New York Mets

When the garden variety Mets fan thinks about Luis Castillo, the first thing that rushes to their mind is the infamous dropped pop up against the Yankees.

If not that, it's the ridiculous four-year contract extension that he received from general manager Omar Minaya. Twenty-five million dollars for a second baseman who was already old and physically drained.

When Omar Minaya was brought to New York to take over as general manager of the Mets, New York was divided equally into two sections: lovers and haters. 

The Mets went on an 11-game road trip to try to fortify themselves as a contender in the National League.

After losing four of six on their last home stand before the All-Star break to the Reds and first-place Braves respectively, the Mets and everyone affiliated with them knew that this West Coast trip would be their toughest challenge of the season.

Basbeall analyst Ken Rosenthal reported Sunday that the New York Mets and the Kansas City Royals are in talks about trading Oliver Perez to Kansas City.

In return, the Mets would get veteran pitcher Gil Meche, who is currently rehabbing after his injury.

This trade would be dead even if it is made, as both are in their last year in their contracts, with each left with $12 million.

Not only is that situation similar, stats wise, too.

Perez and Meche are both 0-4, and their ERAs are hovering around above 6.

The Mets cannot continue to play this kind of baseball without someone being held responsible.

The Mets lost another 1-0 game today to fall to 2-9 on their horrific road trip. It should have been even worse. It could have been 1-10 or 1-9-1 with the tie going to home plate umpire Phil Cuzzi in that bizarre game in San Francisco.

The offense has fallen into a coma, being shutout for the fourth time on this road trip. The Mets have scored more than three runs in a game just three times in their last 16 games.

LOS ANGELES—For the fourth time on the 11-game West Coast trip—that the Mets ended 2-9 today—the Mets got shut out. For the third time on the trip, the Mets enter a prolonged scoreless innings streak.

After starting the trip scoreless over 24 innings, the Mets end the trip going 16 innings without scoring a run.

They had R.A. Dickey on the mound, and he did all he could do to keep the Mets in the game. Just like in his previous two starts, and like with any other Mets pitcher, no run support was given.

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Before we all go out and jump off the closest bridge, let's please calm down. Yes, the Mets aren't hitting well. Yes, the Mets aren't winning; but there's still plenty of baseball to be played.

Wilmer Flores is one of the Mets' top prospects and one of the top prospects in all of baseball. At just 18 years old, Wilmer has already been playing professional baseball for three years.

After a strong performance in Single-A this year, Wilmer was called up to High-A ball to play for the St. Lucie Mets. At 18 years old, Wilmer is the second youngest hitter in the Florida State League.

Wilmer's success continued as a member of the St. Lucie Mets. He has a .349 batting average with two home runs and 19 RBI in 29 games.

He may still only be 19-years old and developing in the low minors for the New York Mets, but infielder Wilmer Flores needs to be recognized more frequently from now on. He's putting up big minor league numbers that could give him an express ticket to pro baseball. 

The Mets signed Flores as an undrafted free agent in 2007 as a very young 16-year old with a lot of upside.

LOS ANGELES: There's only one thing you can do once you've gone 2-8 on a road trip. That's win the finale, which at least sends you home with some positive feelings.

The Mets need all the positive feelings they can get right now, having gotten embarrassed on an 11-game West Coast trip.

On Thursday, Mets GM Omar Minaya told reporters that Jerry Manuel is the Mets manager, and that there hasn't even been discussion regarding his future.