Excellence

If you were paying attention last night then you remember the precise moment when anguish, as a potential conclusion, was introduced into the proceedings. It came in the sixth inning when the $12-million dollar man Oliver Perez, using three straight breaking balls, struck out the most feared hitter in baseball, Albert Pujols.

Perez had been in command all evening, mixing speeds on his breaking ball and demonstrating qualities – poise, determination, and focus – that are not usually attached to the volatile left-hander.

Pujols, stymied, walked back to the dugout, wearing a resigned look. Considering the impressive performance turned in by Mike Pelfrey in Colorado 24-hours earlier, I think it safe to say a good feeling was building on the Mets side.

The Mets hadn’t really figured out Chris Carpenter all evening – in fact it took a base-running blunder by Jeff Francouer to upset the scoreless tie – but, supported by spectacular defense, the Mets were in front 1-0 and, with Perez cruising along, looking like he had found something, all indications were this would end up being either the most hopeful of victories or a very frustrating defeat.

Then, the seventh inning happened. Jerry Manuel yanked Oliver Perez with a runner on second base and one out, the bullpen imploded, ultimately resulting in a grand slam by Felipe Lopez, and the Mets’ night-inning comeback predictably fell one run short.

So, what does it all mean?

Well, hopefully Pelfrey and Perez’ performances on this road trip portend similar outings in 2010.

But this is for sure:

In the Omar Minaya Era the New York Mets have cornered the market on gut-wrenching loses. I dare you to find a sports franchise that loses as spectacularly as the Minaya Mets.

There are teams that pitch well.

There are teams that hit well.

Some teams grit well.

The 2007-10 Mets lose, well, better than the rest.

Situational swinging

I guess Luis Castillo was the only Metropolitan who graduated from Jerry Manual’s 80-pitch, situational-hitting, come out of the cage feeling three pounds lighter spring-training bonanza.

In case you missed it, Castillo contributed a pair of two-out, run-scoring infield hits – one in the first and a walk-off version of eerily similar variety in the ninth – in last night’s 5-4 Mets win over the Brew Crew.

Now he needs to sprinkle some of that magical situational hitting dust on his teammates.

Fine Change of Pace

Remember when your grammar school teacher gave out gold stars to the students who did all of their homework or did exceptionally well on a test. Then at the end of the year, or the term, the kid with the most stars was given a prize, like a He-Man lunch box -- something that didn’t have any real monetary value, but that seemed like a big deal when you were six or seven.

Well, maybe Jerry Manuel should implement a similar system to motivate the Mets' bullpen to pitch better.

If that were that case, he’d be giving two gold stars to Aaron Heilman, who threw two gorgeous innings in Miami tonight. Yes, Carlos Delgado’s ridiculous July continued, but Heilman, who entered the game in the seventh, delivered two scoreless innings -- with a lead to boot -- which has proven to be so elusive for the Mets’ bullpen since the All-Star break.

Interesting, isn’t it, with all the talk about whether or not the Mets have a good enough bullpen to close out games down the stretch, that the game should come down to precisely that?

Heilman’s outing, which helped to secure a 4-1 Mets win, doesn’t annul Omar from his duty to pursue a possible upgrade in the Mets’ bridge to their closer, Billy Wagner. But it does change the all-too-often discouraging bullpen story, at least for a day.

Nice job by Wagner, too, who was been nearly flawless since blowing the All-Star Game. Wags is on an 11-inning scoreless streak since July 10. Over the course of those 11-innings he has surrendered only one hit and one walk.

The Mets continue to bounce back after losses. They have now won four games in a row immediately following a loss, which is a very good thing.

8-4

I’m sure Jerry Manuel would prefer if Jose Reyes didn’t swing for the fences, but where’s the fun in that?

Big hit, Jose! Very big hit.