NewsMets embark on a crucial road trip
New York (37-37) at Milwaukee (40-35), 7:05 p.m. ET
By Tim Britton / MLB.com
06/29/09 1:36 AM ET
NEW YORK -- In the wake of a string of injuries unlike any he has ever experienced, manager Jerry Manuel has frequently discussed treading water and keeping his team's head above the tide.But after a three-game sweep at the hands of the crosstown-rival Yankees that brought their record to 37-37, and beginning a seven-game road trip that concludes this weekend in Philadelphia, it is time to sink or swim.
The Mets have 13 games left until the All-Star break and, presumably, before any of their stars return to the lineup. Nine of those contests are against the three division leaders in the National League, starting on Monday in Milwaukee.
"This is the most crucial period we're getting ready to go through," Manuel said. "We have to, in any form or fashion, survive these games, because we feel after this, there's hope there's other people coming to help us out."
The Mets have fallen back to .500 for the first time since they were 13-13 on May 6, largely because of an offense that has become as ineffective as it is injured. The two runs on five hits the Mets scored on Sunday gave them a total of three runs and eight hits in the series against the Yankees.
Without Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran and Carlos Delgado, the Mets have had a hard time producing enough offense to consistently beat good pitchers and good teams.
The offensive woes have Manuel thinking outside the box -- and outside the organization.
"If we get below that [.500] mark and we continue to struggle offensively as we are, I think that's a no-brainer," Manuel said when asked if the team may need to trade for another bat. "That has to be visited or talked about in some form."
For now the Mets will try to get by behind a pitching staff that has struggled in June. After posting a 3.65 ERA in May, that number has ballooned in June to 4.98. Mike Pelfrey has a 6.39 ERA for the month and, surprisingly, Johan Santana is at 5.93 during that span.
The one starter who has emerged unscathed takes the hill on Monday in the series opener in Milwaukee. Fernando Nieve has won all three of his starts since replacing the injured John Maine in the rotation; that number accounts for one-third of the Mets' victories this month.
Nieve has gotten better in each start, going from allowing two runs to one run to none. He has yielded just 10 hits in 20 2/3 innings as a starter, against such teams as the Yankees, Rays and Cardinals.
The Mets have learned that Nieve can pitch. But can they swim?
Pitching matchup
NYM: RHP Fernando Nieve (3-0, 1.31 ERA)
Nieve keeps chilling opponents' bats, holding the Cardinals scoreless on three hits in six innings on Wednesday. He has a 1-0 record and 4.00 ERA in three career appearances, one start, against the Brewers. On May 2, 2006, he allowed four runs on six hits in seven innings at Miller Park as a member of the Astros. His ERA in 14 innings pitched in night games is 0.64, and opponents are batting .146 against him at night.
MIL: RHP Braden Looper (5-4, 5.16 ERA)
Looper pitched effectively for six innings in his most recent start, on Wednesday against the Twins, but he took a no-decision in the Brewers' 4-3 comeback victory. He was struck in the right arm by a line drive off the bat of Carlos Gomez in the fifth inning but remained in the game. The injury was diagnosed as a bruised triceps; he wasn't expected to miss a turn. He has a 3-1 record and 2.35 ERA in 47 appearances, 46 in relief, against the Mets in his career. He gave up three runs on eight hits in six innings in the start, as a member of the Cardinals in 2007. He has allowed 17 home runs in 83 2/3 innings this season. Gary Sheffield has hit two home runs in 19 career at-bats against Looper.
Tidbits
Even though Francisco Rodriguez threw 38 pitches in the ninth inning on Sunday night, Manuel said that he would be available for Monday's game. ... Fernando Martinez broke an 0-for-16 slump with an RBI double in the fourth inning. Six of his 13 hits this season have been for extra bases. ... For the night, Mets' pitchers threw 93 balls to 87 strikes. That led to 11 walks and only two strikeouts.
This date in Mets history -- June 29: The Mets drew 16 walks in the course of their 10-4 victory against the Dodgers in 1962. It remains a franchise record, and it is the longest-standing team batting record. ... Nine years later, Tom Seaver became the winningest pitcher in club history when he gained his 45th victory in a 7-3 win against the Phillies at Shea. In that game, Seaver struck out Willie Montanez for his 1,000th career strikeout. ... Jon Matlack pitched a one-hitter in a 4-0 victory against the Cardinals in 1974. A single by pitcher John Curtis in the third inning was the lone hit. ... In 1993, Jeromy Burnitz, the first player the Mets selected in the 1990 First-Year Player Draft, hit his first big league home run and scored the winning run in a 12-inning, 10-9 victory against the Marlins in Miami. ... And in 1997, the Mets scored nine runs in the final three innings to beat the Pirates, 10-8.
Tickets
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MLB.TV
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• Official game notes On television
• SNY, ESPN On radio
• WFAN 660, WADO 1280 (Español) Up next
• Tuesday: Mets (Johan Santana, 9-5, 3.08) at Brewers (Mike Burns, 0-1, 3.72), 8:05 p.m. ET
• Wednesday: Mets (Mike Pelfrey, 5-3, 4.67) at Brewers (Yovani Gallardo, 8-4, 2.86), 2:05 p.m. ET
• Thursday: Mets (Tim Redding, 1-3, 6.35) at Pirates (Paul Maholm, 5-4, 4.35), 12:35 p.m. ET
Tim Britton is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
