I was supposed to be home in time for the game.

Instead, the flight back from Boston was delayed by the Northeast's daily apparently rain showers. The plane didn't take off until 6:30 or so, and it was after 7:30 when I was able to get MLB At Bat up and running. I navigated my way to the audio with my fingers over the screen, not wanting to see the score. Heard unfamiliar voices -- ack, I'd hit the feed for the Phillies broadcast. Tried again, and there was an unhappy-sounding Wayne Hagin doing his usual roundabout version of play-by-play. (Wayne. Tell. Me. What. Happened.) He didn't sound like a man who was conveying good news, and he wasn't.

Phillies 4, Mets 0.

By the time I got out of the taxi it was Phillies 7, Mets 0. When I turned the damn thing off the Phillies had the bases loaded and no one out and Livan was finally done serving up BP. (The Mets somehow got out of that one without further damage. But while the battle might have been won, the war was on its way to being lost.)

I went for a walk, got something to eat, sat on the Promenade and watched the sunset. Pretty nice night; not one that I was going to let get ruined by the inevitable. Tonight, I make no apologies for my desertion. I know fans are supposed to go down with the ship, but by then the Good Ship Mets was on the bottom of the North Atlantic, prowled by treasure hunters in submersibles. There's only so much a fan can take.

I've talked to a fair number of folks in recent weeks about the curious case of the 2009 Mets. They know everybody's hurt and the team hasn't played particularly well, to say the least. But, they point out, the Mets are right in the hunt. Had they won tonight, they would have been tied for first with the Phillies and the Marlins. Their question is generally some variant of "How can you give up on a team in that situation?"

Strictly speaking, I haven't. But I gotta believe? There's plenty of evidence that I shouldn't and not a heck of a lot of data points that are helpful for making the counterargument.

I didn't lose faith because the Mets have been reduced to Cora's Irregulars by injuries. If anything it made me cheer more enthusiastically -- at first. You can't expect a ragtag team of Coras and Evanses and assorted Fernandos to replace Reyes and Delgado and Beltran, and I haven't.

But you can expect them to play sound fundamental baseball, being major-leaguers and all. Tonight they repeatedly let Phillies take extra bases because guys weren't covering bases or pursuing balls that cost past them. And it's not the first time shoddy and/or dopey defense has been on display. And you can expect them to have good at-bats and do something against 33-year-old sacrificial-lamb emergency starters. But nope, they made Rodrigo Lopez look like Bob Feller.

I know, I know, the Mets have played three games against three teams in three cities in three days. They've gone from a haunted hotel to one full of Furries to a park filled with furies. I'm sure they're tired. But everybody's tired now -- you think flying home after getting swept by the Braves didn't leave the Phillies a little peckish? But few other teams look as tired as the Mets, who already have a staggering number of losses that can be pinned on gag-job collapses, clinics in how not to play baseball, and nights where the whole team seems to be collectively sleepwalking. I gotta believe? Well, I'll try, but it seems increasingly clear that this season is one long bad dream, and the insanely low number in the GB column just a mean-spirited twist in the nightmare.

Happier daydreams awake in the pages of Faith and Fear in Flushing: An Intense Personal History of the New York Mets, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble or a bookstore near you. Keep in touch and join the discussion on Facebook.

A Tale Of Two Pitchers

It was the best of times, it was the blurst of times.

Rodrigo Lopez last pitched a big league game on July 26, 2007 with the Rockies. Rodrigo Lopez allowed just two runs on six hits and a walk against the Mets on Friday night. Rodrigo Lopez kept the Mets off-balance and gave his team a good chance to win the game.

Livan Hernandez has started more games and thrown more innings than anyone in baseball since 2000. Livan Hernandez allowed seven runs on ten hits and four walks in three innings against the Phillies on Friday night. Livan Hernandez gave the Mets and their woeful offense almost no chance to win the game.

[end scene]

Pat Misch, Bobby Parnell and Elmer Dessens threw five scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and one walk and throwing just 64 pitches in the process. Hernandez took 81 pitches to finish three innings. Hernandez's game score was 9! He started with 50! He was 41 points worse than if he had done nothing at all! How many consecutive sentences can I end with exclamation points?!

Here's a quick game: which of these players would you prefer to have starting at second base:

Player A: .331 wOBA in 2009, 1,525 career games at second base
Player B: .319 wOBA in 2009, 3 career games at second base

I defended the Fernando Tatis signing before the season, but he's been nothing short of terrible for the Mets this year, regardless of position. The best thing I could say about the Luis Castillo contract was that it was better than having David Eckstein for four years, but the Mets are stuck with him for now and he hasn't been awful this year. Unless there's an injury we don't know about there's simply no excuse for playing Tatis, a lousy defensive outfielder and, right now, a worse hitter than Castillo, at second base. Ever.

Swag Contest

Swag contest results can be found here and the next game's swag form already available. You can read more about the swag contest here.

SB Nation Coverage

* Traditional Recap
* Boxscore
* Amazin' Avenue Gamethread
* The Good Phight Gamethread

Win Probability Added

Big winners: Brian Schneider, +4.0% WPA, Pat Misch, +1.8% WPA
Big losers: Livan Hernandez, -34.9% WPA, Alex Cora, -5.9% WPA
Teh aw3s0mest play: Werth strikeout to end first, +5.2% WPA
Teh sux0rest play: Dobbs two-run single in first, -9.8% WPA
Total pitcher WPA: -32.6% WPA
Total batter WPA: -17.4% WPA
GWRBI!: Greg Dobbs

Game Thread Roll Call

Nice job by TKFJ; his effort in the game thread embiggens us all.

Num Name # of Posts 1 TKFJ 57 2 Jadden Hopkins 57 3 Sam Page 27 4 EMSfan9 27 5 GenJackRipper 26 6 AnthonyR 25 7 All Shook Down 23 8 Meddler 23 9 pingel 22 10 JamesK 17

Ollie Throws 92 Pitches In Rehab Start; 46 For Strikes

His final line: 5 IP, 3 ER, 5 H, 4 BB, 4 K. On a positive note, he didn't allow a run until a first-pitch homer in the 5th.

Adam Rubin says Ollie won't make anymore rehab starts, meaning he will probably start Wednesday vs. the Dodgers. Tim Redding will likely head to the bullpen, and either Elmer Dessens or Pat Misch will be sent packing.

Oliver Perez allowed three runs in five plus innings in a rehab start for triple-A Buffalo tonight.

Perez is expected to start against the Dodgers on Wednesday.

“I’ve got to take in what took place, see about his velocity and all,” Jerry Manuel said.

Tom Mihalek/Associated PressNick Evans couldn't catch this Greg Dobbs fly ball and the Phillies beat the Mets, 7-2. Livan Hernandez got roughed up and the Mets lost to the Phillies, 7-2, on Friday. See slideshow below.... Star-Ledger Staff

The Mets lost to the Phillies tonight, by the score of 7 to 2.

For a full recap and box score, click here.

The Least You Should Know:

Livan Hernandez came back down to earth tonight, allowing all seven runs to score before the fourth inning.  He just didn’t seem to be all that confident, and was serving up batting practice for the Phillies who had ten hits off him in three innings.

Making his return from surgery, Rodrigo Lopez kept the Mets’ bats at bay, allowing two runs on six hits through six plus frames.

If there is a positive to be had, the bullpen, led by Pat Misch and his three scoreless innings, only allowed one more hit after Livan was taken out.

David Wright was hitless and struck out twice, while Ryan Church continued his tear by going 3-for-4.

Other Observations and Notes:

The Pirates beat the Marlins, so the Mets are now tied for third in the NL Least.

I really disliked how the Mets had to wear red hats tonight in Philly. I know it was for Independence Day, but could they not have been blue or white?

Fernando Nieve tries to bounce back tomorrow against Jamie Moyer at 4:05 p.m. Have a great holiday everyone, and Let’s Go Mets!

PHILADELPHIA -- Impatient with the team's 39-39 start, Mets fans continue to push for a big trade that sounded unlikely to happen anytime soon from listening to GM Omar Minaya here today.

Howard Smith/US PresswireLivan Hernandez can barely stand to listen as Mets' pitching coach Dan Warthen attempts to counsel him during the Phillies' three-run first inning. PHILADELPHIA -- Somehow, the Mets scrapped together enough offense to overcome one bad outing from... Brian Costa/The Star-Ledger

PHILADELPHIA -- It was potentially his final minor-league rehab start, but the Mets still don't know what to make of Oliver Perez after his uneven outing tonight for Triple-A Buffalo against Rochester.

Ezra Shaw/Getty ImagesOliver Perez gave up three runs in five-plus innings Friday for Triple-A Buffalo. PHILADELPHIA -- Oliver Perez gave up three runs in five-plus innings Friday in a rehab start for Triple-A Buffalo, an unimpressive line for a pitcher... Brian Costa/The Star-Ledger

At .500 through 78 games, the Mets, winners of two straight, find themselves behind the NL-East leading Phillies by just two games in the loss column.

In the first of a three-game set at Citizens Bank Park tonight, the Mets have a chance to pull the division race even closer against Philadelphia starter Rodrigo Lopez, a right-hander who hasn't pitched in the big leagues since 2007. On the mound for the Mets is perhaps their most pleasant surprise this season, right-hander Livan Hernandez, who's 5-3 with a 4.04 ERA.

The Phillies (39-39), unable to take advantage of the Mets' recent five-game swoon, escape Atlanta where they were swept in three games.

Evan Drellich here to take you through the first of the latest installment of Mets-Phillies.

Gameday Live 79: Mets at Phillies

Noah K. Murray/The Star-LedgerFrancisco Rodriguez blew the save, but worked two innings, threw a career-high 46 pitches and got the win Thursday against Pittsburgh. He said he's available Friday. PHILADELPHIA -- Mets manager Jerry Manuel said he would decide just... Brian Costa/The Star-Ledger

Lineup

New York Mets @ Philadelphia Phillies

07/03/09 7:05 PM EDT

New York Mets Philadelphia Phillies Alex Cora - SS Jimmy Rollins - SS Daniel Murphy - 1B Shane Victorino - CF David Wright - 3B Chase Utley - 2B Gary Sheffield - RF Ryan Howard - 1B Ryan Church - CF Jayson Werth - RF Fernando Tatis - 2B Greg Dobbs - LF Nick Evans - LF Pedro Feliz - 3B Brian Schneider - C Paul Bako - C Livan Hernandez - P Rodrigo Lopez - P Livan Hernandez #61 / Pitcher / New York Mets

Height: 6-2

Weight: 245

Bats: R

Throws: R

Born: Feb 20, 1975

W-L G GS CG SHO SV BS IP H R ER HR BB K ERA WHIP 2009 - Livan Hernandez 5-3 16 15 1 0 0 0 93.2 100 43 42 11 30 49 4.04 1.39 Rodrigo Lopez #31 / Pitcher / Philadelphia Phillies

Height: 6-1

Weight: 185

Bats: R

Throws: R

Born: Dec 14, 1975

Swag contest is up, more info is here.

More photos » by H. Rumph Jr - AP

Browse more photos »

By virtue of powers beyond the understanding of our feeble human minds (i.e. luck and the relative crappiness of other NL East teams), the Mets head to Philadelphia tonight to begin a three-game series with the first-place Phillies, trailing the World Champions by just one game. To see what was going on in Philly I checked in with Peter Baker of SB Nation Phillies site The Good Phight.

You can read my answers to his questions here.

Is this the real Ryan Howard: ..252/.335/.539 since the beginning of 2008 with no baserunning skills and (surprisingly) average defense at first? Not bad, but not MVP material.

Yep, that's pretty much on the mark. He lost about 20 pounds in the offseason and worked on his defense, improving from atrocious to slightly above average (although he still can't throw worth a damn). A very good but flawed player. Glad he's on my team, but I think 2006 is going to be something of an outlier once the book closes on his career.

The defensive improvement also kind of begs the question: If he knew this was a flaw, why didn't he work on it before? I guess I should just zip it and be grateful.

Though Mets fans are no doubt grinning ear-to-ear watching Jimmy Rollins struggle as he has, this has to be frustrating for Phillies fans (which, incidentally, also has Mets fans grinning ear-to-ear). What up the J-Roll?

Same question in each of these Q&A's, and you get the same answer: Damned if I know. It seems to be affecting every aspect of his offensive game, except for his strikeout rate, although anecdotally, it's hard to strike out if you're popping up the first pitch every at-bat.

Rollins is 30, and 30 year olds don't often fall off the cliff like this, especially those with Rollins' skill set. I'm optimistic that he'll bounce back to something like 2004-2006 Jimmy, but so far this has been a completely lost season. He had two hits on Thursday night and hit the ball pretty well four times, so maybe that's a positive sign.

Who should be considered bigger disappointment to this point in the season: the Mets or the Phillies?

I have to say the Phillies, but it's kind of handicapped by the relative recent success of each franchise. Aside from Rollins and Raul Ibanez, everyone on the offense has been at or around their career norms. The pitching has just been dreadful, pretty much top-to-bottom, rotation and bullpen. Both sides have had injuries, although the Mets' have been more severe and to more and more important players, which exposed some of their problems with roster depth. The Phillies simply have not played very well.

Is Citizen's Bank Park killing the Phillies' pitching staff? Their home ERA is almost a run higher than their road ER and they've given up homeruns about 25% more often at CBP. Are they ill-fit for that park, or is something else going on?

There are fit issues, as well as the fact that the team, as a whole, is stinking it up at home. They are actually hitting better on the road (.264/.336/.450) than they are at home (.246/.331/.437), with no discernible explanation.

As far as the pitching staff goes, they have a rotation of flyball pitchers (literally all five of them) with only one, Cole Hamels, who can be considered a strikeout pitcher (although Joe Blanton currently leads the team in strikeouts). If 2008 showed anything, it's that a good pitching staff can and will succeed in Citizens Bank Park, but it'd behoove the Phils to bring in or develop some power strikeout pitchers. To that end, they have several promising arms in the minors who may be ready within the next couple of years, including Kyle Drabek, Carlos Carrasco, Vance Worley, and further down the line, northern New Jersey's Jason Knapp.

Also factoring into the mess is the added workload from last season's deep October run. Cole Hamels exceeded his previous season-high in innings pitched by over 60, and Joe Blanton was well over his peak as well. If you believe in a hangover effect, that might be a place to look. But... flags fly forever.

Talk to me about Charlie Manuel: he was seemingly on the next train out of town each of the past few seasons, but now the Phillies are World Series Champions so everything is copacetic, yes? What are Manuel's strengths and weaknesses as a manager?

Head coach/managerial positions in Philadelphia are always tenuous if you read the blogs and listen to sports talk radio. Charlie Manuel has always been incredibly well-liked by his players; it's been an almost completely drama-free clubhouse for four years now. Although admittedly, winning is a terrific deodorant. He doesn't throw his players under the bus in the press, disputes are kept in the clubhouse, and by all accounts things are loose and the players all get along. Chemistry is usually overrated, but I think it can be underrated, too. He's not a tactical genius, and I think he often sticks with players far beyond when he should, although that loyalty and security might go hand-in-hand with how much his players love and respect him. To me, he's a solid B-plus manager.

Showdown series time.

Cora - ss
Murphy - 1b
Wright - 3b
Sheffield - rf
Church - cf
Tatis - 2b
Evans - lf
Schneider - c
Hernandez - sp

(UPDATED) PHILADELPHIA -- Now streaking in a positive direction, the Mets will try to keep pace in the NL East here tonight when they take on the rival Phillies behind Livan Hernandez at Citizens Bank Park.

The Mets (39-39) open a three game series tonight against the Phillies (39-37) at Citizens Bank Park tonight.

Alex Cora will lead off tonight followed by Daniel Murphy, David Wright, Gary Sheffield in right field, Ryan Church in center field, Fernando Tatis at second base, Nick Evans in left field, and Brian Schneider.

Livan Hernandez (5-3, 4.04 ERA) will start tonight for the Mets. Hernandez is coming off another fine outing against the Yankees despite losing his second consecutive outing, and he has gone atleast seven innings in six of his last eight starts. Lifetime he is 10-8 with a 3.36 ERA in 24 career starts against the Phillies.

Rodrigo Lopez (0-0, 0.00 ERA) will start tonight for the Phillies. Lopez is making his first Major League appearance since 2007 when he was with the Rockies. Lopez is 65-65 with a 4.80 ERA lifetime with the Padres, Orioles and the Rockies and he is making his first career start against the Mets tonight.

Michael Stobe/US PresswireAs manager Jerry Manuel puts it, the Mets have "got a shot" at taking over first place in the NL East this weekend against the Phillies. PHILADELPHIA -- It's hard to believe, but the Mets could be in... Brian Costa/The Star-Ledger

Tonight the Mets will play the Phillies in Philadelphia, their third consecutive game in as many days in a different road city.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, this is only the second time in franchise history that this has happened to the Mets, the last time from July 23-25, 1995 when they were in Colorado, Chicago, and St. Louis.

It is common knowledge that the Mets rank at the bottom of the National League with 50 home runs.

…however, these numbers threw me for a loop…

The Mets have the fewest strikeouts and the highest team batting average in the NL at .273.

They also lead the league with 79 stolen bases, have the second most hits, and are tied for the lead in on-base percentage with the Dodgers at .349.

…looking at this from afar, you would say there is no way this ballclub could be just a .500 team, but they are, which at this point has remarkably been good enough to compete in their division…

…this has to be attributed to the men they leave on base day in and day out…