Mets April Schedule Could Determine 2010 Success

There's something about the Mets schedule each year that always seems a bit disconcerting.

Last year there was June and early July when the Mets played 20 games in a row, and August, when the Mets played 29 games with one day off.

I chronicled the scheduling issues quite a bit last year, including this piece on 20 games in 20 days.

In 2009 the Mets got off to a sluggish start in April, only to turn on the jets in May and take what was their only division lead for the year.  In June the wheels fell off as the injuries mounted, and we were all left to think what could have been as one frustration piled on top of another all the way to the merciful end.

Still, with all of the challenges of 2009, the team was far better at home than on the road:

2009 Home/Road
Split	W	L	RS	RA	WP
Home	41	40	343	350	.506
Road	29	52	328	407	.358
2009 Month by Month
Split	W	L	RS	RA	WP
April	9	12	96	97	.429
May	19	9	138	111	.679
June	9	18	108	146	.333
July	12	14	93	108	.462
August	10	19	117	151	.345
September	8	20	103	142	.286
October	3	0	16	2	1.000

This year's schedule is quite a bit more balanced:

• April:  16 home games, 7 away games, 3 off days, 16 games in a row
  
• May:  12 home games, 17 away games, 2 off days, 17 games in a row
  
• June:  12 home games, 14 away games, 4 off days, 9 games in a row
  
• July:  11 home games, 15 away games, 5 off days, 11 games in a row
  
• August: 13 home games, 15 away games, 3 off days, 13 games in a row
  
• September: 14 home games, 13 away games, 3 off days, 10 games in a row
  
• October:  3 home games, 0 away games

The real question surrounding the 2010 schedule is a simple one, "can the Mets take advantage of of the abundance of April home games?"

It's possible, but when we look at the Mets opponents in April, the home field advantage becomes obscured as the Mets play some of the best teams in the NL.  In fact, other than the Nationals, the Mets go up against the cream of the crop to start the year, including games against all four playoff teams.

April opponents:
3 vs Dodgers (.586--won division)
1 vs Philly (.574--won division)
3 vs Colorado (.568--wild card)
3 vs St Louis (.562--won division)
3 vs Florida (.537)
3 vs Atlanta (.531)
4 vs Chicago (.516)
3 vs Nationals (.364)

So the Mets have two opposing forces to begin the year--a plethora of home games, yet those games are against the best teams the senior circuit has to offer.

When you're a losing team, the schedule always looks tougher than it probably is.  But make no mistake, the Mets are going to get challenged early and often, and though the season is certainly a marathon, the first month might just tell us a lot.

Good Morning Mets Fans!

Well, well, well....3 "wells" and 3 wins in a row from a team that has suddenly found new life.

The Mets are now 10-12 in July and stand 6.5 games back in the wildcard race.

It was a very strong win highlighted by the continued hot streak of Luis Castillo (2 for 3 with a walk), another RBI from the rejuvenated Jeff Francoeur (homered and drew his first Met walk--an intentional one), a strong bullpen effort in relief of Ollie Perez (the bullpen went 4 inning with no runs, no walks, and 5 Ks), and the big hit of the night--a Grand Slam by Fernando Tatis.

Tatis has had more than his share of struggles this season and hit into double plays at an embarrassing clip, but last night he wanted a fly ball, needed a fly ball, had to have a fly ball--and he got one--a really big fly. "I was just trying to hit a fly ball," Tatis said, "and it happened."

The bottom line for this team is that they are hitting and pitching well, and winning a bit, which in turn has energized the entire roster....they are having fun again.

The Mets have a real chance to keep the momentum going throughout this homestand and start the process of leapfrogging a few teams in the wildcard standings. That will be their guiding star to succeed.

There is plenty of baseball left--this team has a shot.

Team	W	L	PCT	GB	E#	L10	STRK	LAST GAME	NEXT GAME
Colorado	54	45	.545	-	-	6-4	L1	7/27 @ NYM, L 3-7	7/28 @ NYM, 7:10P
San Francisco	53	46	.535	1.0	63	4-6	W1	7/27 vs PIT, W 4-2	7/28 vs PIT, 10:15P
St. Louis	54	48	.529	1.5	61	4-6	W1	7/27 vs LAD, W 6-1	7/28 vs LAD, 8:15P
Atlanta	51	48	.515	3.0	61	7-3	W1	7/26 @ MIL, W 10-2	7/28 @ FLA, 7:10P
Florida	51	48	.515	3.0	61	6-4	W1	7/26 @ LAD, W 8-6	7/28 vs ATL, 7:10P
Houston	50	49	.505	4.0	60	5-5	L3	7/27 @ CHC, L 1-5	7/28 @ CHC, 8:05P
Milwaukee	49	50	.495	5.0	59	3-7	L2	7/27 vs WSH, L 6-14	7/28 vs WSH, 8:05P
NY Mets	47	51	.480	6.5	58	5-5	W3	7/27 vs COL, W 7-3	7/28 vs COL, 7:10P
Cincinnati	45	53	.459	8.5	56	3-7	W1	7/27 vs SD, W 6-4	7/28 vs SD, 7:10P
Pittsburgh	43	56	.434	11.0	53	4-6	L3	7/27 @ SF, L 2-4	7/28 @ SF, 10:15P
Arizona	43	57	.430	11.5	52	5-5	L1	7/27 vs PHI, L 2-6	7/28 vs PHI, 9:40P
San Diego	38	62	.380	16.5	47	2-8	L3	7/27 @ CIN, L 4-6	7/28 @ CIN, 7:10P
Washington	31	68	.313	23.0	41	5-5	W3	7/27 @ MIL, W 14-6	7/28 @ MIL, 8:05P

Mets Fall to .500

Final	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Atlanta «	1	0	0	1	1	2	1	0	0	6	13	0
N.Y. Mets	0	0	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	2	1

W: J. Jurrjens (3-2) L: M. Pelfrey (2-1) HR: ATL - K. Johnson (4) NYM - None

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