Adam Rubin provides a number of Mets injury updates on his blog for the New York Daily News.

Mets team doctor David Altchek recommended surgery to repair Angel Pagan’s torn labrum in his left shoulder. He will seek a second opinion but the expectation is that if he undergoes surgery by Sept. 1, he’d be ready for spring training.

Head over to Rubin’s blog for updates on Luis Castillo, Moises Alou, and Pedro Martinez.

Billy Wagner is one of the top closers in baseball, an All Star, and earns saves far more often than he blows them.

But can the Mets trust Billy Wagner in a big spot?

It seems like we, as Mets fans, are always wrestling with this question regarding their closer. The names change but the issue remains the same. Is it simply myopia? Are we only able to view our closers by their biggest failures? A collective blind spot in the eyes of the fan base, not unlike the hanging curve ball that continues to hang over Carlos Beltran’s head?

Howard Megdal writes in an article in the New York Observer that Wagner has converted 87 percent of his save opportunities. Closers not named Billy Wagner have converted 60 percent of all save opportunities in the National League in 2008’s first half.

Is Wagner unable to close games in big spots? Is he unable to succeed unless he starts the inning in which he pitches? Does he go from Superman to Clark Kent when asked to pitch more than one inning?

In 2006 against the Yankees on national television, Wagner unraveled, after entering the game with a 4-0 lead he walked three hitters after walking 21 hitters all year. The Yanks went on to win the game in extra innings.

In the NLCS he allowed five runs, seven hits and a walk in 2 2/3 innings for a 16.88 ERA in three games. Despite his average of 12 strikeouts per nine innings in his career, he did not strike out a single batter. Wagner’s overall postseason ERA is 8.71—his regular season ERA is 2.40.

In 2007, the only two months Wagner had an ERA over 2.19 were September, at 3.60, and August, at 6.23. Wagner’s career All Star Game ERA is 10.80.

We all remember how Wagner fared as Willie Randolph’s job hung in the balance, as Wagner allowed two home runs, then walked a pair of hitters in three appearances from June 8 through June 12 earning him three blown saves and expediting Randolph’s walking papers.

Ultimately teams have won despite having a closer who could not seal the deal in big games, but the pressure that puts on a team can be too much to overcome, and could be the Mets undoing considering the small margin of error they’ve been accorded in recent years.

Megdal article in the New York Observer details Wagner’s struggles in even greater detail in his article and I suggest you check it out.

In case you missed it, SNY has launched The Nooner, which is a daily video blog hosted by the fetching Miss Brittnay Umar.

The Nooner is definitely Hot Foot approved, well written and very funny. Head on over to the Nooner Blog and check it out.

Its still very much the honeymoon period of Jerry Manuel’s managing career with the Mets, but the early returns are quite impressive. How much credit does Jerry Manuel actually deserve for how well the Mets have played since he took the reigns? How much of a difference from Willie Randolph’s style of managing to Manuel’s has had an effect on the team?

Its hard to determine how much influence the change has had, other than the results themselves. But are the results simply indicative of the team playing better? Could it be that they simply feel more comfortable not having to deal with the constant barrage of questions regarding the job status of their manager, even if it was their own poor play that caused those questions to be asked in the first place.

I’m willing to concede that my assessment that a manager has little influence over how a team performs was misguided. I was of the school of thought that the players have far more control over how the team wins or loses. I believed that a manager has far more a hand in the success or failure of a team when it is mostly comprised of young, impressionable players. I overlooked the fact that a calming presence, someone who allows the players to simply have fun and play hard can have such a positive influence on a club that it can put them in an enviorment that encourages winning.

Billy Wagner can usually be counted on to give you the straight truth, whether its good or bad. He gave Manuel positive reviews for his change in approach.

“I don’t want to bash Willie, because I liked him,” Billy Wagner said. “But before, it was more of The Yankee Way. It wasn’t The Mets Way. There was no facial hair. You could never have music in the clubhouse. You couldn’t have kids around. Believe it or not, some of us in here actually like kids.”

Manuel told them to “play hard, play fearless and have fun,” Wagner said, and to stop worrying about results. “You know what?” Wagner said. “We’ve found out it’s pretty easy to play when you stop playing for stats and just go out and play hard and play to have fun”

The Mets are finally having fun, but everyone has fun while their winning. What will show if Manuel’s way is what the Mets needed will come when they’re losing, which they inevitably will at some point in the second half. How Manuel is able to deal with adversity will be the true test.

The Mets were decidedly average up until two weeks before the break. Hovering around or just below .500 for most of the first three months of the season, there was little there to give one enough of an idea that we had a playoff bound club on our hands.

Just as the first half was coming to a close, the Mets got on a roll. Winning 11 of their last 13 games, and putting themselves within a half game of first place in the NL East. They saw the emergence of Mike Pelfrey becoming the pitcher they had always envisioned him to be, going 6-0 with a 2.07 ERA since the start of June.

They saw their offense meet the expectations placed upon it, and the rebirth of Carlos Delgado who had all but become a shell of his former self. Delgado is batting .367, with 12 runs scored, six doubles, three home runs, seven RBIs in 45 at-bats since July 1st

They received the much needed help from players filling in for the numerous injuries sustained by their starters. Lacking Ryan Church, Moises Alou, and Luis Castillo for extended periods, their absence was adequately filled by the likes of Damion Easley, Argenis Reyes, Endy Chavez, and a Fernando Tatis who seemingly rose from the dead.

The bullpen has been outstanding as well as the starting pitching, setting records for the lack of runs and hits allowed throughout the streak. The Mets became the first team in modern baseball history (since 1900) to hold their opponent to three hits in five consecutive games. The bullpen hasn’t allowed a run in the last 19.1 innings of work and are 3-0 during that stretch.

Who are the real Mets? Are they the ones who floundered around for the first four months, inconsistent and unable to find their much needed groove or are they the Mets of the last two weeks, loose, relaxed and dominating their opponents at seemingly effortless clip.

The Mets haven’t had a groove like this since 2006, the second half will prove if they have the magic of that year in them, or if the last two weeks were simply an abberation.

Gary Grund contributed to this blog post.

I was lucky enough to attend the MLB All Star party at Webster Hall last night, thanks to Michelle De Forest of NextNewNetworks. The event was great, with Webster Hall’s multiple levels decked head to toe with Sharp Aquos HD flatscreen monitors for fans to catch all the action. There were plenty of comfy couches on the main floor where later in the night U2 cover band 2U took the stage to entertain the crowd.

Fans were treated to free hot dogs, peanuts, and popcorn, along with free frosty Budweiser to enjoy the game. There were 10 Sharp Aquos flatscreen monitors given away as well.

The National League wound up losing in the longest All-Star Game ever, with David Wright on the verge of being asked to pitch. I was hoping to see a Kazmir/Wright pitching duel, but the AL took the win before it could happen.

When asked what flipped the switch for the Mets, David Wright pointed to Mike Pelfrey’s win over Tim Lincecum and the Giants less than two weeks ago. After losing to Philly with Johan Santana on the mound, the Mets went on to beat the Phils in the next three games, winning the series.

Wright tells Vic Ziegel of the New York Daily News how that started the ball rolling.

“When we won the next three, and in Philadelphia, that was big. We came home for the Giants and their pitcher was Tim Lincecum. He was 10-1. Coulda been the starter in the All-Star Game.”

Pelfrey sent the Mets to a 7-0 shutout over the Giants, and the highly favored Lincecum.

Wright said Pelfrey “gave us the confidence we needed. Our confidence went right through the roof.”

Mike Pelfrey is 5-0 in his last eight starts, after losing six of his first eight, dropping his ERA from 5.33 to 3.64.

Mets manager Jerry Manuel has big plans for the Big Pelf.

“I think Pelfrey has a chance to leapfrog some people on the staff and become one of the top, top pitchers not only on our staff, but in the league, and I think that at some point we’re going to have to challenge him to do that.”

Mike Pelfrey’s turnaround is a microcosm of the Mets own turnaround, and having an arm like his, pitching the way he has, will do wonders for keeping the Mets on a roll.