8 IN A ROW. HOW SWEET IT IS

BARAJAS AND NIESE HELP METS DESTROY PHILLIES
No matter what managers say, games played in April and those contested in September are not comparable; they are equal only in matters mathematical -- all of which is not to suggest games played in the first month are without consequence. The Mets defeated the Phillies on Friday night -- in the waning hours of April, by the way -- and their 9-1 victory was quite consequential to them, and perhaps to the Phillies as well. When the Mets had produced a 9-1 homestand against the Cubs, Braves and Dodgers, they did so against teams that hardly were at their best. And their eighth straight victory Friday night came against a team that hardly distinguished itself in its just-completed nine-game road trip. But the Phillies are the Nationals League champions, and, to the Mets, the Phillies are the Phillies. Beating them was something of a statement, steamrolling them underscored the statement, and shutting them down in their tiny ballpark, as Jon Niese and his relief did, amplified whatever it was the Mets said. Niese's seven-inning start and two home runs by Rod Barajas, and one each by David Wright and Jeff Francoeur buried, the second-place Phillies and -- now this is not all that important -- pushed them 1 1/2 games behind the first-place Mets. In his first career appearance against the Phillies, Niese gained his first victory in his fifth start of the season, limiting them to four singles, three in the second inning, and one walk. Jenrry Mejia and Manny Acosta succeeded him to shut the door. The Mets scored three times in the second inning when Wright hit his fourth home run, with one runner on base, and Francoeur hit his fourth. Both came against losing pitcher Kyle Kendrick (0-1), who had been a problems for the Mets in past seasons. Barajas hit his fourth in the fifth, Kendrick's final inning, and as the first batter to face Brad Lidge this season, he hit his fifth in the ninth. The four home runs are a Mets high for the season, but they fell well short of the Citizens Bank Park record, seven, established April 19, 2005, by the Mets. The Mets also had a two-run triple, by Angel Pagan, and three doubles before their first single, by Jose Reyes, their 30th batter, in seventh. Pagan also singled, in the ninth. It was his third hit and the Mets' 10th.

FIRST METS VS. PHILLIES GAME OF THE YEAR: 1ST PLACE METS CRUSH PHILLIES
From Metsblog.com: The first-place Mets (14–9) defeated the third-place Phillies (12–10) by the score of 9 to 1 in Philadelphia tonight.

The Mets have won eight games in a row, and 10 of their last 11.

For a full recap and boxscore, go to SNY.TV.

• David Wright, Rod Barajas, Jeff Francoeur, and again Rod Barajas all hit home runs for the Mets, who scored three runs in the second inning and four runs in the seventh.
• Angel Pagan had three hits, including a two-RBI triple.
• Jon Niese let up one run and four hits in seven innings, for his first win of the season.

…niese looked great… at one point, he retired 14 hitters in a row…

…Jeff Francoeur is playing an outstanding right field… not just with his glove, but especially with his arm… he hustles, cuts the ball down, and is doing a tremendous job keeping runners from advancing to extra bases… he made an outstanding throw, and later an even better catch, both of which kept Jason Werth idle at first base, when he easily should’ve scored…

…there were home runs, outstanding pitching, lots of hustle, strong defense, but, honestly, i think my favorite part of the game was watching Jenrry Mejia make Ryan Howard look silly with a 96–mph fastball and two wicked curve balls…

…speaking of mejia, francoeur was drilled on the forearm by a pitch from Danys Baez… later in the game, mejia plunked Chase Utley on the calf… i don’t know if he did it on purpose, in retaliation, but i’m glad it happened… a) get off the plate, and b) eye for eye, buddy…

…the Mets looked to show no fear tonight, and i liked it… the important thing, for me, is, the Phillies had to be up after their comeback win the night before against the Giants… the Mets so easily could have let up tonight, with the Phillies riding high… instead, the Mets dominated from the first pitch… which, at least for one night, is a far cry from how things played out the last few seasons…

…this was great, but keep the pedal to the metal, guys… don’t let up…

The Mets continues their three-game series with the Phillies tomorrow at 3:10 pm on FOX, with Mike Pelfrey (4-0, 0.69 ERA) taking on Roy Halladay (4-1, 1.80 ERA).

More updates will come with the final story. It is clear the Mets have won this one. First place hasn't felt this right since 2006.

Top 7th Inning:
-Classless Phillies fans cheer as Francouer is hit on the first pitch. Hit him on the top of the forearm. 1 pitch, 1 batter on.

-Francouer steals second base. Mets fans are making noise! Revenge is sweet. That's what you get for making the mistake of hitting the speedy Jeff.

-Barajs doubles him in. 5-1 Mets.

-The Mets are cruising. Niese walks. Pegan is up with first and third and nobody out.

-Pegan nearly hits an inside the park home run but holds up at third for a 2-run triple. Its 7-1 New York.

-Phillies are making a pitching change. Still nobody out.

-Reyes scores Pegan with a single. 8-1 Mets.

-Double play ends inning. Mets score 4 runs.

Bottom 6th Inning:
-For his 81st pitch, John Niese strikes Polonco out looking. Only the 8th SO for Polonco this year. Niese has retired 3 of the last 4 batters via strikeout and has retired 12 Phillies in a row.

-Castillo makes a beautiful play to end the inning off Howard. Niese has got people talking. This is quite a performance for John Niese in Philadelphia.

Top 6th Inning:
-Danys Banez replaces Kendrick. He is 0-1 with a 5.40 ERA this season. He pops Jason Bay up.

-The Mets bullpen has been far, far better than the Phillies all year.

-Fights have officially broken out across the stadium. Ejections are apparent. The rivalry is back folks, and this time, it appears the Mets fans are the ones enjoying it.

-David Wright grounds out for the second out, bringing up Ike Davis is is 0 for 1 with a walk. Davis grounds out to the pitcher. The Mets go down in order and we move to the bottom of the inning.

Bottom 5th Inning:
-The Mets have scored all of their runs on home runs. Wright, Francouer and Barajas account for all the RBIs.

-John Niese has thrown 70 pitches threw four innings. After a long top of the 5th, hes back out to face the Phils, having given up just 1 run on 3 hits, all in the second inning. He has given up only 1 walk.

-Carlos Ruiz strikes out swinging. Wilson Valdez is pinch hitting for Kyle Kendrick. He grounds out to the pitcher on the first pitch. Niese has now retired 10 in a row. His very next pitch is a beautiful curve ball strike right down the middle to Victorino. Victorino grounds out. Quick inning. Mets still lead 4-1.

Top 5th Inning:
-Barajas is stressing out Kendrick who is unwilling to throw the 2-2 pitch. Finally, he delieves a ball in the dirt for the 8th pitch of the at-bat. Then Barajas fouls another one off, deep to left. For Barajas, this is a hell of a long at-bat. He hits a home run to left center on the 9th pitch of the at-bat. Wow! 4-1 Mets.

-Niese is retired after 8 pitches. Kendrick is working hard here in the 5th. 1 down.

-Pegan hits a double off the base of the fence in left.

-Castillo grounds out to move Pegan to third base.

-Reyes is up. Earlier he said- "They boo me here, its crazy! But I love it!"

-Reyes has a .534 slugging percentage at Citizens Bank Park. He dominates the Phillies here.

-Polonco makes an impressive catch over the fence in left field's large foul territory to retire Jose and leave Pegan stranded.

Bottom 4th Inning:
-Niese shuts the Phils down in order. He's on a roll.

-3-1 Mets after 4.

Top 4th Inning:
-Red-hot Jason Bay, who doubled his last time up, leads off the 4th with a flyout to center. It takes 7 pitches to retire Bay.

-This game is moving VERY fast. Even the commercial breaks seem uniquely short. In addition, both pitchers work quickly.

- David Wright strikes out swinging. Ike Davis follows by working the third 3-2 count of the inning. Davis walks. Kendrick's pitch count is up to 59.

-Francouer hits a 2-2 fastball to the shortstop for the force out at second. 3 outs.

Bottom 3rd Inning:
-Niese gets the inning he needs. Only 4 pitches to retire Polanco, Utley and Howard.

Top 3rd Inning:
-Pegan leads off the inning trying to break out of a ugly slump, but flies out to center field.

-Castillo and Reyes ground out. 3 quick outs for Kendrick, who has thrown only 44 pitches threw 3 innings. Same amount as Niese who has worked an inning less.

Bottom 2nd Inning:
- Jason Werth with a lead-off single. Francouer holds him from a double with a bullet to Reyes. First hit off Niese nonetheless.

-Francouer makes an incredible catch, running into the wall in right, then throwing it back in and keeping Werth where he wants him.

-Yet another ball is hit to Francouer, who picks up Juan Castro's single, throwing it to third. Phillies have first and third with 1 out.

-Niese is facing the Phillies for the first time in his career. He seems a bit nervous, trying to protect this lead.

-Francouer is on top of his game. Home run, solid defense.

-Carlos Ruiz hits and RBI Single past Wright. 3-1 New York. First and second, 1 out.

-Pitching coach takes trip out to Niese, Wright joins them on the mound to talk things over.

-Kendrick flies out to center. Pegan makes the easy catch for the second out.

-Far more strikes than balls, but Niese's pitch count is up to 41 with a 2-2 count to Victorino.

-Jason Bay jumps above the wall and saves the Mets trouble for the third out. What a play!

-An inning of beautiful outfield defense.

Top 2nd Inning:
- Jason Bay, newest Met, boo'd heavily by Phillies fans leading off the inning. All eyes on the red-hot left fielder. Jason Bay builds up the count full before hitting a double to right field. Hitting the other way, Bay collects the first hit of the game.

-David Wright, with a tremendous on base percentage, 6 for his last 10. He hits a two run home run deep to center field. Mets lead 2-0.

- Ike Davis ground out for the first out of the inning. Jeff Francouer homers to left. 3-0 mets.

-This ballpark is a joke. The Mets are making first place proud.

- Mets we're known a couple years ago for scoring alot of runs in the first inning. These days, the second inning seems to be their thing.

- Rod Barajas grounds out. 2 down. Pitcher John Niese strikes out to end the inning.

Bottom 1st Inning:
-After the first two batters grounded out to David Wright, Chase Utley worked out a walk on a full count to John Niese, putting Ryan Howard at the plate with base-stealing threat on first.

-Ryan Howard strikes out swinging. 3 out.

Top 1st Inning:
-The Mets go in order to start the first. Kyle Kendrick retires New York with only 11 pitches.

CONSISTENT UPDATES, ANALYSIS AND OPINION ALL WEEKEND
Stick with ThoseMets for consistent updates, opinion and analysis throughout the pivotal series in Philadelphia starting tonight and concluding Sunday night. This is the first series against Philly this year, and Mets fans deserve the inside pitch on all things orange and blue.

WEEKEND IN PHILLY: GAME 1 PREVIEW

Following the major shakeup in the National League East standings this week, the Mets, winners of seven straight games, get their first oppurtunity to defend their first-place standing against the division-rival Phillies in a three-game set this weekend. Armed with hot bats, the Mets travel to Philly for Game 1 on Friday, when New York will be looking to avenge last season's results, when the defending East champs took 12 of 18 contests. The Mets are back on track this season, and with a place at the top of the standings at stake, both clubs are ready to resume one of the NL's biggest rivalries. After dropping two of their three series on their recent road trip, Philly will be looking for a strong start from Kyle Kendrick. Kendrick, however, has struggled to find any sort of a groove as a starter. Kendrick hasn't been that far from the mark, rather he's just been inconsistent in the season's early going. "The first month of the season hasn't been very good [for me]," said Kendrick. "I've been pretty erratic. ... I've had some good spots and some bad ones. I'll just have to keep working on it." In his last start, Kendrick looked as if he had solved the puzzle early, but fell apart in the fifth inning, allowing five runs in the frame to take the loss. Despite Kendrick's struggles, Phillies manager Charlie Manuel doesn't have many other options for his spot in the rotation until Joe Blanton is activated, which could happen as early as this weekend. The Mets, however, have been riding their starting pitching during their recent winning streak. Jonathon Niese, Friday's starter, has been a big part of that, but hasn't been rewarded with a win of late. In his last outing, Niese allowed just one run in 5 1/3 innings against Atlanta, but took his third consecutive no-decision. Niese will have one thing in his favor on Friday: unfamiliarity. The young hurler has never faced the Phillies and will get his first taste of the division rivalry in Game 1. Mets: Takahashi taking care of business Hisanori Takahashi (2-1, 3.77 ERA) has also played a key role in the Mets' recent success. The left-hander currently leads all Major League relievers with 21 strikeouts. He's averaging 13.19 strikeouts per nine innings. His success, especially in long relief, has prompted questions about the possibility of moving to the starting five if Ollie Perez can't get on track. "He's making a strong case for himself to be a part of the rotation if we continue to have issues," said Mets manager Jerry Manuel. Phillies: Howard goes deep to end homer drought Ryan Howard broke the longest homerless drought of his career -- a span of 65 at-bats -- on Wednesday by going deep off Tim Lincecum. Howard hadn't homered since April 10, and his previous long drought was 57 at-bats. Howard, the fourth player in big league history to have four straight seasons with 40 home runs and 130 RBIs, also doubled on Wednesday. And perhaps not surprisingly, the Phillies found a way to win in extra innings. Philadelphia is now 4-0 this season when Howard hits a home run, and it went 26-13 under those circumstances last season. Howard, who ranks fifth in franchise history with 226 home runs, has seen his team manage a 132-70 record in games in which he hits a homer. Worth noting Chase Utley singled on Wednesday for the 1,000th hit of his career. The Phillies are the only NL team in the last 20 years to have five players reach the 1,000-hit mark in their uniform. ... Jayson Werth has reached base safely in every game this season. ... With a double on Wednesday, David Wright officially became the Mets' all-time doubles leader with his 226th. ... Joe Blanton made a rehab appearance for Double-A Reading on Wednesday and could be ready to return this weekend.

METS FANS SET TO INVADE PHILLY

On July 19th of last year MetsInvasion wrote this: "The Mets invasion capital of 2006 and 2007 drew weak after a collapse, a rival title and Philly upping the douche-baginess. But filling a third of the stadium with orange and blue 8 times in 06' will never be forgotten, and in due time, the Mets invasion will reinstate itself in the city of brotherly love." But now, the Mets are in first. And the fans are prideful. Except a massive invasion of orange a blue into Philly this weekend.

RIVALRY INTENSIFIED

FIRST PLACE METS TAKE ON SECOND PLACE PHILLIES IN THE NATIONAL LEAGUES HOTTEST RIVALRY
The final game the Mets played against the Phillies last September was distinctive for one reason -- it officially eliminated New York from playoff contention. The season, and with it, one of baseball's more entertaining rivalries, had died. If it wasn't already dead. Truth is, Mets-Phillies hadn't been much of a rivalry for a while. Once the Phillies began running away with things last summer, winning 12 out of 18 games against the Mets and shrugging their shoulders on the occasions when they lost, most of the energy of the rivalry had vanished. The Phillies were superior, the Mets inferior. And this season seemed to promise more of the same. But with the Mets -- winners of their last seven -- now surging and the Phillies faltering just a bit, New York enters this weekend's three-game series in Philadelphia with -- believe it -- something of an advantage. Johan Santana, Mike Pelfrey and Jon Niese -- the first-place Mets' three most consistent starting pitchers -- will take the mound. Their hitters, suddenly swinging quite well, will take aim at Citizen's Bank Park's generous dimensions. And every Mets player will do his best to prove that the NL East carries no foregone conclusions. "It will be a good barometer as far as where you stand," said outfielder Jason Bay, who boasts plenty of rivalry experience, despite being new to this one. "They're obviously one of the top teams in the National League for what they've done the last few years. You can't deny that. And we're playing pretty good baseball." In most cases, the latter outweighs the former -- present trends carry more clout than past successes. And it shows. Judging by their demeanor following Wednesday's seventh straight victory, the Mets are hardly intimidated by their neighbors to the south. "If we go out there and we do what we're capable of, I think we're going to be fine," Saturday's Mets starter, Mike Pelfrey, said. "I don't think it matters who we're playing. It's just a matter of going out there and executing. If we do that, we can play with anybody." That includes Roy Halladay, Saturday's probable starter for the Phillies, or anyone else in red and white. On paper, the Mets hold the clear Sunday advantage, with Santana starting opposite 47-year-old Jamie Moyer. Friday's starter, Niese, has outpitched his counterpart, Kyle Kendrick. And even Halladay cannot breathe easy -- it is Pelfrey, not he, who leads the Majors in ERA. That said, the Phillies are still the Phillies, three-time defending division champions and two-time defending NL pennant winners. Until someone -- the Mets, the Braves -- upends them, they have to be considered the favorites. Don't they? Mets manager Jerry Manuel, for one, still calls the Phillies "the best team in the National League," meaning this series should provide a fine test for his club. "I'm actually kind of looking forward to it," Manuel said. As if he could be feeling anything else. It's a feeling that spread around the Mets clubhouse on Wednesday, after they finished dispatching the Dodgers. For Manuel, it's a chance to see where his team stands. For Jeff Francoeur, it's an opportunity to experience a rivalry that was lacking in juice when he joined it last season. For David Wright, it's a way to test his team's level-headedness. "It's obviously become a nice little rivalry," Wright said. "But you can't get too caught up in the excitement and the emotion that comes into those big series. At the end of the day, it's a divisional game. It's important for us. But it's important for us to stay even-keel." Important, yes. Difficult, too. "No matter what, anytime we play the Phillies, I think it means something," Pelfrey said. "No matter who we're playing, we want to go out there and win. This will be a fun series for us. The fans will be into it." And the Mets should be in it all weekend. They're certainly looking forward to that.

WINNING STREAK CONTINUES

NEW YORK CLOSES OUT BEST HOMESTAND IN FRANCHISE HISTORY WITH SWEEP OF DODGERS

The Mets (13-9) defeated the Dodgers (8-13) by the score of 7-3 at Citi Field this afternoon. The Mets have swept their second consecutive series, and completed their third 9-1 homestand in franchise history. For a full recap and box score, check out SNY.tv here. The Least You Should Know. John Maine started for the Mets, and he had a very promising start, allowing three runs, two earned in six innings, and gave way to Fernando Nieve in the seventh after allowing a leadoff walk to Jamey Carroll. Nieve threw four pitches and got three outs in the seventh after getting Reed Johnson to fly out and getting Russell Martin to ground into an inning ending double play. The Mets put up a four spot in the second inning, thanks to a two run triple from Angel Pagan and an RBI double from Alex Cora, both coming with two outs in the inning. David Wright continued to heat up today, going 2 for 4 with a double and a run scored. Ike Davis continues to impress, going 2 for 4 with an RBI single in the seventh inning. Francisco Rodriguez pitched a scoreless ninth inning, despite walking the tight rope once again. The Mets swept their first regular season three game series from the Dodgers since 1995. I was very pleased with Maine’s performance today, primarily because he was able to hang in after allowing the two run homer to Martin. I've seen too many innings like that crumble to the ground for Maine, but this time, he stayed composed, and was able to pitch into the seventh inning. I love how Ike Davis is just hitting the ball where it’s pitched, and going opposite field so often…he isn’t trying to do too much, and if he can continue to hit to all fields, he is going to be a dangerous hitter. I remember, as this home stand was starting, how critical I thought it was for the Mets to do well and get their season going, considering their schedule only gets tougher from here, and as optimistic as I always am, I would never have expected a ten game stretch like this, leaving New York in first place, and playing as well with this level of excitement and energy as they have in these games. (Mets Blog)

THE FIRST PLACE NEW YORK METS

METS DOMINATE DODGERS, SWEEP DOUBLE HEADER AND TAKE OVER FIRST IN THE NL EAST
When David Wright singled to drive in the go-ahead run in the fifth inning of the second game of the Mets' doubleheader with the Dodgers, he put himself in rare company. At that point, he had 1,000 hits and 143 home runs in 868 games. The only other players in the history of New York baseball to have played so few games and have as many hits and home runs are Lou Gehrig, Babe Ruth and Joe DiMaggio. Those calculations were made by the Elias Sports Bureau. Withe the knock, Wright also became the eighth player in Mets history to reach the 1,000-hit milestone. (Mets.com) Brief, obvious, obligatory caveat about the 2010 Mets: At one point last season, far later in the year than this point, the Mets were in first place. On May 29, 2009, the Mets beat the Marlins 2–1 in eleven innings to hang on to a half-game lead, raising their record to 27–20. A month after that, they were 3 back of the Phillies, a month after that 10.5 back, a month after that 17.5, a month after that 24.5. A baseball season is extremely long; oddities and anomalies, in the grand scheme of matters, are normal. That said: Holy crap, the Mets are in first place! The Mets swept Citi Field's first doubleheader (a freezing doubleheader) yesterday, from the reeling Dodgers, increasing their winning streak to six games, the longest in baseball. Johan Santana was dominant in the first game, and the Dodgers were irredeemably sloppy in the nightcap, and the Phillies lost in San Francisco, and lookie there: first place. Ten days ago, there was open and rampant speculation about when manager Jerry Manuel would be fired. They're here now. The difference has been pitching. The Daily News points out that, going into Oliver Perez's start last night, the Mets' starters had a 1.17 ERA over the last twelve games. That will win you a lot of games even if you're starting Luis Castillo every day. Jason Bay is finally starting to hit now, too; he finally homered in the opener. This is just a hot streak that may or may not be happening at the right time; the Mets will rarely win eight of nine even if they're good. But with a trip to Philadelphia coming this weekend — we're sorry: third-place Philadelphia — Mets fans have plenty to be happy about for the first time since ... well, since last May 29. After all, the magic number is currently 142. Let the countdown begin! (NY Mag)
Note: If the Mets win tomorrow they will have their best home-stand ever! [9-1]

METS TAKE GAME 1 FROM LA

A winning streak, extended to five games Tuesday, has pushed the Mets' record to two victories over .500 for the first time this season and, at least temporarily, put them in a tie for second place in the National League East. The Mets defeated the Dodgers, 4-0, in the first game of a makeup doubleheader Tuesday, with Jason Bay hitting his first home run with the team and Johan Santana gaining his third victory. The win was New York's seventh in eight games on the current homestand. Oliver Perez is starting the second game for the Mets. The Dodgers' starter is knuckleball pitcher Charlie Haeger. Santana (3-1) pitched six innings in the windy chill of Citi Field, beating the Dodgers for the third time in three career starts. He surrendered four hits, three singles and a triple, by Reed Johnson, and walked three batters, all in the second inning. Santana struck out six and threw 115 pitches, his high in five starts this season. Bay, who hit 36 home runs last season, had gone 69 at-bats without a home run this season and 108 since his most recent home run, Sept. 21, last year. The streak of 108 was the longest of his career by 30 at-bats. He hit his shot vs. the Dodgers over the left-center-field wall, leading off the fourth inning. His sixth hit in 11 at-bats gave Santana a 2-0 lead. David Wright had scored on a bases-loaded wild pitch by losing pitcher Hiroki Kuroda in the second. The Mets scored twice in the seventh against the relievers who followed Kuroda (2-1) on a single by Luis Castillo against Ramon Troncosco. The Mets' bullpen was all but flawless. Fernando Nieve allowed two basesrunners in two innings, and Pedro Feliciano pitched the ninth, walking one. The bullpen completed the Mets' fourth shared shutout in 20 games. (Mets.com)

SANATANA TRULY SOMETHING ELSE

Because of the wind and whatever else, Santana was not flawless today. But who notices that when he puts up zeros threw six innings? The man worked out of every jam he created, holding the dodgers scoreless thru 115 pitches. The fan favorite Johan, who leads the majors in ERA since 2004, is a gem to behold and hopes to guide the team to the World Series this year. "I know we can do it. We all know we can do it. Who say's we can't? They don't have reasons. I mean real reasons. We are a ball club with immense talent. Immense".

RAIN MEANS DOUBLEHEADER

Tonight’s Mets game against the Dodgers has been canceled due to rain. The game will be played tomorrow as part of a single-admission double header, starting at 4 pm – with Johan Santana going in game one, and Oliver Perez going in game two. According to a team press release, “Tickets from tonight’s rainout will NOT be valid for admission tomorrow. Fans can exchange tickets in person tomorrow at Citi Field for tomorrow’s games, or at a later date for any future game, subject to availability and according to standard rain-check ticket exchange policy on Mets.com.” (Mets Blog)

METS SWEEP BRAVES

RAIN-SHORTENED WIN GIVES PELFREY ANOTHER SHUTOUT
Mets starter Mike Pelfrey has four victories in four starts this season, but Sunday night’s quirky triumph — 1-0 over the Atlanta Braves — merits an asterisk for at least two reasons. The game lasted only one pitch into the sixth inning, ended early by rain. Despite the shortened game, Pelfrey had already left, having thrown 106 pitches in five innings. He extended his streak of scoreless innings to a career-best 24 as the Mets ran their winning streak to four games, a season high. The season is only three weeks old but they have won a 20-inning game (by 2-1, in St. Louis, on April 17, with Pelfrey getting the save) and this five-inning one. “I can’t say I was pleased with my outing,” Pelfrey said. “I was obviously pretty lucky. I got some huge double plays and Mother Nature was on our side. “I must be living right.” Pelfrey did not get credit for a complete game, however, because relief pitcher Raul Valdes threw one pitch in the top of the sixth before lightning flashed, rain poured and the grounds crew covered the field with a tarp. After a delay of about 90 minutes, the umpires called the game. The Mets have won six of their last seven and are above .500 (10-9) for the first time since they beat the Florida Marlins on opening day. Braves starter Tommy Hanson (1-2) took the loss Sunday despite an impressive performance in which he struck out eight. The Mets scored in the first inning when Jose Reyes singled, stole second and scored after Braves third baseman Chipper Jones made a wild throw to first on an infield hit by Jason Bay. Pelfrey struggled early, needing 31 pitches to get out of a first-inning, bases-loaded jam. He left after giving up five hits and five walks in five innings. Pelfrey was visited on the mound frequently by catcher Henry Blanco, his infielders and by the pitching coach, Dan Warthen. Pelfrey induced double-play ground balls to get out of trouble in the third and fifth innings. “We deserve a break here and there,” said Manager Jerry Manuel, who praised Pelfrey for persevering in difficult circumstances. “He was able to bob and weave and keep himself out of trouble,” Manuel said. Pelfrey is one of two right-handed starters in the Mets’ five-man rotation. The other, John Maine, reported some relatively good news Sunday after finishing a bullpen session. “Good to go,” Maine said before the game, giving a thumbs-up to indicate he would work his next start Wednesday afternoon against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Maine’s latest problem — left arm pain — put him out of Friday night’s game in the fourth inning and left him muttering the word “frustrating” amid phrases like “it’s one thing after another.” On Sunday, Manuel said, “We don’t see any reason that he would not make his next start.” Manuel said he was not sure how Maine had hurt himself. The injury is similar to one that forced Maine out of a game two years ago but did not cost him any starts. Whatever it was, it did not seem to overly concern the Mets’ medical staff. Manuel said X-rays or a magnetic resonance imaging test had not been ordered. Maine, bothered by problems with his right shoulder the previous two seasons, has tried various techniques to regain the velocity on his fastball this season. He has increased his bullpen work between starts, and Manuel said that the extra work had nothing to do with the injury on Friday. Maine also recently got his hair cut short to try to change his luck. In his four starts this season, Maine is 0-1 with an 8.64 earned run average. He showed little emotion after Sunday’s 30-minute throwing session. But he had a skip to his step as he went through the door that leads to the off-limits training room of the clubhouse. Sitting near the door, strumming a guitar, was his teammate Alex Cora, a utility infielder, who began to sing: “John Maine is ready to go! He’s making his next start!” (NY Times)

I know its early in the season, but I am getting frustrated with how fareweather we are this year. Last year, it seemed every game was sold out. This year, we shy away from night games and hate uncomfortable weather. Come on, people!
Saturday, Day Game; Beautiful Weather:
Sunday, Night Game with a Rain Delay:

I guess humans will be humans. I just figure, Mets fanship comes before comfort.

HOW LONG WILL PELFREY REMAIN DOMINANT?

Mike Pelfrey is headed for the Rotisserie Record Books, and he's got an eraser in his hand. After all, he's on pace for 34 wins and 11 saves, miraculous numbers considering he plays for a 9-9 Mets ballclub. This is the season you're going to tell your grandchildren about. All aboard the Pelfrey bandwagon, seats are filling up quickly. Nothing in that first graph is intended to be taken seriously – a little hyperbole goes a long way– but there is a case to be made for Pelfrey. He was masterful in dispatching of the Cubs Tuesday (7 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 6 K) and there are logical explanations for a possible growth year. He's a former No. 1 pick (2005, ninth overall). He's using a split-fingered fastball as a put-away pitch and he's also improved his slider. He worked with a sports psychologist in the offseason (don't discount this out of hand; Pelfrey's attitude on the mound has gotten the best of him in the past). He's still just 26."My confidence, after every start, is improving," Pelfrey said after Tuesday's win."He is probably close to where he was after the All-Star break two years ago, and that is a dominant right-handed pitcher," Jerry Manuel said.Dominant? Seems like a stretch, even if the small sample of stats do support it. As for the video, you be the judge (here's the Pelfrey highlight package). But here's the bottom line: every season there are pitchers who come out of the woodwork to become stars and game-changers for fantasy. Sometimes there's no warning or clues to these breakouts, but usually there's something that you could point to, even if it's merely after the fact. You can make a case for Pelfrey's breakthrough coming in 2010, and that's why he should be owned in all mixed leagues. There's a chance he's one of the bigger profit players of the year. Once you see a plausible argument supporting the player, don't overthink it – just grab him and see where it goes.Pelfrey's next start is a home turn against the Braves on the weekend. I'm making no guarantees when he heads to Philadelphia next week. (Yahoo Sports)

BEAUTIFUL AFTERNOON IN QUEENS

SELL OUT CROWD AND A SERIES WIN AS METS TAKE DOWN BRAVES
On the one-week anniversary of the never-ending game, the Mets and Braves took steps in the same direction, leaving 10 zeros as footprints. But as Citi Field patrons began to worry about their dinner reservations, both teams left nothing behind and actually scored. The result was a 3-1 victory for the Mets that put their winning percentage at .500 and moved them out of last place and ahead of the Braves. Their fifth victory in six games was the byproduct of some long-ball hitting -- not home runs, though -- by Jason Bay and Jeff Francoeur, additional zeros produced by their bullpen and a well-timed, well-executed diving catch by Jose Reyes in the eighth inning. Not only did the Mets assure themselves of winning a second straight series, they finally gained a measure of revenge on losing pitcher Jair Jurrjens, who had beaten them four times last season. Jurrjens, who pitched into the seventh inning, was responsible for the Mets' three runs. He made the mistake of walking Reyes with two outs in the sixth. Reyes advanced to third base almost immediately via a stolen base and a throwing error. Bay followed with a long double to center field, his second run-scoring, extra-base hit in two games. Jurrjens, who walked three of his last eight batters and one before, walked Ike Davis on four pitches to begin the seventh. Francoeur's long double to center scored Davis. Francoeur reached third on a throw to the plate, and Henry Blanco's sacrifice fly scored him. Former Brave Manny Acosta emerged as the winning pitcher, He replaced starter Jon Niese in the sixth and achieved five outs. Niese had pitched one clean inning, the fourth, and allowed 11 baserunners -- 12 if the error by David Wright in the first play of the game is included -- in his 5 1/3 innings. Each of his six strikeouts came in the first four innings. But the walks and the strikeouts took their toll. Niese had thrown 116 pitches, equaling a career high, by the time he was removed. The 116 also are the most by a Mets pitcher this season. Fernando Nieve, Pedro Feliciano and Frankie Rodriguez (third save) followed Acosta. (MLB.com)

THEY'RE FIRED UP IN QUEENS

TWO TRIPLES, A HELL OF A FIRST HOME RUN, A STEAL OF HOME, A ABSOLUTELY DOMINANT RELIEF APPEARANCE AND THE METS HAVE PERHAPS THEIR BEST WIN OF THE SEASON; BRAVES COLLAPSE
David Wright, who drove in two in the win wrote on his twitter after the game: "Mets fans always know how to pump us up. We were in complete control tonight". The Mets’ 5-2 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Friday night was eventful and complicated. After stumbling at the start of the season, the Mets have now won four of their last five games. They won with a revamped batting order as Manager Jerry Manuel received immediate results by moving Jose Reyes from first to third in the lineup. They got a strong and long relief performance from Hisanori Takahashi, who replaced the injured John Maine in the fourth inning and struck out 7 of the 12 Braves he faced. They got a clip for their highlight reel in the fifth inning when Ike Davis, their notable rookie, tied the score, 1-1, with the first home run of his career, a blast measured by the Mets at 450 feet over the fence in right-center field before 32,265 fans at Citi Field. And they scored a goofy run despite the invocation of the infield-fly rule when the Braves’ Chipper Jones, their longtime nemesis, dropped a pop-up in the seventh. The Braves picked up the loose ball but focused on Reyes, who had hit the ball but had already been ruled out even though he was standing on first. Taking advantage of this confusion was Angel Pagan, who had advanced from second to third on the error. He saw that the plate was uncovered and ran home before the Braves realized what was going on. It was the Braves’ fourth error of the game in a performance that resembled some of the Mets’ most inept play of recent years. Another heralded rookie, the Braves’ Jason Heyward, made his first New York appearance and struck out in his first three trips to the plate and grounded out in his fourth. Maine, a right-hander, left with muscle spasms and pain in his left elbow with two outs in the top of the fourth inning and the Mets trailing, 1-0. He had given up four hits. Maine, who has a history of right shoulder problems, showed no physical distress and had just surrendered a single to Omar Infante. Team trainers and Manuel walked quickly to the mound, and Manuel replaced Maine with Takahashi, a 35-year-old left-hander from Japan in his first season in the major leagues. Earlier, Manuel moved Reyes from his usual leadoff spot to third and also dropped the slumping David Wright and the slumping Jeff Francoeur to lower slots while leaving the slumping Jason Bay in the cleanup spot. The move paid off in the sixth when Reyes tripled and scored on a triple by Bay. The next batter, Wright, drove home Bay with a long sacrifice fly to give the Mets a 3-1 lead. It was the first time in almost five years that Reyes had not hit first. Speaking of the move before the game, Manuel laughed softly and called it “one of them old, weird Jerry Manuel moves.” Reyes, a catalytic switch hitter and aggressive baserunner, said he was willing to move to help a team that was struggling to hit. The Mets’ team batting average of .229 before the game ranked 15th in the 16-team league. Reyes, who missed the first week of the season with a thyroid problem and most of last season with a hamstring injury, was batting .226. His two hits raised his average to .246. Manuel said he hoped moving Reyes would help Bay, who started the game with an average of .224. Manuel theorized that Reyes could get on base and threaten to steal, thereby distracting the attention of pitchers and, perhaps, inducing them to throw more fastballs to Bay. Manuel said he hoped the lineup moves would also help Wright, who batted fifth Friday night, and Francoeur, who batted seventh. “See if it has some effect on some of our big guys,” Manuel said. “The guys in the lower part might get some pitches to hit and drive in some runs.” Manuel said he cited Hanley Ramirez and Barry Larkin to Reyes as examples of similar players who had made the same move. “He seemed very excited about it,” Manuel said. “He had kind of bought into it.” Manuel said it would be important for Reyes to have some early success in his new slot to feel confident. “That is part of kind of the danger that you deal with,” Manuel said. “ If it doesn’t work out, we’ll switch him back. I like for him to be comfortable with it and he seemed to be.” According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Reyes had not started anywhere but the top spot in the batting order since July 5, 2005, when he batted seventh at Washington.

A CRISP, ENERGIZED WIN.

METS TAKE 3 OF 4 FROM CHICAGO

Sixteen games have now come and gone, affording the Mets ample opportunity to accumulate statistics. David Wright has hit three home runs, for example. Mike Pelfrey is the proud owner of three victories. And now Francisco Rodriguez -- finally -- has a save. "It's about time," he said after closing out the Mets' 5-2 victory Thursday over the Cubs. It had been quite some time indeed. On only one other occasion had Rodriguez attempted to close out a game this season, last Saturday in St. Louis. That night, in the 19th act of an eventual 20-inning victory, Rodriguez estimated he had thrown more than 100 pitches in the bullpen before even entering the game. Naturally, he blew the save. Thursday, he ensured, would be different. Entering with the bases loaded, the tying run on first and one out, Rodriguez induced a shallow sacrifice fly before striking out pinch-hitter Tyler Colvin to end the threat. Then he mowed down the top of Chicago's order in the ninth, whiffing two batters before Derrek Lee flew out to end the game. For the first time this season, Rodriguez patted his chest and pointed skyward. "That's the kind of mentality that I always have," Rodriguez said. "Bring me in a tough situation. Put me in the pressure. I'm pretty sure I'm going to go out there and be more aggressive and be able to get people out." After Saturday's 20-inning game, Rodriguez admitted to being somewhat gassed when he finally did take the mound to pitch. So Mets manager Jerry Manuel took that lesson and applied it to Thursday's game, using his closer for five outs rather than having him sit back down on the bullpen bench. Rodriguez, naturally, was pleased with the decision. Despite requiring a few pitches to shake off the rust, he quickly ended the eighth without incident. "And after that," Rodriguez said, "everything was easy." Easy -- that's how things should be when Johan Santana pitches, and especially when he pitches well. Thursday was one such day, with Santana allowing nothing more than Kosuke Fukudome's pinch-hit RBI single in the seventh. Striking out five and walking one, Santana also managed to put a check mark in the statistical column that had frustrated him most: wins. "Santana's good, but I don't think it's just Santana," Lee said. "I don't want to take anything away from him -- he's one of the best pitchers in the game -- but this whole season, we haven't scored many runs." Case in point: the seventh inning, when Santana departed and Fernando Nieve allowed a hit to the only batter he faced. With one out, Pedro Feliciano then induced a ground ball and retired Lee on a fly ball to escape the jam. The Mets, meanwhile, were scoring just enough -- something they haven't done with much regularity this season. After Cubs starter Tom Gorzelanny retired the first 10 batters he faced, the Mets finally broke through on David Wright's RBI double in the sixth. Jeff Francoeur then snapped his 0-for-24 streak with an RBI single to right, and both he and Rod Barajas scored on Fontenot's fielding error. Both teams added runs in the eighth, keeping the save situation intact. And with their first series win in the balance, the Mets were only too happy to turn to their closer. Recall that just two years ago, then with the Angels, Rodriguez set the Major League record with 62 saves. Last year, despite a down season both for him and the Mets, he saved 35. This year, he is on pace for 10 -- and he's looking to record them any way that he can. After Saturday's marathon, for example, Rodriguez joked that he wanted to trade his win for Pelfrey's 20th-inning save. Five days later, he cracked that he would appeal to the Commissioner's office to get the swap done. But for a starting pitcher such as Pelfrey, a rogue save comes with plenty of pride. Pelfrey, who volunteered for 20th-inning duties last Saturday with Rodriguez physically unable to go, is ready to do it again. "If needed, I'll be able to," he said -- only half joking. But Pelfrey's status as a late-inning whiz is quickly disintegrating. After Thursday, he is only tied for the team lead in saves. "Now he can't talk anymore," was how Rodriguez put it. To the rest of the Mets, that's all just pettiness. Let Rodriguez and Pelfrey joke all they want. Winning games is serious stuff, and Rodriguez is still a critical means to an end. "There's not much I can do once I'm out of the game," Santana said. "But these guys did a pretty good job and K-Rod took care of business. It was good to see that." (Mets.com)

JERRY'S PROBLEMATIC INDECISION

This afternoon at Citi Field, Jerry Manuel told Adam Rubin of ESPN New York he feels Jose Reyes should be batting one slot ahead of Jason Bay, but has yet to decide whether or not Reyes would leadoff and Bay would bat second, or if Reyes will bat third and Bay will hit cleanup. (MetsBlog) Manuel's indicision is unique in a manager. He seems to think time is on his side, and things can be worked out and thought about carefully, letting games go by. Although it is difficult to prove his indecision is directly causing losses, it is clear that an indecisive manager does not inspire a team already struggling to show spirit.

MANUEL TO MAKE "BOLD MOVE"

JERRY FURIOUS WITH LINE-UPS LACK OF PRODUCTION

At a loss after watching the middle of his lineup struggle once again, Mets Manager Jerry Manuel made it clear late Wednesday night that he was getting ready to make one or two bold moves with his struggling lineup. The Mets had just lost to the Chicago Cubs, 9-3, and David Wright, Jason Bay and Jeff Francoeur, all right-handed hitters, had combined for two hits and were starting to hear boos from a small but noticeable group of fans at Citi Field. Cubs left fielder Alfonso Soriano, who had a two-run home run, a triple and three runs batted in, had as many extra-base hits as the entire Mets lineup. Manuel said he could not stand by much longer and do nothing. He indicated after the loss that he would give Wright, Bay and Francoeur one more chance Thursday before he would give one or more a rest, and he seems prepared to split them up to get a left-handed or switch-hitter somewhere between them. He said he would wait until after Thursday’s game because the Cubs will send a left-hander, Tom Gorzelanny, to the mound in the finale of a four-game series in which the Mets won the first two games. “I know they will play tomorrow,” Manuel said, “but I’ll have to view it again as we go into the next series” against the Atlanta Braves. Clearly uncertain about what to do, Manuel has been tinkering with several different lineups, some of which include Jose Reyes batting third. But Reyes is still not completely comfortable at the plate, and Manuel does not want to make that move until he is. He said he was also considering using the rookie Ike Davis somewhere in between those three right-handed hitters. Angel Pagan is another option who could be used in the No. 3 spot. Manuel said he might do something to try to help Bay, who is batting .241 and has 22 strikeouts in 54 at-bats. One idea Manuel proffered is to bat Bay second as a way to get him more fastballs, ostensibly because there would be a potential base stealer on base in front of him. “What I’ll probably have to do is find a way to where, if his pitch is a fastball, I have to find a way to have some pressure on first base where he’ll get that fastball,” Manuel said. “I might have to bat him second, you know. I’ve got to find a way where he can at least get a look at his pitch while he’s struggling to get him going.” After the game, Bay had left the clubhouse before reporters entered, but Wright, who continues to play terrific defensively, said that he would be perfectly happy to bat wherever Manuel put him, that he just wanted to win. “It’s time for me to get going and start feeling more and more confident in the box,” said Wright, who is hitting .240. “You can go up there and have good at-bats and not get the results you’d like, but I also feel like I’ve given some at-bats away.” The lack of hitting was not the only problem for the Mets on Wednesday, just the one that has been most enduring this season. The pitching has been impressive for the most part, but on Wednesday Oliver Perez could not last beyond the fifth inning, and four Mets pitchers issued nine walks. But for Manuel, that was an anomaly, and the most pressing issue will be how and when to start juggling the lineup. “Those are some things I’ll be trying to sleep on the next couple of nights, if I get any sleep,” he said.

METS PITCHERS WALKING MORE BATTERS THAN ANY TEAM IN THE MAJORS

A PATHETIC LOSS IN EVERY WAY
The Mets are in this together, they say. And on this baseball evening, their actions supported that assertion to a large degree. Their hitters barely hit, their starting pitching was inadequate, and the performance of their bullpen was something borrowed from the Age of Luis Ayala, circa September 2008. Suffice it to say their loss to the Cubs on Wednesday night was a team effort. Oliver Perez pitched poorly enough to deserve the loss that now is reflected in his 0-2 record; the Mets amassed all of two hits in the first seven innings against winning pitcher Carlos Silva and his immediate successor, Sean Marshall; and by the time three Mets relievers achieved the 12 outs required of them, they had allowed enough runs -- six -- to fix the final score at a most unflattering 9-3. How nostalgic! The Mets added veteran reliever Al Reyes to their roster during the collapse of 2008 but never used him. Jerry Manuel might have been tempted in the ninth inning Wednesday when Hisanori Takahashi was in the process of walking three batters. Or maybe it was time for Ricardo Rincon. The Mets' first loss in three games certainly had that feel, a sense that anyone summoned from the remodeled bullpen beyond right-center field was likely to pad the opponents' run total. New man Manny Acosta, added to the roster of relievers late in Spring Training, replaced Perez in the sixth and allowed three runs in the seventh. Raul Valdez was next. He achieved two outs but not before he walked a batter and allowed two hits. And then Takahashi was called. Manuel characterized his performance "uncharacteristic." It was that and less, Brandon Knight-esque. All that put an end to the Mets' midweek, feel-good renaissance. After all, the Cubs had lost four games since their most recent victory and are more offensively challenged than the Mets. Not that it appeared that way in these nine innings; they produced 14 hits and accepted nine walks. A scorched ground ball that defied David Wright's efforts was scored an error. This was the game the Mets feared when they were scuffling to put together a bullpen in the final days of March, the kind of game that prompted the revision of the rotation sequence. Not enough innings from the starter, not enough zeroes from those he preceded. This was the kind of game that cost the club a division championship two seasons ago. Perez wasn't Bad Ollie. He bent considerably, but he didn't break. He allowed 11 baserunners in five innings, including seven in an 11-batter sequence in his final two innings. But the Cubs, 15th in runs among 16 National League teams before the game, managed merely three runs. Perez's new and greater assortment of pitches served him well. "If I don't have my fastball ... I didn't have good location on my fastball ... I have to throw them [offspeed pitches] more," he said. "They helped me." Not enough, though more than the Mets' offense. If not for the home run Rod Barajas hit against Silva (2-0) in the second inning, Jason Bay's pulled single to left in the sixth -- Silva's final inning -- would have been the Mets' only hit against the Cubs' starter. The middle of the Mets' order -- Wright, Bay, Jeff Francoeur and rookie Ike Davis -- again provided inadequate support. Wright drove in a run in the eighth when the Mets scored twice against Marshall. And Bay and Davis had isolated singles. But as a group, the four produced three singles in 12 at-bats, and two walks. And Wright was hit by a pitch (on the outside of his left hand) by Silva in the first. Because of the group slump, Manuel is contemplating changes in the order, reassignments designed to improve the odds that Bay will see more fastballs, including putting fleet runners in front of him in the lineup. The manager said he has three potential batting orders on his desk, each with Jose Reyes in the third position. He has talked of batting Angel Pagan third. "I did with the Cubs, and I liked it," Pagan said. Wright said, "If it's going to get us more runs, I'll sign up for it." It would be easier on all involved and all affected if two of the four began hitting doubles. The Mets barely exploited the Cubs' bullpen -- it began the evening with a 6.51 ERA -- after Silva's departure. But by the time a leadoff single by Reyes, a triple by Luis Castillo and Wright's single produced two runs in the eighth, the outcome seemed to be foregone conclusion. Those who had paid to watch the Mets' 15th game numbered 25,684, the smallest crowd in Citi Field's 90-date history. The course of the game, the threat of rain that delayed the beginning of the game 26 minutes and the Mets' bullpen combined to send all but a few thousand home early. (MLB.com)

OPTIMISM IS IN THE AIR

SHUTOUT OF CUBS GIVES FANS REASON TO BELIEVE

The image was familiar for the Mets, but it was one that had not been seen this season: Jose Reyes, the front of his uniform caked in dirt, smiling and clapping while springing to his feet at third base after a triple.It happened in the second inning Tuesday night after he drove in two runs at Citi Field to spark a 4-0 victory over the Chicago Cubs.Reyes went 4 for 5 in support of starter Mike Pelfrey (3-0), who pitched seven innings to extend his scoreless streak to 19 innings.“You love looking behind you and seeing him smiling and having a good time,” Pelfrey said of Reyes. “It’s fun watching him.”Reyes, who missed almost a year with hamstring and thyroid problems, started this season a week late and did not start Monday’s game, a 6-1 victory. When Manager Jerry Manuel scratched Reyes then, he said Reyes needed a rest as he struggled to get back his timing and sharpness. Reyes was hitting .150.But Manuel also predicted “the next time you see him on the field, you’ll see some things you haven’t seen before” this season.After Reyes raised his average to .222 Tuesday, Manuel chuckled and said, “Every now and then I can be right about something.”Reyes singled in his first at-bat Tuesday, ending an 0-for-18 skid, before ripping his triple to left-center in the second off the Cubs’ starter, Carlos Zambrano (1-2). He also singled in the seventh and in the eighth, raising his average to .222.Manuel said that Reyes has “kind of an electric body” and that sometimes, paradoxically, slows him down. Reyes said he needed the rest Monday and was not surprised at Manuel’s prediction.“He’s my manager,” Reyes said. “He knows me.”Fernando Tatis added insurance for the Mets with a two-run pinch-hit home run in the eighth.The Mets (6-8) won their second in a row and third in four games, and Pelfrey has been a big reason. In his previous appearance, on Saturday, Pelfrey got the first save of his career when he pitched the 20th inning of a 2-1 victory in St. Louis.Pelfrey had a bullpen session earlier Saturday but volunteered for relief work. The extra effort did not seem to have a negative effect, although Pelfrey said he let the thought worry him early in the game Tuesday.Nevertheless, he gave up no hits until there was one out in the fifth inning when Mike Fontenot singled to left.But after Koyie Hill followed with a single, Fontenot was picked off second by catcher Henry Blanco.Pelfrey threw 102 pitches and said he would have thrown more if Manuel had let him.“I saw his point,” said Pelfrey, who has matched his career high with 19 consecutive scoreless innings. “It’s April.”Over all, Pelfrey allowed three hits and three walks and struck out six, continuing the Mets’ recent trend of outstanding starting pitching. In the last six games, Mets starters have given up four earned runs in 38 innings.The rookie Ike Davis was back in the lineup Tuesday, again batting sixth and playing first base, after going 2 for 4 and driving in one run in his debut. He went 0 for 3 with a walk and a run scored in his second major league game.His father, Ron, and stepmother, Kendall, arrived at Citi Field in time for Tuesday night’s game. They could not make it on Monday from their Arizona home because Davis was called up too late in the day. So they threw a big party at their house Monday and took a flight out of Phoenix on Tuesday.Ron and Kendall Davis had about 50 people at their house Monday to watch Davis’s debut, and Kendall said they particularly enjoyed the way Jeff Francoeur hit Davis in the face with a shaving-cream pie when he was being interviewed after the game.“We laughed until our faces hurt, and we watched it again and again,” she said.

PEGAN: MR. CLUTCH

With runs scarce for the Mets lately, Angel Pagan got the ball rolling with a two-run homer. The Mets played their most complete game of the season against the Chicago Cubs Monday night, where both pitching and offense came together. John Niese gave the Mets 6 strong innings only allowing an unearned run while Angel Pagan highlighted the offense with a two-run homer in the bottom of the 7th inning. The Mets went on to score five runs in the seventh inning with contributions also coming from rookie, Ike Davis, who was making his MLB debut at Citi Field. Davis went 2-4 on the night with an RBI single. John Niese delivered his best start of the season, pitching out of a couple early jams. Niese ended his night with seven strikeouts and three walks over six innings. Aside from Angel Pagan, the rookies were the storyline through out Monday night's game. Adding to the rookies' performance Jenry Mejia delivered two solid innings of shutout ball to close out the game. The win Monday night over the Cubs puts the Mets record at 5-8 on the season and will hope to serve as model for this 10 game home stand. The winning pitcher was Fernando Nieve and the losing pitcher was James Russell. The Mets and Cubs will be back at it Tuesday night at Shea. (Bleacher Report)

IKE DAVIS LOOKS RIGHT IN A MET UNIFORM

After announcing that Ike Davis had been promoted to the big leagues, a move that shoved the Mets into their future, general manager Omar Minaya was reluctant to say that the 23-year-old first baseman was here for good. Clearly, though, Davis was brought in for the good of a team that was in need of offense and perhaps an injection of something different. So many factors are in play, not the least of which are Daniel Murphy's injury and the Mets' caution, that Minaya can't say. But already, in four at-bats and nine innings, Davis has polished his candidacy to be the Mets' regular first baseman, almost regardless of Murphy. It's not so much that he singled twice and drove in one run in his big league debut, but rather how he seemed at ease in his new role. Manager Jerry Manuel's characterizations were that Davis "didn't appear fazed" and "totally understood." He noted the rookie's "coolness." And the most astute observation was this: "He seems like one of the guys." Davis appeared that way in Spring Training, and when he walked on the field before the game on Monday night, it was for a reunion, not an introduction. His easiness belies his age and lack of big league time. He took his first batting practice swings, first hits and RBI, and a postgame shaving-cream pie in the face with equal aplomb. He knew what to expect, and if he didn't, so what? He'd roll with it. "I'm in the big leagues," Davis said after the game. "What's not to like?" He cackled when he found 118 text messages awaiting him -- and those didn't include the multitude he received before game time. He proudly showed a photo of his shaving cream-covered face a buddy had sent him within 10 minutes of Jeff Francoeur's attack. Francoeur had nearly emptied the can. "That kind of stuff helps a lot," Davis said. Only "one of the guys" would feel so good about it. "I consider myself personable," he said, and no one questioned his assessment. Angel Pagan hit the two-run homer than provided the Mets a two-run lead in what became their 6-1 victory over the challenged Cubs. Jon Niese pitched effectively for most of six innings. But this evening belonged to the player who in less than a year had passed every position-player prospect in the organization. Davis had been summoned from the Mets' Triple-A Buffalo affiliate on Monday afternoon -- he had taken batting practice for an afternoon game -- and was immediately inserted into the starting lineup by Manuel. He was the No. 6 hitter and, of course, the first baseman. His pregame introduction was hailed, his in-game introduction prompted a sitting ovation from a modest gathering at Citi Field, and his first at-bat -- in the second inning against right-hander Randy Wells -- produced a single and a semi-standing ovation. When he drove in a run with an up-the-middle single in the five-run rally in the seventh -- off left-hander Sean Marshall, no less -- he heard full acceptance from the 27,940 in the stands. "It was real cool, the crowd actually knowing who I was and cheering for me," he said. "Pretty cool." He had even signed an autograph after he deplaned at LaGuardia when a worker recognized his name in the manifest. Such celebrity. As much as Davis embraced his opportunity, Citi Field embraced him. The crowd wanted something to cheer, and Minaya and Manuel accommodated. And as Minaya said, "He's here to play." There will be no platooning, as there was with Opening Day first baseman Mike Jacobs and Fernando Tatis. The developments of recent days had created circumstances that made Davis' promotion almost a given. Once the Mets summoned Tobi Stoner to add temporary depth to their unrested bullpen on Sunday and designated Jacobs for assignment, the next natural step appeared to be returning Stoner to their Triple-A affiliate and promoting Davis, the son of former Yankees and Twins reliever Ron Davis. The fatigue of the bullpen, the by-product of Saturday's 20-inning game, was one factor, but Minaya said he had begun thinking of summoning Davis last week -- before the marathon game and after watching Jacobs provide insufficient offense and awkward defense. Minaya finally acted on an assessment he'd made in the final week of Spring Training, after Davis had been assigned to the Minor League complex and before Daniel Murphy injured his knee. "We could have gone either way," Minaya said then. "Ike is ready to play." But the Mets opted to use Jacobs, who has a 32-homer season on his resume, and let Davis sample Triple-A pitching for the first time. The rookie clearly found it to his liking, batting .364 with two home runs and three doubles in 33 at-bats. With the Mets unsure when Murphy will return -- he hasn't done more than light running at this point -- it was time for Davis. Minaya declined to discuss what impact Davis' promotion would have on Murphy when the latter has healed. During the offseason, shortly after Davis had impressed the club during the Arizona Fall League, a member of the hierarchy said the team was not opposed to assigning Murphy to Triple-A if the club imported a better first baseman. Davis, the Mets' first-round selection in the 2008 First-Year Player Draft, said "I was pretty excited" after his arrival at Citi Field and his second batting practice. His expectations for 2010 didn't include a trip from Buffalo to Queens. "It was completely out of my control," Davis said. "Did I want to be here? Yes!" He had a sense he would be promoted this season, but not this early. He spoke by telephone with his father, who was in Arizona, after he was told by Buffalo manager Ken Oberkfell that he was making the trip to New York. "He told me to play my game and enjoy it," he said. His parents are expected on Tuesday. One will get the ball used when his broken-bat line drive landed in right-center in the second inning. Davis acknowledged feeling nervous, though he said that would be eliminated after one pitch. After five more pitches, he had a 1.000 batting average, which will do a lot to eliminate anxiety. "It's nice to know that all my hard work paid off," Davis said matter-of-factly before the game. Davis added that he felt no extra pressure being summoned while the Mets were struggling and after Jacobs had underperformed. "I put expectations on myself," he said. Manuel already had said that being promoted in-season, as opposed to at the beginning of a season, is more challenging. "This way there's more attention paid to you," Manuel said. Manuel expects Davis to provide "easy power, fluid power." That's what caught his eye in Spring Training. "He's a rhythmic player. He understands the flow and rhythm of the game. He's a smooth, young player," he said. The manager was particularly impressed by Davis' long fly ball to right in the sixth. "He knew the game was on the line and he took his shot. He just missed," Manuel said. Home run hitters know when to take their shots. Earlier, Manuel had offered a precaution, as the Mets are wont to do with every young player. "I'm not sure he has to be the savior of [the 2010 Mets]," he said. "He's a good complement for what we have. Be careful of high expectation." Moments later, Davis took his first big league swings in a cage. He hit one pitch over the Geico sign in right center, the deepest point in the outfield, and another over the roof in the visiting bullpen. "I can hit out there," he said. He has his own expectations. (MLB.com)