Ball Drops on Minaya & Manuel as Mets Drop the Ball

by Mike Trovato

Since the early 1900's, it has been a New York tradition to ring in the changing of the calendar year by gathering together to watch the dropping of the ball. Over 100 years later, certain inhabitants of the Big Apple are honoring the age-old tradition in their own unique way.

Replace a bitter cold Times Square with mild air wafting throughout Citi Field, the excitement of a dense Broadway crowd with the solemness of sparsely scattered die-hards rushing the countdown as the Mets said goodbye to 2010 in the spirit of New York- dropping the ball.

Over their last five games of the season the Mets did just that, committing six fielding errors as the final home stand of 2010 adequately represented some of the glaring shortcomings of the past few years. Some poor fielding, the ever-present injury bug, and a pinch of Oliver Perez.

The errors were only part of the scene during the final handful of games. Though the Mets did manage to score 19 runs in that span, 14 of them came in two 7-run productions, with the remaining five runs scattered among the other three games. Without the help of Carlos Beltran, who was once again on the shelf with mild inflammation in his surgically repaired knee, the Mets stranded 37 men on the base paths, including 10 in Sunday's 14-inning defeat at the hands of the perennial cellar-dwelling Washington Nationals. And to add insult to injury, what better way to close things out than with a vintage Ollie P performance?
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In just his fourth appearance since August 1st, Perez issued more free passes than a middle school hall monitor, hitting Adam Kennedy, then walking the bases loaded before sending Jason Maxwell to first with the easiest game-winning RBI he'll ever have. Only then did Jerry Manuel pull the plug, and Perez trudged off the field to the familiar chorus of boos, as Mets fans got one last reminder of exactly why he was the the Kevin McCallister of the Mets bullpen. Frankly, he might as well just have stayed home.

The Mets went quietly in the bottom of the 14th, and that was that.

2010 is officially over.

Not literally, but as far as the New York Mets are concerned, welcome to 2011. Because the 2010 season was a "last" year in many, many ways.

We've heard the last of Omar Minaya's promises, the last of his disjointed statements to the media. We've seen the last of his roster maneuvers, along with the last of his non-maneuvers. We've shared the last of Jerry Manuel's warm laughs, and empathizing with the last of his stressed-out groans, trying to justify the unjustifiable.
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To assign all the blame to these two men would be totally unfair. I like Jerry Manuel, I really do. And although he was often criticized for his lack of fire and questionable managerial decisions, Manuel deserves credit for a 55-38 finish in 2008, reviving the Mets season after replacing Willie Randolph. Likewise, credit Omar Minaya for a number of seemingly forgotten great moves over the years. Tally up the acquisitions, draft picks and free agent signings. Tally up the Johan Santanas, the Mike Pelfreys, Jon Nieses and Josh Tholes. Chalk up the Angel Pagans, R.A. Dickeys and Hisanori Takahashis, all players that made major contributions in 2010.

Good moves and bad moves aside, when all was said and done, the bottom line remains that a General Manager and Manager are not measured by the moves they make, but whether or not those moves translate into one thing and one thing only: winning. And the Mets have won virtually nothing. No World Series, no National League pennants, and just one NL East crown.

Minaya and Manuel dropped the ball, and the ball had dropped on the New York Mets. Now it's time to turn the page. Time to face the music.

Happy New Year.


Looking Back

Looking back at a 2010 full of lasts, without mentioning any names, let's hope for a few more lasts...
http://blogs.suntimes.com/sportsprose/2009/06/video_luis_castillos_error_giv.html
Let's hope that we've seen the last of the unnecessarily massive contracts for sub-.500 pitchers or 32 year-old second basemen past their prime. No more number forty-sixes in blue and orange, whose selfishness and unwillingness to do so much as to try to straighten himself out in the minor leagues left the poor manager an arm short in the bullpen day in and day out. No more embarrassing dropped pop-ups against those cross-town rivals.

Let's hope that we've seen the last of the disconnect and lack of communication between players, coaches and front office personnel. No more tirades by development personnel directed at players, Major Leaguers or minor leaguers, shirtless or otherwise. No more surprise off-season surgeries and the he-said, he-said as to whether or not they were sanctioned by the team.

Let's hope that we've endured the last of trying to stay afloat until the regulars return. No more medical mishaps, no more pushing back onto the field the clearly injured, just to further clarify the realness and severity of their injuries. No more sitting on our hands like we've done enough, when clearly more needs to be done. No more of the "we can compete if" this or that. No more second half collapses. No more negativity.

Instead, let's make some resolutions for 2011. In fact, let's make just one. From this point on, let's not just say we want the New York Mets to be a winning franchise, let's operate like one.


Looking Forward

If you look at the eight teams in this year's playoffs, only two of them have a payroll of over $140 million. Perhaps it's no coincidence that those two teams- the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Yankees- were adversaries in the 2009 World Series. But the remaining three quarters of those teams made the postseason having spent under $100M, which just goes to show that money doesn't necessarily buy you a playoff berth.

The Cincinnati Reds ($68.2M) locked up the NL Central spending half of what the Mets ($136M) spent this year, and the Texas Rangers ($55.2M) bought their playoff champagne with the extra money the 5th-lowest payroll in baseball afforded them.

And then there's the Minnesota Twins. With a payroll of just over $90 million, the Twins are a perfect example of how a franchise should be run, and in 2010 they secured their 6th AL Central title in the last ten years. Minnesota has put together the right combination of affordable talent year in and year out for a decade, proving that it's not how much money you spend, but how you spend the money.



Since 2001, the Mets have reached the playoffs as many times as Minnesota has finished under .500- once. Yes, the Mets recent record book is quite the contrast to that of the Twins, and I'd say it's time to take a page out of a different book. Perhaps it's time for the Wilpons to re-evaluate how they will allow their front office to operate.
http://phoenix.fanster.com/files/2010/09/kevintowers01.jpg
Newly appointed GM of the Arizona Diamondbacks, Kevin Towers would have been an ideal candidate for the Mets. Having assembled most of the San Diego Padres team that nearly stole the NL West this year, Towers worked with roughly half the budget that Omar Minaya had in New York. Although he was not there to see his work come to fruition, the Padres team that held onto first place until the very last week of the season had Towers' stamp all over it. Now, with Towers gone to Arizona, the Wilpons will have to look elsewhere.

The New York Mets are by no means a small market team. They are going to spend money, we know this. But how about a resolution be a bit more cautious about how and when that money is doled out, while developing a consistency that can change the perception of being those "same old Mets."

The Mets have always been in the colossal shadow of the New York Yankees, and seem to have spent money to show their fans that they can keep up. Clearly, this hasn't worked. Whether or not that has been their motivation is not for me to say, and the Wilpons have never said so either. What they did say on Monday, however, was that they're looking for a GM with a fresh perspective.

Here's a fresh perspective:

Omar Minaya spent each winter making his biggest moves- Pedro, Beltran, Wagner, Delgado, Santana, Putz, K-Rod and Bay were all signed between seasons. Yet, Minaya never pulled the trigger on any major mid-season trades to put the Mets over the top.
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On the other hand, the Philadelphia Phillies have made their biggest moves not just between seasons, but during them as well. The four-time reigning NL East Champs and two-time reigning National League pennant winners have ridden, and will presumably ride, their winter signings to the playoffs- Lidge in '08, Halladay in '10. But it's the players they've traded for mid-season that will help carry them through the playoffs- Cliff Lee in '09, Oswalt in '10.

And it's not just the Phillies, either. Cliff Lee was a trading deadline pawn for the second straight year, and was one of several players the Rangers added in the midst of their playoff surge, along with NL East castoffs Christian Guzman (Nationals), Jorge Cantu (Marlins) and Jeff Francoeur (Mets). The San Francisco Giants revamped their entire outfield, adding Jose Guillen (Royals), Cody Ross (Marlins) and Pat Burrell (Rays) to their roster over the summer. The Braves traded for Derek Lee (Cubs) in August, while the Yankees picked up Lance Berkman (Astros) and Kerry Wood (Indians), who a key cog in their bullpen down the stretch. And those Twins. Minnesota bolstered their bullpen by trading for Matt Capps (Nationals) and Brian Fuentes (Angels). The common thread- all of these teams are in the playoffs, and it's not by accident that they got there.

So, new Mets GM, whoever you will be, please be tactful. You can do a lot in the off-season with $100 million. Just because you have $140 million to work with, that doesn't mean you have to spend it all before April. The Minaya Mets were thin in the wallet come July, and it cost them. If you put the right pieces in place between October and March, not the most expensive, you can make adjustments along the way.

Many, if not most or all teams would kill to have $40 million to play with at the trade deadline. Be that team, the one that instead of waiting for reinforcements to come back from injury to stay afloat, brings in their own reinforcements voluntarily.

Fred, Jeff. Don't ask the GM and Manager to be the source of excitement. Ask them to be the architects for it. If you want to re-energize the fan base, there's only one way to do it, on the field by winning games. Period.

Rotten to the core

by Mike Trovato

The way 2009 has gone, the Mets may be wise to bench any other player that has any value for the remainder of the season, not that there are many left.

If my count is correct, sixteen different Mets have spent time on the disabled list in 2009: Maine, Perez, Putz, Nieve, Niese, Wagner. Cora, Ramon Martinez, Fernando Martinez. Sheffield, Schneider, Pagan, Delgado, Reyes, Beltran. Now, David Wright.

I was in Maryland when I heard the news via text message about Wright's concussion. I barely even reacted. Of course I was upset, but at this point, I'm so numb to all of the injuries that it's almost become comical. Not that injuries are funny, because they're not. But it was only a matter of time before David Wright got hurt. It's really absurd.

A concussion, by definition, is a traumatic brain injury caused by a sudden direct blow to the head, and can potentially cause blurred vision and loss of equilibrium. Yet, Jerry Manuel seemed confused in his interview before Sunday's 3-2 walk off win over the Giants, claiming that he would give Wright the benefit of the doubt when it came to deciding whether or not he would play.

Omar Minaya said in a press conference that Wright may be done for the remainder of the season. Wright said on Monday that he is sure he'll play again this year. Though he insisted on staying in the game, instead, the Mets handled this situation properly- unlike last season with Ryan Church- having placed Wright on the 15-day DL the next day and not a week removed from the incident.

Here's some food for thought. Daniel Murphy is a natural third baseman. Perhaps he'll see time at third? Probably not, as the Mets are rerouting his career to make him a first baseman. But it is something to consider. Wright will still have massive trade value, and if the Wilpons are considering cleaning house, it may not be the worst idea to see if Murph would suffice at third, if the Mets are ever offered a top tier pitcher in a package for Wright.

The bottom line is, the loss of the All-Star third baseman is just a little more icing on the already well-iced cake. This season is finished. Now all we have to do is eat every last bit of it, and all of the crazy stories from management that will come with it.

Additionally:

• Alex Cora is probably done for the year and will undergo surgery to repair torn ligaments in both of his thumbs...
• Billy Wagner has rejoined the Mets, but has not yet been activated from the DL, which may happen this Friday. When asked about possibly being traded, Wagner snapped, saying "I'm a New York Met today. I'm happy to be a Met." Interesting words from the pitcher, who a month ago said he was in no hurry to get back to those guys. Quite a contrast to David Wright, who said on Monday that he is embarrassed to be letting his teammates down by missing time. Clearly we know who the team player is here...
  
• Carlos Beltran will apparently attempt to play again in 2009, despite having been advised against it by Padres outfielder Brian Giles. Giles, who has had similar knee issues as Beltran, recommended taking it easy and getting healthy for next season. Beltran may need micro fracture surgery, but has been shagging fly balls, and more recently running in an attempt to return this season. For what? I'm not really sure...
• The Mets first pick from this year's draft may or may not sign with New York. Steven Matz, a Long Island native, could recieve a signing bonus upwards of $1 million from the Mets. Intriguingly, last off season the Mets intriguingly declined to sign several free agents, players who actually have Major League experience. Yet, reeling in the Ward-Melville High School product appears to be worth 7 figures...
  

For bit of good news, football season is starting. For all you Jets fans who aren't Mets fans, don't worry, a Jets post is coming soon. And even if you don't like the Jets, I'll be weighing in on a bunch of NFL stuff throughout the season, so keep checking back for new posts.

"State of the Mets" Address

by Mike Trovato

*Please note that the following italicized text was taken from President Barack Obama's 2009 State of the Union address, and modified to make sense in context of the New York Mets.

To the fans of the New York Mets:

I write here tonight not only to address the state of baseball at Citi Field, but to speak frankly and directly to those who spend their nights following each and every Mets game.

I know that for many fans watching right now, the state of our team is a concern that rises above all others. And rightly so. If you haven't been personally affected by this injury-filled season, you probably know someone who has--a friend; a neighbor; a member of your family. You don't need to hear the list of injuries to know that our team is in shambles, because you live it every day.

It's the worry you wake up with and the source of sleepless nights. It's the team you thought you'd see succeed but now seems lost; the season you built your dreams upon that's now hanging by a thread; the dreams of a pennant you had to put in the back of your mind.

The impact of this season is real, and it is everywhere. But while our team may be weakened and our confidence shaken; though we are rooting through difficult and uncertain times, tonight I want every Mets fan to know this:

We will rebuild, we will recover, and the New York Mets will emerge stronger than before.

The weight of this crisis will not determine the destiny of this ball club. The answers to our problems don't lie beyond our reach. They exist in our farm systems; on our fields and in our stadiums; in the imaginations of our management and the pride of New Yorkers, the hardest-rooting fans in sports...

... What is required now is for management to pull together, confront boldly the challenges we face, and take responsibility for our future once more. Now, if we're honest with ourselves, we'll admit that for too long, we have not always met these responsibilities as a franchise. I say this not to lay blame or look backwards, but because it is only by understanding how we arrived at this moment that we'll be able to lift ourselves out of this predicament.

The fact is, our team did not fall into decline overnight. Nor did all of our problems begin when Jose Reyes tore his hamstring or Carlos Beltran went down with a bruised knee. We have known for months that our survival depends on finding new sources of offensive production. Yet we import more minor leaguers today than ever before. The cost of injuries eats up more and more of our payroll, yet we keep delaying putting players on the disabled list. Our team will compete for last place in a National League East that too many analysts do not deem as a strong division. And though all these challenges went unsolved, we still managed to spend more money and pile up more losses, both of individuals and games, than we have in 5 years.

In other words, we have lived through a season where too often, short-term injuries were misdiagnosed and became long-term; where we failed to look beyond the next injury, the next
call-up, or the next prospect. A lack of depth became an excuse to transfer blame to Omar Minaya instead of an opportunity to invest in our future. And all the while, critical transactions and difficult trades were put off for some other time on some other day.

Well that day of reckoning has arrived, and the time to take charge of our future is here. Now is the time to act boldly and wisely--to not only revive this team, but to build a new foundation for 2010. Now is the time to jump start the organization, re-start scouting, and invest in areas like left field, the starting rotation, and a new medical staff.

That is what I'd like to talk to you about tonight...

*http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=111_cong_documents&docid=f:hd001.111.
End of modified text.

Parody aside, when it comes to my teams, I'm not one to easily give up hope. Like any die-hard Mets fan, I've toughed out the last two seasons, taking everything personally as though I had done something to influence the collapses. At this juncture though, it's pretty much safe to say that for the Mets, the rest of 2009 will be devoted to establishing some kind of foundation to build upon for 2010. That being said, Here's my outlook on the future of the franchise, the pieces they have now, and the potential shakeups for next year:

• Catcher- Brian Schneider will be a free agent after this season, and given how well Omir Santos has played, I anticipate Santos being the starter next season. Who will back him up is another story, but unless the Red Sox don't pick up Victor Martinez' option, Santos has pretty much already earned himself the Mets starting catching gig.

• First Base- Daniel Murphy looks pretty solid moving forward at first base, where he will likely be next season barring some kind of heroic display from Carlos Delgado upon his return. Delgado's contract is up at the end of the year, and at age 37, it seems highly unlikely that he will be a Met next year. Though Murphy has not yet developed the power typical of a major league first baseman, many believe that for young contact hitters, power can develop.
  Should the Mets decide to go for power, Russell Branyan, Aubrey Huff or Adam LaRoche may be on the radar, as well as Nick Johnson, who was mentioned in Mets trade rumors earlier this season. Should the Mets sign a first baseman and a left fielder, Murphy become an interesting trade chip.
  

• Second Base- We all got on Omar Minaya for signing Luis Castillo to that slightly ludicrous 4-year contract. Yes, at $18 million, they did overpay Castillo, but he has bounced back nicely this season and has been the most consistent piece of the Mets puzzle. As long as he remains healthy, it looks like the glaring holes will appear elsewhere on the diamond this offseason. However, the Mets will also have to at least entertain free agent options like Orlando Hudson, Mark DeRosa and Felipe Lopez.
  

• Shortstop- To trade or not to trade, that is the question. Many people have been calling for the Mets to break up their core, and Jose Reyes would probably have the highest return in any deal the Mets could work out. The outlook for free agency this offseason doesn't appear too promising in terms of shortstops, however. Outside of Miguel Tejada (36), Orlando Cabrera (35), former Met Marco Scutaro (34), Jack Wilson (32), and Bobby Crosby (30), there won't be much else out there.
  Unless the Mets can justify having Anderson Hernandez as their starting shortstop, their next best in-house option may be Wilmer Flores or Ruben Tejada. Tejada is just 19 years old, and Flores is 17, and both still raw talents, probably still at least couple years away from the bigs.
  At this point, I believe the Mets will hold onto Reyes, though I could see the Mets being able to work out a trade with Boston, perhaps involving pitcher Clay Buchholz, who at 25 already has a no hitter to his name. Another interesting BoSox prospect is shortstop-pitcher Casey Kelly. What may work against the Mets is the fact that Boston was able to acquire Victor Martinez without giving up any of their top-tier prospects. Then again, perhaps by pulling off the Martinez deal, maybe Boston maneuvered themselves into a position to trade those top prospects for one Jose Reyes.
  

• Third Base- David Wright isn't going anywhere unless some club floors the Mets with an outstanding offer. The only issue here is the mystery of where his power stroke went. He'll be the third baseman, and depending on the Mets offseason moves, might slide nicely up to the 2 spot in the batting order, given his high average, good speed on the bases, and sudden void of power.
  

• Left Field- After the Daniel Murphy experiment took a different direction, the Mets will most likely be faced with the same hole in left field for the second straight offseason. For now, Corey Sullivan and whoever else Jerry Manuel throws out there will have to do, at least until Carlos Beltran returns. If and when he does, Angel Pagan should,, without question get the nod in left the rest of the way.
  For 2010, the Mets will have several tempting options. Jason Bay and Matt Holliday are both scheduled to become free agents, and with Boston's acquisition of Victor Martinez and Mike Lowell still under contract, Kevin Youkilis could potentially stick in left field in place of Bay. Holliday has been on a tear since arriving in St. Louis, and at 30 years old, would be a great option for the Mets to consider if he doesn't sign a contract extension with the Cardinals.

• Center Field- Carlos Beltran is supposed to return this season, but who really knows any more? Given his age, he probably won't be as tradable as Jose Reyes. The bottom line is that Beltran is still one of the best center fielders in the game, and I'd be very surprised if he's not a Met in 2010.

• Right Field- Jeff Francoeur. Period.
  

• Starting Rotation- Outside of Johan Santana, the rotation probably holds the most question marks for the Mets heading into 2010. Mike Pelfrey has regressed quite a bit this year, his ERA is up and his strikeouts are down significantly. I still believe that he's better suited to be a number 3 or 4 starter at this point in his career, and has suffered from being thrust into the 2 spot after thriving last season as the 5th starter.
  John Maine was showing some improvement before injuring his shoulder, but his durability has to be a major concern. Maine's '08 season ended with him on the shelf, and 2009 may bring the same outcome. Still, he'll likely be the number 3, 4 or 5 starter next year, whichever order you'd like to put Pelfrey-Maine-Perez in, as I assume the Mets will invest in a more viable number 2.
  Oliver Perez. Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde. Dr. Jeckyll has shown his face more often since Perez returned from the DL. For the $36 million coming his way, Perez better damn sure harness his control- physically and mentally. As shaky as he can be, all the Mets can do is keep working with him and keep their fingers crossed that he'll bounce back as Luis Castillo has done this season.
  As servicable as Livan Hernandez has been this year, I don't foresee the Mets bringing him back, unless it's as an insurance policy for their top 5 starters. Eric Bedard, John Lackey and Rich Harden are probably the best free agent options for 2010, but if the Mets turned around and signed someone like Randy Wolf, Brad Penny or Joel Pineiro, I wouldn't be shocked. With the money they have tied up in Oliver Perez' and their apparent hesitancy to expand their spending limit, they may very well go for one of those second-tier starters.
  Keep in mind that Bobby Parnell is moving into the rotation for the remainder of 2009, and Jon Niese's hamstring is expected to be 100% by next spring, and either young gun could end up at the back of the Mets rotation. We also can't rule out the possibility of a trade for a pitcher.

• Bullpen- Shockingly, the bullpen may be the most stable aspect for the Mets heading into 2010. K-Rod will be the closer and J.J. Putz will be the setup man. Billy Wagner will be gone, leaving Pedro Feliciano as the lone lefty, assuming his arm doesn't fall off from overuse. Sean Green and Parnell- if he's not a starter or traded- should be fine going forward, giving the Mets 5 solid arms out of the 'pen.
  Joe Biemel, who had been suggested last season in Mets trade rumors, will see his contract expire at the end of the season, and could be considered as another left-handed option. Chad Cordero and Brandon Lyon will also hit the free agent market and both have experience as closers.

• Bench- If Angel Pagan isn't starting in left field, he's definitely proven himself to be a valuable asset to this ball club, and in my mind, must be on the roster next season. The same goes for Daniel Murphy, though I don't see him benefiting from being on the bench after starting for the majority of this season.
  In terms of utility players, Alex Cora will be a free agent. Cora is a positive presense in the clubhouse, but honestly, I'm not sure I feel confident that the Mets will bring him back. Felipe Lopez can play 2B, SS, 3B and OF, and would give the Mets more flexibility, power and speed than Cora.

• General Manager/Manager- I can't see how Jerry Manuel will take the fall for this season's mess. The only scenario that I can come up with that doesn't include Manuel at the helm is one in which Mets ownership clean house, fire Omar Minaya and start from scratch. If that's the case, then a lot of what I've just written about the players may be scrapped as well, and I would probably try to head a campaign to bring back Bobby Valentine, or begin a fund for a year's supply of fake mustaches. But the fact is that for some reason, the Wilpons love Omar Minaya, and that ridiculous contract extension they gave him last season is enough for me to believe that we'll all continue to follow Omar blindly into 2010.

The Mets have some legitimate pieces in place for next season, but they will be lucky to play .500 ball the rest of the way. Given Putz, Wagner, Delgado and maybe Beltran will before season's end, things may improve a bit in September. Still, my feeling is that those beards will be plenty full by the time the final out is recorded this season, should the Mets continue to grow them until they reach .500.

Predicted 2009 final record: 78-84, 4th Place and 16 GB in the NL East.

Predicted lineup projection for 2010 (before free agent signings):

1. J. Reyes, SS
2. L. Castillo, 2B
3. D. Murphy, 1B
4. C. Beltran, CF
5. D. Wright, 3B
   
6. J. Francoeur, RF
7. A. Pagan, LF
8. O. Santos, C

What I'd like to see in 2010:

1. J. Reyes, SS
2. D. Wright, 3B
3. R. Branyan- 1B
   
4. M. Holliday, LF
5. C. Beltran, CF
6. J. Francoeur, RF
7. O. Santos, C
8. L. Castillo, 2B

Met losses, bodies continue to pile up

by Mike Trovato

The New York Mets had an opportunity this weekend to gain some ground in their long uphill climb in the National League East. It's a shame they couldn't put together a better series against the San Diego Padres.

With a convincing 12-3 win on Sunday, the Florida Marlins completed a sweep of the Philadelphia Phillies, pulling Florida to within 4 games of the lead in the NL East. The Braves kept pace, taking the final three games of their four game series with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
(AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Even the Washington Nationals are hot- in fact, they're on fire. The Nats are riding an 8 game winning streak, and have outscored their opponents 57-33 during that span. Washington is 8-1 in August, and has not lost a series since they were swept by the Cubs in the first series back from the All-Star Break.

As for the Mets, this past week has been an utter disaster. Since the Nationals last lost, Jerry Manuel's club has won just 2 contests, and are now almost as close to last place (12.5 games ahead) as they are to first (10 games back).

After ending July on a 5-1 high note, this month has been cruel to the Mets, who are 3-6 in August. They could very well be 5-4, but Francisco Rodriguez has had the week from hell, blowing two saves while his ERA has increased by over 55% from 2.08 to 3.24.
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/2009/08/04/2009-08-04_albert_pujols_grand_slam_helps_cardinals_beat_mets_in_extra_innings.html
Tuesday's game against St. Louis should have been Johan Santana's 13th victory. Instead, K-Rod blew a 7-5 lead, giving up 2 runs in the 9th before an Albert Pujols grand slam in the 10th inning sealed a 12-7 victory for the Cardinals. Things got worse for the Mets closer just three days later, when Rodriguez blew his second straight save opportunity. K-Rod did not record a single out against the Padres on Friday, giving up 5 runs on three walks (one intentional) and two hits, the last of which was a walk-off grand slam to San Diego's rookie shortstop Everth Cabrera.

Frankie's 5th blown save wasted a brilliant performance by Oliver Perez, who fanned 7 and allowed 1 run and just four base runners (2 hits, 2 walks) over 6 1/3 innings. Luckily, New York was able to salvage the final game of their 4 game series against the Padres on Sunday, ending an 8 game skid at PETCO Park dating back to 2007. Johan Santana finally picked up his NL tying best 13th victory, holding the Pads to one run over 8 innings before handing the ball over to K-Rod in the 9th. This time around, Rodriguez did not disappoint, shutting the door on a 5-1 Mets victory.

Though it was not a save situation for K-Rod, Sunday's outing was encouraging on several levels. First and foremost, it sealed a New York win. But deeper than wins and losses, Rodriguez' outing on Sunday was a vote of confidence and sigh of relief for the Mets bullpen situation.

On top of his two straight blown saves, there had been some concern about K-Rod's health, as his velocity was down to 89 MPH in Friday's debacle. Sunday was a different story, however, as Rodriguez hit 93 on the gun. With J.J. Putz still out, Bobby Parnell in the process of transitioning into the starting rotation, and Billy Wagner not yet ready to return, the Mets can ill afford any bad news for their $36 million closer. Not to mention the injuries to the Mets as a whole, which relentlessly continued this week.
Kathy Willens / AP Photo
Jonathon Niese's year came to an abrupt end during Wednesday's 9-0 victory over St. Louis. Niese, stretching to cover first base in the second inning, appeared to injure his right hamstring. Upon throwing a warmup pitch, the 22 year-old southpaw collapsed to the ground, his right leg giving out from under him. An MRI revealed a complete tear of his right hamstring tendon. Niese underwent successful surgery on Tuesday, and should be ready for spring training in 2010.

Now, doctors anticipate that Niese will be able to begin running in 6 weeks. I say, why not make it 7? Because let's be honest, the Mets' doctors haven't exactly been spot on with their diagnoses this season (see also: Jose Reyes; Carlos Beltran; John Maine). The last thing they need is to lose a prospect, seeing as their prospect pool seems a bit shallow in quantity, questionable in quality and durability, being that Fernando Martinez is also on the shelf.

Along with Jon Niese, Gary Sheffield and Luis Castillo were also among the walking wounded this week. For Sheffield, the injury is a re-aggrivation of the hamstring injury that landed him on the disabled list just a few weeks ago, though the Mets are holding off on putting Sheff back on the DL. Exactly why they are doing so, I'm not really sure, but apparently the idea of playing a man short is more appealing to Mets management than calling up a replacement minor league bat.

While the handling of Sheffield's injury seems strange, even more bizarre is Luis Castillo's malady. Walking into the dugout in the 8th inning of Tuesday's game against the Cardinals, Castillo stumbled down the steps, spraining his left ankle. Luis missed four straight starts, but luckily for the Mets, he was able to return to the starting lineup on Sunday and collected two hits in the win.

The Mets will travel to Arizona for 3 games before returning to Citi Field. Though it is always nice to come back home- and for the Mets, especially from the west coast- the upcoming 11 game homestand will be extremely difficult. The Amazins' will open with 4 games against the Giants, who are tied with the Rockies for the wildcard lead.

Then comes a 10 game stretch against division opponents, which is definitely the Mets' last legitimate shot to salvage the season. Assuming they're not 17 games out of first by the time they finish up with San Francisco, Jerry Manuel's troops will have 3 games against the Braves before wrapping up the homestand with 4 games against the first place Phillies. The very next day, they'll open a 9 game road trip, traveling to Florida for 3 games against the Marlins.

Mets manage nine hits in Subway sweep; Minaya remains stagnant

by Mike Trovato

I thought I had spoken too soon. I feel like I do that a lot, actually- at least every time I write something positive about the New York Mets, whether it's about a winning streak or a player who is hitting well, it ends within 48 hours of my writing it. I almost did it again. Almost.

Last week I weighed in on the lack of big bats in the Mets lineup after being two-hit by Joel Pineiro. The Mets promptly responded by putting an 11-0 beating on the Cardinals, getting a two-run homer from recently recalled Nick Evans. Jerry Manuel's crew won the final game against St. Louis the following day to take three of four from St. Louis. A nice change of events, and a much better circumstance for making me eat my words.

Then the Yankees came to town. OK, technically they're already in town, but they made their first visit to Citi Field, and cleaned house. On Friday night the Mets managed just three hits against C.C. Sabathia, Gary Sheffield's solo blast accounting for the only Met run of the night in a 9-1 pounding.

If you thought that would be the worst of it, it wasn't, and if you thought C.C. exposed the weakness in the Met lineup, A.J. Burnett rubbed it in their faces with a combined one-hitter on Saturday. The Yankees sealed up the sweep as Chien-Ming Wang further lowered his astronomical ERA to 10.06, allowing just two runs and four hits over 5.1 innings. The Mets would not tag Joe Girardi's bullpen for any more runs, and managed only one more hit the rest of the game.

To recap, the Yankees bashed four home runs en route to 18 runs in the series. The Metropolitans, on the other hand scored three runs on nine hits, which would be good in any one game, but over the course of a three game series is absolutely atrocious.

Three runs. Nine hits. That is all. The same Mets that racked up sixteen hits in the 11-0 victory last Wednesday have managed six runs on 14 hits in the four games since, adding the five Met hits from Thursday's 3-2 win

So as the Mets now sit at an even .500, if you ask me which scope is better suited for gauging this Met team, the obvious answer would be the one focused on a half-empty glass. But let's examine some of the positives.

The Mets rotation, which with Pelfrey, Maine and Perez 2-3-4 was so unstable in April, has morphed into a rotation of three #5 starters who are exceeding expectations. Livan Hernandez has been a pleasant surprise, and has pitched seven innings in each of his last three starts, having given up just 7 earned runs. Unfortunately, the Mets have lost all three, but by no fault of Hernandez, who has at least kept them in each game.

In addition to Livan, New York has gotten production from Tim Redding and Fernando Nieve; neither of them were on the Mets' opening day roster. Redding, despite a 6.35 ERA on the year, has had a respectable June. He went 1-1 with a 4.99 ERA and 1.27 WHIP, also posting a strikeout to walk ratio of slightly better than 2:1. An even bigger surprise, Nieve was 3-0 with a 1.31 ERA and 0.97 WHIP in his three starts plus two relief innings heading into Monday.

What makes Fernando's numbers even more impressive is that he accomplished them in facing the ML home run leading Yankees, the reigning AL Champion Tampa Bay Rays, and the NL Central's first place Cardinals. Not too shabby.

Ultimately, what this shows is that the Mets' patchwork rotation is holding up better than their patchwork lineup. Not only have their bats gone virtually silent, but their slump at the plate has also been hurt by their play the field. Manuel's boys shot themselves in the foot early in Friday's contest, committing three errors in the second inning against the Yankees. They never recovered, scoring just the one run on Sheffield's homer, their only bomb of the series.

I'm not the one in charge of this team, nor am I a genius. Truthfully, it doesn't take one to realize that the events of this weekend put a bold exclamation point on the already overstated problem that is New York Met hitting. Even if ".500-ish" is the goal for this team heading into the All-Star break, it still doesn't look great if Subway Series '09: Part 2 was any indication. Even at this very moment, I'm watching Milwaukee pound this team 7-3 in the 7th inning... make that 8-3, and I'm not even kidding (see: Bill Hall, RBI double). The Brewers have 16 hits and counting. The Mets have 8. One more and they'll match their run and hit totals from this past weekend, not something to be striving for. Should this hold up, the New York Mets will fall to 37-38, a game below .500, which is eerily similar to last June.

Look, I've already weighed in on this, and I won't back off from my stance now, or any time soon at the rate this team has been playing. Honestly, unless Omar Minaya subscribes to, religiously follows and is chiefly advised by this blog- which he does not and is not- there's nothing I can say or do that will make any difference. It's all wishful, and it's all opinion. And whether you agree with my suggestions or not, I think what we can agree on is our overall sentiment: Omar, please. Do something.

Let's put this out there right now, Omar. Your job is on the line, and frankly, none of us will be sad to see you go should you lose it. Because if you do in fact lose your job, it will be well deserved and essentially long overdue. It will mean that you have failed to take this team to the next level following the '06 season that featured "Our Team" and was supposed to be "Our Time." For die-hards, this is still our team, but there's no evidence of our time being anywhere close.

http://stltoday.mycapture.com/mycapture/enlarge.asp?image=24378143&event=786949&CategoryID=38580
You can hide behind injuries for a period of time, but when your three top stars are nowhere near returning to the field, there comes a point where things need to be shaken up, so as to keep the team in contention. The St. Louis Cardinals, a team 4 games above .500 and hovering around first place is still making improvements, having just traded for Mark DeRosa (left), a guy that was rumored to be heading to New York.

Don't let the 3 game gap between yourself and first fool you, Omar, because when Raul Ibanez returns on July 3rd, the Philadelphia Phillies will not be looking back. In fact, the Marlins may not be looking back either. That's right, the Marlins, who as of a minute ago are now in second place. The wild card does not look to be coming out of the NL East, and even if it does, when you're closer to .500 than you are to first place, many, many red flags should be flying, not white ones.

So, what color flag are you waving, Mr. Minaya?

Mets roll into first, extending streak to 6 over hapless Bucs

by Mike Trovato

Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention please: The New York Mets have officially come to life.

Coming off of a sub-.500 April, the Mets are currently the hottest team in baseball, riding the wave of a six game winning streak heading into Mother's Day. It can't hurt to be playing the coldest team in the league in the Pittsburgh Pirates, but no matter how you cut it, wins are wins, and they are piling up rapidly for the Mets.

Like a sleeping giant being stirred from its sleep, the Mets' have woken up in a big way. In just eight games since the calendar turned to May, New York has exploded, and has already almost matched last month's totals in both wins and home runs. Through eight games thus far this May, the Mets are 7-1, turning in their latest winning performance on Saturday, clobbering the Pittsburgh Pirates 10-1. Carlos Beltran's solo shot in the 5th inning of Saturday's game marked the 11th Mets home run in May, after they hit just 13 in April. The club's 10 runs and 17 hits were the highest totals by the Mets in either category this season.

Just nine days ago, I was hard-pressed to find many positives for this team that wasn't Johan Santana. Now, I'm not even sure where to start.

As a team, the power surge is an obvious plus, but the timing of their recent home runs has shown a transformation in the team chemistery. Four times in the past week, the Mets have scored 4+ runs in an inning. On two of the four occasions, New York scored four runs in rapid fashion, courtesy of back-to-back 2-run homers off the bats of Carlos Beltran and David Wright. The Mets also put together two five-run innings in back-to-back games, Friday and Saturday against the Pirates.

It is not surprising that the Mets turnaround has had a lot to do with the success of their core players. David Wright, who had faced much criticism after a lackluster start, has begun to really heat up. He is batting .379 on the month of May, and his RBI total has jumped from 8 to 17 in that span. Jose Reyes has turned on the jets, stealing four bases this week, doubling his total for the season. The two Carlos' are batting a combined 18-for-46 (.391) with 5 HR and 15 RBI between them; Delgado is hitting .455 while Beltran has popped 4 HR during the 6-game winning streak.

Just as encouraging, if not more so, has been the steady improvement in the production of the Mets starting rotation, which looked to have the makings of potential disaster through the season's first month. New York has received 6+ innings and five winning decisions from its starters in each of this week's 6 victories, including two by John Maine.

After posting an ERA just under 7.50 in his first three starts, John Maine has lowered his ERA by nearly three full runs over his last three outings, logging wins in all three. Johan Santana blanked the Phillies through seven strong innings on Wednesday. Santana's 10 strikeout performance held up in the Mets' 1-0 victory, one day after Livan Hernandez gave up just one run in 6 1/3 to seal a two game sweep of the Atlanta Braves. Mike Pelfrey, despite some control issues, was backed by strong run support on Thursday, allowing Frankie Rodriguez to notch his fourth save in as many days.

The one man not surprisingly missing from the equation has been Oliver Perez, who was placed on the DL before Pelfrey's victory over the Phillies. Originally slated to join the Mets bullpen, an MRI revealed patellar tendonitis in Perez' right knee. New York called up Jonathon Niese to fill the void left by the struggling Perez, and the rookie answered the call. Though he didn't record the win, Niese pitched extremely well, allowing just 2 runs in 6 innings. Most impressively, Niese showed excellent command, stirking out 5 without walking a single Pirates batter. Bobby Parnell came on in the 7th to shut Pittsburgh down, earning up his first career major league win in relief.

As though the winning streak hasn't been fun enough to watch (not to mention long overdue), one of the most exciting treats of the week was provided by manager Jerry Manuel. Uncle Jerry (as I like to call him) has to be one of the coolest human beings on the planet; between his demeanor and his voice, I swear he has a future hosting DJ Jerry's Smooth Jazz on the FM dial. Plus, I pray even harder for Mike Pelfrey to dominate his starts, just hoping that Jerry will remind us all just how "absolutely filthy" Big Pelf's stuff is- and I mean it is downright filthy.

In all seriousness though, Manuel always presents a calming, level-headedness in dugout and with the media... but not this Thursday. Up 7-3 in the eighth inning against the Phillies, Shane Victorino got caught up between first and second base, and ran into Jose Reyes during the rundown. Umpire Bill Welke called interference on Reyes, ruling Victorino safe on the play. Not the first questionable call of the night, the obstruction call was enough to break cool Jerry's unbreakable temper. Manuel was ejected for arguing, and proceded to brush brims with Welke, a move that earned him a one-game suspension, which he served on Saturday.

The significance of Jerry Manuel getting in the face of Bill Welke over a call that ultimately had a minimal effect on the game goes far beyond the scope of the game itself. No team, no matter how skilled or how well-paid they are, can survive a general manager and fan base that lacks confidence in it. What Jerry Manuel's outburst did, in its relative brevity, was transform the tone of and inject passion and fire into the 2009 season.

It's never a good thing when the general manager publicly questions the intensity and edginess of the very team he has constructed, and Omar Minaya had done just that not even a week earlier. Following Manuel's ejection, David Wright commented that the Mets lack of edge was history, calling out Minaya himself in his statement, silencing the critics who relished in Met failure during a cold April.

I won't crown them yet, I wouldn't dare. But this team is clicking, awakened like an untamed beast and hopefully just getting started. In one week's time, the Mets have gone from a confused, struggling fourth place team, to a first place ballclub with the swagger of a champion. They've taken first place by going through the champions themselves, taking the bull by the horns, welcoming them into and swiftly booting the Phildaelphia Phillies out of our beautiful new place, Citi Field, home of the New York Mets...

... The New York Mets have not been this confident in a long, long while. It feels good, and it's about damn time.

Perez falls out of Mets' rotation; Pelfrey and Maine to pick up slack

by Mike Trovato

As the adage goes, hindsight is 20/20. But even before 2009 the season began, Mets fans questioned whether shelling out $36 million to make Oliver Perez a Met through 2011 was the right decision. The reality the Mets face now is one of a sub-.500 record, a general manager skating on steadily thinning ice, and a 40 year-old rookie filling the 5th spot in the rotation while their 36 million dollar man sits at the tail end of their revamped bullpen.

On October 19th, 2006, Oliver Perez pitched in the biggest game of his life. Acquired from Pittsburgh as an add-on to the trade that sent Xavier Nady to the Pirates for Roberto Hernandez, the New York Mets called upon Perez to start against the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 7 of the NLCS. The Mets, in blind faith, had simply hoped he would give them a chance. Instead, Perez gave them one of the best performances of his career.

Ollie scattered just 4 hits over 6 strong innings of work. He allowed just one run, striking out four and walking two while hurling 61 of his 88 pitches for strikes. At the time, Perez' outing was viewed as a huge positive, and rightfully so. But in some twisted way, perhaps that one performance was, over the long term, more of a curse than a blessing.

There were several things that came out of that fateful Game 7. Despite the solid effort, the Mets still lost to the Cardinals, falling one game short of reaching the World Series. In very basic terms, for what it's worth, the performance by Perez ultimately didn't impact 2006 at all. What it did do, however, was beguile Mets brass into thinking that Perez could be the left-hander whose upside- if fulfilled- could erase the regret of dealing Scott Kazmir to the Tampa Bay (then Devil) Rays.

The success of Oliver Perez throughout his career has been somewhat of an anomaly. His best year came with the Pirates in 2004, when he struck out 239 batters and logged a stellar 2.99 ERA. However, he has yet to come within 59 strikeouts of that output in any subsequent season. Before the 2006 NLCS, Perez went 3-13 with a 6.55 ERA over 22 starts between Pittsburgh and New York. He was an absolute long shot to do anything positive in that Game 7; instead, he pitched like Pedro Martinez. The Wilpons rewarded Perez with a contract after the '06 season, and Ollie has been a mainstay in the Mets rotation ever since.

Perez responded to his new contract by winning 15 games in 2007, but regressed last year, going just 10-7 with an ERA well over 4. In September, when it mattered most, he recorded just one victory in six starts with an ERA of 5.79. Opponents hit .260 against him that month, his second worst month of the '08 campaign in that regard. Still, in the midst of a second straight September collapse, the Mets faith in Perez carried over into 2009.

After again falling out of the playoffs on the season's final day, the Mets drastically improved their bullpen this offseason, signing Francisco Rodriguez and trading for J.J. Putz. Yet, Omar Minaya made no other major additions to the rest of the Mets roster. The most significant and controversial of the Mets' inactivity was when Minaya opted to pass on free agent Derek Lowe in favor of re-signing Perez.

With a career 3.74 ERA and a win-loss tally 18 games over .500, Lowe would have been a perfect fit as the #2 starter behind ace Johan Santana. The one knock on Lowe was his age- he will turn 37 next month. But since 2002, the year Perez broke into the majors, Lowe has been unbelievably durable, averaging 33 starts per season. Perez has made 30+ starts just twice over that same span. In the 2004 postseason with the Red Sox, Lowe turned in 3 wins and a minuscule 1.86 ERA en route to Boston's first World Series Championship in 89 years. Perez' postseason experience is limited to just 2 starts ever- both in 2006. Regardless, the Mets did not make the big push for Lowe, allowing him to sign a 4-year, $60 million contract with Atlanta.

So as the Mets have sat and watched Lowe go 3-1 for the division rival Braves through the first month of the season, there is little need to delve into the 2009 version of Oliver Perez, as it is nauseating and ultimately depressing. On the heels of another meltdown this past Saturday, New York has made yet another questionable maneuver with the paradox that is Oliver Perez. Rather than sending him to Triple-A Buffalo, or placing him on the 15-day DL which would allow Perez to regroup before pitching rehab starts in the minor leagues, the Mets announced on Monday that Perez would remain on the big league roster. Perez will be relegated to mop-up duties in relief. Forty year-old Ken Takahashi moves into Perez' place in the rotation, and is slated to start on Friday against Perez' old club, the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Whatever fascination the New York Mets have with Perez can likely be attributed to that fateful NLCS. One game. One game, and what the Mets have done is put way, way, way too much stock in a pitcher whose career record and ERA were 34-53 and 4.80 respectively before October 19th, 2006. Yes, Perez pitched well in 2007, but given his track record, the risk the Mets have taken with Ollie should have ended after his contract expired last October. Now they will have to hope that the rest of their rotation- namely Mike Pelfrey and John Maine- will pull a 180 sooner rather than later.

The good news is that both Maine and Big Pelf have improved over their last two outings, and are a combined 4-0 over their last four starts. Maine has turned in two straight 6 inning performances, giving up just 3 earned runs as his ERA has dropped significantly from 7.47 to 5.21. Pelfrey too has lowered his ERA by over 2 full runs, and is 3-0 on the year despite his struggles. Walks have been a concern for both pitchers: Pelfrey walked four without a strikeout in his last appearance; Maine walked 6 in Monday's win against the Braves. Provided they are stranding those runners on the bases, the walks are something the Mets can deal with as long as they continue to win games.

After subpar April, Mets need to "Wright" the ship

by Mike Trovato

Maybe the past month has just been a bad extended April Fool's joke. Maybe Oliver Perez is actually Mr. Consistency. Maybe the Mets are actually good hitters in the clutch. Maybe they're actually "the team to beat..."

I wish these things were true. Realistically, after watching Wednesday's series finale against the Florida Marlins, the most glaring things the New York Mets have shown through April are that they are consistently inconsistent, poor hitters in the clutch, and at this point, not even close to being "the team to beat."

Blowing yet another gem of a performance by Johan Santana, the Mets wrapped up a disappointing April with a 4-3 loss to the Marlins, dropping them to fourth in the NL East at 9-12. I'm aware that it's too early to jump ship 21 games into the season, but the season is 1/8 of the way through, and at this rate, the Mets will end up 32 games out of first place.

David Wright looks wrong; he has already recorded 27 strikeouts, and is on pace to whiff 208 times. Mark Reynolds of the Diamondbacks is the only player to ever reach 200 K's; not even Ryan Howard, Jim Thome and Adam Dunn- perennial strikeout fiends- have reached the 200 plateau In fact, should Wright keep this pace, he would break the all-time Major League record for strikeouts by any one player in a season.

The shortcomings of the Mets' club have been well documented by the ever-present New York media. Frankly, a lot seems to have been forgotten since 2006, when the Mets had a swagger and cockiness about them that in itself seemed to have opponents beat, even on days when they weren't at their best. There is something off with this team, and I believe it starts at the top, not on the field.

The 2009 Mets have been less than memorable in so many ways, starting with the very building they play in- Citi Field. Yes, the ballpark is beautiful, but there seems to be no sense of tradition, nostalgia, or anything resembling pride within the Met organization. Evidently, nowhere in the blueprints did they include any Met insignia, as the ballpark is practically void of any representation of Mets history. To boot, the first game ever played in the new home of the Mets didn't even involve the Mets. Hell, they were even going to get rid of Doc Gooden's signature on a wall in the outfield before they realized, hey, maybe that's completely asinine. Maybe I'm being picky, but in listening to callers on WFAN, clearly I'm not alone on this issue.

Aesthetics aside, what matters most is what the New York Mets do on the field, and on the field the Mets have certainly been forgettable thus far as well. Wright has forgotten how to make contact, no less hit to all fields. Carlos Beltran has hit like a beast, but has apparently forgotten how to slide. Daniel Murphy has forgotten how to stay on his feet in the outfield. Oliver Perez has forgotten how to pitch through 5 full innings, save one 6 inning performance in a win against San Diego. Jose Reyes has forgotten that he has speed, having stolen just 4 bases, equaling his lowest total in any full month since April of 2005. The team has flat out forgotten how to hit home runs, though they try, sometimes too hard.

In all these lost nuances of the game, the Mets have forgotten the keys to winning, and in their lackluster start, have provided a constant reminder of the '07-'08 seasons that the fans wish they could forget. Yet, despite all these negatives, there are certainly reasons to still have hope. After all, it is only May. Believe me, as a die-hard Mets fan, the positives are hard to find. But last season it took the Mets until the end of June to wake up, so being only four games back at this juncture is not an insurmountable challenge. Of course, for this to happen, a lot of things must improve.

Johan Santana is the one concrete link in the rotation, but John Maine's 6 inning 0 ER performance against the Marlins on Monday lowered his ERA from 7.47 to 5.40, and was at the very least a step in the right direction. The bullpen, despite a shaky outing here or there, is much improved from last year's disaster.

At the plate, the Mets have been knocked for not hitting in the clutch, and rightfully so. They are 18th in the league with a .252 team batting average with runners in scoring position, and an appalling .179 with the bases loaded. Carlos Delgado is the team home run leader with just 3 dingers. Yes, these things must improve, and drastically so. But there have been bright spots in the lineup, which one would figure, at some point, would have to come together at once and help the Amazins' put together a solid string of games.

Luis Castillo, before being sidelined with back spasms, had bounced back nicely from a down year in 2008, and is batting .370 with an OBP of .433. Omir Santos has been a nice addition behind the plate in Brian Schneider's absence, and he's got much better speed for a catcher than both Schneider or Ramon Castro. I like the idea of keeping him around even after Schneider gets healthy, and Jerry Manuel seems to like him as well, having pulled Castro in a big 9th inning spot on Wednesday in favor of Santos.
(Click for Santos' Grand Slam, 4/27 vs. FLA)

Carlos Beltran (.388) is leading the National League in batting, second in the majors behind Kevin Youkilis (.405), who is simply tearing the cover off of the ball. Ryan Church has responded extremely positively to the addition of Gary Sheffield; rather than being disgruntled, Church is hitting .313 and is tied with David Wright for third on the team with 8 RBI.

As for Wright, despite his massive strikeout total, his career numbers are reason enough to give him the benefit of the doubt. David got off to a slow start in 2007, posting just 6 RBI with a .244 average in a homerless April, but ended the season at .325/30/107.

If Wright is going to be the face of this team, he's going to have to be a leader on the field. 11 strikeouts in 31 at-bats with RISP is unacceptable, but if his career to date is any indication, David Wright will turn things around at the plate, and hopefully the Mets will follow suit. The question is, when?

Well, how about now?

Look, it's a new month. It's time to put April in the rear view and not dwell, because May is huge. The Mets have 16 games against NL East foes. And what better way to usher in the new month with a chance to knock the reigning World Champions down a peg? To kick off May, New York plays 5 of its next 7 games against the Philadelphia Phillies, who boast the National League's worst ERA at 5.63. They avoid Cole Hamels, having to face Chan Ho Park, Jamie Moyer and Joe Blanton, none of whom have an ERA under 5.00, and truthfully, only Moyer (5.09) is within 2 runs of that mark. Additionally, Brad Lidge has come back down to earth; after being just about perfect in 2008, Lidge has blown a save to snap his streak of 49 straight, his ERA is well over 7.00 and opponents are batting .297 against him.

That being said, if nothing else, the Mets bats must come to life. Between the Phils' pitching and the sandbox dimensions of Citizen's Bank Park, any lack of hitting will immensely magnify an already pressing issue for Jerry Manuel's troops. To get good pitching from Pelfrey, Perez and Maine would be a pleasant surprise, yet in all honesty, this point is crucial. For Perez, his start on Saturday may be his last for a while should he turn in another performance resembling the 7-run abomination against the lowly Nationals in his last outing.

If the Mets don't come away from Philly this weekend with at least 2 wins, they are in serious trouble. The last thing this team needs right now is to lose to the team that has cruised past them each of the last 2 Septembers, laughing all the way to their World Series title last season.

This is the Mets' first true test of the season, and it's the one that matters most. This is not just a three game series, this is a psychological battle that will represent just how much or how little heart the 2009 New York Mets really have. This will set the tone for the season one way or another. Either the Phillies win and retain their claim to being "the team to beat," or the Mets send a message to the Phils- and themselves- that not only does this team have a pulse, but it will not go down without a fight. That's what I loved about the 2006 team, and I'm dying to get that feeling back.

Now is the time for David Wright to make this team his team. Now is the time for Oliver Perez to start showing that he does have that upside that the Wilpons are paying $36 million for. Now is the time for the Mets to get their act together and string together one solid at-bat after another, and not let up until K-Rod shuts the door in the 9th. Now is the time to knock the Phillies on their asses and show that there is some fight in this team.