Mets Heaven - Mets Hell

The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly

By Brit Smeal

The win last night gave the Mets their best record since 2000 when they won 94 regular season games and played the Yankees in the World Series.  Still, it’s been a roller coaster ride for the team this year and a little disappointing.  With key off-season acquisitions of Pedro Martinez, Carlos Beltran, and Doug Mientkiewics the Mets looked as if they were poised for a run at the defending Braves for the NL East championship.  However, as the season wore on the Mets struggled to move beyond the .500 mark, and finally dropped out of the wild card race when they lost 8 of 10 in early September on a key road trip.  So what went wrong, and also, what went right, and what can the Mets build on for next year?

THE GOOD…  Pedro Martinez.  The Mets threw tons of money his way and the results were immediate: first, his presence helped land Carlos Beltran, then provided the new-look Mets some swagger to throw off the loser tag.  Later on in the year, the very fact that he was a Met helped the New Yorkers land two prize amateurs in the Caribbean that may help the team build a successful franchise if they can continue to exploit their opportunities in the near term.  Pedro won 15 games and easily could have won 20 with a little better run support and even an average bullpen protecting his leads.  He posted outstanding numbers, with a miniscule 2.82 ERA and exceptional ratios of hits/walks/strikeouts per nine innings.  In September, with his fastball barely topping 90, Pedro showed why he’ll continue to win throughout the entire length of his contract, as he kept hitters off balance with his location and a variety of breaking pitches and an outstanding change up.  More good…
… the Mets maturing youngsters – David Wright, Jose Reyes, Aaron Heilman, and Jae Seo.  Wright and Reyes are only 22 and played their first full season in the Majors and both arrived in a big way but better yet, both show signs that they are just starting to develop.  Wright has 27 HRs and 102 RBI with one game left and is the only Met to hit over .300 this year.  He has made the ESPN highlight reel on several occasions and has an OBP over .380.  He looks like a Scott Rolen in the making.  Meanwhile, Reyes finally stayed healthy enough to last all year, playing in all but one game (Wright played in all but 2!).  While hitting in the mid .270’s with a low OBP of barely .300, he still made great strides recognizing pitches and being more patient at the plate.  He turned his exceptional speed into a league leading 17 triples and 60 stolen bases, and needs one run scored in the last game to reach the 100 plateau (ditto for Wright).  Surely his OBP and batting average will continue to rise as he continues to learn more plate discipline.  Aaron Heilman filled in for an injured Chris Benson and pitched very well, logging only one of three complete game shut outs for the Mets this season.  He just appeared to be hitting his stride when the injured veterans returned from the DL and forced manager Willie Randolph to make some tough decisions.  At first he filled the middle relief role and as the season wore on was put in more and more pressure situations.  In September, with Braden Looper struggling, Aaron was put in several save situations and converted every one.  He’s the Mets’ best reliever over the past two months, complementing the success of Roberto Hernandez (8 wins, 4 saves, 2.69 ERA) and Juan Padilla (1.49 ERA); add them to the list of the “GOOD.”  The potential of Victor Diaz and Mike Jacobs should prove to be more “good news” stories when they get a chance to contribute more next year.
… the health of Cliff Floyd.  Everybody knows that if Floyd is healthy, he will hit.  He was healthy this year and led the Mets in power hitting, being that big bat in the middle of the order.  He hit 33 HRs and drove in 97 runs with one game left.  He also led the NL outfielders in assists with 15, and has developed quite a lot of respect for the accuracy of his arm across the NL.  Cliff Floyd will be a major force next year as long as he stays healthy.  Talking of outfield play, I think the combination of Mike Cameron and Victor Diaz has to be listed on the good side of the ledger.  When Cameron was slow to get off the DL in April, Diaz stepped in picked up the slack, hitting near .280 with a healthy OBP and certainly hitting his share of dingers.  When Cameron returned, he tore into NL pitching and was quite an offensive force.  Being a streak hitter, he eventually cooled off when he collided with Carlos Beltran and suffered season ending injuries.  Combining Diaz and Cameron’s numbers, we see a productive, but not spectacular, output in right field with an average of about .270 with 23 HRs, 87 runs scored, and 76 RBI.  That doesn’t include the production of Marlon Anderson who has hit 3 HRs playing right this past week.  Even though these numbers are not eye-popping, they are not the reason the Mets produced merely an average offense this year.
… offensive production at the catcher’s position.  Mike Piazza and Ramon Castro combined to hit 27 HRs with 103 RBI this year, a very potent combination.  Surely Mike can extend his career by moving to the AL and finishing out his career as a DH, but I for one will miss his contributions; would have been nice to see him be the first catcher to hit 400 HRs, but he will hit it for some other team next year.
… finally, despite shortcoming in the bullpen, the pitching staff finished third in the league in team ERA at about 3.70.  Led by ace Pedro Martinez and #2 Tom Glavine (13-13, 3.53 ERA) the starting staff more than held their own.  Despite so-so seasons by Chris Benson (10-8, 4.13) and Victor Zambrano (7-11, 3.98), the starting rotation proved to be the team’s strength, despite losing three veterans in April (Trachsel, Benson, Ishii) thanks to strong come-back performances by Aaron Heilman (5-3, 5 saves, 3.13) and Jae Seo (8-2, 2.59). 

Now, the bad… the bullpen.  Geez, do we have to go there?  The tone was set on opening day when Pedro left with a three run lead before the pen snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.  That scene was repeated more often than it should have been for a team trying to make it back to the playoffs.  Braden Looper blew 8 saves, and Roberto Hernandez blew 6 more.  The fact that Hernandez lost 6 games isn’t good, but really attests more to his being used mostly when the game was on the line than having a bad year.  Quite to the contrary, Hernandez buoyed the bullpen and was one of the few bright spots (8 wins, 4 saves, 2.58 ERA), as was Juan Padilla (3-1, 1 save, 1.49).  Heilman’s move from the starting rotation to the pen helped save the group and set the stage for the team’s hot run in late September to save some measure of dignity for the team.
…  second base - Kaz Matsui continued to struggle with his health and succumbed to injuries after a very slow start.  Miguel Cairo provided a spark at first but then faded.  A parade of second baseman couldn’t get the job done until Matsui returned late in the year and put together a string of multi-hit games to push his season average over .250 until falling victim again to injuries.  A young Andersen Hernandez couldn’t buy a hit with the Mets in September after a successful year at Norfolk, hitting over .300 there. 
… lack of production at first base – Doug Mientkiewics was brought on board in the off season to bring stability to the infield defense and a professional hitter.  With two .300 seasons under his belt in Minnesota followed by a bad year in 2004, the Mets were hoping the real Mientkiewics was somewhere in between, maybe hitting 12-16 HRs with about a .280 average and solid defense to anchor the young infield.  The latter proved true, but Doug continued to struggle at the plate with a .240 average.  Until the arrival of Mike Jacobs, the Mets’ first base production was at the bottom of the league. 
… offense of Carlos Beltran.  The Mets needed a hot Beltran in the second half of the year to make a successful run for the wild card race and didn’t get it.  He hit only .266 with 16 HRS and 17 stolen bases, far from what was expected when signed for the largest contract in the history of the team.  The Mets didn’t need a repeat of last year’s streak with Houston, they only needed an average Carlos Beltran – perhaps .275, 100 runs, 35 stolen bases, 26 HRs and near 100 RBIs.  Maybe next year…

The ugly… the collision of Mike Cameron and Carlos Beltran that ended Mike’s season and almost ended Carlos’.  Also, minus his mini-hot streak in early September, Kaz Matsui’s performance at the plate. Hide your eyes if you’re queezy….

In summary, the Mets starting rotation, development of key youngsters, the running game, and the new-look, aggressive baserunning under the direction of rookie manager Willie Randolph were things the Mets can build on for next year.  Victor Diaz and Mike Jacobs should take pressure off Omar Minaya to try to buy “everything” and lets him concentrate on the catcher position, second base, and the bullpen.  The excess starting pitching gives the Mets some bargaining power.  Hopefully Randolph learned how to go with the hot hand and also to learn when he should with a youngster vice an unimpressive veteran. 

So what should be the focus of the brass’s off-season to build on the Mets’ improvements?  I think a legitimate closer should be first priority so Looper can move back to a more comfortable set-up role (maybe trade some starting pitching to Seattle for “Steady Eddie” Guardado?), followed by grabbing free agent Ramon Hernandez to make up for the loss of the legendary Mike Piazza.  I think the Mets have the answers to their infield problems by turning over 1B to Mike Jacobs (10 HRS in 96 ABs), and 2B to Jeff Keppinger.  The longer term solution, Anderson Hernandez, won’t be ready next year but Keppinger is more than adequate.  He was hitting .337 for AAA Norfolk in June when a broken knee ended his season. The Mets will be fine in the outfield with Carlos Beltran having made his adjustments to life in New York and moving up to the second hole in the lineup, a healthy Mike Cameron and Cliff Floyd, and Victor Diaz providing insurance against injury for both outfield and first base positions.  The starting rotation will be very good with Pedro, Glavine, Benson, and Heilman forming the core, and who ever is left after trading for a closer (will be good with either Zambrano, Seo or Trachsel).  A nice bullpen can be fashioned with Looper in a middle inning role (if the Mets pick up his option), Padilla and Hernandez serving as set-up men, and rounding out the pen with your choice of Ring, Graves, Takatsu and/or Orber Moreno (returning from injury) and whoever else can be picked up in the offseason. One last note… should the Mets not pick up the option on Steve Trachsel, his salary could be put towards one of the big name free agent starters like Zito or Burnett. 

Mets, Seo Beat Rockies

By Brit Smeal

The Mets are one win away from sweeping the Rockies in a four game series after beating the visitors from Colorado, 3-1 Saturday. Jae Seo scattered 6 hits over six innings to record his 8th win against just 2 losses this year and guaranteeing his team at least a tie for third place.  The win was the Mets’ third in a row, 12th in their last 14, and 22nd of 34 at home.  More than that, it’s a good sign of character at a time when most teams are just playing out the string but Willie Randolph has the Mets playing hard and gave 36,000 fans their money’s worth.

The Rockies scored their lone run on a sacrifice fly in the third, and the Mets answered back right away with a run in the bottom half. Jose Reyes scored Marlon Anderson with a double down the right field line.  The decisive runs came in the bottom of the fourth on a two-run homer by third baseman David Wright, his 27th of the year, after a two-out single by Cliff Floyd. That proved the winner with Seo, Padilla, and Hernandez shutting down the Rockies over the next five frames.  After Seo logged six strong innings, Juan Padilla continued his string of impressive outings with two more scoreless innings to set up Ramon Hernandez for his fourth save.

METS MILESTONES:  David Wright’s homer gives him 27 for the year with 102 runs batted in. Jose Reyes stole his 60th base of the year in the seventh, the second most ever by a Met (Roger Cedeno stole 66 in 1999).  Padilla’s two scoreless innings dropped his season ERA below 1.50 to 1.49.  Jacob’s hit his 10th HR Friday in less than 100 AB’s, making him only the fifth player in the last 20 years to accomplish that feat.  The Mets have two of those five players, the other being Benny Agbayani.   Cliff Floyd still needs 3 RBI to reach the century mark for the season and Mike Piazza needs one HR to reach 20 for the year, 3 more to reach the magical 400 mark for his career.

TRIVIA Question:  Who was the last Met to drive in 100 runs? 

Mets Finishing Strong

By Brit Smeal

The steaking Mets’ beat the Rockies at Shea Stadium last night 3-2 for their second of the series, and 10 of their last 12.  A strong outing by Chris Benson guaranteed the Mets a winning season and improved his own record to 10-8 for the season.  The win gives the Mets 82 for the year keeps their hopes alive of finishing as high as third in the tough NL East. 

Benson lasted 7 1/3 innings with both runs coming on a Holliday two-run homer in the 3rd.  That notched the score at the time at 2-2.  The Mets scored a run in both the 1st and 2nd innings, the first on a botched rundown play, the second on Mike Jacob’s 10th HR of the season in just over 90 AB’s.  Marlon Anderson provided the game winner by hitting his 7th HR of the year in the 5th inning for the margin of victory.

Aaron Heilman pitched the last 1 2/3 innings for his 5th save and raising his stock for next season.  Thrown into the closer’s role much by accident, the Mets’ brass will have a tough decision regarding Heilman’s role next season.  Mike Jacobs is also making a strong statement that his name should be penciled in as the first baseman.  In basically one month’s work, he’s hitting .298 with 10 HRs and 22 RBI, amazing production at a position the Mets had very little run support from until his name was dropped into the lineup after a surprising 3-run, pinch homer in late August.  And to think he was called up as insurance when Mike Piazza got hurt with the expectation by management that he probably won’t even get into the lineup. 

OTHER NOTES.  Heilman’s allowed only 2 run in his last 41 2/3 innings, a miniscule 0.43 ERA.  Meanwhile, Braden Looper, the Mets’ former closer who logged 8 blown saves this year, admitted his shoulder hurt him most of season and will have surgery next week to repair the damage. It’s unclear whether the Mets will pick up his $6M option for next year.  David Wright sits exactly on 100 RBI for the season while Cliff Floyd still needs 3 to reach that magic plateau.  Jose Reyes need just one more run scored to reach the 100 mark for the year, while Wright needs only 2.  Jeo Seo will go for his 8th win of the year today and Victor Zambrano will finish the year out for the Mets on Sunday.  Mike Piazza has 19 HRs for the year and 397 for this illustrious career.  Those numbers are among the best in baseball for catchers despite the fact that his playing time has been greatly diminished.  The combination behind the plate of Piazza-Castro is probably the most productive in baseball at 27 HRs and 103 RBI.  Last night’s crowd at Shea barely missed the 30,000 mark, a nice turn out considering the Mets’ season is over.  Apparently many fans agree this team is still fun to watch regardless of their record or place in the standings.

Preview to Next Season

By Jeremiah Smeal

Well it's official (has been for the past month) the Mets season is over. As of today (9/27/05) the Mets aren’t in last place and are over the .500 mark. It’s tough to say if it’s a good or bad thing; because the Mets had a great chance to finish third at the worst. But lets ask ourselves a few questions Mets fans: 1) Do we REALLY have a chance to do better next year? 2) What does the rest of the season hold? 3) What do we need to do to put an end to our struggles of the past 5 years?

    The Mets always have a chance to win…. The wild card! Let’s face it, unless the Padres and Braves trade divisions we cant win the division. It’s a sad fact of the baseball world. Every year the Braves stumble out of the gate for the first month and everyone is ready to write them off. I despise the Braves as much as the next Mets fan, but you always pencil the Braves in to win the East. If you look at the division the teams that are ahead can’t hold on to be good next year. The Marlins aren’t going to have the strong pitching they do this year. And the Phillies always look like a team that can win, but always struggle late in the year. So, next year, the Mets have their best chance in the past five years to win. Let’s hope nothing bad happens in the off-season.

    I think for the last week of the season Randolph should start looking forward to next year. There are a lot of question marks and some bright spots that need to be examined. The main thing that Randolph needs to do is look at the bullpen. There are a lot of questions out in the pen, mainly the closer. I don’t know if the Mets have ever had a good closer, but if we want to win, now would be a great time to get one. Benitez did a pretty good job in his stint with the club, and I think he should still be their. The front office didn’t do anything to keep him happy; that is the office let the fans fun him out of town. Players like Floyd, Wright, and Reyes should sit out the last two games or so to ensure health for next year.

    And as for ending our struggles…well there is no real answer for that. The Mets just have to take the field with a better team and play all 162 games of the season. It doesn’t sound like a good answer, but that’s all the team can do.

Let’s Play The “What If” Game

Now that the Mets are out of the playoff picture, it’s that time of year when fans like to play the “what if” game.  Yes, I read what Willie Randolph said that’s not a good idea, but hey, for us fans, it’s part of the game.

So I’ll start it off… I’ll write about my big season changing “what if” and then you comment.  Then, you write your own “what if”.  Sounds like fun… here we go.

“What if… the brass had trusted their youngsters from the beginning instead of trading a useful backup catcher (Jason Phillips) for the inconsistent, control-challenged Ishii?”  Furthermore, when Benson returned from the DL, what if Zambrano had been sent down to Norfolk to work on his control instead of banishing Jae Seo who had an ERA of about 2.00 in his short stint?

This gets back to the question about promoting from within, and relying on your youngsters rather than assuming the veterans are the best way to go.  There is plenty of discussion material in that issue (Diaz/Jacobs … Padilla, Bell, Hamulak/Ring, etc… vs the myriad of failed vets such as DeJean, Graves, and most recently Tagushi).  Let’s stay focused, for now, on just the issue of Heilman and Seo  Let me frame up the argument… 

The Mets lost Steve Trachsel in spring training to a bad back, requiring major surgery.  Kaz Ishii was obtained from the Dodgers for Jason Phillips.  Then, just before the start of the season, Chris Benson went down.  Finally, in April, Kaz Ishii came up lame.  Out of desperation, the Mets turned to Heilman first, then Seo.  Both pitched well, with Heilman making 7 starts and Seo making only 3 before Benson returned him to the minors, and Ishii’s return forcing Heilman to the bullpen.  At the time of their respective demotions, Heilman was hitting his stride and Seo was almost impossible to score against.  First Benson came off the DL, making Seo an extra; he was sent down after throwing 7 1/3 scoreless frames with an ERA so small you needed a magnifying glass to see it.  Then when Ishii came off the DL Heilman was sent to the bullpen.

So what if the Mets never got Ishii and Aaron Heilman had been the fifth starter all season?  It’s impossible to predict, of course, but let’s propose some basic assumptions, and do some basic analysis to see if the Mets would be better off.  Furthermore, what if Seo replaced Benson in the rotation during his absence and remained there when he returned?

Ishii was 3-9 with a 5.04 ERA for the season, often wasting good offensive days for the Mets and stressing a weak bullpen with high pitch counts and early exits.  Still, the Mets managed a 7-9 record in Ishii’s 16 starts this season.  They were only 4-3 in Heilman’s starts, but remember, Heilman was really starting to hit his stride when moved to the bullpen even though his stats didn’t necessarily reflect that.  Let’s assume the Mets would have continued to win at the same rate, and Heilman would have made all of Ishii’s 16 starts.  That would be at least a 9-7 record instead of 7-9.  However, given the higher run production for Ishii, I think you could estimate a 10-6 or 11-5 record.  So let’s recomputed the Mets record based on 3 more wins and 3 fewer losses - given this one change, the Mets very well could have 80 or as many as 82 wins (instead of today’s record of 77-77).  That would put us square n the hunt for the wild card. 

Now, let’s consider the difference of Seo vs Zambrano.  In Zambrano’s 16 starts after the return of Benson from the DL, the Mets were 6-10.  He had an ERA around 4.00 which is really not bad for the fifth starter, but considering how well Seo has pitched certainly the Mets could have managed a winning record in those 16 starts, despite the fact that the offense scored few runs for Zambrano in those 16 starts.  So let’s conservatively assume an 8-8 record; now we’re at least 82-72, maybe as good as 84-70 firmly in the race for the wild card.  As of September 24, Houston is 85-70, so the Mets could be anywhere from    2 ½ to ½ game out.  And who knows what difference this would make to the overall Mets performance in September, being in the thick of it instead of 10 plus games behind Atlanta like they are today.  Something to think about… and talk about! 

So what do you think?  Feasible? 

- Brit Smeal, September 24, 2005

Mets Sweep in DC Via the Long Ball

Mike Piazza hit two homers and David Wright and Mike Jacobs added solo shots in the eighth to complete a three game sweep over the Washington Nationals in the Battle for the Basement.  The win moved the Mets ½ game over the Nats in the race to avoid finishing in last place in the NL East.

Chris Benson did not have his best stuff today and found himself in trouble in the seventh, clinging to a 4-3 lead. Benson had allowed a walk and a hit and faced a two-on, one-out situation with a rising pitch count, prompting Willie Randolph to make a move to the pen.  Juan Padilla retired the first batter before Nick Johnson singled in two runs for a 5-4 Washington lead.  The Mets responded in the next frame with two homers to regain the lead for good and making a winner out of Padilla, 2-1.  David Wright tied the game with one out and Mike Jacobs slammed his seventh of the young season for the game winner with two out. 

Mike Piazza accounted for the first three Mets’ runs with a solo shot in the second inning, after the Nationals scored two in the first, and then hit a two-run shot in the fourth to tie the game at 3-3 after the Nats scored another run in the third.  David Wright put the Mets temporarily in the lead in the sixth, scoring Carlos Beltran with a double. 

Aaron Heilman notched his third save of the season with a scoreless ninth, putting the Mets one game over .500 at 78-77 and completing a much-needed sweep of the Nationals in Washington, DC in front of almost 30,000 fans.  The Mets will try to continue their winning ways Tuesday in Philadelphia while Washington travels to Florida.

METS NOTES:  Since joining the bullpen, Heilman has been masterful, dropping his ERA from over 4.10 to only 3.28.  He may be making himself too valuable to return to the starting rotation next year, barring injury or off-season trades. Piazza’s two homers gives him 18 for the season and 396 for his hall-of-fame career, padding his lead over the next best hitting catcher of all time, Johnny Bench, who hit 389.  With only 7 games left, it seems improbable that Mike will hit his 400th career home run in a Mets uniform.  While the Mets could use his production at catcher next year, but surely the best thing for Mike is to use free-agency to prolong his career by signing with an American League team where he can DH and perhaps extend his career long enough to be the first catcher not only to hit 400 dingers, but maybe even reach 500.  Mike Piazza and David Wright each had two hits today.  Mike Jacobs now has 7 HRs in only 76 AB’s.  He could be playing himself into contention for the first base job next year, or at least a platoon situation at either catcher or 1B.  Jose Reyes leads the NL in stolen bases with 58, 8 short of the Mets single season record.  He did not reach base today.

- Brit Smeal, 25 September 2005

Wright’s Slam Evens Season, Gives Glavine Win # 274

By Brit Smeal

The Mets scored five runs in the first inning against Livan Hernandez then did nothing the rest of the night.  Fortunately, Tom Glavine was on the mound and that proved to be all they would need, cruising to a 5-2 victory to even their season record at 77-77.  The win also pulled the Mets to within ½ game of the Nationals for fourth place.  The Nats’ Cinderella season has turned into Nightmare on Elm Street.  After finally finding a home in Washington DC after splitting time between San Juan Rico and Montreal for several years, the Expose were dubbed the Nationals and seemingly reborn.  With a 5-4 win over the Cubs on July 3 their record stood at 51-36, 3 ½ games ahead of Atlanta and no wild card team even close.  Needless to say, the second half has not been kind to the Nats.  Not only did their dive loss the division to the hated Braves, but then the wild card spot slipped away and now they are freefalling into last place with the Mets suddenly hot.  A win Sunday puts the Mets up by ½ game; Chris Benson will face John Patterson. 

Jose Reyes led off the game with a double, followed by a botched sacrifice bunt that resulted in runners on first and third and no outs rather than one out with a runner on third.  Beltran then singled in Reyes for a 1-0 Mets lead, followed by a walk to Floyd to load the bases.  David Wright lined a 2-0 pitch over the left field wall for a grand slam and a 5-0 Mets lead that would never be relinquished.

The only Nats’ runs came in the 6th as Tom Glavine was masterful, allowing 4 hits and only 1 walk in 8 innings and lowing his ERA below 3.70 for the season.  Ramon Hernandez pitched the ninth for his second save of the season.

METS NOTES:  The Mets lead the national league in stolen bases with 148.  With a hot finish, the Mets could have 2 hitters with over 100 RBI; Floyd has 96 and Wright has 93.  Does anyone know when the Mets last had 2 100 RBI men in the same season?  The win today was Glavine’s 12 against 13 losses.  77 wins is the most for the Mets since 2001 when they finished 82-80. 

Something Old... Something New

Something old – the Mets’ bullpen blew another save opportunity. 

Something new – it wasn’t Braden Looper.  It was Ramon Hernandez…oh wait, he’s blown 6 or 7 opportunities this year, okay, that’s old news too (though for the most part he’s pitched masterfully as the set up man). 

Something new – Carlos Beltran smacked a three run homer in the top of the 10th at JFK to win the game.    Continuing with the rhyme…

Something borrowed – the Mets borrowed Aaron Heilman from his middle inning role to log the save. He’s done a masterful job this year, whatever role he’s played.

Something blue – the Washington Nationals, who are now only 1 ½ games ahead of the Mets and struggling to avoid the cellar after a fabulous, fairy tale first half of the season, when they not only looked like a playoff team, but headed to derail the Braves long run at National League East Pennants.  Seems like ages ago ….

    More “something old” … Juan Padilla continues to pitch great middle inning relief with 2 more scoreless frames, his ERA falling to 1.74.  Aaron Heilman’s continued success in the pen is also getting to be old, something the Mets sorely needed this year when they were still in the hunt for the wild card spot.

    With the Mets apparently ready to marry last place (again) beating the Nats in their home park in the first of the three game set offers a glimpse that maybe the New Yorkers aren’t quite ready to tie the knot just yet.  They may be getting cold feet.  Determined efforts by Floyd (3 hits, drove in the first two Mets runs in the sixth), Trachsel (six scoreless innings), Reyes (his speed again causing an infielder to hurry and muff a grounder setting up Beltran’s heroics) and Beltran, who we thought would be garnering the headlines on a regular basis this year.  His three run shot in extra innings offers hope that maybe the Mets can regain their August form just in time to escape the cellar and finish above .500 for the first time since 2001.

    For the Nats, it’s more “always a bridesmaid, never a bride” if the Mets can sweep in Washington and set up a hotly contested finish.  The weekend match-ups are Glavine vs. Hernandez on Saturday and Benson vs. Patterson on Sunday.  On the surface those two match-ups appear to favor Washington, but with their offense in a funk, the Mets’ starters are ready and able to match the Nats two best pitchers.  After this weekend, the Mets play 3 more on the road, visiting Philly during the week, then hosting the Rockies for four at the friendly confines of Shea Stadium.  Meanwhile, the Nats will play three at Florida before finishing the season at home with a three game set against the Phillies.  That seems to favor the Mets, but this has been a crazy season.  Should be an interesting finish…  GEEZ, WHAT AM I SAYING?  I’m writing about the escape from the basement as if it’s the pennant race!  What the heck, it’s all we’ve got.  Hey, did you remember the ring?

- Brit Smeal, 24 September 2005

Mets Avoid Sweep, Win 7-1

By Brit Smeal

Jae Seo logged another impressive victory for the Mets, playing the role of stopper with seven strong innings Sunday in Miami.  Thanks to a Phillies’ loss to the Nationals, the Mets trail the wild card leader by 2 ½ games and enter a three game series with Atlanta still in the hunt for the playoffs. 

Seo allowed just on run in 7 innings and scattered 5 hits as Willie Randolph employed a more proven bullpen formula to get the win over the Marlins.  Roberto Hernandez pitched a perfect 8th and Braden Looper did the same in the ninth.

The Mets scored all they would need in the first two frames.  In the first, Kaz Matsui tripled and scored on a ground ball by Beltran, and in the second with two outs, Vic Diaz doubled in Doug Meintkiewicz for a 2-0 lead.  Cliff Floyd added some insurance in the 3rd with a two-run blast, his 29th homer of the season.  The Mets continued to slap around AJ Burnett in the fifth, with David Wright doubling in Matsui, who had three hits on the day.  Kaz’ contributions could prove decisive as his mini-hot streak comes just when Miguel Cairo has fallen into a deep slump at the plate.  The Mets added two more in the ninth off Ron Villone on RBI singles by Beltran and Wright, with Jose Reyes and Matsui scoring the runs. 

Meanwhile, Seo cruised through the early frames, allowing just one run with a wild pitch with Juan Encarnacion on third with two outs.  He managed to keep the Marlins off balance all afternoon, improving his record to 7-1.  Gee, can’t help but wonder how the Mets’ season would have faired if the Mets’ brass had kept him in the starting rotation all year but we’ll save that diatribe for another day.  As this series goes, it’s kind of a shame to beat up Beckett and Burnett like they did and leave Miami with only one win.  Still, they are in the hunt and given the Mets performances the past three years, it feels good to this long-time fan just to be in the hunt.  Now, it’s on to Atlanta and let’s win there!

METS NOTES.  Cliff Floyd now has 84 RBI and David Wright has 86, leading the club in RBI, doubles (36), runs (85), and batting (.315).  Seo’s ERA stands at 1.79

Mets' Hopes Fading

By Brit Smeal

Five days ago, the Mets were on a roll, having won an impressive 6-4 come-from-behind victory over the Phillies at Shea Stadium, fueled by an eight-inning 3-run homer by Ramon Castro.  The win pulled the Mets to within ½ game of the wild card race.  A win the following night could put them in the driver’s seat.  .

Then, in the time it takes to leave your seat and grab a coke, the Mets have fallen 3 and ½ games behind thanks to a disastrous four game losing streak.  The Mets have failed to score more than 4 funs in any of those games, and the silence of their bats if deafening. 

Last night the streak should have ended at only 3 games, with Chris Benson nursing a 2-run lead into the seventh inning until, with one out and two on, Willie Randolph’s bullpen threw gas on a building fire.  Juan Padilla was summoned to pitch to Juan Pierre, who promptly flied out to left field.  Two outs.  The game came down to Luis Castillo facing off with Padilla.  Padilla walked him on four pitches, loading the bases with Florida’s two best hitters coming up next, Cabrera and Delgado.  With the game on the line Randolph summoned the recently released Shingo Tataksu.  Yes, released by the While Sox a few days ago.  You’d think the Mets would have learned their lesson about picking up other peoples’ discards with the Danny Graves experiment, but noooooo, let’s try that again, shall we?  Back to the game… of course you know how this nighmare ends, with Cabrera ripping a bases-clearing double over the head of Cliff Floyd in left, who didn’t exactly get a good jump on the ball.  The Marlins’ bullpen held, with Todd Jones finishing it in the ninth but not before the Mets staged a late rally, having the tying run on second with their best hitter, er, rather, most expensive hitter up; Carlos Beltran.  Carlos weakly grounded to first to end the threat. Final score: Phillies 5 Mets 4.   

Now the Mets’ back is really against the wall, having to end a four-game skid facing A.J. Burnett Sunday, then traveling to Atlanta and St. Louis for 7 of the toughest games on the schedule.  Admittedly, the race isn’t over, but it’s not looking good right now.  Better get a fresh set of tires on the race car, ‘cuz it looks like the wheels are falling off.

Famous Sports Astrologer Andrea Mallis Discusses The Mets

By Andrea Mallis

My journey as a devoted Mets fan began in 1973 during their magical “Ya Gotta Believe” season. Growing up in Queens, New York, right near Shea Stadium, I remember watching Kiner’s Korner on TV, and Mets’ broadcasts with perceptive Scorpio Ralph Kiner, eloquent Gemini Lindsey Nelson (in his psychedelic sports coats), and masterful Virgo Bob Murphy.

The Mets were in the cellar all summer long in 1973 (déjà-vu?), but managed to win the NL East playing just over .500 ball. I was in the stands at Shea when the original “Ya Gotta Believe” sign was held up after Tug McGraw and fans adopted the inspiring chant. It was such an optimistic message—it taught me never to give up on things in life, and your team!

I moved to Berkeley, California in 1983 and became a certified Astrologer in 1989. A unique alchemy was realized in 2001, blending two passions of baseball and astrology, when I called in on the post game radio show “Extra Innings” after an Oakland A’s game with celestial highlights of Barry Zito’s astrology chart. It was a hit, and I’m currently in my fourth season as the “Extra Innings” astrologer on KFRC radio in San Francisco.

Timing is everything! Since athletes are always looking for a competitive edge, Sports Astrology provides a valuable map of optimum timing. Baseball and astrology both run in cycles, and Sports Astrology illuminates player’s mental, emotional, and physical game, untapping player potential in a more holistic way. I primarily focus on Mars, a crucial planet for an athlete, as it represents energy, assertion, and action, and the Sun, which represents vitality.

In view of the newly reconfigured pitching rotation, I thought it might be timely to share my planetary insights on the Mets pitching down the stretch, in hopes of raising awareness and opening new possibilities. Information is power.

There are several challenges in vitality for Pedro Martinez, Braden Looper, Kris Benson, and Steve Trachsel. All four are intense Scorpios, intriguingly enough, dealing with challenging Saturn aspects. The Mets have one of those “when it rains it pours” pitching staffs, heavily weighted with Scorpios, so when challenging aspects happen, complex energy tends to cluster, revealing itself to several players concurrently.

Saturn is the planet of limitation and rules the skeletal system—the back, bones, knees, and joints. If you get caught in Saturn’s karmic web, it can delay and deny. Saturn is currently making problematical aspects to Scorpios (Leo, Taurus, and Aquarius are also taking a hit, but to a lesser degree). As Scorpios are determined, secretive, and resourceful, it will be fascinating to see how things play out. You use planetary energy or it uses you—we all have free will and either take the high road or the low.

Pedro Martinez- October 25, 1971 Manoguayabo, DR
Birth data from the Dominican can be tricky. Still, charismatic Scorpio Pedro has not had a win since July 23, 2005. With Saturn in the mix, his next win has indeed been delayed, the last two starts in downright eerie fashion. Pedro took a no-hitter into the 8th on August 14, 2005, only to lose 2-1, next start he left after 6 innings with an 8-0 lead, and received a no-decision. Three time Cy Young winner Pedro recently complained about stiffness in his lower back and a sore right foot. “Sometimes you don’t feel all that good,” Martinez said after a recent game. “You don’t feel like you have all that power, like it’s easy.” Truly, nothing comes easy under a heavy Saturn cycle, but perseverance brings reward. A tenacious Scorpio trooper, Pedro said in a New York Times article on August 24, 2005, “Unless I really feel discomfort, I pitch.” This aspect began for Pedro in mid-July when Saturn went into Leo, squaring his Sun in Scorpio. Curiously, spotlight-seeking Leo Barry Bonds announced he was likely done for the season when Saturn connected to his Sun at that same time. Even though the pressure should be lessening, Saturn aspects tend to linger, like a slow fire that takes its time to blow out. Akin to the cosmic cop of the zodiac, Saturn, the only planet with rings around it, shows us our limits in no uncertain terms. Vigilant Pedro pampering can be a smart choice! Delay doesn’t mean denial, and all those blown bullpen leads Pedro already endured can be very humbling, another Saturn trait. Magnetic Pedro almost always seems to have his mojo working, so every time he takes the mound “ya gotta believe.”

Kris Benson- November 7, 1974 Superior WI
The best made plans go awry for Kris now through the end of September. His planetary forecast down the stretch is the one that concerns me the most. Like a nightmare waiting to happen, after pitching two thirds of an inning on August 21, 2005, Kris cited “bad luck,” and quickly exited the game. Saturn (planet of limitation), whose middle name is “bad luck,” is making a difficult aspect to Kris’s Mars (planet of energy). When this karmic aspect occurs, power is thwarted. A harbinger of things to come, his actions meet with resistance; he feels frustrated, restricted, and blocked. Due to imbalanced energy, Kris needs more rest during this tension-filled cycle. He should do his best to compromise with others—not the easiest task for a desirous Scorpio. Timing is off; he does poorly in competition and as a result, status and reputation suffer.
Throw nebulous Neptune (planet of confusion) in the blend and Kris is quite disoriented. Neptune can bring a “wet blanket” of fog over expectation. It’s one of the worst things for a pitcher—not trusting his stuff during this enervating, dispiriting cycle. Energy is low as strength unravels, and he may feel inexplicably tired. It would be prudent to micromanage Kris’s energy and rest him as much as possible. Supplements may help. As of this writing, Benson’s start has been pushed back to Sunday, August 28, affording two days more rest. As Scorpios hate to admit weakness, Benson said, “It’s not like I need to do anything, it will give me a chance to rest my shoulder a little bit, but everything’s fine from my standpoint.” In reviewing previous data, I noticed that Keith Foulke, closer for the Oakland A’s in 2003, experienced the same Saturn/Mars planetary challenge that Kris is currently facing. Keith began tiring and having back ailments during the all-important stretch drive, culminating in a horrendous Game 4 loss October 5 in the 8th inning of the 2003 ALDS to the Boston Red Sox.  When Kris missed a start last September 2004, it seemed to revive him, but that was then and this is now, as the planetary alignment he’s laboring under is much more deleterious. Very late September opens a window of improvement. As above, so below—only time will tell.

Braden Looper- October 28, 1974 Weatherford, Oklahoma
The end of August through mid-September looks like an endurance test for closer Braden Looper. Difficult Saturn aspects create heavy, internal pressure and inhibition—clearly not the best traits for a closer down the stretch. It’s a tedious time of burdensome responsibilities, testing of character, and hard work. Physical energy is at an all time low, and he should get as much rest as possible. His health is at risk, in many cases as a direct result of a depressed or somber mental outlook. Ambitions are thwarted or delayed, and he may receive criticism and disapproval. He may have difficulties with his spine, lower back, or heart. Problems with those in authority can also occur during this time.

Steve Trachsel- October 31, 1970 Oxnard CA
Delay doesn’t mean denial to All Hallows Eve-born Trax. Saturn slowed things down to a crawl, leaving Steve in limbo with major Scorpio paranoia over his role. It seemed like there was no room at the inn for Trax, due to the Mets’ plethora in the pitching department. “It’s a good problem to have,” as Manager Willie Randolph noted.
Discipline and perseverance are needed for Steve, who has the second longest tenure of all the Mets. Finally back in starting rotation, “the human rain delay” was clearly not put on the planet to work from the bullpen, and is eager to make up for lost time. This is a period of readjustment, as ambitions may take longer to be realized, and patience is needed. There are some positive Mars aspects as well, mitigating the oppressiveness of Saturn. He exhibits courage, no matter how difficult the situation. Resilient to pressure, he exudes a positive “can-do” attitude. Already clearing waivers, experiences with bosses and people in authority are still likely to bring problems. After surgery on his lower back in March of 2005, his current forecast is a mixed bag. He needs to be mindful of not overdoing, fueling an obsessive need to prove his worth. The high road of a Saturn/Mars dynamic has willpower serving him well in the long run for the highest good of all, eschewing the tempting Scorpio trap of power struggle.

Since I gave the Mets “hurlers” a planetary bill of health, I thought I would also do a forecast for their once trusty backstop, Mets catcher Mike Piazza, as many Met fans are curious as to what’s next for the popular former face of the Mets franchise. When interviewed by Steve Somers on WFAN on August 23, 2005, GM Omar Minaya said he planned to sit down with Mike after the season and chat. The gift of Sports Astrology is that it gives you precious insight into what issues are presently up for an athlete, so let’s take a sneak planetary peek about what they may debate.

Mike Piazza- Sept. 4, 1968 Norristown, PA
Hard-working, dutiful Virgo and eleven time All Star Catcher, it looks like Mike may be going out with a whimper rather than a roar. Currently on the DL with a broken hand, Mike’s mid-life crisis has begun—a time to let go of whatever has outlived its creative usefulness. Neptune (planet of confusion) is also in challenging aspect to Mars (energy), springing a leak in Mike’s physical energy. Becoming frail and tired, his energy is low and health is more delicate than usual. Recuperation takes longer than usual. Even at best, he’s not likely to feel as vigorous as usual during this crisis of self-confidence, or dark night of the soul.
Things worsen throughout the 2006 season. Sad though it may be for loyal Met fans, it makes cosmic sense to let Mike go. It’s one of life’s transformational passages that we all experience in our late 30’s when forced to reassess our past, discarding outmoded patterns. It’s an auspicious time to reevaluate deepest motivations. Forced out of ruts, Mike will be stepping out of his comfort zone. The process can be regenerating, tackling the rest of his life with the renewed vigor that comes from a lighter load. If he aligns with spiritual purpose rather than personal, selfish desires, he’ll fare better. I think Mike has too much dignity to keep playing the game when the energy no longer supports him. Virgos live for their work, but a well-timed swan song could make for a brilliant exit. If not, the all-time homerun leader for a catcher, can expect more “freak accidents,” extended healing times, and twists of fate on the horizon for 2006.

And what is the destiny of recently released reliever Danny Graves who posted a 5.89 ERA in 17 games with the Mets? “If he clears waivers, then we’d like to have him back,” said Manager Willie Randolph. Let’s see what the planets have to say about that declaration. Most recently, on August 24, 2005, ESPN News reported Danny wishing to retire.

Danny Graves- August 7, 1973 Saigon, Vietnam
If you look in the dictionary under “experiment,” you could see Danny’s flashy Leo picture. Designated for assignment on August 23, 2005, knowledgeable Met fans instinctively know this tattooed fellow would not exactly set the world on fire. With Neptune (planet of confusion) in difficult aspect to his Sun (basic vitality), this clearly is NOT his year. Unceremoniously released from the Reds on May 23, 2005 and picked up by the Mets on June 11, 2005, this year he continues to be unduly sensitive, vulnerable, and moody. Confidence and certainty become weak, and he may lose perspective. Judgment is faulty; this planetary cycle often brings feelings of profound disappointment and disillusion. He may feel like a victim and temporarily lose optimism. Life seems unfair, and just too hard.
Danny’s likely to tire and must guard against being deceived by those in authority. Inadequacy and lack of purpose reign as luck is curtailed. With few opportunities, he loses a sense of abundance. Forced to deal with restricted circumstances, this below par cycle runs though the entire 2005 season. Feeling like he is moving sideways—if not actually going in reverse—it looks like some new possibilities may open up for Danny in September.

Sports Astrologer Andrea Mallis has appeared on ESPN SportsCenter, Baseball Tonight, ESPN News, and Cold Pizza. She’s written articles for ESPN.COM Page 2 and MLB.COM. She recently contributed to a forthcoming book on fantasy baseball, “Fantasyland” (due out in March 2006) and attended the baseball winter meetings in Anaheim, CA. Currently the astrologer on the Oakland A’s post game radio show “Extra Innings”—Have Andrea guide you with your game—Visit www.virgoinservice.com, email andrea@virgoinservice.com, or call 510-874-4911.

Mets’ Roller Coaster Season Continues

By Brit Smeal, August 21, 2005

    The Mets’ roller coaster ride continued this past week as they took four of six from the Pirates and Nationals… Nationals, by the way, I have a problem with that.  I’m not having trouble calling them “Expos”, I never refer to them that way; my problem is my natural tendency is to say “Senators” after “Washington” – am I the only one?  Is it an “over 40-something crowd” thing?  Sorry, I digress…back to the Mets. 
    It seems like the Mets’ fortunes are either rising or falling depending on whether they just completed a home stand (rising) or returning from a road trip (falling).  Was anyone surprised when the Mets won 4 and lost 2 this past home stand?  Yep, just like the series before that, against the Brewers and Cubs (ah, two teams you can always count on to NOT change their names no matter where they may hang their helmets).  And how did they do the home series before that?  Hint: wasn’t a six games series, it was seven.  If you said 7 wins against 3 losses BINGO “you’re a winner!”  The Mets have been wildly inconsistent this year, but at least they’re becoming consistent in this manner.  You can count on the Mets winning about 2 out of every 3 games at home.  Since the All-Star game the Mets are 15-7 at home.  That’s good for a .682 winning percentage and good for a run-away title accept for one little detail… they stink on the road!  Since the All-Star game they’ve won only 4 on the road with 9 losses.  By contrast, that’s only a .308 winning percentage.  Geez, that’s Royals territory there.  For the season, the Mets are 40-25 (.615 PCT) at the Friendly Confines of Shea Stadium, but a measely 23-35 (.397 PCT) on the road.  Thus, the balance of only 3 games above .500. 
   Still, even that does not tell the whole story.  For the season, the Mets have scored 559 runs while allowing 507, that’s 52 runs to the good!  And still, the Mets can manage to win only 3 more games than they’ve lost despite a very healthy positive run differential.  Why?  Heck, I don’t know… it’s just part of the mystery that is the 2005 New York Mets.  They seem to win when the pitching match-ups say they should lose, and they lose when they should win.  Just like Sunday, a hot Chris Benson gets kicked around and heads the showers with less than one inning of work under his belt.  Then the unheralded Juan Padilla comes in and holds the Sen…. Uh, Nationals, to 1 run in 4 1/3 innings. Then Danny Graves comes in and pitches 2 scoreless… yep the same guy who was so bad earlier this year he was cut by the Reds earlier.. THE REDS!  Geez, I think my mother could make their staff!  Anyway, as I write, the Mets are starting a seven game road trip, traveling to Arizona and San Fransisco.  A modest trip, against sub-.500 teams.  Sounds like a good time to turn things around if they want to get serious about this wild card race.  Hey, when you’re winning at a .620 clip, all you have to do is play .500 ball on the road and you are going to cruise to the playoffs and probably a divisional title by 5 games.  That is, if you play like that all year. 
   Problem with the Mets is that they play 23 games on the road and only 16 at home.  So if they can manage to improve to about .500 on the road, or say, manage to go 12-11 the rest of the way… AND if they manage to continue winning about 2 of 3 at home, or say, finish with a 11-5 record at home, they would end up with a final record of 86-76.  Not enough to make the playoffs, normally.  However, this is no normal year.  86 wins just might be enough to make it this year.  Or maybe not.  In order for the Mets to pull this off the Phillies, Marlins, Nationals, and Astros would all basically have to play not better than .500 ball the rest of the season.  Hmmm, not sure that’s going to happen.  Hey, I’m not sold on the Nationals revival, and think the Phils starting pitching will doom them, but the Marlins and Astros BOTH playing only .500 the rest of the way?  Don’t think so.  Somebody is bound to get hot and win some games, I mean, what’s the chances that all four teams that the Mets currently trail will continue to play at such a mediocre level?  I don’t think it’s good.  I think one of the four will play sub-.500, 2 will continue to be about .500 (plus or minus 2 games) but one is bound to start playing some good ball.  I think the Marlins will be the best team down the stretch.  So there you have it… doesn’t look good for the Mets.  But hey, this has been such a strange year, who knows?  Anything could happen… 86 or 88 wins just might get you a wild card playoff birth!  So why not the Mets?  This current 7 game road trip will be an indicator.  If the Mets can win 4 games, they’ve taken a good step forward.  If they only win 2, they’re toast.  But even if they manage to hang in there, there’s a still a little matter of a 10 game road trip to Florida, Atlanta and St. Louis coming in early September and that my friends, will be the determining factor.  So stay tuned, it’s been a strange year.  Anything could happen.

Sports Illustrated Cover Jinx, Move Over!

By Brit Smeal, August 4, 2005

I finally figured it out…. The Mets current woes are all my fault.  It took me a while, but I finally figured it out.  Let me explain….

Refer to my article a couple weeks ago (“Mets’ Second Half Run For Real”) that was, well, a little too optimistic.  After a good home stand in which the Mets won 7 and lost only 3, I declared that the run would continue and identified five reasons why.  In the subsequent road trip in which the Mets went 2-5 they proceeded to play exactly the opposite of how I said they would.  Then, on a Saturday night before the last game of the trip I wrote a piece (“Got runs?”) that complained of a general lack of hitting, but praised the pitching as coming together and would soon pass the Washington Nationals with the league’s fourth best ERA.  So how have the Mets performed since that piece?

You got… the hitters are hitting and the pitchers are getting ripped.  In the four games since the piece, the Mets have scored 31 runs, an average of almost 8 runs a game!  At the same time the pitchers have allowed 30 runs, or 7 and ½ runs per game!  The offense has improved to sixth in runs scored and pushed the team batting average over .260 for the first time in a few months (.262).  So while the team is 2-2 in that stretch they lost 2 out of 3 to the Brewers in New York and the win that instigated the offensive breakout Sunday avoided a 4 game sweep at the hands of the Astros. 

In short, the Mets seem to do exactly the opposite of what I say they will do (hmmm… Seinfeld fans will probably start calling me “George” as in “do the opposite of whatever first comes to mind….”).  I think I’m a jinx… am I.  Hmmm….let me think.  I didn’t think they had a chance in 1973, and before the ball when through Billy Buckner’s legs in 1986 I thought they were through, and I really thought they would roll over the Dodgers in 1988.  Furthermore, I really thought they could go all the way in both 1999 and 2000, and of course I thought we had a great team this year.  Coincidence?  Maybe not….

So, I might be slow, but I’m not dumb.  Being a good Mets fan, I’m more concerned about the Mets winning than I am with my being right, so I’m about to set the rest of the Mets’ season straight.  I know it’s only been four games but if this trend continues the Mets will have a real rough road to hoe the rest of the year so I better make this right immediately.  This hurts me to say, but for the good of the team… here goes….

The Mets are pathetic.  They can’t hit, run, throw, field, or pitch.  The starting pitching stinks, the bullpen stinks, the bench stinks, the offense stinks, the defense stinks, they just plain stink.  They will lose the vast majority of the games they play for the rest of the season.  They would do better if they just cut everybody and called up the Norfolk Tides to complete the season… yes, the whole team.  Forget the playoffs, they should pray for their very existence! 

There, I said it… I did my part.  Now, if they go on a long winning streak that propels them into the pennant race, I expect a six-figure job as Omar Minaya’s assistant to continue the “negative optimism.”  Or whatever you want to call it.  Oh, and you can all thank me for this later….

Got runs?

By Brit Smeal

Quick, somebody call the Red Sox, tell them Omar Manaya is sick and your name is “Duquette.”  Then offer Cameron, Milledge, Petit, Ishii and whoever else they want for Manny Ramirez.  Then call the Rangers, tell them you’ve reconsidered and don’t mind parting with Heilman, Bell, Humber… oops, we don’t have anybody left!  Okay, so I’m just kidding, but if one thing is sure, the Mets need more offense.  Witness their current woes in two good hitting parks, Coors and MinuteMaid.

For those of us who thought the thin air in Denver would help wake up the Mets slumbering offense, think again.  We lose two out of three against the hapless Rockies to two guys with ERAs so huge, if they were buildings, they would be Trump Towers and the Empire State Building!  The Mets were limited to 3 runs in each of the first two games before finally breaking out for 9 runs and 15 hits in game three to avoid a sweep!!  Remember, as a team, Denver has an ERA higher than the Rocky Mountains!  Then we saunter down to Houston where we actually have to face competent pitching but hey, in the first two games we draw Astacio and Rodriquez!  What a break!  Oh really?  How does four runs and 12 hits combined in those two games sound?  So I guess it’s no surprise what happened when the Mets faced a real Major Leaguer in Andy Petitte – zero runs and three measly hits. 

Let’s take a closer look… only Reyes and Wright are hitting right now.  Reyes had another multi-hit game last night against Petitt and has his average up to .279 (hey look Mom, a .302 on-base-percentage!).  Wright’s hitting .294 and has been moved to the fifth hole (finally).  Everybody else is hitting like they’re playing stickball in January.  Beltran is down to .262, Cameron’s at .260 while Piazza (.262) and Floyd (.277) are holding steady (unfortunately).   As a team, the Mets are 7th out of 16 in home runs, 8th in runs scored, tied for 13th in batting, and dead last in on-base-percentage.  Geez, and I celebrated when Reyes finally got his OBP over .300 last night!!  But seriously, that stinks.  I know, no statistic by itself means much, except maybe runs scored.  So we’re actually average.  That’s kind of scary to think about.  Now consider that the pitching is coming along, and as a team, we’re actually solidly number 5 with a team ERA of 3.88 and closing in on the number 4 team, Washington (the only team sinking as fast as us).  In a couple days the Mets might own the fourth best team ERA in the National League, certainly good enough to get into the playoffs if the offense does it’s job.  Oh, but we covered that, didn’t we?   

So what’s a fan to do?  I don’t know… one sure way to guarantee Milledge and Petit will exceed expectations is to trade them (remember Amos Otis, Nolan Ryan, Kenny Singleton… and that’s just for the “over 50 crowd”!).  I guess I have to take the blame, after all, it was my optimism (see last week’s article, “Mets Second Half Run For Real”) that got us in trouble in the first place.  Blame it on the “Smeal curse” which is second only to the Sports Illustrated cover jinx.  Meanwhile, I’ll just keep asking… “Got runs?” 

Woes Continue in Colorado

By Jeremiah Smeal

The Mets went into Tuesday night’s game looking to rebound after a disappointing outing on Monday. Tom Glavine didn’t pitch well to start the series, so the Mets were looking to Kaz Ishii to begin a winning streak (Ishii has half the innings as Glavine and an ERA over 5). Unfortunately what the Mets were looking for and what actually took place were two different things.

    The game had a similar beginning as the previous day; too many early inning runs. Ishii gave up a fist inning run along with a three spot in the third. By the end of the third, the Mets were down 4-1. Reyes continues to have a strong second half by adding two more hits and another RBI. The Mets had a great chance to have a big fourth inning, but like many first- half games, they failed to capitalize on the situation. Beltran led off with a single. After a strike out by Floyd, Wright singled. This brought Mike Piazza to the dish (would you want anyone else in this situation, probably not.). He was able to put the ball in play; however it was a force out at second base. Woodward was next, but he failed to push across Beltran who was 90 feet away. The Mets wouldn’t go down without a fight. In the seventh inning David Wright homered; the Mets were now down by only two. And in the ninth Reyes doubled in a run making it 3-4. However, the Mets were unable to get Reyes home to tie the game.   

    On the bright side on things, the pitching staff didn’t allow a run after the third. Padilla threw another perfect inning, and Heilman threw the final two. Hopefully this is a sign of things to come in the second half (it seem that the Met Bullpen is somewhat healthier than the rest of the division). And offensively, the Mets actually had one more hit than the Rockies. Reyes continues to be a bright spot from the leadoff position. And believe it or not he actually had a walk to go with two hits (he has more triples than walks). Also, the stud of a third baseman continues to show Met fans that there is still hope. Wright is the only Met everyday player hitting .300.

Glavine Has Tough Time in Serious Opener

By Jeremiah Smeal

The Mets began an important series against the Rockies on Monday. If the team can continue to stay hot and win three of the four (if not sweep), then the Mets would only have one team to look up at; the Atlanta Braves. And winning three is not simply wishful thinking. Colorado is plainly a bad team. Heading into the series the Rockies only have 34 wins, however they are the “hottest” team in their division at the moment.

For the Mets, the game couldn’t have started off any worse. Any time an opposing pitcher gives up a first inning run, the Rockies can easily double or triple their lead before the 5th inning. Well, that’s what happened. Glavine gave up 4 runs before the fifth inning started. Atkins doubled in Gonzalez in the first, and then allowed Gonzalez to score again in the third on a ground out by Holliday. However, in the fourth the Mets answered back with 3 runs of their own. Reyes, Cameron, and Floyd were the Mets to cross the plate. Unfortunately no lead is safe in Coors Field. Glavine gave the lead back to Colorado in the bottom of the inning, allowing two more runs. The Mets couldn’t put up much offense in the second have of the game. The Rockies added another run in the sixth of Glavine, and that was all they needed.

The Mets were able to have just 6 hits; and a David Wright error didn’t help matter either. However, there were a couple of good things that did happen during the game. Reyes had two more hits and Pizza and Wright had a hit each. Also, from a pitching standpoint, the recent call up Jose Santiago did well. He gave up 3 hits in two innings, and didn’t allow a run. (Santiago was called up; Bell sent down.)

Brit Smeal: Mets' Second Half Run For Real

One thing I love about analysts and “experts” is how wrong they can be – whether political, economic, or sports oriented. You’ve probably heard the ESPN analysts classify the Mets as “pretenders” in their “pretenders or contenders” piece. Well, let me offer you five reasons why they are wrong and why the Mets 7-3 second half record is an indicator that they are contenders:

#1. Carlos Beltran and an improved offense. A renowned second-half hitter (see 2004) Carlos will be on fire over the last two months of the season. Jose Reyes already has five multi-hit games since the all-star break, raising his average more than 10 points, and leads the lead in triples (10) and stolen bases (34), igniting the Mets’ offense. Mix in a couple rejuvenated hitters in Mike Piazza and Doug Mentkewicz to the solid performances of Cliff Floyd (23 HRs, 60 RBI), David Wright (.294, 14 HRs) and Mike Cameron (33 extra base hits after missing the first month of the season) and you have a recipe for success. With Doug and Miguel returning from the DL the Mets boast the best bench in the league now that Chris Woodward (.311 BA), Marlon Anderson (.303 and league leading 14 pinch hits) and Jose Offerman (.320 as a Met) and do what they do best…. contribute mightily off the bench. Just for insurance, the Mets have Victor Diaz learning to play first base at AAA Norfolk. While I’m hesitant to make any predictions, I will predict here that Mike Piazza will hit his 400th home run this year; you heard it hear first! Oh, on last thing, as far as Jeff Brantley’s berating Carlos Beltran twice in past few weeks on BASEBALL TONIGHT let me just say this: Jeff may have gotten the false impression from the way hitters lit him up when he pitched that hitting is not so hard to do. But it’s harder than it looks; Brantley should stick to analyzing pitching. 

#2 A more steady defense. Have lost the entire right side of the infield for a prolonged time didn’t help the fact that we have two young players on the left side who are, well, going to be a little inconsistent. Too many times in the first half Jose Reyes and David Wright would make the highlight reel one night then cost a game the next. We forget neither of these young men have a full season of major league ball under their belts. This will be their first and they will continue to get better each passing week. The return of Doug Meintkiewicz and Miguel Cairo will help tremendously, as will increased playing time for Ramon Castro. Look for the Mets to show some solid defense in the second half.

#3 

Superior

starting pitching. Until Friday night’s meltdown by Victor Zambrano, the Mets’ starters had a miniscule ERA in the second half. Saturday’s performance by Pedro would have been more usual had Carlos and Miguel not had so much trouble with the sun. Sunday’s shutout by Chris Benson (with ninth inning help from Aaron Heilman) was a sign of how far the Mets’ starters have come. If Tom Glavine can continue to pitch well and Kaz Ishii finds some consistency the starters will be very tough to beat. They can match up with any starting pitching in the NL, including the Cubs and Astros. 

#4 Above average pullpen. It took Willie Randolph half a season but I think he’s finally found the right bullpen combination. Releasing Mike DeJean was a step in the right direction, and while Heath Bell and Royce Ring both pitched with mixed success (the experience will help them both grow a little faster). Don’t be surprised to see them back in September. Juan Padilla is pitching well since his call-up (4+ scoreless innings, only 1 hit) and Ramon Hernandez continues to pitch like a hall of famer (1.64 ERA). Braden Looper seems to have settled down and should be a good closer (not Armando Benitez, but will do if he doesn’t get run out of town by the beat writers like Armando did). If Danny Graves can simply be an average pitcher, he and Dae-Sung Koo will make a nice middle-inning combination. And having Aaron Heilman around for insurance is a sign of strength. Expect the Mets pullpen to start surprising people.

#5 Teamwork. Ahhh, we finally get to the intangibles that really make the difference between a good team on paper and a good team on the field. Did you notice Carlos Beltran bunting with two runners on and no one out Saturday? Isn’t that an act of complete selflessness? (Leave it Jeff Brantley to once again turn a positive into a negative due to his partiality against Carlos Beltran) How about Sunday when Cliff Floyd bowled over the catcher? When has any Met since Lenny Dykstra done that? When was the last time we’ve seen Mets diving all over the place the way David and Cliff have done recently in their now famous ESPN web gems? And they are not the only ones… every singe Met has gone to the mat in this fashion. And they do it when Pedro is not pitching as well. It may have taken 3 months, but it looks like Willie Randolph is succeeding in creating this team in his image. And don’t worry, Omar Minaya is not done helping cast that die either. 

So look for good things from the Mets in the second half. Look for Pedro to win 18 games, Looper to save 35-40, and the Mets pitching staff to finish among the top four or five in ERA for the season. Cliff will hit 35 HRs and David will knock another 25-28. And I’m standing by my prediction that Mike Piazza will hit career number 400 in September (the rumors of his demise have been greatly exaggerated!). Carlos will be a force to be reckoned with and will continue to be one of the best clutch hitters in the game. Jose Reyes will steal 50 bases and score 90-100 runs. In short, if the Mets don’t make the playoffs, they will at least be in the race to the very end. Count on it. 

Oh, and tell Jeff Brantley that when we want an opinion on a hitter, we’ll ask Harold Reynolds. Or Peter Gammons… or Buster Olney… you get the picture, ANYONE BUT BRANTLEY!

This... Past Week in Mets Baseball

By Jeremiah Smeal 

The Mets are off to a great second half. Since the All-Star break the Mets are 7-3.

Considering how we started the beginning of the season, this is a vast improvement. The Mets a scored an eye-popping 60 runs and have given up just 19 runs. Since the break, the Mets have thrown two shutouts (behind Benson and Ishii) and have scored 3 or more runs in 6 of the 10 games. Every starting pitcher except Zambrano has at least one win to start the second half (surprisingly, Zambrano has been the second best starter).

 Offensively, the big bats are staring to come alive! The offense has hit 9 homers (only starters; another 3 or 4 off bench). A good sign of the offense is that Piazza is starting to see the ball better. He has 9 hits, 8 RBIs and 3 bombs. Also, Beltran is starting to get more hits; 11 of them to start the second half. And 6 RBIs, one stolen base and two long balls only helps his and the Mets offense. Perhaps the most important offensive player thus far is Jose Reyes. He has put on a team leading (second half) 16 hits to go with 8 RBIs and 8 stolen bases. And the future “All-Star” David Wright has added 12 more hits to his yearly total, as well as 4 RBIs, one stolen base and one long ball. His average is quickly approach .300 (again). Cliff Floyd and Mike Cameron are also continuing their regular production. The two of them have 17 hits to go with 10 RBIs.

The bullpen is doing its job to begin a hopeful second half run. With Pedro picking up two wins and 3 of the other 4 picking up a win is a good sign of things to come. Benson continues to show sings of a Cy Young caliber pitcher. Ishii picked up a rare win, but I’m sure he doesn’t mind. Hernandez continues his MVP season picking up a win and a loss. His ERA is still under 2, and his opponents are only hitting a hair above .200 off him. And with the call-up of AAA closer Juan Padilla the Mets finally have the “perfect” end of game combination. Padilla allows the starters to think 6 innings is all we need. Padilla should throw the 7th, Hernandez the 8th, and an improving Looper for the 9th.