What a difference a week makes.  For a while, I was starting to think that the Mets only played well on the weekends.  The way this week started, it was looking that way.  My, my how I was wrong.  Mike missed Week 8’s update, but you know what?  It was forgettable anyway.  Let’s pretend Week 8 never happened.  That said, hopefully, this team can keep the momentum going out west following a vote of confidence from ownership in Willie, this team has responded.

Overall record: 28-27

Week 9 Record: 5-2

It started with Game 2 for the 7-Pack with Mike Pelfrey taking the hill against Ricky Nolasco.  It didn’t start well for the Mets as Pelf got the first two outs in the game, then Reyes booted an inning ending ground ball, which was followed up by a double and a single.  2 unearned runs is no way to start a homestand.  Reyes made up for his mistake with homeruns in back to back innings to tie the game at 2.  Pelfrey just never really had it though, as the Marlins kept hitting, including a 4-run 3^rd and never a peep from the Mets offense, as the first place Marlins went on to win 7-3.  On the bright side, I caught a foul ball off the bat of David Wright.  So at least I have that going for me.

Game 2 of the series was all about Johan.  There’s a reason why the Mets got this guy in the offseason.  He is their ace.  He is their stopper and he proved himself in this game.  For the most part, the Mets plays small ball, not hitting any homeruns in this game, but rather got all of their offense from the “Super Subs,” Fernando Tatis, Ramon Castro and Damion Easley, driving in all 5 runs, including 3 in the first.  Johan battled through 7, yielding 3 earned runs, but pitched well enough to earn the win and Duaner Sanchez and Billy Wagner dominated the 8^th and 9^th respectively to put the Mets back in the win column.

The rubber game was a nailbiter. Cody Ross continued his ridiculous streak hitting 2 homeruns, his 3^rd and 4^th of the series.  Seriously, has anybody asked this guy to pee in a cup yet?  I mean 8 homeruns out of 20 hits on the season is a little much, no?  Your Mamma Ween!  Sorry, the Amp Energy Drink with Ryan Miller was just on TV.  What a phenomenal commercial.  What?  Oh sorry.  Anyway, I’m not even going to dignify Ollie with a description of his performance.  Just know that he didn’t win or lose.  Heading into the 9^th trailing by a run, Willie sent up Endy Chavez to pinch hit.  After falling into a 2-strike hole, Endy turned on one and pumped it over the right field wall to tie the game.  The teams traded 0’s until the 12^th when the light hitting Mets killer Alfredo Amazega blasted a homer to right.  Running low on arms, the Marlins turned to Justin Miller for the save.  This man looked rattled during his warmup tosses and never brought anything to the table.  Wright walked, Beltran singled moving Wright to third, Easley struck out swinging, then the resurgent Fernando Tatis roped one into the left field corner scoring Wright and Beltran, securing the Mets second win in as many nights.  This turned out to be a HU-YUUUUUUUUUGE win and could be a game viewed as a turning point in the season.  7-6 Mets win.

Thursday, the Mets welcomed Joe Torre back to New York as the manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers, for the 2^nd game of the week for the 7-Packers.  David Wright was the star in this game blasting 2 homeruns, while Claudio Vargas was as strong as can be allowing 4 runs over 5.2 IP, three of which, during one hiccup inning in the 4th, but the bullpen was as Feliciano, Carlos Muniz, Schoeneweis and Smith combined to shut down the Dodgers’ bats the rest of the way, leading the team to a commanding 8-4 win in front of a fired up crowd at Shea.

Friday was not as friendly to the Mets fans as John Maine struggled all night long, not looking like the John Maine we saw in LA less than a month ago.  The Mets constantly were fighting from behind, but #48 remembered who he was, allowing 4 consecutive hits and 4 runs, letting the Dodgers run away with a 9-5 victory.

I did not see any of Saturday’s game, but from what I understand, this was one that makes people regret leaving in the 8^th inning.  Mike Pelfrey battled hard allowing 7 hits and 2 runs striking out 6 walking 1.  Yet his team trailed heading into the bottom of the 8^th, 2-0.  Then Wright led off the inning with a double.  Carlos Beltran then came up and destroyed the Jonathan Broxton delivery to right to tie the game.  Delgado then singled and pinch run for by Nick Evans who was sacrificed to second by Easley.  Evans then scored the winning run on a single by you guessed it, Fernando Tatis.  Billy Wagner was just filthy in the 9^th striking out the side giving the Mets another uplifting win, their 4^th in 5 games. 

On Sunday, it was back to Johan again and he was brilliant again.  For a while, I thought he would go the distance, but with the price of gas these days, he began to run low.  Meanwhile, offensively, the big boys:  Reyes, Wright, and Beltran continued their hot stretch, as Wright drove in Reyes twice in the first 3 innings, while Beltran blasted another two run homer.  The inning continued with a single from Delgado and a moonshot of a home run by Ryan Church, returning to the lineup after his mild concussion, also going 3 for 4 in the game.  Big Show bailed Johan and Joe Smith out of a jam in the 8^th and Feliciano put it away in the 9^th as the Mets won their 5^th game in 6 days.

5 Up:

1)      Billy Wagner – I can’t think of a more dominant effort than Wags this past week.  He pitched 3 innings, facing 9 batters and struck out 7 of them.  The other two did not reach base either.  Whatever you’re doing, Billy, don’t stop. 

2)      Scott Schoeneweis – 4 IP, 4 K’s, 0 BB and an .083 BA against.  That’s tough to beat.

3)      Johan Santana – 2 wins, 2.45 ERA 13 strikeouts and 5 walks.  Yeah, this guy was worth it.

4)      The Big Boys: Jose Reyes/David Wright/Carlos Beltran

a.       Reyes – He’s locked in.  The swing seems to be leveling out and he’s smiling again.  Sure he’s gonna have his brainfarts from time to time, but when he goes, the Mets go and both seem to be going right now. 

b.      Wright – He only hit .407 with 2 homers and 6 RBI. 

c.       Beltran – When you hit .320, with 8 hits, 2 HR’s and 5 RBI, you’re gonna get yourself on the 5 Up.  Welcome back, Carlos.  Stay hot.

5)      Joe Smith – Please tell me this is really you?  Stay focused kid and you will go far.  Nice work.

Honorable Mention: Luis Castillo – two homeruns, hitting .340, but I can also think of at least TWO key spots where he grounded into a crushing double play.  

5 Down:

1)      #48 – He started off so promising, then the wheels fell off on Friday.  I hate to do this to you man, but let’s see some consistency.

2)      Oliver Perez – As I’m writing this, he serves up a gofer ball to Randy Winn to start the Giants’ offensive night.  Ollie, you suck.  I’m not even gonna sugarcoat this anymore.  You suck.  Pitching like this, do you really expect the big payout this year?  Get your head out of your ass. 

3)      Brian Schneider – Hitting .200 for the week is gonna get you on this side, dude. 

4)      John Maine – One word: consistency.  Let’s see it.  I need to see more control out of you.

5)      Nick Evans – I know he’s a rookie and all, but this kid has no idea of where he is or what he’s doing right now.  He’s looking silly at the plate.  As soon as they figured out that he doesn’t know how to hit a big league curve, it was all over for the kid.

Looking back at this day in Mets history:

June 2, 2003 (off)

June 1, 2003

Current Record: 26-30

Overall Record: 66-95

Braves 4, Mets 10

The Mets beat the Braves.  Yes, this happened in 2003.  Al Leiter surrendered two in the first, but the Mets came storming back loading the bases in the second.  Cliff Floyd scored on an error (programming note, some guy who’s hit no more than 2 homeruns in a season in the minor leagues, WHO is also wearing the number 49 for the Giants, just blasted a two run homerun off of Perez.  It’s now 6-0.  And Gary Cohen just pointed out that the Mets, who got in late, hoping for a solid performance from Perez are getting anything but.  Way to go Ollie.)  Back to happier times:  Tsuyoshi Shinjo lined out to 3^rd, but somehow, there was an error on the second baseman Marcus Giles, allowing Floyd to score.  Vance Wilson then doubled home Jeromy Burnitz to tie the game.  (Ollie has just been yanked after retiring one batter.)  The big blow came in the bottom of the sixth as the Mets put up an 8 spot.  Burnitz and Jason Phillips doubled back to back.  Roger Cedeno then grounded out.  (That just got an  “Ulch” from Mike.)  Wilson then singled scoring Marco Scutaro pinch running for Phillips.  After a Tony Clark fly out, the Mets hit 4 consecutive singles before a big fly 3-run homerun from Jeromy Burnitz to cap it.  Leiter took the win and David Weathers and Graham Lloyd closed up shop as the Mets won their second in a row 10-4.

Before I get to 2000, I missed potentially one of the greatest third periods in Stanley Cup Finals history to watch Ollie make a complete ass out of himself.  Mike pointed out over the phone that Ollie actually had the bawls to stay in the dugout after that.  He looks like the guy in the bar who just knocked over a tray of drinks, but didn’t get thrown out.  He then offered to buy the next round, but soon realized he didn’t have enough cash.  God, you really suck Ollie.

June 2, 2000

Current Record: 30-24

Overall Record: 94-68

Devil Rays 3, Mets 5

The Mets and D-Rays traded runs in the bottom of the 3^rd, top of the 4^th and bottom of the 5^th and top of the sixth before the Mets took control in the bottom of the 6^th.  Edgardo Alfonzo doubled with one out.  Robin Ventura walked and Todd Zeile cleared em with a 3 run bomb. Glendon Rusch recorded the win going six giving up 3.  Armando Benitez made it interesting again, walking two, but striking out two to record his 14^th save of the year. 

June 2, 1986

Current Record: 32-13

Overall Record: 108-54

Padres 2, Mets 11

The only word I can think of to describe this is domination.  Dwight Gooden went the distance allowing 4 hits and 2 runs lowering his ERA to a scary 1.97.  Doc struck out 4 and walked 3.  Why did he have to get high?  Anyway, George Foster led the way with 2 homeruns and four RBI.  Danny Heep also had a homerun and 3 RBI.  All in all, just another walk in the park for the ’86 Mets.

June 2, 1962

Current Record: 12-33

Overall Record: 40-120

Giants 10, Mets 1 (Game 1)

In one of their early returns to the Polo Grounds, the Giants put a pounding on the Mets early and never stopped.  A 5 run first comprised of walks and singles, sending Jay Hook to the showers after just 1/3 of an inning.  Hmm, this sounds familiar.  WOW, eerily familiar.  Orlando Cepeda and Willie Mayes hit homeruns for the Giants.  Jack Sanford went the distance for the Giants, allowing one run on a single and 2 base error picked up by Richie Ashburn, and a ground out.  That was it.  Wow.  But wait!  There’s more!

Giants 6, Mets 4

In Game 2, the Giants showed no mercy scoring 3 in the second and 1 in the third.  The Mets scrambled back with 3 in the third and 1 in the fourth.  The teams traded 0’s until the 8^th when Craig Anderson, who pitched a solid 5.2 innings of relief, served up a 2 run homer to Harvey Kuenn.  The Mets got a double in the 8^th and 2 runners on in the 9^th, but couldn’t get any runs across the plate and lost their 14^th straight.  Okay, I’m going to write a letter to MLB and request that they refrain from scheduling the Mets and Giants to play each other on June 2 next year. 

Alright, enough of this.  I'm gonna go watch the rest of this hockey game.  They are going into double overtime.  There is nothing better than overtime in playoff hockey.