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The trade would end a brief stint with the Mets for Cameron, who joined the Mets in 2004 with much hope. The Gold Glove center fielder solidified the Mets defense, at least on paper, but he struggled at times in Flushing. Before the 2005 season, the Mets signed Beltran, which caused Cameron to move to right field, where he played most of the season before the season-ending collision. At various points throughout the season, Cameron expressed his interest to return to center field and with this trade, he will get his wish.

If we're thinking about winning next year -- which we need very little, to my understanding, to actually have a very good, compact team -- they should be thinking about the future. I'm here for not only one year; I'm here for four years. Those are three good years that you have probably an ace out there willing to go with you the extra mile to try to win. Win. I'm a winner and I've always been and I hope I finish like that.

Ha! Like Pedro Martinez has three more good years in him! Despite his personal shut-down, Martinez has quieted those doubters to a degree this year with a 15-8 record and a 2.82 ERA (ignore the diminished speed of his pitches). Next up for the Mets, Part 2 or their elimination saga, the National League Wild Card. That could happen as early as Saturday against the Nationals.

The best the Mets can now do at the end of this series is come to a half game of the Wild Card. With a tough road trip ahead, one has to wonder if this will be the closest they come the rest of the season. While last week's trip west was encouraging, the competition will be harder on the coming trip. Florida, Atlanta and St. Louis all have better winning percentages than the Mets.

In the 5-1 Mets victory, Beltran was 1-2 with 2 walks and a stolen base. His lone hit came on a bunt that he beat to 1st base. Tom Glavine picked up the win for the Mets. Glavine went 7 innings for the win, and the 271st of his career. Glavine is making the slow crawl towards 300 and now ranks 30th in career victories.

As if his pitching wasn't enough, Martinez also had a hit and a run scored. Very impressive for someone who just got his first hit since the 1997 season last week. Tempers flared in the hot night when Cliff Floyd was hit by Roy Oswalt in the bottom of the 7th inning. There was jawing, finger pointing, and bench clearing, but no charging, ejections, or retaliation. At least not yet.

The offense was supplied by Jose Reyes's speed, and RBIs by Carlos Beltran and Mike Piazza. Reyes had three singles and three (!!!) stolen bases, Beltran had his first hit since returning to the line-up Tuesday, and Piazza continues to look better after some dismal times earlier this season.

In almost two years with the Mets, Howe is 129-177, which when compared to the record of their crosstown rivals (193-115), looks mighty paltry. Obviously, the two teams aren't close in talent, but with a payroll at just under $100 million, one would hope they Mets would be a better team. There is no way that the blame falls completely on Howe, who had a team with potential this season, but was decimated with injuries throughout the season. Then again, winning teams can deal with diversity, the Mets have not.

The Yankees had every right for being upset that the Devil Rays did not show up on Monday in time for the double-header, but asking for a forfeit is not the Yankee way. It shows signs of frustration and worst of all desperation.

At least the weather for the afternoon game was nice. The Mets managed 3 runs, all in the 9th inning, making a game of it, losing 10-3 (box score). It might have helped if the Mets didn't give up seven runs in the 7th and 8th innings. With games like the Mets have played, the closers weren't exactly needed. San Diego's closer, Trevor Hoffman faced one batter and Braden Looper made his first appearance in yesterday's meaningless top of the 9th.

Monday's game featured a virtual explosion in offense from the Mets, as they scored 4 runs, but still went on to lose 9-4. Tuesday, they were stymied by the pitching of David Wells, scratching out one run in the 9th inning of a 3-1 loss. Last night, they were shut out 4-0 (box score) by Brian Lawrence, who had a complete game. Newsday reports that the Mets only had one runner in scoring position after the 3rd inning. Now that's anemic.

Entering the bottom of the ninth, the Mets turned to Braden Looper, the Former Marlin to close the game. Three singles in a row by the Marlins and an error by Mike Cameron led to a tie game. Lenny Harris, a former Met hit a single to take a one-run lead. In the bottom of the inning, Armando Benitez, also a former Met, closed out the game, dropping the Mets back to .500 and into a tie with the Marlins for 3rd. Benitez's performance was something the Mets never saw consistently when he was in Flushing, which was clear when fans booed him when he came onto the field.

"I thought the ball was in the alley," Mets Manager Art Howe said.

Continue reading "Cameron Saves the Day"

Every time the Mets get to one game over .500, the Mets fail to get to two games above .500. Last night was no different. The Mets are 0-5 this season when they have a chance to go 2 games above .500. Last night's chance was blown in the 12th inning when Sean Casey hit a two-run home run off of John Franco that resulted in a 6-4 loss (box score).

Two of the three errors were made by players out of their natural environment. Mike Piazza, playing 1st, had a fielding error when a ball bounced off his chest followed by a wild throw. Ty Wiggington, playing 2nd base, threw off target to home on a relay. Hopefully, Jose Reyes can make a quick trip up from his rehab assignments to step in at 2nd base. The third error was committed by Matt Ginter when he threw a ball high, pulling Piazza off the base. As for Piazza, Gothamist wonders at what point his deficiencies at 1st make him a lesser liability when he's behind the plate. Piazza has played more at 1st this season than as a catcher.

A win would have put the Mets at the .500 mark after 40 games, which really isn't that impressive, but when you think about the Mets in recent years, you don't tend to associate them with .500 ball. Even more shocking is that the Mets are only 3 games out of first in the horrible NL East (they also happen to be 5 games out of last). Any Mets fan knows that this is typical. Get you excited, and then let you down.