O M Gee, it's the second coming of Matlack

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One of my earliest memories as a Mets fan is the 1976 season. I was 7 years old, and played a lot of baseball in the street with the kids down the block. And I recall very distinctly talking about the major league season that had just ended, when the Mets finished in third place, and thinking that was pretty good. Kids — so full of hope.

One of our favorite players was Jon Matlack. He was third on the staff behind Seaver and Koosman, but he was younger and kind of underrated. He won 17 games in 1976 and was awesome.

Then 1977 happened. Seaver was traded in the middle of June, the Mets fell off a cliff, and in December they traded Matlack -- a 26-year-old potential ace -- in a four-team trade that also saw them deal John Milner, only to get the immortal Willie Montanez, Tom Grieve and Ken Henderson (the player to be named later) in return.

It took seven years for the Mets to recover, and to their credit they put together a pretty good team. And while Matlack won 15 games the next year, he got hurt and was never the same.

(Another reason I liked Matlack was he looked just like Herman Munster. Or more accurately, Fred Gwynne.)

But when Matlack was a Met, he was fantastic. And now Dillon Gee has tied Matlack's team record for being the only rookies to start 5-0. Gee doesn't have the high leg kick of Matlack, but his delivery is effortless and while he doesn't have overpowering stuff, he knows how to mix his pitches and attack a lineup. He struck out eight Pirates Monday night and all of a sudden, we don't miss Chris Young as much.

Jose Reyes was out on bereavement leave at the passing of his grandmother, and Terry Collins still kept Jason Bay on the bench for a rest, despite the fact that he has a five-game hitting streak and we've been waiting forever for him to stay hot.

There wasn't much power in the lineup, but the Mets singled the Buccos to death. Josh Thole delivered the big hit, a two-run double that broke a 3-3 tie. Justin Turner added an RBI double the next inning and he continues to rake.

As for the Phillies series, it was frustrating but not discouraging. Yes, we dodged Lee and Halladay and you would have liked to have won two at home, but the first two games were good games ruined either by a misplay or bullpen failure. I had more of a problem with Collins removing Capuano when he did than I did when he took out Pelfrey, although isn't Byrdak our top lefty guy? Still, O'Connor had one job, to get one out, and he failed.

With three more against Pittsburgh, this could be the cure for what ails the Mets, who will be without Reyes until at least Wednesday. Hopefully Bay hasn't cooled off any and continues to hit, as does Daniel Murphy, who could be playing first for a while with the news that Ike Davis needs his ankle re-examined, which is never good. Hey, more at-bats for Turner.

You know when it's real

To contact us Click HERE
So Dillon Gee is now 6-0 after shutting down the Braves on Saturday night. Any thoughts of this guy being a fluke or some flash in the pan are quickly evaporating, as they should, especially after he allowed just four hits and two walks in seven shutout innings.

And he's now 8-2 in 13 major league starts, with an ERA of 2.61.

He's the real deal.

Jose Reyes hit his 10th triple of the season, which came with the bases loaded and one out, on the heels of Jason Pridie's bases-loaded single that broke a scoreless tie. Fredi Gonzales lifted Jair Jurrjens after Pridie's pinch hit, and Reyes burned Scott Proctor and broke the game open.

Jose Reyes is the real deal.

In fact, it's getting to the point that if the Mets do trade Reyes this season — and we're finally starting to see stories about how the Mets may actually want to keep Reyes and Wright, or at least Reyes, which should be obvious to anyone with half a brain — the fans will burn Citi Field to the ground.

And I may be the one handing out torches.

Daniel Murphy had two hits and all of a sudden is batting .303, and Josh Thole had a nice night with two hits. Jason Bay was dropped to sixth in the order and I can't argue. The guy has got to get on track.

Rubber game Sunday night, painfully on ESPN. The good news is I will DVR the game and watch it with the volume practically off, so I can fast forward at will knowing I won't miss any commentary worth hearing. And that includes Bobby V. I loved the guy when he managed, but as a color guy, he's a great manager.

What's so funny 'bout singles, doubles & triples?

To contact us Click HERE

Tags: Elvis Costello, Music, More Music VideosMore wisdom from the Book of Mex this weekend, as he recalled that the Cardinals teams he played on were pretty successful and they didn't have a lot of power. But they played in a big ballpark, and had a bunch of guys who could get hits, including doubles and triples, and there was nothing wrong with that.

So here we have the Mets, winners of six of their last eight and now a game removed from .500 (again), who in their recent run of success have slapped around opposing pitchers without getting the knockout punch. Their hit totals of the last four games: 12, 10, 13 and 11.

Other than the back-to-back homers by Scott Hairtson and Jose Reyes, which were icing on the cake of Sunday's 7-0 shutout, the Mets have gotten by with singles, doubles and triples, and lots of them. They have even showed an ability to get two-out hits, which at the beginning was as foreign to them as  humility is to LeBron James (we are all Nowitznesses).

The power drought is no surprise considering the lack of David Wright and Ike Davis, and the struggles of Jason Bay, but one of Terry Collins' strengths is not bemoaning what he doesn't have, and focusing on what he does have. And it turns out he has quite a bit.

Jose Reyes had three hits and has 33 multiple-hit games, tops in the majors. The guy is just awesome, no other way to put it.

Daniel Murphy is hitting better than .400 for the last three weeks, and Justin Turner continues to rake, getting a clutch, two-out double that kick-started a four-run eighth that put the game away.

I'll admit I wasn't crazy about pinch hitting for Chris Capuano in that inning. He was dominating the Pirates and his pitch count was low, and Willie Harris is far from a sure thing pinch hitting with two outs. But this decision went Collins' way, as Harris got a single, Reyes got a single, and then Turner doubled, followed by a two-run single by Beltran, and then the weird play where Jason Bay scored Murphy on a sac fly, but Angel Pagan was called out for not tagging second on the way back to first.

Capuano's start was just the lastest in a string of quality starts by Mets pitchers, and it's to the point now where — so unlike where things stood in April — I am confident with any Mets starter now.

Pelfrey may be the only one where you wonder what you're going to get, and he's been much better lately. Niese? Consistently good. Capuano? Solid. Dickey? He's had some troubles so far but you know he's got the ability to shut a team down. And Gee? He's been unreal. Just tremendous.

If you're a Mets fan, I don't know how you don't love this team. Young guys stepping up. A manager who holds everyone accountable and keeps everyone involved. An MVP-like year from Reyes. Great starting pitching, including a player who came from nowhere.

I've said it before, that for a team that had no expectations, there has been a ton of pressure placed on it, especially by the media. Which has put the team in the position of "searching for light in the darkness of insanity," to quote Mr. Costello.

They're finding that light. And if they can ever get Wright and Davis back (and Santana), it's going to get a whole lot brighter.

They ain't dead yet

To contact us Click HERE


I stopped listening to Benigno and Roberts on WFAN back in May because (1) Benigno is a moron and (2) for guys who claim to be Mets fans, they are awfully negative. But because the FAN is the No. 1 AM station on my car stereo, when I head out to grab lunch, out of habit I'll tune in to 660 and occasionally catch a bit of their show, against my better judgement.

So there I was this afternoon, running out to the Landmark Deli for an "Emeril Calling" roast beef wrap, when I turned on the radio just in time to hear those paragons of positivity declare several times, while discussing what kind of return the Mets could get for Carlos Beltran, that the Mets are dead.

I'll admit that my optimism borders on the lunatic. I'm the kind of fan who will hold on to every last shred of hope until mathematical elimination is nigh. But really, with more than a third of the season left to play, we're calling the Mets done?

Sure, Atlanta was 7 1/2 games ahead of the Mets in a crowded field for the Wild Card entering Tuesday's second game of a four-game set in Cincinnati. But 60 games is a lot of baseball left, so could we please hold off on the shovels? Good Lord.

Yes, to win 90 games the Mets would need to go 39-21 over their final 60 games while the Braves go no better than 30-29 in their final 59. Unlikely? Maybe. Impossible? Not at all.

The Mets took a step forward and improved to 52-51 with an 8-6 win over the Reds Tuesday night in a game that featured some sloppy play by the home team and some very gutsy work by a shorthanded Mets bullpen, with Beato, Acosta, Igarashi and Byrdak combining to save a win for Jon Niese, who imploded in the fifth after four solid innings.

The Mets have had a tough schedule so far, particularly since May 27, when 14 of the 18 series were against playoff contenders. The only games that weren't were against Oakland and the Dodgers (Mets went 5-2) and five against the Marlins (the Mets won just once). In that stretch of 51 games, the Mets went 26-25. Not bad, considering the strength of schedule and the lack of David Wright, Ike Davis, and for a bit, Jose Reyes.

The rest of the way gets easier, providing the Mets get better at home. After this road trip the Mets will have the final third of the season left, 54 games, and 33 will be at Citi Field. They play the Braves nine times, six at home. That's an opportunity.

Terry Collins has expected his players to step up when needed all season, and when Beltran is traded, that just means Lucas Duda and Jason Pridie will have a chance to show what they have. Collins mentioned this week that if Beltran leaves and he senses any negativity in the clubhouse, he'll move quickly to squash it, noting that most of the players are fighting not only to win games now but for a spot on the roster next season. So there's dual motivation.

As for Beltran, we keep hearing that the Mets won't get top prospects for a two-month rental, but the fact remains that among the outfielders who will be available, Beltran is the best player and the biggest impact bat. So Sandy Alderson is smart to wait this out to the end to see who coughs up the most.

But I'm at a point where if the offers for Beltran are that underwhelming -- and especially if the Mets can pick up another game or two between now and Friday -- the Mets should just keep Beltran and ride the season out. (As I finish this, the Mets could pick up another half game and move to 6 1/2 games out if the Pirates can beat the Braves, but it's the top of the 18th inning. Yikes.)

With so many home dates left, the Mets should consider the value of keeping its top players and going for it. If it doesn't work out, so what? They lose out on a couple of middling prospects.

But if the Mets can catch fire? How much are all those "meaningful games" worth, not just in dollars but in karma?

Like I said, I'm a lunatic. Or fanatic. A fan.

Know when to hold 'em, Sandy

To contact us Click HERE


Prior to the season, there were two things we wanted Sandy Alderson to do — release Luis Castillo and Oliver Perez. He did, and it sent a message that things were going to be different under this new regime.

Fast forward to July. The Mets have hovered on the fringe of the wild card race despite missing David Wright for two months and Ike Davis longer than that, with no Johan Santana at all. Terry Collins is getting the most out of his players (except for Angel Pagan and Jason Bay), but with the trade deadline approaching, two players loom large as Alderson balances the present and the future — Frankie Rodriguez and Carlos Beltran.

K-Rod has a clause in his contract that has a $17 million option for 2012 triggered by 55 games closed. Beltran is a pending free agent who by contract cannot be offered arbitration, meaning the Mets get no draft picks for him if he goes elsewhere next season.

Alderson managed both situations perfectly. He quietly moved K-Rod during the All-Star break for players to be named later, and then got a premier starting pitcher prospect from the Giants for Beltran.

Both moves were necessary for the future. As for the present, the Mets had closing options in Jason Isringhausen and Bobby Parnell, and moving Beltran gave Lucas Duda a chance to show why he was the organization's player of the year last year (and maybe provide the lefty power missing since Davis left).

The Mets have dealt with the changes extremely well, and swept the Reds in Cincinnati. As of Thursday night they are 6 1/2 games behind the Braves at 54-51, with 57 games remaining and three days left before the trading deadline.

Now what we want Alderson to do is: nothing.

The future is secure. There's tons of money off the payroll next season. The team is playing well, and despite what many have to say, the Mets are certainly in the playoff hunt. The chemistry is good. Daniel Murphy and David Wright are hitting machines. Bay had a huge day Thursday and is destined to get hot, as he usually does each season (except last year).

Sandy, stand pat.

You did what you had to do. There are 33 home games left and this team is fun to watch. Keep what you've got and give the fans a reason to come to the park and spend money. Keep this team as it stands now intact and see if it can't make a run in the final third of the season. See if Davis, who says his ankle is pain-free, can come back. See if Johan Santana, who threw three solid rehab innings today, can join the rotation by September.

No one in the clubhouse is waving a white flag. Isringhausen and Byrdak can contribute to this team making a playoff push, not someone else.

Job well done, Sandy. Now sit back, relax, and see what these kids can do.

We might be surprised.

O M Gee, it's the second coming of Matlack

To contact us Click HERE
One of my earliest memories as a Mets fan is the 1976 season. I was 7 years old, and played a lot of baseball in the street with the kids down the block. And I recall very distinctly talking about the major league season that had just ended, when the Mets finished in third place, and thinking that was pretty good. Kids — so full of hope.

One of our favorite players was Jon Matlack. He was third on the staff behind Seaver and Koosman, but he was younger and kind of underrated. He won 17 games in 1976 and was awesome.

Then 1977 happened. Seaver was traded in the middle of June, the Mets fell off a cliff, and in December they traded Matlack -- a 26-year-old potential ace -- in a four-team trade that also saw them deal John Milner, only to get the immortal Willie Montanez, Tom Grieve and Ken Henderson (the player to be named later) in return.

It took seven years for the Mets to recover, and to their credit they put together a pretty good team. And while Matlack won 15 games the next year, he got hurt and was never the same.

(Another reason I liked Matlack was he looked just like Herman Munster. Or more accurately, Fred Gwynne.)

But when Matlack was a Met, he was fantastic. And now Dillon Gee has tied Matlack's team record for being the only rookies to start 5-0. Gee doesn't have the high leg kick of Matlack, but his delivery is effortless and while he doesn't have overpowering stuff, he knows how to mix his pitches and attack a lineup. He struck out eight Pirates Monday night and all of a sudden, we don't miss Chris Young as much.

Jose Reyes was out on bereavement leave at the passing of his grandmother, and Terry Collins still kept Jason Bay on the bench for a rest, despite the fact that he has a five-game hitting streak and we've been waiting forever for him to stay hot.

There wasn't much power in the lineup, but the Mets singled the Buccos to death. Josh Thole delivered the big hit, a two-run double that broke a 3-3 tie. Justin Turner added an RBI double the next inning and he continues to rake.

As for the Phillies series, it was frustrating but not discouraging. Yes, we dodged Lee and Halladay and you would have liked to have won two at home, but the first two games were good games ruined either by a misplay or bullpen failure. I had more of a problem with Collins removing Capuano when he did than I did when he took out Pelfrey, although isn't Byrdak our top lefty guy? Still, O'Connor had one job, to get one out, and he failed.

With three more against Pittsburgh, this could be the cure for what ails the Mets, who will be without Reyes until at least Wednesday. Hopefully Bay hasn't cooled off any and continues to hit, as does Daniel Murphy, who could be playing first for a while with the news that Ike Davis needs his ankle re-examined, which is never good. Hey, more at-bats for Turner.

You know when it's real

To contact us Click HERE
So Dillon Gee is now 6-0 after shutting down the Braves on Saturday night. Any thoughts of this guy being a fluke or some flash in the pan are quickly evaporating, as they should, especially after he allowed just four hits and two walks in seven shutout innings.

And he's now 8-2 in 13 major league starts, with an ERA of 2.61.

He's the real deal.

Jose Reyes hit his 10th triple of the season, which came with the bases loaded and one out, on the heels of Jason Pridie's bases-loaded single that broke a scoreless tie. Fredi Gonzales lifted Jair Jurrjens after Pridie's pinch hit, and Reyes burned Scott Proctor and broke the game open.

Jose Reyes is the real deal.

In fact, it's getting to the point that if the Mets do trade Reyes this season — and we're finally starting to see stories about how the Mets may actually want to keep Reyes and Wright, or at least Reyes, which should be obvious to anyone with half a brain — the fans will burn Citi Field to the ground.

And I may be the one handing out torches.

Daniel Murphy had two hits and all of a sudden is batting .303, and Josh Thole had a nice night with two hits. Jason Bay was dropped to sixth in the order and I can't argue. The guy has got to get on track.

Rubber game Sunday night, painfully on ESPN. The good news is I will DVR the game and watch it with the volume practically off, so I can fast forward at will knowing I won't miss any commentary worth hearing. And that includes Bobby V. I loved the guy when he managed, but as a color guy, he's a great manager.

What's so funny 'bout singles, doubles & triples?

To contact us Click HERE

Tags: Elvis Costello, Music, More Music VideosMore wisdom from the Book of Mex this weekend, as he recalled that the Cardinals teams he played on were pretty successful and they didn't have a lot of power. But they played in a big ballpark, and had a bunch of guys who could get hits, including doubles and triples, and there was nothing wrong with that.

So here we have the Mets, winners of six of their last eight and now a game removed from .500 (again), who in their recent run of success have slapped around opposing pitchers without getting the knockout punch. Their hit totals of the last four games: 12, 10, 13 and 11.

Other than the back-to-back homers by Scott Hairtson and Jose Reyes, which were icing on the cake of Sunday's 7-0 shutout, the Mets have gotten by with singles, doubles and triples, and lots of them. They have even showed an ability to get two-out hits, which at the beginning was as foreign to them as  humility is to LeBron James (we are all Nowitznesses).

The power drought is no surprise considering the lack of David Wright and Ike Davis, and the struggles of Jason Bay, but one of Terry Collins' strengths is not bemoaning what he doesn't have, and focusing on what he does have. And it turns out he has quite a bit.

Jose Reyes had three hits and has 33 multiple-hit games, tops in the majors. The guy is just awesome, no other way to put it.

Daniel Murphy is hitting better than .400 for the last three weeks, and Justin Turner continues to rake, getting a clutch, two-out double that kick-started a four-run eighth that put the game away.

I'll admit I wasn't crazy about pinch hitting for Chris Capuano in that inning. He was dominating the Pirates and his pitch count was low, and Willie Harris is far from a sure thing pinch hitting with two outs. But this decision went Collins' way, as Harris got a single, Reyes got a single, and then Turner doubled, followed by a two-run single by Beltran, and then the weird play where Jason Bay scored Murphy on a sac fly, but Angel Pagan was called out for not tagging second on the way back to first.

Capuano's start was just the lastest in a string of quality starts by Mets pitchers, and it's to the point now where — so unlike where things stood in April — I am confident with any Mets starter now.

Pelfrey may be the only one where you wonder what you're going to get, and he's been much better lately. Niese? Consistently good. Capuano? Solid. Dickey? He's had some troubles so far but you know he's got the ability to shut a team down. And Gee? He's been unreal. Just tremendous.

If you're a Mets fan, I don't know how you don't love this team. Young guys stepping up. A manager who holds everyone accountable and keeps everyone involved. An MVP-like year from Reyes. Great starting pitching, including a player who came from nowhere.

I've said it before, that for a team that had no expectations, there has been a ton of pressure placed on it, especially by the media. Which has put the team in the position of "searching for light in the darkness of insanity," to quote Mr. Costello.

They're finding that light. And if they can ever get Wright and Davis back (and Santana), it's going to get a whole lot brighter.

They ain't dead yet

To contact us Click HERE


I stopped listening to Benigno and Roberts on WFAN back in May because (1) Benigno is a moron and (2) for guys who claim to be Mets fans, they are awfully negative. But because the FAN is the No. 1 AM station on my car stereo, when I head out to grab lunch, out of habit I'll tune in to 660 and occasionally catch a bit of their show, against my better judgement.

So there I was this afternoon, running out to the Landmark Deli for an "Emeril Calling" roast beef wrap, when I turned on the radio just in time to hear those paragons of positivity declare several times, while discussing what kind of return the Mets could get for Carlos Beltran, that the Mets are dead.

I'll admit that my optimism borders on the lunatic. I'm the kind of fan who will hold on to every last shred of hope until mathematical elimination is nigh. But really, with more than a third of the season left to play, we're calling the Mets done?

Sure, Atlanta was 7 1/2 games ahead of the Mets in a crowded field for the Wild Card entering Tuesday's second game of a four-game set in Cincinnati. But 60 games is a lot of baseball left, so could we please hold off on the shovels? Good Lord.

Yes, to win 90 games the Mets would need to go 39-21 over their final 60 games while the Braves go no better than 30-29 in their final 59. Unlikely? Maybe. Impossible? Not at all.

The Mets took a step forward and improved to 52-51 with an 8-6 win over the Reds Tuesday night in a game that featured some sloppy play by the home team and some very gutsy work by a shorthanded Mets bullpen, with Beato, Acosta, Igarashi and Byrdak combining to save a win for Jon Niese, who imploded in the fifth after four solid innings.

The Mets have had a tough schedule so far, particularly since May 27, when 14 of the 18 series were against playoff contenders. The only games that weren't were against Oakland and the Dodgers (Mets went 5-2) and five against the Marlins (the Mets won just once). In that stretch of 51 games, the Mets went 26-25. Not bad, considering the strength of schedule and the lack of David Wright, Ike Davis, and for a bit, Jose Reyes.

The rest of the way gets easier, providing the Mets get better at home. After this road trip the Mets will have the final third of the season left, 54 games, and 33 will be at Citi Field. They play the Braves nine times, six at home. That's an opportunity.

Terry Collins has expected his players to step up when needed all season, and when Beltran is traded, that just means Lucas Duda and Jason Pridie will have a chance to show what they have. Collins mentioned this week that if Beltran leaves and he senses any negativity in the clubhouse, he'll move quickly to squash it, noting that most of the players are fighting not only to win games now but for a spot on the roster next season. So there's dual motivation.

As for Beltran, we keep hearing that the Mets won't get top prospects for a two-month rental, but the fact remains that among the outfielders who will be available, Beltran is the best player and the biggest impact bat. So Sandy Alderson is smart to wait this out to the end to see who coughs up the most.

But I'm at a point where if the offers for Beltran are that underwhelming -- and especially if the Mets can pick up another game or two between now and Friday -- the Mets should just keep Beltran and ride the season out. (As I finish this, the Mets could pick up another half game and move to 6 1/2 games out if the Pirates can beat the Braves, but it's the top of the 18th inning. Yikes.)

With so many home dates left, the Mets should consider the value of keeping its top players and going for it. If it doesn't work out, so what? They lose out on a couple of middling prospects.

But if the Mets can catch fire? How much are all those "meaningful games" worth, not just in dollars but in karma?

Like I said, I'm a lunatic. Or fanatic. A fan.

Know when to hold 'em, Sandy

To contact us Click HERE


Prior to the season, there were two things we wanted Sandy Alderson to do — release Luis Castillo and Oliver Perez. He did, and it sent a message that things were going to be different under this new regime.

Fast forward to July. The Mets have hovered on the fringe of the wild card race despite missing David Wright for two months and Ike Davis longer than that, with no Johan Santana at all. Terry Collins is getting the most out of his players (except for Angel Pagan and Jason Bay), but with the trade deadline approaching, two players loom large as Alderson balances the present and the future — Frankie Rodriguez and Carlos Beltran.

K-Rod has a clause in his contract that has a $17 million option for 2012 triggered by 55 games closed. Beltran is a pending free agent who by contract cannot be offered arbitration, meaning the Mets get no draft picks for him if he goes elsewhere next season.

Alderson managed both situations perfectly. He quietly moved K-Rod during the All-Star break for players to be named later, and then got a premier starting pitcher prospect from the Giants for Beltran.

Both moves were necessary for the future. As for the present, the Mets had closing options in Jason Isringhausen and Bobby Parnell, and moving Beltran gave Lucas Duda a chance to show why he was the organization's player of the year last year (and maybe provide the lefty power missing since Davis left).

The Mets have dealt with the changes extremely well, and swept the Reds in Cincinnati. As of Thursday night they are 6 1/2 games behind the Braves at 54-51, with 57 games remaining and three days left before the trading deadline.

Now what we want Alderson to do is: nothing.

The future is secure. There's tons of money off the payroll next season. The team is playing well, and despite what many have to say, the Mets are certainly in the playoff hunt. The chemistry is good. Daniel Murphy and David Wright are hitting machines. Bay had a huge day Thursday and is destined to get hot, as he usually does each season (except last year).

Sandy, stand pat.

You did what you had to do. There are 33 home games left and this team is fun to watch. Keep what you've got and give the fans a reason to come to the park and spend money. Keep this team as it stands now intact and see if it can't make a run in the final third of the season. See if Davis, who says his ankle is pain-free, can come back. See if Johan Santana, who threw three solid rehab innings today, can join the rotation by September.

No one in the clubhouse is waving a white flag. Isringhausen and Byrdak can contribute to this team making a playoff push, not someone else.

Job well done, Sandy. Now sit back, relax, and see what these kids can do.

We might be surprised.

You know when it's real

To contact us Click HERE
So Dillon Gee is now 6-0 after shutting down the Braves on Saturday night. Any thoughts of this guy being a fluke or some flash in the pan are quickly evaporating, as they should, especially after he allowed just four hits and two walks in seven shutout innings.

And he's now 8-2 in 13 major league starts, with an ERA of 2.61.

He's the real deal.

Jose Reyes hit his 10th triple of the season, which came with the bases loaded and one out, on the heels of Jason Pridie's bases-loaded single that broke a scoreless tie. Fredi Gonzales lifted Jair Jurrjens after Pridie's pinch hit, and Reyes burned Scott Proctor and broke the game open.

Jose Reyes is the real deal.

In fact, it's getting to the point that if the Mets do trade Reyes this season — and we're finally starting to see stories about how the Mets may actually want to keep Reyes and Wright, or at least Reyes, which should be obvious to anyone with half a brain — the fans will burn Citi Field to the ground.

And I may be the one handing out torches.

Daniel Murphy had two hits and all of a sudden is batting .303, and Josh Thole had a nice night with two hits. Jason Bay was dropped to sixth in the order and I can't argue. The guy has got to get on track.

Rubber game Sunday night, painfully on ESPN. The good news is I will DVR the game and watch it with the volume practically off, so I can fast forward at will knowing I won't miss any commentary worth hearing. And that includes Bobby V. I loved the guy when he managed, but as a color guy, he's a great manager.

What's so funny 'bout singles, doubles & triples?

To contact us Click HERE

Tags: Elvis Costello, Music, More Music VideosMore wisdom from the Book of Mex this weekend, as he recalled that the Cardinals teams he played on were pretty successful and they didn't have a lot of power. But they played in a big ballpark, and had a bunch of guys who could get hits, including doubles and triples, and there was nothing wrong with that.

So here we have the Mets, winners of six of their last eight and now a game removed from .500 (again), who in their recent run of success have slapped around opposing pitchers without getting the knockout punch. Their hit totals of the last four games: 12, 10, 13 and 11.

Other than the back-to-back homers by Scott Hairtson and Jose Reyes, which were icing on the cake of Sunday's 7-0 shutout, the Mets have gotten by with singles, doubles and triples, and lots of them. They have even showed an ability to get two-out hits, which at the beginning was as foreign to them as  humility is to LeBron James (we are all Nowitznesses).

The power drought is no surprise considering the lack of David Wright and Ike Davis, and the struggles of Jason Bay, but one of Terry Collins' strengths is not bemoaning what he doesn't have, and focusing on what he does have. And it turns out he has quite a bit.

Jose Reyes had three hits and has 33 multiple-hit games, tops in the majors. The guy is just awesome, no other way to put it.

Daniel Murphy is hitting better than .400 for the last three weeks, and Justin Turner continues to rake, getting a clutch, two-out double that kick-started a four-run eighth that put the game away.

I'll admit I wasn't crazy about pinch hitting for Chris Capuano in that inning. He was dominating the Pirates and his pitch count was low, and Willie Harris is far from a sure thing pinch hitting with two outs. But this decision went Collins' way, as Harris got a single, Reyes got a single, and then Turner doubled, followed by a two-run single by Beltran, and then the weird play where Jason Bay scored Murphy on a sac fly, but Angel Pagan was called out for not tagging second on the way back to first.

Capuano's start was just the lastest in a string of quality starts by Mets pitchers, and it's to the point now where — so unlike where things stood in April — I am confident with any Mets starter now.

Pelfrey may be the only one where you wonder what you're going to get, and he's been much better lately. Niese? Consistently good. Capuano? Solid. Dickey? He's had some troubles so far but you know he's got the ability to shut a team down. And Gee? He's been unreal. Just tremendous.

If you're a Mets fan, I don't know how you don't love this team. Young guys stepping up. A manager who holds everyone accountable and keeps everyone involved. An MVP-like year from Reyes. Great starting pitching, including a player who came from nowhere.

I've said it before, that for a team that had no expectations, there has been a ton of pressure placed on it, especially by the media. Which has put the team in the position of "searching for light in the darkness of insanity," to quote Mr. Costello.

They're finding that light. And if they can ever get Wright and Davis back (and Santana), it's going to get a whole lot brighter.

They ain't dead yet

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I stopped listening to Benigno and Roberts on WFAN back in May because (1) Benigno is a moron and (2) for guys who claim to be Mets fans, they are awfully negative. But because the FAN is the No. 1 AM station on my car stereo, when I head out to grab lunch, out of habit I'll tune in to 660 and occasionally catch a bit of their show, against my better judgement.

So there I was this afternoon, running out to the Landmark Deli for an "Emeril Calling" roast beef wrap, when I turned on the radio just in time to hear those paragons of positivity declare several times, while discussing what kind of return the Mets could get for Carlos Beltran, that the Mets are dead.

I'll admit that my optimism borders on the lunatic. I'm the kind of fan who will hold on to every last shred of hope until mathematical elimination is nigh. But really, with more than a third of the season left to play, we're calling the Mets done?

Sure, Atlanta was 7 1/2 games ahead of the Mets in a crowded field for the Wild Card entering Tuesday's second game of a four-game set in Cincinnati. But 60 games is a lot of baseball left, so could we please hold off on the shovels? Good Lord.

Yes, to win 90 games the Mets would need to go 39-21 over their final 60 games while the Braves go no better than 30-29 in their final 59. Unlikely? Maybe. Impossible? Not at all.

The Mets took a step forward and improved to 52-51 with an 8-6 win over the Reds Tuesday night in a game that featured some sloppy play by the home team and some very gutsy work by a shorthanded Mets bullpen, with Beato, Acosta, Igarashi and Byrdak combining to save a win for Jon Niese, who imploded in the fifth after four solid innings.

The Mets have had a tough schedule so far, particularly since May 27, when 14 of the 18 series were against playoff contenders. The only games that weren't were against Oakland and the Dodgers (Mets went 5-2) and five against the Marlins (the Mets won just once). In that stretch of 51 games, the Mets went 26-25. Not bad, considering the strength of schedule and the lack of David Wright, Ike Davis, and for a bit, Jose Reyes.

The rest of the way gets easier, providing the Mets get better at home. After this road trip the Mets will have the final third of the season left, 54 games, and 33 will be at Citi Field. They play the Braves nine times, six at home. That's an opportunity.

Terry Collins has expected his players to step up when needed all season, and when Beltran is traded, that just means Lucas Duda and Jason Pridie will have a chance to show what they have. Collins mentioned this week that if Beltran leaves and he senses any negativity in the clubhouse, he'll move quickly to squash it, noting that most of the players are fighting not only to win games now but for a spot on the roster next season. So there's dual motivation.

As for Beltran, we keep hearing that the Mets won't get top prospects for a two-month rental, but the fact remains that among the outfielders who will be available, Beltran is the best player and the biggest impact bat. So Sandy Alderson is smart to wait this out to the end to see who coughs up the most.

But I'm at a point where if the offers for Beltran are that underwhelming -- and especially if the Mets can pick up another game or two between now and Friday -- the Mets should just keep Beltran and ride the season out. (As I finish this, the Mets could pick up another half game and move to 6 1/2 games out if the Pirates can beat the Braves, but it's the top of the 18th inning. Yikes.)

With so many home dates left, the Mets should consider the value of keeping its top players and going for it. If it doesn't work out, so what? They lose out on a couple of middling prospects.

But if the Mets can catch fire? How much are all those "meaningful games" worth, not just in dollars but in karma?

Like I said, I'm a lunatic. Or fanatic. A fan.

Know when to hold 'em, Sandy

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Prior to the season, there were two things we wanted Sandy Alderson to do — release Luis Castillo and Oliver Perez. He did, and it sent a message that things were going to be different under this new regime.

Fast forward to July. The Mets have hovered on the fringe of the wild card race despite missing David Wright for two months and Ike Davis longer than that, with no Johan Santana at all. Terry Collins is getting the most out of his players (except for Angel Pagan and Jason Bay), but with the trade deadline approaching, two players loom large as Alderson balances the present and the future — Frankie Rodriguez and Carlos Beltran.

K-Rod has a clause in his contract that has a $17 million option for 2012 triggered by 55 games closed. Beltran is a pending free agent who by contract cannot be offered arbitration, meaning the Mets get no draft picks for him if he goes elsewhere next season.

Alderson managed both situations perfectly. He quietly moved K-Rod during the All-Star break for players to be named later, and then got a premier starting pitcher prospect from the Giants for Beltran.

Both moves were necessary for the future. As for the present, the Mets had closing options in Jason Isringhausen and Bobby Parnell, and moving Beltran gave Lucas Duda a chance to show why he was the organization's player of the year last year (and maybe provide the lefty power missing since Davis left).

The Mets have dealt with the changes extremely well, and swept the Reds in Cincinnati. As of Thursday night they are 6 1/2 games behind the Braves at 54-51, with 57 games remaining and three days left before the trading deadline.

Now what we want Alderson to do is: nothing.

The future is secure. There's tons of money off the payroll next season. The team is playing well, and despite what many have to say, the Mets are certainly in the playoff hunt. The chemistry is good. Daniel Murphy and David Wright are hitting machines. Bay had a huge day Thursday and is destined to get hot, as he usually does each season (except last year).

Sandy, stand pat.

You did what you had to do. There are 33 home games left and this team is fun to watch. Keep what you've got and give the fans a reason to come to the park and spend money. Keep this team as it stands now intact and see if it can't make a run in the final third of the season. See if Davis, who says his ankle is pain-free, can come back. See if Johan Santana, who threw three solid rehab innings today, can join the rotation by September.

No one in the clubhouse is waving a white flag. Isringhausen and Byrdak can contribute to this team making a playoff push, not someone else.

Job well done, Sandy. Now sit back, relax, and see what these kids can do.

We might be surprised.

South Carolina Pours It On Against Georgia, 35-7

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Southeastern Conference football under the lights. What could be better?

Wiz correspondent Greg Laughlin took in Saturday night's Georgia-South Carolina game in Columbia, which was won by the Gamecocks by the surprising score of 35-7. Bulldog quarterback Aaron Murray and linebacker Christian Robinson were in for a surprise when they return to Athens. The house they shared had been "egged and rolled," Robinson said on his Twitter account.

There are more photos from Saturday's festivities after the jump, or you can click here to view Greg's full gallery.

It's a Slow Recovery for Brandon Webb

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After weeks of positive reviews, free agent to be Brandon Webb has experienced a set back:

Webb initially was going to throw to hitters Sunday or Monday, but that session was pushed back a couple of days. Manager A.J. Hinch said Webb might throw a bullpen session next instead of live batting practice, but did not set a date.

"He's not feeling bad, but he's not feeling strong," Hinch said. "It's not necessarily that unexpected. He is seven months post-surgery and these things get a little testy from time to time."

Webb, coming off shoulder surgery in August, was unavailable for comment before the Diamondbacks faced the Colorado Rockies in a split-squad game. But the 2006 NL Cy Young Award winner sent word through a team spokesman that he felt fine after playing catch.

Hinch has said Webb could pitch in his first spring game around the middle of the month. But Webb, who made only one start in 2009, likely will need to throw at least a couple more times before making his first start.

"He's not having trouble being on the mound," Hinch said. "He's not having trouble every time he throws a baseball like he did last season. He's in a little bit of a dead period in his rehab program that we're trying to get him past before we move him on."

Webb is so important to the 2010 Diamondbacks that the team has no reason to push him hard right now. Patience is the key word. As Webb looks forward towards free agency, teams might shy away from him if he spends considerable time on the DL, but Webb needs to do everything possible to perform at a high level for an extended period of time this season.

Even though thr 2010 season has yet to officially begin, doubts are growing about Webb's ability to land a multi year contract this winter. I hope he proves me wrong, but only time will tell.

David Ortiz's Future with the Red Sox

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When you think about the Red Sox from 2003-2009, the image of David Ortiz immediately comes to mind. Big Papi has been the face of the Red Sox since he burst onto the scene in 2003, but will 2010 be Ortiz's final season with the Sawx? You be the judge:

Ortiz is tight-lipped when asked if there is anything that might be weighing on him. The most obvious potential source of discontent is his contract situation: The Red Sox hold an option on the 2011 season for $12.5 million.

Ortiz said he has had no conversations with the club regarding his contract.

"I'm just focusing on playing, not being a distraction about anything,'' he said. "It's going to be up to them to come talk to me. So I'm getting prepared to play.''

Given how poorly Ortiz played last season, there is no reason for the Red Sox to approach Ortiz about a new deal or extension at this point. The bottom line is that no matter how much Ortiz has meant to the Red Sox since 2003, he has plenty to prove to the Red Sox in 2010. If Ortiz shows that his 2009 season was not a fluke, then the Red Sox will simply let Ortiz go and go in another direction at DH.

But where this gets interesting is if Ortiz puts together a solid 2010 season. Let's say Ortiz hits .265 with 30 home runs and drives in over 100 with a .380 OBP. Would the Red Sox pick up his option then? Economically, it might not be the best decision, but could Ortiz make the Red Sox decision difficult with a solid season? No doubt. But in the end, $12.5 million is a lot to commit to a 35 year old designated hitter even one as popular and lovable as David Ortiz.

Heath Bell's Hometown Discount

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Padres closer Heath Bell will not be a free agent until after the 2011 season, but that doesn't stop folks from questioning Bell's future with the Padres. Will Bell stay in San Diego long term or will his rising salary force the Padres to eventually trade him? Common sense would suggest the latter, but Bell is willing to take less to stay in San Diego:

As for Bell, the Padres encouraged trade offers on him last summer and last offseason. Then they kept him and signed him for $4 million. Bell would have more trade value now if Padres upper-level executives had OK'd the terms that then-GM Kevin Towers and Bell's agent had agreed to in the 2008-09 offseason. According to Bell, that pact would've guaranteed him $1.2 million in 2009 and $2.1 million this year. "I like the number 21 and wanted those numbers -- 1.2 and 2.1," said Bell, who wears 21.

When the club deemed the deal too risky, Bell signed for one year and put up enough numbers to raise his salary to $4 million. He said escalators in the scuttled deal would've bumped his 2010 salary to $3 million.

Bell said he'd be agreeable to signing an extension that is budget friendly for the Padres.

This all sounds great on the surface. Bell wants to stay in San Diego and he is willing to take less money to do so. However, given that the Padres have a $40 million dollar payroll and that closers of Bell's quality make around $8 million or so annually (roughly), what are the odds that they are willing to commit somewhere in the $6-$8 million dollar range long term for a closer? Slim to none? None?

Because of their financial limitations, it might be economically impossible for the Padres to keep Bell even if he is willing to take less.

Carlos Pena's Love for Tampa

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Once again, Carlos Pena professes his love for the Rays and his desire to stay there long term. I never expected to see anyone express a strong desire to stay with the Rays long term, but wow have times changed:

Pena carries that mentality everywhere. So don't ask him if he is worried about his 0-for-18 start to Spring Training after missing the final 25 games of the 2009 season, or if he finds himself thinking about the fact that his three-year contract with the Rays expires after the season.

He doesn't.

Sure, most players will say they don't think about upcoming free agency because it's the right thing to say. But Pena absolutely lives it.

He said he never really speaks to his agent, hardball negotiator Scott Boras, about his talks with the Rays, nor does he care to hear from Boras about it.

As of now, Pena said, "nothing has really happened" in terms of a possible deal, but he wouldn't mind coming to terms on an extension during the season, because he would love nothing more than to stay with Tampa Bay.

"I think everyone knows how much I like it here, how much I appreciate this place," said Pena, who's making $10.125 million this season. "So it's one of those things I know that I cannot control, because I'm not the one in the driver's seat there. But I know what I can control -- that's be prepared, do my exercises so I can stay healthy, make sure I'm present so I can enjoy my teammates.

Somewhere in his agent headquarters, Scott Boras is probably pulling his hair out. Boras is notorious for trying to get as much money for his guys as possible, but if Pena is serious about returning to the Rays long term, then there is almost zero chance that Pena will maximize his earning potential.

But then again, this could set up an interesting sub plot. Will Boras be able to use Pena's love of Tampa as a bargaining tool with other teams? Essentially, will he be able to say to teams, "Look, Carlos loves it in Tampa and if you want to sign him, then you're going to have to pay a premium for him services." Or something to that extent.

It seems as though that the only way for Pena to maximize his value on the open market next winter is to play the field, move on from Tampa, and let Boras work his magic. But then again, Pena's priorities seem to be all about comfort and if that's the case, then his mind is probably already made up about where he would like to play in 2011 and beyond. The question then becomes if the Rays can afford to keep him.

What's In Your Back Yard? - Twitter

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I will never ever get tired of Twitter. That wonderful tool has done wonders for my business. I have met and become friends with more photographers which has thus continued to inspire my creativity. Today I just randomly signed on to the Twitter when I noticed a tweet from a fellow friend and talented photographer @SierrazaPhotog. She posted a link to photo's of things found in her backyard. So I decided to do that very same thing. Just a quick impromptu shoot of things I normally don't shoot. Thanks again Sierra! -AG
(For more of Sierra Eberly's photography visit her site at: www.photosbysierra.com)

Ok the above picture is the front of the home but I wanted to invite you in first :)













And a final photo from the front... "thanks for visiting."

The Future of Derrek Lee

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Will 2010 be the last season for Derrek Lee as a Cub? Perhaps, but it looks like there is mutual interest on both sides:

The last time Derrek Lee was up for a new contract, he signed a five-year extension at the outset of the 2006 season and suffered a season-changing wrist injury a couple of weeks later.

Now Lee is in no hurry to get a deal done before he enters his second "walk" year as a member of the Cubs, confident he'll put up the kind of numbers that will make him a coveted free agent in November.

Lee wants to end his career as a Cub, and the Cubs want him back.

But there will be no negotiations this spring and probably not any during the season. Unlike last time, there's no guarantee Lee will be back.

"I'd like to (retire as a Cub), but if it doesn't happen, I understand that also," Lee said. "It's really not a big issue."

Lee is a fan favorite in Chicago and has been one of the top players for the Cubs since his arrival in 2004, but the Cubs are making a smart choice in holding off negotiations with their first baseman. Even though Lee put together a phenomenal 2009 season at the dish, their are a number of factors that suggest that the Cubs should take negotiations slow with Lee.

1. age
-Lee will be 35 in September and the Cubs need to be completely assured that his skills are not declining before they re-commit to him

2. power
-After breaking his wrist in 2006, Lee's power numbers took a hit in both 2007 and 2008 as he failed to hit more than 22 home runs. Lee bounced back nicely in 2009 by hitting 35 home runs, but the Cubs need to make sure that his power is back for sure before giving him another lucrative extension.

3. Options
-There are a number of quality free agent first base options out there this winter so if the Cubs lose Lee, then there are a number of players who they can go after to fill the void. Even though Lee is a fan favorite in Chicago, he is replaceable should his price tag become too high for the Cubs liking.