A few random and most likely irrational fun-facts about the now 37-36 New York Mets:
- Only the Giants (45) have hit less home runs than the Mets (46) this season.
- In the first year of a three-year, $36 million contract, the Mets are paying Oliver Perez $12 million in 2009. So far that’s good enough for one win. A pretty good win-to-highway-robbery ratio if you can get it.
- While David Wright has whiffed 73 times already this season (on pace for 163), the Mets have struck out less (394) than any team in the majors.
- Gary Sheffield, who wasn’t even under contract with the club until April 3, leads the team with just nine home runs.
- Brett Gardner has more hits (5) than the Mets (4) during the first two games of this weekend’s Subway Series.
- Bouyed by the strong play of Omir Santos, Mets catchers have driven in more runs (51) than any other team in the majors.
- And finally, according to Mets Today, the team currently has approximately $67,675,000 worth of players on the disabled list. This figure is roughly equal to that of the Twins payroll, while higher than the Rays, Athletics, Nationals, Pirates, Padres and Marlins.
You know, the other night, as I watched Fernando Nieve toss six scoreless innings against the Cardinals and Nick Evans go 2-for-3 with a home run, it was easy to feel pretty darn good about this pack of scrappy nobodies. Unfortunately for Mets fans, nearly every underdog story comes with an expiration date. And after being humbled through the first two games of this weekend’s interleague series against the Yankees, I’m afraid we’re left rooting for curdled milk.