Seven in a Row and Counting?

(by Brett Kahn)

With the all-star break vastly approaching, the home-field advantage in the World Series has most likely caught the attention of game participants Billy Wagner and David Wright.

A current seven-game winning streak has catapulted the Mets into a second-place tie with the Florida Marlins, only 1.5 games out of first behind the Philadelphia Phillies. The winning streak started with three in a row at Philadelphia, three straight against San Francisco and one against Colorado.

Although the Jose Reyes', David Wrights, and Johan Santanas are mostly responsible for this sudden outburst, there is one player that has come out of nowhere to garner much attention. His name is Fernando Tatis.

Since the beginning of the streak, Tatis has recorded 10 hits in 23 AB's. (.435 BA) He has also exploded for three home runs and seven runs batted in. But is he the main cause for the Mets recent success?

Boomer and Carton in the morning on WFAN New York, recently discussed what Mets players were saying about their new manager Jerry Manuel. One of the positives mentioned was that Manuel is starting to get the guys to play Mets baseball and not Yankees baseball, which former manager Willie Randolph was notorious for.

The Mets will look to end the first-half of the season having won nine in a row. They will try to do that by finishing off the final two games against the Colorado Rockies today and tomorrow. Pedro Martinez is on the mound today looking for his second straight win.

Inconsistency is the Name of the Game

(by Brett Kahn)

At 40-41, the Mets have been one of the most inconsistent teams in baseball this season. There are a lot of reasons for this. I would like to analyze the recent subway series against the Yankees to give people an idea of how inconsistent the Mets really are...

GOOD

Carlos Delgado racked up 3 HR's and 10 RBI's in the four-game series.

BAD

He only managed four hits in 15 AB's. (.267) Those four hits also only came in two games.

GOOD

Jose Reyes went 6-for-16 in the series. (.375)

BAD

He didn't drive in any runs, only stole one base, and was picked off.

GOOD

Oliver Perez threw a gem in the finale going seven innings while only giving up one run and striking out eight.

BAD

His ERA dropped to 4.98 on the season.

GOOD

The Mets scored 20 runs in the four-game series. (five runs/game)

BAD

15 of those runs came in the first game and are now batting .211 with two outs and RISP.

Consistency is the key to success. The Mets have yet to figure that out.

Stories to Follow The Subway Series

(by Brett Kahn)

It has been a tough week for me to keep up with this blog, but I want to continue to report on as much as I can. If it becomes too hard for me, I will decide and let everyone know before hand...Thank you for your support and go Mets!

Reyes Steers the Ship

(by Brett Kahn)

It has been mentioned before that when Jose Reyes goes, so do the Mets. So, let's actually prove this is true using stats.

In the 36 wins so far this season, Reyes is batting .340, with six HR's, 21 RBI's, and has tallied 21 SB's. His on-base percentage at home is .401 and his slugging percentage is .604.

Now, here are some of his lead-off statistics. As the first batter of the game, Reyes is batting .324. When he leads off an inning, he is batting .354, with 4 HR's and a .608 slugging percentage.

Lets now look at how Reyes performs in the clutch. With two outs and RISP, one of the most telling statistics in baseball, Reyes is batting .318 with 2 HR's and 10 RBI's, in 27 games. In the eighth inning of games, Reyes is batting .367, with 6 RBI's. In the ninth, he is batting a whopping .421.

It is clear that Jose Reyes is the focal point of the Mets' offense. If he continues to be solid like we have seen in the past, the Mets will be a team to reckon with come the latter months of the season.

I Guess It Had to Happen, but Why Now?

(by Brett Kahn)

Willie Randolph's status as manager was indeed day-to-day. However, after two straight wins, why did Omar Minaya decide to pull the trigger now?

At 34-35, the Mets are far from where they want to be after 69 games. After two straight wins, however, Willie seemed to be safe for another day. That wasn't the case.

At 3:15 this morning, Randolph was given the official word that he was let go, along with pitching coach Rick Peterson and first-base coach Tom Nieto.

Whether it were the on-field pitching decisions that Randolph made, or the off-field racial comments, Minaya decided to step out of the dugout and make an iffy timing call to the bullpen for Jerry Manuel.

Manuel isn't that big of stranger to winning, however. In 2000, he won AL Manager of the year while guiding the Chicago White Sox to the best record in the American League at 95-67.

Although he might be the best man for the job at this juncture, the question will always be asked why now? Why fly Randolph out to the west coast to manage one game? Was it so that Minaya could hide the decision in the throws of the early morning? If so, Minaya might be joining Randolph on the unemployment line earlier than he thinks.

Payroll Disaster

(by Brett Kahn)

Everyone knows the Mets have an enormous payroll. How big is it? $137.4 million. Listed below are all of the contracted players for this season and how much they are making. Judge for yourself who is worth their money and who isn't...(All salaries are in millions of dollars---only players making guaranteed major league salaries are listed)

Carlos Beltran- $18.6
Johan Santana- $16.98
Carlos Delgado- $16
Pedro Martinez- $11.8
Billy Wagner- $10.5
Moises Alou- $7.5
Orlando Hernandez- $7
Oliver Perez- $6.5
Louis Castillo- $6.25
David Wright- $5.28
Brian Schneider- $4.9
Jose Reyes- $4.375
Scott Schoeneweis- $3.6
Ryan Church -$2
Mike Pelfrey- $.199
Ramon Castro- $1.98
Endy Chavez- $1.8
Matt Wise- $1.2
Aaron Heilman- $1.2
Marlon Anderson- $1.05
Pedro Feliciano- $1.025
Damion Easley- $0.95
Duaner Sanchez- $0.85
Fernando Tatis- $0.56
John Maine- $0.45
Ambiorix Burgos- $0.415
Angel Pagan- $0.4015
Joe Smith- $0.398
Jason Vargas- $0.394

SOURCE: ESPN New York Mets Salaries

1 Loss, 2 Loss, 3 Loss, 4

(by Brett Kahn)

It's always tough to lose a game 2-1. You have the satisfaction of knowing that your starting pitcher was solid but your offense was not. Imagine that feeling after three straight 2-1 losses. That is how the Mets feel right now.

Mike Pelfrey, Johan Santana, and Oliver Perez all pitched well enough for their team to win, giving up a combined three ER in 17 IP. (1.59 ERA) The only problem was the Mets' bats decided to take three games off.

The Mets offense tallied 30 hits in 134 AB's, a batting average of only .224. In the final game of the series, the Mets were able to bat .286, but a combination of Duaner Sanchez and Billy Wagner couldn't hold the Mets lead as they fell 8-6.

The Mets now find themselves 30-32, 7.5 games behind the division-leading Philadelphia Phillies. With Ryan Church heading to the DL, look for the blue and orange to use more of Endy Chavez and Fernando Tatis for the time being.

The Amazins' will start a six-game home stand tonight as they take on the Arizona Diamondbacks. John Maine will start for the Mets.

Perez Faulters While Martinez Shines

(by Brett Kahn)

The Mets knew if they wanted to compete this season, they needed both a healthy Pedro Martinez and an effective Oliver Perez. So far, neither has really come to fruition.

When Martinez went down with a shoulder injury on April 1st, the Mets knew their starting rotation was in some trouble. However, with the consistency of Johan Santana and the bullpen, (minus Aaron Heilman) the Mets felt they could get by. Yesterday, when Martinez returned, the Mets immediately started feeling the electricity that only he could add. Oh yeah, he also pitched pretty well too. He went six innings, allowing only three runs while striking out three. He threw 109 pitches, 63 for strikes.

Perez was the wild card factor. If he could show consistency like last season, the Mets rotation wouldn't be aching for Martinez to return. That hasn't been the case this season. Perez is 4-4 with a 5.70 ERA with 50 strikeouts. His most recent bad outing came yesterday as he went a season low 1/3 of an inning giving up six runs and two home runs. While he will stay in the rotation for now, look for the team to try and find added rotation help come the trade deadline.

Mets Starting to Rev Up Their Engines

(by Brett Kahn)

Having now won five of their last six games and are now only 3.5 games back of the division lead, the Mets are now ready for a road trip that will take them through two less than stellar teams.

After taking two-of-three against the then division-leading Florida Marlins, the players started banning together and collectively showed their talent. Jose Reyes has now hit in 17 consecutive games and has reached base in 32 consecutive. Whether the rumors of him not getting along with Willie Randolph or true, he is showing the team and fans that he is trying very hard to do all he can.

Carlos Beltran looks like he has finally woken up offensively, having homered in two straight, raising his home run total to six.

Ryan Church started his first game after suffering his second concussion of the season two weeks ago and blasted his 10th home run of the season. This is the earliest in a season Church has reached 10 home runs.

Fernando Tatis has also been one of the key factors in the Mets' new found success. Tatis drove in yet another game-winning run against the Dodgers on Sunday in a 3-2 win. It was the second time he had done so in four games.

Johan Santana pitched very effectively, allowing only one run through 7 2/3 innings. This is the first time since May 4th that Santana has allowed only one run.

The Mets now head west to play the San Francisco Giants and the San Diego Padres. The two teams have a combined record of 47-58. Oliver Perez will start tonight for the Mets while Pedro Martinez will make his second start of the season tomorrow, having not made a start since April 1st. Look for Martinez to go no longer than five innings.

Baby Steps

(by Brett Kahn)

At this point, all the Mets need to do is keep winning games to build momentum. Willie is clearly shaking up the lineup to see what mix of players he likes at different times. If Reyes continues on his torrid hitting pace as of late, the Mets will most likely continue to be successful offensively.

If any baseball analyst or fan said to anyone that the Florida Marlins would be in first place after 45 games, that one person deserves a nice prize. Regardless of how people predicted the Marlins to end up, the Mets needed to prove themselves in this series. They did so with help from Jose Reyes, Endy Chavez, and Fernando Tatis. Chavez's game-tying home run in the ninth last night was his first of the year. We all knew that Chavez could field but to hit a bomb in that spot was extremely clutch. Tatis, on the other hand, has been hot since being called up to the team. He is now batting .368 with a HR and six RBI's in eight games.

The Mets will start a four game series starting tonight against the L.A. Dodgers. The Mets dropped two-of-three the last time they faced the Dodgers, in L.A. Claudio Vargas will throw tonight for the Mets and try to prolong this temporary sense of accomplishment for a team that has underachieved thus far.

Mets Coming Back Home After a Rude Awakening

(by Brett Kahn)

After the Mets were swept by the Atlanta Braves, they dropped to fourth place in the NL East with speculation that Willie Randolph could be fired. Now, after loosing two-of-three to the injury-plagued Colorado Rockies, the Mets now find themselves in a slump that's going to take a lot to "swing" out of.

After the first 48 games of the season, the Mets find themselves 5.5 games out of first place. But, who's fault is this really? Much has been blamed on Randolph and the pitching staff when, in fact, it's the offense that's been lackluster all season. The Mets are currently 22nd in the entire league in batting average at .253, 16th in the league with 228 runs scored, 21st with 41 HR's, 18th with 214 RBI's, and 16th with a .329 OBP. Simply put, this team needs to hit to have any chance to be competitive.

The fans and the media want to blame the pitching staff because the Mets, by adding Johan Santana in the off season, put a lot more emphasis on starting pitching because of the debacle at the end of last year with less than stellar pitching performances coming from Tom Glavine, John Maine, and Oliver Perez. However, it always seems to get swept under the rug how the Mets simply could not hit down the stretch last season.

Until Carlos Delgado boosts his batting average higher than Johan Santana's, David Wright becomes the Wright of old, Jose Reyes stops getting picked off two times per game, and Ryan Church stops colliding with other players, this team will continue to struggle. The question is: will Omar Minaya wait that long to seriously do something about it?

Swept Into the Cellar

(by Brett Kahn)

With a four-game sweep coming at the hands of the Atlanta Braves, the Mets must feel like that pile of dust that someone desperately wants to get rid of.

After a triumphant two-game sweep over the Yankees, the Mets seemed to have their swagger back. That couldn't be further from the truth as the Mets were outscored 27-9 in the Braves series. The only good thing that might have come out of this series was the fact that Jose Reyes and Carlos Beltran both hit safely in every game.

The same positive notions can't be said about the pitching. John Maine, Claudio Vargas, Mike Pelfrey, and Johan Santana gave up a combined 17 ER in 20 IP. (7.65 ERA) Starting pitching has been one of the Achilles heels for a team that now finds itself in fourth place in the NL East.

With Moises Alou now on the 15-day DL and all of the recent clubhouse issues that have arose, the depleted Mets head west to face the Colorado Rockies for a three game series starting tonight. Oliver Perez will go for the Mets.

Mets vs. Braves Notes

(by Doug Kahn)

Winless in this last five starts, Mike Pelfrey has a "brave" task ahead. In the past two games, the Mets' starters have been unable to compete with their opposing Atlanta starters, losing both games decidedly. Pelfrey has the daunting task of breaking this slump against the division rival Braves.

During his last start, Pelfrey showed his capabilities against the Nationals, allowing only one run into the eighth inning.

In his last five starts, the Mets have only been able to fork up a maximum of four runs, with a combined total of five in his last three starts. Pelfrey's last outing against the Braves was a loss having lasted only 5 1/3 innings, while giving up nine hits hits and five runs.

In other team news, Ryan Church, arguably the pioneer in Mets hitting as of now, was knocked out cold after an accidental collision occurred when sliding into Braves' second basemen Yunel Escobar.

Church leads the team in average, home runs and falls just two short to David Wright in RBIs.

After the accident, Church was taken to Piedmont Hospital for further observation.

Mets vs. Yankees Recap

(by Brett Kahn)

Not many people in baseball think of rain as a positive force. Rain usually means a double-header somewhere down the line for both teams. However, the rain provided a much needed day off for a Mets team that desperately needed to work out some issues.

Willie Randolph called a team meeting on Friday to discuss the morale of the team. After Billy Wagner's statements to the media earlier that week, it was clear that the team needed to get certain things off their chests. Well, it seemed work.

The Mets pounded the Yankees by a combined score of 18-6 in the two-game series. Both Johan Santana and Oliver Perez pitched very effectively and were awarded with wins.

A player that needed to step up in this series did so in the biggest way. Jose Reyes homered in both games to fire up a team that desperately needed it. After being criticized for being too flamboyant in celebration, Reyes calmed his antics for a while only to be criticized by Mets fans as being stoned-faced and too quiet. There is no doubt that Mets fans are fickle to say the least, but it's clear that when Reyes goes, so do the Mets.

The Mets also got added offensive sparks from Ryan Church, David Wright, Carlos Delgado, and Carlos Beltran as each of them provided clutch hits when the opportunities arose.

The Mets will go into a critical series starting today against the Atlanta Braves. John Maine will go in the early game of the double-header, while Claudio Vargas will go in the night cap.

Mets @ Yankees Preview

(by Brett Kahn)

With the way the Mets have been playing lately, it's no wonder that Billy Wagner flipped at the media after last night's 1-0 loss to the Washington Nationals. However, if Johan Santana went over to Wagner and said "Relax kid. I'm pitching tomorrow," maybe Wagner wouldn't have gotten so mad.

Santana has been the go to guy for the Mets pitching staff this season. He is 4-2 with a 3.10 ERA tallying 52 strikeouts. He also beat the Yankees in his only start against them last season, going seven strong innings and allowing only two runs.

There's no question that both teams desperately need this series. The Mets (20-19) are coming off of series in which they lost two of three to the last place Washington Nationals. The Yankees (20-22) are also coming off a series in which they loss two of three. Except they loss to the first place Tampa Bay Rays. (No people, it's not a typo)

Which team will rise to occasion and which team will fall further into their division's standings? Here are some notes regarding the series.

PITCHING MATCH UPS
5/16- Johan Santana (4-2, 3.10 ERA) vs. Darrell Rasner (2-0, 3.00 ERA)
5/17- Oliver Perez (3-3, 4.61 ERA) vs. Andy Pettitte (3-4, 4.40 ERA)
5/18- John Maine (5-2, 2.81 ERA) vs. Chien-Ming Wang (6-1, 2.90 ERA)

-Both teams met in 2000 World Series

-Mets are 25-35 all-time vs. Yankees, 3-3 in 2007

-Mets are 10-20 all-time at Yankee Stadium

-Moises Alou will be playing his first games ever at Yankee Stadium

Roster Moves

(by Brett Kahn)

The Mets made some drastic changes this week due to the fact that reliever Matt Wise was ready to return from the DL. Here are the most recent changes.

Nelson Figueroa- designated for assignment
Jorge Sosa- designated for assignment
Matt Wise- added to roster
Claudio Vargas- added to roster and will start 5/14 vs. Nationals
Angel Pagan- 15-day DL
Fernando Tatis- added to roster

Figueroa Lashes Out at Nats

(by Brett Kahn)

Figueroa had a right to be angry after a less than stellar performance last night in a 10-4 loss against the last place Washington Nationals. However, the worst of his performance might have come after the game during the post game interview when Figueroa took offense to Washington's post-game celebration.

"They were cheering in the dugout like a bunch of softball girls," he said. "I am a professional, I take great offense to that. ... They won tonight, but in the long run, look who they are, a last-place team. ... They should show a little more class and act a little more professional." And then the kicker: "That's why they are who they are." (NEWYORKMETS.COM)

Catcher Brian Schneider also took slight offense. "It sounded like the College World Series," the former Nationals catcher said. "I guess they're trying anything now." (NEWYORKMETS.COM)

John Maine goes tonight in the second game of the three-game series. If Maine can duplicate his last performance, I'm sure the Mets won't have to worry about the Nationals celebrating.

Notable Notes

(by Brett Kahn)

As I was uncorking a bottle of wine that I bought, I instantly had a thought. Was this the reason the Mets were hitting so well lately? It worked for Sammy. Ok so maybe the Cincinnati Reds pitching staff isn't stellar, but the Mets haven't been hitting anyone all season so pardon me for being a little suspicious. Regardless, the Mets took two of three in two days against the Reds, and they did so with the bats.

-Carlos Beltran may have found his stroke having batted .455 (5/11) with 8 RBI's in the series. His batting averaged raised from .218 to .240.

-I mentioned a little while ago about the direct correlation between the top of the order and the offense. Today, Jose Reyes and Luis Castillo went 5-for-8 at the top of the order as the Mets piled on eight runs.

-Brian Schneider's home run yesterday was his first extra-base hit of the season. (21 1B and 1 HR)

-Carlos Delgado also batted .455 (5/11) in the series raising his batting average from .216 to .236.

-Scott Schoeneweis pitched 1 2/3 innings in relief today lowering his stellar ERA to 1.50

Will Heilman Start?

(by Brett Kahn)

On WFAN this morning, Joe Benigno and Evan Roberts discussed the idea of Aaron Heilman joining the starting rotation.

Since reliever Matt Wise is on his way back to the bullpen, there needs to be an open roster spot for him. If the Mets send Heilman to the minors for a little while to work on his pitches so he can start, Wise can return to the Mets bullpen in place of Heilman.

Since the Mets don't know how effective Pedro Martinez will ever be again or when Orlando Hernandez will return, having Heilman as an ace up the sleeve might help solidify the starting rotation.

Notable Notes

(by Brett Kahn)

Last night, the Mets rebounded from a disastrous first game against the LA Dodgers with help from starter John Maine. Maine went 8.1 innings, giving up one earned run while striking out four. Maine showed complete control against a very young and dangerous Dodgers' lineup. The final score of the game was 12-1.

-Ryan Church went 3-for-5 raising his batting average to .328. He also added a home run, his sixth of the season.

-Marlon Anderson and Raul Casanova each had two hits replacing Carlos Delgado and Brian Schneider respectively. Casanova drove in two runs while Anderson drove in one.

-John Maine also drove in two runs at the plate.

-Mets scored six runs in the sixth inning.

The Offensive Struggle Continues

(by Brett Kahn)

Last night's 5-1 loss against the Los Angeles Dodgers furthered proved that this team needs another bat in the lineup.

The Mets only managed five hits and one run against starter Chad Billingley and the Dodgers' bullpen. Jose Reyes, David Wright, and Luis Castillo all went hitless as their batting averages are now much lower than expected. Reyes is now at .263 while Wright is right there at .274. Castillo can almost smell the Mendoza line now batting at .231.

With Moises Alou back in the lineup and Ryan Church becoming a fixture in the two-hole, it was thought that the lineup would be pretty solid, at least one through five. It hasn't been.

On top of the offensive struggles, starter Oliver Perez had his second shaky outing in a row as he went six innings while allowing five runs (three home runs) and six hits. Perez is now 2-3 on the year with a season-high 4.63 ERA. After having not giving up any runs in his first two outings, Perez has allowed 12 in his last two.

Nelson Figueroa will go tonight in the second game of this three-game series. Figueroa has been somewhat consistent so far this season but still doesn't have all that much major league experience. If the team can get the bats together, it will put a lot less strain on an already tired pitching staff.

Notable Notes

(by Brett Kahn)

Last night, the Mets opened up a road series against the very hot Arizona Diamondbacks. Behind David Wright, Jose Reyes and John Maine, the Mets were able to pull out a 7-2 win.

-Wright went 3-for-5 and only missed the cycle by a triple. It was the second time that he just missed the cycle this season.

-Reyes went 4-for-5 and raised his batting average from .250 to .275.

-Moises Alou made his much anticipated return and went 0-for-3.

-Carlos Delgado went 2-for-4 and raised his batting average from .198 to .210.

-Maine won his third game of the season going six innings, allowing two runs and striking out six.

Offense Possibly Starting to Look Up

(By Brett Kahn)

The Mets' offense might look a lot better come this weekend as Moises Alou and Brian Schneider are expected to return to the Mets' lineup against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

After Alou's off-season hernia surgery and Scheider's staff infection in his thumb, both are expected to at least get a few AB's this weekend.

corrected the club Tuesday when he returned to the Alou almost faced another setback as it was originally thought that his left-ankle, the one he hurt in 1993, was the one that was causing him problems. Alou corrected the club when he returned to the Mets' clubhouse by saying that it was the right that was causing some discomfort.

With both seeing some action this weekend, the Mets will be able to finally see how potent this offense can potentially be.

Here's how the lineup could look when both are healthy enough to start.

1. SS Jose Reyes
2. 2B Luis Castillo
3. 3B David Wright
4. CF Carlos Beltran
5. RF Ryan Church
6. LF Moises Alou
7. 1B Carlos Delgado
8. C Brian Schneider
9. P

Notable Notes

(By Brett Kahn)

This is an easier way to get the information out that I believe to be important...

-After yesterday's rain out, Johan Santana pitched 5.2 innings tonight against the Pirates, giving up two runs while striking out seven in the no-decision.

-Jose Reyes went 3-for-3 with an RBI raising his batting average from .237 to .260.

-Duaner Sanchez and Billy Wagner both gave up their first runs of the year, while Wagner gave up his first hit as well.

-Carlos Beltran and Carlos Delgado continue to struggle as both went hitless in tonight's game. Beltran's average dropped to .216, while Delgado's dropped to .194.

Mets Essential- The Willie Era

(By Brett Kahn)

The Mets are clearly smack in the middle of the Willie Randolph Era. Randolph has proven his status as an effective manager, leading the Mets to the 2006 NLCS, one game away from the World Series. Despite the collapse in 2007, Randolph is considered one of the nicest and smartest managers in the game. But how does he rank among the greatest Mets' managers of all-time?

In Matthew Silverman's Book "Mets Essential", he lists the top 10 Mets managers of all-time.


10. Bud Harrelson- 145-129 record in 1990 and '91 with the club.
9. Joe Frazier- 101-106 record from 1976 and 45 games in '77 with the club.
8. Joe Torre- 286-420 record from rest of 1977-'81 with the club. Only player/manager in club history.
7. Dallas Green- 229-283 record from 1993-'96 with club.
6. Casey Stengel- 175-404 record from 1962-half of '65. Worst winning percentage of any Mets manager. (.302)
5. Willie Randolph- 280-229 record from 2005-present with the club. Led team to N.L. East title and NLCS in 2006.
4. Yogi Berra- 292-296 record from 1972-'75 with the club. Took Mets to World Series in '73.
3. Bobby Valentine- 536-467 from end of 1996-2002. Took Mets to NLDS in '99 and '00 and to the World Series in '00.
2. Davey Johnson- 595-417 record (most wins of any Mets manager) from 1984-45 games into '90. Won World Series in '86 and took them to the NLCS in '88.
1. Gil Hodges- 339-309 record from 1968-'71 with the club. Won World Series in '69 with a 100-62 record.

Top of the Order is Key

(by Brett Kahn)

Willie Randolph discussed with Mike and the Mad Dog today a little bit about how important the top of the lineup really is. Randolph mentioned the obvious catalyst that is Jose Reyes, but also how valuable Luis Castillo is in the two-hole.

With these two at the top and simply getting on base, the Mets will be able to jump out to an early lead.

In the Cubs series, anyone could see the correlation between scoring runs and the top two hitters getting on base.

Let's run a few numbers on the two so far this season...

Reyes is only hitting .250 as the first batter in the game, with an on-base percentage of only .294. Not to mention he is only hitting .176 in the first three innings of the game.

Castillo has also struggled this season, batting only .216 in the two spot.

These two are looked at as a combination, and if the Mets are to get that early lead, they need to find a way to click.

Pitcher Ponage

(by Brett Kahn)

Tonight, the Mets face the Chicago Cubs and their ace Carlos Zambrano. Last season, Zambrano went 18-13 with a 3.95 ERA while striking out 177 in 216+ innings. It was the fifth straight year he has surpassed 200 innings. He has also finished fifth in the Cy Young race each of the last two seasons. However, there is a Mets' player that seems to fare very well against the fire-throwing righty.

Luis Castillo...

In 10 career AB's against Zambrano, Castillo has managed five hits (.500) and one RBI, while forcing six walks.

After batting in the eight spot in the Mets' lineup for the past few games, Willie Randolph decided to move Castillo back to the number two hole last night to add that base-stealing tandem with Reyes at the top of the order. Also, it's clear that Castillo hits better in the two hole (.301 career) then the eight (.224 career). Willie also knows that keeping the two of them at the top of the lineup will only add to David Wright's ability to keep driving in runs early and often.

What Collapse?

(by Brett Kahn)

If you are a Mets fan right now, last year's collapse is starting to look like more of a fluke every day. We all know these games don't count as much as games in September, but it's nice to know that the Mets are trying to make a statement early.

It's a proven fact that when Jose Reyes hits, the Mets hit and last night, he did. Reyes went 2-for-4 with a HR, his second of the season. David Wright continued his hot streak also going 2-for-4 with 2 RBI's. He is now batting .344 on the season with a Major League-leading 19 RBI's.

Starter Oliver Perez did his part keeping the Phils scoreless through 5 2/3 innings while striking out seven. He is now 2-0 with a 2.49 ERA this season.

Tonight, the Mets go for the sweep with Mike Pelfrey on the hill opposing Adam Eaton. Even though Eaton usually dominates the Mets, Pelfrey has been spectacular this season with a 2-0 record and a 1.50 ERA.

Confidence Is Soaring

(by Brett Kahn)

After a three game sweep against the Washington Nationals in which Jose Reyes and Carlos Beltran came alive, the Mets earned a nice chest-out walk into Citizens Bank Park for another chapter in this brewing rivalry.

They walked out of tonight's game the same way...

Santana vs. Hamels. It was a pitching match-up for the ages and it lived up to its billing. Both pitchers were very good, but Santana won the night and the game with his 10 strikeouts and no walks in 7+ innings.

David Wright also helped the Mets get off to a good start going 4-for-4 and only missing the cycle by a home run.

Without their MVP Jimmy Rollins, the Phillies offense lacked that extra bat and a presence on the bases causing them to fall just short of victory.

It was a nail biter as always as the Mets nearly squandered a four run lead in the eighth, but Billy Wagner was able to close it out in the ninth preserving the 6-4 win and, more importantly, the momentum in this fierce division rivalry.

What Does it Take?

(by Brett Kahn)



Although the Mets are off to a rocky start, let us go back to 1999 for a minute. With players like Mike Piazza, John Franco, Al Leiter, Robin Ventura, Edgardo Alfonzo and John Olerud, the Mets were led by a group of veterans who knew how to handle pressure. They led by example and motivated guys like Todd Pratt, Benny Agbayani, Timo Perez, Matt Franco, Rey Ordonez and enabled them to prosper in a time when Met fans had little hope.

In 2008, It is time for the new group of veterans to step up like: Carlos Delgado, Carlos Beltran, Moises Alou, Johan Santana and Pedro Martinez. Those guys can motivate the new guys like; Jose Reyes, David Wright, Angel Pagan, Ryan Church, Brian Schneider, and Ramon Castro.

For all of them, it is the perfect time for Met fans to rise up once again and firmly remember the last season in the ballpark that most of them grew up in.

Pedro Who??

(by Brett Kahn)

When Pedro Martinez went down earlier this month, the pitching staff looked shakier then ever. Then, a shining star made his debut for a team that he grew up rooting for. Now, a pitcher that not many fans had faith is now 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA to start the season.

The Mets needed a jump start and Mike Pelfrey delivered it. After giving up only two earned runs in his first start, Pelfrey through seven innings without giving up a run last night in a 6-0 win over the Washington Nationals.

David Wright, who had a stellar night with a home run and five RBI's, said that he always had faith in Pelfrey. "I think everyone in here knows Pelfrey has that in him," said Wright. (NY DAILY NEWS)

Pelfrey's confidence definitely showed last night. "I pitched with conviction. Just get it to the glove. No more nibbling. Here it is," Pelfrey said. (NEWYORKMETS.COM)

Pelfrey will pitch next in the highly anticipated series against the Philadelphia Phillies this weekend.

OTHER GAME NOTES
-It was Jackie Robinson night and every Mets' player wore number 42.
-Jose Reyes went 4-for-5 and missed the cycle by a HR.
-Duaner Sanchez made his awaited return and pitched a scoreless inning of relief.

Pitcher Ponage

(by Brett Kahn)

Another series, another edition of the world renoun Pitcher Ponage. The Mets are going into their first series against the Washington Nationals and will be facing Odalis Perez in game one. Perez is 0-2 with a 4.91 ERA in two starts so far this season. His best season as a pro came in 2002 with the Dodgers when he went 15-10 with 3.00 ERA and 155 strikeouts. Injuries have worn Perez down as he hasn't had a full season since 2004.

The Met who fairs the best against Perez is...

Louis Castillo.

In 22 career AB's against Perez, He has nine hits. (.409) He also has a home run and two RBI's to go along with that stellar batting average. He has yet to really find his stroke this season but he did look better going 2-for-4 yesterday against the Brewers.

Who is Nelson Figueroa?

(by Brett Kahn)

Nelson Figueroa got to live out his life-long dream last night as he made his first start for a team that not only drafted him, but that he's followed his whole life.

Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Figueroa graduated Abraham Lincoln High School in 1992. In 1995, the Mets drafted Figueroa in the 30th round of the amateur draft. He then attended Brandeis University and graduated with a degree in American Studies in 1998, while posting a 2.35 ERA during his senior season.

Then, when tragedy struck New York on that fateful day in 2001, Figueroa sold t-shirts to help raise money for the victim's families. He was also named to the International League All-Star team that year as a member of the Scranton/Wilkes Barre Red Barons.

His first major league start didn't come until the age of 26 as a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks. He has been in and out of the minors since. However, maybe now things will start to move at a faster pace for a guy used to city life. With his family close by, Figueroa will be sure to add that extra sense of pride and enthusiasm every time he steps out onto that mound in the middle of his hometown.

Angel in the Outfield

(by Brett Kahn)

It was another chapter in the Mets Phillies saga and there was no shortage of a dramatic ending. Angel Pagan's single in the 12th inning drove in Jose Reyes for the 4-3 Mets win and the series.

Pagan had another sensational night going 3-for-5 with two runs and that game winning RBI. Ryan Church also had another nice game for the club going 2-for-5 with two runs batted in.

P John Maine looked comfortable but not entirely convincing. He went 6+ innings giving up one earned run but walked five. P Aaron Heilman continued to struggle as he gave up two runs included the tying one in the eighth. Billy Wagner and Scott Schoeneweiss pitched one scoreless inning in the win, while Joe Smith added 1.1 innings of scoreless relief.

The Mets will open up a three game set against the Milwaukee Brewers tomorrow as Nelson Figueroa will make his first start of the season.

Mets Capitalize on Phillies' Defense

(by Brett Kahn)

The losing streak is over and the Mets can only hope that the Philadelphia monkey is off of their backs for good.

The 8-2 win over the division rival was ugly, but it was still a much needed win. Damion Easley's first hit of the season culminated in a very strange five run inning for the Mets. The runs, for the most part, came as a result of two errors by replacement SS Eric Bruntlett and another one by C Carlos Ruiz. P Kyle Kendrick was yanked after 2 1/3 having only allowed one earned run. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that he walked six batters and allowed six unearned runs. Strange indeed.

Mets P Mike Pelfrey's night was anything but strange. In fact, it was somewhat pleasant. In five inning of work, Pelfrey allowed only two runs while striking out three.

Offensively for the club, Angel Pagan led the way with two RBI's. He now leads the team with eight.

In the rubber match tomorrow, the Mets will send out John Maine while the Phillies will throw Adam Eaton.

Nine Straight By the Phils in Last Opener at Shea

(by Brett Kahn)

Was it because of the bullpen? Was it because of Carlos Delgado's costly throwing error? Was it because of Willy Randolph's decision to pull P Oliver Perez after only giving up three singles in 5 2/3 innings? Whatever it was, the Mets continued to struggle against a Philadelphia Phillies ball club that has beaten them nine times in a row, this time by a score of 5-2.

After a Carlos Delgado home run (now has 8 HR's against Moyer) and bases loaded ground out by Ryan Church, the Mets had a 2-0 lead with Oliver Perez cruising. However it appears as if Willy Randolph had a premonition and decided to take Perez out during a somewhat shaky sixth inning.

It was all downhill from there...

A costly Delgado throwing error allowed the tying run to score in the seventh. P Scott Schoeneweis surrendered two singles and hit Chase Utley. Jorge Sosa relieved Schoeneweiss only to allow a two-strike two-out single by Jason Werth that scored Utley.

The fact the Mets know they need to play better is a gross understatement. How many more Phillies losses, or any for that matter, will it take until this team gets back on track?

Pitcher Ponage

(by Brett Kahn)

Yet another series and another glorious version of pitcher ponage. Tomorrow, the Mets will face the Philadelphia Phillies in their home opener, the final one at Shea Stadium. They will be facing veteran Jamie Moyer.

There is one Mets player who has not only faced Moyer more times because of his previous American League experience, but who has also had the most success against the left-hander....

Carlos Delgado.

In 65 at-bats against Moyer, Delgado has 28 hits, (.431) including 7 HR's and 16 RBI's. This is somewhat surprising since Delgado is only batting .262 in his career against lefties.

Delgado is off to a quick start this season batting .350 in his first five games.

Delgado probably thrives off of the fact that Moyer is not a hard-throwing pitcher and tends to use his location to be effective. When that doesn't pan out, he is very vulnerable. We'll have to wait and see if Delgado's success can continue against Moyer this season.

Interview with Adam Rubin- NY Daily News Mets Blog Writer

(by Brett Kahn)

I recently got a chance to chat with Mets Daily News blog writer Adam Rubin about various topics. Rubin's blog is entitled "Surfing the Mets" and has been a fixture in the NY Daily News since 2006.

Q: Have you always been a Mets fan and if so, how has that affected your writing?
A: I was born in the Bronx, but moved to Long Island in the third grade. I drifted more from a Yankees fan to a Mets fan over the years, but in high school I was pleased when either team was doing well. My favorite player was Don Mattingly. (Sorry, Willie. I did have a glove with your name.) As a journalist, you have to stay impartial, though it's certainly more pleasant when the team is doing well as compared with the lean years under Art Howe. You do tend to privately root for players who have treated you well. But they tend to get dispersed all over the place because of trades and free agency. Just this winter Philip Humber and Kevin Mulvey, with whom I had good relationships, were traded to the Twins. You can be impartial and still hope they have solid careers.

Q: I know that you attended the Wharton School of Business at Penn. What effect did that have on you becoming a blog writer?
A: I can't say Penn had any impact on the blog, but it certainly is the chief reason I'm a journalist. I attended the Wharton School of Business, but got hooked by newspapers when I joined my college paper, The Daily Pennsylvanian, as a freshman. When I started getting internships in the field, that's when that career path really started taking shape. I graduated high school in '91, which was really a couple of years prior to e-mail being introduced to college students, so you can imagine blogging wasn't a big part of my college experience.

Q: Being able to cover the team all the time must allow you to see things that most people can't. Being that as it may, what do you think of the team so far this season?
A: It's still early, but at 2-3, the warts are showing. They have the oldest 40-man roster in baseball, so it's no wonder they're already dealing with injuries (Moises Alou, Pedro Martinez, Orlando Hernandez, etc.) I'm comfortable labeling them the NL East favorite, but they're by no means a lock for the postseason.

For more information on Rubin's blog, visit the NY Daily News site at...

http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/mets/

Mets vs. Braves- Recap

(by Brett Kahn)

The good news: Johan Santana gave the Mets another quality start giving up only one run through seven innings. The bad news: He was credited with a loss because the Mets offense only mustered one run in a 3-1 loss courtesy of a Ryan Church double in the ninth inning.

Atlanta's John Smoltz was sensational, allowing no runs through five innings and striking out six. He left after the fifth and the Braves never looked back.

Are people attributing this to some sort of fall-out from last season? It's possible, and the players in the clubhouse know they are better than 2-3. Those players include 3B David Wright and C Brian Schneider, both of whom have made their thoughts clear on newyorkmets.com today.

The Mets now have a day off before entering their very anticipated match up with the Philadelphia Phillies. Oliver Perez will look to duplicate his first start of the season in which he allowed no runs over six innings, while striking out eight.

Mets vs. Braves- Live Blog

Top 9th- NEW PITCHER RAFAEL SORIANO. Wright walked. Beltran struck out looking. Delgado flied out to RF. CHURCH DOUBLED TO RF AND WRIGHT SCORED. Pagan walked. Schneider grounded out to diving 1B Teixteira to end game.

1 run 1 hit 1 LOB

BRAVES WIN 3-1
W- Smoltz
L- Santana
S- Soriano

Mets vs. Braves- Live Blog

Top 8th- NEW PITCHER PETER MOYLAN. Scheider singles to RF. MARLON ANDERSON PINCH HIT FOR P SANTANA. Schneider out at 2B on FC by Anderson. Reyes flied out on first pitch to LF. Anderson stole 2B. Castillo grounded out to 1B.

0 runs 1 hit 1 LOB

Bottom 8th- NEW PITCHER AARON HEILMAN. Johnson flied out to RF. Escobar struck out swinging. Jones walked on four pitches. TEIXTEIRA HOMERED TO RF. (JONES SCORED) Francoeur grounded out to 3B.

2 runs 2 hits 0 LOB BRAVES LEAD 3-0

Mets vs. Braves- Live Blog

Top 7th- NEW P OHMAN. Beltran flied out to deep LF. Delgado singled to RF. Delgado advanced to 2B on Church ground out to SS. Pagan flied out to CF.

0 runs 1 hit 1 LOB

Bottom 7th- Diaz grounded out to 3B. McCann doubled to rCF. Kotsay flied out CF. BRAYAN PENA PINCH HIT FOR OHMAN. Pena grounded out to diving 3B Wright.

0 runs 1 hit 1 LOB.

Mets vs. Braves- Live Blog

Top 6th- Reyes grounded out to 2B. NEW P BOYER struck out Castillo looking. Wright struck out looking.

0 runs 0 hits 0 LOB

Bottom 6th- Jones struck out swinging. Teixteira flied out to deep lCF. Francoeur flied out to RF.

0 runs 0 hits 0 LOB

Mets vs. Braves- Live Blog

Top 5th- Pagan struck out swinging on a breaking ball. Scheider grounded out on first pitch to P Smoltz. Santana flied out deep to RF.

0 runs 0 hits 0 LOB

Bottom 5th- Kotsay grounded out to SS Reyes. Gotay pinch hit for P Smoltz. Gotay struck out looking. Johnson singled to RF. Johnson out at 2nd on FC by Escobar.

0 runs 1 hit 0 LOB

Mets vs. Braves- Live Blog

Top 4th- Beltran struck out swinging on a high fastball. Delgado singled to rCF. Church flied out to CF and Delgado was doubled up at 1B.

0 runs 1 hit 0 LOB

Bottom 4th- Teixteira grounded out to SS Reyes. Francoeur doubles on a dropped pop-up by Reyes in LF. Diaz singled off P Santana's foot. McCann grounds into 4-6-3 double play.

0 runs 2 hits 0 LOB

Mets vs. Braves- Live Blog

Top 3rd- Johan Santana doubled to center that was almost caught by a sliding Mark Kotsay. Jose Reyes grounded out to SS sacrificing Santana to 3rd. Louis Castillo flied out to CF holding Santana at 3B. David Wright struck out swinging.

0 runs 1 hit 1 LOB

Bottom 3rd- Mark Kotsay ripped a double into right field. John Smoltz bunted to pitcher sacrificing Kotsay to 3B. Johnson grounds out to a diving Johan Santana, keeping Kotsay at 3B. ESCOBAR DOUBLES TO LF SCORING KOTSAY. Jones grounds out to 2B Castillo.

1 run 2 hits 1 LOB BRAVES LEAD 1-0

Mets vs. Braves- Live Blog

Top 2nd- Ryan Church struck out on a low breaking ball. Angel Pagan grounded out to SS Brian Schneider grounded out to 2B.

0 runs 0 hits 0 LOB

Bottom 2nd- Mark Teixteira flied out in foul ground to 1B Carlos Delgado. Jeff Francoeur flied out deep to LF Angel Pagan. Matt Diaz took the first pitch and singled up the middle. Francoeur stole second base on a wide throw by C Brian Schneider. Brian McCann flied out to RF Ryan Church.

0 runs 1 hit 1 LOB

Mets vs. Braves- Live Blog

Top 1st - David Wright and Carlos Beltran walked then Carlos Delgado got caught looking at a third strike from Smoltz.

0 runs 0 hits 2 LOB

Bottom 1st- Santana struck out Kelly Johnson on a fastball inside. Yunel Escobar grounded out to 2B Louis Castillo. Chipper Jones grounded out to SS Jose Reyes.

0 runs 0 hits 0 LOB

Maine Not On His Game

(by Brett Kahn)

Maybe the extra day off gave John Maine too much time to think about things. Whatever it was, Maine didn't look sharp even though the FOX radar gun clocked him throwing 97 mph at one point.

His fastball didn't move as well as it should've and he didn't throw his breaking ball enough. On top of that, the bullpen made things worse. A combined six runs were given up in four innings by Joe Smith, Jorge Sosa, and Nelson Figueroa.

Was it the wet ball or field? Who knows?

On the offensive side for the Mets, Angel Pagan drove in two runs and is now batting .385 to start the season.

Johan Santana will look to the get the Mets back on track tomorrow in the finale.

Rain Rain Good For Maine

(by Brett Kahn)

Friday night's rain out between the Mets and Braves might have been a positive thing for a team still trying to figure out its starting rotation.

John Maine will indeed go today at 3:55 against Tim Hudson as planned, which allows the Mets' pitcher with the best spring training to prove his worth.

Mike Pelfrey, the Mets most consistently-bad pitcher during the spring, will have to wait to get his shot at the division rivals. He will get his shot at the other division rival, the Philadelphia Phillies.

In order to keep Johan Santana on regular rest, the Mets bumped Pelfrey from the Braves series allowing Santana to pitch in the finale. In the upcoming series against the Philies, Oliver Perez will get the opener, Pelfrey the second game, and Maine, the finale. (NY DAILY NEWS)

OTHER NEWS
- P Duaner Sanchez gave up two solo home runs in one inning of work last night for Single-A Saint Lucie. (NY DAILY NEWS)
- P Pedro Martinez is scheduled to arrive in Ports Saint Lucie on Monday to begin rehabbing his left hamstring. (NY DAILY NEWS)
- P Orlando Hernandez is expected to make two additional starts for St. Lucie and then join the Mets after one start by Nelson Figueroa. (NY DAILY NEWS)

Ollie Ollie Oxen Free

(by Brett Kahn)

Just one night after the Mets lost Pedro Martinez to the DL due to a hamstring injury, Oliver Perez showed why he can be a very reliable starting pitcher in this currently depleted Mets rotation.

Perez showed signs of brilliance tonight throwing six scoreless innings, giving up only five hits and striking out eight fish in the Mets' 13-0 shellacking of the Florida Marlins.

David Wright continues on his torrid pace, going 3-for-5 with a home run and three RBI's. OF Ryan Church also duplicated those stats. Wright has now extended his hitting streak to 20 games carrying over from last season.

The Mets' offense totaled 17 hits, including six extra-base hits in the victory.

John Maine will make his season debut as the Mets travel to Atlanta Friday to face Tim Hudson and the Braves.

Pedro's Injury Leads to Late Inning Drama

(by Brett Kahn)

It's day two of the 2008 season and already, the Mets are sweating. Not only did the club loose a heart-breaker in the 10th inning to the Florida Marlins, but they may have also lost one of their aces.

Pedro Martinez just never seemed to have his control tonight. Giving up two first inning runs off of a Dan Uggla home run was just the beginning of a rough night for the 209-win veteran. Martinez would go on to allow two more runs off of a Louis Gonzalez home run in the second inning.

Just as things might have been looking up for the right-hander, he pulled his right hamstring during a routine pitch in the fourth inning.

The Mets, minus Pedro, rallied from four down to tie the game in the fifth inning on a sacrifice fly by LF Angel Pagan after David Wright led off the inning with a single.

The Mets bullpen was stellar for five plus innings until Matt Wise surrendered a walk-off home run in the 10th inning to Renyel Pinto.

Tomorrow at 7:10 EST, the teams will meet in the rubber match as Oliver Perez goes for the Mets.

Santana Shines as Mets Win Opener

(by Brett Kahn with notes from Dan Canfield Berman)

No one doubted the fact that Johan Santana would fit nicely in a Mets uniform. It was the other 24 players that fans worried about this Spring. However a 6-2 victory over the division rival Florida Marlins opened the book on what most are saying could be a phenomenal year.

Santana took a no-hitter into the fifth inning, but Josh Willingham wasn't going to allow the first Mets no-hitter to come on his turf as he hit a two-run homer to put the Marlins on the board.

David Wright led the offensive charge for the Mets going 2-4 with 3 RBI's, including a bases clearing double in the fourth inning. New faces Angel Pagan and Ryan Church each added a hit and an RBI to help cement a 6-2 victory and Santana's first win as a Met.

Tomorrow, Pedro Martinez will make his season debut against the Marlins' Rick VandenHurk. Game time is set for 7:10 EST.

Roster Moves

(by Brett Kahn)

Opening day is upon us and Willy Randolph waited until the last possible moment to decide on a distinct roster. Here are the roster moves that finalized the club's opening day roster.

Mike Pelfrey- Named team's fifth starter in rotation
Joe Smith- Made opening day roster
Brian Stokes- Designated for assignment
Brady Clark- Made opening day roster
Raul Casanova- Named back-up catcher until Ramon Castro is healthy
Orlando Hernandez- 15-day DL
Fernando Tatis- Assigned to Minor League camp
Ricardo Rincon- Assigned to Minor League camp
Nelson Figueroa- Assigned to Minor League camp
Angel Pagan- Will start on opening day against Marlins

Pitcher Ponage

(by Brett Kahn)

I tried this earlier but this time I think it will work. For those of you new to this feature, before every series, I am going to take the opponent's game one pitcher and talk about which Mets player dominates them the most. So, without further adieu, the Met that dominates Florida's Mark Hendrickson the most is...

Moises Alou.

Although Hendrickson has faired very well against the Mets, Alou has gotten the better of him. In eight at-bats, Alou has three hits (.375) and one RBI. Alou is currently on the disabled list but should be back sometime in April. We'll have to see how he fares the next time he faces Hendrickson.

Sunday Schmooz

(by Brett Kahn)

The name of the piece is "Shea Stadium Classic" by Thomas Kolendra. The following description comes directly from Ebay...

"It measures 15 1/2" height by 36" width published in 1993. It's getting close to midnight, October 27, 1986, Game 7 of the World Series, and Jesse Orosco is on his knees exulting after striking out Marty Barrett for the final out of the game. Shea Stadium is rocking. After losing the first two games of the Series to the Red Sox, the Mets have stormed back to capture the second World Championship in their history and first since 1969. Gary Carter (C), Keith Hernandez (1B), Wally Backman (2B), Rafael Santana (SS), Ray Knight (3B), Mookie Wilson (LF), Lenny Dykstra (CF) and Darryl Strawberry (RF) are ready to join the celebration."

Kolendra is a wonderful artist and his works have been featured in the Hall of Fame. For more information on this piece, as well as others, visit...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=350038223113&indexURL=0&photoDisplayType=2#ebayphotohosting

Roster Moves

(by Brett Kahn)

The Mets announced three more roster moves today and are getting close to their final 25-man roster for opening day on Monday.

Anderson Hernandez- New Orleans (AAA)

Steven Register- Returned to Colorado Rockies for half of the $50,000 Rule 5 drafting fee.

Ruben Gotay- Claimed off waivers by the Atlanta Braves.