On Beltran's blasts and the Dodgers back in Brooklyn

My son came running into the kitchen to tell me that Carlos Beltran had just hit a home run. I figured it was his second of the game — I had heard him hit the first one on the radio in the car earlier in the evening — but then Gary Cohen mentioned the three home runs and the six RBI and I realized that the middle homer was how the Mets got from five runs to seven (a period of the game I missed while my son was in karate class).

Of course, Beltran hitting three home runs in a game was just another reason for some to wonder how it will affect his trade value, for when the Mets inevitably deal him to a contender, probably in the American League, before the July 31 trade deadline (along with Jose Reyes, and maybe even David Wright, Mike Pelfrey and possible everyone not named Ike Davis).

This all presumes the Mets are not contenders in July, something that many in the media state practically as fact, like how the summer starts on June 21. For them, it may as well be on the calendar.

For me, I know Beltran won't be here next year, and I'll understand completely if the Mets do fall behind and deal him. I'd rather focus on his so-far remarkable comeback, remarkable not necessarily because of his production but because he has remained healthy.

It's what we've waited for, a Beltran who, while limited in the field, can still rake at the plate, from both sides. That he hit three out on a day when David Wright took his second day off, Davis went on the DL and Willie Harris played third was terrific timing. (And nice to see Harris finally contribute; he was on base each time Beltran went yard.)

Another series win, and now the Mets head to Houston for what should be another two of three. Why so few are willing to even entertain the idea that the Mets are as in contention for a playoff spot as anyone else is somewhat puzzling, but at this point I don't care what anyone else thinks.


Johan Santana is throwing off a mound. Jose Reyes and Beltran look renewed (contract years will do that). The pitching is slowly coming around. Jason Isringhausen (knock wood) has been borderline amazing.

I'm enjoying the season. Are you?

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Great story on ESPN from Howard Megdal on why the Dodgers should and could move back to Brooklyn. Sure, it'll never happen, but Megdal lays out a fairly convincing case that revolves around:

• The Yankees and Mets would be paid off to allow it — by waiving luxury tax for the Yanks and literally paying the Mets, who could use a cash infusion.
• NYC could easily handle three teams.
• The borough would welcome the team back with open arms (and there are several good locations for a new park).
• Los Angeles would get the Rays, a scenario where a weak market (Tampa) is eliminated in favor of two much stronger markets.
• Fred Wilpon would go down in history as helping bring the Dodgers back to Brooklyn.

Megdal doesn't expand on this, but I immediately thought that an ownership swap could be part of the deal, where the Wilpons would own the now-Brooklyn Dodgers, and the Mets get new owners.

Nah, it'll never happen. Still, read it.

No help: Omar, Wilpons abandon Manuel, players

There is this assumption that by doing nothing to add to the roster, the Mets are sealing Jerry Manuel's fate as manager, and that his firing at the end of what could be another playoff-less season is a done deal.

First of all, if you don't think he's doing a good job, fire him now.

Second, the man whose fate you'd think would be sealed is Omar Minaya. He's done nothing to help the team in-season in his entire tenure, but especially this season, when the need for another starter was so obvious for so long. Manuel and even some players, like David Wright, made it known that they could use the help.

But Omar is being a good soldier by insisting he has the green light to make a deal when ownership has probably told him that he can't add any more salary. And he can't release Oliver Perez because he's making so much money, and ownership can't swallow paying someone that much for not contributing. Not that he's contributing now, anyway.

Omar is just doing what he's told, so presumably he'll be protected.

That leaves Manuel stuck with the players he has, and that list includes two guys off the DL, one of whom is ice cold (Beltran) and one who everyone outside the locker room apparently hates (Castillo -- although he started to hit against Atlanta), two players who were cold and are now hurt (Bay and Barajas), the hot-and-cold Francoeur, a rookie in Ike Davis, and a weak bench.

Only Reyes, Wright and Pagan have been dependable, and even there, Reyes hasn't been playing up to his own level, and Wright has had brutal cold streaks (he's started another one).

Angel Pagan has been the team's best player, by far, except for maybe R.A. Dickey. That says a lot.

The real culprit with this team is ownership. The Wilpons spend money, no doubt. No one foresaw Jason Bay going a whole season without getting hot, and having this drastic a power loss. They've paid big bucks for free agents before, so you can't call them cheap.

But this season, after a lost season due to injury last year, and after two seasons of bitter collapses, ownership had the opportunity to win back the fans who could no longer stomach the situation and have started to stay away.

Yes, they added all the nice Mets-y touches like the Hall of Fame and moved the apple and added big photos of old Mets. Great.

But what fans really want is an ownership that is willing to fund changes necessary to allow the team to compete and to win. That has not happened.

Instead, we get reports that the Wilpons lost a ton of money to Bernie Madoff and that has affected the ballcub, something they have denied again and again.

But the proof is in the pudding, and despite many opportunities to do something to help the team — whether it's throwing money to the wind and cutting Perez for the good of the club, or acquiring needed talent — management has done nothing.

That's on the owners, who aren't going anywhere.

Omar is just taking orders, so he's safe.

That leaves Manuel, who like many managers before him and many who will come after, as the scapegoat. When, in fact, almost none of what has troubled this team is his fault. (You want to question his moves, fine, but you'll have those questions with pretty much any manager you bring in.)

Wednesday night's error-filled loss doesn't reflect well on Manuel, but he's not the one throwing balls away, or missing the strike zone, or hitting batters, or failing to hit. The players are well aware of their situation and are trying — probably too hard — but they're just not executing.

A third of the season remains, with a lot of home games and games against teams like Houston and Pittsburgh. The Phillies are battered, and despite winning the Mets series the Braves have shown signs of coming back to earth (10-10 since the break). The Mets, warts and all, are better than their 6-14 record since the All-Star game.

But the reality is that nothing is going to happen to fix what is broken and the inertia comes from the top. Ownership can't spend money, so management can't make changes, so the roster stays the same, flaws and all.

That leaves it up to the players in the room and Manuel to beat the odds and somehow find a way to put it all together in the final 54 games.

Can it happen? If you believe that the players who have underperformed can rebound down the stretch, then, yes, it is possible.

Ya gotta believe. Because there's nothing else to count on.