New York Mets: Trapped In The Cellar

It was nice of the Mets to show signs of life by winning 6 in a row.  It was nice to feel guarded optimism if for only a few games and finally begin to see the talent on the team produce results.  Unfortunately, the mini-party is over and after the last 2 games, the New York Mets seem to have reverted back to their losing ways.

A Philadelphia starting pitcher not named Lee, Halladay, Oswalt, Hamels or even Blanton has managed to shut down the Mets offense and obliterate the rising optimism from 3 days ago by handing them their 2^nd straight loss.  Mike Pelfrey once again showed that he should be pitching for the Royals or Astros where the pressure is non-existent because every time he faces the Phillies or any other NL East rival he becomes Anthony Young circa 1993.  Ryan Howard and Shane Victorino continue to use the games versus the Mets as glorified batting practice displaying a lifetime .890 and

How a Mets offense gets shut down by a rookie pitcher in a bandbox of a ballpark is certainly mystifying, but how Mike Pelfrey cannot make a quality pitch when it counts or concentrate on hitters with runners on base is an outright travesty.  Even the hot Jason Bay killed any offensive chance the Mets had in this game by grounding into a double play in a key situation with 2 men on and no outs…say it ain’t so Jason.

The only good news for the Mets of late is that Ronny Paulino is back and clearly they need him because Josh Thole has been absolutely dreadful trying to throw thieving runners out (3 out of 22 caught).  The good feeling of the 6 game winning streak has now completely worn off and the fear that the Mets may really be as bad as they have been playing most of 2011 is officially back.

After losing game 1 of the series versus the Phillies by near double-digits, the Mets are clearly on the verge of being swept, especially since they’re now due to face Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee the next two games.   After the Amazin’s poor showing it certainly appears that the Mets will remain trapped in the cellar and unless they begin to make serious changes to their starting rotation like yanking Mike Pelfrey and Chris Capuano they should get comfortable in the cellar which will be their permanent 2011 home.