New York Mets 2008 Midseason Update

2008 has been a year of ups and downs for the New York Mets, but the NY Mets will look to continue their current streak.

New York Mets: Season Overview
Entering the 2008 season the New York Mets seemed to be the team to beat in the National League East Division. First place in the NL East has been New York Mets territory since 2006, and in 2008 it was the New York Mets’ to claim. Perhaps the pressure of these high expectations caused the New York Mets to buckle in the early part of the season. Now that the New York Mets understand that the pressure is on, they are playing the type of inspired baseball that critics and fans alike have expected of the New York Mets all season. Manager Willie Randolph was fired in mid-June to be replaced by Jerry Manuel. Closing the first half of the 2008 season on a nine-game win streak has the New York Mets trailing the division-leading Philadelphia Phillies by just half a game.

New York Mets: Offense
Though it may seem that first-half troubles were centered on poor pitching performances by the New York Mets starters, the New York Mets struggled just as handily at the plate. Carlos Beltran spent the first half of the season getting booed by New York Mets fans at Shea Stadium. As the New York Mets have surged lately, so has Carlos Beltran. In the past eight games, Carlos Beltran has three homeruns and is now on pace to end the season with around 30 homeruns and 100 RBIs.

New York Mets: Defense
Defense has played a huge part in the New York Mets’ current streak. The New York Mets entered the All-Star break with the second lowest July ERA in the major leagues. In the past six games, the New York Mets have allowed just four runs. In the last game before the All-Star break Mike Pelfrey pitched eight scoreless innings for the New York Mets, earning his sixth straight win and his second consecutive shutout before being relieved by Joe Smith. The bullpen has given the New York Mets over 19 consecutive scoreless innings.

New York Mets: Season Standings
The current battle for the top spot in the NL East is currently the most tightly contested race in Major League Baseball. The NL East has been interesting to watch, not because the teams are playing incredible baseball but because any of the three teams can easily claim the top spot with a hot streak at the right time. The Philadelphia Phillies won the spot from the New York Mets on the last day of the season in 2007. Though they are still haunted by those memories, the New York Mets have strung together nine incredible wins to place them within arms length of first place. The New York Mets have not seen a streak like this one since 2000, when the New York Mets were favorites to win the World Series. Winning games boosts confidence and team morale, and the New York Mets are getting a big boost of both right now.

New York Mets: Standout Players
Starting pitcher Mike Pelfrey has not allowed a run in 16 innings, a career best. In the final game before the All-Star break, Mike Pelfrey racked up five strikeouts and no walks while allowing just six hits giving the latest in a string of dominant pitching performances for the New York Mets. This season, Mike Pelfrey has built up his arsenal by adding a curveball to a fierce four-seam fastball and a sharp sinker that has kept batters guessing all season. Though Carlos Beltran struggled mightily at the plate early in 2008, he is having one of the best fielding years of his career. Carlos Beltran’s exceptional glove has done wonders for the injury-depleted New York Mets’ outfield.

New York Mets: 2nd Half Outlook
The New York Mets will enter the second half looking better than they have in the two previous seasons and if they hope to take over first place they will have to keep playing with such intensity. In the previous three seasons, the Philadelphia Phillies have been consistent in the second half and though the Philadelphia Phillies have pitching concerns, they have always relied on their bats in the second half. Even with the possibility that the Philadelphia Phillies might pick it up in the second half of the season New York Mets fans have to be excited about the way that the New York Mets are playing right now. This is the last season that the New York Mets will play at Shea Stadium, and it looks as if they are prepared to give fans something to cheer about well into the postseason.