The Mets entered 2010 coming off an injury plagued and embarrassing 2009 season. The addition of Jason Bay added another power hitter to the outfield but the loss of Carlos Beltran for at least the first month of 2010 offset the excitement. That, added with Jose Reyes missing time due to a thyroid condition and a starting staff that was full of question marks past Johan Santana's spot cooled off some of the cautious optimism surrounding the team.
The Mets opened the season with an electrifying 7-1 win over the Marlins behind the stellar Johan Santana, but the remainder of the homestand was marked by terrible clutch hitting and suspect starting pitching as the Mets went 2-4 against the Marlins and Nationals. The Mets then took their circus on the road, struggling in Colorado and St. Louis. The trip did bring us a 20 inning classic win over the Cardinals, a game that went 0-0 into the 19th inning before the Mets broke through against a Cardinals outfielder of all people. The Mets returned to Citi Field limping while fans protested that it was time for a new manager. Questions arose over whether a bad 10 game homestand would signal the end of Jerry Manuel and Omar Minaya.
The Mets heard the pleas of their fans and brought up first base phenom Ike Davis, and he did not disappoint, making Citi Field his home. Not only that, he seemed to change the attitude of this team from the beginning. During his first game, he had 2 hits and his first RBI, while hitting a 450ft bomb later in the homestand. Along with the move of Reyes to third and Pagan to the lead-off spot, the Mets dominated the Cubs, winning 3 out of 4, before sweeping Atlanta and LA right out of New York. The Mets showed a swagger that we haven't seen since 2006. The team played gritty games and never gave up, scoring runs late and hitting in the clutch. Even as Wright and Reyes struggled, Davis and Francoeur continued to hit. Reyes got his legs back and began showcasing why he is so valuable to this ballclub. As Wright and Bay got a bit of their stroke back, the team started hammering the ball. Santana continued to pitch well.
Pelfrey was the star of the month, going 4-0 and posting the best ERA in the NL at 0.69. It seems almost unbelievable, but people who watched "Big Pelf"'s surprising 2008 campaign aren't too surprised. Pelfrey's biggest problem is his confidence, but this year he has been in command and pitching effortlessly for the most part. He has been a man on a mission, for lack of a better term, and we may finally see the heightened potential of a potential future #2 (or even an ace!)
What the Mets need to watch out for in the coming months is the pitching. They need more consistently from Maine and Perez, who have each had one good start out of their first four. That won't cut it if the Mets want to be serious wild card or division contenders. Another area of concern is the streakiness of this offense, which seems to shut down for weeks on end before turning it on and pounding their opposition for a couple of weeks. For the Mets to really contend, guys like Wright, Reyes, and Bay cannot have prolonged stretches of 2-24 and need to consistently succeed in their respective roles, whether it's hitting home runs or using their speed and getting on base. It'll be interesting to see how the bullpen continues to build on their extremely impressive April. A lot of these guys, minus K-Rod and Feliciano, are relatively new and unknown, especially Takahashi. The question is will the league catch up to these relievers or will they have prolonged success. A lot also depends on Jerry Manuel, who runs the risk of overusing guys like Nieve and Feliciano, who already have a lot of appearances in one month.
The Mets face the Phillies for two more to start May before heading to Cincinatti, then home for the Giants and Nationals. May will be an exciting months, with visits from the Yankees and Phillies. Let's keep the momentum going boys, Let's Go Mets!!!
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