NewsMets look to Rockies' unlikely example
New York (47-51) vs. Colorado (54-45), 7:10 p.m. ET
By Marty Noble / MLB.com
07/28/09 1:05 AM ET
NEW YORK -- The Rockies, who have executed the most stunning U-turn in the big leagues this season, have three more games to play at Citi Field this week. So for three more days, the Mets can look across the field and see a team that has won 39 of its most recent 60 games and moved from fifth to second place in the National League West, from 12 1/2 games from first place to leading the Wild Card race.And the Mets can see that living proof that seasons can be resurrected. It can be done.
But would it be enough if they were to achieve something comparable to what the Rockies have accomplished?
If the Phillies, who lead the Mets by 10 1/2 games in the East, win merely 32 of their remaining 65 games, that is, if they play below .500 for their last 65 games, the Mets could produce a 41-23 record in their remaining games and still finish one game behind.
If the Rockies were to win 35 of their final 63 games, and the Mets produced the same 41-23 record, the Rockies would finish ahead of the Mets in the Wild Card race. And who knows what the other Wild Card hopefuls might do?
And the more urgent issue, of course, is whether the Mets can produce a .641 winning percentage in their remaining 64 games. Their percentage in their first 64 games was .516. In their most recent 64 games, their percentage has been .438. At their best, the Mets were seven games over .500 -- 28-21 (.571) and 27-20 (.574).
And they still can't say for certain when Jose Reyes is returning or whether either of the Carlos brothers is returning.
"You sit and say, 'We still have 60, 65 games left. We can still make a run,'" Jeff Francouer said Monday. And he's right, they can make a run.
Pitching matchupNYM: RHP Mike Pelfrey (7-6, 4.99 ERA)
Pelfrey produced a nice bounce-back performance against the Nationals on Wednesday, but it resulted in a loss, nonetheless. He pitched seven innings and allowed three runs, two on a home run by Josh Willingham. Pelfrey, hitting the mid-90's on the gun, later mentioned of the game that he was "the Mike who hasn't been there for a while." Both manager Jerry Manuel and third baseman David Wright said that Pelfrey's stuff was some of the best they've seen from him. Pelfrey has decisions in his six most recent starts, four of them losses. And the team has lost seven of his 10 most recent starts. His performance at Citi Field -- 3-2 record and 4.32 ERA -- is far superior to his performance elsewhere. His 2-1 record and 3.24 ERA in three career starts against the Rockies reflects his 2-0 record 0.00 ERA n two in 13 2/3 innings against them last season. The nine Rockies who have faced him Pelfrey have batted .219 with no home runs in 32 at-bats against him. COL: RHP Jason Marquis (12-6, 3.49)
Marquis, tied with the Giants' Matt Cain for the National League lead in victories, was not healthy for his last start, but you'd have never known it. He went eight innings in a victory over the Padres on July 19, but a middle-finger blister that had been bothering him for more than a month caused him to alter his grip on his main two pitches, his sinker and his changeup. He was supposed to start Friday against Cain and the Giants, but was pushed back and will start in his hometown. After a bullpen session Sunday, Marquis reported that he could throw with his normal grip for the first time in two weeks. This date in Mets history -- July 28: Donn Clendenon hit two two-run home runs and drove in a career-high seven runs in the Mets' 12-2 victory against the Giants at Shea Stadium on this date in 1970. Seven Mets have driven in seven runs in one game, including Jose Valentin last year. The franchise record is nine, established by Carlos Beltran at Yankee Stadium June 27 last year; it superceded the eight Dave Kingman produced on June 4, 1976, in Los Angeles. ... On this date in 1987, the third-place Mets began a three-game sweep of the division-leading Cardinals in St. Louis, winning, 6-4. A two-run single in the eighth inning by Tim Teufel gave the Mets a 5-4 lead.
A double by Eddie Murray drove in a run in the bottom of the ninth inning and freed Anthony Young from his record-setting losing streak on this date in 1993. The Mets defeated the Marlins, 5-4, and Young, who had pitched the top of the ninth, emerged as the winning pitcher, though he had allowed the go-ahead run. The victory was his first after 27 consecutive losses. His most recent victory had come in relief against the Expos on April 19, 1992.
Less than 24 hours after the Mets traded Turk Wendell and Dennis Cook to the Phillies -- July 28, 2001 -- Robin Ventura beat Wendell with a leadoff home run in the ninth inning. The Mets won, 4-3, at Shea.
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• WFAN 660, WADO 1280 (Español) Up next
• Wednesday: Mets (Johan Santana, 11-8, 3.12) vs. Rockies (Jason Hammel, 5-5, 4.28), 7:10 p.m. ET
• Thursday: Mets (Jon Niese, 1-0, 4.08) vs. Rockies (Jorge De La Rosa, 8-7, 4.78), 12:10 p.m. ET
• Friday: Mets (Livan Hernandez, 7-5.4.87) vs. Diamondbacks (Max Scherzer, 6-6, 3.61), 7:10 p.m. ET
Marty Noble is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
