WASHINGTON — Now comes the truly hard part.
The Mets stumbled unexpectedly on last week’s trip to Washington and Pittsburgh, going 2-4 after yesterday’s 7-0 win here over the Nationals.
That woeful line against a pair of NL bottom-feeders doesn’t exactly bode well for this week’s home series with the Phillies and Subway Series visit to Yankee Stadium.
“Ready or not, Tuesday’s going to come and we’re going to have to take the field,” David Wright said. “I think we’re ready. It seems like we elevate our game when we play those upper-echelon teams. Hopefully this week is nothing different.”
On the plus side, the Mets are 3-1 against the Phillies this season and recently took two of three at Fenway Park.
But the Phillies aren’t doing Jerry Manuel’s club any favors, throwing three consecutive left-handers at the Amazin’s when the series starts tomorrow at Citi Field.
The Mets have struggled mightily against lefties the past month, which explains why Manuel shook his head when the Philadelphia lineup of J.A. Happ, Cole Hamels and Jamie Moyer was relayed to him.
“Boy, that Charlie Manuel — he’s something else, ain’t he?” Jerry Manuel said of his Phillies counterpart. “He knows I’m struggling now with those lefties. But that’s OK. We’ll be all right. If they want to see a lot of [righty slugger Gary] Sheffield, I’ll show them Sheff.”
Recent problems against lefties aren’t the only reasons Manuel winces when he looks at this week’s schedule. Injuries have decimated the Mets, robbing them of most of their power and speed.
Johan Santana, who is scheduled to start the opener tomorrow against the Phillies and Sunday’s finale against the Yankees, admitted the Mets face an uphill climb this week.
Santana, though, doesn’t see the Mets backing down.
“We unfortunately don’t have the guys that are supposed to be our starters,” Santana said. “At the same time, you have a team that is willing to play, willing to do whatever it takes to win a game. I’m pretty sure everybody is going to be ready.”
