That’s now, and things could change if they lose 20 in a row or some other unfathomable number.
Of course, the last time such a conversation circulated about the Mets Willie Randolph was fired, so, who really knows?
The offensively challenged Mets have lost 14 of their last 20 games, and nine times in that span they’ve scored no more than one run.
They are in Washington tonight against the Nationals, who have lost 10 of their last 11. If the Mets are to get on a little run, it has to start tonight. Nine games behind the Phillies, and 10 in the loss column, the Mets have nowhere to go but up.
Technically, that’s not true, but you get the idea.
“Where do we go from here?’’ Manuel said. “We have to sit down and make some decisions. We talked about that today. We feel like we still can get some things done.’’
What those things are, he wouldn’t say, but they’ll have to be accomplished without Carlos Beltran and Jose Reyes, both whom remain without a return timetable.
The Mets will go tonight with Livan Hernandez, who is 2-0 with a microscopic 0.56 ERA this year against the Nationals. However, once 5-1, Hernandez has lost his last four starts and is winless since June 7.
He has given up 15 runs on 21 hits with eight walks in his last two games, totaling just seven innings.
The Mets will be without Gary Sheffield again tonight, and will go with this line-up:
Angel Pagan, CF
Luis Castillo, 2B
Daniel Murphy, 1B
David Wright, 3B
Jeff Francoeur, RF
Jeremy Reed, LF
Alex Cora, SS
Brian Schneider, C
Livan Hernandez, RP