The Mets much-maligned bullpen was terrific tonight. Figueroa gave up an unearned run in the 7th, thanks to some awful defense by Delgado (Reyes got the E, but Carlos II should have handled the throw) and Church. But the pen kept it to a one-run inning (almost miraculously), and then the Mets took advantage of even worse Braves' defense to put up a four-spot in the 8th to win it.

Awesome. A huge night for the Metropolitans -- back into first in the division, and a bit of breathing room on the WC, if we need it. 2.5 up on the Brewers, and 5 up on the Fish, who are coming up fast on the outside.

Very, very productive all around.

EDIT:

Oh, and may I just add . . . Daniel Murphy is going to be a star. They need to find a defensive position he can play -- and that may prove a bit dicey -- but the kid can flat out hit, and has an approach at the plate that will not fail. The best prospect the Mets have brought up since David Wright.

thanks to some awful defense by Delgado

There's no excuse for Reyes not hitting him in the chest on that throw, he had time to plant and make an accurate throw.

Let's hope Pedro doesn't give it all back tomorrow!

Bullpen went 4 IP, 2 H, 0 ER.

Love Murphy. Hope Church can get straightened out.

There's no excuse for Reyes not hitting him in the chest on that throw, he had time to plant and make an accurate throw.

Granted. But given the throw he got, Delgado still should have caught it. And I guarantee you he would be the first person to say so.

So give them both a half-error for not doing what they should have done. Either way, the Mets played horrible defense that inning. The difference between the Mets and Braves is that when the Braves got gifts, they turned them into one run, tying the game. A half-inning later, the Mets got similar gifts, they scored four times and blew the game open.

Thanks mostly to Daniel Murphy.

I can't believe, after all the Girl Next Door-level horrors i've had to witness with this Mets team, they are now in first place.

I'd still take Elisha Cuthbert over any of the Mets.

I'd still take Elisha Cuthbert over any of the Mets.

Wrong movie.

Delgado still should have caught it

Correct, just wanted to share the blame. We don't even mention Delgado if Reyes makes a normal throw.

I just saw the MLB.com video clip for Alfredo Amezaga's HR, the one that capped the 6-run fifth and essentially doomed the Phillies. On it, Rich Waltz screamed "Get outta here, ball! Get outta here, ball!"

That, my friends, is the worst scripted homer call I've ever heard. He must have learned well at the foot of Rick Rizzs in Seattle, who has his own pathetically lightweight "Goodbye, baseball" scripted call.

Oh, and may I just add . . . Daniel Murphy is going to be a star

I initially misread you and thought you said DAVID Murphy is going to be a star. Just how good a hitting prospect is Daniel, and (given his inability to find a position) could he play regularly at 1B in place of Delgado?

Just how good a hitting prospect is Daniel, and (given his inability to find a position) could he play regularly at 1B in place of Delgado?

His numbers at Binghamton this year are excellent, .308/.374/.496 -- 13 HR, 40 XBH in 357 ABs. Those were a step forward from 2007, although in context his numbers in the pitcher-friendly FSL that year are also good (.285/.338/.430).

If you watch him hit, Murphy has an utterly great & classic approach for a left-handed hitter -- excellent plate discipline, works the count deep when the pitches are not there and both goes the other way -- with line-drive power -- with a lot of pitches and pulls stuff from the middle in. So there are few options for pitchers -- they can't get him to chase, there is no obvious hole, and he has excellent drive to all fields. He hits a lot like an Olerud-type hitter, but I actually think with more pure power, if less discipline at the plate (at least so far).

If he keeps up hitting the way he is -- he won't maintain his current numbers, obviously, but the approach -- there is no chance he'll fail. None. I've never seen a lefty hitter with that approach, that pitch recognition and discipline, and that much ability to put the ball in play with authority, NOT succeed.

As for defensive position, there are certainly options. He has looked barely adequate to poor in the OF, but that's understandable -- he'd never played it before this year, and IIRC not at all before he got to the majors. So it's on-the-job training. They could send him to winter ball to set him up as the left fielder in 2009. Or, my preference, they could do the same, but with the idea to teach him to be the second baseman instead. There's a hole there, too. But they have to clear Castillo's contract, by trade or release. And to do that, they'd have to be convinced Murphy can handle the position defensively, and that's risky.

Murphy at 2B would be dicey- he'd have a lot of work to do to be average, and as big a fan as I am of getting offense out of your up-the-middle positions (the good Met teams in the last ten years have had this- Reyes and Beltran as anchors now, Piazza and Alfonzo before), it isn't worth the extra outs and higher pitch counts you'll have to deal with as a result. I'd rather hand him LF for 2009, even though it'll leave us lefty-heavy in the OF. Martinez doesn't look to be ready until 2010 barring a major leap forward next year.

Evans is pretty much the opposite- I don't see anything in him that suggests he'll really thrive, at least not without some more time in the minors. He's trying up there, but it seems at best he'll punch liners in between the infielders and outfielders. Which is OK, but you need more power out of an OF.

Castillo is a problem, for sure. Delgado and Tatis should be back next year though, and I wouldn't mind penciling in Fernando for 350 ABs again.

I don't know what it was specifically (haven't looked at the Pitch F/X data), but Brett Myers looked absolutely awful last night. I hope that was just an aberrant start -- completely ignoring the first-half, of course -- and not the start of a regression.

I picked a great night to take a nap instead of watching the whole Phillies game.

Castillo won't be on the team next year. I doubt Murphy can handle second, but they'll find someone else.

I heard someone compare Murphy to Rusty Greer, and I think that works. My hope is that, just like Greer, Murphy will be an excellent #2 hitter out of left field for the near future.

Evans will probably start in AAA to begin next year. Not sure about his long-term prospects.

As for defensive position, there are certainly options. He has looked barely adequate to poor in the OF, but that's understandable -- he'd never played it before this year, and IIRC not at all before he got to the majors. So it's on-the-job training. They could send him to winter ball to set him up as the left fielder in 2009. Or, my preference, they could do the same, but with the idea to teach him to be the second baseman instead. There's a hole there, too. But they have to clear Castillo's contract, by trade or release. And to do that, they'd have to be convinced Murphy can handle the position defensively, and that's risky.

FYI, Sam, Mets are sending Murphy to Arizona Fall League to learn second base. I am thrilled.

Yay! I played 2nd base in little league, so this is good news.

And, you know, for other reasons too.

Evans is pretty much the opposite- I don't see anything in him that suggests he'll really thrive, at least not without some more time in the minors.

Depends on what you mean by "really thrive." I think he's ready right now to be extremely productive in a platoon role. He can hit LHP easily well enough to hold up his end as the smaller half of a platoon, even given the offensive responsibilities of a corner outfielder. Is that all you want from him? Maybe not. But it's a pretty darned valuable player to have around.

FYI, Sam, Mets are sending Murphy to Arizona Fall League to learn second base. I am thrilled.

To me, that is a gamble -- one I'd take, too, mind you -- but a gamble with a very, very valuable property. Because if he can't make that adjustment, then you've lost this off-season in his defensive development, time he could have spent making the less difficult adjustment to LF. And then you are stuck with Castillo again at 2B next year. Ugh.

It's high risk, high reward. Because if Murphy can play second base adequately -- even somewhat below average, but within reason -- he is going to be one of the most valuable players in the league for the next five years, when you take into account his low cost, and the offensive contribution he is going to make relative to position. I'd take that chance, even if it might put us in some hot water for 2009.

Evans is pretty much the opposite- I don't see anything in him that suggests he'll really thrive, at least not without some more time in the minors. He's trying up there, but it seems at best he'll punch liners in between the infielders and outfielders. Which is OK, but you need more power out of an OF.

How about his very nice .343/.397/.552 batting line against lefties? Evans demolished lefties in AA and I am pretty confident that he'll be a valuable platoon player that can play first and a corner outfield spot at the very least. Evans mashes lefties and people tend to forget that he outhit Murphy in the minors the last two years.

Murphy is the better bet for the future because of the fact that he is a lefty hitter but I would not be surprised if Evans hits righties better next season. He's a year younger than Murphy who didn't breakout until this season.