State Of The Pen

Ed Ryan at Mets Fever (Shea Nation Network Member), writes about the Mets bullpen:

The Mets are clearly in need of some Bull pen help, with everyone currently in the pen struggling. The Mets entered extra innings of the first game against the Phillies with a 2-2 tie, in my mind the game was over, the hard part was getting to the pen. The Pen blew that game and aside from an almost complete game by Sosa they haven't held anyone.

Here is a closer look at the pen in the last ten days;

Sele the long reliever pitched for the first time in two weeks on June 9 and the 10th. In the first outing Sele went .2 and didn't allow a run. Yesterday he allowed two inherited and two of his own to score.

Smith the seventh inning guy allowed five hits and four runs in an inning of work yesterday. He struggled in both his appearances against the Phillies on June 5th and 7th.

Heilman the set-up man allowed three runs on June 6th against the Phillies and one run on the June 3rd against the DBacks.

Feliciano the LOOGY gave up his first homer of the season, which was a two run game winner on June 5th against the Phillies.

Mota who's return the team hoped would solidy the pen has struggled since returning. On June 1 against the DBacks he gave up three runs. June 6th he struggled and couldn't complete a second inning of work. On June 9th Detroit tagged him for three runs and he only got one out.

Schoeneweis the left handed middle reliever has struggled every time out. In his last two outing he has given up four runs to the Phillies, June 6th one run and June 7th three runs.

Even Wagner who is having an All Star caliber year had his first blown save on the year giving up a game tying homer in the 9th inning to Phillie on June 7th.

Alot of things went wrong in the Phillies series and the Mets could have easily swept them instead of being swept. Against Detroit in the last two games they didn't have a chance and it was because of the pitching, the starters couldn't contain the Tigers offense and the pen couldn't stop the bleeding. The mets will now fly west to face to face the Dodgers who arguably have the best rotation in the National League.