The John Delcos New York Mets Report Featuring Mets' commentary, analysis and news.

The last time Johan Santana pitched he told manager Jerry Manuel to leave him alone, that he could go ten innings.

Game #119 at Astros

Want to bet there will be a similar conversation tonight?

For the first time in two months, the Mets the first game of a road series last night. They’ll try to make it two in a row tonight behind Santana (10-6, 2.89), who is coming off a masterful 4-0 blanking of the Colorado Rockies. They haven’t won two straight on the road since June 11-18.

Santana admits there’s a certain degree of pressure when he takes the mound considering the Mets’ lackluster offense.

“Every time we go out there, we go out there with the mentality of winning,’’ said Santana, who has given up nine hits in 16 1/3 scoreless innings in his last two starts.

Over his last nine starts Santana is 5-1 with a 1.88 ERA. With a little run support he could have 15 victories by now.

Two slumbering Mets showed wake-up signs last night. David Wright had three hits and Carlos Beltran had two, including a home run.

Posted under New York Mets 2008-09

I think it’s safe to say things aren’t going to fundamentally change for the Mets any time soon. They might get hot for a week or two, perhaps even hang around on the fringe of the pennant race, but the foundation of this mediocrity won’t change.

There will undoubtedly be a managerial firing, but unless they bring in a heavyweight, the hierarchy will stay the same.

Speaking at an SNY function yesterday, Mets owner Fred Wilpon gave a vote of confidence to GM Omar Minaya. When asked Thursday if Minaya would be back next year, Wilpon said: “Is the sun going to come up tomorrow?”

Minaya is signed through the 2012 season and owed $2 million.

Manager Jerry Manuel does not have a contract for next season and it has been consistently reported the Mets have to make the playoffs if he’s to return.

S0, next year shouldn’t be that much different than this year.

Posted under New York Mets 2008-09

Game #107 vs. Braves

RA Dickey remains one of the few positives in a season that has turned negative.  In a little less than a month the Mets have gone from two games behind Atlanta to 7 ½ games, plus eight back in the wild card race.

A 6-16 slide will do that to a team.

The Mets have already lost their first must-win game of this series and will give the ball to Dickey tonight and hopes he can keep their slim hopes alive.

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Posted under New York Mets 2008-09

Technically, the Mets could run the table this week and be back in the race before they return home. There is also enough time left where they could pick up a game a week and be there in the end.

Game #106 at Braves

That’s all possible, but the Mets have given us no indication either scenario will happen. They haven’t played well enough on the road to think such a hot streak is in the cards. They also haven’t played consistently enough to give reason to believe the methodical way would work, either.

The Mets, losers of 12 of 17 games since the All-Star break, have shown no inclination of turning things around. They have Johan Santana (8-5, 3.11) hoping to rebound against a seven-run outing in his last start against St. Louis.

That game came on the heels of a stretch in which he went 3-0 with a 0.58 ERA.

Santana has pitched well in eight starts against the Braves since joining the Mets – a sparkling 1.79 ERA – but is a dismal 2-4 because of a lack of run support, getting two or fewer runs in each game.

The Mets’ struggles started prior to the All-Star break as they have lost 15 of 21 games, including two of three to the Braves at Citi Field. They saved the worse for Sunday when they were pummeled, 14-1, by Arizona (they have lost five of six to the Diamondbacks in the last two weeks).

“It definitely hurts your pride a little bit when you perform in that manner,’’ manager Jerry Manuel said. “We didn’t pitch, we didn’t hit, we didn’t play defense.’’

Posted under New York Mets 2008-09

The Mets have given up most of the ground they gained in June. They are 5-13 for July, including losers of four straight and seven of eight on this road trip. They have lost 6 ½ games in the standings to be 7 ½ games behind the Braves.

Game #97 at Dodgers

There’s still time, but it is amazing how it slips away.

Things are even more pressing considering the Mets have three games with the Dodgers, and three each with St. Louis, Atlanta and Philadelphia. They also have three with Arizona, but all they need to do is look at the beginning of the week to know that’s not a slam dunk.

For all the talk about needing another starter, which is still true considering Mike Pelfrey’s slide and the erratic performances of Hisanori Takahashi, it is the offense that has collapsed, scoring four runs or fewer in their last 13 games.

Going tonight is Johan Santana, who knows something about non-support as he has watched the Mets give him three runs or less in 12 of his 20 starts.

“This is a team effort, and it’s part of the game,” Santana said. “We’re going to struggle sometimes, we’re going to do good sometimes. All I got to do is go out there and do my job and try to help to get a win. That’s the way I approach the game.’’

Santana has done his part, with the Mets winning his last three starts. He is 2-0 with a 0.38 ERA in that span.

“We’ve got to eventually turn this thing around,” said manager Jerry Manuel. “Somebody’s got to find a way to get hot and carry us for a minute.’’

Well, a little bit more than a minute would be nice.

Posted under New York Mets 2008-09

Game #79 at Nationals

Johan Santana takes the mound tonight looking to avoid losing his third straight start when the Mets go to Washington.

Santana (5-5, 3.55 ERA) has been uncharacteristically poor recently, going 1-3 with a 5.96 ERA in his last four starts.

“Is he frustrated? I don’t know, but he’s a competitor,’’ catcher Rod Barajas said. “He wants the ball every five days and when he doesn’t pitch as well as he thinks he should, he takes it hard. I don’t know if frustrated is the word, probably a little anger because he knows he has the stuff.’’

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Posted under New York Mets 2008-09

Games #73-74-75

Folks. I have an obligation this weekend I must attend and won’t be back until Sunday afternoon.

I’m leaving the Chat Room open throughout the weekend for the Minnesota series and encourage you to post your thoughts when the mood strikes.

I don’t like leaving when the team is playing so well, but this is an obligation I can’t break.

Tonight, the Mets will attempt to get back to the winning side of the ledger behind Mike Pelfrey, who is coming off a 5-3 loss to the Yankees last weekend.

Pelfrey gave up five runs and a pair of two-run homers in seven innings of a 5-3 loss.

“He’s still a young pitcher who, over the course of a season and in his career, will hit small bumps,’’ manager Jerry Manuel said. “He just has to look back on them and get better.’’

Johan Santana and Jon Niese will start the next two games of the series.

Angel Pagan is expected to miss tonight’s game with a muscle spasm in his right side, but should return tomorrow.

Posted under New York Mets 2008-09

MANUEL: Looks indecisive.

Carlos Beltran said he felt better than expected after last night’s Single-A rehab game in Port St. Lucie. Beltran also said he would like to play in the Marlins series next week in Puerto Rico.

Manager Jerry Manuel waffled on the subject, first intimating it was possible then saying it was unlikely. What he didn’t do was what he should have done, and slammed the door on the issue.

“No, he’s not playing,’’ Manuel should have said. “I can appreciate him wanting to, but we have a plan for him and that would be rushing it.’’

There, now it is a closed case.

Manuel waffles all the time on a variety of issues, many of them injury related. It makes him come across as unsure and uninformed.

The last thing the Mets need is a setback with Beltran, and that’s exactly what could happen if they rush him. Why is that so hard to understand? Why can’t he just say it.

Posted under New York Mets 2008-09