Mets 3 Dodgers 2

El Duque needed to be good … and he was.

Orlando Hernandez put forth a postseason-like performance, allowing only five baserunners and one earned run in seven innings — and did it in only 91 pitches. He outlasted Greg Maddux, who also pitched well but was bounced early in the sixth, en route to his tenth win of the season.

From the offensive side of things, it was the David Wright show, as D-Wright continued his hot hitting, going 3-3 with two RBI. His clutch, two-run single in the sixth came soon after Maddux was chased from the game and was the ultimate difference in the game. Interestingly, Wright was struck out on a breaking ball the pitch before his hit, but the home plate umpire called it ball three. No doubt that irked the heck out of Maddux, who could only smolder helplessly on the sidelines.

Notes

The only other Met run scored as a result of Carlos Delgado’s home run in the second inning.

How can you beat the Mets’ bullpen? With a slim, one-run lead, Aaron Heilman made it look easy, pitching a perfect eighth on seven pitches (five for strikes). Billy Wagner followed with a slightly less efficient, 18-pitch ninth that included one strikeout and one hit.

Shawn Green didn’t get any hits, but he made a great play in the top of the fourth, stealing a potential extra-base hit from Kenny Lofton. He caught the ball right at the wall, and if it wouldn’t have gone over it definitely would have bounced off and been either a double or a triple. At the time it didn’t seem too important, but considering the final score it turned out to be a huge defensive play.

While we’re on the subject of little things, Orlando Hernandez did something that no one will ever notice, but means a lot in the great scheme of things. In the bottom of the third, he executed a perfect sacrifice bunt that advanced Kelly Stinnett — which would have been vital itself had the Mets scored that runner. But further, he forced Greg Maddux to throw the ball to first, rather than be tagged. It meant nothing, as Maddux — a perennial Gold Glover — threw a perfect strike to first base, but El Duque performed as a winner in forcing that throw. You never know what can happen; for example, Maddux could have thrown the ball high and up the right-field line, allowing Stinnett to advance to third or possibly score. As it was, that didn’t happen, but there would have been no chance of it had Hernandez allowed himself to be tagged. Winning teams — such as the Braves through the 1990s — constantly force the issue and make the opponent execute … then make the most of opportunities when the opponent fails.

To further digress on that play … later in the game, in the top of the sixth, Greg Maddux was similarly effective with his baserunning, as he induced a rundown between third and home on a sharp grounder to David Wright in an attempt to get Kenny Lofton over to third base. At the end of the rundown, he pushed hard at El Duque’s glove as the tag was applied to him. I’m not sure whether it was heads’ up baseball — Maddux trying to dislodge the ball — or a case of disgruntled payback for El Duque’s third-inning play. Either way, Orlando Hernandez didn’t like it, and nearly went after Maddux as he sprinted back to the dugout like a scared and sniffling nine-year-old running home to his mommy. As much as I enjoy watching Maddux pitch, I hate watching him compete against my Mets!

Carlos Beltran walked twice in this game, giving him 81 on the year — a career high. Ironically, his unusually high walk total can be directly attributed to the presence of Carlos Delgado behind him in the lineup. Whereas you would think he’d be walked less by opposing pitchers, the fact is that Delgado behind him has taken the pressure off Beltran to be the big RBI guy — and the result has been him being more patient and waiting for good pitches to hit. Last year, he chased pitches out of the strike zone because he felt that he had to be the guy to drive people in … kind of like the ringer on a beer league softball team. This year, he takes pitches, gets his, and has been belting it.

The TV camera caught John Maine stretching his fingers with a forkball grip around a baseball. Nice to see that he’s looking to possibly further improve his game … and it sure would be a benefit if he could add a strikeout pitch to his repertoire.

Interesting trivia tidbit: if you overlook Mike Hampton’s Gold Glove Award in 2003, the last NL pitcher to win the Award before Greg Maddux was none other than New York Met pitcher Ron Darling — in 1989.

Dodgers 5 Mets 0

John Maine finally pitched a poor game … but his outing still wan’t anywhere near some of the atrocious outings put forth by, say, Jose Lima, Jeremi Gonzalez, Steve Trachsel, El Duque, or Tommy Glavine.

After Maine gave up two quick runs in the first inning, the rest of the Mets went to sleep. The game was played with such little inspiration, I was equally uninspired to write anything of consequence.

Notes

What are the chances that the Dodgers would have MLB’s third Taiwanese pitcher — Hong-Chih Kuo — on the same night the Mets held Taiwan Appreciation Day? Who even knew there was such a thing as Taiwan Appreciation Day at Shea? There had to be some agreement between the Mets and Dodgers on this one … it’s all too coincidental. Not that there would be anything wrong with such manipulation … in fact, if it was done on purpose, kudos to both teams for pulling it off.

David Wright was the only Met with more than one hit — he had two — but he also threw the ball away in the first to ignite the Dodgers’ initial rally. The Mets as a team played very shoddy defense; it was as if everyone were half-asleep or uninterested. Chalk this up as another example of why greenies should not be banned from the clubhouse.

John Maine didn’t really pitch that poorly … in fact only two of the runs he gave up were earned (both on solo homers). The fact that this was one of his worst outings is an indication of how good he has become in the second half of 2006.

Heath Bell made the most of his two innings of relief in mopup duty, striking out one and allowing no one to reach base on only 19 pitches — 15 for strikes. Unfortunately, these are the only types of games he’ll get into for the rest of the year, so even if he strikes out every batter he faces on three pitches, no one will notice nor care. Shame, really, that his talent has been completely wasted by Mr. Willie over the last two years. He is a guy who is every bit as good as Roberto Hernandez, yet if gives up a run in a meaningful appearance, Randolph pulls him out and banishes him to Norfolk for two weeks. Bert, meanwhile, will be given the ball the very next day in the eighth inning of a tie ballgame. Yes, I realize that Bert earned that right by being successful in the past, but how is Bell ever going to earn anything if he is never trusted in a tight ballgame? The worst part of all this is that Bell likely will be released in the winter, or dealt away, and he’ll become a Dan Wheeler or Scott Proctor for someone else. Too bad Omar would never consider giving Heilman a shot to start in 2007 and plan on using Bell in the late innings. My fantasies remain alive …

Mets 7 Dodgers 0

When was the last time the Mets pitching staff threw consecutive shutouts? Surely Elias knows, I’m guessing it was back in the Seaver – Koosman days.

Tommy Glavine threw six and one-third marvelous innings, giving up five hits, no walks, and striking out five on 101 pitches (62 strikes). On at least two occasions he started a batter off 3-0 but ended up retiring the hitter; vintage Glavine.

In relief, Guillermo Mota continued his dominance. Though he gave up a walk, he still finished off a scoreless two-thirds of an inning on a mere nine pitches. Roberto Hernandez was not quite as efficient, throwing 19 pitches in the eighth, but nontheless preserved the shutout in bridging the gap to Aaron Heilman, who looked great in a “keep sharp” appearance.

The Mets batters had their way with Dodger ace Brad Penny from the first inning, as they opened the game with four consecutive hits — including a beautiful hit-and-run executed by Jose Reyes and Paul LoDuca. Reyes finished the day 2-5 with two runs scored and three RBI, all driven in on a bases-clearing, inside-the-park homerun in the sixth.

But Reyes wasn’t the only Met battering Brad Penny; in fact, it’s hard to find someone in the lineup who wasn’t smacking him around. Shawn Green remained hot, hitting two more doubles, while David Wright went 2-2 and Carlos Beltran 2-4. Jose Valentin had the Mets’ lone home run that went over the fence, and Carlos Delgado crushed a double to the centerfield wall that looked like it would go over. The only player not to get a hit was Cliff Floyd, but he was swinging the bat well and scorched a few foul line drives. This lineup is scary.

Notes

Jose Reyes looked to be running only around half-speed on his way to second base on his homer — and there still wasn’t even a throw to the plate. If he ran full-force from get-go, he would have been sitting in the dugout drinking Gatorade before the ball made it in to the catcher. Watching him being interviewed after the game, he could barely contain his exuberance, as usual. His kidlike enthusiasm and the pure happiness that bursts from his face is truly refreshing … you can’t help but smile while watching and listening to him.

What once seemed to be a weakness — the Mets pitching staff — is now looking like a formidable strength. If the starters and relievers continue to mow down hitters, it is going to be extremely difficult to decide who goes on the playoff roster. The next three weeks should be very interesting as the “postseason trials” are underway.

Speaking of those fighting for playoff duty, John Maine pitches Friday night vs. Hong-Chih Kuo. Interesting that, other than Penny, the Mets will not see any of the Dodgers’ playoff pitchers.

Mets 8 Braves 0

Wow! Just when we were all ready to cross off Oliver Perez for the season, and hope he could turn things around sometime in 2007, he comes out and pitches a magnificent shutout.

His late afternoon performance was reminiscent of the dominance he showed in 2004, when he had a 2.98 ERA and a 12-10 record for an awful Pittsburgh Pirates team. Perez held the Braves to only five hits and one walk — a sharp deviation from his previous two starts — while he struck out six and was remarkably efficient, throwing just 107 pitches.

True enough, Perez had a LOT of help behind him, as several ESPN Web Gem – worthy plays were made in the game. However, there was never a point in the game where Perez needed the extra effort; he clearly dominated the Braves and pitched with a rhythm and confidence more commonly seen from a frontline ace than a 2-11 hasbeen trying to salvage a career. In fact, he was so impressive, one would have to think that he’ll at the very least be given another start — and at the most, be considered for postseason duty. He looked that good.

Time will tell … if nothing else, it will be fun to watch this story play itself out. Oliver Perez is definitely an entertaining ballplayer.

While Oliver Perez was rejuvenating his career on the mound, Shawn Green was doing the same at the plate. Green — who had been in a 1-22 slump going into the day’s games — burst out of his doldrums by going six for eight on the afternoon with two homeruns and a double. After the game, he attributed his success to, among other things, his reunion with former Dodger batting coach Rick Down and best friend Carlos Delgado, who along with Julio Franco had been helping him regain the swing that made him a force to be reckoned with just a few years ago. It’s great to see Green so comfortable in a city that once made him bristle, and even better to see the Mets fans — who demanded a curtain call of him — accept him so quickly and with such adoration. Here’s one fan hoping Shawn can keep it up and be part of the Mets’ future at least through 2007.

Notes

Though Shawn Green provided much of the damage, it was Jose Reyes who started it, leading off the game with his 17th home run. It seems as though he learned quite a bit from his mentor Rickey Henderson; I wonder if the Mets will consider having Rickey hang around more often.

Carlos Beltran returned to the lineup and was hitless but walked twice and scored twice. He also made several excellent plays in centerfield and stole a base, so it appears that his bruised knee is nothing to worry about.

Uncle Cliffy also returned and went 1-3. Hopefully he can shake the achilles issue and team up with Green to scare the daylights out of opposing postseason pitching.

Endy Chavez played about half the game and went two for two with two RBI. What a surprise.

Anderson Hernandez started at 2B and batted second — why, we’re not sure — and made some outstanding plays in the field. If only he could squeeze out one hit a week, he might be worth considering as the second baseman of the future.

The Dodgers come into town on Thursday night. They’ll have Brad Penny opposing Tom Glavine in what may well be a preview to a postseason game.

Mets 4 Braves 1

Well that was a nice change of pace … John Smoltz NOT dominating the Mets, and a journeyman lefty shutting down the Braves. The times they sure are a’ changin’ …

Dart throwing Dave Williams threw only 72 pitches in a solid six-inning effort, allowing only one run on five hits and no walks. If he keeps this up, the Mets might have to consider leaving Tom Glavine off the postseason roster and giving Game 2 to Mr. Williams.

Williams didn’t need much support, and received all he needed from the former Toronto tandem of Carlos Delgado and Shawn Green, who combined for four hits — two of them home runs — and accounted for three of the Mets runs. Jose Valentin also contributed an RBI, driving in Green with a blast to right-center that deposited him on second base with a double. It was the first time in five years I’ve seen a ball go over grinning Andruw Jones’ head. Paul LoDuca scored the other run on Delgado’s tater.

Notes

Guillermo Mota keeps on rolling, just like a loco-Motave (or as the Shea DJ plays, “Mota-rin!”). He came into a 3-1 game and pitched a nearly perfect eighth inning, striking out one. It’s getting more clear every day that his performance is no fluke; rather, he seems to have recaptured the magic that made him one of the most dominating setup men in all of baseball just a few years ago.

Billy Wagner made it look easy, finishing off the Braves on 12 pitches, eight of them strikes.

The Mets were rained out on Tuesday, forcing a good old fashioned twinbill on Wednesday.

Meantime, the Mets did some roster shuffling, bringing up Steve Schmoll for the express purpose of putting him on the 60-day DL and in effect ending his season so that another body could be added to the 40-man roster. The Mets already had an open spot, presumably to make room for Kelly Stinnett, as Paul LoDuca is in dire need of some extra breathers. When they maneuvered Schmoll, there was nostalgic hope that the move was intended to free up space for Edgardo Alfonzo.

Unfortunately, that was not the case. Remarkably, the space was opened up for none other than Ricky Ledee.

Ricky Ledee.

Did you get that? Luh-DEE … not La-DAY, as even the Mets announcers insist on calling him (he’s Latino, not French). No matter how you pronounce it, it makes no sense whatsoever to go through roster hula-hoops to make room for him. For what reason? Are 17 lefthanded-hitting outfielders sitting at the ready on the dugout bench not enough for Mr. Willie? Didn’t we already figure out that Michael Mother Tucker and Ledee was a virtual redundancy?

Even if Ledee proves to be slightly better than Tucker, it makes no difference, as he can’t be added to the postseason roster. And at age 33, it’s a little late to be auditioning for a possible 2007 roster spot; there are younger, better-tooled, cheaper alternatives. Unless this is a monthlong tryout for Jose Valentin’s winter team.

Rather than Ledee, the Mets could easily have promoted Edgardo Alfonzo. He was part of Omar’s first go-around with the Mets (when Minaya was under Steve Phillips), so he’s still welcome. As a fan favorite, his presence could help put at least a few fannies in the seats in September; lord knows it’s going to be tough to sell out meaningless games with the kids back at school. And out of all the positions where the Mets need help, second base and third base would appear to be the most obvious examples — after catcher — of where they could use some depth. Both old man Jose Valentin and young stud David Wright could use a few days off to get fresh for the playoffs, and, gee, Alfonzo plays both of those positions with aplomb. Not to mention the fact that he’s been playing fairly adequately for Norfolk, putting up a .265 average. That’s no great shakes, but it’s not awful — and it’s no worse than Ledee.

In addition to the nostalgic aspect, there is one huge reason the Mets should have added Alfonzo: he’s a winner. He’s always conducted himself as a winner, an all-around ballplayer who could do the little things as well as the big things needed to win a game. Whereas Ricky Ledee’s postseason experience was as a bit player and late-inning defensive replacement, Alfonzo was a starter, a top-of-the-lineup star for a championship team. His experience in that vital role, and his way of carrying himself, would have made him an excellent addition to a clubhouse that seeks a championship.

Instead, we have Ricky Ledee: an overhyped never-was who can sit on the bench next to Mike DeFelice, spit sunflower seeds, and keep Michael Tucker’s shoes polished.

Braves 5 Mets 0

When was the last time a team one-hit an opponent, then was one-hit the next day? Elias? Anyone?

Ugh … what an awful day …

Steve Trachsel led the way in awfulness, only going four innings and giving up four hits, four runs and seven walks. The Mets batters were never able to catch up, as every time someone hit the ball hard, or to a hole, some Brave made a diving catch. In fact, there were so many magnificent defensive plays that ESPN temporarily changed the name of their “Web Gems” segment to “The Braves”.

Notes

If not for David Wright, Chuck James (!) would have no-hit the Mets.

The silver lining: You Can Ring my Bell. Royce Ring and Heath Bell combined for nearly four innings of scoreless relief, giving up only one hit and throwing 45 pitches. Not bad for the next great ROOGY-LOOGY dynamic duo.

Roberto Hernandez, however, gave up a run for the second consecutive evening. This time, though, it didn’t mean nearly as much. The Mets had no chance against the bionic fielders.

Tuesday evening has John Smoltz vs. Dave Williams … and Oliver Perez is tentatively slated to throw on Wednesday, giving Tommy Glavine an extra day of rest. This is looking like it might be a Braves sweep.

The good news is, if someone told you in April that the Braves would sweep the Mets in this September series, and it wouldn’t even put a dent in the Mets’ lead over them, you’d be damn happy and a lot more relaxed from May through August. (You might also sell your seats for the games for top dollar, back then.)