Those Mets

MISERABLE FIRST WEEK TOPPED OFF

After the first week of a six-month season, the Mets are 2-4 and in last place in the National League East. Perhaps it is a bit premature to fret that they will stay there for the rest of the year. But their early performance in six home games sent an undercurrent of trepidation rippling among the 33,672 fans Sunday at Citi Field as they lost, 5-2, to the Washington Nationals. Last season, the Nationals were one of a few teams that were worse than the Mets. But on Sunday, they beat the Mets’ best pitcher, Johan Santana (1-1). And they did it behind the pitching of Livan Hernandez (1-0), a crafty journeyman who could not stay on the Mets’ struggling staff last season. Things could get worse for the Mets as they begin a six-game trip Tuesday that includes three games at Colorado and three at St. Louis. Both reached the playoffs last season. Manager Jerry Manuel and General Manager Omar Minaya have said it was important for the Mets to get off to a good start after a 70-92 record in 2009. What might the homecoming mood be like — and what will everyone’s job security be — if the Mets’ road record matches their first week at home or worse? The Mets trailed by 5-0 early, but cut the deficit to 5-2 in the eighth inning with a two-run home run by Mike Jacobs against reliever Brian Bruney. But Matt Capps retired them in order in the ninth. Hernandez pitched seven shutout innings and scattered five hits and three walks. Santana went only five innings and gave up five runs on five hits. The biggest was a grand slam by Josh Willingham in the first inning. In an unusual wrinkle, the play involved two collisions at home plate because the homer was not obvious until umpires reviewed video. When it appeared that the ball had hit the wall in left center and bounced back into play, Adam Dunn crashed into catcher Rod Barajas when scoring the third run before Barajas tagged out Willingham after Santana retrieved the loose ball and threw it. But umpires checked the monitor after the play and discovered that the ball had landed above a horizontal orange line and to the right of a vertical orange line in a zone that is considered behind and beyond the field of play. Santana walked two batters in the inning and threw 31 pitches. He began the season with a six-inning performance in a 7-1 victory over Florida on opening day. Willingham made the score 5-0 in the third by driving home a run with a double. But Jeff Francoeur, the Mets’ right fielder, rescued the inning. Francoeur caught a fly ball from Ian Desmond and threw out Adam Dunn at home plate for a double play. Dunn did not slide. The throw, from fairly deep right field, arrived without a bounce. (NY Times)