Johan Santana is Underappreciated

In a 24 hour span the Mets went from winning back-to-back games for the first time in months to utter disappointment to pure chaos and criminal charges to back to baseball. The reason for this turnaround is one man: Johan Santana.

We don't fully appreciate what we have in Johan Santana. You think I'm being hyperbolic? Remember earlier this year when you were making the statement that Pelfrey was really the #1 starter because Santana was on the decline? Remember when you talked about how if the Mets got another top notch starter they would be the #1 starter and Santana would be 1a. Remember when you thought Santana's best days were past him?

I do and I was wrong.

Johan Santana has the best winning percentage after the All Star break than any other active pitcher. We know he's a second half stud, yet we want to write him off when he doesn't perform well in April. Sure he's had some horrific starts that are inexcusable from a #1 starter, but the body of work that Santana has produced in a Mets uniform should be legendary. But it's not.

The Mets have a 15-20 game winner for the last three seasons, but the lack of run support and bullpen implosions have prevented Santana from being that perennial Cy Young contender. His ability to acknowledge situations where he knows he needs to dominate for the good of the team is unparalleled and he rarely lets us down.

Before yesterday's game he approached Jerry Manuel and said, "Don't bother coming out to get me today." That's a guy who knows what he needs to do for his team to win. With the circus of KRod, the devastating loss the night before and the early game to be played, Santana put this team on his back and carried them to victory.

He's done this before. He'll do it again. Don't let the side show that has become this Mets team blind you from the fact that we have one of the best pitchers in the game on our side.

The Mets Will Drive You Mad, Just Ask K-Rod

The Mets will drive you absolutely insane. To call Wednesday night's loss devastating sadly sounds so repititve that you might as well just call it another Wednesday in Flushing. While I mildly resort to tossing remotes and pillows, the Mets have made KRod so frustrated that he's throwing his father-in-law around.

After Tuesday night's loss (yawn), KRod was asked by reporters how he felt about not getting called into the game in the tense 8th inning when the Mets were desperately trying to hold onto the lead. Silly reporters. Don't they know the outcome would probably have been the same if the Mets brought in KRod? Some people never learn.

In any case, KRod erupted, unlike the Mets bats, and went on a tirade basically telling the reporters to get out of his way. I had hoped he was hunting for Jerry Manuel's head, but instead the decent guy that KRod is took his frustrations out on his in-laws. But before we jump to conclusions, maybe his father-in-law deserved it? Doesn't make it right, but hey...

Oh KRod. It was only a matter of time before the losing, disappointment, sadness, apathy and vile circus that has become the New York Mets finally sent someone over the edge. Let this be a lesson to family members of Mets Lifers out there. Stay away after a bad loss...so basically come see us in October when it's all over.

It's amazing how in the span of an hour the Mets can go from a potentially great win and opportunity to sweep a series to utter implosion that ultimately results in physical blows. That's the effect of Mets baseball.

Impressive Start End in Disappointing Loss

Jon Niese is becoming more valuable a starter to the Mets every time he goes out there. Too bad he had to lose yesterday. Niese pitched a terrific game from a statistical standpoint. He went 7 and 2/3 innings. Struckout 8. Walked only 1. And limited his pitch count. But he did give up 3 runs which was enough for Mets villain, Bronson Arroyo, to notch the win.

It was an odd game to watch as the Mets just couldn't do anything at the plate. The game was moving so quickly that only an hour and a half after the start you were already in the 7th inning.

In the 9th with the Mets down 3-1, Ike Davis was on second with Ruben Tejada on first. Alex Cora was allowed to bat even though the Mets had Frenchie and Barajas as power bats on the bench. Not the worst move that Jerry Manuel has made but I still question why on earth he didn't bat for Cora. There were 2 outs and he had Frenchie in the on deck circle.

I understand the lefty/right matchup, but at that point Cora isn't exactly the power bat who can drive in both runs, nor has he been a clutch hitter. I would have much rather seen Barajas up there and take a chance on him ending the game with one swing.

Nevertheless, the Mets lost their first series at home in what feels like months. The Reds aren't exactly a scary team, but the long ball is how they win games and Mets pitchers gave up plenty this series. And so the first place Braves roll into town with a 3 game leads on the Mets.

Let's see what this team is made of and if they can make up any ground before heading into the All Star break.

The Mets Have a Problem and His Name is Pray Rod

A 3 run lead in the 8th inning against the perennial bottom dwelling Nationals should be enough to seal a win for the Mets, but that was not the case on Saturday afternoon.

RA Dickey outpitched universal phenom Stephen Strasburg,but has absolutely nothing to show for it. Parnell gave up what appeared to be a harmless run to make it a 5-3 game only to have Pray Rod enter victoriously in the 9th to blow it.

Pray Rod was in mid season form out there walking the first batter he faced on 4 pitches and proceed through the inning without any semblance of control. The crazy thing is a 2 run lead with your closer should make you feel pretty good about your chances of winning. Not so much with Pray Rod. He has an uncanny ability to make the most comfortable of margins appear slim. He appears to be bouncing his fastball at least once an appearance and hangs his offspeed pitches high in the zone.

In summary, he's becoming worthless. Tell me what Pray Rod offers that Parnell, Feliciano, Dessens or Igarashi don't? What makes Pray Rod so worthy to be the Mets closer? Nothing.

But his contract, his career and his attitude make him the de facto option and thus he continues the Mets long history of closers who have a knack of crumbling when you need them most.

Jerry Manuel keeps whining about the Mets need for an 8th inning guy. Jerry, maybe the problem isn't the 8th inning. The Mets now have 10 walkoff losses on the season. Do the math Jerry.

But for now Mets fans, get on your knees and pray when #75 enters the game. It's our only hope for a favorable outcome.

Mets Questions for the Rest of May

Like the series finale of LOST, I want some questions answered from the Mets. The end of May is within sight and it's time for the Mets to own up and put some answers out there instead of this perpetual state of limbo that seems to be surrounding this club. By June 1, I want these questions answered:

1. Is Jerry Manuel going to finish the season as Mets manager?
Either get rid of him now or tell us he's finishing the season. The whole "will he be fired?" act will wear out quickly. Can him. Can Warthen. Can Minaya if you want as well. Or just tell they're staying so we can focus on question #2.

2. How do you solve a problem like Oliver Perez?
I'm not questioning whether he will improve because I'm fairly certain he won't. Why on earth would you put this guy in the bullpen? Do we really need a left hander who can walk people and not throw hard to come in from the pen? What value does he add there? He doesn't want to work it out in Triple A? Can we cut him? Trade him? He's worthless to the team in the bullpen so put a plan together to cut him lose or turn him into a corner outfielder.

3. Where will starting pitching help come from?
I have zero confidence in John Maine. There's no way R.A. Dickey is a season long solution for pitching help. Will Mejia be coming back to the bigs as a starter? Is Takahashi a permanent fixture in the rotation? Can we trade Murphy or Franceour for some pitching help? Throw us a bone here.

4. Is Jose Reyes fixable?
Is this the new Jose Reyes? Is the old Reyes gone? Can we leave him as the leadoff hitter? If he doesn't improve, can you really have a Jeff Franceour-lite in the leadoff spot?

5. Will we ever see Carlos Beltran again?
Are we talking July? August? September?

2010 Mets Could Be Worse than 2009

The 2009 Mets were pretty awful. In fact, the last few months of the year were unwatchable. Fast forward to 2010 and the Mets are finding themselves in a bit of a similar situation except it's 4 months earlier.

Mets fans may soon forget, but May 2009 was a good month for the team. The Mets finished last May 7 games over .500 and only a half game back of the Phillies in the division. May 2010 started with similar expectations, but has quickly become a debacle of its own kind.

The Mets starting pitching continues to disappoint. Sure Oliver Perez is the brunt of most Mets fans ire but John Maine deserves just as much ill will. The bullpen is fading after being unhittable in April. And of course the middle of the lineup continues to invent new ways to strikeout.

After being swept by the Marlins in Miami, the Mets get no relief as they continue to face in division rivals Atlanta and Washington, followed by the Yankees and then the rival Phils. When the calendar turns to June, we may very well find the Mets 7 games under .500 and Jerry Manuel looking out for Omar Minaya in hotel lobbies.

This could be a very long summer for Mets fans.

Charlie Manuel and Phils Want to Start Something

The beloved Philadelphia Phillies were accused of stealing signs using binoculars in the bullpen while playing the Colorado Rockies recently. A number of players and teams are accused of this over the course of any given season, but Phils' manager Charlie Manuel got a little testy when confronted with this accusation. Here's what he told CSN Philadelphia:

"“Somebody maybe ought to check the Mets if they did that. Their [bleeping] home record is out of this world and they’re losing on the road. Sometimes that’s a good indicator of getting signs and [crap]. I see somebody setting there at 17-2 at home and 4-12 on the road, I’d get concerned about that. That kind of crosses my mind… I’m not accusing them, but you look at that and – damn. We’re about the same home and road. I’m just saying their record is much better at home and they hit better… ”

I'm not accusing them? Bitter much? Wow. If I'm sitting in first place and have basically owned the Mets for the last two seasons why would I even bother bringing them up like or starting a verbal debate? It's just weird, but that's the Napoleon complex of Philadelphia sports.

Jerry Manuel responded in classic Jerry fashion by saying basically that the Citi Field bullpen was too far away to steal signs.That's probably true.

Usually the verbal jarring is between big mouthed players like Jimmy Rollins and a Billy Wagner, but Grandpa Charlie wanted to make sure he didn't miss out on the action.

The Most Painful of Mets Series

In a post on Friday, I referred the Mets weekend series as one of the more interesting series of this early season. I was wrong. It wasn't interesting. It was downright painful.

Friday night's surprise gem by Oliver Perez imploded in grand fashion with a grand slam and then an almost but not enough close to the game. Saturday night's marathon was legendary in the annals of baseball, but as a Mets fan it was one of the more excruciating games to watch as Mets batter after Mets batter was left clueless at the plate even with shortstops and third basemans on the mound. The eventual win was more of a relief than a win to celebrate as a loss would have been beyond devastating.

And then Sunday's game was yet another downturn in the hopeful career of John Maine who threw more pitches in four innings than the Mets did in the last 8 innings on Saturday, and again the Mets were dreadful at the plate.

The best news of the day on Sunday was that Mike Jacobs was pretty much fired and there's a chance Ike Davis might be making an appearance.

The Mets bats are probably tired, but it's no excuse for the utter lack of discipline at the plate. Reyes is swinging at any pitch that ends in "ball." Jason Bay can't find a hit if he was digging through a barrell of Beatles albums. David Wright has made striking out an art form. And Gary Matthews, Jr. should not be on a major league baseball field.

It's yet another chapter in this mystery that is the Mets. When we say the pitching stinks, the pitching comes out and shines, but then the bats enter a deep freeze.

Jerry Manuel is probably going to be fired by the end of the week, but it's honestly not his fault at this point. Reyes should be given a few days off and told to calm down. Bay will eventually find his stroke as he pulled the same early slump in Boston last year. But can the pitching hold up while the bats find their way? Not likely.

An Odd Feeling to the 2010 Season

This 2010 campaign just feels weird. There's already an anxiousness among the Mets fan base that's unprecedented for this time in the year. So you lose two out of three in your first series of the season. That doesn't mean your doomed to be in last place for the remainder of the year.

But that's what it feels like. Jerry Manuel is already talking about how his team needs offensive support (hello? did you see your team score 13 runs in the first two games?). The media is asking about where the team's power is going to come from. We're already crucifying the starting rotation and it's apparent lack of support after Johan Santana.

And it's only the first week of the season. This is going to be a painfully long year. The Mets are trying to prove that last year was a fluke, but we as fans won't believe them until we see that our team isn't floundering amongst the bottom feeders of the National League.

I was on pins and needles last night and the game before as the Mets were trying to come back from early deficits. It's April for crying out loud. I know that, you know that, but it doesn't matter. We need some hope.

Nothing is a harbinger of hope like a series against the Nationals.

Never Too Early for Stupid Mets Remarks

It's the second game of the year. The season is barely a few days old, but Mets manager Jerry Manuel has found a way to already start talking stupid.

Following yesterday's tough loss to the Marlins, our beloved manager made a remark that he has some concerns about the starting rotation.

Ya think? Umm, Jerry? Shouldn't you have expressed this back in like December when something could have been done about it? Did you talk to Omar Minaya at all these past 6 months? What the heck?

This is possibly the most idiotic thing Manuel has ever said. Even though it's the truth and no one can deny that there aren't problems with the Mets starting pitching, you don't say something like this after the second game of the season when you had an opportunity to do something about it just a few weeks before.

The crazy part is it was after a great game in which the Mets overcame a 5 run deficit to send the game into extra innings. We saw more production in the first two games of 2010 than we did in the last two week of the 2009 season.

And such is life with the Mets. Manuel can't leave town fast enough for my taste.

Jerry Manuel Has Lost His Mind

Ah, Jerry. He's always good for a fun line or two during an interview. But this afternoon, he showed just how far off the deep end he's gone.

While on Sirius Radio's MLB Home Plate show earlier today Manuel said that people should consider Mike Pelfrey as the number 2 pitcher in the Mets rotation.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Perhaps by process of elimination, but I would argue that Elmer Dessens might even give him a run for his money there. Are you kidding me? Is this a statement to make Mets management realize the plight of this team or has Manuel just lost his marbles.

Manuel went on to say that this is a big year for Pelfrey if he wants to considered in the same class as Justin Verlander. Verlander? Verlander? Pelfrey wishes.

Omar, this should be an eye opener for you. Mike Pelfrey is your number two starter. He's your best pitcher after Johan Santana. Quit all this catcher talk and Corey Hart nonsense and go get a good (not Piniero) starting pitcher.

A Bid for Bobby V

Brad Bortone over at Bugs and Cranks has put together a very compelling list of reasons why Bobby Valentine should return to the New York Mets.

Besides it being the right move, the list contains enough bargaining chips to make Scott Boras blush.

Reason #4 is my fave as it involves Jerry Manuel, a not often played 20-year old, and a tire iron.

Check out the list for yourself over at Bugs and Cranks.

The Obituary of the 2009 Mets

On October 4th, 2009 the New York Mets laid to rest a season of turmoils. With 70 wins to their name the Mets leave behind a disappointed fan base, an injury-laden roster, the knowledge that their management team is seriously lacking, and an off season of innumerable questions.

The starting rotation on the final day of the 2009 season included such stellar arms as Pat Misch, Tim Redding, Nelson Figeuroa, Bobby Parnell, and Mike Pelfrey. When reviewing that list 70 wins doesn't seem so bad.

But the 2009 Mets would not have us dwell on the past, but look to the future. The problem is that future is considerably hazy. Will Manuel be back? Will Omar survive? Will Reyes return to being the Reyes of years past? Will the Mets trade for a middle of the road bat and give up considerable talent to get him? Which player will the Mets overpay for this off season?  Will David Wright get his groove back?

The questions seem to go on forever. What is the long term strategy for this team? Should the Mets build around pitching? Should the Mets get a power bat? Should Daniel Murphy be the every day first baseman? Should the Mets resign Delgado? Should the Mets get a left fielder or a first baseman? Should the priority be a #2 starter? Are the Mets willing to go into spring training with Perez & Pelfrey as their #2 & #3 starters?

So many questions, so few answers. In fact by April a number of these will still be unanswered. But that is the way of the Mets.

Will 2009 be an anomaly and the Mets will return to winning baseball in 2010? Or will 2009 be the beginning of another rebuilding process?

There are no answers at this point, but the next 5 months will be sure to add more questions to the mix.

It's time for a break from baseball. Mets fans have deserved that much. And so we lay to rest the 2009 Mets and pray that time truly does heal all wounds. We all know how much this team needs that.

Almost The Mets Worst September

What was the Mets record in September 2009? Wanna take a guess. It's 8-20. Eight wins. Twenty losses. Add that up and you have the worst team in baseball during the month of September, and this was the worst record the Mets have had in September since they went 7-19 in 2003.

A fellow Mets Lifer, Tom, had this to say when he brought this staggering stat to my attention:
8 and 20, dude. Including a last week sweep by the powerhouse Nationals. That’s miserable baseball – I don’t care how many injuries they have, the only explanation for that is the players on this team mailed it in once they were out of it and team management couldn’t motivate them. I was in Manuel’s corner last month. No more.

I couldn't agree with him more and this just reinforces my post from yesterday regard the Mets need to clean house with their coaching staff.

Getting swept by the Nationals is unacceptable at any point during the year, but just adds salt to the already gangrenous wound that is the 2009 Mets.

Fixing the Mets: Coaching Staff

Injuries were the biggest issue with the Mets this year. Without a doubt, they were the major contributor to the demise of the 2009 season. No one is arguing that, but I think we're letting the coaching staff off too easy because of the injuries.

There needs to be some changes made. I've already expressed my desire to have Dave Duncan as the pitching coach and say our final farewell to Dan Warthen. But I also believe it's time for Jerry Manuel, the training staff, Razor Shines and Howard Johnson to go.

The training staff should have a major overhaul with all the injuries that we've experienced over the last two seasons. I can't blame them if one or two guys get hurt every two months, but when injuries start approaching the 20's you know there's a bigger problem. I'm not sure what workout regiment or stretching exercises these guys employ, but whatever it is, it stinks. Clean house.

Jerry Manuel is a guy that I like. I love his personality and the way he handles the media, but I don't think he's cut out to be a championship manager. The players played well for him last year mainly because they were pleased to be rid of Willie Randolph, but this year he's not getting the most from his players.

Let's put injuries aside for the moment, Manuel needs to have these guys motivated to play regardless of their position in the standings. Over the last two months, Manuel hasn't had any impact on the performance of this team, and I scratch my head to think about what influence Manuel has ever had on this ball club.

I think the Mets need to bring a guy who is known for getting players to be sound in the fundamentals and is able to help the maturity of younger players. I'm a fan of Bobby Valentine, but at this point I'd take Tony LaRussa as an upgrade to Manuel.

The amount of errors and ineptitude that this Mets team has displayed this year rests solely on the shoulders of the manager and his coaching staff. He's ultimately responsible for the overall quality of play, and the product is pretty low quality if you ask me. These problems were going on in April, but were masked because the team was winning games at that time. Now with the injuries, the errors and not-so-smart play are just amplified.

And last but not least is HoJo. I loved this guy growing up and I know he's had an influence on the development of David Wright, but is he really helping. A lot of people argue that what impact does a hitting coach have on established ballplayers? Good question, but it's obvious he's not helping with the highs and lows that David Wright has had this year at the plate. Murphy's sophomore campaign was less than stellar. Strikeouts are up across the board.

Is HoJo really helping or does he have a job just because he coached David Wright in the minors? I don't have an answer as to who should replace him, but if we want a very different product on the field for the 2010 season I truly believe you need a new management team at the rudder steering us in the right direction.

It's time to clean house.

Trying to Fix the Mets for 2010

There's more than a month of season left, but I'm already looking for hope in 2010. However, there is work that can be done in 2009 to set the stage for a better shot at returning to prominence in the years ahead.

I don't have all the answers and it's unlikely all of these elements will fall into place, but if even half of these suggestions come to fruition I think the Mets will be better off in 2010 because of it.

In my opinion, here's what the Mets need to do:

• Get a new training staff - Come on. No brainer.
• Trade Sheffield, Delgado, and Wagner before the 2009 season is out - Obviously the key to this is that Delgado & Wagner come back off the DL, but even if they can get some low level prospects for them the Mets have to try and get something for them before they just let them go to free agency. I'm not for keeping Sheffield in 2010. Two words: Moises Alou. I've learned my lesson.
• Try and deal J.J. Putz in the offseason for a first baseman - I don't believe Daniel Murphy is the long term solution for the Mets at 1B. I think Putz is worth something to a lot of teams out there. The money will be the issue for many of them, but even if the Mets have to pay a portion of Putz's salary and can in turn get a major league ready 1B, I think it would be well worth it. If the Mets have to package Murphy or a Sullivan to make it work, so be it.
• Go after one of two Roys - That would be Roy Halladay or Roy Oswalt. Halladay is the prize catch, but I think Oswalt in a new situation might be just as worthwhile. The Mets obviously need a #2 starter to follow Santana. The best option is Halladay and I'm willing to trade Parnell or FMart and others to get him for the next 4 years. If Oswalt can be had for cheaper than what's being asked for Halladay, that might be the best fit. But at some point in the next four months the Mets need to cover for the mistake they made with Oliver Perez last season.
• Fire Omar Minaya and Jerry Manuel - I really like Jerry Manuel. I think he's been unlucky with all that has happened, but I think the Mets need to cleanse themselves and start fresh. The past two Septembers and this year's debacle is the writing on the wall that the Mets need to go in a new direction and the simple way to do that is with a new manager and a new vision in the front office. You want to go get LaRussa, bring back Bobby V, or whomever, the end result is that a change is needed.
• Focus on pitching and fundamentals- Unless you sign a big bopper like a Prince Fielder or Adam Dunn, the Mets should build around sound minds and sound arms. We've seen how badly a team can be when they don't have fundamentally sound guys in the field and Citi Field is built for good pitching. This is who the Mets should be.
  

Jeremy Reed is the Kid Who Gets Picked Last for Kickball

The only thing Jeremy Reed has to worry about these days is splinters.

Jeremy Reed is a forgotten man on the Mets bench. He never gets to play and just when you think he's about to get his shot, a new kid walks onto the playground and Jeremy gets to find that warm spot in the Mets dugout.

I liked Jeremy Reed when the season started. I thought he would be a good 4th outfielder and potential 1B backup. With all the injuries the Mets have had, you'd think Reed would have gotten a shot at playing regularly, but every time there's been an opening he's passed over for someone else.

Think of all the people who've played left field more games this season than Jeremy Reed. There's Murphy, Tatis, Sheffield, Pagan, Evans, and now Sullivan. That's got to do wonders for your ego.

I feel for the guy, but I'm not sure if I'd place him ahead of any of the previous guys on the depth chart (except for Tatis). Reed would probably be a more vital part of another team, but he's taking over the space that Ryan Church once filled in Jerry Manuel's personnel file.

Poor Jeremy Reed will have to live through the next two months knowing that he's just waiting for the season to end. I'm hopeful there's one shining moment for Jeremy at some point this season, but the chances of that happening are pretty slim.

At least he's got the best seat in the house at a brand new ballpark. More than any of us can say.

Mets First Half Report Card = "I"

It's the time of year when every blog under the sun grades their baseball team's first half performance. Mets Lifer is no different although this is the only post on the Mets first half report card that was originally written in Aramaic and translated to English for the common man's understanding.

My grade for the Mets first half is an "I."

It's an appropriate grade because it's very far from an A, not even close to a B, and obviously lower than a C, but not an F.

Remember April? Hopes were high, the disappointment of '08 (and '07) still lingering, and you liked having Daniel Murphy in left field? Me neither.

The grade of "I" stands for 3 things: injuries, ineptness, and inconsitent.

Injuries is obvious. Everyone not named Santana and Wright has appeared on the DL at some point. Where this team would be with Reyes, Delgado & Beltran in the lineup everyday will be a mystery and there's no use reflecting on it any more because there's absolutely nothing that can be done about it.

Ineptness is inexcusable. The amount of stupid and just plain odd plays that this team has seen in the first half is remarkable. Off the top of my head I can recount the ineptness of Luis Castillo's dropped pop-up against the Yanks, Daniel Murphy's missed fly ball against the Marlins, Delgado's dropped pop-up in the 9th inning, Church missing 3rd base, all 143 double plays by Fernando Tatis, FMart falling flat on his face, KRod walking Rivera and the list goes on and on.

It's remarkable the Nationals are worse than we are. The ineptness of this team has to come to a screeching halt for any shot at a respectable second half. The errors, the balks, the idiotic walks and all of that stupidity has got stop completely.

Finally the incosistency that has plagued this team should have the Mets 10 games below .500 or worse. Pelfrey is either magical or Jose Lima reincarnated. David Wright is either Ted Williams or Bobby Bonilla. Daniel Murphy looks like Pete Rose one game and then Ross Gellar the next.

Every facet of this team is just riddled with inconsistency from defense to offense to starting pitching. I wouldn't mind if the Mets were mediocre all the time because at least I'd know what I'm getting from this team, but the ups and downs have got to even out to a more solid level of play.

I don't know about you, but I am looking forward to a break from the Mets for a few days. It's exhausting being a Mets fan, but I like that they finished out the first half on a high note.

Omar, Jerry Manuel and Mets players alike have talked about "making it to the All Star break" with their heads above water and then have the ability to turn things around or make a move. That watershed moment is here.

Let's see if they can put their money where their mouth is and make a second half turnaround that warrants another "I" grade: improbable.

Photo from Flickr user Leo Reynolds

Monday's Miserable Mets Mailbag

It's Monday. We know you're miserable so it's time to take your miserable Mets questions about last night's game or any game from this past week. So have at it:

Why is Fernando Tatis playing every day? 
HatingRivera; Brooklyn, NY
Excellent question that has a simple answer: He's right handed. By simple birthright, Fernando Tatis finds himself in the lineup on a regular basis. There's no other reason for him to be in there. He's on the all-world team for hitting into double plays. He's batting below .200 with 2 outs and runners in scoring position. He's not that good of an outfielder, but he's the only right handed bat the Mets have left that can play multiple positions.

I'm not saying that's a good reason for Tatis to be playing. I think he should take a long walk off a short pier, but that is the world we live in.

Why did Jerry Manuel leave Fernando Martinez in the game last night to face Brian Bruney with 2 runners on base?
Easypopup; Mahawah, NJ
Again simple answer: The Mets enjoy destroying the hopes and dreams of young players. Don't give me the lefty vs. righty scenario because Jeremy Reed was sitting on the bench at the time and would have been one of a couple options for Manuel in this spot. Sure FMart doubled and drove in a run earlier, but it was in a much less tense situation and against a very different pitcher. Bruney throws high and hard, and FMart just can't catch up to those pitches.

I was sitting there waiting for Nick Evans to pinch hit, but I'm sitting here still waiting for that to happen. So FMart strikes out on 3 pitches and then they bring in Rivera for the 4 out save. The Mets would have been better off having FMart bunt for a base hit than letting him swing away.

What's the matter with KRod?
Luv2WalkPitchers; Hartford, CT
KRod is suffering from a syndrome called hatingus losers, which is where you are infected by the inability to win that is running rampant through the veins of the people surrounding you. KRod gets no excuse for walking Mariano Rivera. That's all on him. No excuse there whatsoever.

But you got to wonder what's going through this guy's head when the players behind him can't catch a pop up every time he's on the mound. KRod needs some real save situations to get him back on track.

Is there any hope for David Wright?
Ohfor30; Parsippany, NJ
Yes, there's hope. You see David Wright has been so awful of late that we're bound to have an 18 for 25 hit streak waiting for us this week, which he'll probably use against the Brewers and Pirates so he can start a 0 for 85 streak against the Phillies this weekend.

Which injured player do the Mets miss the most?
FlorenceNightengale; Westchester, NY
Honestly, I think it's Carlos Beltran. The Mets miss his doubles desperately. David Wright misses having him looming in the on deck circle behind him. He's arguably the best (and smartest) base runner on the team. But most of all they miss his glove.

In my opinion, he's the best fielding center fielder in the game today. There's a certain sense of security when Beltran is roaming the outfield that some extra base hits just won't fall in. He was batting well over .300 and added a presence in the lineup that the Mets now desperately miss.

The Fall of Bobby Parnell

Bobby Parnell was an untouchable player in trade talks, but now Mets fans are ready to run him out of town.

Parnell has hit his sophmore slump just when the Mets seem to need him most. Over his last 8 starts Parnell has an ERA over 20 and 15 of the 16 batters he's faced have gotten on base.

Sunday afternoon's game was yet another notch in his tragedy belt as he started a Tampa Bay rally that ended with the Rays scoring 4 runs in the inning en route to another Mets defeat.

The question to me is why Manuel brought him in yet again. Parnell, out of all the Mets relievers, could have used the day off. He's gotten pounded every time he's pitched this week and at this point it's as much mental as it is mechanics.

Now Parnell is not the sole reason for the Mets problems of late, but he does seem to be on the mound for the pivotal swing moments like he was on both Saturday and Sunday. Shawn Green is not far behind Parnell in regards to relief issues, but it's Parnell who has fallen the farthest from grace.

I'm not giving up on Parnell just yet, but he does need a few days off and a chance to pitch in situations where the outcome of a game is resting on his arm.

But if Parnell cannot straighten out his problems, the once formidable Mets bullpen will look as pitiful as their offense. With Putz out, a struggling Parnell and an overworked Feliciano, we're going to be seeing more Takahasi than any one wants. That's not a good thing.

(Photo from Flickr user talaba)