Game Recap: Mets 6 -- Phillies 3

We'll take that first place back, thank you very much.

Pitching Performance

I thought it was going to be a disaster night, a disaster outing for Johan Santana. I was pretty wrong, I guess. Santana got off to a rocky start, surrendering a two-run home run in the first inning to Ryan Howard. In the second, he let up a solo shot to Jayson Werth.

I honestly thought it was going downhill from there. But Santana did not falter. He ended pitching six innings, allowing only those three runs on six hits. He did struggle with his control, as he walked three batters, but still struck out six. Through his time on the bump, Santana had to throw 106 pitches, only 67 of which were strikes.

I even wrote a post about Santana after the first two innings. Good thing he recovered and pitched admirably for the next four innings. Well done, Johan. He will not be praised, but he earned his keep.

Brian Stokes pitched the seventh inning, allowing one hit and striking out two. Pedro Feliciano and Joe Smith split the 8th, working a perfect frame. Luis Ayala worked the ninth for his second save of the year.

Can you believe it?! Dance in the streets! The bullpen was handed a deficit and it turned into a lead! Where can I sign up for that?

Well done by those four. They bounced back from last night's loss and pitched like it never happened.

Offensive Output

The story of tonight was Carlos Delgado and a resurgence from the bats.

Delgado drove in the first run of the game with a single to right, chasing in Jose Reyes.

Delgado put up the second Mets run with a solo home run deeeeeeeeeeeeeeep to right field in the sixth inning.

Delgado drove in the third Mets run, himself, with another solo home run in the eighth inning. That Delgado blast tied the game for the Mets. They then got two runners on for Daniel Murphy. Murphy was 0-for his last-16, ended that stretch, lacing a double to right field that plated Beltran. Brian Schneider added a single to left, driving in two more in the Mets three-run eighth.

The Mets scored after the third inning? Seriously, WHAT?

Great job by Delgado. He loves that park, so much.

The Rest of the Story

Stokes earned his first win as a Met.

Reyes, Delgado and Beltran each picked up three hits.

David Wright went 0-5 with 2 K's.

Game Ball: Carlos Delgado.

Here come the Johan bashers

It's the second inning, and the Phillies are already leading 3-1. Johan Santana has give up a two-run home run to Ryan Howard in the first and a solo shot to Jayson Werth in the second.

It's awful that Johan is having a bad start tonight, but he's pitched so well over the last month or more. He's due for a mediocre, or even bad, start. It's going to happen.

It's just too bad if this holds up, or gets worse, fans will be all over Johan for "not coming through when the team needs him." Not like he's put up some pretty baffling starts and not gotten wins from them in the past.

Hopefully it will be a reversal of fortunes tonight, but only time will tell.

Told ya so

Nelson Figueroa is in Philly, but he may not be activated tonight. My source said otherwise.

Also, Ramon Castro has landed on the DL with a strained hamstring. Robinson Cancel has been called up in his place.

Update, 4:52: Argenis Reyes, as predicted, is heading to the minors. He will be called up after he spends time in the minors, I believe 10 days.

Poll: Mets fans are confident

In my latest poll, I asked fans to vote on a very simple question: Will the Mets make the playoffs?

The results:
95% Yes, 5% No.

Fitting that the poll closed right about the 7th inning of last night's game. I wonder how much different it would be if everyone voted today.

I guess the fans are a confident bunch. I also think the Mets will be playing baseball in the postseason. Last night notwithstanding, the Mets have still put together a spectacular second half, bullpen troubles and all.

One half game back with 29 to play? They have a shot.

New poll: Who is the Mets MVP in 2008?

Red Sox to help open Citi Field

This one just strikes me as odd.

According to The Providence Journal, the Mets will welcome the Red Sox for a two-game exhibition series at the new Citi Field during the last week of spring training.

The article states that the series would probably take place on April 3-4, as the Mets will open the season on the road before returning to their new digs for the April 14 home opener against the Padres.

This is weird. Very weird. It's their new stadium, new home, a huge step forward for the organization, and they're going to open it with an exhibition game?

Is this a move to get the players somewhat accustomed to how the field and stadium plays? Maybe. It just doesn't make sense. Wouldn't you want your first game, a meaningful game, to be played in the new stadium to open it up. The crowd paid to see the first game of the '09 season, but what they're really coming to see is the new park, all of our's home away from home.

But no, it will all start with two meaningless games against the Red Sox. Odd, if you ask me.

Thanks to Ian from Sox & Dawgs for the link.

Nelson Figueroa has been called up

This is from my only true "inside source."

Nelson Figueroa was phoned late last night and boarded a plane for Philadelphia, which means he will be activated before the Sept. 1 roster expansion. According to my "source," Figueroa will be in the bullpen for tonight's finale against the Phillies.

Figueroa will likely be the long man, if needed. Aaron Heilman threw 60 pitches last night in his spectacular three innings, so look for him to be unavailable tonight.

Ramon Castro might be going to the DL with a hamstring strain, so Figueroa might be taking his spot on the roster. Robinson Cancel was rumored to be coming up if Castro has to go on the DL, which makes sense because otherwise the Mets would have only one catcher.

I think Argenis Reyes will be demoted for a few days to make room for the extra arm of Figueroa.

Applause for Aaron Heilman

Even though the Mets lost, mostly due to Pedro nearly giving up a seven run lead, and the bullpen not being able to close the door, one pitcher stood out from among the others: Aaron Heilman.

I never thought I'd be writing such a sentence lately, but last night was spectacular.

Heilman came in for the bottom of the tenth inning, and quickly let up a leadoff double to Chris Coste. Heilman then had to face Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, Pat Burrell, and Ryan Howard, the Phillies big boppers. He successfully escaped the inning without damage.

Then came the 11th. The bases were loaded with two outs, and Jimmy Rollins was back at the plate. Heilman got Rollins to pop up in foul territory to escape the jam.

Onto the 12th, where Heilman got Utley and Howard swinging, sandwiched around a Burrell pop up.

60 pitches, over three beautiful innings. He let up hits and walked a few, but he was able to work out of it every time. If the Mets had been able to pull this one out, Heilman was going to be the hero.

Game Recap: Phillies 8 -- Mets 7

All you need to know is that the Mets had a seven run lead, and they let it up. They were shutout in the last nine innings by the Phillies bullpen.

That's it. That's all I'm telling you.

Otherwise, I'll induce tears and punching of objects.

Obligatory instant replay post...Obligatory instant replay post

See what I did there?

Various sources are reporting that Major League Baseball will institute instant replay this season, as early as Thursday.

The replay will only be used for home run calls, i.e. to see if a home run is fair or foul, or if it cleared the wall or yellow line.

I don't know how I feel about this yet, but I think MLB rushed to get this in too soon. It should have been tested in the offseason and in spring training, not tossed into the end of a season. I could easily see it coming back to bite the Mets, as they were part of the outcry when Carlos Delgado's home run at Yankee Stadium was called foul all those months ago. I bet the Phillies will get a favorable call off replay against the Mets. It's only fitting.

Too quick, MLB. Too quick.

Off Topic: CC Sabathia is cold??

Yahoo! Sports must be out of their mind.

Do they honestly think CC Sabathia belongs on the "cold pitchers" list? He hasn't lost since he's been a Brewer. Just because he didn't earn a win, he belongs on the list?

This is probably an automated system that just looks at certain stats, but if it's not, someone has some explaining to do.