Harvey has deserved to win so many more games (even if this was his “worst” game of the season giving up 4 runs on 9 hits in 6 1/3 innings/he also struck out 6) and the Mets’ record continues to fall far below .500. In fact, this is the farthest the Mets have fallen this far through a season since May 2001. It just seems like nothing can go right for them.

And once again, Ike Davis takes on the spotlight this game with two plays that pretty much cost us the game. First, Davis made an unsure play in the bottom of the 7th on a ball he could have charged and possibly made a play at home to save a run from scoring. But instead he sat back, let the ball come to him, got the out at first, and let the run score. In his mind, he had no play at home. But when you’re playing for a team that’s as desperate for a win as the Mets are, you need to make a stellar play or at least try. I can understand where his head was at. He was trying to prevent the inning from turning into a potentially bigger inning. But he needed to understand that this was a situation where playing conservative would hurt us.

And then came his even bigger blunder in the 9th. With only one out and runners in scoring position with the game tied, Davis let a soft grounder from Brandon Phillips go past the bag, thinking it was foul. But the first base umpire didn’t hesitate to call it fair and for the Reds to score the go-ahead run. It’s just been that kind of year for Davis and for the Mets. Right now, he’s 1 for his last 38 at the plate and 0 for 25 with runners in scoring position. 

If Davis doesn’t go down to Triple-A this weekend, the Mets shouldn’t even bother playing games anymore. They’re just showing the fan base that they care more about one player’s success rather than that of the team. 

Despite the Mets losing yet another game, Rick Ankiel‘s offense gave fans something to cheer for. He went 3-4 with 2 RBIs, one of which helped tie the game late. He’s been a great asset to the team so far and is making the most of his short time with the Mets. Everyone was skeptical about signing Ankiel, including myself, but maybe bringing in a new player with a positive attitude could help a little. It working so far, so we’ll see what happens as time goes on. Check out his game-tying triple here.

WORKING ON OFFENSE IN MINORS:: Collin Cowgill hit a grand slam today to give Zack Wheeler and the rest of the team a healthy 8-2 lead in a Vegas afternoon game.

NEXT UP:: Mets have an off day tomorrow before they start their series with the Atlanta Braves and then the New York Yankees. Jeremy Hefner will try to win his first game of the season yet again on Friday night at 7:10PM on SNY against Kris Medlen and the Braves. 

Last night’s game shows you exactly this. Jon Niese had one bad inning in the first. He had the bases loaded with 2 outs. And the 3-run inning could have been avoided had it not been for Wright‘s error on a ground ball that should have ended the inning. But Niese put the runners on base and Wright let them score. And the Mets went on to lose the game 4-0. Why? Because Niese and Wright were less than perfect in the first inning and of course, the Mets offense failed to show up again. But Jon Niese did not care. It is evident that it’s harder to pitch when you know your team will not score for you, but Niese shut it down after the first inning- striking out seven! Now that’s respectable to see from a pitcher. He picked himself up and made a competitive effort despite that terrible inning. 

This is obviously not a winning formula. But I can’t blame Terry Collins. He’s trying to mix things up to see if he can get guys going. But it’s clear that the Mets are clueless out there. Even when our rotation makes some improvements (and those were limited) and the bullpen hasn’t been THAT bad, our completely nonexistent offense takes center stage. Ike Davis once again went 0-3 and couldn’t come up with RISP. But it’s not just him anymore. Tejada is struggling, hence the constant rotation of the lineup. I don’t know what happened to that line drive hitting player from last season. And no one is really showing much an offensive burst. Do you know what happens when our offense struggles? David Wright starts getting cold, too. And that’s because he wants to be Captain America. That super hero for the Mets. The one that makes everything better, which is completely admirable, but unrealistic. And that’s when he starts changing his swing and striking out more. But I haven’t seen that happen so far. He told the media that he hasn’t been trying to do too much and that is a positive step for him to realize that. He also needs to realize he’s on the Mets and he can’t save us this season, but that’s another story.

SANDY ALDERSON COMES TO THE BOOTH: Alderson talked with Ron Darling and Gary Cohen last night. He touched on the Davis situation and Matt Harvey. Check it out here.

HARVEY PUTS HIS UNBEATEN RECORD ON THE LINE AGAIN:: 1:10 PM this afternoon. SNY. Set your alarm. Leave work early. Do what you gotta do because Matt Harvey is on the mound (5-0) taking on Reds’ pitcher Mat Latos, who also happens to be undefeated. Thank God for Harvey because he’s the only reason I get excited to watch Met games this season. LET’S GO METS! #HARVEYDAY #LGM

Gotta love Facebook memes!! =)

Mets fans want to see action. Wright told fans in the offseason (after signing his big contract) that he liked where this team was going and the outlook for the future. I would really like to know where he was looking because I certainly don’t see any bright outlook as of right now. This season is basically a bust. I’ll still watch games and hope for wins and cheer on players and bask in the amazingness that is Matt Harvey, but I have no grandeur ideas of making the playoffs. I love baseball and that’s why I watch, but it would nice to see some improvements. 

1. We need to bring up Zack Wheeler. Enough with this “he’s not ready” stuff that the Mets are spouting. He needs to be put in a Major League Baseball setting so he can grow just like Harvey did. And let’s face it, our pitching hasn’t exactly been up to par. 

2. Ike Davis needs to go. I love the guy. And when’s he on, HE’S ON! But when he’s not, it’s like he couldn’t hit a grapefruit being thrown from 2 feet away while he has a tennis racket instead of a bat. He is a great person, but the Mets cannot wait around forever for him to get going. Yes, he had a great second half last year. But the Mets are in no position to have a part time player. We need to make smart decisions. We need to build this team up, not tear it down. Collins even put Davis in the four hole behind Wright and in front of Duda to try and get some offense going, but it hasn’t been working obviously!

3. Someone else needs to be traded so that we can get some outfield help. There are no words for our outfield. We need defensive players that also bring an offensive presence. I know it’s a lot to ask, but you cannot play and expect to be competitive when you only have a quarter of a team. 

NEXT UP:: Mets set to take on the St. Louis Cardinals tonight at 7:05PM with Jeremy Hefner on the mound and the newest Met Rick Ankiel starting. Hefner is looking for his first win of the season. He hasn’t been phenomenal like Harvey, but Hefner has suffered from some bad luck and lack of run support. Hopefully, the Mets can change that tonight. LGM!!

The odds were very much in his favor last night. Harvey looked sharp and rested and definitely had some zip on his pitches. His fastball was in the mid-90s. I even saw some top out at 97 MPH and he was throwing his slider for strikes. You could see that he wanted it and that it could happen. He pitched the first inning with a nose bleed and took a perfect game into the 7th inning. Things were looking pretty good for Harvey until Alex Rios came to the plate and hit a ball deep into the infield pocket at shortshop in the 7th. Tejada tried to make a jump and throw play on it, but just wasn’t quick enough, even with Davis’ long stretch at first base. Tejada rarely ever makes that play. So that ended Harvey’s bid for a perfect game, and it was up to the Mets to at least get him a win. But they couldn’t get that done either. 

Even though Harvey one-hit the White Sox, the Mets were unable to score and secure him a win. The game went to 10 innings, where the Mets were able to scrounge up one run as Mike Baxter singled in Davis, the Mets only show of offense on the night. Bobby Parnell got the win instead, making it the 2nd 10-inning one-hitter in Mets history.

This was Harvey’s third try at winning his 5th game. I guess the upside is that he didn’t get a loss. Harvey did pitch one of the best games of his career going nine innings, allowing one hit, and striking out a career high 12 batters. After yesterday’s game, Matt Harvey became the first pitcher in 100 years with at least 125 strikeouts and 25 or fewer ER allowed in first 17 career starts. Dwight Gooden, who has been following Harvey’s up and coming success, tweeted yesterday–“Matt “THE REAL DEAL” Harvey…Enough said!” Can you believe that? Doc Gooden is constantly singing Harvey’s praises and that has to be an amazing sign! He was even tweeting #MATTHARVEYKCOUNT! That must be such an honor for Harvey!

This season Harvey has been putting himself in a great position among very elite names. I know it’s a small sample size, but watching him, no one can say that he is not special. I just can’t wait to see what he has in store for us game after game. His games are a must-watch!

“It’s baseball. Things like that happen…The guys made all the plays. John Buck called an amazing game. I think I shook him off three times, like I have all year. I jumped on his back and I was fortunate enough that I was able to execute each pitch.“– Harvey on his outing

NEXT UP:: Mets close out their series tonight, weather permitting, with the Chicago White Sox as they send Jeremy Hefner to the mound against Jake Peavy. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10PM on SNY. LGM!! 

Matt Harvey will be trying for that 5-0 once again as he goes up against the White Sox and Hector Santiago, the 6 foot, 210 pound lefty (1-1, 2.29 ERA). It’s been a week since that 121-pitch outing in that 15 inning debacle in Miami. Some people may be worried about our star pitcher throwing so many pitches and then having so much rest, but he is too much of an athlete and has already made it known that he is in no way sore, rusty, or any other adjective that would suggest he is not ready for his start tonight.

“I don’t get sore at all…I know if I worked too hard, the next day might be different. But I was fine all week. My bullpen was great. I’m looking forward to Tuesday.” — Harvey’s response on Sunday to media

Harvey was not happy at all with his last outing, especially with his pitch count, where he couldn’t get out of the sixth inning. But Matt is always hard on himself and I’m sure he’ll be able to set things up nicely for the Mets tonight. He just needs to work at a nice pace and try to keep his pitch count low. Even though he thinks he can throw 120-130 pitches every time, Matt needs to keep it as low as possible and stay in the best shape possible. This is his first full season in the Majors, even though he seems like a seasoned veteran. So I hope he realizes when he can push himself and when he needs to calm things down.

Tonight will also be somewhat a homecoming for White Sox manager, Robin Ventura. I remember watching him play when I was younger, especially in the ’99 and 2000 postseasons and it’s great that he has found himself a spot as a manager. Good luck to him!

“Obviously, it wasn’t my best stuff…In the second inning, I was trying to be way too perfect instead of just being aggressive and pounding the zone. I was trying to make too good of pitches and fell behind guys and obviously walked three guys. It’s something I’m going to try to get better at.”

With our rotation still intact, we turn to the elephant in the room- our bullpen. They have had troubles since the season began, but as games pass, it becomes ever more evident that the bullpen is not cutting it. The bullpen ERA is now at a league high 5.22. Their troubles, and Ellis’ two homers, contributed greatly to the Mets 7-2 loss last night.

The bullpen has been called upon for long stretches early in the season and I understand a couple bad outings, but they just cannot seem to keep runs off the board. It’s not just one guy getting the brunt of the work, it’s everyone! Yes, we’ve had some short outings from starting pitchers, but again, it is their job to pick up the pieces and help us win the game. They should be the stoppers, not the reasons for our losses. Robert Carson and Scott Atchison kept the Dodgers in check last night after Niese’s injury, but the rest of the bullpen could not, especially Brandon Lyon and Josh Edgin. The bullpen needs to be addressed. There is no way we can go all season like this. Terry Collins attributes Edgin’s inconsistency to overuse. Maybe he’s not ready for the workload, who knows!

Here are some recap videos from last night:

Wright’s RBI single in the 3rd here

Collins’ post-game reaction here

Niese gets hit here

FIRST BIG LEAGUE HIT: With Kirk Nieuwenhuis lacking offensive production, the Mets decided to send him to the Minors and bring up Juan Lagares from Vegas. Collins noted that some people regard him as a better outfielder than Matt den Dekker and that Lagares would be getting regular playing time in center field. It’s good to see a young player get a chance to show what he’s got. I like seeing the team build up players from within the organization. Lagares picked up his first hit last night (a single to left) after coming in as a defensive replacement in the 5th. Check out his first Big League hit here! Good luck to Lagares and I hope this works out for everyone!

NEXT UP:: Yet again we call on Mr. Harvey to get us a win! Matt will be taking on Ted Lilly and the Dodgers at 7:10PM on SNY, hoping to move to 5-0 on the season. Good Luck Matt! LGM! Head to twitter and show some support for Matt with #BelieveinHarvey!

*John Buck just refuses to back down this season and continues to show his offensive prowess with an RBI double in the 7th on Saturday and yet another home run on Sunday. But more than his offense, he has been calling great games from behind the plate.

*Aaron Laffey was not ready to be a part of this rotation and that’s why he got sent down. After Jeremy Hefner, following 4 innings of work, was pulled on Saturday Laffey could not keep the lead. He had plenty of chances to show he could be a part of the team, but couldn’t take advantage.

*Josh Edgin needs to figure out what’s going on. He seems to keep giving up runs and that’s not what we need from our bullpen. Maybe he’s just going through a rough patch, but he needs to find his way out of it. 

*Ike Davis cannot get it going. He looks completely bewildered at the plate and it’s such a shame because he has the power that would really make a difference in our offense. He went through this last year, but how can we have a player that only shows up half the season? I really hope Davis can figure it out SOON!

*Dillon Gee made a nice comeback on Sunday, showing us some vintage Gee. It was a really great sign to see him pitch like his old self. If he can get it going and be consistent and Marcum could make a great comeback as well, we would have a solid 4-man rotation. Here’s to hoping! 

*It makes me extremely happy to watch Mike Baxter play. On Sunday, Baxter took advantage of Bryce Harper‘s lackadaisical play on his hit, turning a single into a double. He is always hustling and working hard to make plays, just like last year when he made the catch to preserve Johan’s no-hitter. It great to see a player like him on our team!

INJURY UPDATE:: Shaun Marcum should be making his Mets/season debut on Saturday! He tossed five scoreless in Port St. Lucie on Monday during an extended Spring Training game. He should be ready to face the Phillies on Saturday and since the Mets sent down Laffey, they need that 5th starter. 

NEXT UP:: Mets start their series against the Los Angeles Dodgers as Jon Niese takes on Clayton Kershaw tonight at 7:10PM on SNY. LGM!

Harvey pitched seven innings of one run ball, striking out seven, further enhancing his already amazing numbers on the season. You could tell as soon as Harvey hit that mound that this was not just another game. Although he’s known for his intensity, Harvey was at another level last night. Terry Collins described Harvey as being a little grouchy and on edge when coming to the field before the game. I can’t say it enough, Harvey is exactly what baseball is about- competitiveness, dedication, and a must-win attitude. However, I would like to see Harvey crack a smile after the game and enjoy his wins. He told the media he was already preparing for his next game and that he could have done better in his start! Come on, Harvey! You’re the man! Enjoy it!

Perhaps the best part of Harvey’s performance last night was watching him kick it into another gear when he got into trouble in the 7th after a Daniel Murphy error on a double play ball. That error put him in a bases loaded, no outs jam in a 3-run game. But Harvey showed he knows how to handle himself even when things go bad. With a strikeout, foul out, and ground out, Harvey masterfully sent the Nats back to their dugout and ended his night with a roar from the Citi Field crowd that I haven’t heard in a very long time. 

Besides Harvey’s dominant performance, the Mets offense showed up to play last night including two players who have been very quiet this season- Ike Davis and Lucas Duda. Both players ended the night with 2 homers a piece. After Duda’s first home run, Mets fans in the crowd starting cheering, “Harvey’s better!” (Haha I love Mets fans). Davis also faced some boos in his first two strikeouts of the game, but fans forgave him when he hit his home runs! And John Buck, who’s been a bit subdued over the past week, reclaimed his first place position for NL RBIs (20) last night in the first inning with a run scoring single. 

Check out these recap videos from last night:

= Harvey’s start here

=Davis’ first homer here and second homer here

=Duda’s solo shot in the 6th here and his second solo shot here

=Buck’s run-scoring single in the 1st here

=Collins’ post-game conference here

INJURY REPORT:: Travis d’Arnaud will not require surgery to fix the broken bone in his foot (thankfully!). He’ll be taking at least 8 weeks to recover. 

NEXT UP:: Jeremy Hefner and the New York Mets will be taking on Gio Gonzalez and the Washington Nationals at 3:05PM on FOX. LGM!

*Their bullpen faced a lot of work on Tuesday in their doubleheader against the Rockies. Dillon Gee raked in another loss in the two hour delayed afternoon game as the Mets fell 4-8. (Side Note: Sandy Alderson was out there shoveling snow before the game to make sure the Mets got on the field.) Gee went 4 2/3 innings and gave up 5 runs on 7 hits. He just couldn’t seem to keep the lead when it was handed to him. Murphy and Tejada‘s defensive blundlers didn’t help too much either. On a positive note, David Wright finally got his first homer of the season in the 1st inning, a 2- run blast off Nicasio. And then his second of the season, a solo shot in the 5th, all in the frigid weather of Coors Field. On a night when gripping the bat must have been a constant struggle, Wright went 3-4 and further boasted his already successful numbers at Coors Field. Check out his first one here and the second one here!)

*The Mets also fell to the Rockies in their second game on Tuesday in 10 innings, 8-9. The Mets put up some great offensive numbers early and should have won the game, but Ruben Tejada made a costly throwing error in the 8th inning allowing the two tying runs to score. Now Tejada has been giving us a great offensive addition this season in that 8 hole, but his defense has suffered. I have no idea what’s going on with him, but I would rather him work on his fielding right now. Aaron Laffey only went 4 innings with the Mets hoping to pitch him again on Sunday on short rest. The bullpen was unable to seal the deal despite a 6-run lead. Burke took the loss on Jordan Pacheco‘s walk-off single in the 10th. This is where the postponed games really hurt us. As of Tuesday, Collins was unsure about our rotation this weekend and going forward.

*Their Wednesday game was once again postponed. The Mets are scheduled to make this game up on June 27th. 

*The Mets pulled in their 3rd straight loss and Jon Niese was handed his first loss of the season as the team fell to the Rockies yesterday, 11-3. Despite Wright’s RBIs and a sensational catch, spin, throw from Tejada to get a much needed out in the 3rd inning, the bullpen got crushed. To say the least, this was a road trip the Mets would like to forget immediately. I’m hoping they can get back on track tonight since they’re back home and in nicer weather, but they’re facing some pretty difficult teams coming up- the Nationals, Phillies, and Dodgers. It’s not going to be easy, but if they want to remain competitive, they need to get wins. They need to be resilient and not fall into a dark hole of constant loses and bad play. This will be a big test for the team.

INJURY REPORT: I actually screamed out loud when ESPN app sounded off and my alert read: “Mets top prospect Travis d’Arnaud breaks ankle.” He was sent to New York and will be examined by staff doctors to determine whether he will need surgery. This is awful and will most likely delay his progress this season, never mind his call-up. Let’s just hope he won’t need surgery and that he can recover as quickly as possible. All I have to say is, I’m extremely thankful that John Buck has been playing so well. Here’s to a speedy recovery for Travis. Send him some well wishes on Twitter- @travisdarnaud!!

And Shaun Marcum says his rehab is going well, but he may need an extra start to get to the place he wants to be. He had 41 pitch outing in Florida yesterday, striking out five in four perfect innings, but Collins said he was supposed 65-70 and then work up to 90 in his next start. Things are moving slow, but I guess any news is good news at this point. We just need Marcum back in the rotation- healthy and effective. 

NEXT UP:: Looking to end their losing streak, the Mets send their young phenom, Matt Harvey (3-0), to the mound to match up against the Nationals and their own young phenom, Stephen Strasburg (1-2). If the Mets are searching for a winning recipe, Harvey is just the ingredient they need. Tune in to SNY tonight at 7:10PM to see if Harvey can get something cooking for the Mets. LGM!

***I also want to take this time to send my thoughts and prayers to all those involved in the bombings at the Boston Marathon early this afternoon. It’s sad to see such a senseless act occur, taking innocent lives and injuring hundreds of others. I just can’t understand, but send those prayers out to all those in Boston. The whole country supports you in this time of need! #PrayersforBoston***