Few people had a sweeter swing than Darryl Strawberry.

BY MICHAEL GANCI
EDITOR

This morning, I got an email from the fine people of Rootzoo, who produce original videos about all things in sports. They linked me to an excellent video where Darryl Strawberry answers various questions that the fans have sent in to him. It’s a nice watch. Enjoy, and feel free to comment.

Gary Sheffield has carried the team on his back since Delgado went down.

BY MICHAEL GANCI
EDITOR

Recently, I received an email from Tommy Marcus from TBEBaseball.com. He wanted to know if I would be willing to answer some questions about the Mets and their future. I decided that it sounded like fun, and you can read the short interview below. Enjoy!

1) How do you feel about the success from the Mets so far? Should they be doing better?

Honestly, I know there is a lot of panic in New York, but that shouldn’t be a shock to anybody. With guys like Reyes, Delgado and Beltran all missing some time, the Mets are lucky to be where they are. Gary Sheffield is a big reason for that. The Mets need to get themselves healthy so that they can get back on the right track.

2) With JJ Putz’s struggles to adapt to a New York atmosphere, do you think he will be traded?

Actually, I don’t. I think JJ is just trying to figure things out here. Remember, he is used to being in a market where there is absolutely no media coverage, and he is used to no pressure. Now he is in a place where the environment is the complete opposite. I think he needs to stop talking and get his game back together. This is going to surprise people. But, I do still believe in Putz, and I think the trade will be a win for the Mets in the long run this season.

3) Who do you think the Mets are most likely to trade for this season?

Well, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Mets acquire a back-end starting pitcher to replace Tim Redding in the rotation, unless Oliver Perez is ready to return. We all know the Mets are going to give him more chances after the investment that they made on him. One guy who I can see the Mets landing is Seattle’s Jarrod Washburn, although that doesn’t really excite me.

4) Will the Mets make the playoffs? What do you think their record will be?

I think the Mets will make the playoffs, but they won’t advance to far. I’d imagine that they will win the Wild Card, with a record somewhere around 90-72.

5) What has been the most negative effect on the team so far?

Unfortunately, lady luck has been the most negative thing. The injury bug has been like a plague through the Mets’ clubhouse. Luckily though, the Mets have guys who have stepped up and led, and they really should be in a much worse position than they currently are in.

Click here to go to TBE Baseball!

Sullivan has been on a tear during his recent ten-game stretch.

BY MICHAEL GANCI
EDITOR

The Mets haven’t been able to avoid the injury bug at all this season. It seems like everyone has been affected with some kind of ailment. People who are currently on the shelf include Carlos Delgado, Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran, Ryan Church, Oliver Perez, Angel Pagan and now Ramon Martinez. With the fans’ request of Fernando Martinez being called up, there still remains one open spot on the bench, at least until Ryan Church and Jose Reyes make their returns at some point during the next week.

While looking at Buffalo’s roster, a few veteran names come to mind. One thing the Mets might have to do is call up a pitcher to pitch in place of John Maine if he doesn’t feel better soon. My first pick would be Nelson Figueroa, although he would be going on three days rest. Jonathon Niese might be a better bet to get the call. He still has plenty of options.

Another option would be to pick up a bat to add to the bench. The Mets picked up insurance options like Wily Mo Pena and Mike Lamb, but neither of them can hit the broad side of a barn right now, so I will skip right past them.

I would love to see Bobby Kielty get the shot, but he is injured right now, and Emil Brown is still getting his seasoning down at the Triple A level. One guy who I think unfairly gets ignored in situations like this is Cory Sullivan, who has done nothing but stay healthy…and more importantly is red hot right now.

In his last 10 games, Sullivan is batting .410 and he has hit safely in nine of the 10 games. He can be another option for Jerry against right handed relievers, and he can also be used for defensive purposes and double switches late in games.

The last option is simple. Do nothing. According to SNY’s Kevin Burkhardt, it all depends on one guy. “I think it depends on Beltran. If he is healthy today, they may play short until Reyes returns Friday.” Thanks for the quick Twitter response Kevin!

We will have to wait and see, but one thing is for sure. We need to win tonight.

Carlos Delgado needs to get back as soon as possible, but he cannot rush and get re-injured.

BY GREG BARRA
STACHE WRITER

The Mets have not played well at all on the road this season 11-14 overall away from Citi Field. However, this should really be taken seriously because during their most recent road trip when they traveled to the West Coast then back to Boston is when the Mets started dropping like flies. And still, during these last two losses they have not been healthy and probably won’t be until next weekend.

Carlos Beltran will hopefully be back in action this weekend after he gets over this bug that he has. As for Jose Reyes, he’s supposed to come back this weekend as well but we don’t really know for how long. Calf injuries are tough to judge because they are known to frequently act up for quite some time after the initial injury. Hopefully when these two players return to the line the Mets will get back to their consistent winning ways.

For the Mets what really is going to tip the scale to a successful season on the road and at their new home is the return of Carlos Delgado. What’s interesting is that Delgado is still within the top 4 in homers and RBI after being out for almost a month. It’s alarming that Delgado still has more long balls then David Wright whose power struggle this year is hurting the Mets big time.

Injuries are a part of the game and everyone goes through them. Hopefully the Mets can maintain a decent record until their big guns return.