Game 107: Mets vs. Brewers @ Miller Park

Well, after a long time coming, Luis Castillo is finally a Met and Tom Glavine goes after 300.

The Good: Glavine wasn't sharp early but managed to only allow a run through four frames. After not getting a called strike in the fifth (and letting it be known), he showed some grit by coming out strong after that and also showed some fire by pounding his fist after Shawn Green's inning-ending dive in the sixth. In the sixth inning, with the Mets down a run, Jose Reyes lined a single to left center, took second on pure hustle, moved to third on Castillo's beautiful sac bunt, and scored on David Wright's hit over the drawn-in infield. Carlos Delgado then singled to right to move Wright over to third. Moises Alou would step to the plate after Delgado and would get the run home with a sac fly to deep right. Thereafter, a crucial run was erased when Delgado was gunned at the plate on a Shawn Green double. In the bottom of the seventh, Aaron Heilman would put out a small fire by inducing a double play with a man on first. It was the second time in the game that a questionable move by Ned Yost backfired. Unlike his bullpen counterparts, Jorge Sosa (struck out Ryan Braun with men on 2nd and 3rd, 1 out) would load the bases in the ninth inning (with help from tonight's "no-call" umpire and a Carlos Delgado error - you do have a glove, ya' know?) but would throw a 3-2, 2 out strike to Bill Hall which resulted in a sprawling Lastings Milledge dive to preserve the tie. That was all the good the Mets would be afforded in tonight's game.

The Bad: Top 7, one out, bases loaded, Green just saved a run...you HAVE to score. In a crucial spot, Castillo flied to left and Wright grounded out to short to leave the bases juiced. Bottom 8, 1 out, man on first...you CANNOT hit the batter! (Feliciano). Mota, first pitch change-up with the game on the line? Sickening! In the top of the tenth, Matt Wise started the inning by throwing 10 straight balls before being removed. Brian Shouse, the left hander (another questionable move) came on to pitch to Alou and quickly induced a 6-4-3 double play. Damion Easley then struck out swinging to leave Wright stranded on third.

Bottom 11: Jenkins lead off single, Hart single, Hardy F.C., Ryan Braun inning-ending 4-6-3.
Top 12: Castillo bunt single, David Wright robbed by Kevin Mench (he's a Mench!) in right, Delgado 4-6-3 do.
Bottom 12: Prince Fielder hit two foul balls to right (one to the upper deck, barely foul) field which probably accumulated at least 1000 ft in length and then delivered a single to right on his third consecutive swing. Rickie Weeks sac, Mench f8, Miller f8 on another Milledge dive.
Top 13: Alou single, Easley strikeout (Alou steal), Castro 5-3, Milledge 6-3.
Bottom 13: The game ended in the thirteenth after a Graffanino double and Geoff Jenkins home run (just clearing the fence in right) off of Aaron Sele.

Overall: Leave it to the stinkin' bullpen to ruin a perfect night. The offense wasn't too great either. New acquisition Luis Castillo sparkled in the field (a play in the hole, a diving stop, a double play) but wasn't too great at the plate. He flied out with the bases juiced (crucial spot) and also stranded a few more base runners in the late innings.

Notes: Tom Glavine received a standing ovation after being removed in the seventh inning. In the bottom of the eighth, the Mets also received a much-needed gift when Prince Fielder's foul ball was initially called fair.

2 Cents: You gotta' love Glavine's emotion and determination. Milledge's defense was also appreciated but he didn't swing a good bat tonight. The bullpen's choke job only goes to show a need the Mets did not address. Moreover, it also shows how important every run is. My question to everyone: how many of you thought the game was over after Graffanino's fly ball in the eighth? Alou, WTF!!!!! The Mets could have gained ground on the Phils, who lost in Chicago, and held off the Braves. Atlanta won convincingly without their two new acquisitions - Mark Texeira and Octavio Dotel. In a weird way, this is the most disheartening loss of the season.

Final Score: Mets 2, Brewers 4. Record: 59-47.

2007 MLB Trade Deadline: The off day of all off days.

Considering the Mets didn't play a game today, it will still go down as one of the busiest days in sports this year. The following occurred or is bound to happen:

Bill Walsh's death: Great man, great coach, great legacy. R.I.P. Bill.

The Braves acquire Marc Texeira for Jarrod Saltalamacchia and two top prospects: If I'm the Braves, I am thrilled. This could be the move that pushes them into first and into the playoffs. Don't look now, but the Braves have a pretty sick team. This deal is still pending as of Monday night.

The Mets acquire Luis Castillo for two prospects: Decent move by the Mets. Shore up the infield (key concern), add a non-strikeout but powerless bat, and also add speed to the offense. This will shore up the loss of Jose Valentin but will cost hot-hitting Ruben Gotay some playing time.

The Phillies acquire Kyle Lohse: Eh. Could prove valuable.

Pedro Martinez will throw a 45-pitch rehab start tomorrow and seems well on his way to an August comeback. Paul Lo Duca also feels optimistic that his leg injury is not serious. However, Carlos Beltran is a whole 'nother story as Omar Minaya said he will probably go on the disabled list tomorrow afternoon.

The Timberwolves acquire Kevin Garnett for "everyone that is not really important": Sure, Al Jefferson was given up, but with a starting lineup featuring Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and K.G., who's complaining? This deal is still pending as of Monday night.

Barry Bonds still remains one homer short of 755, as does A-Rod of 500. Tom Glavine will go for win number 300 tomorrow night.

Game 106: Mets vs. Nationals @ Shea Stadium

John Maine hopes to continue his recent hot streak as he takes on the Nats in the series finale.

The Good: Reyes and Milledge ignited the offense with a double and an rbi single to put the Mets up for good. Ramon Castro would add a two run homer, his seventh homer of the year, and John Maine would earn a rain-shortened 1-hit shutout. David Wright also had a run-scoring hit of his own and stole his twenty-third base.

The Bad: Milledge caught stealing again.

Overall: I'll take the game but a series split wasn't too great.

Notes: The second one-hit shutout for the Mets this season. Both have come because of rainouts.

2 Cents: Good to see Reyes bounce back with a few hits and a steal after his 0-5; Milledge continues to produce. Ramon Castro also continues to play great as a fill-in while Maine keeps on rollin'. David Wright has also been swinging a decent stick lately.

Final Score: Mets 5, Nationals 0. Record: 59-46.

Game 105: Mets vs. Nationals @ Shea Stadium

*Sigh* Pelfrey vs. a No-namer. This has "terrible" written all over it.

The Good: In a matter of four pitches (a Gotay single, Wright double, Delgado homer), the Mets turned their luck against Jon Hanrahan right around. Pelfrey pitched good enough to win...AGAIN...and Guillermo Mota looked good. Ruben Gotay continues to hammer the ball while Reyes continues to semi-struggle; David Wright played well tonight. Delgado also swung the bat well after being embarrassed on three pitches. He hit a key homer to tie the game and later hit an r.b.i. single to continue a late rally. In the eighth, after a huge Alou double play, Shawn Green lined a single, stole second, took third on a throwing error, and almost came around to score. Ramon Castro would end the inning on a grounder up the middle. Although he made an out leading off the ninth, Lastings Milledge had a good at bat/game (he made a few bad plays in the field but also gunned a runner out at third). Tom Glavine had to bat second in the ninth inning because of Beltran's softness/Randolph's stupidity and promptly made the second out. The game ended shortly after.

The Bad: Pelfrey had another "bad inning outing." He gave up a triple to the opposing pitcher in his first at-bat, gave up a few bloopers, and then the Met offense fell asleep until the sixth. Lo Duca got hurt in the seventh which was followed by a plethora of questionable moves by Willie. After yanking Lo Duca because of an apparent leg injury, he pinch-hit his last utility player in Marlon Anderson (flied out), pinch ran El Duque, and brought in Castro the next inning. He also brought in Feliciano (who was not so good) to lead off the inning against Austin Kearns, who collected a hit and came around to score. The go-ahead r.b.i. came off of the bat of below-the-Mendoza-line hitter Ryan Langerhans. Now that Moises Alou is back: WTF!!!

Overall: Even when the Mets win, they lose. This loss can be blamed on Willie Randolph, Pedro Feliciano, Aaron Heilman (so much for all this talk claiming he has been dominant), and/or Moises Alou. Take your pick.

2 Cents: Why do the Mets always do so poorly against no-name pitchers? It seems that just as quick as the Mets tied it, things fell apart just as fast. Injuries started popping up, the game was lost, and the Phillies scored eight runs in their big-inning to win their game and cut the NL East Met lead to 3.5 games. Braves lose, Phils win, another series given away. Sickening.

Final Score: Mets 4, Nationals 5. Record: 58-45.

Game 100: Mets vs. Pirates @ Shea Stadium

John Maine goes after win number eleven in the Mets first game against the Pirates.

The Good: Maine pitched seven great innings of seven strikeout ball for his eleventh win and also hit his first career home run; a 365-foot shot that sent outfielder Jason Bay all the way back to the wall. He also got two sac bunts down to help his case. Lastings Milledge collected another three hits, a hit by pitch, and a sweet-swing homer. Heilman's 1-2-3 inning is a positive from any point of view. Reyes, Gotay, and Lo Duca each collected two hits while Carlos Delgado made a sweet diving play in the eighth inning of tonight's game to help Maine earn the win.

The Bad: More setbacks with the injured Mets and Mota gives up two more runs.

Overall: Great night!

Notes: Prior to the game, the Mets announced that Moises Alou had tendinitis in his shoulder while rehabbing his quad in a Brooklyn Cyclones game. Pedro Martinez's comeback has also been pushed back until September. Chip Ambres was sent back to AAA to make room for Damion Easley's return from the bereavement list. Carlos Beltran stole his sixteenth base of the season.

Quote(s) of the Day: Alou was discussing his situation at his locker on Tuesday afternoon when someone asked him, "Have you ever had this [shoulder tendinitis] previously?" And his response was, appropriately, "I've had everything" (Mets.com).

Joe Smith on Maine's homer: "He didn't smile once the whole way around. Hey, I smiled when I struck out in my one chance. Are you kiddin'? If I hit one out, I would have been doing backflips" (Mets.com).

Aaron Sele on Maine: "He told me he was horrible last year, and I can tell you, he really worked on it this spring, his hitting and his bunting. He got two [sacrifice bunts] down tonight, and he may be more proud of those than of the home run" (Mets.com).

2 Cents: Moises & Pedro.....WTF!!!!!!!!!!

Final Score: Mets 8, Pirates 4. Record: 56-43.

Game 99: Mets vs. Dodgers @ Dodger Stadium

El Duque heads to the mound looking for a good performance in successive starts and a series win for the Mets.

The Good: The Mets came back twice. The first time from 2-0 on a Lastings Milledge double to left that scored Jose Reyes, which was followed by a David Wright bloop to left to score Milledge. The second time, they trailed 4-2 after a Nomar Garciaparra homer, who seems to find his power stroke against the Mets. In the eighth inning, Beltran would drive Reyes in on a sac fly to right to pull the Mets within three. Then, in the ninth inning, the Mets really got rollin'. Carlos Delgado would single to first and Anderson Hernandez would come on as a pinch runner to promptly take second on a wild pitch. He would then move over to third on Paul Lo Duca's ground out. Then, Shawn Green would hit a fly ball to right that resulted in an error by Matt Kemp, allowing Hernandez to score the tying run. Green would take second and advance to third on another wild pitch. Ruben Gotay and Ramon Castro would then fail to get Green in but the game would head to extra innings. In the top of the tenth, Milledge and Beltran would single with one out and Milledge would move up a base on David Wright's fielder's choice. Wright hustled and barely beat out an inning-ending double play. Soon after, recently called up Chip Ambres would step into the box for his first key at-bat with the Mets and would deliver a clutch single past the outstretched glove of Nomar Garciaparra. The hit would be his first rbi of the season and would put the Mets up for good. Billy Wagner would come on in the ninth and make things interesting, as well. After walking Juan Pierre and allowing him to steal second, Wagner struck out Russell Martin, intentionally walked Jeff Kent (to the surprise of many), struck out Matt Kemp, threw a wild pitch, and struck out Nomar Garciaparra on a 3-2 outside corner slider.

The Bad: After tying the game the first time, El Duque hung one to free-swinging Nomar Garciaparra to give the lead right back. How many times before the Mets learn?

Overall: Big win.

Notes: Jose Reyes hit his tenth triple of the season and Wright stole his 22nd base. The Mets head back to Shea with a winning record on the road trip and push their record to over .500 on the road.

2 Cents: The Mets showed great heart by coming back all day and working hard for the clutch hit. Lastings Milledge played well and Wright's hustle will go unseen in the box score, but it arguably won the Mets the game. The bullpen was also great. Congrats to Chip Ambres on the big hit.

Final Score: Mets 5, Dodgers 4. Record: 55-43.

Game 98: Mets vs. Dodgers @ Dodger Stadium

Jorge Sosa looks to continue the Mets recent winning streak in Los Angeles.

The Good: The Mets got on Brad Penny real quick during the second inning. Ramon Castro hit a sac fly to left to score David Wright and Lastings Milledge would single to right to score Carlos Delgado. Wright would add a two-run home run in the third and the Mets seemed well on their way to a win. Although Carlos Beltran would hit his 18th home run of the season in the eighth inning, the Mets would give this game away.

The Bad: Wheels fell off in the fourth and sixth innings as the Dodgers put up a five and three spot, respectively. Ruben Gotay's error on an easy double play in the sixth pretty much sealed the Mets fate.

Overall: Not a good way to lose.

Notes: Today's loss was the first time all season that the Mets lost a game after leading by four or more runs.

Two Cents: You hate to see Gotay make a crucial error the first day the Mets are without Jose Valentin. This loss also prevents them from sweeping L.A. and getting some revenge for last month's sweep.

Final Score: Mets 6, Dodgers 8. Record: 54-43.

Game 97: Mets vs. Dodgers @ Dodger Stadium

Oliver Perez is today's starter as the Mets continue to look for revenge in L.A.

The Good: Marlon Anderson does it again as he scores in the first on a David Wright single. The Dodgers would tie it in the second on a Nomar homer and the game would remain tied until the eigth. In the eighth, Jose Reyes would lead off with a double to left. Then, Marlon Anderson would reach first on Roberto Hernandez's throwing error which allowed Reyes to score. On the very next pitch, Carlos Beltran would homer to deep right and the Mets woud hold the lead. Billy Wagner would record his 21st save, which preserved Oliver Perez's ninth win of the season.

The Bad: Jose Valentin out six weeks with a broken right shin.

Overall: Two down, two to go.

Notes: Anderson Hernandez was recalled from AAA to take over Valentin's spot. David Wright stole his 21st base and Anderson stole his second.

2 Cents: Who knew all the Mets need was Marlon Anderson? Perez and the bullpen was great. I guess we can now find out what Gotay is all about.

Final Score: Mets 4, Dodgers 1. Record: 54-42.

Game 96: Mets vs. Dodgers @ Dodger Stadium

After a thrilling comeback and a heartbreaking loss, the Mets head to Los Angeles looking to start a streak. Tom Glavine goes after win 299.

The Good: In the first inning, Reyes would single, Anderson would single (to right field but Reyes slid into second trying to steal), Beltran would hit a hard out to a stumbling Luis Gonzalez, David Wright would double to right, Carlos Delgado would walk, Ramon Castro would single to center (scoring two runs), Shawn Green would single to right (Matt kemp would overrun the ball, allowing two more runs to score), and Ruben Gotay would record a 3-0 single to left (scoring thsixth run of the inning.) Reyes would walk his second time around but Marlon Anderson would fly out to deep right. Great patience, pitch selection, and hitting during the first inning. Beltran would line a base hit to lead off the second inning (he woud be double off on a David Wright 5-4-3) and would later add a solo homer in the eighth inning. Carlos Delgado and Ramon Castro would also hit solo shots in the sixth inning.

The Bad: Glavine almost gave the run back in the bottom half of the first when he loaded the bases. Shawn Green would gun a runner at third base for the second out of the inning. The play would allow only two runs to score in the inning. By the bottom of the second, the score was 6-4 and the Dodgers had the tying run on first base with one out.

Notes: Prior to the game, the Mets demoted Dave Newhan and called up Marlon Anderson. The six runs the Mets scored in the first is the most they've scored in three years.

Other News: Barry Bonds hit two home runs tonight which moved him to within two home runs of 755.

Final Score: Mets, 13 Dodgers 9. Record: 53-42.

Game 95: Mets vs. Padres @ Petco Park

The Mets look to build on last night's win by throwing John Maine against the Padres. Maine looks to recover from his last start against the Cincinnati Reds.

The Good: After being dominated by Greg Maddux, the Mets came back on a picture-perfect three-run homer in the eigth inning by David Wright. However, Joe Smith would give the run right back and the Mets would lose their first heartbreaker in a while. Carlos Delgado also hit a homer of his own.

The Bad: John Maine got off to another bad start but only allowed four runs in six innings. He didn't pitch terrible, but it sure wasn't great. In the first inning, Greg Maddux embarrassed the Mets by striking out the side. Then, in the bottom half, Delgado let a ball go under his glove that could have been a double play; a run ended up scoring because of it. It was all downhill from there up until Wright's homer.

Overall: Heartbreak City.

Notes: In a weird statistic, every team in the NL East lost by a similar score tonight: 5-4.

2 Cents: I rather lose it with Smith on the mound instead of Heilman, Schoeneweis, or Mota. Put it in your back pocket and get some payback against the Dodgers.

Final Score: Mets 5, Padres 4. Record: 52-42.

Game 94: Mets vs. Padres @ Petco Park

El Duque heads to San Diego to look for the Mets first win in the series.

The Good: El Duque was amazin' tonight. 7 innings of shutout ball, a hit, a stolen base, and a run scored. In the fourth, Lo Duca got a big time two-out hit with a liner to center field. Beltran and Delgado scored to put the Mets up by two. In the fifth, Valentin singled to score a hustling El Duque and Beltran would poke a double to left to score Valentin. Lastings Milledge would hit a sac-fly in the eigth to score David Wright and give the Mets a 4-0 lead. In the ninth, with the Mets having a comfortable 4-0 lead, they would add three runs on a Carlos Delgado bases-loaded, two rbi single, and a Paul Lo Duca rbi ground out. Pedro Feliciano and Guillermo Mota would pitch the eighth and ninth innings to end the game.

The Bad: No complaints.

Overall: Beautiful.

Notes: Hernandez is the first pitcher to steal a base in consecutive starts since Tom Seaver did it in 1967. Valentin and Reyes also stole a base of their own.

Quote of the Day: "It's not only the stolen bases, anything that you can do at the plate or steal a base that can benefit the ballclub to win a ballgame, I got to do it." - El Duque.

2 Cents: It's good to finally see the Mets tack on some runs.

Final Score: Mets 7, Padres 0. Record: 52-41.

Game 93: Mets vs. Padres @ Petco Park

Jorge Sosa has been activated off the 15-day D.L. and makes his first start tonight.

The Good: Moises Alou hit a home run in his first rehab game. Reyes and Wright had two and three hits, respectively. The Phillies and Braves also lost.

The Bad: No hitting, Sosa wasn't great, Heilman sucked, and the Mets got embarrassed out West yet again.

Overall: Pathetic.

Notes: David Wells threw a knuckleball for the first time in over a decade to Paul Lo Duca. Wells said it was the first time hes thrown it since he threw it to Jose Canseco. Back then, he was cursed out, this time he was just given a long stare.

Other News: Ken Griffey Jr. is now sixth on the all-time career home run list (passing Frank Robinson) after he hit his 587th home run against the Atlanta Braves.

Final Score: Mets 1, Padres 5. Record: 51-41.

Game 92: Mets vs. Reds @ Shea Stadium

Oliver Perez returns from the DL and takes the hill against the Reds in his first start.

The Good: Ramon Castro did it yet again with an rbi double to center to put the Mets ahead 1-0 in the second. Lastings Milledge would then deliver another big hit when he stroked a two run double to right. Jose Reyes would cap the scoring on a two run homer to right-center field, his sixth of the season, in the fifth inning. Pedro Feliciano (H, 10), Aaron Heilman (H, 8), and Billy Wagner (S, 20) would each pitch a scoreless inning to finish off the Reds.

The Bad: Jose Reyes was gunned down for the 13th time this season.

Overall: The Mets finally take a series. I'll take that.

Notes: Prior to the game, Jorge Sosa was activated from the 15-day DL and Mike Pelfrey was optioned back to AAA. Adam Dunn's home run in the fourth inning was estimated at 460 feet and broke a panel in the right field scoreboard.

Other News: Tonight's Philadelphia loss makes them the first franchise in sports to lose 10,000 games.

2 Cents: It's good to see Reyes swing the bat well and pull one out for the Mets. They have now won eight out of their last ten at home to hold off the Braves who remain 1.5 games back in the standings. Dave Newhan had no luck on his side today as he swung the bat well all afternoon but ended up hitless.

Final Score: Mets 5, Reds 2. Record: 51-40.

Game 91: Mets vs. Reds @ Shea Stadium

On Ralph Kiner night, Tom Glavine looks to make the night even more memorable by earning his 298th win.

The Good: After trailing most of the game and missing out on numerous opportunities, the Mets eked one out for Tom Glavine as he earned his 298th win. When all was said and done, Shawn Green drove in David Wright in the sixth inning to tie the game after Wright had stolen second and was moved over to third by Paul Lo Duca. Lastings Milledge then drove in Green on a base hit up the middle in the eighth inning for the go-ahead run. Billy Wagner came on to save the game in the ninth and had a 1-2-3 inning. It was his 19th save of the year.

The Bad: Through the first 6 innings, the Met offense was terrible. They had nine hits and no runs had scored. The opposition had 2 hits and were up 1-0. In all, they made Matt Belisle look like a top-of-the-line starter.

Overall: A great ending to a good pitcher's duel and celebratory night.

Notes: David Wright stole his 20th base of the season. "Glavine was helped by two excellent defensive plays in the sixth. Second baseman Ruben Gotay went far into right field to catch Belisle's blooper, and shortstop Jose Reyes scooped up a grounder that third baseman Wright was unable to reach. Reyes threw out Ryan Freel to end the inning" (Yahoo).

2 Cents: Some of the Met hitters had terrible strategies at the plate tonight. On a brighter note, it was great to see New York celebrate everything that Ralph Kiner has done for baseball and for the New York Mets.

Final Score: Mets 2, Reds 1. Record: 50-40.

Game 90: Mets vs. Reds @ Shea Stadium

With Endy Chavez unavailable for his own bobble head night, the Mets look elsewhere for the contributions needed for a win. All-Star snub John Maine takes on Reds ace Aaron Harang on this beautiful July night.

The Good: Ruben Gotay, Carlos Delgado, and Shawn Green all collected two hits and the Mets tried to climb out of their early hole many times. However, the deficit proved to be too great.

The Bad: Maine was terrible, Pelfrey was terrible, and the Mets left runners stranded all night. The Reds defense also made spectacular plays numerous times to keep the Mets at bay.

Overall: Bummer. The Mets were simply outplayed in every phase of the game.

Notes: Howard Johnson was officially named hitting coach today and Rickey Henderson will take over his duties at first base.

Final Score: Mets 4, Reds 8. Record: 49-40.

Game 89: Mets vs. Reds @ Shea Stadium

After a much needed rest during the All-Star break and a good showing at the All-Star Game (by our reps), the Mets look to storm out of the gates during the second half. El Duque toes the slab tonight as they face the Cincinnati Reds' Bronson Arroyo.

The Good: The Mets would come out swinging today as Jose Reyes would lead off the game with his fifth home run of the season. Ruben Gotay would follow with a jack of his own and just like that the Mets were up 2-0. On the pitching end, El Duque would pitch six innings of seven strikeout, two run ball. The Mets would not muster much offense until the fifth inning when Lastings Milledge would lace a single to right field to lead off the inning. With two outs, Milledge was off with the pitch and Ruben Gotay blooped a hit just out of Ryan Freel's dive in center and Milledge would be waved around third base. Freel's throw home barely had any juice left to reach the plate and Milledge's sweet slide around the catcher put the Mets up for good. After escaping some trouble in the ninth inning, in large part because of Brandon Phillips base running blunder (taking third on a grounder to Reyes), Billy Wagner would come on in the ninth to record his 18th save in 19 chances.

The Bad: Not much offense after the first two runs.

Overall: Good start.

Transactions: Prior to the game, the Mets announced the following:

1.)Julio Franco has been released and Lastings Milledge has been called up from the minor leagues.
2.)Rick Down has been fired as hitting coach and will be replaced by Rickey Henderson, with Howard Johnson taking over most of the duties.
3.)Jose Valentin injured his pinkie breaking up a fight over the All-Star break.
4.)Marlon Anderson has signed a minor-league contract with the Mets.

Notes: The back-to-back lead off home runs by the Mets is the first time the feat has been accomplished in team history.

2 Cents: It is good to see Jose Reyes have a great game, El Duque pitch great, Lastings Milledge hit one to right field and hustle to score the winning run, Ruben Gotay step in and produce, and the Mets win a ballgame. Reyes and Milledge hit the ball hard most of the time tonight and the bullpen looked great. Furthermore, for everyone bashing Reyes for his "lack of hustle," I hope they look at his play in the the bottom of the seventh inning. On a short blooper into shallow center field, Reyes seemed to be past first when the ball landed and hauled some ass into second base which resulted in a belly-flopping double. Speak no more of it, the man plays to win.

Thoughts on Moves: I am glad to see that Franco's recent performance will no longer plague the Mets, but I will dearly miss his role in the clubhouse. From mentoring the young Mets to kicking Beltran in the rear-end to take a curtain call early in the '06 season, Franco was a tremendous asset to this ball club for one and a half seasons. I wish him the best and applaud the move by Omar Minaya. As for Rick Down, I never really liked the guy but don't believe it is his fault we're not hitting. I don't know if Rickey OR HoJo will make a difference either; they might even switch coaching roles for all we know. Jose Valentin's luck with the Mets seems to be running out. Lastly, after snubbing the Mets and going after the money following the 2005 season, I don't really want to see Marlon Anderson back on the ball club. However, if he can still swing the bat and produce as well as he did in 2005 while coming off of the bench, then we really have no choice.

Final Score: Mets 3, Reds 2. Record: 49-39.

All-Star Festivities 2007

There were lots of star-studded festivities in San Francisco during the All-Star festivities at AT&T Park. Among these were the following:

XM Satellite Radio All-Star Futures Game: Clutch hitting and aggressive play gave the World team a 7-2 win over team USA. Met representatives Deolis Guerra and Kevin Mulvey would each allow a run in their lone innings of work.

2007 Home Run Derby: With no participants in this years Home Run Derby, the Mets were able to breath easier on their second half potential by watching Vladimir Guerrero take home the trophy.

2007 All-Star Game: Prior to the game, Jose Reyes was given the great honor of catching Willie Mays' ceremonial first pitch. He shook his hand, received an autograph, and was given some words of encouragement. When the game began, David Wright would end the first inning by robbing Alex Rodriguez of a hit on a diving stop to his left. Jose Reyes would single in his first at-bat, steal second, and score the first run for the National League. Reyes would end up with three hits out of four at-bats and played longer than any other starter. Beltran would hit a deep drive to right field that almost cleared the outfield wall but fell just short. The carom would allow Beltran to end up with a triple as he finished 1-3. Wright would also collect a hit and would finish 1-3 before leaving the game in the seventh. Billy Wagner would have the only bad Met showing when he allowed two runs in his lone inning of work.

Other News: Kenny Mayne walked away with a web gem by robbing a home run in his annual softball game.

2 Cents: Another Padre blows the game for the National League. You can argue that Wagner's runs cost the NL the game, but I thought it was over when Chris Young let the AL get on the board.

Game 88: Mets vs. Astros @ Minute Maid Park

The Good: The top five hitters in the order all collected hits. Even Dave Newhan swung a decent stick with two hits of his own. Carlos Beltran also homered to bring his total to sixteen dingers at the break.

The Bad: Dave Williams was hit hard (8 earned runs) in a not-so-good return.

Notes: Jose Reyes stole two bases for his ML-leading 46th swipe. At the XM Satellite Radio Futures Game, the Mets were represented by Deolis Guerra of the World team and Kevin Mulvey of the U.S. team. Each pitcher allowed one run in their appearances.

2 Cents: Not a good way to end the first half, but at least we split the series. I think if someone offered us first place with a two game lead and 48 wins (without our entire team) at the break, we would have gladly taken it back in April. In my opinion, John Maine, Jose Reyes, and Billy Wagner all have a share of being Mets MVP for the first half. Hopefully, the Met representatives will enjoy some success at the All-Star Game, bring home-field back to the NL, and get off to a good start in the second half.

Final Score: Mets 3, Astros 8. Record: 48-39.

Game 87: Mets vs. Astros @ Minute Maid Park

So far, the Mets and Astros have each won a game in their four game series. Tom Glavine seeks win number 298 tonight as he opposes right-hander Woody Williams.

Recap:

Innings 1-3: The Mets latest storyline involves Jose Reyes' first game since being benched by Willie Randoph for lack of hustle. He started off the game 0-3 and didn't show any extra effort in his first three at bats. Glavine put up zeroes through the first three and seemed poised for a quality start. However, the Met offense was nonexistent yet again.

Innings 4-6: Glavine gets squeezed on a 2-2 pitch to Morgan Ensberg and Ensberg promptly doubles to deep left center to score two runs. Chris Burke then adds a triple that is barely out of the reach of Shawn Green's diving attempt. Here, it seemed like another case of "Here we go again." However, the Mets would respond in the top of the fifth with a two run home run by Carlos Delgado that cut the deficit to one.

Innings 7-9: David Wright ties the game in the top of the seventh with a laser to left center field. Pedro Feliciano bails Aaron Heilman out of ninth inning trouble by striking out his only batter, Lance Berkman, on three nasty pitches.

Innings 10-12: Nothing going. Joe Smith strikes out Hunter Pence in the bottom of the twelfth to end the bases loaded threat. He hit Craig Biggio on his first pitch to load the bases to begin with.

Innings 13-16: "Somebody please win." In the bottom of the fourteenth, Carlos Beltran made one of the best catches of the season and maybe even Minute Maid Park history when he raced back from average center field range and onto Tal's Hill to make an over-the-shoulder catch while tumbling to the ground. In the bottom of the fifteenth inning, there would be a less emphatic inning-ending play when David Wright picked up Ensberg's grounder, stepped on third, and gunned to first for the double play.

17th inning: Sele grounds out, Reyes walks, Gotay hits it into the six-hole left open because of Reyes' attempted steal, Beltran singles to right for the go-ahead run, Wright singles to left to score Gotay, and Delgado & Lo Duca strike out swinging. In the bottom half, Billy Wagner came on to close the game after warming up about seven times. Mike Lamb lined out to left, Eric Munson blooped a single to left, Hunter Pence fouled out to first, and Mark Loretta hit a screamer into Ledee's glove to end the game with Carlos Lee in the on-deck circle. It was Billy Wagner's seventeenth save of the season.

The Good: Ever since I bashed him a few games back, Carlos Delgado has had numerous top plays in the field over the past week. He also continues to swing a decent stick with his two run homer tonight. David Wright continues his power surge as well with his clutch home run tonight, his seventeenth of the season. Tom Glavine pitched well. The bullpen pitched well and got numerous big-outs; they didn't allow a run over the final ten innings of the game. Jose Reyes collected two hits and stole his 44th base. Ricky Ledee plays another good game, both at the plate and in the field. Carlos Beltran quieted the boo-birds with his amazing catch and seventeenth inning rbi. Shawn Green collected three seeing eye hits. Ruben Gotay clutch again with three hits of his own.

The Bad: Paul Lo Duca's recent struggles continue with tonight's 0-8, dipping his average to .274.

Notes: Tonight's game was the longest game for the Mets, inning-wise, since 1993. Back then, they beat the Cards 1-0 on Sept. 29.

2 Cents: We had to win this one and thank God we did. Very entertaining game.

Final Score: Mets 5, Astros 3. Record: 48-38.

Game 86: Mets vs. Astros @ Minute Maid Park

Mike Pelfrey looks to get off the schneid tonight as he takes to the mound with an 0-6 record.

The Good: Willie is letting it be known that he only accepts full-out effort.

The Bad: The Mets get four hits, get shutout, lose again, and now have their best rookie pitcher sitting at 0-7.

Notes: Following a near foul ball in the eighth inning, an upset Willie Randolph benched Met superstar, Jose Reyes, for not running out a ground ball. Asked about it after the game, Willie said "I won't tolerate that from anyone." Reyes said "with my speed, when I slow down, it doesn't look good. No matter what the score is, I have to run. I have to run every time."

2 Cents: I like Randolph's decision and think it will be fun to see how Reyes responds. It is good to see Reyes take full responsibility for his lack of hustle. However, it is not surprising that this happened since he has looked frustrated from time to time over the past few weeks. Hopefully, it will send him on a tear that can carry the Mets for a while. As for Pelfrey, he is improving, but a little bit of hard luck and inconsistency has seen his performance result in unfulfilled potential.

Final Score: Mets 0, Astros 4. Record: 47-38.

Game 85: Mets vs. Astros @ Minute Maid Park

On a four game losing streak, the supposed ace of this years staff toes the slab for the Mets as they take on the Houston Astros.

The Good: John Maine was dominant yet again, this time striking out a career-high nine batters in 7.2 innings; the only runs he allowed scored on a bit of bad luck. Jose Reyes also got the Mets going early again as he tripled to lead off the game; he then scored on a Ricky Ledee single that hopped off of the first base bag. Carlos Delgado would then line a hit to right field with two outs to score Ledee. In the third inning, (the super backup) Ramon Castro would add two more runs when he doubled off the left field wall with two outs to score Valentin and Delgado. Ricky Ledee would cap off his great night with an rbi hit in the sixth that scored Ramon Castro. Lastly, after hearing the boo birds all night long, Carlos Beltran snuck in a knockout punch in the ninth inning by hitting a home run over the left field porch. In a similar situation, Billy Wagner would show the Houston faithful why he has been a top-notch closer over the last decade by shutting the door on the Mets 6-2 win.

The Bad: John Maine's line won't show just how effective he was tonight.

Overall: Good all-around win.

Notes: Prior to tonight's game, Mets fans found out why Carlos Gomez was removed from last night's game. Apparently, Gomez broke the hook in his left hammate bone on a check swing and has been placed on the disabled list. He is expected to be out six-eight weeks. David Newhan was called up to take his place. Jose Reyes stole his 43rd base of the season tonight.

2 Cents: I understand the All-Star break is coming up, but I don't think Maine's line should have been messed up by Willie's decision to keep him in.

Final Score: Mets 6, Astros 2. Record: 47-37.

Game 84: Mets vs. Rockies @ Coors Field

After dropping the first two games of the series to the Rockies, El Duque looks to turn the tide for the Mets on July 4th, 2007.

The Good: Jose Reyes led the game off by forcing an error on a bunt and stealing his 42nd base of the year. A few batters later, Carlos Beltran would draw a walk and David Wright would clobber one out to left center field for an early three run lead. Carlos Delgado then hit a double over Corey Sullivan's head but was stranded on second when Jose Valentin and Shawn Green both failed to get a hit. However, El Duque would still get off to a good start in the bottom of the inning. Leading off the game, he took a shot off of his inner calf which resulted in a ricochet towards Delgado. Delgado would then return the favor with a nifty play of his own in which he stretched down the line and fired to El Duque for the out. That's where most of the good ended. The Mets scored enough runs to win. With that said, you don't expect to win many games where the other team scores 15+ runs.

The Bad: Although Hernandez escaped the first inning unscathed, the Mets squandered the lead much like they have done in recent times and the game was tied by the 3rd inning. By the fourth inning, the hounds were released and the Mets were in store for a long night.

Overall: Another El Duque walk-a-thon.

Notes: Pedro Martinez seems to be making excellent progress considering he pitched in a simulated game on Tuesday night. In other news, Paul Lo Duca's hearing has been scheduled for Friday. Prior to the game, the Mets called up Sandy Alomar Jr. and demoted Claudio Vargas. Tonight's loss marked the third time the Mets have been swept this month.

2 Cents: This has got to stop.

3 Cents: I thought it was interesting to see Paul Lo Duca lead off the bottom of the ninth with a thirteen pitch at-bat with the score being 17-6. After Beltran scored in the ninth, the bench still gave him high fives. It's got to be a good sign, if anything.

Other News: Joey Chestnut finally defeated Kobayashi in the annual Nathan's hot dog eating contest. Simply put, nothing went right today.

Final Score: Mets 7, Rockies 17. Record: 46-37.

Game 83: Mets vs. Rockies @ Coors Field

Claudio Vargas goes to the hill tonight in search of the Mets first win in Colorado.

The Good: Jose Reyes led the game off with a bunt and promptly stole second base. He then scored on Ruben Gotay's fielders choice and forced error. Gotay would then score on a Carlos Delgado single before Shawn Green grounded into a double play with runners on the corners. From there, things just fell apart.

The Bad: After being supplied an early lead, Claudio Vargas quickly gave them back and then some. Garrett Atkins continued his recent hot streak with a two run home run to complete a four run first inning. Vargas would give up another homer and also walk in a run in the second inning before battling out of a bases loaded jam. After Ramon Castro supplied a homer of his own (after another Green double play) to bring the Mets to within three, Vargas would load the bases once again in the fourth inning. He would be relieved by Joe Smith and lets just say that Smith isn't quite ready for inheriting bases loaded jams. Ryan Spilborghs drilled a Smith offering deep to right field for a grand slam and just like that the Rockies had broken the game open. To add insult to injury, former Met, Kaz Matsui, finally did something with the Mets: kill them. Matsui collected the first five-hit game of his career and played flawless defense. Thanks Kaz.

Overall: Ugly.

2 Cents: Can't nitpick single plays when the Rockies smashed the ball around Coors for a second straight night. There were a couple of questionable moves by Willie Randolph, but nothing to call home about. Mets need to get some more wins.

Final Score: Mets 3, Rockies 11. Record: 46-36.

Game 82: Mets vs. Rockies @ Coors Field

After taking three of four from Philadelphia, the Mets look to start a new winning streak in Colorado.

The Good: Keith Hernandez's "overrated" remark when his wife was shown on the screen. After being asked if "he really just said that?", Keith replied with a classic "you know me, I'll say anything." Couldn't have said it better. Oh, and as for the Mets, they didn't get the bats going until Ruben Gotay led off the eighth inning with a ten pitch at-bat that resulted in a single. Jose Reyes followed with a double and eventually the Mets scratched out two runs in the inning. Joe Smith also looked good in his two innings of work but it all resulted in being too little, too late.

The Bad: After his best start of the season, Tom Glavine got roughed up in tonight's outing. A three-run home run by Matt Holliday opened up the flood gates for a six run third inning. Aside from that, Glavine pitched a decent six innings.

Overall: Not much you can say when the other team simply outplays you.

Notes: After yesterday's ball game, the All-Star rosters were announced and included four Mets: David Wright, Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran, and Billy Wagner. John Maine was the biggest surprise player left off of the roster. Prior to today's game, Oliver Perez was played on the 15-day DL due to lower back stiffness. Pitcher Jason Hirch collected two hits after a 1-42 start to his career (with no rbi). He also sprained his ankle in the sixth inning when Paul Lo Duca threw behind him at third base, and was forced to leave the game.

2 Cents: It's arguable if some of the selected Mets chosen for the ASG deserve to be there, but there will always be controversies regarding the All-Star Game rosters. With that said, John Maine is very deserving of a spot in the midsummer classic. Furthermore, the latest injuries to Jorge Sosa and Oliver Perez really put a dent into the Met starting rotation and could prove to be a huge blow to the team.

Final Score: Mets 2, Rockies 6. Record: 46-35

Game 81: Mets vs. Phillies @ Citizens Bank Park

Time for a sweep.

The Good: Jose Reyes scored an early first inning run after stealing his 39th base and scoring on a Paul Lo Duca single. In the second inning, Carlos Delgado showed signs of busting out by hitting a two strike outside curve ball down the left field line for a double. However, he would be prevented from scoring when Greg Dobbs robbed Shawn Green of a hit down the line by making a full extension leap to pick the ball out of the air. In his next at-bat, Delgado would guarantee himself of scoring a run when he crushed a first-pitch fastball into the right field bleachers. After Mike Pelfrey threw a scoreless fourth inning, he came right back to lead the fifth inning off with a hit. Jose Reyes couldn't keep the good vibe going though as he grounded into the third Met double play of the game. During the sixth inning, Carlos Gomez made a splendid diving catch on a Chase Utley liner to record the first out of the inning. The Mets would be held down until the ninth inning, where they made it interesting, but could not dig themselves out of Aaron Heilman's hole.

The Bad: After starting off well, Mike Pelfrey struggled a bit in the second and third innings but bounced back to pitch five innings. Aaron Heilman continues to suck.

Overall: A sweep would have been nice, but three out of four is still pleasing. The Mets take the series and gain a few games in the standings.

Notes: With the bases loaded in the third inning, Greg Dobbs may have helped the Mets out when he lined out to Beltran on a 2-0 pitch; that limited the damage to only two runs. Even with that outcome, the Mets couldn't battle back. Guillermo Mota looked good in his lone inning of work.

2 Cents: Early on, Mike Pelfrey was attacking the zone and looked great. Leading off the second inning, he blew Ryan Howard away on a 96 mph high fastball. Although he allowed a run during that inning, it's more acceptable to give up a run on a 96 mph 3-2 fastball (rather than a walk).

Final Score: Mets 2, Phillies 5. Record: 46-34.