Keeping it Close

by Tom Nieradka

Editorial. Photos by AP News

Coming into this season of baseball many predicted a tight race between the top three teams in the NL East. The defending champion Phillies, the young Marlins, and the bullpen-buffed Mets were all considered to be possible division champs or wild card winners. And just glancing at the standings only two games separate the top dog Phillies from the Mets, with the Marlins sitting right in the middle. This is pretty much how it should be right? Well coming from a New York sports fan, I would have to say absolutely not.

Now I don’t know how or why it happened, but someone from Philly seems to have cast some sort of VooDoo spell on the New York Mets. Perhaps it was former Mariner Raul Ibanez, who in the process seems to have doubled his own power before being hit with an injury of his own. Or could it have been the flyin’ Hawaiian Shane Victorino? We may never find out, but the effect on the Mets has been nothing short of grievous.

The first victim, oddly enough, was first baseman Carlos Delgado. A hip injury early in the season has kept him out of the lineup and on the DL, and he is looking at an August return if all goes well. Second was speedster Jose Reyes, who after trying to play through a hamstring injury has been sidelined since late May and is looking at a post All Star Break return. Someone else looking at a post-ASB return is center fielder Carlos Beltran, who is having issues with a bone bruise in his knee. And those three , aside from being the most important, are only the beginning.

We can’t forget about backup outfielder Angel Pagan, who was getting a bit of hype of his own before he was hurt during the season. And from a pitching standpoint who can forget about offseason re-signined free agent Oliver Perez? Despite being awful his first starts of the year before heading for the DL with a knee injury, that’s a 12 million dollar contract the Met’s have on the bench. Starter John Maine is also having problems of his own with shoulder fatigue. Neither starter is expected back until after the ASB. Back in the bullpen, former closer JJ Putz is out until mid-August with an elbow injury. And though many people are forgetting this guy, closer Billy Wagner due to surgery he had on his left elbow.

It just seems to never end for these poor Mets. For a second, imagine your favorite team without three of its four best players. What would Red Sox nation do without Jason Bay, Kevin Youkilis, and Jacoby Ellsbury? How would the Yankees be doing without Big Tex, A-Rod and Cano? In the rotations imagine not having your three and four starters. Wakefield and Penny are gone (actually not a problem for the Sox with that deep pitching). It is more of a problem for the Yanks without Pettitte and Joba. It’s just sickening having such a great team, but so many injuries.

Many would say that the Mets are losing because of sloppy fielding. But with a whole team playing out of position on a nightly basis how can it not be sloppy. I went to a Met game the other night, and was not surprised to find a AAA lineup. I counted two everyday starters on the entire field, maybe three if I give some them a break in the outfield. Oddly enough the game that I was at Tim Redding pitched well, something that happens but once in a full moon. Without the kind of quality pitching and hitting that the Mets need, what can they do?

All the Mets have to do is keep it close and try to wait out the injuries. Losing near 40 HR power in Delgado is tough enough, let alone losing 50 plus SBs from Reyes, as well as the great all around talent of Beltran. If the Mets can stay near the top of the standings and keep it reachable, hopefully when the get a full lineup it will be the Phillies choking this year. Until then, all we can do is hope that Johan can throw shutouts every outing, and pray that the Sheff can get some of his swagger back.