Bobby Blows Another

The Mets faught back once again to take the lead in this game, but the bullpen couldn't save it...again.

• Chris Capuano went seven innings, giving up two runs on five hits, while striking out six and walking one.

• Jason Bay had another nice day at the plate, driving in two runs in the eighth inning to give the Mets the lead.

• David Wright went 2-4 at the plate with an RBI.

• It was a sloppy game defensively for the Mets. Jose Reyes and David Wright each had two errors.

• Bobby Parnell blew another save this afternoon. After entering the ninth inning with a one run lead, he gave up a two-run single to Aramis Ramirez.

Next Up: The Mets will send Miguel Batista to the mound for tomorrow's series finale against the Cubs. Matt Garza gets the start for Chicago. Game time is 8:10 p.m.

Mets Hope Capuano's Success Against Cubs Continues This Afternoon

September 10, 2011

1:10 PM ET

Citi Field

TV: WPIX

RADIO: WFAN 660

NEW YORK METS

Starting Pitcher: Chris Capuano (10-12, 4.63 ERA)

Capuano is coming off one of the worst starts of the season. In four innings, he gave up six runs on eight hits. In 13 career apperances against the Cubs, he is 8-3 with a 3.88 ERA.

CHICAGO CUBS

Starting Pitcher: Randy Wells  (7-4, 4.86 ERA)

Wells allowed just one run in six innings in his last start. In his past six starts, he is 5-0 with a 3.00 ERA. In his career, he is 0-1 with a 3.00 ERA against New York.

METS LINEUP:

Reyes-SS, Turner-2B, Duda-RF, Wright-3B, Pagan-CF, Bay-LF, Evans-1B, Nickeas-C, Capuano-LHP

Mets Morning News: Piazza's Home Run, Franco Wants To Tutor Parnell,September Call Ups, Complimentary Tickets

With the anniversary of September 11 this weekend, many former Mets have returned to Flushing to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the attacks. Mike Piazza talked with the NY Post about his emotional home run.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=cBMC1tA4CdM

John Franco, the Mets all-time saves leader, said yesterday that if he was approached by the Mets, he would love the opportunity to tutor Bobby Parnell.

"He's a young kid and he's still figuring things out," Franco told The Post. "It's like on-the-job training for him. If you go into a season with the mindset 'This is my job,' and you have the right tutoring -- someone like myself can come along and maybe help him out and talk to him day in and day out."

Dale Thayer was called up by the Mets prior to yesterday's game. Thayer had finished his season with Triple-A Buffalo and was on his way home when he got the call.

"I want to do good," Thayer said. "I've gone through the phase of being the new person and now it's time to go out there and get outs and have clean innings."

Johan Santana pitched three innings in his rehab start with the Savannah Sand Gnats. He allowed one run on two hits, while striking out one and walking one. Of the 39 pitches Santana threw, 27 of them were for strikes. Manager Terry Collins told reporters that while he expects these kinds of numbers from Santana, he's more worried about how the pitcher will feel this morning.

"To be honest, (Saturday) will determine (the next step)," Mets manager Terry Collins said before tonight’s game. "I’m not looking for results, I’m not looking for velocity. He is who he is — he’s not going to walk a lot of guys, I know that — so his command will be there. I’m looking to see how he comes out of this."

The Mets are offering New York City First Responders and their families complimentary tickets to attend the September 11 Remembrance Ceremony and game against the Cubs.

It Wasn't Pretty, But A Win's A Win

The Mets came back in the bottom of the ninth inning to beat the Cubs, 5-4.

• Mike Pelfrey went 6.2 innings, giving up three runs on six hits, while striking out three and walking three. It was a very long first inning for Pelfrey, who threw 29 pitches before getting out of the inning. He settled down in the second inning, but then gave up a two-run home run to Carlos Pena in the third inning.

• Jason Bay was impressive at the plate again tonight, going 2-4 with two extra-base hits, and an RBI. He also came up big in the field, throwing out Bryan LaHair at the plate to end the fourth inning.

• The Mets tied the game up in the fourth inning thanks to RBI ground outs by David Wright and Nick Evans, as well as a double from Bay.

• Justin Turner doubled in the fifth inning to drive in the go-ahead run for the Mets. Turner would later drive in the game-winning run in the bottom of the ninth with a ground-rule double.

• Manny Acosta was brought in to close out the game in the ninth inning, and couldn't hold the lead, giving up an RBI single to Darwin Barney. If there was ever an example of why wins and losses shouldn't be taken too seriously in this game, this was it. Acosta pitched one inning, blows the game, completely wipes out Pelfrey's 6.2 innings of work, and then ends up with the win.

Next Up: The Mets play game two of their three-game series with the Cubs. Chris Capuano will take the mound for the Mets. Randy Wells gets the start for Chicago. Game time is 1:10 p.m.

Mets Welcome Cubs To Town

September 9, 2011

7:10 PM ET

Citi Field

TV: WPIX

RADIO: WFAN 660

NEW YORK METS

Starting Pitcher: Mike Pelfrey (7-11, 4.68 ERA)

Pelfrey struggled through 4.2 innings of work in his last start, giving up three runs and walking five. In two career starts against the Cubs, he is 2-0 with a 0.60 ERA.

CHICAGO CUBS

Starting Pitcher: Casey Coleman (2-7, 6.61 ERA)

Coleman had a quality start in his last outing, but ended up with a no decision thanks to his bullpen. He hasn't been good against the Mets. That's evidenced by his 0-1 record and his 40.50 ERA.

METS LINEUP:

Reyes-SS, Turner-2B, Duda-RF, Wright-3B, Pagan-CF, Bay-LF, Evans-1B, Thole-C, Pelfrey-RHP

Mets Morning News: Injury Updates Galore

Jason Isringhausen will sit out for several days after suffering a herniated disc in his lower back. Izzy told reporters that the injury was causing numbness in his foot. He expects to get a shot to help alleviate some of the pain.

Johan Santana will make a rehab start today for the Class A Savannah Sand Gnats in game two of a South Atlantic League playoff semifinal series. Hey, at least someone from the Mets made the playoffs this year.

Ike Davis had his ankle checked out at the Hospital for Special Surgery on Thursday, and doctors agreed that the first baseman does not need to have surgery.

"The way it feels right now it would be stupid to have surgery," Davis said. "If I had surgery, I could make it feel worse. There's no definitive answer with the surgery. If it was a torn ligament or something, it would be a different story. It's not like I have that. The whole thing was, if it doesn't ever get better, then we've got to get in there and take care of it. But since it has, and made improvement, why go in there and do stuff if you don't know if it's going to help?"

Mets Swept In Doubleheader With Braves

The Mets lost game two of their doubleheader with Atlanta, 5-1.

• Dillon Gee went six innings, giving up three runs on four hits, while striking out six and walking two. He allowed a first inning run to Atlanta on a single off the bat of Dan Uggla. Gee then went on to retire the next ten batters he faced. Atlanta tagged on another run in the fifth inning on an RBI single by David Ross. After giving up a leadoff double to Jack Wilson in the seventh inning, Gee was replaced by Daniel Herrera. A few at-bats later, Wilson would come around to score on sacrifice fly from Chipper Jones.

• The only run of the game for the Mets was scored in the first inning courtesy of a Jason Bay sacrifice fly.

• The Mets were 0-6 with runners in scoring position, and they left eight men on base.

• Pedro Beato was called upon to pitch the eighth and ninth innings. After throwing a 1-2-3 eighth, he allowed two runs to score in the ninth.

Next Up: The Mets will send Mike Pelfrey to the mound as they start a three-game series against the Cubs tomorrow night. Game time is 7:10 p.m.

Bay's Grand Slam Not Enough To Help Mets In Game One

The Mets lost game one of their doubleheader with the Braves, 6-5.

• Chris Schwinden made his Major League debut in game one and wasn't all that impressive in his five innings of work. He allowed three runs to score in the first inning after giving up a two-run double to Freddie Freeman and an RBI single to Martin Prado. He would give up two more runs in the third inning. Chipper Jones took Schwinden deep for his 16th home run of the season.

• Jason Bay hit a grand slam in the bottom of the first inning to give the Mets a 4-3 lead. This was Bay's second grand slam of the season.

• The Mets only other run of the game came in the eighth inning on an RBI ground out by Nick Evans.

• Ryota Igarashi was ineffective. After loading the bases, he was replaced by Tim Byrdak who promptly hit the first batter he faced to force in Atlanta's sixth run of the game.

• Bobby Parnell was brought in to pitch in a non-save situation with one out in the ninth inning. He didn't allow a run.

The Sun Is Finally Shining In NY, Let's Play Two

September 8, 2011 (GAME 2)

TV: SNY

RADIO: WFAN 660

NEW YORK METS

Starting Pitcher: Dillon Gee (12-5, 4.48 ERA)

Gee struggled again in his last start, giving up three home runs to the Nationals. In four starts against the Braves this season, Gee is unbeaten. In his career, he is 2-1 with a 2.83 ERA against Atlanta.

ATLANTA BRAVES

Starting Pitcher: Julio Teheran (0-1, 5.19 ERA)

Despite having a good season with Triple-A Gwinnett (15-3 with a 2.55 ERA), Teheran has struggled since being called up. He hasn't been able to get through five innings in either of his two starts.

METS LINEUP:

Reyes-SS, Turner-3B, Duda-RF, Bay-LF, Harris-CF, Evans-1B, Thole-C, Tejada-2B, Gee-RHP

The Silver Lining

While the Phillies and Braves streak towards the playoffs, the Mets' season will mercifully come to an end in just a few short weeks.  This will make five seasons since the Mets last tasted the post season, since Endy Chavez's miracle catch, since Carlos Beltran watched a knee buckling curveball end the Mets' World Series hopes.  Two monumental collapses lead to the bottom falling out and a 92-loss season.  Last year the Mets sniffed .500, and this year they are so close they can almost taste it.

There is your silver lining.

It has been a disappointing season, but not a disappointment on par with the last few years.  This was a rebuilding year no matter the result, and the Mets brass successfully cleaned house and built towards the future.  The team had a lot of positives this year, but is still on pace to win just one more game than last year.  So was this the best Mets season since their dominant run in 2006?

The 2011 Mets were supremely snakebitten, losing significant time from Johan Santana, Ike Davis, David Wright and Jose Reyes.  The team traded away Carlos Beltran, gave significant time to players like Jason Pridie, Willie Harris and (ugh) Jason Bay, and sent DJ Carrasco to the mound much too often.

And yet, certain guys came through.  Jose Reyes had a tremendous year and may become the first Met to win a batting title.  David Wright has been on fire recently and may be building momentum towards a comeback year in 2012.  Johan Santana left Terry Collins and Dan Warthen salivating after his recent bullpen session. Beltran played his best baseball in years for half a season, netted a top prospect and has just two home runs for San Francisco. Nick Evans has looked great in limited playing time, Ruben Tejada may actually be able to hit in the majors and Lucas Duda looks like a future masher. Dillon Gee and Jonathan Niese look like they will contribute, and RA Dickey is still able to spin (or not spin) some magic with that knuckleball.

The fact that the Mets have been able to hang tough throughout this season is a testament to Collins and GM Sandy Alderson.  The two of them took over a team with a lot of dead weight, a lot of players on the downswing of their careers and an ace with a bum shoulder.  They had the benefit of an all-world year from Reyes, but even when Reyes has gone down, this team has played well.  There is no worse baseball euphemism than calling a team scrappy, or saying they have "heart," so let's just say these Mets win a lot of games they shouldn't.

So if this wasn't the best Mets season since they made the playoffs in '06, it certainly had a lot of positives. Of course, the brutal truth is that this may be the best Mets season for a long time.  With news that the Wilpon family will look to sell minority shares of the team to friends and family, there is a chance that the Mets will look very different next year - in a bad way.  As in, no Reyes or Wright.  As in, a significant drop from the $120 million payroll, perhaps all the way down below $100 million.  Teams like the Rangers, Diamondbacks and Brewers have all won this year with sub-$100 mill payrolls, but those teams don't have to battle the super rich Phillies in their division or share back pages with the behemoth Yankees.

There were certainly some good deals on the 2011 Mets, but another offseason of small signings and shedding payroll is not the way to compete in 2012.  There is no way to predict if this team of castoffs and superstars will be able to approach .500 next year.  So have fun watching the next 20 games or so - it may be the best Mets baseball you see for a long time.

Evan is also the author of Umpire State. Follow him on Twitter @Evan_S_S.

Mets Morning News: Schwinden's Debut, Evans Making Most Of PlayingTime, Parnell As A Closer

Chris Schwinden, who wasn't even an afterthought for the Mets prior to this season, makes his first Major League start in game one of today's double header with Atlanta. How did Schwinden go from being a non-prospect to the Major Leagues?

His rise on the organization’s radar began thanks to the fragile right shoulder of Chris Young. Young’s first trip to the disabled list in April forced Pat Misch to the majors, which created a void in the Buffalo rotation. Schwinden threw 5 2/3 scoreless innings, and figured his cameo was soon over. Then Bisons starter Boof Bonser blew out his elbow. Schwinden would stay.

Speaking of afterthoughts, since taking over at first base, Nick Evans has quickly shown that he could be a serious contender to make the opening day roster next season. Of course the question then becomes, where would he play? That's a story for another day.

The first baseman's performance down the stretch this season, Collins said, will give him a Spring Training advantage that he did not boast last March, when he was the victim of a roster crunch and left off the Opening Day roster. Though Evans has hit consistently at every level of the Minor Leagues -- he owns a career .822 Minor League on-base plus slugging percentage -- he has received nothing but sporadic big league opportunities since first cracking the Majors in 2008.

Apparently manager Terry Collins is tired of seeing Bobby Parnell blow saves as well. Collins told reporters yesterday that with Parnell's recent struggles on the mound, expect to see others thrown into the role occasionally.  Parnell said he is comfortable in his role as closer, and he knows what he needs to work on.

"It’s close to the same thing, it’s just a different inning," Parnell said about closing. "The big thing is I feel comfortable there in the ninth inning. I really do. I think my biggest downfall is I’m trying to do too much and make it bigger than it really is. I need to relax and just go after the hitters and do what I’ve been doing all year. I’m out there trying to throw 100 (mph) and make some nasty sliders, and really all I’ve got to do is go out there and do what I’ve been doing...I’ve got a lot of adrenaline. Usually when I get in trouble is from overthrowing."

Dickey, Mets Beat Marlins, 1-0

The Mets won their final game at Sun Life Stadium, by a score of 1-0.

• R.A. Dickey had another quality start today, tossing seven shutout innings, and giving up four hits while striking out three and walking three.

• The Mets lone run of the game came in the first inning on an RBI double from Lucas Duda.

• Jason Bay was 2-4 at the plate with a double and a single.

• With a first inning single, Jose Reyes now has a nine game hitting streak. He finished the night going 1-2 with two walks.

• Manny Acosta recorded his first save of the season.

Next Up: The Mets head home to take on the Atlanta Braves in a double header on Thursday. Game one starts at 4:10 p.m. Chris Schwinden will make his first Major League start in game one. Dillon Gee will start game two.

One Final Game Against The Marlins

September 7, 2011

5:10 PM ET

Sun Life Stadium, Florida

TV: SNY

RADIO: WFAN 660

NEW YORK METS

Starting Pitcher: R.A. Dickey (7-11, 3.60 ERA)

Dickey has pitched well as of late. The last time he faced the Marlins, he threw seven scoreless innings. In his career, he is 4-2 with a 4.62 ERA against the Marlins.

FLORIDA MARLINS

Starting Pitcher: Brad Hand (1-5, 4.23 ERA)

Hand has joined the starting rotation after Clay Hensley was moved to the bullpen. So far, it hasn't worked out well. In his last start, he gave up four runs on four hits, in five innings of work. He is 0-0 with a 3.60 ERA against the Mets.

Evans' Big Hits Help Mets In Win Over Fish

It was a long night, but after one rain delay and twelve innings, the Mets were able to beat the Marlins by a score of 7-4.

• Miguel Batista went six innings, giving up one run on five hits, while striking out three and walking four.

• Nick Evans had not one, not two, but three tie-breaking singles in the game.

• The Mets went into the bottom of the ninth inning, leading the Marlins, 4-2. Bobby Parnell then entered the game and you can guess what happened next. Parnell blew his second consecutive save opportunity, giving up a two-run double to Mike Cameron.

• Josh Stinson recorded his first Major League save, throwing a 1-2-3 12th inning.

Next Up: The Mets finish up their series with the Marlins on Thursday. R.A. Dickey gets the start. Game time is 5:10 p.m.

Mets Send Batista To The Mound Against Marlins

September 6, 2011

7:10 PM ET

Sun Life Stadium, Florida

TV: SNY

RADIO: WFAN 660

NEW YORK METS

 Starting Pitcher: Miguel Batista (1-0, 3.00 ERA)

Batista collected his 100th career win in his last start. In his career, he is 3-3 with a 3.22 ERA against the Marlins.

FLORIDA MARLINS

Starting Pitcher: Chris Volstad (5-12, 5.48 ERA)

Volstad went 6.1 innings in his last start against the Mets. He gave up three runs on seven hits. Against the Mets, he is 1-3 with a 3.40 ERA.

METS LINEUP:

 Reyes-SS, Turner-2B, Duda-RF, Wright-3B, Pagan-CF, Harris-LF, Evans-1B, Paulino-C, Batista-RHP

NOTE:

Major League Baseball announced that David Wright has been named the National League Player of the Week.

Mets Morning News: Injury Updates

Ike Davis joined the Mets yesterday and told reporters that his left ankle has been feeling fine. At this point it doesn't look like he will be having surgery to repair it.



The final decision on surgery will be made later this week when Davis meets with doctors in New York.

Johan Santana is hoping to make it back to the majors this season. He is scheduled to make his next minor league rehab start on Friday.

"If in the next outing, everything goes fine, there might be a possibility to pitch in the majors," Santana said. "No question, if I have a chance to throw a couple of innings, but I don't see doing more than that. But it's definitely something I'm looking forward to."

Assistant general manager John Ricco said that Jon Niese is not close to returning. Niese, who is suffering from a right intercostal strain, has been rehabbing in Port St. Lucie.

Cappy Pretty Crappy In Mets Loss

The Mets fell behind early, and were never able to catch up, losing to the Marlins by a score of 9-3.

• Chris Capuano struggled from the start. He went four innings, giving up six runs on eight hits, while striking out three and walking one. A wild pitch and a single gave the Marlins an early 2-0 lead. After pitching a perfect second inning, he then gave up a solo home run to Jose Lopez. Things fell apart once again in the fourth inning, as Capuano gave up three more runs.

• D.J. Carrasco was not good tonight. There are actually other words I would use to describe his appearance, but this is a family site. In his two innings of relief, he allowed three runs (one earned) on seven hits. The first five Marlins batters he faced were able to reach base.

• David Wright hit his first triple of the season to start the fourth inning, and he later scored the Mets first run of the game on a ground out from Angel Pagan.

• The Mets scored two more runs in the ninth inning on a two-run shot to left field off the bat of Jason Bay.

Next Up: The Mets and Marlins meet up for game two of their three game series tomorrow night. Miguel Batista gets the start against Chris Volstad. Game time is 7:10 p.m.

Mets & Marlins...Again, Plus A Bunch Of Pre-Game Notes

September 5, 2011

7:10 PM ET

Sun Life Stadium, Florida

TV: SNY

WFAN 660

NEW YORK METS

Starting Pitcher: Chris Capuano (10-11, 4.41 ERA)

Capuano's last start was against the Marlins, going five innings and giving up two runs on seven hits. In his career, he is 7-11 in the month of September, with a 4.68 ERA.

FLORIDA MARLINS

Starting Pitcher: Javier Vazquez (8-11, 4.42 ERA)

Vazquez recorded his 2,500 career strikeout in his last start against the Mets. He shut out the Mets and allowed just three hits to earn his eighth win of the season. In his career, he is 11-9 with a 2.98 ERA against New York.

METS LINEUP:

Reyes-SS, Tejada-2B, Duda-RF, Wright-3B, Pagan-CF, Bay-LF, Evans-1B, Thole-C, Capuano-P

MARLINS LINEUP:

Bonifacio SS, Infante 2B, Lopez 3B, Sanchez 1B, Morrison LF, Cameron CF, Petersen RF, Buck C, Vazquez P

NOTES:

According to Adam Rubin, Ike Davis has said he will not undergo surgery on his ankle. He has been pain free for the past two weeks.

Rubin also reported that from September 9-18, Tim Teufel will join the team as an extra coach. From September 20 until the end of the season, Wally Backman will be with the team.

There has also been word that Chris Schwinden, Mike Baxter, and Valentino Pascucci are being called up.

Mets Morning News: Davis To Meet With Team, Pelfrey's Pitch Count,Collins Wants Same Staff In 2012

Well, it's Labor Day, the day the Mets said they could possibly make their decision as to whether or not Ike Davis undergoes surgery to repair his left ankle. Davis will meet with the team today in Miami, where the Mets training staff will watch him hit soft toss, field ground balls, and run.

"We'll all get together with the trainers and see what the next step is going to be," [Terry] Collins said. "He hasn't played in so long, you can't get too caught up in what you see. You've got to get caught up in how he feels. If he can start, stop and move around without difficulty, I think those are all good signs."

Mike Pelfrey had a high pitch count in yesterday's game against the Nationals. In the last 1.2 innings alone, he threw 65 pitches, 21 of which were fouled off. It also didn't help that he walked five batters. Pitching coach Dan Warthen says Pelfrey has the ability to be successful, but needs to cut down on the number of balls. Gee, ya think?

"He goes out there and tries not to give up runs, he starts getting too fine with his pitches. … He’s got the ability but you can’t strike anybody out until they have two strikes on them. He has the pitches, has enough of a slider, has enough of a fastball, but he has to be ahead in the count. Out of the stretch position he just throws too many balls."

According to the Daily News, manager Terry Collins wants his entire coaching staff to return next season. Of all the coaches on the staff, hitting coach Dave Hudgens is the only one with a two year deal.

"I do think they should all be back," Collins told the Daily News. "They all did a great job, and there is something to be said for stability."

No Late Inning Meltdown Today; Mets Take Series Against Nats

The Mets were able to hold on today, beating the Nationals, 6-3.

• Mike Pelfrey went 4.2 innings, giving up three runs on five hits, while striking out three and walking five. Pelfrey was decent through the first three innings before falling apart in the fourth inning. He threw 36 pitches and allowed three runs to score before the inning finally came to a close.

• Ruben Tejada gave the Mets an early 2-0 lead in the third inning with a single to right field.

• Josh Satin had his first Major League hit in the third inning, singling to left field.

• In the sixth inning, with the Mets down one run, Lucas Duda came to the plate and tied the game with his ninth home run of the season. A few batters later, Willie Harris, who was pinch-hitting for Josh Satin, singled on the first pitch he saw to drive in the go-ahead runs.

• Mike Nickeas laid down a sacrifice bunt as the Terry Collins called for a squeeze play. It was executed perfectly and Jason Bay scored.

• Bobby Parnell was able to throw a scoreless ninth inning to get his fifth save of the season.

Next Up: The Mets head to Florida to play the Marlins...again. There have got to be other teams the Mets can play. Chris Capuano starts game one of the three-game series tomorrow night. Game time is 7:10 p.m.

Pelfrey, Mets Look To Bounce Back In Rubber Game

September 4, 2011

1:35 PM ET

Nationals Park, Washington D.C.

TV: SNY

RADIO: WFAN 660

NEW YORK METS

Starting Pitcher: Mike Pelfrey (7-11, 4.65 ERA)

Pelfrey was great through six innings before falling apart in the seventh during his last start. Against the Nationals, he is 4-6 with a 4.22 ERA.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS

Starting Pitcher: Livan Hernandez (8-12, 4.29 ERA)

In his last start, Hernandez became the 12th pitcher in Major League history to throw 50,000 pitches. Hernandez is 11-14 with a 3.78 ERA against his former team.

METS LINEUP:

Tejada-SS, Turner-2B, Duda-RF, Wright-3B, Pagan-CF, Bay-LF, Satin-1B, Nickeas-C, Pelfrey-RHP

NATIONALS LINEUP:

Bernadina LF, Zimmerman 3B, Werth CF, Ankiel RF, Espinosa 2B, Marrero 1B, Ramos C, Livan P

NOTE:

Ruben Tejada's hand is feeling better, therefore, he will be subbing for Jose Reyes at shortstop. Manager Terry Collins said he would rest Reyes periodically once he returned from the disabled list. Today's one of those days.

Mets Morning News: 2012 Payroll, Santana Update

Joel Sherman of the NY Post takes a look at how the signing of Jose Reyes will impact the Mets 2012 payroll.

And actually for the first time this week, a top Mets official said to me what none had been willing to before, either for the record or for background: That one serious discussion being had at the upper reaches of the franchise is whether it would be wise to cut back greatly next year and make 2012 a rebuilding season in which club officials do not go through the annual game of trying to convince fans, if everything breaks right, they can be a playoff team.

Johan Santana completed his rehab start on Saturday, throwing 30 pitches (21 of them for strikes) over two innings. In his two innings of work, he gave up one run on three hits, while striking out two and walking none. Manager Terry Collins is still hoping Santana can make a start for the Mets at least once before the season ends.

"All it would be is, it would ease a lot of minds, ours and his, that he’s healthy, instead of sitting all winter long and waiting to see what happens with his arm in spring training."