Today is the one-year anniversary of Jerry Manuel taking over as manager of the Mets.

The Mets are basically the same place they were last year at this time, which is struggling to contend, but they are contending. It is very easy to say that had the Mets all their parts they could be in first place ahead of the Phillies. Losing Carlos Delgado, Jose Reyes, JJ Putz, Oliver Perez (the good Ollie) and John Maine has to amount to a handful of losses.

I’m not crazy about the inconsistency of the line-up, but I understand most of that is because of injuries. The use of some players has been puzzling, most notably Daniel Murphy. If you believe he’s your first baseman of the future, then put him there and leave him there. Scap the platoon with Fernando Tatis.

I’ve never understood the dynamic of his relationship with Ryan Church. Something isn’t right there. There are also some bullpen moves I don’t understand, such as sitting Brian Stokes for over a week.

Overall, he’s done more good than bad. They are hitting better with runners in scoring position – the numbers bear that out – but there seems to be too many instances of lackadaisical play, where balls aren’t run out and at-bats are given away. That has to get better.

Overall, what do you think of Jerry’s job over the past year. Do you approve? Disapprove? What do you like? What don’t you like?

The Mets come limping into Camden Yards tonight losers of four of their last six games, including a 15-0 rout to the Yankees Sunday afternoon in Johan Santana’s worst outing of the season.

If the Mets think they’ll march into Baltimore and get well just by showing up they have another thing coming, because the Orioles can hit, and Mike Pelfrey has been very hittable lately, giving up 13 runs on 15 hits in his last two starts.

Manager Jerry Manuel has been accused of waffling on Daniel Murphy and Fernando Martinez; sitting them after saying they would play. However, both are in the line-up tonight even though they are struggling.

Here’s the line-up:

Alex Cora, SS
Fernando Martinez, LF
Carlos Beltran, CF
David Wright, 3B
Gary Sheffield, DH
Daniel Murphy, 1B
Brian Schneider, C
Luis Castillo, 2B
***
Mike Pelfrey, RP

Updates: Jose Reyes doesn’t appear any closer to being ready than when he was first placed on the disabled list. … Gary Sheffield’s knee is still bothering him. Including tonight, he has three games where he can rest as the DH. … Johan Santana said there’s nothing wrong with him physically. Santana will get an extra day of rest before his next start, Saturday against Tampa Bay. If he comes out of that start with his velocity down, then maybe it might be time to be concerned.

The Washington Nationals’ Nick Johnson’s name keeps popping up as a possible plug to fill the first base hole, with the price being Bobby Parnell.

Don’t do it.

Parnell has too much of an upside and you can already see cracks forming in the bullpen bridge. Plus, Johnson has a long injury history, and from mostly freak plays, that he isn’t worth the risk. It’s a matter of time before he goes on the DL.

First base is a glaring hole, but not as much as the gap in their rotation.

I see where the tabs are calling for Omar Minaya to make a trade. So, what else is new? They are always calling for Minaya to make a trade.

But, which hole do you fill?

Do you go after a first baseman to replace Carlos Delgado and the impotent tandem of Fernando Tatis/Daniel Murphy? Delgado says he’ll be back this year, but there are no guarantees.

How about a shortstop to replace Jose Reyes, who apparently isn’t any closer to returning now than he was when he was placed on the disabled list? Alex Cora won’t hurt the Mets defensively and so far hasn’t been a offensive liability. Cora has been a fulltime player, but he won’t give them the spark of Reyes.

There’s always pitching. John Maine and Oliver Perez are on the disabled list. Mike Pelfrey has been erratic. They’ve gotten a lot from Livan Hernandez, but how long will that continue? They can’t count on big numbers from Tim Redding.

The Mets could contend with what they have at first and shortstop, but not if their pitching collapses. If they make a trade, and I believe they have to, it has to be adding pitching. I just don’t know if they have the chips to make a trade.

Going in, I never thought the Mets would win this series. The only game I had them taking was today with Johan Santana. Amazing, had Luis Castillo caught a simple pop-up, they would be going for the sweep.

That’s not how it works, but they did bounce back yesterday and must keep that up.

Not all losses are equal, and there’s no greater example than last night’s disaster when the Mets lost on Luis Castillo’s dropped Alex Rodriguez’s ninth-inning, pop-up. This was a game that was theirs. They didn’t play particularly well, but were one out away.

With John Maine on the disabled list, the Mets will go with rookie Fernando Nieve (0-0, 0.00 ERA) against Andy Pettitte (6-2, 4.22 ERA). It is not a good match-up for the Mets.

After the game, Mets manager Jerry Manuel said his team will show what it’s made of in how it responds.

Here’s tonight’s line-up:

Luis Castillo, 2B
Alex Cora, SS
Carlos Beltran, CF
David Wright, 3B
Gary Sheffield, DH
Fernando Tatis, 1B
Ryan Church, RF
Omir Santos, C
Fernando Martinez, LF

Followers of this blog know of my disdain for interleague play and the Subway Series, which I consider a gimmick that has run its course. It was all downhill after the 2000 World Series.

The players put on a good front, but the truth is most don’t like the Subway Series because it throws them out of their routines. There’s nothing compelling about it anymore, and there’s no such thing as bragging rights.

The Mets enter the weekend on a down note after losing two of three to Philadelphia. The Mets are hanging around with a minimum of offense because of the losses of Jose Reyes and Carlos Delgado.

A big reason why they are hanging around is tonight’s starter, Livan Hernandez, who has provided the innings as a fifth starter. Hernandez is coming off a June 7 victory over the Washington Nationals in which he threw seven scoreless innings. Hernandez has a nifty 1.57 ERA over his last four starts, and has allowed three runs or less in seven of his last eight.

However, Hernandez is 0-3 with a 6.75 ERA in five career starts versus the Yankees. He goes against Joba Chamberlain.

Here’s tonight’s lineup:

Alex Cora, SS
Fernando Martinez, LF
Carlos Beltran, CF
David Wright, 3B
Ryan Church, RF
Gary Sheffield, DH
Daniel Murphy, 1B
Brian Schneider, C
Luis Castillo, 2B