WRONG!

David was far from 'Wright' tonight, and for that matter so was the NY offense. I was right about the score (4-2) and right about Martinez having to pitch late (the first time he's pitched into the 7th in his last 11 starts), but wrong about having the Mets in the win column. The fight that this club showed during the 10 game win streak is slowly dissipating, and I'm not quite sure where it went wrong.

It is rare to see All-Star David Wright (the unofficial captain of the team) make two bone-head base running mistakes in consecutive games (if you have not seen them yet, just go to a little league baseball game this weekend) and one crucial error that, for the most part, cost them the game. Since the All-Star break, David has not looked strong at the plate at all. David is at his best when he works the pitcher deep into the count. When David is off, he swings at the first pitch regularly and that is what he has been doing for a couple of weeks now. Remember that old little league baseball lesson that coaches used to preach? 'I'll take aggressive mistakes all day, but I don't want mental mistakes'. Wright needs to think back to those days right about now.

David Murphy is a silver lining right now, and his aggressive play is making him a fan favorite already. He reminds me of Lenny Dykstra.... the kid is going to be good. When Chavez's contract is up, Murphy will be the Mets right fielder. Stay tuned on him. Not much more to say about this one. Phillies win 5-0 against the fish which puts the Mets back to three games out! Santana on the hill tomorrow: Mets 6-Padres-2. Wright fields a ball in play.

FERNAN-DUECE!!

Without the man to the left, Fernando Tatis, the Mets would have been scratching their heads, again, after a game against the Padres. Tatis, who the Mets organization had shown confidence in by not making a move at the deadline, has repaid the vote of confidence to the tune of TWO home-runs and four rib eye steaks last night vaulting the Mets to a 6-5 victory. The Mets still did not look solid offensively at all, but Tatis did his part and put the rest of the guys on his shoulders.

Aaron Heilman could not get the job done....again, and with a 6-2 lead going into the ninth, Heilman gave up a 3 run home run and forced Manuel to save by committee...again. Billy Wagner's stint on the DL is going to make a save situation dicey over these next two weeks. I wondered why, with a 6-2 lead, they did not throw in Kunz to get the job done. He could possibly be the next save specialist with Sanchez hitting the wall a month ago and with Heilman being consistently inconsistent.

Not a bad game, not a great game...but a win nonetheless. Pedro takes the bump tonight and with the pen in disarray, Martinez needs to go deep tonight in order for the Mets to even think about a sweep in this series... At this point, with how asleep the bats are...i'll take only 2 games out of first place with the Marlins in for a make or break series this weekend.

Too bad for Joba across the way in the Bronx. If I listen to what I am NOT hearing, Dr. Andrews equates to 'the knife'... see you next year Yankeees. Start rooting for the Mets.

Prediction for tonight's game: Mets: 4 Padres:3... Kunz saves the ninth. Delgado and Wright homer, but the bats remain quiet for the most part.

'Houston... We Have A Problem'

Is it me, or is Houston just a bad place for the NY Mets (1986 notwithstanding)? Or, better yet, is Randy Wolf really Mike Scott in 'Wolf's' clothing?? Wolf has beaten the Mets in four straight starts with four different teams. The Mets just cannot capitalize against this guy, and could not afford to make the mistakes they made against him while looking to get out of Houston with, at least, one win.

Let me start with this.... get rid of Nick Evans. Is it also just me, or does this guy look like a timid 8th grader coming up to bat in his little league All-Star game against a pitcher who has struck out 15 straight batters on 45 pitches??? He is miserable and I almost put my foot through the television yesterday when he went down looking in consecutive at bats and did not swing at SEVEN consecutive pitches... SEVEN!!!. I would like for someone to do some research to find out if someone has been caught looking in consecutive at bats without swinging at ONE pitch. I think I did.... In FOURTH grade!! His misplay in the field cost the Mets two runs yesterday as well. Time to go, Nick... come back when you want to play.

Now, Evans was not nearly the root of all problems this weekend and this was the first time the Mets have been swept in a series in the post Randolph era. Backup catcher Robinson Cancel made a veteran like play to bunt in the 3rd inning when spotting Ty Wiggington deep at third, but reversed his cause when he attempted to steal third with two outs, and a 2-1 count with Wright at the plate. As Manuel poignantly put it, a 'brain-dead' play. The malaise was felt through the television.

Ollie could not get the job done, but his fielders did not help him that much either (Nick Evans). Ollie has been grand since Petersen's departure, so we cant give him too much grief at all. I guess the silver lining to yesterdays game was that Delgado went 3 for 4 and Beltran looked good in the #2 slot... although I'm not sure how much of a fan I am of that move because it makes the bottom of the lineup very weak... I think Jerry should change it back. Granted, the move was made to get Beltran going...but as hot as Delgado is, Beltran will see many more pitches batting behind him.

Well, the Mets desperately need this day off to re-group and realize that with only51 games left (I don't care who is injured or not) the margin for error has shrunk considerably. San Diego comes into town, and the last series the Mets were swept (prior to this weekend) were at the hands of these very Pads. Oh brother... what is in store for us this week?? Here's hoping we see Binghamton pitching phenom Eddie Kunz this week. With Wagner going on the DL, we might get a whiff (no pun intended) of the Mets future closer. Here's to not needing him in the 9th, however.

Juiced at Minute Maid

I kept saying it time and time again last week after the Mets lost a grudge match at home to St. Louis 10-8 in 15 innings. The Mets used their entire bullpen in that game, and did not have ANY pitchers left at the end. Aaron Heilman was left holding the bag for 50+ pitches, when he is used to only 20+ per game... MAYBE! I kept saying that this game is going to haunt them over the next two weeks because of the over-use of that bullpen that day. It was truly out of their control because, with Pedro Martinez on bereavement leave, the Mets had to use journeyman Brandon Knight and he could not survive for more than four innings after giving up 4 runs in the top of the first. Situational baseball forced Manuel to go through relievers quickly, and it has caught up with them.

Since that game, the Mets are 2-4 with the pen blowing each of the four games. They have now slipped to third place in the NL East; the first time since early July. Here is where I don't agree with the 100 pitch benchmark that managers pay closer attention to than their own schedules. Back in the day, I remember Doc Gooden (as well as many other pitchers for various teams) going 10 or 11 innings to close out a game if they were 'on' that day WELL WELL WELL above 100 pitches. The game has not changed, still 9 innings, still 27 outs, still the same distance from the bump to the plate. What has changed is the perception of this game and the value of the arms on the mound. Maybe an extra playoff series has put managers on the cautious side with their pitching staff, but in order to get to the playoffs you need to ride the multi million dollar train in the regular season. Santana has been pulled out, now, THREE times too early this year and EACH time the Mets have coughed up the victory and were up by 3+ runs in each of the tilts. EACH time, Santana was in control and the opposition could not figure it out. Santana threw 103 pitches last night.... and was pitching a 3 hitter when he was pulled. At least get through the 8th and bring Wagner into the 9th. Granted, Wagner blew it last night, but I think the Astros' confidence cranked up a notch after knowing that the quivering Mets' bullpen would have to save the game. As the Mets' knees quivered, the 'Stros' got stronger.

Was July an aberration? Have the Mets been exposed? Will they rebound back to the top? Will Oliver Perez be the stopper the Mets have come to expect from him in recent weeks? The Mets cannot afford to lose today's game and get swept by the Astros or the July momentum will be lost and possibly lost for a long while.

What will happen? Stay tuned! Same Mets time.. Same Mets channel.