These Mets sure know how to take a punch — and deliver one

I was talking with my brother over at Optimetsic recently about this Mets team, and how — despite all that's gone on with injuries, and the rough start — enjoyable the season has been, how players like Justin Turner and Daniel Murphy and Dillon Gee have stepped up, how they never give up, how Terry Collins has the team playing hard every game.

But while I have enjoyed what the Mets have done, I admit I want more. I've been pointing to the final third of the season, with a majority of games at home, and three series left against the Braves, as being the Mets' final chance to prove to the naysayers that they were far from finished, that they could still have a run in them.

Then the Mets lost four in a row to the Nationals and the friggin' Marlins, and dropped the opener of the Braves series, and I have to say, it was rough. Here it was, their big chance to at least start to make up ground, and they were blowing it, the last three losses coming at home, which made things doubly frustrating. And of course, losing to the Braves is always painful.

And yet, the Mets battled back again, winning Saturday night with four home runs and 16 hits, and you thought, OK, there's still some hope.

I tuned into Sunday's game late, hearing on the radio that Willie Harris was in for Jose Reyes, who left with an injured hamstring. WHAAAA? We get to my mom's house, and within a half-hour, Daniel Murphy gets spiked and injures a knee, and you knew just from the look on his face that he was done for the year. SERIOUSLY?

And yet, the Mets still battled, but ultimately let the Braves take it when Bobby Parnell allowed a broken-bat single, a walk, and then for some reason threw three straight sliders to Chipper Jones, who of course rolled a 15-hopper past second in the top of the ninth for the win.

Immediate thoughts were that Citi Field must be built on an indian burial ground. Ike Davis wasn't hurt here, it was in Colorado, but still -- that was a seemingly innocuous collision with David Wright that's kept him out all season. Murphy hurts his other knee covering on a stolen base — when does that ever happen? Just plain bizarre. And Reyes again? Something's up. If there really are Phillies jerseys buried in the foundation, dig 'em up.

I lost it, especially with Parnell, who I thought would benefit by having a Frankenstein-like implant of Jason Isringhausen's head onto his 100-mile-an-hour body. Parnell went to the well once too often with Chipper, which he has a tendency to do. He hasn't learned to pitch, and that's what keeps guys like Kyle Farnsworth bouncing from team to team.

And yet, the Mets still battled. They could have packed it in, but instead rallied to take game one of the Padres series on Monday, recapped nicely here by Optimetsic. Two in the eighth, two more in the ninth. Lucas Duda is going to get a huge opportunity to be the left-handed power-hitting first baseman that Davis was supposed to be, and this audition will go a long way toward him possibly being the right field starter next season. Duda has met the challenge.

He came through again Tuesday night, with two more hits, but more importantly, a huge sacrifice bunt in the eighth that set up the game-tying sac fly by Nick Evans (keep this kid around, please). Best of all, Collins said Duda asked him if he wanted him to bunt. Anything for the team, coach.

Then there was the game-winning run on a bases-loaded walk to Ruben Tejada, who has shown that he has a pretty good eye.

Everyone contributed. Pagan homered for the second straight night. Hairston had a big hit. Jason Bay continues to hit. Carrasco got out of a jam.

Collins has said over and over that this team doesn't give up, and they've proven that over and over again. If any team deserved the YOU GOTTA BELIEVE mantra, it's this one. And so, I continue to be greedy and perhaps too unrealistic. Ten games out with 11 to play? THERE'S STILL A CHANCE.

*** And yes, I know the video above is in Spanish. Damn YouTube "embedding disabled by request." It still translates.

Taking one for the team, instead of taking one ... elsewhere

I had already shut the computer off. The tenth, the eleventh, the twelfth innings had gone by and I had thoughts of going to bed and not watching the rest of this game, filled as I was with the feeling that this was going to be a bad, bad, bad loss.

But I couldn't do it. So I decided instead to start the process of turning in while the game plodded onward. Brought the dog in. Locked the doors. Turned off a few lights. Then went into the office and shut down the computer, figuring any recap was going to be painful, and I could just as well grind that out in the morning.

The computer got turned back on.

No surprise that the Mets' first walk-off win was accomplished with Jose Reyes and "Super Ginger" Justin Turner Overdrive playing key roles. Reyes tripled and scored the go-ahead run in the bottom of the eighth before K-Rod blew his second straight save, and while Turner had only one hit, it was the run-scoring single that moved Reyes home.

Of course, Turner doesn't get up in that spot if Reyes doesn't get intentionally walked to load the bases. You can't blame Bob Melvin there. Reyes is the man, has been all season, and you're not going to let him beat you.

Turner, meanwhile, is second on the team in RBIs and while he didn't get a hit in the 13th inning, he got the run home in characteristically gritty fashion with the walk-off hit by pitch.

It was a much-needed win. R.A. Dickey was fantastic and should have gotten the win. The bullpen, aside from K-Rod, came up big, especially Beato, who needs to regain what he had earlier this season.

With the news that Ike Davis could well be lost for the season — are you kidding me?! Really?! — we're looking at an offense that is going to have to scrap and fight for runs, unless David Wright comes back at full strength and Jason Bay — who looked lost again tonight after a great game Tuesday — rediscovers his power stroke.

It's a huge opportunity for Daniel Murphy to reclaim the first base job, at least for a couple of months, or for Lucas Duda to prove to everyone that he is not a AAAA player. He was hitting bombs in Buffalo before he was called up, but hasn't done much with the big club, though he did get two hits in this game.

One of them has to step up. Only half the cavalry is coming over that hill.

O M Gee, it's the second coming of Matlack

One of my earliest memories as a Mets fan is the 1976 season. I was 7 years old, and played a lot of baseball in the street with the kids down the block. And I recall very distinctly talking about the major league season that had just ended, when the Mets finished in third place, and thinking that was pretty good. Kids — so full of hope.

One of our favorite players was Jon Matlack. He was third on the staff behind Seaver and Koosman, but he was younger and kind of underrated. He won 17 games in 1976 and was awesome.

Then 1977 happened. Seaver was traded in the middle of June, the Mets fell off a cliff, and in December they traded Matlack -- a 26-year-old potential ace -- in a four-team trade that also saw them deal John Milner, only to get the immortal Willie Montanez, Tom Grieve and Ken Henderson (the player to be named later) in return.

It took seven years for the Mets to recover, and to their credit they put together a pretty good team. And while Matlack won 15 games the next year, he got hurt and was never the same.

(Another reason I liked Matlack was he looked just like Herman Munster. Or more accurately, Fred Gwynne.)

But when Matlack was a Met, he was fantastic. And now Dillon Gee has tied Matlack's team record for being the only rookies to start 5-0. Gee doesn't have the high leg kick of Matlack, but his delivery is effortless and while he doesn't have overpowering stuff, he knows how to mix his pitches and attack a lineup. He struck out eight Pirates Monday night and all of a sudden, we don't miss Chris Young as much.

Jose Reyes was out on bereavement leave at the passing of his grandmother, and Terry Collins still kept Jason Bay on the bench for a rest, despite the fact that he has a five-game hitting streak and we've been waiting forever for him to stay hot.

There wasn't much power in the lineup, but the Mets singled the Buccos to death. Josh Thole delivered the big hit, a two-run double that broke a 3-3 tie. Justin Turner added an RBI double the next inning and he continues to rake.

As for the Phillies series, it was frustrating but not discouraging. Yes, we dodged Lee and Halladay and you would have liked to have won two at home, but the first two games were good games ruined either by a misplay or bullpen failure. I had more of a problem with Collins removing Capuano when he did than I did when he took out Pelfrey, although isn't Byrdak our top lefty guy? Still, O'Connor had one job, to get one out, and he failed.

With three more against Pittsburgh, this could be the cure for what ails the Mets, who will be without Reyes until at least Wednesday. Hopefully Bay hasn't cooled off any and continues to hit, as does Daniel Murphy, who could be playing first for a while with the news that Ike Davis needs his ankle re-examined, which is never good. Hey, more at-bats for Turner.

Strength in numbers

In baseball, my theory is to strive for consistency, not to worry about the numbers. If you dwell on statistics you get shortsighted, if you aim for consistency, the numbers will be there at the end.  — Tom Seaver

Sorry, Tom, but we're gonna dwell on some tasty numbers today.

3: More hits for Justin Turner, who drove in the Mets' first run, after a double by Fernando Martinez (to whom Collins gave the start at DH).

5: The inning in which Jose Reyes made the play of the game, a diving stop of a grounder up the middle hit by A-Rod, who was gunned out by a step. Reyes went 0-for-4, but that play was worth a boatload of hits (which Reyes has, leading the league, by the way. Sandy Alderson is watching, right?)

6: Innings of four-hit ball thrown by R.A. Dickey, whose knuckler was finally knuckling.

9: Straight batter retired by relievers Mike O'Connor, Jason Isringhausen and K-Rod to end the game, striking out five in the process.

10: Wins in their last 14 games for the Mets.

11: Total strikeouts by Mets pitchers Friday night.

15: Consecutive saves for Frankie Rodriguez

17: Wins with 9 losses since the Mets opened at 5-13.

19: Straight scoreless innings for K-Rod.

22: The number of wins the Mets have this season (same as the number of losses).

23: The number of wins the Yankees have this season.
    
344: Feet (officially) traveled by Mark Texeira's solo home run in the third, a fly out at Citi Field and just about anywhere else. What a joke that park is. (Yes, Murphy's homer was just 346 feet, but down the line, that was a legit shot. Texeira's was basically a pop-up).

1,000: Approximate number of seats short of a sellout at Yankee Stadium for game one of the Subway Series. And there were plenty of Mets fans there filling the place out, as you could tell as K-Rod struck out Nick Swisher to end the game.

In the end, it's not about the numbers. It's about how this team, led by Terry Collins, has overcome the injuries to key players by stepping up as a group and being accountable. They're not waiting and wondering when the injured guy is coming back, they're plugging a new guy in there and saying, 'Go get 'em.'

It's a team of underdogs, always the best kind of Mets team to root for.

Now that the sweep has been avoided, the Mets will look to win the series either Saturday or Sunday. The pitching matchups are favorable, and you have to love the way this team is playing.

No no-no, but a great start by Gee as Mets head to the Bronx

Just a few days ago, the first installment of the 2011 Subway Series looked dead on arrival. Mets players were dropping like flies, and the Yankees were losing games while seemingly falling apart at the seams.

But now both teams come into this weekend's tilt at the House that George and His Spoiled Kids Built on winning streaks, and while the Mets will still be without three starters, it's the kids who are stepping up and keeping the team from sinking.

A two-game sweep of Washington saw consecutive shutouts, with tremendous starts by Jonathon Niese and Dillon Gee. Sure, the Nats are a terrible offensive team, but Niese and Gee were on their games and delivered the kinds of performances the Mets are going to need, particularly when they're shorthanded at the plate, as they currently are.

Then again, when you have Justin Turner, what more do you need? Turner knocked in the only run, his 12th in his last 10 games. Incidentally, the Mets are 9-4 in their last 13 games.

Jason Bay had three hits, and with so much firepower out of the lineup the Mets really need him to get it going. Daniel Murphy is certainly not hitting, but his defense in these two games has been stellar. He also got a break in the eighth inning Thursday when his foot came off the bag on a throw from Turner, but umpire Phil Cuzzi called Jayson Werth out.

Hey, some breaks have to go the Mets' way, don't they?

Gee had a no-hitter into the sixth, when Livan Hernandez — in addition to shutting the Mets down on seven hits — singled with two outs. Figures.

You can see the pitching starting to come around, from Pelfrey on down; hopefully R.A. Dickey will get the memo.

And while they won't be back in time to play in the Bronx, word is that Ike Davis and Angel Pagan should be back within a week or so. Pedro Beato has already returned, and indications are that David Wright won't be out much longer than his required DL stay.

OK, so Irving Picard has a copy of a memo that he says indicates the Mets considered taking out fraud insurance. Big deal. They never did, which would have been a much more powerful indicator that the Wilpons knew something was up with Madoff. But Picard isn't letting go of that bone.

Hey, it can't all be good news, right?

Talk about a case of the Mondays

Could Monday have been any worse?

Turns out David Wright has a stress fracture in his back from making a diving tag almost a month ago. He's out a minimum of two weeks, possible more. The good news is that this type of injury, much like an oblique injury, isn't too serious but does require a lot of time and rest to heal.

So three regulars were out of the starting lineup for Monday's game against Josh Johnson and the Marlins, and yet the Mets still should have won. Johnson didn't have his best stuff but battled. Mike Pelfrey did have his best and had the lead in the seventh when Mike Stanton blasted a solo homer to center to tie the score.

In the ninth, Justin Turner reached second on a throwing error with none out but Jason Pridie failed to get the bunt down and struck out. Two intentional walks sandwiched a fielder's choice by F-Mart, and then Chin-lung Hu grounded out to end the threat.

Keith and Gary lamented Hu's bad luck, hitting it hard up the middle but right to Ramirez, but Hu just cannot hit. Not surprisingly, he was sent down after the game.

Then, first and second with one out in the tenth, and Turner hits a grounder to Ramirez, who boots it off his shoulder of all places, right to Omar Infante at second for the double play. Unreal.

Of course, the Marlins get the lead in the 11th on a two-out single by pitcher Burke Badenhop. Seriously. Dude's second career hit. Terry Collins admitted after the game he told Igarashi not to take Badenhop for granted, and maybe he should kept his mouth shut as a too-careful Igarashi fell behind early.

Jon Niese then hit a two-out triple in the bottom of the inning, but Jose Reyes — two hits, two steals, but no runs — struck out to end the game.

Crappy weather, Wright gets injured, and the opposing relief pitcher, who didn't even have his own bat or batting helmet, delivers the game-winning hit. Now that's a bad day.

Time will tell if we'll look back on May 16 as a turning point for the season, or even this franchise.

Justin Turner Overdrive, takin' care of business

While Jorge Posada had a temper tantrum in the Bronx that put my 5-year-old to shame, Justin Turner kept quiet, put his head down and worked his way into an opportunity to make a difference with his club.

Certainly, the players and the circumstances are VASTLY different. Posada is a highly paid, highly accomplished veteran who has helped the Yankees win multiple titles, but is showing this season that he has next to nothing left in the tank.

Turner, meanwhile, is a 26-year-old who has been impressing folks in the Mets organization since last season, and is just now — thanks to his own solid play, the failure of Brad Emaus and an injury to Ike Davis — showing that he can be a contributor for the Mets.

On Sunday, Posada had to meekly apologize for his actions the day before, when he begged out of a game after seeing his name penciled in the No. 9 spot in the lineup. Turner, meanwhile, hit a three-run homer and doubled in two more runs as the Mets won their third straight series, beating the Astros, 7-4.

I love it.

Other than watching the Mets win and turn their season around, nothing gives me greater pleasure than seeing the Yankees and their fans squirm. And the Yankees, just a couple of games better than a Mets team that a certain talk show host buried in the second week of April, have lots to worry about.

C.C. has not been much of an ace. Counting on Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia to be major contributors is like depending on Charlie Sheen to be your designated driver. Derek Jeter is a slap hitter who's lost a step but is still getting paid like Tulowitzki. And A-Rod has already begun a steady decline that will see him steal millions before his contract is finally up. (By the way, Mariano can't pitch forever, either.)

The Mets, meanwhile, are looking better and the future is looking brighter. Jason Bay is still struggling at the plate but he made a game-saving defensive play down the line in left. Chris Capuano pitched another solid game and got the win. K-Rod is now throwing perfect innings. Jason Pridie stole home on a double-steal.

Sure, you have to be concerned about R.A. Dickey, but his situation isn't typical because of the pitch he throws, so you hope he figures it out. Pelfrey's been better lately, and he'll have a huge test Monday at home against Josh Johnson and the Marlins.

Two big games against Florida and two more at Citi Field against Washington before heading to the Boogie Down for a three-game set against the Geriatric Guild. We're counting the days.