New York Mets

New York’s two franchises had remarkably different 2009 seasons. The Yankees, with their shiny new free agent additions in Mark Teixeira, C.C. Sabathia, and A.J. Burnett, ran away with the American League East and came away with their 27th World Series championship, beating the Phillies in six games.

For Mets fans, the 2009 season was a nightmare, as Mets players, including eight former All-Stars, spent more than 1,480 days on the disabled list as the team limped to a 72-90 record.

The Mets finally got some offense for a change, but the game started with a bizarre episode involving John Maine .

He threw five pitches to the first batter and got pulled from the game. His fastball was at 85 mph, and it looked like something was wrong.

He and Jerry Manuel argued in the dugout. Maine appeared to have wanted to stay in the game.

The Mets just can’t seem to figure out the Nationals, as the Metropolitans went to Washington to get beat 5-3 despite a solid performance by starter R.A. Dickey and Angel Pagan’s inside-the-park home run and triple play.

The Mets jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning thanks to Pagan's homer, but two runs were quickly given back in the bottom of the inning.

The Mets tied the game in the top of the sixth only to give it back in the bottom of the seventh when they probably took Dickey out too early.

Angel Pagan did something that hadn't been done by a player in 55 years, but the Mets still couldn't win a game.

That's how bad things have gotten, as the Mets fell 5-3 to the Nationals to begin a mini two-game set in D.C.

In place of the demoted Oliver Perez, the Mets brought up knuckleballer R.A. Dickey to fill in. Dickey got off to a flying start—he didn't allow his first hit until the fourth inning.

Before the Nationals got their first hit, the Mets got theirs.

It really seems that Mets manager Jerry Manuel’s job status goes as their record goes. He was on the chopping block early, but a 9-1 homestand bought him some time. Now that the Mets have gone from 1st place to last he is back on that chopping block.

New York Mets (19-21) at Washington Nationals (20-20)  7:05 p.m.

R.A. Dickey (0-0, -.–) vs Livan Hernandez (4-2, 1.46)

TV : SNY   Radio : WFAN

What to watch : Dickey makes his big league season debut after pitching really well at Buffalo. He was 4-2 with a 2.23 ERA including two complete games and a 1.04 WHIP. You can’t do much better than that.

Hernandez is pitching better than we’ve seen from him in years. He beat the Mets on April 11, throwing seven shutout innings.

In 2007, David Wright had one of the best seasons in Mets history, hitting .325 with 30 HRs, 107 RBI, and 34 steals. That season, Wright only had 115 strikeouts in 160 games (an average of 0.72 a game).

Fast-forward two-and-a-half years later to the 2010 season.

In 40 games, Wright has accumulated 55 strikeouts (1.38 a game), and has batted only .262.

It seems apparent that David Wright is not the player he used to be.

In 2004, the future of the Mets was revealed when David Wright and Jose Reyes were called up to the big leagues.

The Mets lost two of their starting pitchers in Florida, Jon Niese due to a hamstring injury, and