The Kings of Queens

The Mets bullpen is absolutely horrendous, blowing more saves and wins for Johan than even imaginable; however, somehow, someway, they are in first place by 2 games over the Phillies. Last night was a big win, and great job by Beltran for finally getting that big hit (that Adam Wainwright curveball still resonates in my head) with what turned out to be the game winning grand slam. But that recent 10 game winning streak was what put the Mets back into the hunt for October and propelled them into first place in that two-team NL East. That trade for Luis Ayala could end up saving the season as he has filled in rather nicely so far for Billy Wagner while he rests that ailing elbow. Now as the Mets head into September, can they forget about the Colossal Collapse of 2007? I think they can, but they do not have an extremely easy schedule in September as they face the Cubs for 4, the Brew Crew for 3, the Phillies for 3, and the Marlins (no cake walk by the way) for 3. Can they make the playoffs? Yeah, sure they can. Their pitching has been good enough to keep them in first place and Fernando Tatis has been a pleasant surprise this season. But can they overcome the constant failures of the bullpen and the injuries to Maine and Wagner? That remains to be seen. However, is it coincidental that as Carlos Delgado became scorching hot, so did the Mets? I don't think so because I believe that Delgado still has something left in the tank and is out to reverse the boos he was hearing all season. In addition, since Jerry Manuel became skipper, Mike Pelfrey has been unhittable, as he is 10-2 with a sub-2 ERA and has pitched 2 CG wins in a row. And let's not forget about David Wright (the only player on the Mets I like, but that's besides the point), who is quietly putting together an MVP caliber season. He might not be putting up numbers like Ryan Braun and Josh Hamilton are, but he is getting the job done and he is the straw that stirs the drink for the Mets; as he goes, they go. And right now he is really going, and so are the Mets. And then there is Jose Reyes, who's speed is unparalleled in this game. His speed sets the stage for everyone else behind him and he already has 16 triples this season (one behind his career high of 17) and how can I forget about Dan Murphy and Ryan Church? Murphy has hit .325 since his call-up from Double-A Binghamton and has been a spark for the Mets. And Church, although he has only played in 64 games because of injury, has been hitting .303. Final Analysis: The Mets can make the playoffs if their surprise contributors keep surprising and if they can fill the void left by John Maine. Don't expect another September Collapse Mets fans, but expect an NL East race that comes down to the wire, because the Phillies can play and they will fight to the finish. My prediction: Mets win NL East by 1 game.