New York Mets

NEW YORK — The performance that Mike Pelfrey gave the Mets this afternoon was the exact opposite of what they were looking for.

Trying to rebound from a bad recent stretch of games, Pelfrey gave up four runs on 12 hits for the second time in his last three starts.

He scattered singles all over the field, and it took the Braves until their 10th hit to record a run. He walked the first man to face him to start the game, but Martin Prado was left stranded.

The Yankees, Red Sox, and Marlins have proven that it can be done in baseball. The Miami Heat are about to prove it can be done in the NBA.

There are some things money can’t buy, and championships used to be one of them. But not anymore. It’s an unfortunate reality, but reality nonetheless.

As long as it’s done right.

On July 6, 1971, New York's most beloved franchise, the New York Mets, announced that ace left-hander Jerry Koosman was being placed on the 21-day disabled list.

Koosman started against the Montreal Expos at Shea Stadium, but was forced to leave following only one inning of work. After the game, Mets' manager Gil Hodges said Jerry had developed tightness in his left side.

A team spokesman told reporters, "They don't know what it is. It could be his shoulder or his back or a virus. They don't know what."

NEW YORK — There are just two games left in the first half of the baseball season. For the Mets, the first half was as much a roller coaster ride as they've had in their history.

One of the worst starts ever, to a possible managerial firing, to being in or around first place with an amazing surge, the Mets have been through everything in 2010.

The New York Mets are now crossing their fingers. It was announced late Friday night that their dynamic leadoff man, Jose Reyes, will undergo an MRI for his injured right oblique. This story was first reported by ESPN's Adam Rubin .

With Cliff Lee out of the picture, it is looking like the Mets are going to stick with their squad for the rest of the season (fingers crossed for the return of Ty Wiggington).

From what I've seen out of the Mets starting rotation so far, Hisanori Takahashi is not a guy who should be in the rotation for a contending team such as the Mets. Takahashi is the kind of guy who has great off speed stuff, rarely blows anyone away with his fastball, and has questionable stamina after pitching on a seven man rotation in Japan.

The Florida Marlins currently are a team that are indecisive regarding their status as sellers or buyers. 

Meaning that possibly many teams could end up having interest in a pitcher like Nolasco, even possibly the Mets.

The Mets were considered front runners for a possible Cliff Lee trade, but unfortunately that fell through when the Mariners tried to sweeten their deal by asking the Mets to include Ike Davis in the possible trade. 

NEW YORK— This had the makings of a big series between two teams atop the NL East. The Braves facing the Mets at Citi Field, having been swept there in late April.

The Braves got the upper hand in the weekend series, widening their NL East lead over the Mets to four games, in a 4-2 win.

Jerry Manuel decided to bat Jose Reyes second in the lineup, since he could only bat right-handed, going with the switch-hitter Angel Pagan in the leadoff spot.

Reyes has been battling a sore left oblique, and that may have led to his big first-inning error.

The Mets have given us a great first half.  They've risen to every challenge they've faced this year and have shown us some serious chemistry, character, and toughness.

David Wright shook off his strikeout problem and emerged an MLB leader in RBI.

The team adjusted to power-killing Citi Field by becoming a lineup of solid contact hitters who are willing and able to drive run-scoring singles and doubles into the gaps to earn their wins.

Baseball is mathematically past the halfway mark already, but many teams don't see the first half as history.  Many teams still have many big games in the first half. 

There are 162 baseball games in baseball's regular season, so 81 games is the mathematical halfway point in the season.  Even though that is true, many people look at the All-Star Break as the ending of the first half.