Where the New York Mets Went Wrong This Season

With a 3-0 victory over the first-place Atlanta Braves on July 11, the New York Mets entered the All-Star break with a record of 48-40; leaving them four games back in the National League East race and only one game behind the Colorado Rockies and the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Wild Card standings.

But since that particular point in time, the Mets proceeded to drop 24 out of their last 40 contests to fall to fourth in the division, nine games south of the front-running Braves, and seven games behind the Philadelphia Phillies for the National League Wild Card.

And even though there are still 34 games left in the season, there isn’t a preponderance of evidence demonstrating that New York can make a miraculous run to their first post-season appearance since 2006.

As with last season, there are many factors attributable to the Mets’ failure to be in the thick of the playoff hunt going into September; and the burden of blame can be placed squarely on the shoulders of front office and player personnel alike.

5. The mid-season meltdown of Mike Pelfrey

In the first half of the season, ‘Big Pelf’ appeared to be a viable National League Cy Young candidate as he emerged as the anchor of New York’s starting rotation.

But in five July starts, Pelfrey went 0-3 with a 10.02 ERA in a month where the Mets lost 16 of 25 games. During that span, the Mets went from second in the division race to fourth and from 2 games behind the Braves to 6.5.

Although Pelfrey has regained his form in recent weeks, going 3-2 with a 1.82 ERA in August, his July swoon was a significant contributor to a Mets’ free fall that has essentially taken them out of playoff contention.

4. Home is where the victories are

The Mets have pulled a Dr. Jekyll/Mr.Hyde-like performance at home and on the road this season.

New York is tied for seventh in home victories (38) in the National League while tying for fourth (40) in road losses.

If the Mets had simply broke even away from Citi Field at this juncture, translating to a 33-33 record, they would trail Atlanta by only two games in the division and would be tied with Philadelphia in the National League Wild Card standings.

3. The unfulfilled promise of Jason Bay

After a 2009 season that saw him earn a third All-Star selection, hit 36 home runs and 119 RBI’s, and be named one of the 50 greatest current players in baseball by the Sporting News, Bay signed as a free agent with New York to the tune of $66 million over four years.

And as the biggest fish they landed this past off-season, the Mets were expecting Bay to infuse significant power into the lineup that rivaled his previous six seasons where he averaged 26 home runs and 99 RBI’s per year.

Instead, Bay, a career .278 hitter, has seen his average dip to .259 and his home run (6) and RBI (47) production plummet to their lowest levels since 2003. In addition, Bay’s slugging percentage (.402) is the lowest it’s been in his entire career.

Bay has been on the 15-day DL since July 30 after suffering a concussion in a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers and Mets’ manager Jerry Manuel doesn’t expect his starting left fielder to return this season.

2. Team hitting has been offensive rather than on the offensive

Out of the 16 teams in the National League, New York is 13th in runs scored (517), 14th in hits (1,069), 13th in doubles (209), 13th in home runs (96), 13th in total bases (1,636), 14th in RBI’s (492), 14th in batting average (.248), 14th in on base percentage (.314) and 14th in slugging percentage (.379).

This is a crying shame considering the Mets’ pitching staff is fifth in the league in ERA (3.65) after being looked upon as a team weakness entering this season.

1. Mets’ front office watches the trade deadline come and go

There are certain points during a baseball season where the action or inaction of the front office can mean the difference between a team playing meaningful baseball in September and October or merely playing out the string.

And when the Mets’ front office decided to stand pat with the trade deadline (July 31) looming, they essentially gave up on the season while New York still had the chance to become one of the surprise stories of the 2010 season.

Instead, all that remain are questions about exactly where the organization is headed. And for a demanding baseball market like New York, this is simply unacceptable.

Click here to read the original article on Examiner.com, which includes relevant links and a special video presentation to lift the spirits of Mets' fans.

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Snub of NY Mets Mike Pelfrey Should End Stephen Strasburg All-Star Campaign

As with All-Star selections in any sport, the announcement of the players chosen to participate in MLB’s 81st Midsummer Classic on July 13 has stirred debate all across the country; particularly among those who have supported and opposed the inclusion of pitching phenom Stephen Strasburg on the National League squad.

But although the 21-year-old Strasburg has had the baseball world buzzing since his major league debut last month, the decision by Philadelphia Phillies manager Charlie Manuel to leave Strasburg off the National League roster was the wisest one because it was based on merit rather than hype.

“I looked there and I felt like, in my opinion, and I'm not his manager, but at the same time he's a young kid,'' Manuel said. “I say let him pitch and let him get his feet on the ground in the major leagues and kind of let him earn his way.''

This is a concept that seems to be lost on those who strongly feel that Strasburg should be one of the pitchers taking the mound next week in Anaheim after only six starts in which he has compiled a record of 2-2 with an ERA of 2.45.

And, believe it or not, there is a growing contingent that actually has the unmitigated gall to view Strasburg’s exclusion from the All-Star Game as some sort of snub or lack of consideration for what the baseball public wants to see.

What it really is though is a disrespectful slap in the face to fans of the New York Mets who are continuing to wonder why starting ace Mike Pelfrey isn’t headed to southern California next week. The same Mike Pelfrey who has posted a record of 10-2 with an ERA of 2.93 in 16 starts and been the anchor of a pitching rotation that has the Mets in playoff contention this season.

Despite the fact that Pelfrey would not have been available to pitch since he’s scheduled to start two days before the All-Star Game, he could have still attended and been replaced on the active roster.

"I think the biggest thing is I would have liked to have gone and sat there and watched the Home Run Derby with my kid," Pelfrey said after learning of his snub. "But, you know, it was a tough decision. I guess there were a lot of guys that were qualified.”

With no equivocation, Stephen Strasburg is not one of those guys that were qualified.

So in spite of Manuel’s glaring oversight in regards to not selecting Pelfrey, Mets fans can take some measure of comfort in Strasburg being left off the roster by the Phillies skipper because, if baseball’s newest sensation did make the National League team, additional roster spaces would have had to be created for more deserving hurlers like Pelfrey, his teammate R.A. Dickey (6-1, 2.62 ERA, 9 starts) and San Diego Padres right-hander Mat Latos (9-4, 2.62 ERA, 16 starts). Like Charlie Manuel poignantly said about Strasburg being left off the National League All-Star team, “Let him earn his way.”

Without a shadow of a doubt, Strasburg has All-Star potential but, after less than a month in the big leagues, he’s far from being an All-Star; and Major League Baseball would best serve Strasburg and themselves by tempering their anointing of him as the savior of the sport at the tender age of 21.

Click here to read the original article on Examiner.com, which includes relevant links and a special video presentation featuring Stephen Strasburg.

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