WHILE I WAS AWAY...

It's one of the immutable laws of my blogging life - if I don't write for a while, lots of things happen. I've been busy with school and life, but the Jets and Mets (and related issues) have been in the news. Here's what we missed:

A COACH NAMED REX: You have to like the way Rex Ryan talks, as a Jets fan. Anyone who talks about winning Super Bowls and says things like, "Watch out, because the Jets are coming", makes you think good things are bound to happen. It also makes you think he hasn't read a sports page in 40 years, but in this case, ignorance is bliss.

Maybe a guy named Rex can make the Jets a tougher team...a force. Maybe things will change.

Or maybe he'll just keep the seat warm for someone else in 3 or 4 years.

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR: Aaron Heilman has been unhappy the past few years with his role with the Mets. He wanted to start, and as a result wanted to be traded. This off-season, he was part of the trade with Seattle where the Mets got J. J. Putz. Now, only a little more than a month later, Heilman has been traded again, to the Cubs. He'll be fighting for a number 5 starter job there. He would have started easily in Seattle. (Incidentally, if the Mets face Heilman as a member of the Cubs, bet heavily on the Cubs that day. That's the way things go for the Mets.)

LOL :-): Did you hear the one about Dwight Gooden, responding to steroid allegations with a "LOL" text message? I don't believe any of these athletes who deny steroid use anymore, really....especially the ones with the significant career rebirths after looking totally washed up.

MANNY/MANUEL: Mets manager Jerry Manuel says he wouldn't mind having Manny Ramirez in his lineup. Omar Minaya says he has no interest in adding him to the team. So help me God, I'm already on the precipice with the Mets after the past two Septembers. Adding Manny would push me right off the edge.

That's all I have for now. Thanks to the Southern Bureau for keeping this from being a totally stagnant place the past few weeks. I'll be back at least with a Super Bowl pick, but hopefully posting more regularly as spring training fast approaches.

SAVE ME

I'm furious with the Mets right now. Furious.

There is no way they are going to win anything this year with the bullpen pitching the way it has been. And it's the most frustrating thing in the world to watch.

Aaron Heilman gets the bulk of the blame for Monday's loss to the Pirates, but the problem right now is that it's not just the 9th inning that Mets pitchers can't close out - it's any lead at any time. The Mets had a 5-1 lead going into the seventh inning, and right away gave back 3 runs, making it a one-run game. There is no way that game should have been a one-run game at any point after David Wright's 3-run homer in the first inning. (The offense can get some of that blame too - the Pirates tried to give the Mets a blowout win every which way on Monday.)

So after the game, Jerry Manuel talked about the fact that he had to make immediate changes to make things right. Here are my thoughts:

1) Eddie Kunz will be the closer. Manuel said he didn't want to have to put Kunz in that role so soon after coming up. You know what, the way the other dopes have been pitching, I don't care - Kunz should have been used in that role right away. It's what he did in the minors, he should have continued in New York. It's second-guessing at this point, but Manuel should have had Kunz in there from the beginning.

1a) I'm at the point where if Kunz can't do the job right away, and option 2 (below) doesn't work out, call up Brad Holt or some other minor league fireballer who can close the door. Just temporarily. The Mets are killing themselves here.

2) When John Maine comes back from his injury (possibly Wednesday), he will probably close until Billy Wagner gets healthy. I think this is an intriguing possibility, and if Maine is successful, I think it should be his permanent spot. He can be spotty as a starter, and ends up throwing too many pitches. I think he'd be ideal as a closer - and could solve the Mets' problems there for a while.

3) Johan Santana needs to go deep into tonight's game. It's the Washington Nationals, theoretically the Mets should win big (theoretically). Santana needs to step up and throw a complete game shutout.

4) I know there isn't a wealth of relievers available in the major leagues...but surely Omar Minaya could do better. The only person he seemed to be interested in at the trade deadline was the Nationals' Luis Ayala. 60 hits in 54 innings. And 21 walks. He's 1-8 (the losses are the only stat you can blame on the fact that he plays for the horrible Nats) with a 5.93 ERA. If Minaya makes that move through waivers (there are no indications he is still pursuing Ayala), it would be rubbing salt in this open wound.

Let's end on a positive note - David Wright is on another doubles tear - 3 in 2 games. I don't know that he'll break the team record, but he's creeping up there, and of course, continuing his assault on the all-time record:

WRIGHT (2008): 32 Doubles
TEAM RECORD: 44
WRIGHT (career): 173
ALL-TIME RECORD: 792

ANALYSIS THROUGH FOUR WEEKS

As I hinted at a couple of weeks ago, I'm still re-working this idea - and more changes might be coming - but here are my bi-weekly thoughts - some good and bad from the Mets, and some good and bad from around the Majors. Again, more changes could be on the way...and this week has a decided bullpen theme, as far as the Mets are concerned, based on some of my thoughts last week. (User-friendly instructions - Happy Mr. Met is for the good Mets news, Sad Mr. Met is for the upsetting Mets news, and the happy and sad MLB logos are for the good and bad MLB news, respectively.)

MOST IMPRESSIVE: Believe it or not, the bullpen hasn't been all bad. When the Mets have been able to get him the ball in save situations, Billy Wagner has been lights-out. He's one of the best in the game right now. I fully expect something will go wrong with him at some point - he'll become unreliable, he'll choke when it counts down the stretch, or he'll get hurt - but for now, he's impressive.

BIGGEST SURPRISE: Not a total surprise, since we have seen what he is capable of, but I guess the fact that he's come back from his injury to pitch so well makes it a surprise. Duaner Sanchez looks like he did in 2006 before he got hurt- which is high praise. The Mets could use some more players who look like they did in 2006.
LEAST IMPRESSIVE: There may have been some overreaction by blanketing the whole bullpen as bad last week. Therefore, I can't put the entire bullpen in this spot (Joe Smith, Wagner, Sanchez, Pedro Feliciano, and, believe it or not, Scott Schoeneweis, have all been good-to-better-than-good). But I'll single out Jorge Sosa for now, since he's partners in crime with Aaron Heilman in giving up the big hit at the wrong time.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT: We've talked about it already, but Aaron Heilman has been in a severe downward spiral the past season and a half or so. He's nowhere near as dominant as he used to be. Perhaps dominant is the wrong word- let's go with "effective". But because he has set the bar high in the past, he qualifies as a disappointment. Last week, Ron Darling said it looks like some hitters in the National League are just sitting on Heilman's change up, and then rocketing it out of the park. I think he's right.

MOST IMPRESSIVE: I haven't commented on him yet, because it hasn't come up, and I usually don't just throw around praise for the Braves, but Chipper Jones is off to an incredible start. I'm noticing it because he's on my fantasy team, but more than that, he's hitting well north of .400 and is on base almost every other inning. He also has been clutch. And it's not just against the Mets.

BIGGEST SURPRISE: The Florida Marlins are still in first place at this point of the season. Is that a surprise? You bet.


LEAST IMPRESSIVE: I mentioned it last week, but the Texas Rangers have been dreadful. They're challenging the Nationals for the "worst team in baseball" title. The Red Sox series did more harm than good, obviously, but they really weren't doing anything this year anyway.



BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT: I'm not sure if the Yankees qualify here as a team yet - they're right around .500, and they've been quiet, but not terribly disappointing. I would guess they'll be like that all year - I didn't have them making the playoffs in Girardi's first year anyway. But moreso than the Yankees as a team is second baseman Robinson Cano, who is hitting below the Mendoza line in this first month. This is an observation, unlike Chipper Jones, that I am attributing directly to my fantasy team. I need him to turn it around - and he'll certainly help New York as well when he does. Cano is a career .244 hitter in April (that includes this year), but he has never had a month this bad.

THIS JUST IN: Speaking of disappointments, I just saw on ESPN as breaking news that the Giants are going to move Barry Zito to the bullpen. Ouch.

OUTRAGEOUS

It's time to let it out - the Mets bullpen is a mess. It's worse than a mess. It's the mess a mess leaves behind. It's so bad you would think Isiah Thomas had a hand in it. And if you're going to point fingers, you can start with Aaron Heilman.

The Mets have a huge problem right now. The Nationals...the worst team in baseball...took the Mets' bullpen behind the woodshed tonight.

This has been the pattern recently. The starting rotation hasn't been excellent, but they've been good. The numbers have been decent - most of the time giving up 3 runs, sometimes 4. But the Mets, especially lately, have been losing games by giving up 7 runs to the other team...or 8, or 10. Hang that on the bullpen.

A solution needs to be reached. A solution better than moving Aaron Heilman (4 homers allowed in 13 innings pitched, including a grand slam to light-hitting Felipe Lopez on Thursday night) up to the 6th inning instead of the 8th. He killed the Mets on Thursday with his sixth inning performance....usually he saves his Mets-killing until the 8th. So moving him around doesn't seem to be helping.

This is why I'm such a believer in trading Angel Pagan for some relief help. Pagan has already gotten into a slump (he's no .400 hitter, but at least people would overpay for him after his hot start), but his value remains high right now. And Moises Alou will be back within a week. Chances are he'll get hurt again this year, but right now the Mets need relief help. I know, who doesn't. And who's out there? I don't know. But the Mets need to do something, before it gets any worse.

E-MAIL: Steve in NYC commented on this very subject, among other things, with a response to a posting earlier this week:

"I am shocked that you think Reyes will not end his career as a Met. I don't see who the Mets would ever trade him for (especially, if not for Santana). I think the Mets need both Reyes and Wright on the team for the next decade and if Reyes plays his style of ball (including the dancing and handshakes), the Mets will give him a big contract before he gets to free agency. Who will give him more money than the Mets anyway? The important thing is if the Mets win, one would think that he would want to stay with the team he came up, grew up and became a champion with.

That being said, the Mets need to get their act together. I am the first to admit that I am a very pessimistic fan, but, after winning 5 straight and heading in the [W]right direction, the lose 3 straight, in the fashion they lost is ridiculous, no matter the time of the season. Sunday's loss to the Phils hurt the most because they showed a lot of fight by coming back, but Feliciano giving up the home run, opposite field just sucked!!

I would love to read some of your comments about Heilman and what to do with him and how long Willie should keep using him in big spots. How many homeruns is he going to give up in the 8th inning. You may have to start a watch for that this season and see if he breaks any records. Anyway, hopefully they will turn it around against the AAA Washington Nationals and continue through the weekend. I will be there routing them on this Saturday. LETS GO METS!!

Also, a few Ranger comments on the block wouldn't hurt, since they are a lot more exciting than anything coming out of Jets camp. Keep it in mind. This could be their year."

I am excited for the Rangers - I should get them on TV here in the first few games as well.

As for the Reyes thing, I just think he'll explore free agency at some point - I think that's where his personality differs from Wright. While Wright would be happy here forever, I think Reyes would bounce around later (much later) on. And I think the Mets would be OK with one leaving if they had the other stick around (it's so rare to have a Bagwell-Biggio situation where two guys spend their entire careers with one team like that - at the pro level, let alone coming up solely through their system).

ALMOST AS PERVASIVE AS STEROIDS

Not too long ago, had you asked me what cribbage was, I would have responded, "That's bed time at the 'House Sponsored by DirecTV'":

Wow. I can't believe how clean that room looks in that picture (from before The Baby was born). It's a disaster right now. Nevertheless, turns out there's a different kind of cribbage, and it's sweeping the Major League Nation. It looks like this:
It also involves cards, and at this point, that's all I know about the game of cribbage. But I'm going to learn more, because I think it's becoming cool.

I got the first hint of cribbage in relation to baseball when I heard that my favorite manager, Terry Francona (2 days in a row!), plays it before almost every game. I think it was a habit/superstition thing where Francona played Dustin Pedroia in cribbage before every game last season.

Then, it was reported that the game has made its way into the Mets clubhouse.

Before I get into that, a word on John Maine. It was also reported that last week was the first time John Maine had ever used the internet. He didn't even know what it was used for until last week. I like Maine, and I think I'm liking it even more that he's kind of an aloof space case. (And the good kind of aloof space case - the one whose actions don't affect the rest of the team.) He spends his days (when he's not throwing, which is four out of five days, for the most part) doing crossword puzzles and throwing around big vocabulary words. He also proclaims himself the best chess player in the clubhouse now that Paul Lo Duca, Shawn Green, and Mike DiFelice are gone. Although Aaron Heilman insists he's a challenge.

Which brings us back to cribbage. Heilman says he'll beat Maine at his game (chess) this year. But apparently, Heilman's game is cribbage. So speculation out of spring training is that Heilman will gladly take on all comers in cribbage....but I don't think everyone knows the game yet.

Well, I think that's about to change. I suspect, once this becomes more and more common knowledge, cribbage is going to take off like Texas Hold 'Em a few years back. And I'm getting in on the ground floor. And I know exactly who I can learn the game with and practice against - Dave in Brighton. He excels at stationary sports. I wouldn't even be surprised if Dave in Brighton already owns a cribbage board (or whatever it's called).

MEET THE METS - THE BULLPEN

I disagree with those who say the Johan Santana acquisition eases the strain on the bullpen. While they may be needed less with Santana pitching than, say, a 41-year-old Tom Glavine, the same figures will be relied on again and again, and the strain on them will be just as much as it has been, with extra pressure to secure wins for Santana.

If all goes well this year, the Mets will have Duaner Sanchez for the 7th inning, Aaron Heilman (7-7, 3.03 ERA, 1 sv in 2007) for the 8th, and then Billy Wagner (2-2, 2.63, 34) closing games in the 9th. The biggest question mark is Sanchez, who missed all of last year after a car accident that left him with an injured shoulder in 2006. Last year, Sanchez never got back into playing shape, but this year, he is reportedly in great shape in spring training. Even more important about Sanchez's situation is that when a starting pitcher goes 7 innings, he will be able to split an 8th inning load with Heilman.

I've mentioned this before - I think Santana errs on the side of caution when it comes to his arm. That could result in a few starts where he goes just six innings. Last year, 13 of his 33 starts lasted just 5 or 6 innings. Couple that with an aging Pedro Martinez* and Orlando Hernandez in the rotation, and the bullpen could see plenty of work.

So the bullpen will be an important factor all season for the Mets (and every other team in baseball). Wagner will close games - there's no doubt about that. My fear is that he will get hurt, and the Mets will be left vulnerable. I expected more injuries from Wagner the past couple of years, and he's stayed surprisingly healthy. He'll be 37 this season...his body is going to break down sometime...hopefully it's not this year. Wagner's biggest contributions this season could very well be with his mouth - he becomes prime suspect number one for speaking his mind (after Carlos Beltran, though, it seems) now that Paul Lo Duca is gone.

For the first time in a number of years, Aaron Heilman hasn't been complaining about his role...it seems, for now, he has given up all hope of becoming a starting pitcher with the Mets...and by coming back this year, he might realize that by not rocking the boat, 2008 is a very real possibility for a world championship.

Besides Sanchez, the other key members of the bullpen are lefty Pedro Feliciano, who was 2-2 with a 3.09 ERA last year. Lefties hit just .168 against him. Scott Schoeneweis will be back, fresh off his appearance in the Mitchell Report - and he had a very disappointing 2007 season (a 5.03 ERA tells the tale). Sidearmer Joe Smith will be a factor at some point this season, but after a great first half of last season (36 IP, 2.75 ERA), he pitched just 8 innings in the second half of the season, and was not effective (6.48 ERA). Jorge Sosa was a pleasant surprise for much of the season, doing good work filling in as a fifth starter, but you don't know what you're getting from him this year. He might be the 2006 Darren Oliver/2007 Aaron Sele long-relief type in 2008. And the Mets signed Matt Wise, late of the Brewers, who is coming off a decent year, but nothing special.

The Mets have some arms in the bullpen, and I think they'll be OK when they have to use their relievers. The example of Joe Smith illustrates, though, what overwork can do - he was a rookie last year, and was overworked in the first half. The Mets paid the price for that in the second half, and Willie Randolph lost confidence in the reliever.

Someone will certainly surprise out of the bullpen this year, and someone will certainly disappoint. It's the same story every year. What the Mets need is consistency from the trio of Sanchez, Heilman, and Wagner. If the Mets can get leads to those guys, and they pitch like they did two years ago, the bullpen will be a strength, and not such a question mark.

UPDATED SIGNINGS

Been a while since I updated the two headliners on this site, and both have made some recent moves:
The Mets avoided salary arbitration with Aaron Heilman by agreeing to a one-year contract on Friday. The contract gives Heilman a raise from $453,000 last year to $1.2 million in 2008.

It's a little less exciting to get Heilman back for next year than it would have been before last season, coming off a great 2006. Heilman was good last year, but nowhere near as reliable as he was the year before. He did appear in half the team's games....and it felt like it - you saw him almost all of the time. Heilman will be better if the Mets don't overwork him. I also haven't heard how happy Heilman is to be back - remember, he still wants to start, and the Mets don't really have designs on doing that with him.

Interesting note on the Mets - they haven't been to a salary arbitration hearing since 1992.

Also, earlier this month, the Mets traded two minor leaguers to the Cubs for Angel Pagan - he's 26, a switch-hitter, and will play a reserve role in the outfield.

Kept forgetting to mention this - but here's why the Southern Bureau is such a good friend. During baseball's winter meetings, he kept sending me e-mails with updated quotes from Omar Minaya, commenting on the moves the Mets were making, and that this year's Mets team was better than last year's. Southern Bureau wrote me saying:

"Huh?? Did I miss something?? They haven’t done anything, right??

And…more importantly…WHEN DID I START CARING SO MUCH ABOUT THE METS???"

Since you became the Southern Bureau, that's when.

Meanwhile, the Jets hired Bill Callahan as assistant head coach/offense. (I'm not sure what the /offense means...but I guess it stresses he'll be keeping a closer eye on Brian Schottenheimer's act than the defense.) Callahan was coaching at Nebraska most recently, and before that was with the Raiders, as an assistant for some years, and as coach for a couple, including a Super Bowl appearance.

Not sure what to think about the Callahan move - it comes from Mangini, allegedly, so I don't think it puts heat on him - but he could take over for Schottenheimer first, and then grease the skids for the head position down the road.

(I also read that Callahan's expertise is the running game, and the Jets are looking to him for a shot in the ground game.)

METS SWEEP MARLINS

Mets 6, Marlins 4 (NYM: 32-17, FLA: 23-27)

Is this where the Mets really start running away with things? They are now up by 4-and-a-half games on the Braves...and this isn't like last year...the Braves are actually pretty good this year. And when you consider that the Mets are 3-6 against Atlanta this year...that means they're doing pretty well against everyone else.

It's almost been........I hate to even say this.....boring so far this year with the Mets. They go out, take care of business, and quietly move ahead. It's almost like they learned their lesson from last year, and they want to get back to the post-season with as little fanfare as possible, so they can win it all this year. That's not to say they will - although I hope they do. I just think they're making that march right now.

The Mets beat Scott Olsen on Sunday. Why is this significant? Olsen is a lefty. And one of the biggest problems for the Mets in the second half of last season was their performance against lefties. This year, so far, the Mets are hitting .334 against lefties. Jorge Sosa was Sunday's beneficiary, picking up his 4th win against one loss.

The Mets also improved to 18-7 on the road - they have the best road record in the majors. That means they are 14-10 at Shea...something they can improve on as they return home for 9 games beginning on Tuesday.

There were no standout performers on Sunday...the Mets just went out and completed a very quiet three-game whupping of the Marlins (outscoring Florida 19-8...even more if you don't count the ninth inning runs Florida pushed across). There is still reason to worry about Aaron Heilman, but other than that, things are clicking pretty well right now.

The Mets have Monday off (I've complained plenty the past few years about Memorial Day now being an off-day in the majors for a good number of teams - when I was growing up, everyone would play on Memorial Day, it seemed. There's still going to be baseball to watch on Monday - but not the Mets.). I'll try to come up with something entertaining for the off-day.

Stop and Shop johnnymets.blogspot.com Player of the Game: Yes, he gave up a run, and yes, he's had tougher and more important saves, but this game was pretty much a team effort, and Billy Wagner put the finishing touches on the win, so I'll give him the honor. Plus, it was his 12th save of the season, 30th straight dating back to last year, extending his own Mets record. So that's worth something. He's been consistent, and as automatic as the Mets have had in a while at the end of the game.

WHAT A STEAL!: Another stolen base for THE GREATEST BALLPLAYER WHO EVER LIVED. Jose Reyes got number 28 (stealing third base) on Sunday.

BEAT THE STREAK: Jason Bay got me to 4 games. Ichiro has a 20-game hitting streak - he has decent career numbers against Bartolo Colon (.273), so I like his chances to get to 21, and mine to get to 5.

METS FINALLY GET TO SUPPAN (TOO LITTLE TOO LATE)

Mets 5, Brewers 4 (NYM: 22-12, MIL: 24-11)


I keep thinking (and I think I said something to this effect in my season preview) that it doesn't matter who comes out of the NL Central, because none of those teams poses much of a threat to the Mets. I still believe it, but just sitting down to write this, the Brewers could be dangerous in a short series. Especially against the Mets...and mostly because they have Jeff Suppan, who started against the Mets on Friday night.

Now, Suppan has pitched well in his career against the Mets - last October wasn't a fluke. So Friday night was a good look to see how the Mets would play against him...and they played well. Suppan shut them down without a hit for the first three innings, and then the Mets busted out.

David Wright started the fourth inning off with a solo homer, his third of the year (number 70 on his career). This might be the hot streak that gets him going. (He's also been hitting well from the number two spot, and might have a new permanent home in the lineup there.) Carlos Delgado hit a 2-run shot two batters later, and Paul Lo Duca (now seemingly permanent in the number 7 slot) had an RBI single. The Mets led, 4-0, and wouldn't look back, though things got a little too close. Damion Easley's solo shot in the 7th looked like pad, but it proved to be the difference.

Jorge Sosa had his second solid start for the Mets, going 6 and two-thirds, giving up just 2 runs. (I had heard El Duque might be back for Friday's game, I guess that was wrong.) Sosa gave way to Pedro Feliciano for a third of an inning, then Aaron Heilman continued his descent by giving up 2 runs before getting an out in the 8th. He eventually got three outs, and Billy Wagner got the save. Continue worrying about Heilman.

The weekend series with the Brewers continues Saturday afternoon - I suspect I won't be able to see it because of the FOX broadcast rights, even though they don't go on until 4, and the other games are at 1. I don't understand that. Oh well, it will allow my report cards to get written, I suppose.


Dunkin' Donuts johnnymets.blogspot.com Player of the Game: I feel like I've been sticking a square peg through a round hole trying to get David Wright a Player of the Game honor. I think it's merited Friday night. He got things going for the Mets, and even his first out he gave a ride to right. On the night, Wright was just 1-for-4 with the homer, but it set the tone for a big inning for the Mets against a nemesis, and was the first run of the night, en route to a win.

COMMENT ON THE COMMENT: The Southern Bureau, coming through with inside information about Aaron Sele, NOT shaving his head. Thanks for that. He needed to have his hair for a family photo. As of Friday night, Sele still hadn't shaved his head. Jose Reyes is quoted as saying he may do it Saturday. Willie Randolph is quoted in the Friday AP game recap as saying the Mets are a close team, the head-shaving thing didn't necessarily bring them closer. He says they just had too much time on their hands. Incidentally, not many of the Mets look good with a shaved head.

APPENDICITIS: Just throwing this out there - is appendicitis a side effect of steroids? I'm not accusing anyone, but Roy Halladay now has appendicits, and will be out 4-to-6 weeks. Remember last year (or was it two years ago now), Xavier Nady had appendicitis? And there were a couple of other major leaguers who did. And a few NFL players missed some time, in training camp, and I think during the season, with the same deal. I wonder if there's a connection. Just seems like a lot of these cases have been popping up lately.

BEAT THE STREAK: It's a Vladimir Guerrero weekend, against the Rangers. Unfortunately, I'm back at 0, since he was 0-for-2 with 2 walks Friday night. I'm pretty sure that's just the second time he's ever not gotten a hit against Texas. I've had him in 'Beat the Streak' both times. I have him up to and including Sunday.

SLUMPBUSTERS CAN'T GET METS WIN

Marlins 5, Mets 2 (NYM: 15-10, FLA: 13-13)

This is the moment you've been expecting if you are a Mets fan...but there's encouraging news. The pitching staff has been hit by injuries, and Mike Pelfrey needs to step up after a tough loss and get you a win. He didn't come through, but there's good news out of the Mets' second loss in a row.

Pelfrey got off to a bad start - walking (and hitting a batter) the bases loaded, and then giving up a 3-run triple to Josh Willingham. After that, though, he managed to hold the Marlins to a 3-0 lead for the duration of his outing...and he settled in very nicely.

Unfortunately, the Mets were never able to overcome that 3-run deficit, and they left a few runs out on the field. Two runners were tagged out at the plate (Jose Reyes on an attempted steal of home [see below] and Carlos Delgado on a play where he could have hustled a bit more), and a couple of rallies never got as big as they should have.

The other good news (I almost don't feel as though the Mets lost, there was so much good coming out of this game) is that David Wright and Carlos Delgado showed signs of life - finally. Delgado was 2-for-4, and both hits went to left field against the shift. Unfortunately, Delgado was nailed at the plate, on an off-line throw up the third base line, where the catcher was able to tag Delgado easily without being run into - Delgado went out of his way to avoid the catcher, rather than run through him in the baseline.

Wright had a night - 3-for-4 with an RBI and 2 runs scored (both Mets runs, incidentally). Wright hit an opposite field homer (#68 career - I actually had to look that up, it's been so long), and had his fifth double of the year - a rocket off the left field wall. Finally, signs of the old David Wright.

The Mets cut it to 3-2, before Aaron Heilman gave up a 2-run homer to Willingham which took the Mets out of the game officially. I think it's time to sound the alarm and get a little bit worried about Heilman. Wright will be OK, so now let's shift our focus to Heilman and see if we can't figure out why he's not as clutch this year.

Bottom line - Pelfrey gave the Mets what they needed on Tuesday. I think he'll be even better in his next start, because I don't think he'll get off to as bad a start as he did in this one. The Mets need to find a number five (while El Duque is out) better than Park, and I think they'll be fine. But I'll feel a lot better about that statement if they go out and get a win on Wednesday.

The Mets play a day game against the Marlins Wednesday before heading out to Arizona. This week hasn't started as I had hoped - I'd really like for the Mets to go on a five-game winning streak right now. (I won't be able to watch Wednesday's game, but I'll try to write about it at night.)

Citi johnnymets.blogspot.com Player of the Game: Josh Willingham owns the Mets, and he certainly owned them Wednesday night. Willingham was 2-for-4, driving in all 5 Marlins runs, while scoring once. He's hitting over .300 against the Mets in his career.



MONDAY'S RESULT

You should know that there's a small "Heroes" addiction going on at the House Sponsored by DirecTV, and Monday night sports viewing suffers as a result (as does blog writing). So a day late and a dollar short, a quick Monday recap. Chan Ho Park started (aaaaaaahhhh!) and made us think he would pitch well with 2-and-2-thirds very good innings, then giving up a 5-spot in the third (the defense didn't help him - so he's not 100% at fault - although he's at fault for not being very good). The Mets lost to Florida, 9-6.
DirecTV johnnymets.blogspot.com Player of the Game: I am going with what I heard Gary Cohen and Keith Hernandez say at the end of the game - that Randy Messenger deserved a Player of the Game nod because he shut down the Mets after they attempted several rallies. So I'll give him that nod, because I don't have anyone better. Messenger pitched one inning, throwing just 6 pitches, and I guess he was the most effective pitcher of an ineffective evening for pitchers.


WHAT A STEAL!: Only a caught stealing by Jose Reyes on Tuesday (he did get his 17th stolen base on Monday night). The caught stealing (his 4th on the year) is worth explaining, though. Reyes was on third, Wright stole second, and Reyes tried to steal home. He was thrown out at the plate. This happened in the first inning of Tuesday's game, ending a Mets threat.

MONTHLY COUNT: April came to an end with the Mets at 15-9. Not bad, but considering the way the Mets lost a few of those, and the fact that a couple came at the hands of Washington, it could have been a much better month.

INJURIES: When last I wrote, I mentioned both Jose Valentin and Orlando Hernandez were being checked out in New York due to injuries. Well, both were placed on the DL Monday. Hernandez was replaced by Chan Ho Park for Monday's start, and Ruben Gotay took Valentin's roster spot. We have yet to see Gotay - Park can head back to New Orleans and stay there, as far as I'm concerned.

The Braves are also hurting, though - they had to place Bob Wickman on the DL.

AROUND THE MAJORS: The Cleveland Indians sent pitcher Fausto Carmona down to Triple-A, and I'm not sure why (I could read an article on it, but then I could no longer speculate). Carmona struggled the past year or so as a closer, and was absolutely awful in that role. This year, I've seen him start a couple of games. He shut down the Yankees at Yankee Stadium the day that they came all the way back down 6 with 2 outs in the ninth (not against Carmona), and most recently beat Baltimore on Sunday. Now that I look at his numbers, they're not bad, but they improved significantly after his last three very good outings...still, not sure why he was demoted. Maybe we'll keep an eye on that.

BEAT THE STREAK: Jose Reyes extended my season-long streak on Tuesday night to 8 games. I'm putting it on the line Wednesday in Colorado with Ray Durham - hitting more than .400 career against Rockies starter Jeff Francis.

8TH DROPS METS OUT OF 1ST

Braves 3, Mets 2 (ATL: 5-1, NYM: 4-2, 1 GB)


I'm an optimist, so we begin with the good news: Orlando Hernandez had another very good start for the Mets - 6 innings, 2 hits, 1 earned run, 4 walks, and 6 K's. He definitely put them in a position to win the game. Unfortunately, Aaron Heilman proved to be the weak link in the bullpen on Sunday, giving up 2 eighth inning runs, and the Mets lost their second straight to Atlanta.

It's in my memory that the Mets have struggled against Kyle Davies. That's not something I've looked up...but it sounds familiar to me. Davies gave up back-to-back home runs in the second inning to Shawn Green and Ramon Castro (who hit a bomb), but other than that, he was very good against the Mets. He was also helped by some good defense - that same inning, Andruw Jones robbed David Wright of an extra-base hit with an over-the-shoulder diving catch. Davies struck out 8 Mets in 6-and-2-thirds innings.

Right from the start, though, the Mets wasted opportunities. Jose Reyes led off with a 4-pitch walk, stole second, and got to third on a balk. He was stranded. Wright was robbed later, and the Mets left Reyes on again after he tripled in the fifth (with two outs).

For the Braves, Kelly Johnson led off the game with a homer, giving them the early 1-0 lead. And the Mets had the 2-1 lead into the 8th, when Heilman surrendered the first runs by the bullpen all year (week). Chipper Jones led off the inning with a double, and scored on a double by Brian McCann. Then Jeff Francoeur lined one into right field, which turned into a double, scoring McCann. Just like that, the Braves were ahead.

Bob Wickman made the Mets go quietly in the ninth - a flyout to center by Green, a flyout to left by Castro, and then he struck out pinch hitter David Newhan looking. The loss puts the Braves a game in front of the Mets in the division. That's the first time the Mets have been out of first in about a year (they took over first early last year and stayed there).

The Mets have their home opener on Monday (before another off day Tuesday), against the self-proclaimed "team to beat" in the division, the Phillies (who absolutely don't scare me in 2007). I have a feeling the Braves are going to be hanging around more this year than last. I'm not saying they're going to be a huge threat - but they're going to be the team to worry about in the East. John Maine pitches for the Mets at Shea Monday.


1010 WINS JOHNNYMETS.BLOGSPOT.COM PLAYER OF THE GAME: Sunday the award goes to Bob Wickman of the Braves. He picked up his third save of the season, setting the Mets down 1-2-3 in the ninth. A day after things got a bit dicey in the ninth for the Braves, Wickman didn't give the Mets a chance. His line: 1 IP, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 H, 1 K.



SCHEDULE: The Mets don't play a particular division in interleague play this year - they play the Twins, A's, Tigers, and Yankees twice. The Yankees is because of the rivalry, but the other three, I think, are because the Mets won the division. I feel like the division winner gets a tougher interleague schedule. Am I right on that, or am I confusing it with football? That's a tough go for the Mets this year, though. The Mets also make two trips to Los Angeles this year to face the Dodgers. They have a difficult schedule.

APRIL 8TH - HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO HALL OF FAMER GARY CARTER!! (and Dave in Brighton)

BEAT THE STREAK: Snowed out again. I'm going to try one more time with that series - Ichiro on Monday.

EL DUQUE RINGS UP CARDS

Mets 4, Cardinals 1 (NYM: 2-0, STL: 0-2)


(Note: The 8 o'clock starts are late on school nights. Excuse this post if it's a bit disjointed - I'm writing parts before the game is over, so that I can finalize it when the game ends, publish, and go right to bed.)

The Cardinals handed out their championship rings before game 2 of the season, and the Mets soured another celebration in St. Louis with a 4-1 win. Orlando Hernandez pitched an outstanding game, and the Mets turned in some more solid defense, making their 4 runs stand up.

The Mets manufactured a run right out of the gates - after Jose Reyes drew a leadoff walk, he almost got picked off, but on the next pickoff throw, was able to advance to second on a wild throw by Kip Wells. So with Reyes at second, Paul Lo Duca laid down a bunt, and a Carlos Beltran fly ball to center brought Reyes home from third. That's what the Mets did all last year, jumping out to early leads.

In the fifth, Reyes again created another run - with 2 outs he singled, then stole second. Lo Duca lined one to right field, which was badly misplayed by Skip Schumaker (ruled an error), and Reyes scored to make it 2-0.

El Duque was great on the mound (see below), but also at the plate - he was 2-for-3, and picked up 2 RBI with the bases loaded in the sixth after an intentional walk to Jose Valentin (who wouldn't walk Valentin in that situation?). Hernandez grounded one down the third base line, and Valentin was thrown out at the plate trying to score from first, but it gave the Mets a 4-0 lead.

The Mets turned 3 more double plays Tuesday night, giving them 7 in two games. I tried to look up in the media guide if that's some sort of record, but I could only find double plays in a game - 5. Love that book, though.

The bullpen got a wee bit shaky in the eighth inning. Scott Schoeneweis got two straight outs before getting runners on first and third, with Albert Pujols coming up. So Aaron Heilman was brought in, and he got Pujols to fly to center. Billy Wagner pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his first save.

The Mets go for the season-opening sweep of the Cardinals on Wednesday with John Maine on the mound against none other than Braden Looper. That should be fun.

AUTOTRADER JOHNNYMETS.BLOGSPOT.COM PLAYER OF THE GAME: Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez. I hate to see this be the starting pitcher all the time - but the past two outings have deserved it. Hernandez went 7 innings, giving up one run (a solo homer to Scott Rolen), and walking just 2, giving up 5 hits. He didn't strike anyone out, but started two of the Mets' three double plays. He gave the Mets just the kind of start they're going to need from him all year - it's a nice way to get started. His big problem last year was consistency - one good start followed by a bad start, so now his next start looms large - string together a few like this, and the Mets are in great shape.

I've just decided that I'm going to keep a tally of the "Player of the Game" players that I award over the year. The winner will get a watch...or nothing. Most likely nothing.

NOTES: I've been reading some recaps of the Opening Night game between the Mets and Cardinals, and some people are writing that the Mets exacted revenge on the Cardinals for the NLCS by winning Sunday night. Uh....I don't think so. Those two don't quite equate.

The Cardinals gave their fans replica rings. Pretty neat. That's a giveaway I'd like, if it was for my team.

Also, the Cardinals are allowed to wear uniforms with gold trim around their names and numbers, because they are the champs. I actually like the way the unis look. I'm not sure if this is something new baseball is doing, or if it's something the Cardinals requested. I don't remember the Red Sox or White Sox having that option. It's a neat idea.

Finally, I watched this game on FSN Midwest, so I had Joe Buck. He got a World Series ring, because he's the Cardinals announcer. Seems to me that's some sort of conflict of interest.

LOOKING AHEAD: I was checking out the Mets' schedule. July looks particularly tough. There are 10 home games, and 16 road games. It looks more intimidating on the schedule than it sounds...but there are a couple of lengthy road trips.

Also schedule-related...there are only 20 off days all season, counting the days before and after the All Star Game. And that also counts Monday, and this Thursday, and next Tuesday. So 17 off days after a week from today. It seems like a lot more during the course of the season - each off day feels like 2 or 3 to me.

MASN NEWS: The Mid-Atlantic Sports Network airs both Nationals and Orioles games (there's a MASN2 this year - I'm pretty sure there wasn't last year), and there are broadcasting developments that I caught on Tuesday night. It sounds like Gary Thorne is now doing Orioles games, which is fantastic. I'm pretty positive it was Thorne, not seeing the booth at all, just hearing some audio. But you don't mistake Gary Thorne's voice. And the analyst on the Nationals' post-game show was 1986 World Series MVP Ray Knight. Didn't stick around long enough to see how he did...but it's nice to know where to find him.

BOOF: I was watching MASN2 because our old pal Boof Bonser was pitching for the Twins against the O's. He did well. Not sure we'll be following him here this year like we did last year. The secret's out - he's a good pitcher with a funny name. Also, I wasn't even smart enough to pick him up in my fantasy league - someone else grabbed him. Whoops. Some fan I am. (For the record, Bonser went 6 innings, striking out 6, and giving up 2 runs, getting a no decision in the Twins win.)

BEAT THE STREAK: Not sure how this snuck under my radar the past two days, but Vladimir Guerrero is playing against the Texas Rangers - that's an automatic Beat the Streak pick. They're an afternoon game on Wednesday, too, so I won't have to stay up late to see how he did...like tonight with Mike Piazza. So far, as I'm about to turn in, Piazza does not have a hit.

HEILMAN OFFERS NO RELIEF

Marlins 4, Mets 1 (NYM: 64-43, FLA: 51-57)

Aaron Heilman's inconsistent season continues, and it's getting frustrating. Heilman (and the Mets) wasted an outstanding start by Pedro Martinez* Thursday night in Miami, losing to the Marlins, 4-1.

Pedro* turned in 6 innings, giving up just a solo homer to Mike Jacobs - one of four hits. He struck out 9. After the homer, Pedro* showed some rare anger, cursing at himself (I'm assuming it was at himself) as Jacobs rounded the bases. It was the only mistake Pedro* made all game.

The Mets rallied to get that run back in the top of the 7th, but like the last two nights, there were a lot of wasted chances, and that came back to haunt them.

Heilman got two outs in the 8th, but loaded the bases, and then gave up a bases-clearing double to Miguel Cabrera, breaking the 1-1 tie. Heilman looked very good the past couple of nights, posting consecutive 1-2-3 innings. It's tough to say this inning means he's back to his inconsistencies - maybe he's just not ready to be going three nights in a row, all in tight spots. But he'd better get used to it - because that's what the Mets need from him.

Roberto Hernandez turned in another nice inning - maybe he'll thrive now that he's back with the Mets and being in a pennant chase.

The Marlins turned three double plays - all three coming at key times, squelching Mets rallies. This was a frustrating game - it was the type of game you want the Mets to win for their starting pitcher, especially when he turns in an outing like Pedro* turned in. The good news? David Wright was 2-for-4, possibly breaking out of his slump. His average is back up to .309.

Friday night the Mets come back home to play the second-place Phillies - Orlando Hernandez gets the series started for New York. It's one of the final '86 Mets giveaways before the reunion on August 19th (which I'll be going to). My parents say they're going for me, to get me the '86 championship T-shirt the Mets are giving away. They're wonderful people, my parents. My sister and future brother-in-law were nice enough to give me one of their pictures of Mookie running down the first-base line from a game against the Pirates last month. I missed out on an '86 commemorative pin, and a replica '86 yearbook. But I don't care much for pins, and I didn't need the replica yearbook because I have the real thing. Looking forward to a t-shirt, though. I've outgrown all my '86 championship gear.

MAGIC NUMBER: The Phillies are winning as I write this, so there looks to be no change in the Magic Number, unfortunately, staying at 44.

MINOR NEWS: Before Wednesday's game, Mike Pelfrey was sent back to the minors, and reliever Royce Ring was brought up. Pelfrey was the odd man out, with the Mets having six starters after Pedro* came back from his injury. It came down to John Maine or Pelfrey, and Maine has just been pitching better. Pelfrey will be back when rosters expand in September.

MAJOR NEWS: The Mets signed THE GREATEST BALLPLAYER WHO EVER LIVED, Jose Reyes, to a 4-year contract extension before Thursday's game, with an option for a fifth year. This is good news, locking up the kid for a while. Now the Mets have to do the same with Future Hall of Famer David Wright. Remember how it was sort of a big deal that Wright's contract for this year was so small, comparatively speaking? It wouldn't look right for the Mets to lock up Reyes and not Wright. I'd be expecting an announcement before the season's up.

Although I just read on the Mets' website that Wright doesn't expect anything, because he has a different situation than Reyes - he came to the Majors a year later. So I guess it's good if Wright's OK with things...still, the Mets should work out a contract with Wright now. Don't waste time. It would show him that they care, and he's the type of player who would remember something like that down the line.

QUICK NOTE: I see Dave in Brighton left a comment about the LOB from the Mets' game last night. I've been thinking about it, and the most players a team can leave on base in an inning can be 9, if they load the bases, and then there are three outs. Three LOB per batter. That's the number I was looking at - LOB per batter, which ended up being 28 total for the Mets. And I guess just 10 total at the end of each inning.

MADDUX: As I write this, Greg Maddux has thrown 6 no-hit innings in his Dodgers debut against the Reds in Cincinnati. I'm going to go watch the end of that now - hope he throws the no-hitter - it's been too long since the last no-hitter in the majors.

THE KID'S KIDS: The St. Lucie Mets lost to Clearwater Thursday, but Daytona was losing in the 9th inning at press time, so they could still be tied for first in the second half of the season.

Also of note, during the Marlins broadcast, the Aflac Trivia Question was "Which former Met won manager of the year during his rookie season in 2005?" Then the announcers said it was in the minor leagues, and of course, we all knew the answer was Gary Carter. Then the announcers talked for a little while about how great it was that a Hall of Famer was managing in the low minor leagues. It was nice to hear some Gary Carter talk during a broadcast - but I still can't stand those Florida broadcasters. Of note, too, Carter, right after retiring from baseball, was an announcer for the Marlins for a few years.

ALFONZO'S COMEBACK: Back to 3B Thursday night for Edgardo Alfonzo - he was 1-for-4, which raises his average to .226. The problem here is these past few games (it's about a 5-game hitting streak now) have all been singles for Alfonzo - no extra base hits. Oh well, we'll keep rooting for him.

CHASE'S CHASE: A hit in his first at-bat, so it's a 35-game streak for Utley. Now is the moment of truth - do I root for the streak to continue, with three games against the Mets, or do I root for the Mets to end it?

Honestly, as much as I like a good hitting streak, I want the Mets to end it. But if Sunday rolls around, and Utley hit in all three games, but the Mets went 3-0, I'll be perfectly fine with that.

BEAT THE STREAK: I'm looking for Vladimir Guerrero to continue his lifetime hitting streak against the Texas Rangers in their 4 games this weekend. It begins tonight, after press time.

AND AWAY WE GO

Mets 6, Cubs 3 (NYM: 54-36, CHI: 34-55)

The Mets began their march to the post-season with a second-half-opening 6-3 win on Friday in Chicago. Steve Trachsel won his seventh straight start - it seems like ever since I called him out he's responded...but I still need to see him win games in late September (actually, those might be meaningless this year) and October (very meaningful). Trachsel improved his record to 9-4, working six good innings - one inning coming after a 45-minute rain delay. He gave up just 2 runs on three hits.

Cliff Floyd is coming alive - I've been writing it I think even before my computer died - Friday, Floyd was 2-for-3, raising his average to .255. Unfortunately, Floyd was also drilled again - after taking his base, he stole second, and slid hard into second base...there's going to be a brawl, and it's going to center around Floyd being hit...I'm telling you. Future Hall of Famer, All-Star, and Home Run Derby Runner-up David Wright was 1-for-4, with a key RBI.

More encouraging news - in his first game after the break, Aaron Heilman had a very solid outing - working a quick, perfect inning (the 7th), throwing 12 pitches, 9 of them for strikes. He really limped into the break, and the Mets need him in the second half. Jose Valentin also had an impressive game - 3-for-5 out of the leadoff spot, with 2 stolen bases.

On Saturday, quite a pitching matchup - Tom Glavine versus Carlos (the good) Zambrano. Glavine has been winning, but he hasn't been great recently - I'd like to see a strong start from him.

GULP*: No sooner did I declare to Dave in Brighton, via text message, on Tuesday night, during the All Star Game, that I was going to remove the asterisk from Carlos Beltran's name, then he hit the first base bag awkwardly hustling out a ground ball to third base. I made the asterisk decision because Beltran had a great first half, and played the All Star Game like he knew it would have an effect on the Mets' fortunes. I figured, to heck with superstition - I'll still keep the asterisk on Pedro Martinez*'s name, because he's slightly injured, but I'll remove it from Beltran.

Well, Beltran seemed to recover quickly on Tuesday, leaping over a ground ball, advancing to second, but being stranded there for the NL. Then he came out on Friday with a 1-for-3, driving in a run, looking no worse for wear. But he didn't come out after the rain delay, reportedly due to soreness in his knee. Uh-oh. If he's hurt, and is out for an extended period of time, I take full responsibility. But what are the chances - right when I remove the asterisk? And you wonder why I'm superstitious?

REYES/PEDRO*: Jose Reyes didn't play Friday, may not play all weekend, still suffering from the stitched up pinky finger, injured when he dove headfirst into first against the Marlins last Friday, aka on my birthday. The injury forced Reyes to miss the All Star Game (although he still traveled to the game, Manny). I haven't commented on this yet, but obviously, Reyes has to stop doing this - and he says he's going to try. So I'm not going to criticize him or others who dive headfirst into first. I'll save that for if he continues to do it. But I will say that I think the most powerful lesson for Reyes is that he was hurt enough because of that act that it prevented him from taking part in the All Star Game. I don't think for a young guy like that, there could have been a worse punishment. Especially after he was voted in. It hasn't cost the Mets much (Jose Valentin has filled in ably as a leadoff man - even though I prefer seeing Endy Chavez in that spot), so it's also a well-timed lesson for Reyes - he'll be back for the stretch, with a lesson hopefully learned.

As for Pedro Martinez*, he was supposed to come off the DL on Wednesday, July 19, but might miss that start because he suffered food poisoning/stomach flu symptoms the other day. I don't know why this would affect him half-a-week off, but it will - Steve Trachsel will start Wednesday (on regular rest), and Pedro* will be delayed. Something smells fishy to me here...Is he injured worse than we think? Is he taking an extended All-Star vacation? Who knows. As long as he pitches effectively the rest of the season, I'll forget all about the missed All Star Game, DL stint. But another delay and I'm going to get really suspicious.

CUBS BROADCASTERS: I've seen about all I need to see with these guys (Len Kasper and Bob Brenly - and the whole Comcast production crew, really). I watched about 15 minutes of their pre-game, before the ESPN coverage started, and it was bad. First of all, negative points for the Cubs when I realized that Chip Caray (even though he has strikes against him because of his lineage) and Steve Stone had been canned by the Cubs after they were critical of the team in the booth. So that reflects poorly on Kasper and Brenly right away. Then there was the fact that before the game started, twice, Kasper says, "We're ready to go", while the ESPN broadcast wasn't even close to taking the air, and Comcast twice went to commercial, came back, and went to commercial again after he said that. So, no, Len, you weren't even close to being ready to go. That bothers me a lot.

Then there was the production aspect - The Cubs guys were spotlighting David Wright, and Brenly says, "About the only 0 you see on his stat sheet is under sacrifice bunts!". So what. He meant it to be funny, but said it like it was a relevant stat. Then when they showed the Wright graphic, they showed him hitting .310, when he was hitting .316 before the game started. Unacceptable stuff. GRADE: F

MY THOUGHTS ON TRADES: I've been sitting on this for a while, because it struck me strongly when I didn't have computer access...don't know that the weekend is the best time to write it, but oh well. There are all kinds of names being bounced around in trade rumors for the Mets, with the trading deadline nearing. I want to mention a couple of names I think the Mets should NOT trade, along with others I think might be expendable.

People are always looking for left-handed relievers, and the Mets have a supply of them right now. There's Pedro Feliciano and Darren Oliver, as well as Royce Ring at Triple-A (having a very good season - he was an International League All Star). Now, this went under the radar a little, but after the Mets had their little losing streak before the break (against the Red Sox and Yankees), Feliciano criticized Willie Randolph, and the way he uses the bullpen. Randolph worked this out with Feliciano behind closed doors, but the fact that Feliciano vented through the media prompted Randolph to say something to the effect of, "I've been around plenty of winners, and that's not what winners do." I've heard Randolph and management have been happy with Feliciano - but if he's going to mouth off, I'd rather see him shipped off. Things are going too well for the Mets for him to mess it up (chemistry-wise as well as on the field). So if the Mets are going to deal a lefty, get rid of Feliciano. I've heard the Mets might use Ring's good year as trade bait- but I'd rather see Feliciano dealt, and Ring brought up - I just feel Ring has more upside. Oliver has done a great job in his role this year too - but I don't feel like he'll keep it up, even through the end of this year. So I wouldn't mind seeing him shipped while his value is high, too.

Aaron Heilman's name has been tossed around too, because of the fact that he's unhappy with his position as a reliever. I agree Heilman is unhappy, but it would be a big mistake for the Mets to trade him, then see him have a huge year somewhere else. I think the Mets finish the year with him in the role he's in now, then let him start next year. Then, I think he becomes a free agent, and he's gone if the Mets don't allow him to start...if he is a starter, maybe he'd consider staying with the Mets.

As far as position players, I don't see many deal-able players. I think Lastings Milledge is here to stay, despite his little mental lapses. I think he got his taste of the big leagues, and the Mets are hoping he earns a spot up for good as Cliff Floyd's replacement next year. I also think if the Mets are going to trade an outfielder, it will be Victor Diaz - with the way Xavier Nady has been playing, Diaz is very expendable. Look for a Milledge-Beltran-Nady outfield for the next 5+ years.

So that's my two cents - the Mets are going to add a pitcher at the deadline - there's no way they'll sit idly by. I just hope they don't deal a guy like Heilman, or Ring, in order to get someone else.

THE KID'S KIDS: The Mets won Friday night, 4-2, their second win in a row following a 5 game losing streak (part of which was due to the absence of manager and Hall of Famer Gary Carter). I think the ship has been righted again - in the second half of the season, the first half champions are 12-8, two-and-a-half games behind Daytona.

BEAT THE STREAK: I tried to ride Mark Teixeira's coattails, after his big 3-homer night on Thursday, but to no avail. He was 0-for-1 with a couple of walks. Darn. Back to the drawing board....I have Derek Jeter on Saturday.

Just a minor test posting - seeing if anyone even bothers checking the site over the weekend...I haven't been in the habit of writing on Friday or Saturday nights.

Aaron Heilman just gave up 4 runs in the seventh inning (the ugliest inning the Mets have played in a week or so), blowing a lead on Alay Soler. Now, the Mets are playing the Orioles, so there's a good chance this game is not over, with the Mets trailing, 6-3...but it's so weird to see them losing with the way things have been going lately.

THE KID'S KIDS: Believe it or not, we're at the All-Star break of the Florida State League. The Mets lost to Vero Beach, 2-1, to stumble into the break on a 5-game losing streak, but still have a one-game lead in the division, with a 38-29 record at the break. Six St. Lucie Mets are on the All Star team.

FANTASY UPDATE: The What If Mets lost two out of three to the Reds - now seven back of the wild card...fading.....

BEAT THE STREAK: Reyes has a streak going for me again - I took Vernon Wells for Saturday.

FIRST TO FORTY?

As I write this, with the Mets up 9-4 in the eighth inning, it looks as though the Mets will be the first National League team to 40 wins. (Uh-oh - it's now 9-7 - I think Heilman just gave up a 3-run bomb). The balls are just flying out of Citizen's Bank Park tonight (8 total).

The bad news - Tom Glavine couldn't make it through 5 innings - getting knocked around (and falling victim to the long ball) in 4-and-a-third innings, and giving up 4 earned runs while throwing 110 pitches. Chad Bradford got the Mets out of the inning after Glavine left in a big jam. The Mets are playing the total opposite of the way they've been playing when Glavine was on the mound for them in past years. His first year with the team, he was the problem. But since then, he's been pitching well, and getting absolutely no support. This year, he's getting plenty of support - evidenced by his 9-2 record. And even when he gets banged around, the Mets have been scoring runs - tonight, too, but Glavine couldn't hang around long enough to get the win.

The Mets jumped right back on top, too, after Glavine left. Future Hall of Famer David Wright crushed homer number 12 on the season (and 53 in his career) as the Mets scored 5 times in the sixth, breaking a 4-4 tie. Earlier, Carloses Beltran* and Delgado went back-to-back with bombs (Delgado's reached an upper deck) to give the Mets a lead. Beltran* now has 18 homers (he had 16 all of last year), and in a similar vein, Jose Reyes walked twice Tuesday night, bringing this year's total high enough to surpass his season total of all last year.

OK - I have to stop writing - big computer problems at the House Sponsored By DirecTV. Hopefully there won't be a slugfest tomorrow, and no computer problems, and I can give a good summary of the game.

JUST HOW GOOD WERE THE METS OUT WEST?: Here's a great stat from the Mets' 4-game series in Arizona. The Mets jumped out to a lead in the first inning of each game, so they led in the first half-inning of each game. And they never looked back. The Mets became the second team in history to lead in every half-inning of a game in a 4-game sweep on the road - the only other team to do that was the 1943 Dodgers. Pretty impressive.

THE KID'S KIDS: Palm Beach completed the 2-game doubleheader sweep of the St. Lucie Mets on Monday, turning the 9 game winning streak into a 2-game losing streak pretty quickly. I have no info right now on Tuesday's game, so I'll update that tomorrow, but the Mets still have a 2-and-a-half game lead in their division.

FANTASY UPDATE: An e-mail having to do with the What If Mets:

"Dear Johnnymets,

More than 10 percent of your readers are wondering how many games are left in the What If Mets season. What is your record? Where does the Southern Bureau stand after his hot start? What is your record since you ditched Pedro?

Signed,
Dave in Brighton"

Honestly, Dave, you couldn't have written this at a better time. The What If Mets just took 2 out of 3 from the Braves (following up the sweep with the division-leading phillies). So the record stands at 60-63. I'm just 3 games out of the wild card - trailing none other than the wild-card leading Nationals, run by the Southern Bureau. And guess who I play next? Thaaaat's right...Big day tomorrow. Big day.

I've started to make so many moves that I decided not to keep track of records since I dropped certain guys. I don't even know if I have a winning record since I dropped Pedro. I wish I could help you with that stat...but I can't.

BEAT THE STREAK: Vladimir Guerrero ended my season-high 12-game hitting streak with an 0-for-4 against Bobby Keppel and the Kansas City Royals Monday night (for the record, Keppel didn't look bad - but he was far from impressive). Shea Hillenbrand started a new streak for me Tuesday, and I'll take one of the hot-hitting Mets, Jose Reyes, Wednesday night. I get nervous at 12 games - I wonder if I'd have heart palpitations or something if I actually threatened a 30-, 40-, or 50+ - game hitting streak.

LOW POINT FOR HEILMAN

Phillies 5, Mets 4 (NYM: 21-11, PHI: 18-14)

The Mets have lost their first big game of the year. The Phillies came into Tuesday night's game with an 8-game winning streak, just 4 games behind the Mets in the division. They left with a 9-game winning streak, and are now 3 games back of the Mets.

The game came down to two bad half-innings. Pedro Martinez*, the starter, had one - giving up 3 runs in the second. He came back nicely from that early struggle, striking out 10 over 7 innings, giving up only those 3 runs. He was spared a blemish on his record (staying 5-0...maybe he'll go 27-0 now) by the bats of Xavier Nady and Carlos Delgado.

Nady made it 3-2 with a 2-run homer in the top of the 8th inning off Brett Myers, who pitched very well starting for the Phillies. In the bottom half, Duaner Sanchez gave up his first run of the year, and the Phillies handed Tom Gordon a 4-2 lead. Paul LoDuca led off the ninth against Gordon with a single, though, and Delgado faced Gordon having just 2 hits against him in 30 career at-bats. He proceeded to homer, making it 3-for-31, and tying the game at 4, getting Pedro* and Sanchez off the hook.

Aaron Heilman was the man behind the second bad half-inning. He got two quick outs in the bottom of the ninth, but then gave up a triple to David Dellucci, hit Jimmy Rollins, and walked Chase Utley. (Doug Eddings, the home plate umpire, started calling pitches that were strikes all night balls against Heilman. He also called out Kaz Matsui on a very, very high third strike to end the top of the ninth with runners on second and third, and in between innings, tossed Julio Franco, who was letting him hear it from the on-deck circle. I wonder if that had anything to do with his shrinking strike zone in the last of the ninth....in fairness to Heilman.) Anyway, bases were loaded for Bobby Abreu, and he hit a nubber in front of the plate. Heilman tried to play it instead of letting LoDuca get it, and Heilman threw it away. An awful play. And the Mets lost, 5-4.

This was not a great start to a 9-game road trip...the ace on the mound, problems in the pitching rotation - the Mets needed a win. But they can still get 2 out of 3 in Philadelphia - it's not time to hit the panic button yet. Tom Glavine goes Wednesday, and Steve Trachsel on Thursday. It's time for Trachsel to step up and be a good starter for the Mets. They need him to come through.

The good news - the end of the week, when the back end of the rotation is scheduled to pitch, the Mets will be in Milwaukee. And there's something about that park - the Mets' bats really seem to come alive there.

SNY: Everyone's favorite network had a 3-man booth Tuesday night, with Gary Cohen, Ron Darling, and Keith Hernandez together. They did very nice together. I'm not sure whether or not this is the first time they did that, because I missed a lot of SNY games at the beginning of the year - but the three worked very, very well together.

Also...'Simply Amazing' is coming soon on SNY - not sure if it's a one-time show about the '86 Mets, or a series about them...but it's definitely about the 1986 Mets, so that'll make it worth watching.

PEDRO* OFF THE FIELD: For those of you who ignored the link left in the comments section by Dave from Brighton....Pedro* likes to garden. And there's nothing wrong with that. I don't have anything close to a green thumb. Matter of fact, I am a plant murderer. So I have no problem with Pedro*'s ability to keep such a beautiful garden. (You might say I'm green with envy.) It's true what Jeff Wilpon says - the abstract thinking Pedro* shows in his garden is what helps make him such a good baseball player. I might have a small problem with Pedro* talking to his flowers though - he's quoted in that article as asking one of his flowers, "What about you, beauty? Aren't you going to grow up to be so pretty?" That's going to get back to him on the baseball field.

MAIL TIME: Steve from Queens is back, talking about the Victor Zambrano injury:

"Johnnymets -

I have heard rumors of a possible Zito for Lastings Milledge trade. I have also heard that the Mets brass have said they are not trading their prospects for anyone. Now, given the Zambrano fiasco (I think his injury is a blessing in disguise), I understand why the Mets would never want to trade a prospect for anyone out of fear of another flop. But, wouldn't it make sense to make a trade for a guaranteed #2 starter for the next few years for someone unproven in the Bigs? how about Willis for Milledge? The Mets are a team that is trying to win the Series this season. Milledge will not be in a Mets uniform this season unless catastrophe strikes the outfield. What do you think?

Steve from Queens"

Steve - I heard someone call into the pre-game show on Sunday asking if the Mets would get Zito now. I think as the trading deadline approaches, rumors like this are really going to pick up (look for the rumor regarding Washington's Zach Day to pick up steam, as well as all kinds of Dontrelle Willis scenarios), especially if the Mets are struggling because of their lack of pitching depth. For now, I think we're going to see Jose Lima and Jeremi Gonzalez get some long looks. (Gonzalez is at Norfolk right now - he's pitched for the Cubs, Devil Rays, and Red Sox. His numbers at Norfolk - 35.2 innings, 31 hits, 9 walks, 30 K's, 3.03 ERA.) The problem is, neither one is going to be the solution for the rest of the year.

I think by mid-to-late June the Mets will make some sort of deal to get a pitcher. Nothing major, but an upgrade over what they have now in the back end of the rotation. (This might happen sooner if Brian Bannister doesn't come back as scheduled.) I don't think the Mets are going to raid the farm to try to get a number 5 starter for this year, because I think they'll be able to survive with what they have this year. I'd expect in the off-season that there will be another push for Zito. But I don't think Lastings Milledge is going anywhere....and I don't think Dontrelle Willis will end up with the Mets.

A SMALL REMARK ABOUT DEATH: I don't know what I'll be remembered for when I go (although awesome baseball writer will probably figure prominently in the obituary somewhere), but when I die, I hope nowhere in my obituary does it say "Pinch-runner for midget". That's what it says on ESPN.com about Jim Delsing, who passed away at age 80. Delsing played for the St. Louis Browns when Bill Veeck sent Eddie Gaedel up to the plate. Gaedel, a midget, walked on 4 straight pitches. I guess Delsing was the guy sent in to run for Gaedel when he reached first base. Now Delsing has died, and that's what he's remembered for. That's too bad. I'm sure Mr. Delsing did much more in his life than pinch-run for a midget. I'll send him off with a baseball tribute, anyway.




Jim Delsing, a major league outfielder for 10 seasons with 6 different teams, died of cancer last Thursday. Mr. Delsing was a career .255 hitter, playing for the White Sox, Yankees, Browns, Tigers, Senators, and Athletics. He hit a career-best .288 with Detroit in 1953, striking out just 39 times in 479 at-bats. Once, he pinch-ran for a midget. Mr. Delsing is also the grandfather of soccer player Taylor Twellman. James Henry Delsing was 80 years old.



THE KID'S KIDS: The St. Lucie Mets are still playing as I write this - but I'm going to pencil them in for a win. They broke a 6-6 tie with a 7-run 8th inning, and lead, 13-6. More tomorrow.

FANTASY UPDATE: The Mets are 10-8, having won 4 out of 5, and 7 out of 10. They also took 2 straight against the division rival Braves. The most exciting game of the day was the first of the series against the Braves, when the Mets scored 4 times in the ninth off none other than John Rocker to notch a come-from-behind victory. Robin Ventura again had two home runs. We're 3 games behind the Nationals, tied with the Phillies, a game ahead of the Braves (only 4 teams per division).

BEAT THE STREAK: Edgar Renteria extended his own hitting streak, and mine, with a first-inning double. Then the game survived an early rain delay, so my hitting streak is up to 5. On Wednesday, I'm taking a flyer on Conor Jackson of the Diamondbacks - he's 2-for-2 in his career against Paul Maholm of the Pirates...he's actually the only player on Arizona who's had a hit off Maholm. All it takes for me is one.

PLAYING CATCH UP...

That's what I'm doing after missing a day of big news. The Mets announced on Tuesday that Brian Bannister would indeed be the fifth starter, meaning Aaron Heilman will be pitching out of the bullpen. This means a lot of things.

• First and foremost, Heilman is in the role he didn't want, and Bannister got the job Heilman felt he earned. Heilman, though, says he wants to be a part of the team, because he knows this team could be special, and he's willing to do this for the team. Willie Randolph says the whole point of this decision is that it makes the team better. Another note is that Heilman and Bannister have developed a friendship this spring, which has tempered Bannister's enthusiasm for being named the starter, and probably makes this a slightly easier pill to swallow for Heilman.
• This does make the team better. The Mets are counting on Heilman to be the primary bridge from the starter to Billy Wagner. Think Mariano Rivera to John Wetteland...or, a slight downgrade from that.
• Heilman pitches very well against lefties. That means the Mets, when they break camp, could possibly carry one less lefty in the 'pen. The Mets have a strange situation because they have Chad Bradford, a specialist brought in to face only righthanders. So when there is a lefty that Bradford would have to face, chances are he's coming out...so he's almost a waste of a pitcher's spot. Darren Oliver and Pedro Feliciano are the favorites to make the team from the left side (although I have my doubts about Oliver - he might very well have had some impressive springs in recent years, which might explain some of his sorry Major League seasons the past few years - not counting last year, when he wasn't in the majors).

All in all, I think the Mets are a better team. And I think they really want to appease Heilman...just not this year. I think in 2007, Heilman will graduate to number three starter, or thereabouts. But this year, in the hunt for the World Series, Heilman will be strengthening the bullpen.

SI PICKS: Got the 'Sports Illustrated' baseball preview edition today, and I haven't had much of a chance to go through it yet, but I did see that they pick the Mets to be a wild card, but bow out of the playoffs in the first round (losing to the Cardinals - no way). They pick the White Sox to beat the Cardinals in the World Series. It's fashionable to pick the White Sox this year (see my picks), but I'm having second thoughts. They've had a bad spring, and I'm reading bad things about Bobby Jenks. But they have a deep rotation, and that could take them far. I'm standing by my pick of the White Sox losing to the Mets in the World Series, but consider this paragraph the White Sox disclaimer.

TROUBLE IN PARADISE: The Bensons are breaking up. I've been seeing on some other blogs that Anna Benson has filed for divorce from Kris. I hope I'm not spreading a false rumor here, but it isn't a stretch. I feel kind of bad for Kris Benson in all of this. He seems like a fairly normal guy. He has three kids, and a wife who, let's say, makes life a little difficult. And she's filing for divorce from him. I bet he gets the kids.

BEAT THE STREAK: My pick for Sunday night (in case I don't get to write again this weekend) is Grady Sizemore. All he needs to do is get a hit to get me off on the right foot. I forgot if I've already mentioned this, but keep an eye on the Phillies Opening Day - Jimmy Rollins is taking a 36-game-hitting streak into this season.

TOE-ING THE RUBBER

Pedro Martinez* made his first spring start on Sunday, and the results were more than encouraging. Pedro* went three scoreless innings against the Orioles, striking out 2, and Victor Zambrano finished the shutout with six scoreless innings. Hence, the Mets-Fan-O-Meter is in good shape. I realize the Fan-O-Meter did not look good at all in the upper right corner of the page, so the Fan-O-Meter will probably appear next to the daily posting, and I will work on something else for the upper right, where the Mets logo is now. One last note on Pedro* - it looks now like he will be the starting pitcher in the third game of the season, with Zambrano going in game 2.


HEILMAN/BANNISTER: There are reports that the Mets have made up their mind to have Brian Bannister be the fifth starter, and Aaron Heilman resume his out-of-the-bullpen role from last year. That's fine with me, because I think Heilman was great in relief, and will continue to be great in relief, and it's probably best for the team. I just hope Heilman doesn't get mad and let it affect his performance, because he has pitched well enough this spring (as has Bannister) to earn a starting spot.

2ND BASE: With the second base job appearing to be Anderson Hernandez's now that Kaz Matsui is not available in the early part of the season, I just hope the Mets don't go after Tony Graffanino. Graffanino was put on waivers by the Red Sox. The Mets don't need to muddy up that second base position hunt any further with an outsider - they have plenty to choose from between Hernandez and Jeff Keppinger.

WAGNER: Billy Wagner is back to throwing a baseball, and the stiffness in his finger is going away, as expected. He should be OK by the start of the season.

One week until Opening Day. This is going to be a very busy week for me, but I'll try to give a season preview when the roster decisions are all made.

A lot has happened since my last posting, so I will see if I can offer a full recap and some opinion. I will start with an opinion, on the off chance Omar Minaya sees this and takes it under consideration.

DO NOT ACQUIRE MANNY RAMIREZ!!!!! PLEASE!!

I can't believe pro athletes and what they say anymore (see johnnyjets.blogspot.com) but Ramirez tells ESPNdeportes that he no longer wants to be traded, and wants to stay in Boston where he has many friends, especially David Ortiz. (Ortiz has to feel very special to be singled out like that, by the way.) This guy is clearly a head case, who swings a very good bat, but can't be a good influence on the fine core the Mets have built themselves. Do not get Manny. Stop your obsession with him. Let the Sox keep him...or trade him to Baltimore. But don't get involved. Please.

Now, on to what the Mets have done. Miguel Cairo has signed with the Yankees (again), so the Mets have lost another valuable utility man (Marlon Anderson went to the Nationals earlier this offseason). In an attempt to make up for these losses, the Mets signed Bret Boone to a minor league contract. I say this move is worth the risk. Boone, a few years back, was a power-hitting second baseman the likes of which has never before been seen in baseball. Then the steroid scandal hit, and Boone's power numbers dropped like a stone. I'm not implying anything here, I'm just giving you a frame of reference, as far as timing. When the Mariners released him last year (come to think of it, the entire Mariners offense stopped producing when the steroids scandal began - no one notices what goes on in the Pacific Northwest, I guess), I thought it would be a good idea for the Mets to try to pick up Boone. The Twins did, and Boone was brutal with them. So I guess in retrospect it's good the Mets didn't get him then. Now, Boone has another chance to prove he's valuable to a Major League team, and I would love for him to be serviceable at second base.

The Mets made another deal, trading Jae Seo and Tim Hamulack to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Duaner Sanchez and Steve Schmoll. I like that Steve Schmoll's last name is Schmoll, but it's too bad the Mets had to get rid of Seo. He is a very good pitcher, but the Mets never really seemed to want him in their plans. I think it's because of his admitted stubbornness a couple of years ago, which the Mets (and in particular, I think, Rick Peterson) could never get over. In Sanchez, though, the Mets are getting a guy who, along with Aaron Heilman, could be a bridge to Billy Wagner. So that move goes a long way to shoring up the Mets bullpen. Schmoll and Hamulack are a wash, basically. Schmoll's numbers weren't too impressive last year, but I do remember him picking up a couple of saves back when Eric Gagne got hurt, in a couple of good outings, then seeing things turn sour. He may have appeared on my fantasy league roster after those saves (the good outings), just in time for all the succeeding miserable outings.

The Mets' rotation will not suffer from the loss of Seo - and it looks like Kris Benson will be sticking around (much to the relief of our good friends at naturalbl0g.blogspot.com). The rotation will be made up of:
Pedro Martinez*
Tom Glavine
Kris Benson
Steve Trachsel
Victor Zambrano

The plans for Heilman are to keep him in the bullpen, which I am happy with. I would not be happy if he is traded to Tampa Bay for either Danys Baez or Julio Lugo. I like Lugo's numbers, and he could be a long-term solution at second base, but I'm not crazy about the Mets giving up Heilman. If the Mets traded Heilman for Baez, it wouldn't be much of an upgrade. I'll leave it at that. I have my doubts about Baez's ability to pitch for a winning team in pressure spots (he would be setting up Wagner, which by the way, he doesn't want to do). We know what we have in Heilman.

One thing about Pedro Martinez*. He's been complaining about his toe, which acted up on him late last year. My thoughts are that Pedro* will be fine for the regular season. If his past with the Red Sox is any indication, I think Pedro* is talking up the toe problem as a reason he will not have to pitch in the World Baseball Classic, and then he'll come back for spring training, and be ready to pitch for the Mets. Pedro* doesn't like to do the extra-curricular stuff.

5 weeks until spring training!