Yankee writers must always find a way to beat down the Mets

Usually, I love stuff Peter Abraham writes. It's usually well thought out and supported by facts. Usually. Here's his latest, entitled "Cashman made the right move with Santana":

There is no question, none whatsoever, that Johan Santana would have helped the Yankees this season. There is little question that Melky Cabrera and Ian Kennedy were probably overvalued during the winter. Maybe Phil Hughes, too.

But does anybody still think it would have been smart for the Yankees to trade the farm for Santana then give him the six-year, $137.5 million deal the Mets did?

The Mets are 11-9 in the games Santana has started and he has allowed 16 home runs in 130.2 innings. That’s 49 dingers in the last 349.2 innings if you’re keeping track at home. The guy still has brilliant moments, but he’s getting to a point where you can see a slide coming.

Much like Pedro Martinez, you have to wonder what this deal will look like in a few years. Brian Cashman, it would seem, made a smart play last winter.

Notice how he leaves out Santana's 3.10 ERA (up nearly .30 after last night's start). That's good enough for 8th in the league.

Surprised he leaves out his 116 strikeouts (only 21 off the league lead)? He's in sixth in that catergory for the NL.

What about his 1.22 WHIP, which ranks below the league average? He's statistically 11th in the league in that catergory.

How about that in his last four losses, he's surrendered only one, four, one, and three runs in the respective games, lasting six innings or longer in each?

Nope, won't find that in his article. The facts a writer provides tells the story for you, but it's really the facts that he leaves out that show the true argument.

Early Morning Madness: Tied for first place edition

Absolutely no one saw this coming. If you told me the Mets would rattle of 10 straight wins, and the tenth would see Johan Santana only last four innings, I would have told you to get away from me, you crazy human being.

Amazin'.

I've been wondering what the reaction is going to be once the Mets lose that fateful game. I'm sure, even though they will have won 10 or more in a row, fans will whine and complain about something and start demanding trades, cuts, and firings.

Just wait.

** * **

Yesterday, the Phillies traded for Joe Blanton from the A's.

I think Blanton will help them a bit, but it seems like a small patch to a much bigger hole. He is 5-12 on the year, with an ERA just below five (4.96). He is a good innings eater, going for 230 last season, but I think the Phillies are going to need more than that to hang tough.

** * **

It's time to put Luis Castillo, Orlando Hernandez, and Moises Alou in an air conditioned bus, send them down the coast, and have them placed into Del Boca Vista Retirement Facility.

Maybe the Mets could even buy them a Cadillac, a tip calculator, and one of those fancy pens that can write upside down.

And when they get there, each would have a card on the kitchen table of his new condo, signed "Love, Jerry...Manuel."

Welcome to first place, Mets fans; Mets win 10-8

This game deserves more that just a sentence...

Johna Santana has his worst start in blue and orange, lasting a mere four innings and allowing five runs to score before getting chased. The Mets didn't seem to care. The bullpen faltered, for the first time in 22 innings. The Mets didn't seem to care. Billy Wagner blew the save in the All Star game. The Mets didn't seem to care.

After handing away a lead, twice, the Mets faced watching their nine game win streak go up in smoke. The Mets wanted none of that. The team stormed back, tying the game at 8-8 with a two run home run to right field off the bat of David Wright, scoring Argenis Reyes.

After two more singles, Carlos Delgado served the game breaker into left field, plating the go ahead run. Fernando Tatis didn't feel comfortable with just the one run lead, so he singled and drove in one more, bringing the score to it's final of 10-8.

Oh, and Wagner shut down the Reds 1-2-3 in the bottom of the ninth inning. No heart attacks tonight.

The winning streak has reached double digits. Possibly the best win of the year for the Mets, as they keep on rolling after the break.

With the Phillies taking a night off, the Mets move into a tie for first place with a record of 52-44.

The Mets are streaking on both sides of the ball

I was gearing up for a lengthy post on how the Mets have turned it around since Jerry Manuel took the helm and how well the players have been playing in July.

Unfortunately (or probably fortunately), Eric Grissom over at Phillies Flow has beaten me to it.

Here's an excerpt of the article, titles "Men on fire":

Overall, the difference between the Manuel and non-Manuel pitching numbers is far more dramatic than the difference between the Manuel and non-Manuel hitting numbers. The Mets are scoring about 4.96 runs per game since he took over compared to about 4.80 per game before he took over, but the difference between the pitching numbers is much larger. After allowing about 4.67 runs per game before Manuel took over, the Mets have allowed about 3.81 runs per game since.

There's some great statistical breakdowns of the starters in July and the runs scored / runs against breakdown between the two months of June and July.

The Mets have been the team that we thought they could be, finally. Mike Pelfrey has blossomed into a wonderful pitcher, Johan Santana has plugged away at his consistently wonderful pace, and Olvier Perez has switched his mechanics and seen great results.

The bats are back too, as Carlos Delgado is getting on track (maybe), Jose Reyes is on an absolute tear after getting off to a slow start, and Damion Easley is filling in admirably at second base.

The All Star break couldn't come at a worse time for the hot Mets, but hopefully it will carry over into the second "half," down the stretch, and beyond.

Great stuff, Eric. Truly worth a read.

TSTDIA: Mets 5 -- Giants 0

The Mets pitching staff held the Giants to only three hits for the second straight game as Johan Santana won his first start in seven appearances.

This team is surprising even me now.

Billy Wagner is lone Mets representative in ASG

Billy Wagner will be the only member of the New York Mets to represent the team in the 2008 All Star Game.

That is, barring a push for the final player, or an injury replacement.

Rightly so, for Wagner. David Wright maybe deserved a spot on the bench, and Johan Santana could be argued for a spot based on his ERA, not his record.

Represent the team well, Wagner.

Update: Wright is on the final ballot.

Final ballot candidates:
Pat Burrell, Phillies
Corey Hart, Brewers
Carlos Lee, Astros
Aaron Rowand, Giants
David Wright, Mets

Vote for Wright here.

A tale of two seasons

Last week I brought you "A Tale of Two Stadiums," this week, it's "A Tale of Two Seasons."

J.A. Happ has made two major league starts in his career, both against the New York Mets.

In 2007, the Mets pounded Happ for five runs in four innings. He surrendered three home runs to Carlos Beltran, Paul LoDuca and David Wright. Happ allowed seven hits, while striking out five and walking two. Jorge Sosa earned the win for the Mets, who upped their record to 46-33.

Beltran ended up going 4-5, hitting two home runs and picking up 10 total bases.

This time around, it was an entirely different story. Happ went 4 2-3 of an inning, allowing only three hits, striking out three and walking four. He surrendered only two runs, the only ones the Mets managed to put across.

On the flip side, Johan Santana pitched 8 innings, allowing only six hits and two runs. He took the loss as the Mets fell to 42-44. Beltran went 0-4 and struck out twice.

Two different teams, two different seasons, and two vastly different outcomes.

The Mets bats stink

Another excellent Johan Santana start wasted.

Santana gave up only two runs, and the Mets lost again. This reminds me of when Roger Clemens pitched with the Astros. He would dominate the other team, but the 'Stros simply did not score for him.

I sort of feel bad for Santana, because he's doing pretty much all that he can do, and his team still can't manage to win. He may not be the best pitcher in the league anymore, but he's pitching very, very well and the Mets are now 0-6 in his last six starts.

This team always seems to fail horribly with timely hitting. The Mets had the bases loaded and nobody out, and managed to score only two runs. Luckily, at that. Thanks to the speed of Jose Reyes, who beat out a double play ball, and a good eye by David Wright to walk a run in, otherwise the inning could have ended without the Mets pushing any runs across.

I'm not sure if the Mets need to add a bat from elsewhere, but this team needs a jolt. In big games like last night's, the team should be fired up and aggressive, but they still looked flat. Is the team dynamic that different without Ryan Church? Without Moises Alou? Maybe a lineup shakeup will do the trick, but who knows.

Maybe this team really is just a mediocre, .500 team.

Giving up on the Mets?? Not me, not yet

Last night's 7-1 drubbing by the Cardinals could be explained by any one of: terrible, awful, disaster, gross, boring, ugly...so on and so forth.

I've heard many claims for trades to go down, to start selling the farm and some major leaguers in return for prospects with talent and futures.

Not me, not yet. And here's why:

It's the first of July. The Mets are 3.5 games back, and only three in the loss column. The Mets have the talent, but most of them are under-performing.

Here are some reasons the Mets won't make the playoffs:

• Pedro Martinez might be done. He just doesn't seem to have it, tipping pitches or not. His power is gone and he seems to be throwing batting practice on the mound.
• Moises Alou is old and injured. 15 games is all Alou has been able to play this season. He's on his way to returning to the Mets, possibly by next weekend, but how long will it last?
• The bench has been awful. Just...awful.
• Another concussion for Ryan Church and he's really in serious trouble. He has to protect that noggin.

Reasons the Mets will make the playoffs:

• Johan Santana is a second-half pitcher.
• Aaron Heilman is a second-half pitcher.
• David Wright is a second-half player.
• Carlos Delgado's days are numbered. He may not be cut, but his playing time will diminish.
• Omar Minaya will pull off another spectacular trade. I'm just waiting for it. I don't know who it will be for, but it will work in the Mets favor.
• Fernando Martinez will be called up in late August and have a Jacoby Ellsbury type of season.

I still think the Mets will make the playoffs. I know my father wanted me to rip into them, but I'm still confident in this baseball team, and probably will be until they're mathematically eliminated from contention.

Santana isn't perfect, says so himself

Johan Santana:

"All I know is that they brought me here to do a job and help the team and I have given them my best. It seems like every time I pitch I have to be absolutely perfect, or else we lose. I’m not perfect."

It's about time someone stepped up and said something somewhat controversial. This team is still playing lackluster baseball, Willie Randolph or no Willie Randolph.

Omar Minaya better be looking around because Trot Nixon, Andy Phillips, Fernando Tatis and the rest of the cast of characters just are not cutting it at the major league level.

Moves need to be made and someone needs to step up in the clubhouse. Why can't it be Johan Santana?

TSTDIA: Yankees 3 -- Mets 2

Another flat offensive performance for a decent Johan Santana start. Johan is now 7-7 on the year, all with an ERA barely over 3.

Rebuttal: Blame Santana On This One

Lou Di Falco, over at Never Forget 69, pens his latest article entitled "Blame Santana On This One."

From Di Falco:

No question the second inning was a bit bizarre. After walking a batter and giving up a hit, with two outs David Wright made an error on a routine ground ball that should have ended the inning. The next batter, the pitcher Felix Hernandez, on the first pitch he has seen all season hit an opposite field grand slam home run. How does this happen? Sorry, but Johan Santana has got to do a better job than that. This you would have expected from Oliver Perez, not Santana. He is supposed to be the Mets stopper. Since the Mets won on Sunday, you had to feel good that with Santana on the mound the Mets had a chance to end up on the right side of the .500 ledger.

Ah yes. If you're Santana and your Gold Glove third baseman makes an error to keep the inning alive, then you throw a pitch high and outside of the strike zone to the opposing pitcher, he closes his eyes, swings, and hits a home run, it's obviously all your fault.

How could I not see that?

I do agree this is something I would more likely see out of Perez, or even Jorge Sosa, but we all know, or at least we should, that Santana gives up a lot of home runs. He lead the AL in home runs allowed last year with 33. So far in '08, he's given up 14, running at pretty much the same pace.

After that grand slam, Santana buckled down and allowed only three hits and one earned run through the next five innings. The Mets offense on the other hand, after knocking out King Felix in the fifth, managed only two hits off the beleagured Mariners bullpen.

If you're going to place blame, it's on the offense, not Santana.

TSTDIA: Mariners 5 -- Mets 1

Felix Hernandez hit a grand slam off of Johan Santana and the Mets bats were still in Colorado as the Mets dropped the first game to the worst team in the majors.

King Felix vs. Johan

Tonight, with the Mariners coming to town, we will be treated to a fierce pitching match up of Felix Hernandez and Johan Santana.

As I've said time and time before, a pitchers duel on paper rarely ever translates to a pitchers duel on the field.

I'd like to see the Mets sweep this series, and it all starts tonight against the M's best pitcher. Should make for a great game, either way.

As always, please join us on Mets Lounge for an in-game thread.

In place of dynamite, the Mets' bullpen is blowing up in Shea a few months early

Boom.

A few months ago (now lost on the old site) I wrote the Mets finally had a strength they could rely on: the bullpen.

It's amazing what two terrible games will do to a man's psyche.

15+ absolutely dominant innings from Mets starters in under 24 hours, and what does the bullpen do to "help" the team? Surrender eight runs in six innings. Four of those runs charged to the, until recently, dominant Billy Wagner.

Three out of the last five games have been lost by the bullpen. One cannot forget about the offense's lack of ability to score late inning runs (besides Wednesday night) in this implosion that doesn't seem to be garnering the media attention it should.

Stupidly, I lamented the Mets thrilling (albeit, unnecessary) late inning win on Wednesday could be the turn around for the entire season. For the first seven innings of Thursday's game, it looked like I was some sort of prophet, sent from the heavens with news from the future. With the quick handshake of Johan Santana, Rick Peterson and Willie Randolph after the seventh inning and a sponsored phone call to the bullpen, the Mets turned my "prophecy" into "idiocy."

Fans have whined and complained about the starting pitching not giving the team enough innings. These last two games have been the mirror opposite. A downright dirty smack in the face from the gods of baseball.

The other shoe has to drop eventually, right? Or in this case, maybe the plunger needs to be pushed.

TSTDIA: Diamondbacks 5 -- Mets 4

Another stellar outing from a starting pitcher (Johan Santana, this time) was blown by Billy Wagner & Co.

Wagner, after the game: "I suck."

Early Morning Madness -- 6/2

Johan Santana is good. That is all.

###

This team missed Ryan Church. He comes back with a bang (3-4, 2 RBI, run) and shows the team what they've been missing.

Thankfully, Fernando Tatis and Endy Chavez filled in admirably while the Mets were missing Church, so though they took a step back, they didn't lose much.

Dear Ryan,

Stop getting hit in the head.

Love,
Mets fans everywhere.

###

I had a dream last night. I dreamt the Mets quietly promoted Mike Carp to AAA. He played there for a week, as the hype grew, and played well, batting near .300 and smacking in a couple of runs.

This must have been an incredibly vivid dream, because I also remember them eventually cutting Carlos Delgado, and promoting Carp to the majors. They then split time between Nick Evans and Carp at first, occasionally sprinkling in Damion Easley.

Very strange.

Delgado has seen his batting average rise six points since May 22, as he hits three game streaks of hitting. From May 22 - 24, he went 4-15, driving in one run and scoring three times. The next three games watched him go 0-5, walking in one pinch hitting stint, and driving in one run. Then, in the Dodgers series, he went 5-15, going hitless last night, scoring three times and setting up the eventual winning run on Saturday with a single in the 8th, after which he was pinch run for.

I can't see the Mets continuing to keep hit bat in the lineup. More and more will they ween him onto the bench and get Evans or Easley out to first as they contemplate what to do with Delgado.

Santana milestone: Win #100

Congrats, Johan Santana.

Here's to many, many more in a Mets uniform.

TSTDIA: Mets 6 -- Dodgers 1

This is the baseball we all knew the Mets, and Johan Santana, would put together day in and day out.

Johan is doubly good

Johan Santana just hit his fourth double of the year. Here's a little tidbit pointed out by my good friend Ryan P. on Mets Lounge:

Santana has tied the amount of doubles with Luis Castillo.

Santana has 4 doubles in 22 ABs.
Luis Castillo has 4 doubles in 143 ABs.

Santana also has more doubles than Moises Alou (43 ABs).

That's a good sign.