The New York Mets lost to the Atlanta Braves 3-1 on Sunday afternoon. It was the second straight defeat at the hands of their division foes as the Mets fell below .500 for the first time this season.

It was over when: Mark Teixeria killed the Mets twice, first with this homer in the bottom of the eighth and then with his glove in the top of the ninth. I have a feeling that I'm gonna start to hate this guy very quickly.

Good: This Johan Santana kid is pretty good. Santana gave up one run over seven strong innings but was the hard-luck loser as the offense and Aaron Heilman gave him absolutely zero support. For the second consecutive game, though, the Mets refused to go down without a fight. They brought home a run (finally) in the top of the ninth and had the tying run on first when Brian Schneider hit a bullet down the first base side. Unfortunately, Mark Teixeira made a fantastic play, stopping the ball and making the flip to Soriano to end the game.

Bad: I already mentioned them both. The offense was dead for eight innings and by the time they showed up, Heilman had already given a two-run homer to Teixeira the inning before. You have your ace on the hill and you don't manage to give him a single freakin' run? Maybe the Mets wanted to give Santana a reminder of his days in Minnesota. Right now, Santana is the best 1-1 pitcher in baseball.

Ugly: Reyes: 0-4. Castillo: 0-4. Wright: 0-2, 2 SO, 2 BB at least. Beltran: 0-3, 1 BB, 2 SO including a pathetic at-bat in the top of the ninth in which he didn't take the bat off his shoulder once. Hey Carlos; I'll stop riding you when you start to earn your ridiculous paycheck. Oh yeah, Delgado went 2-4 today but he also left three men on base. I'll just sum all of this up. The Mets sucked at the plate for 8+ innings today. Yeah, they were facing John Smoltz today but Blaine Boyer, Will Ohman and Peter Moylan all held the Mets scoreless today. Are you kidding me?

Overall: Thankfully, I missed over half of this game. Once again, the Braves were the better team and they deserved to win. The bats better show up against the Phils this week. Performances like this at Shea will not sit well with the home fans, boys. Then again, playing like this in Atlanta angers me just as much. If we're going to be excited when the Mets beat up on the AAA-quality Florida Marlins, we have to be annoyed when they play like a Little League team against the Braves.

Grade: D. Which is sad because Johan Santana deserved better.
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The Mets lost their first game against the Atlanta Braves of the 2008 season, going down 11-5 in Atlanta.

It was over when: Kelly Johnson hit a grand slam off of Jorge Sosa in the bottom of the seventh inning to give the Braves a 9-3 lead. The Mets put two on the board afterwards but in the end it really didn't matter.

The good: The Mets didn't lay down and die when they fell behind. John Maine gave up a run in the first but the Mets came right back and scored in the top of the second. New York was down 4-1 but scored two in the top of the fifth. They even came back and scored two runs after Kelly Johnson hit his game deciding pinch-hit grand slam in the bottom of the seventh. Tenacity is something this team lacked during the stretch run of '07. It's good to see the Mets actually have some toughness.

The bad: Maine was not the same pitcher he was during Spring Training this afternoon. He managed to strike out five but was still very inconsistent, walking three batters and giving up four earned runs in only four innings of work. Jorge Sosa joins Maine as co-goat of the day. It was Sosa that gave up the grand slam to Kelly Johnson (Kelly Johnson? Are you kidding me?) on a batting practice pitch in the bottom of the seventh. Say what you want about the Mets not cashing in with men on base but when you give up 11 runs, the game probably isn't going your way.

The ugly: What the hell was that in the fifth inning? I was on the phone and missed most of it but I'm glad that the umps got together to make the right call. Just another reason why Major League Baseball needs instant replay.

Overall: The Mets were outplayed by a division foe and rival. That's never going to sit well with fans, be it April or September. The Mets may have a potent offense but expecting them to score five runs or more a game is ridiculous, even for Mets fans. The Braves played better and deserved to win.

Grade: C- Read More...

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The New York Mets crushed the Florida Marlins on Wednesday night, winning 13-0. The Mets win their first series of the season, going 2-1 in Florida.

It was over when: The Mets stepped onto the field. Seriously. They took a 3-0 lead in the 2nd inning and never looked back.

Good: Uh...where to start? David Wright had another 3 RBI game and Ryan Church drove in 3 runs as well. Jose Reyes had 2 RBI and Carlos Beltran had an RBI and his first home run of the season taken away by the umps. Even Carlos Delgado had a RBI tonight. Wow. Meanwhile, Oliver Perez was spectacular in six innings, striking out eight without giving up a single run. Nelson Figueroa was impressive in his first appearance as a Met. I could go on but if you're reading this, you can read the box score.

Bad: Luis Castillo didn't drive in any runs tonight. Seriously. That's it. The Mets won 13-0. You name something bad.

Ugly: The Florida Marlins. Period. The Mets should beat this team at least 70 percent of the time this season. Anything short of that is a failure. This is a AAA team out there and the Marlins have no business out there with the Mets. You almost feel sorry for Hanley Ramirez. Ok. You don't.

Grade: A+ Read More...

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SNY has reported that Pedro Martinez will be out 4-6 weeks with a strained hamstring. Nelson Figueroa is now with the team and is headed to the bullpen.

-Well, this could have been much worse. I still wouldn't be surprised if Pedro returns in June but we'll have to see. Read More...

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Willie Randolph was on Mike and the Mad Dog this afternoon.
-Said that Pedro was in MRI machines as they were speaking (this was around 5 p.m. this afternoon. So much for Pedro having that MRI first thing in the morning.)
-Randolph fully expects Pedro to go on the DL.
-Hinted that Nelson Figueroa will be added to the rotation. It is being reported that Figueroa is on his way to Miami (according to Metsblog).
-Mike Pelfrey looked great in the bullpen today according to Randolph. And you guys were worried.
-Said that the Mets will in no way hurry El Duque back. Yeah, cause we wouldn't want to rush an injured and aging pitcher back to the rotation.
-Randolph praised the Mets bullpen for their work in the first two games of the season.
-Reassured fans that the clubhouse is indeed emotionally intact after Pedro hurt himself. I, for one, am sick of hearing about how Pedro's injuries will cripple team morale. It's the second game of the season. If losing Pedro Martinez is crippling to anything regarding this team, it's going to be a very long season.
-He continued his praise of John Maine, even saying that Maine has a little swagger going for him.
-Duaner Sanchez may be back before May.
-Also, Luis Castillo has one leg shorter than the other. I can't make this up, friends.

Randolph of course said more but nothing earth shattering. Perhaps we'll learn more about Martinez during tonight's game. Read More...

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As reported practically everywhere (including this website), Mets pitcher Pedro Martinez injured his left leg during the bottom of the fourth inning against the Florida Marlins on Tuesday night. Martinez immediately limped off the mound after getting the first out of the inning, a routine ground ball. The extent of the injury is unknown, but Martinez was shown limping on SNY. SNY also reported that Martinez claimed to "hear a pop" in his hamstring. He is scheduled to have an MRI early Wednesday morning.

Anything until Wednesday will be pure speculation. Pedro hearing a "pop," though, is not good. Personally, I'll be surprised if we see Martinez on the hill before the summer. We at Global NYM will post any updates as soon as they come available but don't expect anything until early afternoon on Wednesday. Read More...

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The Florida Marlins defeated the Mets 5-4 in extra innings as Robert Andino hit a walk-off home run to win the game.

The game was over when: The Mets quit hitting. The bullpen held the Marlins scoreless for over six innings and still couldn't take the lead, even though New York had several chances to do so. Andino's moon shot off of Matt Wise was just the final nail in the coffin of tonight's contest.

The Good: The bullpen was awesome. Sosa, Schoeneweis, Smith and Heilman held the Marlins scoreless from the fourth inning into the tenth. Even Wise struck out his first two batters before giving up the homer to Andino.

The Bad: Situational hitting, anyone? The Mets left 12 men on base on Tuesday night and had plenty of chances to score at least one run, especially in the top of the ninth. The bullpen came through and the bats gave zero support.

The Ugly: Pedro Martinez left in the bottom of the fourth after hearing what is being reported as a “pop” in his left hamstring. While this shouldn't surprise anybody, it's still not good at all. Everything is speculation at this point at Martinez will have an MRI on Wednesday. Still, you have to fear for the worst at this point and believe that we may not see Pedro on the hill until possibly June.

Overall: Martinez didn't have good stuff before getting hurt this evening, giving up four runs in 3.1 innings. Still, you don't want to see the “number two man” of the rotation go down in his first start. As I said, though, this loss can be blamed on the lack of offensive production. Fans had worries about the bullpen coming into 2008 and rightfully so. Thus far, the Pen has been great. Wise may have given up the game winning shot in the tenth but the truth is the game never should have gotten that far to begin with. Hopefully the better team can take this series. Read More...

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Plenty of people have asked us over the years about finding baseball games online. If you want games in the best quality possible, you have to get mlb.tv. It's that simple. It's really not a horrible deal (starts at $15/month or $90/year) and you get to watch practically every out-of-market game there is.

However, for those of you not all about spending the green, I present a few links to help out.

A step-by-step process on how to watch baseball online

The website with baseball games as well as other sports

A forum to help answer any questions regarding the above website

Enjoy. Read More...

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The New York Mets won yet another Opening Day contest, defeating the Florida Marlins 7-2.

Good: Where to start? Johan Santana pitched like an ace, giving up two runs and striking out eight in seven strong innings. David Wright began his 2008 MVP campaign by going 2-4 with a walk and 3 RBI. All of Wright's RBI came on a two-out base hit int he fourth. Jose Reyes also came through with a clutch two-out base hit that brought home a run. You have to like how Aaron Heilman looked in the ninth, as well. Heilman sat the Marlins down in order, striking out two in the process.

Bad: Not much. Santana gave up a two-run home run, something that Mets fans may just have to get used to. Face it. Johan gives up the long ball. The bullpen created a Maalox moment in the eighth but didn't give up a run thanks to Jorge Sosa.

Ugly: Carlos Delgado and Brian Schneider. Neither had a hit on Opening Day but it really didn't matter. It's always nice when you have to be picky in this portion of the post.

Overall: This is what you like to see. Strong starting pitching, two-out base hits that drive runs home and a bullpen that doesn't give anything up. Every Mets fan is happy with this contest and it's especially nice to beat the Marlins after the final series of the '07 season.

Grade: A
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1:13 PM:
ESPN 1050 is now reporting that Santana is willing to make compromises in order to complete a deal before 5 pm. That should put some minds at ease. It will also make Santana even more of a hero to the Met faithful. I now have a renewed sense of confidence that this deal will get done today. Read More...

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1:00 PM

WFAN is reporting that the Mets and Johan Santana are roughly 20 million dollars apart. The two sides have roughly four hours to complete a deal.

As always, you can go to http://www.metsblog.com/ for updates. We'll also have updates throughout the day both here and on in Facebook group.

Yahoo Sports is reporting that the Mets may indeed play a series in San Juan this season. That series would be against the Florida Marlins.

Luis Gonzalez will be playing for the Marlins in 2008.

Sean Casey has signed with the Red Sox

Finally, the latest ESPN.com story regarding the Bedard deal.

More updates will be posted throughout the day so stay tuned. Let's get this Santana deal done, fellas.

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1:30 pm
Many different outlets are running interesting stories regarding any Santana deal affecting Cleveland ace C.C. Sabathia. Read More...

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Interesting article found in the New York Times today regarding the Santana deal. The Times raised some questions about the two-time Cy Young winner, pointing to his last seven starts."Santana finished last season poorly, going 2-4 with a 5.11 earned run average in his final seven starts, raising possible concerns about whether he was pitching while not completely healthy." However, the story does go on to state that "An American League Central talent evaluator who often watched him pitch said Santana appeared healthy and called speculation surrounding his uncharacteristically modest finish to the season 'overanalyzed and overblown'". To read the rest of the story click here. Read More...

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As posted by Zac Wassink, at Associated Content....

Alright, Mets fans. I know what you're thinking. I had the same reaction after I read the ESPN.com article in which Jayson Stark suggests that the two sides are "far enough apart that it was unlikely any deal could be reached before Friday morning at the earliest." After taking a minute to breathe (and breathe and breathe) let me reassure you all that Johan Santana will be a New York Met next week.

For starters, Omar Minaya would not have made this move if he did not have full confidence that he could sign Santana to a long-term deal. Despite the fact that the Mets absolutely robbed the Twins by acquiring Santana for four middle of the road prospects, Minaya went into this knowing what would have to be spent in order to acquire the services of the two-time Cy Young Award winner. The Mets save a boatload of money by signing both David Wright and Jose Reyes for far less than what should have been spent. The Mets will pay and they'll do it now in order to have the best pitching rotation in the National League.

The Johan Santana deal has been a public relations dream come true for the Mets. The New York Giants are a week away from playing in the Super Bowl yet every newspaper in New York and New Jersey had a picture of Santana on page one Wednesday morning. Opening Day in New York will center more around the Mets than the Yankees. The Mets have been desperate for that kind of attention since October of 1986.

Blowing this deal, on the other hand, is a public relations nightmare the likes of which the Mets have never seen before. Not signing Santana will anger diehard fans and drive away those jumping onto the bandwagon. How excited are fans about Santana coming to the Mets? You can find your brand new Mets Santana jersey online already.

Of course, there's also that little matter about blowing a seven game division lead with only 17 games left in the season. The Santana trade has put the 2007 regular season out of the minds of fans. Failure in this matter will only bring franchise failures back to the minds of everybody who cheers on the New York Mets.

I don't think that fans think in their minds that Santana will not pitching in Queens come April. The truth is that fans still are a little punch drunk after the collapse of '07 and many believe that another disappointment is quickly approaching. It also doesn't help that the Mets have not been reassuring about the team's ability to sign Santana. The following would put my mind at ease just a little:

The New York Mets are happy to report that the team has reached a verbal commitment in principle with pitcher Johan Santana. While details will not be disclosed at this time, the team is happy to report that Santana will not be voiding the trade. Mr. Santana is currently on vacation but he will be in New York later next week in order to finalize his contract. He looks forward to pitching for the New York Mets for many years to come.

That's all fans are looking for. Instead, we all must now play the waiting game. Mets fans will have to remain calm for just a little longer.
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Courtesy of Global Mets contributor Zac Wassink... cross posted at Associated Content

The New York Mets suffered a historic collapse in the 2007 regular season. They may now be the favorite to win the National League in 2008.

Reports around the country indicate that the Minnesota Twins have traded ace pitcher and two-time Cy Young Award winner Johan Santana to the New York Mets for four prospects.

ESPN.com and several other websites state that the Twins will receive outfielder Carlos Gomez and pitching prospects Phil Humber, Kevin Mulvey and Deolis Guerra. Completion of the deal is pending Santana passing a team physical as well as the Mets signing Santana to a contract extension. ESPN.com reports that the deadline for the Mets and Santana to agree upon a deal is 5 p.m. on Friday. It is believed that Santana is seeking a six or seven year deal worth anywhere between $140 and $150 million.

Just as important as acquiring Santana for the Mets is the fact that the team did not have to add 19-year old prospect Fernando Martinez in the deal. Baseball America named Martinez the number one prospect in the Mets' farm system in 2007.

The addition of Johan Santana gives the Mets arguably the best pitching rotation in the National League and without question one of the best in all of Major League Baseball. New York now could have a stating pitching rotation of Santana, Pedro Martinez, Oliver Perez, John Maine and Mike Pelfrey, Orlando Hernandez or a possible free agent pickup. This rotation along with an above average bullpen and one of the best offenses in the National League make the 2008 New York Mets once again the favorite to win the National League East.

Santana, who will turn 29 before Opening Day, had somewhat of a down year in 2007. He finished with a record of 15-13 and an ERA of 3.33. 2007 was the first time Santana finished with an ERA over three since the 2003 season. Nevertheless, Santana still had a WHIP of 1.07 and struck out 235 batters last season. He struck out an average of over nine and a half (9.66) batters per nine innings and opposing hitters had a batting average of .225 against the dominant southpaw.

The New York Mets were searching for an upgrade such as this after the disappointment that was the 2007 regular season. The Mets were picked by many to win the NL East with ease and the team held a seven game lead in the division with only 17 games to play. However, the Mets were swept twice by the Philadelphia Phillies in the last month of the regular season and eventually relinquished the division lead to the Phillies. Philadelphia went on to win the division and the Mets failed to make the playoffs.
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This isn't happening.

Somebody please tell me this is not happening.

The Mets cannot choke away the National League East. I mean, they simply cannot do it. I really don't think I'd be able to handle it. I can see it now. I'd be jobless, the engagement would be called off, and I'd probably find myself living under a bridge listening to Creedence Clearwater on a used tape player that I found in a garbage can. For my sanity's sake the Mets cannot blow this lead.

But they sure are on the verge of doing so.

The 11-10 loss in Philadelphia yesterday did more than bring the Phils within two games of the Mets in the NL East. Anybody who watched yesterday's game saw a Philly team that is rejuvenated and playing with a passion and a purpose. Fans of the Mets may be irritated with how the Phillies acted over the past four games. After all, even after sweeping the Mets Philly is still two games out of first. Let's be honest, though. Not only are they one series away from being in first place. The Phillies now officially believe that they can pull this off.

That's what makes them a dangerous team.

There are so many stats in sports that it is often the things that can't be found in a box score that really matter. Those intangibles couldn't be more evident than the last four games between the Mets and the Phillies. The Phillies are alive right now, a team that is full of confidence and that "we are simply not losing this game today" mentality that is vital come September. The Mets, on the other hand, have seemed to be going through the motions this week, lost at the plate and wide-eyed on the mound and in the field when the game is on the line.

Yesterday was the first time the Mets have shown signs of life in about a week. The Mets came back from deficits of 5-0 and 8-5, only to have the lead blown by their suddenly shaky bullpen. Many people, including myself, will question Willie Randolph's decision to bring in Billy Wagner for a six-out save, something that has never been a specialty of Wagner. Was it a desperation move by Randolph? One of those "I really don't trust anybody so I'm bringing out my stud" move that backfired? Probably. Don't expect Randolph to admit to that, though.

It's never good when the manager is showing signs of desperation.

As if things couldn't get any worse, the Mets are now headed to Atlanta for a weekend series against the Braves. Not only have the Braves owned the Mets this season. The Mets have just been (practically) unable to win at Turner Field since the ballpark opened.

What can the Mets do, then, to avoid this late-season collapse? Quite simply the team must now win when it seems the least possible; in Atlanta against the Braves. Losing this series is just an option. Now is the time for the Mets to forge their identity. How will they be remembered? Will the be the team that keeled over when the pressure was on or the team that stepped up when things got tough and persevered into the playoffs.

David Wright, Carlos Beltran, Tom Glavine, Jose Reyes, Carlos Delgado, Billy Wagner, and others need to step it up. And I don't mean on the field. It's time to do some work in the clubhouse. Along with Randolph, the players I've mentioned along with a few others (Lo Duca included) need to be the ones to stand up and right the ship. The 2006 mentality of coasting into the playoffs needs to be forgotten. 2007 is a much different scenario and it's about time the Mets and the fans face that reality. There is no reason the Mets should not win the NL East and now's the time to turn it on.

The Maine Event is on the hill tonight. Maine must be sharp and the offense has got to back him up. Start the series off right, tonight, fellas. The end of the season stretch starts tonight.

Lets Go Mets.

Zac's note: This article was originally posted here. There you can find my thoughts on other sports and different topics, as well. Read More...

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Zac posting on a Wednesday? Whatever is the cause? Well, my beloved readers, it is because I have a free moment and I want to touch base about last night's come-from-behind victory. That and, due to a busy schedule at work over the next two days and the fact that the wife and I are heading back to Erie this weekend I may once again miss my Friday post. I know; you're all pretty upset.

I've been on the Padres' bandwagon all season long as I've declared them the team to beat both in the National League West and in the NL Wild Card race. Despite what too many people who read this blog may think the Padres are a good team and are dangerous when playing at home. With that being said it was very fulfilling to watch the Mets come back last night.

Two thoughts have been running through my mind about last night's game.

Just how angry were the fans at Shea last night after the sixth and seventh innings? I have to say that I loved to hear the crowd get that fired up about the Mets' bullpen giving up the lead. Yes, I am that guy who gets loud and boos when the team that I pay money to see is stinking up the joint. I would much rather listen to a stadium that is passionate about the hometown team than be in a place where everybody is sitting on their hands and quietly watching another loss.

Will Carlos Beltran keep this up for the rest of the season? Caros had five RBIs last night, including a two-run shot in the first. In his last six games Beltran is hitting .435 with four homers, 13 RBIs, and a slugging percentage of 1.087. Oh yeah. His on-base percentage has been .517.

Yes.

In a season where many of us were ready to officially declare Beltran's new coming-to-the-plate music be Don't Let Me Down (myself included) Carlos has been coming up big recently. Beltran's bat is the spark that this offense needs heading into October. Ask yourself this question: Do you really want the Mets' offense relying on Moises Alou? Keep it up, Carlos.

Too many times this season the Mets have followed up an emotional victory with a lame-duck performance the next night. It's Brian Lawrence (1-0, 5.06 ERA) against the Padres' Jake Peavy (13-5, 2.19 ERA. No, that's not a typo). This may not necessarily be the match-up Mets' fans want to see but it's games like these where the home-field advantage come into play. That is, if the game doesn't get rained out. Hopefully the bats stay hot, the crowd stays into the game, and the Mets can get to Peavy tonight. Read More...

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After a week-long vacation everybody's favorite writer has returned. Welcome to the weekly feature that freely admits to being worn out by the Braves all season long. This is Touch 'Em All Time.

If you're looking for an optimistic article I suggest you just close your browser now. The fact is that I am less than happy with the Amazins at the moment after they dropped yet another series to the Braves, this time at Shea. Say what you will about Delgado's home run being snatched away at the last moment. The truth remains that it would have taken a four-run ninth to even tie the game. The Braves own the Mets in 2007 and what's worse is that they know it. The Mets aren't done with the Braves yet. The Mets will travel to Atlanta and have a chance for redemption at home in September.

Despite what Willie and many of the Met faithful appear to believe New York's woes against the Braves are a big deal. Even if the Mets do win the division the reality is that the Braves aren't going anywhere in the playoff race just yet. As of this post the Braves are only 0.5 games behind the Padres for the Wild Card. If the Mets and Braves meet up in the post season...well, that's something I just don't want to think about at this moment.

Rick Ankiel hit a three-run homer in his return to the Majors last night as St. Louis defeated the Padres 5-0. I couldn't be happier for this guy as it really is a great story. How many of us get a second chance to live out our dream? I wish Rick plenty of success (until he plays the Mets).

Speaking of "feel good" stories in baseball; how about those Seattle Mariners? They went on a long winning streak earlier in the season only to be rewarded by having Mike Hargrove, their manager at the time, resign. This was a move that came out of nowhere and shocked the baseball world. Instead of folding or mailing it in the Mariners are in first place for the American League Wild Card and are only two and half games out of first in the AL West behind the (overrated) Angels. While teams like the Yankees, Indians, and Tigers have been receiving most of the publicity from the media (*cough* east coast bias *cough*) the Mariners have quietly become one of the best teams in the league. I'm quietly cheering for Seattle, if only to ensure the Yankees will be sitting at home come October.

Speaking of which; the Tribe hosts the Yanks this weekend. I'll be cheering for my Indians for more than one reason these next three days.

Please welcome the newest addition to the Baseball Tonight team: David Wells, everybody.

My favorite statistic regarding Barry Lamar Bonds? The San Francisco Giants are 49-64. Thank you, Barry, for finally breaking the record. It's the last time your pathetic excuse for a Major League team will be on national television in 2007.

The Mets play hosts to the Marlins this weekend and should have little problem winning at least two out of three (jinx jinx jinx). With a three and a half game lead in the NL East and the end of the season rapidly approaching every win helps. Hopefully the rain subsides by this evening and all of you heading out to Shea will see a win for the home team. Lets Go Mets. (F-A-N). Read More...

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"The team I'm most worried about in the National League? The San Diego Padres. They have a much better lineup than many people give them credit for along with arguably the best pitching in the NL."

-Touch 'Em All Time: July 13, 2007

I never take joy in watching one of my favorite teams lose, regardless of what sport it is or whether or not the loss will help the team's "draft status." However, I had more than a few people make comments to me about how the Padres were an overrated team and probably wouldn't even be around come October. Nevertheless it was the opinion of just about everybody I spoke with that the Padres couldn't hang with the Mets.

Sure, it's still July, but there isn't one follower of this blog who isn't slightly worried about the Mets' chances in a playoff series against the Padres after last week. I know what plenty of you are going to say.

"The series was in San Diego. At home the Mets will dominate!"

I have to agree that the Mets have a better chance to win in Queens than they do in San Diego. However, it is not a given that the Mets will have home-field in any series yet, let alone play in October. Right now the Mets are 53-42; the Friars stand at 53-41. With two months left in the season anything can happen, but fans are going to have to get used to the thought of the Mets not having home-field advantage in the playoffs this season. Ask yourself this question: As of this exact moment do the Mets look like the best team in the National League?

Nope.

Then again, the Mets did just beat the Dodgers last night, and LA has the same winning percentage as the Padres. At this point the National League is so crazy the Marlins could make a late run and sneak into the playoffs. Well, maybe not.

Barry Lamar Bonds hit home runs 752 and 753 yesterday, bringing him within just two long balls of tying Hank Aaron's record. There are going to he plenty of Barry articles popping up just about everywhere, probably even one or two on this blog. I already wrote the closest thing to a Barry article that you'll get from me, so I'll keep this short. I don't care if Barry Lamar breaks the record at home or if Bud Selig is in attendance when Bonds does crush 756 out of the park. Cy Young's 511 wins, Pete Rose's 4256 hits, and Joe Dimaggio's 56-game hit streak are more impressive to me at this point than whatever number Bonds ends up with. Oh, and for those of you not keeping track, the Giants lost to the Cubs yesterday 9-8. San Fran dropped to 39-54, the worst record in all of the National League.

The Yankees have been surging as of late, and despite yesterday's loss the Bronx Bombers are only seven games out of first place. One of the many reasons I love living across the river from Manhattan is the stark difference in how the New York baseball teams are covered in comparison to one another. If the Mets were "coming back" from a double-digit deficit and were seven games out on July 20 talk shows and newspapers would be having a field day about what a letdown the Mets have been thus far. The Yanks, however, are "surging."

I love New York.

It's being reported that Chris Carpenter is going to have the dreaded Tommy John surgery and be out for ten to twelve months. This is a devastating blow to the Cardinals and will serve as the final nail in the coffin for the team this season. The 2006 World Series must seem like decades ago for this team. More importantly, however, is the fact that I can now drop Carpenter from my fantasy team. Thanks for nothing, Carp.

The Mets are 2.5 games ahead of the Braves in NL East, the exact same lead the Mets were enjoying at this time last week. Last night was shaky but it's always good to start a series off with a win. Beating up on the Reds is one thing, but this weekend is going to be difficult for the Amazins.

Tonight's match-up: Oliver Perez (8-6) vs. Brett Tomko (2-7)

Jinxes exist in sports. I'm not saying a word. Although maybe the negative talk about the Mets in this blog will cause the team to rise to the occasion. We can only hope.

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Welcome, everybody, to our first edition of Fact or Fiction. The opinions you read will be those of Mike Peters, Jersey Dan, Abby Mudd, and Matt Regan. Anytime there is not a majority consensus on any question I will have the final say on the matter.

1. The NL East is the most disappointing division in Major League Baseball during the first half of the 2007 season.

Peters: Fiction. The Braves have played better than everyone expected, and the Mets and Phils are right where they were expected to be. Even the Fish are decent. The Nats are terrible. While I agree with JD about the AL East, the most disappointing division has got to be the NL Central. Sure the Brewers have been a big story this season, but who expected the WS champion Cardinals to be 7.5 out of first at the break? The Cubs have been struggling to stay afloat (and out of fights amongst themselves) after making a number of off-season acquisitions. Even the Astros, who have in my opinion one of the best lineups in baseball, are 10.5 out, and 11 games under .500.

JD: Fiction. That honor would go to the AL East. What was supposed to be a tight three- team race for most of the season has turned into the Red Sox dominating the underachieving Yankees and Blue Jays. There is no way that the Yankees should be 42-43 at the All Star break.

Abby: Fiction. AL East is a pathetic excuse for a division. Back in the days, when the Red Sox and Yankees were the only team in contention, they got this honor. And now that it is just pretty much the Red Sox, matters are much worse.

Regan: Fact. How can it not be? The three powerhouses of the NL East have all struggled throughout the first half of the season and continue to do so. If any one of them played a little better, they would be running away with the division. Sure you can say the AL East and the Yankees are a disappointment, but we are Mets fans; aren’t we suppose to want them to do poorly? If anything the Yankees performance has to be considered a surprise rather than a disappointment.

2. It is imperative that the Mets make a trade before August 1.

Peters: Fact. The Mets have to do something about their bullpen. The biggest difference between last year and this year is our bullpen's inability to put up zero's. Otherwise, I think the rotation and the lineup are okay once we get healthy.

JD: Fact, but not necessarily for a pitcher. I think a corner OF should be a top priority. With names like Dunn, Dye, and Griffey on the market there is no way the Mets should not have a solid corner outfielder by the deadline.

Abby: Fact. It is quite obvious that changes need to be made. I believe that a trade in the pitching department is what we need the most. I am hoping the Mets make a trade for a solid addition to our (sometimes) rocky bullpen, (see Scott Schoeneweis)

Regan: Fiction. Our starting pitching is fine and our bullpen is still one of the best in all of Major League Baseball. When Pedro comes back our bullpen is only going to get stronger for the playoffs with whomever they push to the bullpen. Who doesn’t like the sounds of a Pedro, Glavine, Maine, Perez rotation with Sele, Smith, Heilman, Wagner, and possibly Hernandez in the bullpen when it’s playoff time? I think our hitting needs work, but the proper pieces are already there. I don’t think we need to go out there and trade for someone, especially when we probably will have to give up some of our young talent to get it. Remember we have Alou coming back, and Milledge has potential to break out at some point. The only trade that would seem feasible in my eyes, would be a trade for a powerful second baseman who can score runs and can hit for average and power. Do you know anyone not named Sorriano who could do that? I don’t think so. Leave the team as it is and let them break out of their respective funks.

3. Paul Lo Duca will be a New York Met after the trade deadline.

Peters: Fact, 100%. The Mets have hinted that they are interested in Ronny Paulino of the Pirates after the season. Lo Duca isn't going anywhere

JD: Fact. Duke will be in the blue and orange until the end of the season. His future after this season is what is up in the air though.

Abby: Fact. I look forward to a long and productive post and second half of the season with Paul Lo Duca. After that we will see.

Regan: Fact. Lo Duca will be apart of this team throughout the whole season. He is a leader, from Brooklyn, and someone the young players look up too. He fits the mold of this team probably better than anyone, and you can’t take that away from him. He also happens to be one of the better clutch hitters for his position in the game, and he has shown he can continue to get it done with runners in scoring position with 2 outs. He also is clearly a better defensive catcher than Sandy Alomar Jr. and Ramon Castro. After the season, I can see the Mets not bringing him back, but their main reason will probably be to save some salary space and to get someone younger. I don’t think that someone is going to be Ronny Paulino though. That’s just media hogwash.

4. 500 home runs in a career no longer guarantees a player for the Hall of Fame

Peters: Fiction. 500 is 500, steroids or not. If you hit 500 homers you're in the hall. Now it used to be that 400 was a lock. Those days are over. See Andreas Galarraga.

JD: Fiction. If you hit 500 HR you will be a Hall Of Famer. 500 home runs shows that you are one of the great hitters of all time. McGwire will eventually get inducted. It's inevitable. So will Frank Thomas, and the others who are closing in.

Abby: Fact. There are no guarantees in life. There are no guarantees to get in the Hall of Fame, especially if you use steroids or bet on baseball.

Regan: Fiction. 500 Home Runs is a great accomplishment no matter how you look at it. Sure you can say so and so used steroids but where’s the proof? If they hit 500 they should go in, no questions asked.

5. When a great batter regresses with little or no warning (i.e. Pujols, Hafner, Delgado) you can't help but wonder if their success was chemically aided.

Peters: Fact. You can't help but wonder, but that doesn't make it true. Junior had a major regression from his run in the 90s, but most people have dismissed the idea that he has ever done steroids.

JD: Fact. While I don't think that is the case with any of these guys, you do have to wonder. Delgado I just think is an age thing. Pujols has turned it on as of late, and Hafner is only slumping in his average. His power numbers are still legit.

Abby: Fiction. There are other things that can attribute to fast decrease in productivity such as, injuries, age, and personal problems.

Regan: Fact. But this is the case for everything. If someone is doing well they must be on the juice. If they are performing poorly, it must be because they are off the juice. Other factors like age, and injuries are often times ignored when it comes to a player’s performance. This is a sad realization, but this is what all sports have come to now.

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There are a few lessons taught to me by my old man regarding sports that will stick with me forever.
-Always support your team no matter what their record
-If you ain't cheatin', you ain't tryin'.
-Never be upset about a victory.

Sorry, pops, but I can't help but be unimpressed with the performance put on by the Mets in last night's 3-2 victory over the Reds. There is no doubt that it's always a plus to start the second half of the season with a victory. However, despite the (un)expected release of hitting coach Rick Down and the call-up of everybody's favorite son Lastings Milledge this was the same Mets team we've seen throughout the 2007 season. A miscue on the bases, a poor effort in the outfield, and the lack of clutch hitting that has plagued the 2007 Mets was still prevalent in last night's victory. Truth be told if the Mets wouldn't have been playing one of the worst teams in baseball last night the outcome of the game probably wouldn't have gone in the Mets' favor.

It would be foolish for me or any other fan to believe the Mets are going to pull a complete U-turn and magically become the 2006 squad that dominated the National League. What bothers me, I suppose, is just how many fans are waiting for that exact thing to take place. This is 2007, everybody, and it's not going to be that easy this time. Be prepared for a fight that's going into September this season. It should be fun.

As much as I enjoyed spouting off "Julio Franco facts" during games this season it caused me great delight to see Franco's departure. What he has been able to accomplish at his age is indescribable and perhaps he will find a niche with another team. The future is now for the Mets and I'm ready to see if Milledge is as good as advertised. Time will tell.

There is absolutely no way that Alex Rodriguez is worth $30 million a year. I will go into further detail about this on my other site but, simply stated, the man still hasn't won anything. I'm a big believer in team chemistry and I see him as a negative in the clubhouse especially if he is making more money per year than (at least) half the roster. Major League Baseball really needs to move more towards contracts based upon incentives, but as I said I'll get into that at a later date.

The team I'm most worried about in the National League? The San Diego Padres. They have a much better lineup than many people give them credit for along with arguably the best pitching in the NL. East-cost bias has caused many to not notice this team. That could be a big mistake come September and October.

And finally, as many of you reading this already know, this Saturday is the first ever Facebook Global New York Mets Fan Group game, where over 50 people will be gathering at Shea to watch the Mets take on the Reds. I cannot begin to express just how amazed I am at the growth of this group (over 14,000 members now). I'm also unashamed to say that I have met some great fans through this group, and have even gone to a few games with one (thanks for the tickets, Steph). This blog is even further proof at how far the group has come. As one of the administrators of the group and a writer of this blog I can speak for my colleagues when I declare that we have only begun to scratch the surface. Stay tuned.

The Mets are 2.5 games ahead of the Braves for first in the NL East. That's a great way to end any post.

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