So who did everybody pick to win the National League East this year?  The Mets?  The Phillies?  Don't forget about those Braves.  So, in mid-May which one of these teams has the early lead?  Try the Marlins.

Coming into 2008, the Marlins seemed to be made up of has-beens, never-weres, and never-will-bes.  It turns out, they're actually wiley veterans, late bloomers, and pleasant surprises.  The big question this early in the season is, of course, are they for real?

The starting rotation is led by Scott Olsen, who at 4-1 with a 2.22 ERA, is finally fulfilling his potential.  Mark Hendrickson, owner of a 4.93 career ERA, has been a fine number two, boasting a 5-1 record.  Andrew Miller, Ricky Nolasco, and Burke Badenhop (which is now the greatest name in baseball history - though it would be better if he were an infielder) have performed as expected - poorly.

But the bullpen has made up for any shortcomings in the rotation.  Four relievers have ERAs under 3.00, including Renyel Pinto, who sports a squeaky-clean 0.73 mark.

At the plate, this team has exhibited power and speed.  Hanley Ramirez leads the way.  He's the kind of player Jose Reyes should be right now.  Although, maybe now that he's signed a huge contract, Hanley will become a lazy popup machine like Reyes.  Ramirez has thirteen steals and eight home runs.  However, he is second on the club in home runs to Mike Jacobs and Dan Uggla.  Wait, Mike Jacobs and Dan Uggla?  Mets fans know that Jacobs is capable of hitting the ball out of the park, as long as he lays of the high fastballs.  And yes, Uggla has talent, but he's on pace for 41 homers.  Really?  And Jeremy Hermida is finally becoming the player the Marlins thought he would be from the beginning.

So, back to the original question.  Are they for real?  Previous track records indicate that Hendrickson, Jacobs, and Uggla can't keep it up all year, and Kevin Gregg still has to prove that he can be a major league closer two years in a row (anyone remember Mel Rojas?  I didn't think so). 

It's a nice start, and they'll probably finish third or fourth at worst, but the Marlins don't have enough depth in their starting rotation or their lineup to stay in first all year.  The Mets, Phils, and Braves better hope so.

Well, the Mets took another series from the Arizona Diamondbacks on the D-Backs' home turf.  That makes them 15-2 in their last 17 games at Chase Field.

Which begs the question: Is it too late to change the design of Citi Field to look more like Chase?

Either that, or maybe the Mets should move to Phoenix.

The Mets finished April with a 14-12 record, and currently lie one half game behind the Florida Marlins for first place in the NL East.  So, what's the theme for April?  It could have been worse.

Fortunately for the Mets, every other team in the NL East has been inconsistent and/or mediocre.  Even though they looked like the worst team in the history of baseball against the Pirates to close out the month, they are still in it.  But they are going to have to get better if they want to be serious contenders.  Even if they make the playoffs, it's doubtful they could go very far playing the way they are now.

With that said, here are the Heroes and Goats of the month of April:

Goats

Carlos Delgado - Generally speaking, it's too early to give up on a player after one month of the season.  But in light of his performance last year, and his continued decline, it's finally time to declare Delgado's career a wrap.  He can't hit any pitch faster than 85 MPH anymore (his two home runs the other day came off a change and a hanging curve), he can't field his position, and he simply doesn't seem to care anymore.  His performance is draining the Mets and their fans of any positive energy they might have taken into this season.  If he proves me wrong, terrific.  But I don't see how that can happen.

Aaron Heilman - He's shown signs of improvement after a dreadful start.  He still has great stuff, and lots of past success, so he'll probably be fine.  But that 5.51 ERA and 4 home runs allowed sure look ugly.

Jorge Sosa - He's done everything the Mets have asked of him without complaint, but he's getting lit up like San Diego County.  ERA: 7.02.  Somehow he's managed to win three games

Carlos Beltran - After a hot start, he's only hitting .211 with 13 RBI.  It's possible he still hasn't built up enough strength in his legs following knee surgery.

Oliver Perez - The Mets needed him badly in the wake of Pedro Martinez's injury.  But he's been his usual flaky self.  Even in his best games this month, he has not been able to get out of the sixth inning.

Heroes

Billy Wagner - Not only has he saved six games while allowing no earned runs on three hits, but he has been the lone voice of reason in the clubhouse.  He called out his teammates after they sleepwalked through a 13-1 defeat on 4/30.  He specifically criticized Oliver Perez for apparently leaving his brain in the dugout before he went to the mound.  It's time to remove the kid gloves.  Somebody has to light a fire under these Alfred E. Newman Mets.

Ryan Church - The only other guy who shows up every day.  He's batting .319 with 19 RBI.  He plays the game the right way, and that is refreshing in this day and age, especially in Queens.

David Wright - He finished the month on a down note, but centerpiece of the franchise provided more good moments than bad for the Mets in April.

Duaner Sanchez - Kudos to Duaner for coming back after missing a year and a half of baseball and pitching beyond expectation.  He and his 1.17 ERA have gone a long way toward stablilizing the Mets bullpen.

Johan Santana - Despite the annoying habit of giving up one or two solo home runs per game, he has been the rock-like, innings eating ace the Mets expected him to be.  And he's also been one of the Mets most reliable bats, which pretty much sums up the month of April. 

Check out my review of MLB 2K8 for the Playstation3.  While you're at it, read up on the Wii and XBox 360 versions by Steve Dempsey and Ryan Maloney. 

It's shocking, yet it's so predictable.  Carlos Delgado busts out of a slump, hits two impressive home runs to lead the Mets to a solid win over the rival Braves, and what are the headlines today?

• Newsday: Delgado (2 HRs) snubs curtain call in Mets win
• Post: NO CURTAIN FOR CARLOS
• Times: Delgado Homers Twice but Isn't Taking Any Bows

And while the Daily News and The Record didn't emphasize the phantom curtain call as much as the above papers, they did dedicate plenty of space to it.

The big news should be Delgado's home runs, and the fact that he may not be washed up just yet.  I'm not deluding myself, I know he can't get around on a good fastball anymore, but yesterday, he at least proved that he can contribute.

Delgado patiently answered questions about his decision to stay in the dugout following his second home run by saying, "The way I look at it, I hit a solo home run in the seventh inning.  I've got a great deal of respect for the game. I don't think that's the place for a curtain call. I've been playing for quite a few years and I think I came out for two curtain calls."

A politician's answer for sure.  But there is more to it than that.  It's bad enough that impatient fans boo their players in April.  It's bad enough that they make it harder for their team to play at home than on the road, but when a crowd boos, what you don't hear are the angry remarks made close to the field.  Some fans choose to be insulting, and they are not afraid to get personal.  Whether he admits it or not, that had to play a role in his decision.  In light of that, I don't blame Delgado one bit for not acknowledging the fickle Shea crowd after his second home run.  

Yes, Delgado can be arrogant.  He can be an elitist snob.  One thing he has never been is classless on and off the field.  Whether or not he took a curtain call had nothing to do with the game.  What should be emphasized is the glimmer of hope finally displayed by our first baseman.

So far, the 2008 season has been an extension of the 2007 season for the New York Mets.  In particular, they have been plagued by an inconsistent lineup and an unreliable bullpen.

When David Wright and Jose Reyes are hitting, Carlos Beltran and Carlos Delgado are not.  When Luis Castillo and Carlos Beltran are hitting, David Wright and Jose Reyes are not.  The only reliable member of this lineup has been Ryan Church.  Who thought that would happen?

The primary offensive offenders have been Carlos Delgado and Jose Reyes.  Delgado is clinging to the Mendoza line like a man overboard, and Reyes has fewer stolen bases than Luis Castillo, who is still recovering from knee surgery, and an OBP a mere three points higher than Johan Santana.  Come to think of it, Santana has as many doubles as Delgado.

In the 'pen, Aaron Heilman and Jorge Sosa have been torched like Daffy Duck, standing on the mound with their bills twisted around to the back of their head after giving up another huge homerun.  Is that you, Aaron?

What is most frustrating is the lack of options the Mets have.  Heilman was their most reliable setup man last year, and they need him to be again.  Duaner Sanchez has looked good early on, but he hasn't pitched in a year and a half.  The Mets would be wise to play it safe with him.  Sosa can probably be replaced with Nelson Figueroa once Pedro Martinez gets back, but there are no real viable options in the minors.  In the lineup, you have to stick with Jose Reyes, and of course, who's going to play first base if you give up on Delgado?  Marlon Anderson?  Of course, Mike Carp is hitting .442 in Double-A.  On the other hand, Mike Carp is hitting .442 in Double-A.

No, the Mets just have to ride it out.  The Mets have to hope Delgado can at least put up the same numbers he put up last year, and Heilman can stop throwing the freaking ball down the middle of the plate all the time.

They also have to hope that Philadelphia and Atlanta continue to be equally as mediocre.  And the first-place Marlins?  Yeah right.

Willie Randolph is making the same mistakes with his pitching staff that he made last year.  Last night, he left Johan Santana in to pitch the eighth, then pulled him after two batters, sticking Aaron Heilman with a first-and-second, no-out situation.

Santana had already thrown 96 pitches, and the Mets had a four-run lead.  So why not start the inning with Heilman, rather than hope for a breezy five-pitch inning from Santana?  Yes, the Mets used every reliever except Scott Schoeneweis the day before, but Santana did his job.  Seven innings is plenty in today's MLB.  Then, you could use Schoeneweis for the eighth and Wagner for the ninth, meaning only one pitcher (Wagner) would have thrown on back-to-back days.

Instead, Willie, as he did last year, tried to squeeze one more inning out of his starter, then took him out after two batters.  He then used Heilman, Feliciano, and Wagner - three pitchers who were used the day before, to finish off the Phillies.

This is how the bullpen got burned out last year.  Not because of massive amounts of innings (only Heilman worked more than seventy innings last year), but because of how they were used.  Willie should bring his relievers in at the start of the inning more often, and avoid dropping them into trouble.

Billy Wagner

Meanwhile, I'm very impressed with the changes Billy Wagner has made coming into this season.  He now pitches from the windup with none on base, which adds deception to his delivery, and he's mixed in an offspeed slurve.  He's looking more and more like Jesse Orosco these days - except, of course, Orosco never threw 96 MPH fastballs.

OK, Mets management, I know you're reading this blog (apparently, you're the only ones), but I know you've been having some problems lately with David Wright's throwing.  Like the people who sit in the field boxes down the first-base line have to wear helmets.  Well, MFT has the solution for you!  It's simple.

Wright often makes throwing errors when he has time.  He takes the ol' crow hop, then wings one into the tarp.  When he has to hurry, his throw is usually on the money.  So, why not tell David to grab the ball and throw it as fast as he can.  Treat every play as if it's a close play. 

He won't have time to think, "Hmm, I threw the ball away last time.  I won't do that again.  Or will I?  I have a history of doing things like that.  But, come on, I won the Gold Glove last year!  I don't know how, I DID make 21 errors.  But I'm popular, and I don't take steroids.  So that has to count for something, right?  OK, here goes, I'm going to make a great throw, right into Ol' Baldie's glove.  Here goes.  Oh, crap, the runner is almost there.  OK, steady Davey boy, you're a major league third baseman.  You can do this.  You won a Gold Glove.  Here goes............Ah, dammit!"

So, David, just throw the ball.  No crow hop.  Trust your instincts.  You can do it.  We believe in you. 

The Mets have picked up in 2008 exactly where they left off in 2007.

• Jose Reyes isn't hitting
• El Duque, Pedro Martinez, Duaner Sanchez, and Moises Alou are hurt, and nowhere near coming back
• The bullpen can't get anyone out
• Luis Castillo is looking like he is on the decline, and his knees are bugging him again (Gee, it would have been nice to have Ruben Gotay around right about now, huh?)
• Oliver Perez is still flaky - he hasn't allowed a run in two starts, but at the end of his last start today, he was barely even throwing the ball in the general direction of home plate
• Despite his great Spring, John Maine now looks more like Burt Young than Cy Young
• Their opposition is making big plays in the field, and coming up with clutch hits.  The Mets aren't
• Willie Randolph is actually getting WORSE at handling the bullpen.  Why did he double-switch in Jorge Sosa today just to take him out the very next inning?  You double switch in a pitcher when you want to get multiple innings out of him.  Willie's been in the National League long enough. He should know how to handle pitchers by now.

It's early, but there is no reason to think the Mets haven't gotten over their 2007 collapse.  Maybe it wasn't a collapse, maybe it was just the Mets playing as well as they can.  Maybe they're just not that good.

Johan Santana must be feeling very lonely right now. 

Yes, the Mets lost yet another series to the Braves at Turner Field.  It's too early in the season to get too upset over this.  At least we're not the Motor City Kitties.  But, in honor of this occasion, here is a classic Mets Fan in Texas post from 2006:

http://metsfanintexas.mlblogs.com/archives/2006/04/mets_vs_braves_.html