep by the Phillies winning the second game of the day night double header 6-3 on Sunday night.  After getting blanked by Meyers in the first game of the series, Mets fans were hoping to see some fight out of the Amazin’s but Pedro Martinez got off to a bad start and the Mets offense was unable to get anything going against Jamie Moyer in the first game of Sunday’s doubleheader.  The Mets would lose the first game 6-2, and given how nonexistant their offense was in the first two games of the series, looked in danger of being swept by the Phillies. 

Prior to the final game of the series, the Mets saw their division lead dwindle to just one game, and were in danger of being swept.  The Mets bats had been silenced for something like 16 innings before they were able to score two runs in the bottom of the eighthin the first game on Sunday. 

 

I think there is some legitimate concern regarding the Mets offense as they play out the last three weeks of the season.  Like, will David Wright ever get a big hit?  In the nightcap, he struck out in the bottom of the second with the bases loaded-I know he is second in the NL in RBI, but has been atrocious when the bases are loaded.  Jose Reyes too is mired in a slump and I don’t think he even had a hit in the series, Reyes has said that his goal is to finish the season hitting over .300 and to not let his offense go missing at the end of the season like it did last year.  Well he was MIA in this series, and it nearly cost the Mets.  Hopefully this won’t be a prolonged slump and after a day off he can get back to business and get back to helping the Mets win some games. 

 

If Pedro wasn’t bad enough, the Mets also had some defensive miscues that certainly didn’t help the situation much.  We knew that having guys play out of position was something that might eventually come back to bit us in the rear-and that was the case yesterday when Fernando Tatis misplayed two balls and then again when there was some confusion between Nick Evans and Jose Reyes when a ball dropped between them for a base hit.  Of course though, there is no rule that says that Pedro Martinez can’t get anyone out either (although he can’t really and that is a problem).  

 

Martinez yesterday through just 74 pitches but he allowed six runs on seven hits, he walked one and struck out win.  He gave up two runs in the second and then just fell apart in the fourth.  Yeah, Pedro finally had more velocity on his pitches yesterday, but something that Tom Seaver says all the time, it isn’t about velocity it is about location-and that was the truth yesterday.  You could see that just by watching Moyer-the hardest he throws is like 79 but yet the Mets couldn’t touch him.  It is always sad to see legends fall like this. 

 

So, Johan Santana started the nightcap for the Mets, and if ever they needed a pitcher to step up and throw like an ace, it was last night.  Santana was spectacular.  He had a shaky first inning, but was able to pitch out of trouble allowing just one run.  Santana started the eighth inning facing two batters but only retiring one of them.  In his 7.1 innings of work, Santana allowed just two runs on five hits; he walked three and struck out six.  He really stepped up and pitched the game the Mets needed him to pitch.  Jerry Manual said it best when asked about Santana pitching this game, he said-that is why you have an ace. 

 

Carlos Delgado is a man reborn.  He hit two more homeruns last night, one of which I don’t think has landed yet.  They were monster shots and really gave the Mets what they needed.  Delgado had four RBI on the night, and has had 65 RBI in his last 65 games.  Last night’s RBI put him over 100 for the season.  It was his RBI single in the bottom of the first that put the Mets on top for good.  It isn’t just that Delgado has had a resurgence with his bat, but he has warmed up to the crowd, accepting the curtain call after the second homerun; he also has taken on a leadership role that we have not seen out of him before.  Last night, ESPN cameras caught a very animated conversation between Delgado and Reyes and it looked as if Delgado was really telling him something important (I hope Jose listened).  I was one of many who thought Delgado was finished-Wow am I glad that he proved me wrong! 

 

Any hopes of seeing Billy Wagner are now over, yesterday after throwing just 10 pitches in simulated game, Wagner had to stop because he was still experiencing tightness in his arm.  I don’t know what this means.  The Mets have been able to win with out Wager but can it go on.  Ayala has “filled” the closer role, but had a shaky outing last night-although the run that scored was actually unearned.  The problem is you just don’t know what you’ll get from the bullpen.  There is a lot of ball left to play, and along the way the Mets have gotten help from the most unlikely of candidates, so I guess all we can hope is that someone in the bullpen steps up.