Billy Wagner is a slow healer

Mets statement:

Billy Wagner was re-evaluated today at New York’s Hospital for Special Surgery. He continues to have swelling and pain in his elbow. He will need additional rest before he can resume throwing.

Awesome. Great news. Couldn't be happier.

Will Carroll claimed yesterday that this might be an season ending injury:

It was a big setback for Wagner, and one that could end his season. Instead of forearm stiffness, he has an elbow issue, and is headed for more tests on Tuesday.

Obviously, Tuesday is today, and the latter was written before the results (top) came in, but the fact still remains. Either way, it's not good news.

The longer he's out, the more unstable the bullpen becomes.

Podcast: Bullpen Edition

Here's the latest edition of The 'Ropolitans Podcast. It's 15 minutes about the New York Mets bullpen.

With guest Will Sommer from MetsFansForever.com.

Gotta love the fire in Jerry Manuel

Jerry Manuel was tossed again yesterday, and I couldn't be happier. Most times a manager is tossed, the team responds with some action. Unfortunately, that did not happen for the Mets.

I do like the fire in Manuel. He seems to be very engrossed in the game, and very willing to stand up for his players. He's already been ejected four times as the manager of the Mets, and once more as bench coach when Willie Randolph was still around.

I absolutely love Manuel as a manager. If it were up to me, I'd have him signing on the dotted line for a few more years of Manuel as a Met.

He's candid with his players. If he has something to say to someone, he'll tell them. He won't dance around it for fear he will make them unhappy. He knows they are professionals and should be treated as such.

He can manage the team. Only on a few occasions have I been confused or mad about moves Manuel has made during the course of a game. There were a few bullpen decisions I wish he did differently, but I can't put all of the blame on him for some poor outings.

And most importantly, he knows how to handle the media. He doesn't fear the journalists like a certain previous manager seemed to. He's entirely candid and up front about things and won't pull punches. He knows what's up and he's willing to entertain the writers, radio, and TV guys with a few jokes while he's telling the straight truth.

So far, so good with Jerry Manuel. It sure does help to have a winning record and sit in first place, too.

Mets chances of making the playoffs: 60.2%

According to Jeff Passan at the bottom of his Playoff Pulse column, the Mets are third in the National League in playoff chances percentages.

Passan cites AccuScore, who ran a simulation of the rest of the '08 season 10,000 times, and came up with these numbers for the NL:

Chicago Cubs: 98.3
Milwaukee Brewers: 69.5
New York Mets: 60.2
Arizona Diamondbacks: 51.5
Los Angeles Dodgers: 49.3
St. Louis Cardinals: 24.6
Philadelphia Phillies: 24.2
Florida Marlins: 20.4

Hmm...this stinks of "jinx." Five bucks says the Cubbies and Mets falter?

Anyway, I hate looking at these things, because all they do is get my hopes up.

Game Recap: Pirates 5 -- Mets 2

Put away your brooms...

Pitching Performance

The man with the quick pitch count, John Maine, labored through five innings today, as he threw 96 pitches but only allowed two hits. Maine walked four and struck out three, but can't seem to keep his PC below 75 through four innings. Maine didn't factor in the decision, as the Mets offense sputtered and the bullpen played the part of "sieve" and watched the sweep disappear from their grasps.

Maine has been pitching OK lately, but this pitch count issue is something that needs to be addressed. I've never seen a pitcher throw so many pitches in only a handful of innings. He's getting too deep in counts and allowing too many foul balls to work deep into games.

The bullpen from Hell reared it's ugly head again today. Brian Stokes was tagged for a two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning, erasing any work Maine did on the bump. Scott Schoeneweis finished out the seventh inning for Stokes.

The trouble came in the 8th, when Pedro Feliciano only recorded one out, but allowed one hit before he was removed for Duaner Sanchez. Feliciano and the Mets could only watch as Sanchez faced four batters, intentionally walking one and giving up three hits, including a two-run double for the Pirates final runs. Joe Smith came in and recorded two outs to stop the bleeding.

Sanchez looked like he got his act together recently, struggled with his velocity again. He's just not the pitcher the Mets thought he would be through the entirety of the season. He doesn't have the stamina to get through a whole season like this. Maybe Steven Register could have helped this team through the season...

Offensive Output

Wasted chances. That was the theme today for the Mets. The team was only able to scratch out two runs, both on productive outs.

Outside of the sac-fly in the first from Carlos Beltran, scoring Argenis Reyes and an RBI groundout in the fourth off the bat of Carlos Delgado, plating David Wright, the Mets left runners on base in a handful of innings and it came back to bite them in the end.

The Mets had runners on second and third with nobody out twice, both times resulting in one run. The Mets got a leadoff double from Nick Evans in the 6th, and with one out he stood on third while the Carloses struck out, stranding him.

In the 8th, the Mets got a two-out single from Evans, then consecutive walks from Wright and Beltran, bringing Delgado to the plate with the bases drunk, but the Pirates were able to induce a pop up and get out of the jam scott free.

They had a ton of chances to open up this game and put distance between themselves and the Buccos, but they failed to convert. When the bullpen let the lead slip away, the missed chances were enhanced, as always.

The Rest of the Story

Overall, a great road trip, as they went 6-1 and beat up on teams they should have. A sweep would have been great, but 3-4 against Pittsburgh is good. Guess the Mets should never play the Pirates on a Monday in the summer.

Game Ball: John Maine, I guess.

TSTDIA: Mets 4 -- Pirates 0

Johan Santana absolutely dominated the lowly Pirates with a complete game three-hitter.

Sure, it was the Pirates, but that's a pretty pitching line any way you slice it.

Mets trade for Luis Ayala

Why?

Anderson Hernandez is heading to Washington for Luis Ayala as the Mets try to sure up their bullpen issues.

I'm not a fan of Ayala, and I feel this actually hurts the Mets pen. Obviously, they're not giving up much, as A-Hern was never going to amount to much of anything.

I guess this is goodbye to Eddie Kunz...for now.

Ayala, you have a lot to prove to me before I begin to trust you. I don't like this trade.

A good win, and maybe Eddie Kunz isn't the closer we all thought he was...yet

What to say about Pedro Martinez? His last four or five starts have been good to great. He may be giving up hits, but he's limiting the numbers of runs allowed, and that's all that matters.

Still, the home runs, especially of the Solo variety, seem to be a big issue lately. I haven't seen anything different going on with Pedro that would make him more prone to home runs or anything like that, but by my unofficial tally in my head, I think he's allowed 6 or 7 over his last 5 starts.

Pedro pitched well, and the Mets went into the bottom of the ninth with a six run lead. This was the perfect oppourtunity to work "the closer of the future," Eddie Kunz into the mix. Well three runs and a hit batsmen later, Kunz had to be removed in favor of Joe Smith and Pedro Feliciano before the game got entirely out of hand.

Kunz is in a tough spot, as he hasn't pitched in days and is never sure if, or when, he'll get a shot. When he's finally called upon, he's most likely rusty and unprepared, not the best situation for a young pitcher.

Give Kunz a steady job in. A year or two, and I think he'll be a huge asset to the Mets bullpen, but he just doesn't seem ready yet and the Mets are unwilling to hand him the keys to the bullpen car...yet.

Haphazard getaway

My friend and neighbor just returned home from duty in Iraq, and quickly planned and booked a shore house. So some friends and I are heading down to the Jersey shore for a summer blowout / home from Iraq relaxing time.

I'll try and stay as up-to-date as possible via BlackBerry, but to tide you over, here are some quick predictions:

1. Pedro Martinez will pitch well again tonight, but the bullpen won't be able to hold on. Mets lose 6-4.

2. Mets will win on Sunday in grand fashion. 9-1.

3. Daniel Murphy will have a big weekend. As will Jose Reyes.

4. The Mets will be two games up on the Phillies by Monday.

5. Someone will land on the DL soon.

Again, I'll still be posting quick hits from the road via my phone. Enjoy this weekend, it's shaping up to be a beautiful one.

Mike Pelfrey's innings count could become an issue

Mike Pelfrey is playing in only his third professional baseball season after being drafted out of Witchita State.

2006 was his first season, where he saw time at every level: A+, double-A, triple-A, and even the Major Leagues. Pelfrey split time between the minors and MLB in 2007 as well, making 13 starts and appearing in 15 games for the New York Mets.

This year, Pelfrey was a major leaguer from the get go. And now his innings count is becoming an issue.

2006: 117 IP
2007: 153 IP
2008: 145 IP

The Mets are worried Pelfrey is going to run into a wall as he move further and further away from his previous highest innings count. I believe Pelfrey could have stayed in Friday night's game against Pittsburgh. He had thrown only 98 pitches, and had throw shutout baseball through seven innings.

I feel the team may look to limit his starts down the stretch, or if the bullpen ever sures up, hand the game over to them early. As of now, the way the bullpen looks, the Mets can't do that. But if it does return to form (and it must) I can see the team taking Pelfrey out after only five innings if the Mets have a lead.

Pelfrey is leading the team with 11 wins, sporting a 3.91 ERA. He might be critical down the stretch and in to postseason if the Mets make it there. I am iffy on this decision, but I understand if they have to make this choice to save his arm.