Mets' Top Prospect Niese Expected To Start Tuesday vs. Brewers

Top pitching prospect Jonathan Niese will be recalled from Triple-A New Orleans to make his major league debut Tuesday against Milwaukee. Eight other players also will join the Mets on Monday when the active roster can be expanded to 40 players. They include pitching prospect Robert Parnell, three relievers and infielder-outfielder Marlon Anderson, who will be activated after spending a month on the disabled list with a hamstring injury.


Niese will take the rotation spot left vacant when right-hander John Maine was placed on the 15-day disabled list a week ago because of a bone spur in his right shoulder. "We think very highly of Jonathan Niese," vice president for development Tony Bernazard said Sunday. "He's a 21-year-old that we expect to be an important member of this organization.

"You have to perform at some point, and it happens to be Tuesday against a very good team. Let's see what he has. We'll find out a lot about where we're at with him in the next month." Niese was a seventh-round draft pick in 2005. The left-hander went 5-1 with a 3.40 ERA in seven starts for New Orleans.


The Mets also will bolster their shaky bullpen. Joining them Monday will be recently acquired right-hander Al Reyes from Double-A Binghamton and two pitchers from New Orleans; right-hander Carlos Muniz and left-hander Ricardo Rincon.


Closer Billy Wagner, sidelined since Aug. 3 with a strained elbow, is scheduled for a bullpen session Monday in New York. If it goes well, the next step might be for Wagner to pitch in a game for the Mets' Class A affiliate in Brooklyn."He's improving," Bernazard said. "He's feeling much better."

Also joining the Mets from New Orleans will be right-hander Bobby Parnell, infielder Ramon Martinez, catcher Gustavo Molina and infielder Argenis Reyes.

Where Are My Rolaids?

Ok. I'm really going to die before season's end. Who says the Mets can't score late? After rallying on Wednesday night against Brad Lidge and the Phillies, the Mets did it again tonight against Kevin Gregg and the Marlins tonight in Florida. After being shut down for eight innings, after scoring one run in the first inning, (what else is new?) the Mets were down to their last out in the 9th down 2-1, and rallied to win the ballgame 5-4, but it wasn't easy.

The Met ninth started with a pop out by Pitch Hitter Robinson Cancel. After that, Jose Reyes grounded out to second on a great play by Dan Uggla. After the Reyes at-bat, Luis Castillo singled to center after being down two strikes. Then, David Wright singled to left. After that, Carlos Delgado was hit by a pitch. That set the stage for Carlos Beltran who hasn't had a big hit in a while when it's been needed.

However, that all changed when he hit a first pitch change up over the right field wall for a grand slam that gave the Mets a 5-2 lead. Before Beltran's homer, the Mets were 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position. Trailing 2-1, they left the bases loaded in the seventh and stranded two in the eighth.

While it looked like smooth sailing with Luis Ayala trying to close it out in the bottom half of the 9th, with a three run lead, it was anything but. Second Baseman Dan Uggla lead off by grounding out to second. After that, Right Fielder Jeremy Hermida singled to center. Next up, John Baker. He struck out. After Baker, up stepped Shortstop Hanley Ramirez, who reached on an infield single. After Ramirez, it was Pitch Hitter Mike Jacobs' turn. He singled to center to make the score 5-3. First Baseman Jorge Cantu then doubled to left to cut the lead to 5-4.

With the tying run at third, and the go-ahead run at second, Third Baseman Wes Helms was looking to end the game. However, unfortunately for Marlin fans, he grounded out to short to end the game, and revive Met fans watching the game. With the win, the Mets moved out to a 2 game lead on Philly, who lost earlier in the day to the Cubs 3-2.

Huh?

Coming off yet another heartbreaking loss to the Phils last night, the Mets headed into tonight's game looking for redemption. They got exactly that, as they defeated the Phils by a score of 6-3 to earn a split of the two game series to move back into first by a half of a game.

After getting out to an early 1-0 lead thanks to a Carlos Delgado single that scored Jose Reyes, who also singled in the first, the Phillies answered back by scoring two in the bottom of the first thanks to a Ryan Howard homer that scored Jimmy Rollins who singled earlier in the inning. In the bottom of the 2nd, the Phils tacked on another run on a Jayson Werth home run.

In the top of the 6th, the Mets cut the deficit to 3-2 after Carlos Delgado hit his 29th homer of the season, his third in three games. If you've followed the Mets at all this season, or have read this blog, you know that the Mets haven't scored at all late in games. That all changed for one night at least, as they scored four in the top of the 8th tonight.

It all started when Carlos Delgado hit his second homer of the game, 30th of the season, and fourth in three games, when he connected off of Rudy Seanez. He now has hit at least 30 homers in 11 straight seasons. Here's where the title of the post comes in. Delgado's home run came with two outs. Brad Lidge was warming up in the pen presumably to face Delgado, who came in 2-6 with two homers against Seanez. Why didn't Manuel go to Lidge there? Maybe my colleague Matt will have an answer.

Anyway, with the scored tied at 3, Manuel went to Lidge after Seanez gave up an infield single to Beltran following the homer. Beltran then proceeded to steal second without a throw. With Beltran on second, Ryan Church was intentionally walked to bring up the struggling Daniel Murphy who had been 0-3 coming into the at-bat, and had never faced Lidge.

Maybe that was a good thing, because he doubled to right to give the Mets a 4-3 lead. Then, Catcher Brian Schneider singled to left to score Murphy and Church to give the Mets a 6-3 lead. Unlike last night, the Phils went quietly in the 9th, as Luis Ayala picked up his second save as a Met.

Phillies Complete Improbable Comeback, Stun Mets In Extras

Ahh, what a game.

I just returned from Citizens Bank Park, where I watched the Phillies overcome a seven-run deficit to down the Mets, 8-7, in 13 innings Tuesday night/Wednesday morning.

Chris Coste came through with a walk-off single to put the Phillies back in first place by a half-game in the NL East

So, how did this magical night unfold?

Well, read a newspaper or watch ESPN because I'm not going to give you ALL the highlights. Here's the skinny...

The Mets slammed starting pitcher Jamie Moyer for six runs in three innings. They added a run in the fourth inning to go up 7-0...

The Phillies gradually chipped away. Jimmy Rollins and Ryan Howard each belted two-run homers. The Phillies trailed by a run going into the ninth inning.

Pat Burrell has been labeled a Mets killer in his career (oh yeah, he was 0-for-7 on this night)...but the new Mets killers are Jayson Werth and Shane Victorino, I do believe...

I'll explain why in a second...

The Mets' dreaded bullpen reared its ugly head after the Phillies knocked out Pedro Martinez (4 2/3 innings, five runs allowed). I caught a Pedro soundbite moments ago. He said something like this ...and I'm paraphrasing:

The Phillies have a distinct advantage at Citizens Bank Park because the place is a bandbox.

End paraphrasing...

Sounds like Pedro is bitter. Ok Pedro, perhaps you didn't take notice at the stat sheet... but you blew it, buddy. Don't try to excuse your rapidly declining skill by blaming the ballpark. The Phillies touched you up and it was absolutely legitimate. Rollins and Howard hit home runs that would have gone a far way in any park. And in case you didn't notice, Pedro, there was absolutely NO WIND EFFECT AT ALL!!! Otherwise, Burrell's long fly ball in the ninth or 10th inning would have ended the game...
The Phillies' park gets its reputation because of all the open space in center field, thus allowing the northeast winds to play a role in most games (i.e. mother nature tends to carry balls far)...

I understand CBP is hitter-friendly, but in my mind, it's not the be all and end all. Pedro Martinez simply coughed up a seven-run lead(well, most of it, anyhow). It's not like the Phils hit seven home runs to win the game, Pedro. Get over the fact that you are a five-inning pitcher... and you didn't even last that long!!!

Ok, sorry for the tangent...

So, about the Victorino and Werth Mets-killing statement I made earlier...

Luis Ayala had two outs in the ninth inning when Werth singled to keep the game alive. It came with two strikes. The last time Werth was in that situation against the Mets, he homered off Billy Wagner to send the game into extras. The Phillies lost eventually... but I thought it was kind of ironic to see Werth keeping things alive against those hated Metskis...

Anyways, as it turned out, Eric Bruntlett hit a double to the gap to score Werth. The Phillies had mutliple chances to win the game in extras against Aaron Heilman (how the hell did he wind up pitching three scoreless innings???).

Finally, in the 13th, Victorino led off the frame with a triple against Scott Schoeneweis, who issued back-to-back intentional walks to Werth and Bruntlett to get to the pinch hitter... Brett Myers...

Myers was instructed to take every pitch because of fear he would ground into a 5-1-3 double play... or something like that...

...I have to stop right there to go on another tangent....

I just caught the end of the Charlie Manuel press conference. The few Media members in attendance asked about the Myers at-bat. Manuel, who is never mistaken to be the wittiest guy in the world, said of Myers, "I said to him after, 'you see, you can take orders.'" Hahaha... umm, Myers and Manuel got into a heated exchange a few weeks back, so that's why it was funny... if you care...

OK, back to the game. So Myers struck out and up came Chris Coste, who promptly hit a shot way over Carlos Beltran's head to end the game. Wouldn't have mattered if it were caught because all the Phils needed was a sac fly...

So all is well that ends well... and at the start, I thought the Phillies wouldn't end well. I was reminded by the kind Mets fan next to me (what, did I just say that???) about the Phillies' penchant for rallying against the Mets... no matter the score.

"And you do know our bullpen is horseshit, right?," said the lovely, adorable, cute, cuddly and super cool Mets fan.

Sure enough, he had a point...

Mets May Call Up Pitching Prospect Niese

With John Maine back on the disabled list with a sore shoulder, the Mets are reportedly eyeing their farm system for pitching help. Newsday reported that the Mets are preparing to call up top pitching prospect Jon Niese, according to a person familiar with the team's thinking.

According to the report, the Mets will tinker with their pitching rotation so they won't need a fifth starter until their Sept. 2 game at Milwaukee. Niese, who last pitched Sunday, would have one more minor-league outing before making his major-league debut against the Brewers.

The left-handed Niese, 21, is 5-1 with a 3.65 ERA in six starts at Triple-A New Orleans. Mets GM Omar Minaya said he is confident the Mets can turn to young players like Niese in the midst of a playoff race, according to the report.

"I'm very comfortable with our young prospects coming here and doing it the way Argenis Reyes has done it, the way Daniel Murphy has done it, the way Nick Evans has done it. I feel comfortable internally that we'll find a way to get it done," Minaya said, according to Newsday.

Other possibilities to fill in for Maine could include long reliever Brian Stokes or Robert Parnell, another of the Mets' top pitching prospects.

Pelfrey Does It Again

With John Maine going on the DL, the Mets know that the starters have to really step it up if they want to maintain their lead in the NL East. Well, Mike Pelfrey did his part tonight as he pitched his second consecutive complete game in the Mets 9-1 win over the Astros tonight at Shea.

The Mets got the bulk of their offense from 2 Carlos Delgado 3 run home runs. It was Delgado's 46th multihomer game, fourth this year. The other runs came via a sacrifice fly from Daniel Murphy and a two run triple by Jose Reyes, who also had a single and a double in the game.

The second consecutive complete game by Pelfrey was the first since Bret Saberhagen (remember him?) did it for the Mets back in 1995.

The two stars of tonight's game have been key in the Mets run to the pennant this season. Back in March, if I told you that Delgado would be near 30 home runs by August, would you have believed me? He has 28 home runs, and has driven in 55 runs in his last 54 games. He has hit 24+ home runs in 13 straight seasons. Also, Mike Pelfrey who started the year 2-6, is now 13-8, which leads a staff in wins that includes $137 million dollar man Johan Santana. The Mets are 13-2 in Pelfrey's last 15 starts.

After an embarrassing loss by the bullpen yesterday, the Mets bats look to keep clicking as they head into a division showdown against Philadelphia in Philadelphia tomorrow night with a slim 1/2 game lead.

Should be real exciting.

Bone Spur Forces Maine To Disabled List

John Maine was put on the 15-day disabled list because of a bone spur in his right shoulder Monday, leaving the Mets without a key starter as they head into September looking to erase the memory of last year's disastrous stretch run.

Shelving Maine allowed the Mets to activate second baseman Luis Castillo two days after he asked for more time to rehabilitate a left hip flexor. Maine was on the DL from Aug. 3-13, retroactive to July 29, and returned knowing that he'd have to pitch with the shoulder problem the rest of the season. He didn't go more than 5 2/3 innings in his three starts and gave up eight runs on Saturday. His fastball, normally in the low to mid 90s, rarely exceeded 89 mph. Maine said rest helped alleviate the pain the first time he sat and hopes another break will allow him to pitch the final couple of weeks of the season.

"It's frustrating because I want to be here and help the team, but for me not being 100 percent to go out there it's not just hurting the team, it's me not being 100 percent," Maine said. "I was told nothing could make it worse which is why I wanted to pitch through it. It just hasn't gone away." He said that a cortisone shot on Thursday did not help.

Mets General Manager Omar Minaya said surgery is the only way to fix the problem but even though it is a minor operation, Maine would not have enough time to recover to pitch again this season. Instead, Maine will not throw for two weeks and hold off from any exercise for a week.

The Mets, will have to do without Maine for at least three weeks, Minaya said. "We've all seen John Maine. Even without his best stuff, if I'm not mistaken he had a pretty good game in Pittsburgh," he said. "But the bottom line is we cannot risk his long-term health in the midst of this pennant race, which means that guys are going to have to step up."

The Mets started Monday a half-game ahead of Philadelphia in the NL East, and travel to play both the Phillies and the third-place Marlins. Manager Jerry Manuel said Oliver Perez will likely move into Maine's slot on Friday, and that because of a day off Thursday, an extra starter will not be needed until Sept. 2.

Maine's injury is the second big blow to the Mets' staff. Closer Billy Wagner has been on the disabled list since Aug. 5 with a strained left elbow and his return this season is uncertain. Just as the Mets have used its existing players to fill that hole, Minaya said that a starter will probably come from within the organization, but he didn't entirely rule out claiming a pitcher off waivers.

More likely, it will be long reliever Brandon Stokes or a minor league player. Top prospects Jonathan Niese and Robert Parnell will be considered. Minaya refused to call up Niese earlier in the season to make one start because he didn't want to waste a minor league option on the pitcher for just one start, but since teams can expand their rosters on Sept. 1, Minaya said it would be a long-term call up. If the replacement is brought up by Aug. 31, he could be included on the postseason roster.

Castillo, struggling with the hip injury and sore quadriceps, was batting .261 with three home runs and 26 RBIs when he went on the DL July 3. He was given back his spot as the No. 2 hitter and starting second baseman on a conditional basis. The Mets have gone 31-16 without Castillo, who is in the first year of a four-year, $25 million contract, and Manuel has been happy with the platoon of Damion Easley and rookie Argenis Reyes. "We'll watch him play, watch him perform, watch the level the team is playing at with him performing and see where we are," Manuel said. "We are in a fight for our lives."

The Pen Blows Yet Another

Looking for redemption after losing 8-3 last night, the Mets quickly jumped out to a 2-0 lead today thanks a Carlos Beltran home run in the bottom of the first that scored David Wright who walked in from of him. In the bottom of the third, the Mets added on a run with a bases loaded walk to make the score 3-0. However, the lead didn't last very long as the Astros tied the score at 3 in the top of the fourth on a sacrifice fly, and a 2 run home run by Right Fielder Hunter Pence that scored Short Stop Miguel Tejada, who doubled earlier in the inning.

In the bottom of the 5th, the Mets took a 4-3 lead when Carlos Beltran hit his second homer of the game over the left field wall, making this the 24th multi-homer game of his career.

However, again, the lead was short lived because in the top of the 7th, a single by former Met David Newhan brought home Pence who walked, and moved to third on a double by Geoff Blum. The run was given up by Aaron Heilman who relieved Mets Starter Oliver Perez.

With the scored tied at 4 going into the 10th inning, Pedro Feliciano relieved Luis Ayala. However, he didn't provide any relief whatsoever as both Catcher Brad Ausmus and Center Fielder Darin Erstad tagged him for home runs of the solo variety to put the Astros on top 6-4, a deficit that was too large for the Mets to come back from, as they went quietly in their half of the 10th.

With the loss, the Mets lead is down to a game pending the outcome of the Phillies-Dodgers game tonight. The loss was the Mets second consecutive and first losing streak since August 10th & 11th. The Mets are now 1-5 against Houston with the series finale tomorrow night.

Phillies Insider: Williams, Bowa 'Get' Philly... Rollins, Not So Much

Mitch Williams is the Bill Buckner of Philadelphia Phillies lore.

The "Wild Thing"was the eccentric closer who gave fans a heart attack each time out. Williams will contend that when he was called upon to pitch, he'd throw without any real clue where the ball would end up.

That's honesty...

Williams surrendered the game-winning home run that propelled the Blue Jays past the Phillies in the 1993 World Series. In my mind, Joe Carter is STILL rounding the bases.

Williams endured the hate mail and the passers-by shouting obscenities. He was traded to Houston in the offseason.

Today, Williams is one of the brightest sports personality in the city. He hosts a pre-game show on the Phillies radio network and is the lead analyst on Comcast SportsNet's Phillies Post-Game Live.

Mitchy-Poo has never been afraid to speak his mind and he never hid from the criticism. And, despite feeling the wrath of Phillies fans all too often, he fully supports them... and is one of many former Phillies who have opined about the Jimmy Rollins Situation.

In case you haven't heard, Rollins went on Best Damn Sports Show, Period! earlier this month and labeled Phillies fans "frontrunners."

Hey Mitch, what'ya gotta say to that?

"I think (Rollins) used the wrong word, I really do.," Williams told the Delaware County Daily Times. "They're a lot of things, but they ain't frontrunners. They show up. They're always here. The word fan comes from fanatic, and that's the way they are about their sports here.

"They show up, and when it's good, they're cheering, and when it's bad, they're booing. As a player, give them something to cheer for."


Larry Bowa is a beloved former player, manager and coach. He was the starting shortstop for the Phillies' in 1980 -- the only year the franchise has won the World Series

Bowa tried giving J-Roll a lesson in Understanding Philadelphia Philosophy 101, which Rollins in eight seasons has yet to pass...

"I think what he meant to say was, 'When you're going good, they're on your side, and when you're going bad, they get on you,' " Bowa told the Philadelphia Inquirer.
"Frontrunner is not the right word. They're not frontrunners or they wouldn't come out, because God knows there have been droughts here. I told Jimmy, 'You just used the wrong word.' He said, 'Yeah, I think I did.' "

Phillies Notebook: New Lineup, Geoff Jenkins, Pat Burrell, Cole Hamels, Mets Preview

Charlie Manuel has been juggling the lineup in recent weeks.

Move Jimmy Rollins to the two spot. Put Shane Victorino lead off or in the six hole. Move Ryan Howard to the fifth spot. Place Pat Burrell clean-up.

Nothing seemed to work.

So, like solving the Rubik's Cube, Manuel aligned the colors perfectly Friday night against the Dodgers. With this currently constructed one-through-nine, the Phillies have scored 17 runs in two wins over L.A.

1. Jimmy Rollins
2. Chase Utley
3. Pat Burrell
4. Ryan Howard
5. Shane Victorino
6. Jayson Werth
7. Pedro Feliz/Greg Dobbs
8. Christ Coste/Carlos Ruiz
9. Pitcher

Utley scored three runs Saturday and had two hits. Burrell knocked in five runs. Victorino and Werth continued having consistent ABs. I like the lineup as it is. I always felt Utley was better suited in the No. 2 spot, despite his power and ability to drive in runs. Burrell splits up the left-handed hitters (Utley and Howard) and ... finally... we're starting to see some results. That said, I won't old my breath if things start to sour...

The Phillies placed Geoff Jenkins on the 15-day disabled list with a hip flexor.

Jenkins suffered the injury while legging out an infield single Friday night. Jenkins hasn't been hitting much this season, but had shown signs of working his way out of the year-long funk. Werth would have gotten the majority of playing time, anyways, but losing a veteran/proven guy in Jenkins is semi-important (Um, I think...). To replace Jenkins, the team called up minor league lifer and Andy Tracy, an infielder.

As previously mentioned, Burrell had a big day Saturday afternoon.

In addition to driving in five runs, Burrell homered for the 30th time (surprisingly, it was only his 10th dinger at Citizens Bank Park). Burrell continues to have a career year... meaning he's been consistent by his standards and is hitting for power. I like him batting in the third spot, or anywhere he can get in the middle of Utley and Howard. He only has 75 RBIs this season because Utley and Howard have been knocking most of them in. If he continues hitting in the third spot, he'll present interesting match-up advantages and will have more opportunities to boost his RBI total.

Cole Hamels pitched another fantastic game Saturday to pick up his 11th win.

Hamels has been a tough-luck loser most of the year and should have at least 16 wins. The left-hander also surpassed a career-best in innings pitched.

With the Mets series on the horizon, it's worth noting that Hamels will -- once again -- not face the New Yorkers.

It would be the fourth time this season Hamels has not started against the Metskis. The Phillies aren't going to shuffle the rotation... and I agree with that decision. After all, there's another huge four-game series against the Cubs waiting in the wings. Every game at this point is a must-win. It's just a shame fans won't get to see another Hamels-Johan Santana showdown.

The Train Keeps Rolling

Last night he got the win. Tonight, he picked up the save. Luis Ayala has been a bullpen savior since coming to the Mets, who have improved to 13-4 since Billy Wagner went on the DL. Oh yea, I almost forgot, Johan Santana and Roy Oswalt pitched outstanding as well, as the Mets won 3-0.

For the fifth straight game, the Mets scored a first inning run. Tonight, it was a David Wright single that brought home Jose Reyes, who singled to lead off the bottom half. In the bottom of the second, Brian Schneider homered. The homer also brought in Ryan Church who made his return from the DL. Church reached on an infield single, and finished the game 1-3. (Robinson Cancel was sent down to AAA to make room for Church) After the Mets scored in the second, Oswalt retired 19 in a row, but that wasn't enough, as Santana pitched a career high 121 pitches to pick up his 12th win of the year to match Pelfrey for the team high in wins. Tonight, Santana won his third straight start and fifth straight decision. The Mets have gone 14-4 since being swept by Houston in a three-game series to start the month, and are a season-high 15 games over .500.

On an injury note, 2B Luis Castillo (strained hip flexor) will be activated by New York on Saturday.

How Sweep It Is

The Mets have won nine of their last ten games, the latest coming tonight in a 5-4 victory against the Braves to finish off a three game sweep of the once mighty NL East dominators. Carlos Delgado had 5 hits tonight. The five hits matched a career high that was set when he was a member of the Blue Jays back on May 7, 1998 against the Mariners at the now imploded Kingdome.

David Wright also had a good game for the Mets, as he went 3 for 4, hitting his 25th homer of the season, and two doubles. Luis Ayala pitched 1 1/3 shutout innings for the Mets, to earn his first win since being acquired from the Nationals on Sunday. With the win, the Mets increased their NL East lead to 2 1/2 games over Philadelphia, who lost 4-3 to Washington tonight.

On an injury note, New York Right Fielder Ryan Church (post-concussion syndrome) played another rehab game for Double-A Binghamton on Thursday night going 0-4. He could be back in the lineup Friday against Houston.

Phillies Insider: Shut Up, J-Roll!

It's the middle of August, the hottest portion of the summer in the Northeast.

Here in Philadelphia, Jimmy Rollins is walking on a melting, thinning ice.

Here in Philadelphia, Phillies fans are growing tired of the stuck-up act, the me-first Ricky Watters-esque bravado that is molding the J-Roll character. It's happenstance when Jimmy Rollins does something right... and it's becoming a team-killing distraction.

I know, what Jimmy Rollins told "Best Damn Sports Show, Period!," the bottom-feeders of national sports syndication, is quasi-old news.

But the booing of the once-beloved sports figure continues... and could persist for as long as Rollins is batting in the low .260s.

Rollins, at some point in the middle of a four-game sweep to the Dodgers in Los Angeles, spoke bluntly about the Philadelphia fanbase. He called the most passionate fanbase in the world of sport "frontrunners."

Rollins had the opportunity to retract the dubious claim the very next day. He didn't...

...Well, in his way, he did...

... Well, kinda sorta...

He tried to make it sound like front-running wasn't what the word actually means: Bandwagoners. Fair-weather fans.

There was another term he should have used.

So Rollins didn't quite mean to sound so negative.

No excuse.

Jimmy Rollins returned home Tuesday night and was booed incessantly. He went 0-for-4 in his first game back on Broad Street.

Rollins, prior to the Phillies' win over the Nationals Wednesday night, manned up to his words again. He held an interview session in the dugout and was asked about the front-runner comment. I'll give him kudos for even talking to the Philadelphia media about the subject...

For a second time, Rollins had the chance to redeem himself but fell short. Instead, he compared the fans and the baseball team to that of a boyfriend-girlfriend relationship.

Please, Jimmy. Get real.

All season Rollins has made headlines for all the wrong reasons. He's having one of the worst seasons of his career, following a remarkable MVP campaign in 2007.

And as long as Rollins keeps on doing his thing -- taking the MVP for granted and, consequently, not producing at the plate -- the Phillies aren't going to make much of a fuss in September and beyond.

After all these years, Jimmy Rollins still doesn't get Philadelphia...

Myers Masterful In Phils Win

Brett Myers continued his second-half surge, throwing nine shutout innings as the Phillies claimed a 4-0 win over the Nationals Thursday night.

Myers scattered eight hits and struck out seven lowly Nationals, who dropped their 12th straight decision.

Since Myers' return from class-AAA Lehigh Valley, the right-hander has posted a 1.94 ERA in six starts. Overall, Myers improved to 6-10 on the year, lowering his 5.79 ERA upon his return to the bigs to 4.71 following Tuesday's performance.

The Phillies offense continued to show signs of promise. August has been a trying month for Philadelphia, which was batting only .197 prior to the Washington series.

Gregg Dobbs hit his sixth homer of the season, a two-run shot against Collin Balester to give the Phils a 3-0 lead in the fifth inning. Jayson Werth poked a two-out, run-scoring single to right field to account for the team's final run.

Myers' progression is a blessing for a Phillies rotation that continues to pitch very well while the offensive doldrums persist. The Phillies have won four of five games after getting swept in four games to the Dodgers last week.

The Phillies remain 1 1/2 games behind the Mets for first place in the division.

Notes

- Pedro Feliz was activated from the disabled list but did not play.

- Jimmy Rollins collected his first hit since returning home. Rollins was chastised recently for comments made regarding the Phillies fans.

-Chase Utley had two hits, including a double, that he stroked to the opposite field.

Pelfrey Pitches First Complete Game of Career

In the fastest game that Mets played this season in 2 hrs and 8 minutes, Mike Pelfrey has pitched his first career complete game in a 6-3 victory over the Braves tonight at Shea. It seems lately that if Mets pitchers give up only three hits going into the ninth, Jerry Manuel will give them a chance for a complete game. We saw that Sunday when Johan Santana pitched his second complete game against the Pirates when he gave up three hits in a 4-0 Mets victory.

With the win, the Mets have reached 70 wins for the season, and Pelfrey became the first 12 game winner on the staff. I predict that the NL East winner will have to win at least 90 games to take the division. That means that the Mets will have to go 20-15 over their last 35 games. They're schedule is weak outside of two series versus the Brewers and Cubs. Can it be done? Of course it can. Will it be done? That remains to be seen, and coming off the collapse of last season coupled with all the injuries this year, I'm very skeptical. However, if the Mets can keep taking care of business by beating the lesser teams, we may be seeing baseball in NY in October, and for once, it won't involve the Yankees.

Mets sign former Tampa Bay closer Al Reyes

The Mets announced that they’ve signed the former Tampa Bay closer Al Reyes. The right-hander, who was released 10 days ago, has been assigned to Double-A Binghamton. The goal is to get him sharp after the time off since his release. Should he be promoted to the big league club, he would be the active member of the bullpen with the most career saves - 32. Reyes had 26 saves last season for the then-Devil Rays. This season he was 2-2 with a 4.37 ERA in 22 games. He was never the Rays closer because they acquired Troy Percival.


On the topic of closers, the Mets are giving no timetable for a possible return of closer Billy Wagner from elbow inflammation. His agent, however, told 1050 ESPN that after a doctor’s appointment Tuesday the pitcher was "surprised it will take three weeks." In other injury news, Ryan Church (concussion) and Luis Castillo (hip flexor) will both play tonight for Binghamton. It’s the last rehab game Castillo is permitted, but that doesn’t mean he rejoins the team automatically. He could return to Florida to work on his swing.

Wagner unable to come off DL as expected, may be done for year

Mets All-Star Closer Billy Wagner has more pain and swelling in his pitching elbow, and is out indefinitely. Wagner had an MRI exam Tuesday that revealed additional inflammation in his left elbow. The NL East leaders don't know when Wagner might be able to return to the mound, if at all, this season. The Mets had hoped to activate Wagner from the disabled list Monday in Pittsburgh. However, he felt discomfort in his elbow after throwing a simulated game Saturday and was sent back to New York for further evaluation.

Kunz Sent to AAA

Before the Mets lost to Pittsburgh 5-2 today, it was announced that Eddie Kunz was optioned to New Orleans of the Pacific Coast League (AAA).

Win Streak Ends At 6

The Mets road winning streak has ended at six. Just like last Monday when Pirates Right Fielder Steve Pearce had a game winning hit in a 7-5 victory over the Mets, he had a key hit in the Pirates 5-2 victory today.

Duaner Sanchez, who has been awful lately, was awful again today, as he came in with the score tied at two in the eighth inning, and gave up three hits. It all started when he relieved Pedro Feliciano with one out and a runner on first. The runner on first was First Baseman Adam LaRoche, who singled to center. The first batter Sanchez faced was Left Fielder Jason Michaels who singled to center, and moved to third on an over throw by Left Fielder Endy Chavez. Next up, Third Baseman Andy LaRoche who was intentionally walked to load the bases. Up after LaRoche, Steve Pearce, who singled in Adam LaRoche to give the Pirates a 3-2 lead, their first lead of the series.

After the Pearce single, up stepped Shortstop Jack Wilson, who was Pittsburgh's main supply of offense for the series. Today, Wilson followed Pearce's single with a two run double that scored Michaels and Andy LaRoche. Joe Smith came in to relieve Sanchez after the double to get the final two outs of the inning.

The Mets got the tying run up in the top of the ninth in the person of Second Baseman Argenis Reyes, after both Damion Easley and Robinson Cancel walked, but Reyes was unable to do anything, as he grounded out to end the ball game.

The Mets could have, and should have won this ball game. They had numerous opportunities to score but were unable to do anything. In the first, they had two on, but only came away with one run after a Carlos Beltran sacrifice fly. In the fourth, they had two on, but only came away with one run after a Carlos Delgado ground out. In the six, they wasted a leadoff double by Nick Evans. In the eighth, they had bases loaded, and got nothing in. Finally, in the ninth, as I said, they had the tying run up in the person of Argenis Reyes, but he grounded out to end the ball game.

Just when the Mets were looking like they were about to get on a roll, they play a game like this, which is one they should have won. As the season starts to wind down, it makes me wonder if they will even get into the playoffs. If they keep struggling on offense with RISP (runners in scoring position), and if the bullpen keeps imploding, the answer will be NO.

Mets Take 6th Straight; Trade for Reliever

The New York Mets look to be taking care of the teams that they should finally, after winning their sixth straight on the road today by a score of 4-0 behind a strong performance by Johan Santana, and the bats of Brian Schneider and Carlos Beltran.

Johan pitched his second complete game of the season and the fifth shutout of his career as he held the Pirates to three hits while striking out seven and walking nobody over the nine innings. The scoring for the Mets got started in the second when Schneider homered over the right field wall to stake the Mets out to an early 2-0 lead. Daniel Murphy scored in front of Schneider's homer after walking to lead off the inning. Then, in the top of the 4th, Schneider singled home Beltran for a 3-0 lead after Beltran singled to right to lead off the inning. In the top of the 6th, it was Beltran's turn to do some hitting as he hit his 17th homer of the season over the right field wall to give the Mets a 4-0 lead.

Second Baseman Argenis Reyes had three hits as well for the Mets, who have won six straight and 10 of 13. Santana retired his first 10 hitters before Shortstop Jack Wilson singled and Second Baseman Freddy Sanchez reached on an error by Jose Reyes in the fourth. Wilson had two hits for the Pirates, who have dropped four straight and seven of nine.

Santana threw 85 of 113 pitches for strikes en route to his eighth career complete game and second this season. His previous shutout was June 19, 2007, when he blanked the Mets while a member of the Twins. The win gave the Mets their six consecutive road win for the first time since 2001.

Before the game, the Mets announced that they had acquired some much needed bullpen help by getting Luis Ayala from the Nationals in exchange for up and coming Second Baseman Anderson Hernandez. A reliable reliever for the first four years of his career, Ayala has dipped to 1-8 with a 5.77 ERA this season. He's appeared in 62 games, which ranks among the major league leaders.

The 30-year-old Ayala was the longest-tenured Nationals player, having joined the club in 2003 when it was located in Montreal. He was 26-24 with a 2.82 ERA and nine saves in 258 appearances from 2003-07. He missed the 2006 season following elbow surgery, then returned to the mound last year and went 2-2 with a 3.19 ERA in 44 games."They're fighting for first place, so I'm going to do my best to clear my mind and try to help the bullpen," Ayala said.

Ayala pitched two scoreless innings against the Mets on Wednesday during New York's 12-0 victory at last-place Washington."The two innings he faced us, he threw strikes," Manuel said Sunday. "He attacked the hitters. I kind of expect the same thing. Plus, he's experienced. That's important."

To make room for Ayala on the 40-man roster, the Mets transferred outfielder Moises Alou from the 15-day disabled list to the 60-day DL. Alou is out for the season following hamstring surgery.

The 25-year-old Hernandez hit .138 in 35 games with the Mets from 2005-07, and was batting .203 with five homers and 36 RBIs in 125 games this year at Triple-A New Orleans.
Hernandez batted .301 in 128 games at New Orleans last year and would provide depth at shortstop for Washington.

Mets Win 5th Straight; Wagner Out Longer Than Expected

Coming off a 2-1 win in the series opener against the Pirates on Friday night, the Mets quickly jumped out to a 4-0 lead against the Bucs and Pitcher Zach Duke tonight. Jose Reyes led off the game with his 13th home run of the year to give the Mets a 1-0 lead. After Nick Evans lined out, David Wright singled. Then, Carlos Beltran doubled to bring home Wright to make it 2-0. After a Carlos Delgado ground out moved Beltran to third, a Fernando Tatis single brought home Beltran to give the Mets a 3-0 lead after one.

In the top of the second, the scoring continued as Pedro Martinez singled after Ramon Castro struck out looking. With Pedro on first, Reyes hit a triple to center on which, he almost lapped Pedro to make the score 4-0 New York. Ramon made amends for his strikeout, when in the 6th; he hit a 2 run homer over the left field wall that also scored Damion Easley who singled. The home run made it 6-0 Mets.

The Pirates cut the deficit to 6-1 when Third Baseman Andy LaRoche hit a solo shot off of Pedro over the left field wall in the bottom of the 7th, but the Mets got the 6 run lead right back in the top of the 8th, when Carlos Delgado scored on a bases load walk.

If you've been following the Mets this season, you know that no win comes easy, and that the bullpen has been very shaky since Wagner has gone on the DL. Tonight was no exception. Leading 7-1, the fun began in the bottom of the 9th. It all started when Eddie Kunz, who hadn't pitched in 6 days came in to face Left Fielder Brandon Moss. Moss greeted Kunz with a single to center. Up next, Right Fielder Steve Pearce who got hit by a pitch. After Pearce, up stepped Shortstop Jack Wilson who doubled in Moss to make the score 7-2. A wild pitch by Kunz created the third run when Pearce scored. Finally, Eddie's Kunz's night was finished when a single by Center Fielder Nate McLouth scored Wilson to make the score 7-4. Kunz was only able to record one out while out there, a ground out back to him by Pinch Hitter Jason Michaels.

Joe Smith came on and tried to relieve Kunz, but he gave up a single to Second Baseman Freddy Sanchez. Not wanting to see another lead get away, Manager Jerry Manuel pulled Smith in favor of Pedro Feliciano. Pedro came in and finally shut the door on the Bucs, as he got Catcher Ryan Doumit to fly out for the second out, and First Baseman Adam LaRoche to ground out to end the ball game.

With the Mets win comes some bad news. Before the start of the game, it was announced by Mets Management that Billy Wagner would not be activated off of the DL on Monday as was expected. He will not come off because while throwing in a simulated game today, he said that while the forearm for which he went on the DL was fine, he felt some soreness in the elbow. That news threw up red flags, and Mets Management said that he would go back to NY for tests. More details to follow as they become available.

Mets Swat Nats, Finish Off Sweep

After suffering a heartbreaking 7-5 loss in the final game of the home stand to the Pirates, the Mets headed out to Washington, and righted the ship...for a series at least, by sweeping the Nationals. The first game was a nail biter, but Damion Easley used his head, and the Mets hung on for a 4-3 victory. No, Easley didn't make a smart play; he literally got hit in the head by a pitch to force in the game winning run, which was a victory that finally gave Johan Santana his 10th win of the season.

Last night, the bats exploded, as the Mets crushed the Nats 12-0 behind powerful offensive performances by Daniel Murphy, Carlos Beltran, and Fernando Tatis. Murphy homered and drove in three to help John Maine win in his first start since coming off of the DL. Murphy went 3-for-6 and scored twice and is batting .467 (14-for-30) since being called up from Triple-A New Orleans on Aug. 2. His RBI single drove in the first run of an eight-run third that gave New York a 10-0 lead and let most of the team's embattled bullpen take a night off. He also singled in the 8th. Beltran drove in two runs when he doubled in the third, and Fernando Tatis hit a homer in the 2nd, and had an RBI single in the 3rd.

Of Murphy's hot start, Catcher Brian Schneider said, "He is getting it done, more than anything he is learning, learning the pitchers and learning what to do in the clubhouse. I know it has been a good experience for him. We can't expect him to do anything more."

Tonight was more of the same, as the Mets put up 9 runs in a 9-3 route to finish off the sweep before heading to Pittsburgh, looking for revenge in a 4 game set. Brian Schneider homered against his former team again and Carlos Delgado also went deep. Schneider, the former Nationals catcher, hit a two-run drive off of Collin Balester in the fifth to give the Mets a 4-0 lead. It was his first homer since May 14, also against Washington. Delgado connected for his 26th homer in the sixth, and also drove in a run with a ground out in the fourth. Damion Easley gave the Mets some insurance in the ninth with a pinch-hit, two-run single. The Mets also added two more runs in the 9th on a throwing error by Second Baseman Emilio Bonifacio.

The win gave the Mets a half-game lead in the NL East over Philadelphia, who is playing in Los Angeles tonight. On a injury note, Mets Closer Billy Wagner continued he rehab tonight by pitching for the Binghamton Mets. He is scheduled to pitch for the Brooklyn Cyclones on Saturday, and make his return to the big club on August 18.

Farmer's Almanac

Rookie Leagues: GCL Braves SS, Robert Brooks, is looking like one of the steals of this year's draft early on. The 20th round pick out of Wallace St. (AL) CC has torn up developmental league pitching, hitting .357 (.444 against lefties), 2 HR, and 6 doubles in 34 games since signing. The 20 year old is showing solid speed as well, with 5 triples and 11 steals in 11 attempts... 26th round pick, Calvin Culver is also surprising in his first pro season. The OF from Pierce JC in Los Angeles is hitting an unspectacular .261, but is leading the team in doubles (14) and RBI (18)... 2nd round pick and native Atlantan, Zeke Spruill, (Kell HS) is a remarkable 6-0 in his first 8 pro appearances... Danville OF, Gerardo Rodriguez, is tied for the Appalachian League lead in HR with 11... 2008 12th round pick, David Francis, is 4-2 with a 2.09 ERA in 8 appearances. Francis has also struck out 52 in just 38 innings pitched, including 16 in one 6 inning start.

A: Three teenagers--Jason Heyward (OF), Freddie Freeman (1B), and Cody Johnson (OF)-- continue to lead an otherwise paltry Rome offense. In the South Atlantic League batting race, Heyward (.325) and Freeman (.317)--both 18 years old--are second and seventh respectively, while Johnson (19 years old) is second in the league with 20 home runs after hitting 4 last week. Additonally, Freeman leads the league in RBI (87) with Johnson (70) currently seventh... 2008 3rd round selection, Craig Kimbrel, has dominated since getting called up to Rome. The righty reliever has five appearances, garnering either a win (two of them), or a save (3) in each one. Most remarkably, Kimbrel has allowed only one base runner and has struck out 15 of the 22 batters he's faced, walking none... Besides Kimbrel, Rome's bullpen also boasts RHP Benino Pruneda ( 3.15 ERA, 3 Saves, 65 K in 45.2 Innings), and LHP Thomas Palica (3.84, 7, 67 in 58.2 IP)... At High Class A, Myrtle Beach's offensive lineup is putting on a show. Seven of the top 13 HR hitters in the Carolina league play for the Pelicans... OF Willie Cabrera leads the team with a .298 average, while also hitting 14 HR and placing second on the club with 31 doubles... C/1B Tyler Flowers has been the Pelicans best overall hitter. The 22-year-old is batting .297 (2nd on team, 7th in league) with 15 HR (6th, 9th), 76 RBI (2nd, 4th), and 87 BB (1st, 1st), along with a .437 OBP (1st, 2nd)... LHP Scott Diamond, has pitched 15 consecutive scoreless innings, and leads the Carolina League with 11 wins, despite making only 14 appearances.

Mississippi: SS Brandon Hicks is hitting .333 in 11 games since coming up from Myrtle Beach... Number one prospect, Jordan Schafer, has been inconsistent after coming off a 50 game suspension. The CF is hitting .245 with only 5 HR in 65 games... Top pitching prospect, LHP Tommy Hanson, is beginning to own AA just as he has every other level. In 15 starts at Mississippi, the lefty has a 7-3 record, and 3.39 ERA. In his last four appearances, Hanson is 3-0, 1.11 ERA, and 38 K in 24.1 IP... RHP Todd Redmond leads the team in wins (10) and is second in the rotation to Hanson in ERA (3.50).

Richmond: CF Josh Anderson is third in the International league BA (.311), and is fourth in steals (37)... Pitching prospect, James Parr has been up and down since being called up from AA. The lefty is 1-3 with a 4.78, and 28 K in 32 IP. Fourteen of Parr's 17 earned runs at Richmond came in only three of his starts.

Another Game, Another Lead Coughed Up By the Pen

It seems like I'm blogging about the same thing every time I write a new post. It's a game summary in which the Mets bullpen blew another lead. Today, the pen blew the game for Pedro Martinez.

After jumping out to a quick 4-0 lead thanks to a 3 run home run by David Wright in the first, and a Robinson Cancel run scoring single in the second, the Bucs got a run back in the third thanks to a run scoring single by First Baseman, and former Met Doug Mintkiewicz to cut the Mets lead to 4-1.

However, Cancel struck again in the bottom of the 6th with a homer to left to make the score 5-1 Mets. The scored stayed that way until the top of the 7th, when the Mets pen got tagged for three runs. It all started when Pinch Hitter Freddy Sanchez hit a run scoring double off of Joe Smith, who relieved Pedro, who allowed one run and three hits over six innings. After Smith's turn, it was time for Pedro Feliciano to get lit up. That he did, as Doug Mintkiewicz doubled to score Sanchez, to make the score 5-3, and then Catcher Ryan Doumit hit a sacrifice fly to make the score 5-4 Mets.

The bullpen destruction wasn't complete until the top of the 9th, when the Mets gave up another three runs to make the score its final of 7-5 Pirates. The ninth inning disaster got started when Doumit tied the score at 5 with a run scoring single off of Aaron Heilman. Then, Right Fielder Steve Pearce hit a 2 run single off of Scott Schoeneweis to complete the comeback.

After the game, Manager Jerry Manuel who got ejected for arguing balls and strikes in the bottom of the ninth, promised changes, and wasn't ruling anything out. "I might start using starters down there," he said with a grin. "We can't continue to perform this way late in the game; we have to make some adjustments. I have to figure out what I have and who is willing to step up in those roles."

Today's collapse by the pen marked the ninth time this season that the Mets have lost a game in which they led in the eighth inning or later. Today, Heilman absorbed his third blown save in five opportunities and is 1-4 with a 10.97 ERA in his last nine games.

To touch on what Manuel said again, he said: "I have to figure out what I have and who is willing to step up in those roles." Well Jerry, what you have is absolute garbage.

Phillies Notebook: Pirates Series, Manuel-Myers Exchange, J.A. (Not)Happ(y), Tom Gordon, Scott Eyre

My sincerest apologies to the TheNLEastBlog.com faithful for not bringing you Phillies news and pithy opinion the last couple days. I was enjoying a vacation of sorts in Myrtle Beach, S.C., where of all places I nearly brawled with a Mets fan (yeah, go figure).

-The Pirates series over the weekend wasn't quite as encouraging as a two-out-of-three would suggest. Why? Because the bats are still broken. Thursday afternoon when Cole Hamels was pitching very well against the Marlins, the Phillies' offense was in lock down mode and Hamels wound up suffering his eighth loss of the year. The Fish won the game, 3-0, and took the three-game series,

The next night, the Phillies played 12 full innings and couldn't scrap a run against the Pirates, dropping a 2-0 decision. The Phillies actually went 24 consecutive innings without scoring a run, dating back to a 5-0 win over Florida Wednesday night. Unbelievable.



So, the Phillies got another strong effort from Brett Myers (hey, third win in a row!) and, despite some shouting in the dugout/clubhouse (more on that in a second), the Phillies snapped a mini two-game skid to defeat the lowly Pirates, 4-2.

On Sunday, Jamie Moyer pitched six strong innings and helped his cause by reaching on a crazy three-base error and scoring on a Jimmy Rollins sacrifice fly. Chase Utley broke a 3-3 tie in the seventh inning and snapped an 0-for-12 skid with a two-run homer over the right-field scoreboard. The Phillies held on to win, 6-3.

The Phillies travel West for a four-game series with the Dodgers beginning Thursday night. From there they'll head to San Deigo to face the Padres for three game.
-I got a text from a buddy of mine while I was in Myrtle Beach, saying that "Myers/Manuel went at it 2nite good stuff haha" Not knowing exactly what my friend was saying, I turned to ESPN and watched the highlights myself. Myers and Manuel were face-to-face as Myers was displeased that the skipper pulled him from the game after 7 2/3 innings. Afterwards, player and coach defused the issue, saying something like "emotions got the best of me" blah blah blah.

I would say that it was good to see Myers so upset for being taken out of the game. And normally I'll critique every little thing Manuel does. However, Myers has no right to give his manager grief about this. Myers is a guy who one month ago was pitching in class-AAA trying to save his career. Quite frankly, Brett Myers is living on borrowed time this season. Now that he's pitching well, he feels he can bitch out the manager. Well Brett, maybe if you were 19-5 and not 5-9 with a 5.07 ERA, you'd have that luxury.



-J.A. Happ was optioned back to Lehigh Valley over the weekend. Happ was recalled with the idea he would start for the Phillies. However, the Philies' starting pitching has done remarkably well lately, thus there was no room for Happ. Happ was "hugely disappointed," he said to reporters, but that accepting an assignment to class-AAA where he can continue to start is the best option for him, "I guess."



- Tom Gordon pulled himself from his class-A Clearwater rehabilitation outing last week. He could need Tommy John surgery.


Gordon, who has been on the disabled list since July 6, will seek a second opinion on his elbow sometime today.


Head athletic trainer Scott Sheridan told Phillies.com that the team isn't "optimistic" Gordon will pitch again this season.


Tough break for Flash. The 40-year-old had posted a 3.68 ERA since Opening Day when h gave up five runs in 1/3 inning. He may never pitch again.



-With the acquisition of Eyre, the Phillies are hoping he will help fill the void left by Gordon and become another reliable situational left-hander. Eyre, who battled injuries while the Cubs this season, made his Phillies debut Sunday when he got the team out of a first-and-second jam in the seventh inning and earned the win.

The Fish Fry the Mets in Series Finale

Well, so much for the sweep. The Mets got pounded by the Marlins today by a score of 8-2, as Mike Pelfrey continues to struggle against the fish. Second Baseman Dan Uggla had two doubles and three RBIs, Left Fielder Luis Gonzalez and First Baseman Mike Jacobs each homered and Catcher Matt Treanor had a run scoring single.

The Mets had won nine of Pelfrey's last 10 starts coming in, but he gave up six runs in 4 2/3 innings in this one. The Marlins have scored at least five runs in each of his three starts against them this season."I think I made some bad pitches," Pelfrey said. "I made some stupid pitches, and when I did they made me pay for them.

On an injury note, Mets closer Billy Wagner is on track throw a couple of innings at Class A Brooklyn next weekend as he rehabs from a strained left forearm. He's scheduled to return from the DL on Aug. 18.

Mets Looking Strong As They Go for Sweep Tomorrow

In my first post since my rant about how the Mets need to push their starters as far as possible, I have seen that they did it last night, but not tonight. However, the key is that they won both ball games as they go for the sweep tomorrow.

Last night Oliver Perez pitched his heart out by throwing 120 pitches in seven innings, giving up just two hits, while walking three and striking out eight. Behind a two run homer by David Wright and a solo shot by Carlos Delgado, Aaron Heilman, who was using a revamped motion, struck out three in two innings to close out Oliver Perez's dominant performance, and send the Mets home happy with a 3-0 victory. He struck out two of three batters in the ninth for his first save in three chances, and first since Aug. 25, 2007, against the Dodgers. When asked if he wants to be the closer until Wagner returns, Heilman said, "If that's what it's going to be I'll take the ball."

Tonight, Heilman got his second consecutive save as the Mets held on to beat the fish by a score of 8-6. Carlos Delgado hit a mammoth home run in the 1st, Dan Murphy added the first of his big league career in the 6th, Carlos Beltran homered and drove in three runs, and David Wright had three hits to keep the Mets a game behind division-leading Philadelphia.

However, it took four relievers to get it done after call up Brian Stokes coughed up a 4-0 lead. Stokes left after 5 and 2/3 innings giving up seven hits and four runs, while walking one and striking out six. Scott Schoeneweis faced one batter and got him out in the 6th, Duaner Sanchez gave up a harmless double to Hanley Ramirez in the 7th, Joe Smith came on in the 8th, and gave up a run scoring double to Mike Jacobs and a run scoring single to Wes Helms, but as was said before, Heilman was able to close the door in the 9th, and preserve an 8-6 victory for the Mets.

Tomorrow, Mike Pelfrey goes for the sweep as he faces Josh Johnson. Stay tuned.

Walk-Off Winners

If this continues, I'm going to die before I'm 30. The Mets won in walk-off fashion today by a score of 5-3 to take two out of three from one of the NL's worst teams in the Padres, but both wins were struggles because the pen blew leads.

In the first game, the Mets hung on to win by a score of 6-5 after it took three relievers to get three outs in the bottom of the ninth. The Mets came into the ninth with a 6-2 lead. The Pads won last night's game by a score of 4-2, and today's game was another game that the bullpen almost let get away.

Behind yet another solid performance by Johan Santana, the Mets entered the 8th with a 3-1 lead. After the Padres jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning thanks to a home run by Left Fielder Chase Headley, the Mets answered back in the bottom of the fourth when first Carlos Beltran doubled to lead off the inning, then Fernando Tatis walked, and then rookie first baseman Dan Murphy singled to score Beltran to tie the score at one.

Murphy's single also moved Tatis over to third, and a single by First Baseman Nick Evans scored Tatis to give the Mets a 2-1 lead. The Mets added the third run when Nick Evans hit a sacrifice fly to right that scored Murphy in the bottom of the 6th. Murphy led off the inning with a single, and then moved to third on a single by Catcher Robinson Cancel, who subbed for Ramon Castro, who left in the fifth inning because of a sore right ankle.

Now that you're caught up on how the score was 3-1 in the eighth, let's get to that eighth, and what happened there. To lead off the eighth, Shortstop Luis Rodriguez singled off of Johan Santana, as did the next batter Pitch Hitter Edgar Gonzalez.

After two hits, Manuel had seen enough, and removed Santana in favor of Duaner Sanchez. Here's where I get angry. You have your best pitcher on the mound. You're paying him $137 million dollars. Your closer is on the DL, and your relievers have been awful as of late. Logic says to leave Santana in. However, the Mets defy logic by pulling Santana in favor of Sanchez who throws only one pitch. That one pitch hits Scott Hairston to load the bases. After Sanchez exits, in comes Pedro Feliciano, who gets Pinch Hitter Brian Giles to ground out into a fielder's choice.

Next up, First Baseman Adrian Gonzalez. Gonzalez proceeds to single to left to bring in his brother Edgar to cut the deficit to 3-2. After the Gonzalez single, Joe Smith relives Feliciano, and gets Third Baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff to ground into a double play to end the inning. After a quiet bottom of the 8th by the Mets, it's onto the ninth, and a chance for Scott Schoeneweis to close it out.

Of course he couldn't. After getting Headley to fly out for the first out, Jody Gerut who killed the Mets this series, unloaded a game tying homer into right field. It was Gerut's third homer and fifth RBI of the series. After Schoeneweis blew the lead, Aaron Heilman got the final two outs of the inning to give the Mets a chance to win it in the bottom of the ninth.

To lead off Endy Chavez, who came on in the top of the ninth for defensive purposes, singled. After that, Jose Reyes failed to get the bunt down, and popped out. Following him was Second Baseman Argenis Reyes. He lined out to left. After Reyes, up stepped David Wright, who was trying to make amends for his error that in part, cost the Mets the game last night.

Make amends is just what he did, as he took a 1-0 pitch from former Met Heath Bell, and homered over the left field wall for a two-out two-run walk off home run.

The Mets took two out of three from one of the NL's worst teams in the Padres like I said earlier. However, with the Marlins coming into Shea tomorrow night for a huge three game series, the bullpen continues to go in the wrong direction. Santana, who is just 9-7 in his first season with the Mets, continues to get burned by the pen. Today's start according to the Elias Sports Bureau was the sixth time in 24 starts this season that he came out with a lead and failed to win. In six of those, the collapse came in the ninth inning. He has seven no-decisions, and in six of those, allowed three runs or fewer.

The Mets only chance of acquiring a reliever is through the wavier wide, and that doesn't look like it's going to happen. The Mets have Eddie Kunz up who had 27 saves in the Eastern League before being called up. However, Jerry Manuel has said that he'd prefer to bring Kunz along slowly and get his feet wet with some success in New York before handing the pressure-packed closer's role to him in the big leagues.

Well, Jerry here's a newsflash for you. Your Closer is on the 15 day DL. Unless you want to fall completely out of the race, you must do two things. Since your bullpen is hideous, you must allow your starters to go at least eight innings if they can, and you must let Eddie Kunz close NOW. If you don't do these things, you and the Mets will be watching the playoffs and World Series on TV just like you were last year after the collapse. The choice is yours buddy.