http://cdn.pis.picapp.com/IamProd/PicAppPIS/JavaScript/PisV4.jsThe Mets’ third road trip of the season has them visiting three of their NL East rivals for the first time this season. They face the Florida Marlins in a four-game weekend series to start off, head to Atlanta’s Turner Field to face the Braves for two, and then finish off against the surprising Washington Nationals at Nationals Park, with two games set to take place there.
Thursday, May 13th: Mets (Santana) vs. Marlins (Johnson) 7:10 PM, MLB Network Game
Friday, May 14th: Mets (Perez) vs. Marlins (Sanchez) 7:10 PM
Saturday: May 15th: Mets (Maine) vs. Marlins (Robertson) 7:10 PM
Sunday: May 16th: Mets (Niese) vs. Marlins (Nolasco) 1:10 PM
Monday, May 17th: Mets (Pelfrey) vs. Braves (Hudson) 7:10 PM
Tuesday, May 18th: Mets (Santana) vs. Braves (Lowe) 7:10 PM
Wednesday, May 19th: Mets (Perez) vs. Nationals (Hernandez) 7:05 PM
Thursday, May 20th: Mets (Maine) vs. Nationals (Atilano) 7:05 PM
There are some big positives, and some big negatives going into this road trip for the Amazin’s. First off, the negatives (seriously, let’s just get them out of the way). The Mets are 4-8 on the road this season. In fact, they haven’t won a single series on the road this year, losing 2 of 3 to the Rockies, Cardinals, Phillies, and Reds (in that order).
Also, they are facing some tough, tough pitching on this trip. Josh Johnson and Ricky Nolasco for the Florida Marlins, Tim Hudson and a slightly struggling Derek Lowe for the Braves, and then even Livan Hernandez for the Nationals. Yes, the same Livan Hernandez. He’s actually pitching quite well over in the nation’s capital, sporting a 4-1 record with a 1.04 ERA. Thanks for (almost) nothing, Livan.
Oh, and Oliver Perez gets two starts on this trip. At least, that’s the plan right now.
On to the good news: all of these teams are quite beatable. The Mets fell in two of three to the Marlins in the opening series of the season, but the Marlins bullpen looked absolutely dreadful quite often during that series. When the Braves came into town a few weekends ago, they played shockingly sloppy and reminiscent of the 2009 Mets. The Nationals have indeed been playing good baseball, but a lineup filled with players such as Willy Tavares, Nyjer Morgan, and Willie Harris won’t be able to blow people away for 162 games.
Record Prediction: If you put everything together: The Mets’ woes on the road, the strong pitching they’ll be facing, along with the fact that the Mets should have a chance at every game on this road trip, I say the Mets come back to Citi Field next weekend off a 4-4 road trip. Nothing to call home about, but certainly nothing to go on an expletive-torn rampage about, either. Hey, if they win 4 of 8 on this trip, I will be the last to complain.
The Mets Report 