Tonight’s game against the Cincinnati Reds has been postponed and will be part of a day/night doubleheader tomorrow.

Johan Santana will be moved up to pitch the day game, at 1:10pm. Mike Pelfrey will pitch the night game, at 7:30pm

On Mets Blog today, Matthew Cerrone asks fans “What do you want?”

Talking with fellow fans and people I come into contact on a daily basis, I get a variety of answers. Most often I hear that they want Willie Randolph fired, which always seems to be the go-to answer for everyone when things are in neutral or reverse. Willie, to me is not the biggest problem, but two things that he has control over bother me. I feel like there is a feeling of apathy and lack of emotion that comes down from the manager. I also feel, as has been written ad nauseam, that he’s a terrible in-game manager especially when it comes to the bullpen. His poor bullpen management has singlehandedly led to Mets losses and that is entirely unacceptable.

In general, I feel like the Mets are stuck in neutral, they’re not awful but they’re not great either. The thing that is missing for me is that immediacy that they had in 2006 and lacked in 2007 and seem to be lacking early on again.

Why do they lack this immediacy? I feel like its a combination of aging players past their prime like Carlos Delgado and Luis Castillo being asked to fill pivotal roles in the Mets offense. I shudder to think where the Mets would be right now if Ryan Church had not had the kind of offensive impact he’s provided thus far. Church can’t carry the team on his back all year, in order for the Mets to be a playoff team they will need more than just David Wright, Jose Reyes, and Church.

Carlos Beltran has been passive despite his uncharacteristic response to
Jimmy Rollin’s “Team to Beat” mantra. Beltran can’t be counted on to be the vocal leader but he can take the bat off his shoulder once in awhile and be the clutch hitter we need him to be at clean up. Wright cannot be expected to be the hero every night. In order for the Mets to gain momentum, they need this offense to click the way it should. If Beltran can step up, and Moises Alou can return to last year’s form, a core of Wright, Reyes, Beltran, Church and Alou should be enough to drive the offense.

Oliver Perez seems to be the subject of the most ire from fans on the pitching side of things. His own teammates seem to be annoyed by his lack of focus and unwillingness to accept the advice they’ve tried to get across to him. Perez is maddening because he has so much talent and natural ability but cannot seem to harness it because he lacks discipline. I’m not really sure how to get him on the right track, as it seems to be a change Oliver needs to decide to make. It would do wonders if he’d acknowledge it publicly but I won’t hold my breath waiting for it to happen.

I think fans are more forgiving and optimistic about Johan, Maine, and at least a willingness to learn and improve from Mike Pelfrey. I also think the feel Nelson Figueroa has earned himself enough goodwill from his first few fine starts to give him some slack. He’s done a fine job as far as I am concerned as a fifth starter.

The inconsistancy, the lack of fire, the lack of hustle from Delgado, the lack of intensity to me seems to be what fans are most upset about. If the Mets played hard and wore their emotion more, which you’ve seen with more frequency lately perhaps due to their own frustration, then I think the fans can be more forgiving. If you lose and it seems like you don’t care, well thats a recipe for disaster. I think fans are willing to forget the events of September 07 as long as the team shows they’re making a solid effort and that is what I want and I think most fans want to see from the Mets.

After another frustrating loss, the Toasty one, Toasted Joe, gives a rousing State of the Mets Union address to fellow fans, promising not to stop taking pot shots at various underperforming players until change occurs.

I shed a tear reading it. I’m mad as hell and I am not going to take it anymore. Go get em’ Joe!!!