Let's call it a winning streak!

The Mets topped the Cubs last night 4-0 to win their second straight, likely their longest winning streak of the year. The win assures the Mets at least a split of their 4 game series, meaning they officially cannot lose a series for the first time this season. Jose Reyes was the hitting star, collecting four hits including a two out, two RBI triple that provided all the runs Mike Pelfrey would need. Big Pelf went seven strong innings, running his shutout streak to 19 consecutive scoreless frames. Rookie Japanese pitcher Ryota Igarashi proved to be a true Met in the 8th inning by slipping while attempting to field a bunt and straining his hamstring. On most teams you'd expect him to be back on the mound in a few days. Since it's the Mets, I assume he'll have the leg amputated some time this summer. The highlight of the game for me came in the bottom of the 8th inning when Fernando Tatis' two out, pinch hit home run gave the Mets a 4-0 lead and denied Frankie Rodriguez a save opportunity. Despite the team actually winning 6 games this season, K-Rod has only pitched in one save situation which he promptly blew.

This could go either way

Jose Reyes has been cleared by team doctors to resume baseball activities. I can see this going either way. On the one hand, after last year I expect the team and the medical staff to be extra cautious and not rush a player back to the field until he is completely healthy. On the other hand, after last year I have absolutely no faith in the training staff and part of me is more than a little nervous that Reyes will be the player who actually dies on the field due to their incompetence.

Train wrecks

On the way up to Vermont this past weekend, I got stuck in traffic due to an automobile fire. When we finally rounded the curve and saw the carnage, we were faced with a car engulfed in flames while a woman stood on the side of the road looking on forlornly as firefighters sprayed water on her car. This woman understands what it's like to be a Mets fan in 2009. With a big four of David Wright, Carlos Beltran, Jose Reyes, and Carlos Delgado, a rotation anchored by ace Johan Santana, and a revamped bullpen led by Fransisco Rodriguez and J.J. Putz, the Mets looked poised to get over the hump and win the NL East for the first time since 2006. Instead, not only did Beltran, Reyes, Delgado, and Putz go down to injury, so too did starters John Maine and Oliver Perez. Mets fans were forced to watch the likes of Tim Redding and Livan Hernandez try to battle against Major League lineups. What are we, the Washington Nationals? Sadly, there is no help, there is no magic fix that can overcome those kinds of losses. The team stayed in contention for a while, but has slowly faded once teams figured out they could stop throwing strikes to Wright and the Mets would never, ever score.

I could hide my head in the sand like I've been doing, dreaming of the day Reyes, Beltran, and Delgado come back, a day that may never come, or I could start looking for beacons of hope through the smoke and flames. For example, Fernando Nieve, coldly discarded by the Houston Astros, has been pitching admirably for the Mets, and more often than not gives the team a chance to win. So how did Nieve do last night when given a chance to earn the team a split with the division rival Braves? Ah fuck.

Just when I think I'm out they suck me back in!

Love a good Godfather quote in the morning. Last night the Mets turned to their automatic collapse protection in an effort to prevent yet another September collapse. Just when I was coming to terms with the inevitable Johan spun a gem on the mound, going 8 strong innings and actually winning for a change. Behind the strength of Jose Reyes' and David Wright's steely good looks, I mean offense, the Mets held on for a 6-2 win. Most teams would probably find a 4 run lead in the 9th inning pretty comfortable, but Pedro Feliciano decided to give up two hits despite the fact he didn't actually face one of the Cubs' 8 best hitters. Luis Ayala came in to secure the win (this time) and the dream stayed alive for another day.

Last season Plaxico Burress gimped around on a bum ankle. Despite not practicing all season Burress established himself as one of the very best game day receivers. He made a huge deal out of reporting to work this offseason despite his unhappiness with his contract. Just before the season started, the Giants and his agent managed to work out a deal paying Burress as one of the top receivers in the game. I wondered at some point if Burress' success without practice was going to carry over to this season. Monday Plax decided not to show up. He did not tell anyone, he did not respond to efforts to contact him, and this morning coach Coughlin was unipressed with Burress' excuse for his absence. The star receiver was suspended this morning for the next two weeks, which is not as big a punishment as you'd think because the team has a bye this week. Burress will still miss two of his new fat paychecks. Fortunately for Giants fans, that means he will only miss Seahawks game a week from Sunday, and not a game against an actual NFL team. Still, kudos to Burress for proving once again he's just a big a douche as I always thought he was.

Anything you can do I can do worse

In a battle of ineptitude, managers Manuel matched up to see who could make the worst move in last night's 10-9 slugfest. Phillies manager Charlie cast the die with the curious decision to sacrifice rookie pitcher R.J. Swindle of the 55 MPH curveball fame. David Wright greeted him with a home run to left. The Mets would eventually push the lead to 10-1 against Swindle, and then since they didn't learn from some sort of calamity last year (people keep telling me about it, I have no idea what they're talking about) they took their foot off the gas and coasted home.

Mets manager Jerry, perhaps disgusted with his team's lack of effort in the later innings, decided to show them and brought in Tony Armas Jr. Hey, maybe there was a reason he was available! After Pedro pitched an effective 5 1/3 innings, Jerry brought Armas in for some mop up duty. He promptly gave the Phillies a glimmer of hope, allowing them to climb with 10-5. In marched Aaron Heilman, he of the short attention span and the uncanny knack to give up home runs. 1 1/3 innings later, Heilman turned it over to that motherfucker Billy Wagner at 10-7.

Not to be outdone, amidst the comeback Charlie removed his best player, secondbaseman Chase Utley for no good reason. Maybe he was afraid a monster left-handed bat in the lineup might have been able to push the tying run across the plate and then his fat ass would have to wait through extra innings to get to the buffet. For good measure, Jerry got ejected in the bottom of the 7th arguing a disputed home run call (replay anyone?), perhaps worried that Charlie might eat his way through the clubhouse before he got there.

Anyway, in the 9th that motherfucker Wagner came on and promptly allowed the first two batters to reach base. A strikeout and a fly out and Wagner found himself facing the tying run with two outs in the bottom of the 9th. Even though I wasn't watching a shiver of deja vu ran down my spine. Sure enough, a sharply hit single to center followed by a throwing error from Beltran allowed two runners to score and the tying run to reach scoring position, bringing up Sunday's hero (well, until the 12th) Jason Werth. This time that motherfucker Wagner induced a flyout, ending the game, and preventing what can only be presumed to be a crushing loss.

As always, I will try to see the bright side to the team nearly blowing a 9 run lead, so let's go with Jose Reyes. The man had a monster game and looks to be rounding into 2006 form when he was the spark plug that made the offense go. A big shout out to Endy Chavez whose 3 hits, 2 RBI and 2 runs were instrumental in building the early lead.

Mets come from behind!

For the first time all year, the Mets won a game when trailing after 8 innings. The unlikeliest of heroes, Endy Chavez hit his first home run since tearing his hamstring early LAST season to tie the game leading off the bottom of the 9th. Then after falling behind in the top of the 12th, David Wright led off the bottom of the frame with a walk. Carlos Beltran followed with a single to move Wright to third, then after Damion Easley struck out Fernando Tatis ended the game with a two run double. It was the first career game-winning hit for Tatis who sat out the entire 2004 and 2005 seasons contemplating retirement.

Jose Reyes went 2 for 5 with a walk to extend his hitting streak to 13 games, reaching base for the 28th straight game. Carlos Beltran went 2 for 6, reaching base for the 31st straight game. Both players are instrumental to the Mets offensive success so it's nice to see them settling into the season.

The most encouraging sign from last night's game, lost a little bit in the excitement of the Mets actually coming from behind to win a game was Aaron Heilman's 2 innings of hitless relief. As recently as last season, Heilman was an integral part of the bullpen, slamming the door shut in the 8th inning to set up Billy Wagner in the 9th. This season he seems to be giving up a home run every game and has been key in the Mets inability to come from behind. It is just disheartening to watch a 1 run deficit balloon to 3 or more because your supposedly steady middle-relievers take such pleasure in watching a small white ball disappear into the night sky far beyond the outfield fence.

METS WIN!!!

With a dearth of genuine victories thus far, it seems prudent to really highlight the honest to goodness winning ballgames. No, seriously. The Mets scored more than the other team over the course of the appropriate 9 inning span. Billy Wagner got to throw blazing fastballs to opposing hitters in a save situation instead of bitter one-liners to bored beat reporters.

Johan Santana, signed in the offseason in part to prevent long losing streaks pitched 7 effective innings for the Mets. Santana to (Duaner) Sanchez to Wagner. I could stand to see that a few more times this season. Embattled (?) shortstop Jose Reyes extended his hitting streak to 9 straight games, much to the disappointment of Mets fans everywhere expecting him to hit in at least 11 or 12 of his last 9 games. Embattled (?) centerfielder Carlos Beltran reached base for the 30th consecutive start, but hit less than 4 grand slams earning derisive boos from the crowd.

Looking to the positives, subs Damion Easley, Ramon Castro, and Fernando Tatis combined for 5 hits and all 5 RBIs for the Mets. In addition, Pedro is scheduled to make his second start of the season June 3rd! All hail the savior! Pedro will make it all right, I KNOW he will. Rocks back and forth. All kidding aside, it'll be nice to have Pedro's voice in the locker, deflecting some attention away from the players who are less comfortable in front of the camera. Throwing his fastball in the mid to upper 80s and his changeup in the mid to upper 70s will help a lot too.

On losing streaks and fan expectations

I keep waiting for positive things to happen to this Mets team, and they keep not happening. It's hard to be witty and humorous about a business-like team that is very serious about the business of losing. It's not like they're TRYING to lose, but it doesn't look like they're trying all that hard to win, either. So starting today, I'm introducing a new feature to this blog. I'll call it "Hey, that's positive!"

Jose Reyes hit 2 home runs last night in a losing effort to the first place Marlins. Hey, that's positive! I didn't see any of the game, or read any of the recaps but I have to believe that Reyes hitting home runs in his first two at bats helped the team a lot more than a locust infestation. Good for you Mr. Reyes. May you hit 2 home runs EVERY game!

I don't care if he can't hit I still love Jose Reyes