Pedro Martinez allowed two back to back homers in the first inning, but really settled in there after.  When he gave up the second homer, I was thinking that maybe he is done, maybe it is time to hang it up.  But in six and a third innings of work, he allowed three runs, only two earned on four hits, walking three and striking out three.  After the first inning, he pitched much better.  However, it is hard to watch him pitch like this knowing what he use to be.  Generally speaking, I think it is hard to watch the great ones age and not perform as they once did. 

On a side note, who are these umpires kidding?  I have harped on this pretty much since I started contributing to this blog, I find it so frustrating that there is no consistency to his to their strike zones, some guys have strike zones the size of postage stamps.  Again, last night, there were several questionable calls; for example, in the top of the third there were at least three pitches that Pedro threw that should have been strikes, but weren’t called as such.  But, in the bottom of the third the first pitch to Jose Reyes was a curve ball, but it bounced-and it was a called strike.

So, what is up with David Wright?  Two boneheaded base running mistakes in back to back games, at the  start of play last night 0-15 at the plate.  It was his error in the seventh inning that allowed the go ahead run to score.  Largely, David has gotten a pass and I do think that is because he is third in the NL in RBI and he plays hard (mostly) and goes out there everyday.  But his struggles have a lot to do with where the Mets are now.  That being said-there is plenty of blame to go around. 

The offense put up only two runs.  Rookie Dan Murphy hit his first triple scoring on a fielder’s choice. he also had an RBI in the game.  The team left 10 guys on base, and with the exception of the opening game against the Padres, the offense has been feeble at best.  Carlos Delgado seems to be coming back to earth and Carlos Beltran hasn’t done anything; both of them were hitless in last night’s game.  There doesn’t seem to be any answers for the Mets offense, if they guys they have don’t come around, it is what it is.  The Mets are counting on Wright, Delgado and Beltran.  And clearly, Delgado’s July performance put the Mets back in the mix, but someone has to break out of this funk otherwise, it will be the end of August and the Mets will have put themselves back in a hole. 

July was such an exciting month for the Mets, but I always worried that it could come back to this and it has.  Night after night, it has been one thing after another and the Mets have struggled to win games.  After the all star break, it was the bullpen, now it is a lack of offense.  As days go by there is more and more pressure to win because there is less time to make up games, do the Mets have the intestinal fortitude to pull themselves up and play like they are capable of playing? 

Eddie Kunz got one inning of work last night and gave up on run, a solo homer to Chase Headley in the eighth inning.  Pedro Felicano entered the game in the seventh inning, he walked one and stuck out one.  He was the guy who got the ground ball that David Wright misplayed.  Scott Schoeneweis pitched the ninth inning putting up zeros.  It doesn’t appear that lefty John Niese will be called up to make the start against the heavy righty line up of the Marlins-no one is sure just yet who will make the start, two of the names mentioned are Nelson Figueroa and Brian Stokes.

Today’s starters: Johan Santana 9-7 with a 2.86 era and Josh Banks 3-4 3.65 era.  Game time is scheduled for 12:10 p.m.

Mets Blog

The New York Mets outhit the Washington Nationals by two hits but they were no where close to that on the scoreboard as they lost 10-4 on Monday night.  Mets pitchers allowed the Nationals to score in all but three innings in the game.

Nelson Figueroa started the game and threw five innings while giving up five hits and six runs.  Figueroa took the loss as his record dropped to 2-3 on the season.  Jorge Sosa came in to pitcher after Figueroa and he gave up another four runs in the game in only one inning of action.  Duaner Sanchez, Joe Smith, and Billy Wagner all threw one inning each and did not allow one run.  Good job by those there pitchers.

Damion Easley and David Wright both hit solo home runs in the game.  Easley also had a rbi single to finish the game with two rbi.  Carlos Beltran also had a rbi single in the first inning for the Mets.

The Mets are now three full games out of first place behind the Florida Marlins.  Can the Mets rebound and win the next four games against the Nationals?  I see them winning two, but losing one more.

Mets Blog

The New York Mets lost to the Los Angels Dodgers 5-4 on Tuesday.  Nelsen Figueroa started the game for the Mets.  While he had a mediocre outing, he did pitch well enough to keep the Mets in the game.  Figueroa pitched five innings, allowing 5 runs on 5 hits, and one homerun, while walking four and striking out three.  Aaron Heilman, Joe Smith, and Pedro Feliciano all pitched in relief and all put up zeros across the board. 

Figueroa gave up an inside the park homerun that scored the tying and go ahead runs in the bottom of the fifth.  Blake DeWitt hit a line drive that Ryan Church went back on, Church hit the wall and appeared to be dazed for a moment, he told reporters that he thought the ball had gone out and instead, when he realized that the umpire was signaling that in fact they ball was still in play, it was too late to recover, both Russell Martin and DeWitt would score. After the inning was over, Church actually apologized to Figueroa, putting the blame for the loss of the lead (and the game) on himself. 

Early on the Mets had a 4-1 lead, and after chasing starting pitcher Hiroki Kuroda from the game, seemed as if they were in control.  Ryan Church hit a solo homer in the first inning making the score 1-0.  In the second, the Mets would add on two more.  In the third, the Mets scored their fourth, and final run on a double steal.  With Brian Schneider at the plate, Angel Pagan on first and Moises Alou on third, Pagan stole second, drawing a throw from Dodger’s catcher Russell Martin, which allowed Alou to steal home, both runners were safe and the Mets had a 4-1 lead.   

That 4-1 lead would not be safe.  While you could argue that Figueroa did not have a quality start, if you watched the game or even read the box score, the real problem with the Mets was and continues to be the struggling offense.  The Mets were 2-14 with runners in scoring position on Tuesday night and as a team, left 13 guys on base.  David Wright was 0-4 with 3 strike outs and was the only Met to not record a hit in the game.  Wright’s average has fallen to .265.  There are only two Mets who have .300 or better batting averages and that is Ryan Church and Brian Schneider. 

The Mets are getting killed in the middle of the line up Carlos Beltran’s average is a horrendous .219 and Carlos Delgado’s average is .216-which is actually exciting when you consider a few weeks ago he was hitting .180.  Not only are their averages awful-the RBI guys have a combined 29 RBI-Beltran 13, Delgado 16.  Wow Beltran 13-hitting in the clean up spot?  Just for reference, Jose Reyes, has 14 RBI.  The team leader is David Wright with 26.  You tell me, who is not pulling their weight around here?   

My new favorite Met is Ryan Church.  Coming in to the season there was so much speculation that he would not hit well, can’t hit lefties, yada, yada, yada…Church right now leads the team in average, .314, has the second most RBI (23) and has the second most homeruns on the team (5).  The only Met that Church is second to in these categories is David Wright. 

Carlos Beltran was scratched from Tuesday nights game with flu like symptoms.  It was unclear whether he will be back in the line up for Wednesday’s game.  The Mets will play the final game of the series on Wednesday, with a 3:30 (EST) start.  John Maine will pitch for the Mets and Brad Penny will be on the mound for the Dodgers. After an off day Thursday, they will open a three game series with the Cincinnati Reds.

 Mets Blog

The New York Mets closed out a weekend series with the Atlanta Braves winning 6-3.  The Mets caught a break as red hot hitter Chipper Jones sat out for a second straight game.  The real story was the Mets offense. 

On a cold day at Shea Stadium, the Mets bats seemed to warm up.  Jose Reyes had been in a 1-25 funk, his batting average falling to .237 with a .265 OBP.  He snapped that when he lead off the first with a double.  He would finish the day with 1-3 with a walk and two strike outs.  Reyes is the catalyst to the Mets offensive production.  Getting Reyes on base seems to be one key to getting the other hitters going.  All in all the Mets would collect 12 hits, 6 of which were for extra bases.  Raul Cassanova (2), Carlos Delgado (2), and David Wright (1) would all record RBI in the win.  

Saturday Mets hitters chased starter Tim Hudson from the game early.  Sunday the Mets did the same to John Smoltz who left the game in the fourth inning.  Having yet allowed a homer this season, Smoltz gave up two in his four innings.  Catcher Raul Cassanova hit a two run shot in the second and Carlos Delgado hit a solo homer to left field in the third.  When Delgado goes the other way good things are sure to follow, as was the case when he hit his second home run of the game in the seventh.  It was a shot to right center that hit half way up the scoreboard.  Delgado had been hearing boos from the Mets fans and refused to come out for a curtain call after he hit his second homer of the day.  The way Delgado has been struggling you would think he would want to bank a little good will with the Mets fans.

New York native Nelson Figueroa took the mound for the Mets.  He was cruising along until the sixth inning when he ran out of steam.  He left the game having pitched 5 1/3 giving up three runs on three hits with three strike outs and three walks.  Joe Smith would enter the game as his replacement and allowed one of the inherited runners to score.  Scott Schoeneweis pitched a scoreless seventh and Pedro Feliciano tossed a scoreless eight.  Feliciano was the eight inning guy because manager Willie Randolph wanted to give Duaner Sanchez a break after pitching back to back games.  Billy Wagner allowed his first hit of the season to Matt Diaz with one out in the ninth, however he retired the next two batters to end the game and record his sixth save of the season. 

It was reported that Moises Alou was close to joining the team.  However, after twisting his ankle in a rehab start, Alou will now be in New York for an MRI because there is concern that his sprain is actually a fracture. If that is the case, the bat the Mets have waiting on is far from joining the line up. 

On Monday the Mets begin a three game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates.  Mets Ace Johan Santana (3-2) is scheduled to start.  He will be opposed by pitcher Ian Snell (2-1).   

 Mets Blog

The New York Mets bounced back Saturday beating the Atlanta Braves 4-3.  Early on it seemed it might be a long day for the Mets when starter John Maine gave up a two out walk and then surrendered an RBI double to Mark Teixeira, however Maine settled in and pitched 5 innings, giving up two runs on three hits and three walks.  Maine recorded a season high 7 strike outs earning his second win of the season. 

The Mets came back from two runs down finally getting some offensive production chasing Braves starter Tim Hudson out of the game in just the third inning.  David Wright snapped a 0-19 slump collecting two hits.  Carlos Beltran hit a double and had 2 RBI in the game.  Ryan Church and Carlos Delgado also each recorded an RBI.  While the Mets did have some offensive success, they still left 8 men on base.  However, it is worth noting that Carlos Delgado had a couple of good at bats-just missing a home run early in the game. 

Aaron Heilman continues to struggle, he pitched one inning giving up two hits and one earned run.  Billy Wagner got his fifth save of the season and has yet to surrender a run.  Catcher Brian Schneider continues to be hospitalized with an infected left thumb.  Moises Alou is still day to day, but it seems he is getting close to joining the team.

The Mets and Braves face off in the rubber game of the series on Sunday afternoon Mets will send Nelson Figueroa (1-1) to the hill and the Braves will counter with John Smoltz (3-1).  

Mets Blog

The New York Mets are probably glad they were only in Chicago for two games as they got whooped up on both games against the Cubs.  On Tuesday, the Mets lost 8-1 to drop their season record to 10-9.  They had their chances and were in both games against the Cubs, but the Cubs used runs in the late innings to blow open the games.

Nelson Figueroa took the loss for the Mets as he tossed five innings of seven hit ball.  He did give up three runs however.  Joe Smith pitched in relief and gave up one earned run.  The worst performance on the mound for the Mets however came from Jorge Sosa who gave up a grand slam in the eigth inning.

The lone run for the Mets came in the sixth inning when Brady Clark grounded into a fielder choice and Carlos Beltran scored.  The Mets bats were just silent as they only had five hits the entire game.  Can’t win the game when you don’t swing the bat well.

Mets Blog

The New York Mets escaped with a 3-2 win in fourteen innings against the Washington Nationals Thursday night.  Damion Easley scored the winning run on a wild pitch in the bottom of the 14th inning to give the Mets the win.

Ryan Church and Carlos Delgado both had one RBI each for the Mets.

Jorge Sosa was the winning pitcher for the Mets as he improved his record to 2-1 on the season.  Nelson Figueroa had started the game for the Mets and pitched pretty good he just didn’t get any run support in the ballgame.  Figuerora pitched seven innings and only allowed three hits and two runs.  His one mistake was in the fourth inning when Nick Johnson hit a two-run home run off him.

The Mets were lucky to come away with the win against the Nationals.  I think if it would have been any other team other then the Nationals, the Mets would have been on the losing side.  What do you think?

Mets Blog