I'll take it

On Friday, I wrote that this series against the Marlins was big. The Mets took two of three, faltering in the final game. I'll take it.

The Mets jumped into second place, and are only two games back of the Phillies. These two teams will meet five more times before the season is over, twice in Philly and three more times back at Shea.

Looking at the schedule, the Mets will play the Nationals and the Braves a combined 18 times, and the Marlins another six times, again finishing out their regular season against the Marlins at home. Let's hope we don't have a repeat of last year.

That's a total of 29 more games against the NL East. If the Mets can go 18-11 during those games, I'll be a happy man. I'll even take 16-13.

A good series for the Mets. Wished they could have swept, but it was good enough.

In Agreement: The bullpen is coming together? What?

My friends Mets Lifer picked up on this before I had the chance to post about it, but they hit the nail right on the head.

Has Samantha Newman been living in a hole, under a rock, in China? The "Bullpen slowly coming together?" I don't think so!

The Mets blew have blown nearly every game without Billy Wagner at the back end. Only over this weekend was Aaron Heilman able to close the door on the opposing team without letting in runs or blowing the game entirely. That's coming together?

Jerry Manuel can't turn to Carlos Muniz or Eddie Kunz in a pinch. That's coming together?

Duaner Sanchez has neared 90 mph lately on rare occasions. That's coming together?

Pedro Feliciano and Scott Schoeneweis can barely be relied on for more than one batter. And that's coming together?

I know MLB writers always have to spin the team's predicament into a rosy picture, but they should really try to focus on something that is a bright spot on the team. Maybe Daniel Murphy and his hot start, or the return of Luis Castillo (ugh), or even the resurgence of Oliver Perez and how he's blossomed under Dan Warthen.

Stay out of the bullpen if you're trying to paint a pretty picture. That place is a hodgepodge of disaster right now.

TSTDIA: Marlins 8 -- Mets 2

Josh Johnson continued his dominance over the Mets, as the Marlins continued their dominance over Mike Pelfrey to spoil the Mets chance at a sweep.

Mets Song by Song: Weezer (Red Album) by Weezer

Here is another in a series of Song by Song. I will take one album and try to use all of the song titles to explain the Mets current predicament. The songs will be bolded and italicized.

This time around it's Weezer's latest album, nicknamed the "Red Album." Enjoy...

Daniel Murphy is proving to be a Troublemaker for opposing pitching. Mets fans can only hope he will be The Greatest Man That Ever Lived. Seems his parents raised him well on a steady diet of Pork and Beans.

Poor Johan Santana. He won't be writing the bullpen any Heart Songs this year. They've already blown six wins for the ace pitcher, but it's only early August.

I'm thinking Jerry Manuel gives some amazing pre-game speeches. Something along the lines of "Everybody Get Dangerous!" The offense always seems to jump out to a quick start in games, probably when the starting pitchers are still Dreamin'.

I Thought I Knew this team was going to get out of their funk, and they seem to be doing so against the NL East rivals in the Florida Marlins. They might be sinking the Fish into a Cold Dark World of a year without playoffs.

It's not going to be Automatic down the stretch for the Phillies or the Mets, as it seems like it's going to be a dogfight through September.

Today, it's The Angel and The One with Mike Pelfrey on the mound and (hopefully) Murphy in the field. These are only two of the young guns the Mets have been trotting out on the field lately, all of whom are performing very well and contributing to Mets wins.

Photo of the Day: Daniel Murphy

Daniel Murphy: 10-20, 2B, 3B, HR, 4 BB, 5 RBI

Not a bad start to a career.
(AP Photo/Ed Betz)

TSTDIA: Mets 8 -- Marlins 6

Again, despite the pitching's best effort, the Mets squeaked out with a win thanks to home runs from Carlos Delgado and Daniel Murphy, his first career home run.

The new Procede

This commercial is infuriating.

Now I'll wait for Matt Cerrone to get an interview with the old guy at the beginning.

Met-o-sphere roundup

A few links from around the Mets blogosphere...

The Youth Movement - Hot Foot

Throwing Out the First Pitch at Shea - Mets Merized Online

Again, Why Not Niese - Mets Today

NL East Breakdown Part 2 - Ramble7321

Ryan Church is cleared ready to play

Via Adam Rubin:

News out of the clubhouse: Ryan Church has been cleared to go to Florida to begin playing in minor-league games. He’ll initially DH in Port St. Lucie after working out at Shea on Saturday.

Amen!!

Don't rush him through the system, but he'd be very nice to have as Fernando Tatis seems to have cooled off very quickly.

Oh, this is wonderful news.

TSTDIA: Mets 3 -- Marlins 0

The story of tonight was Oliver Perez, who threw seven shutout innings, allowing only two hits and walking three, while striking out eight.

Aaron Heilman took the rest of the game into his own hands, throwing two perfect innings and striking out three to earn the save. David Wright and Carlos Delgado homered to tally for the Mets runs.