The Mets bullpen is a mess.  While that isn’t exactly news to anyone who has been following the Mets (or subjected themselves to ESPN for more than 5 minutes, God help them), I doubt anyone has felt the effects any more keenly than their ace, Johan Santana.  Sure, Mets fans are rather angry at the bullpen but then that goes along with being a Mets fan.

Johan sported a 10-7 record going into Saturday’s action.  Johan’s record could have been better, much better.  Factoring in the six games win which the bullpen blew the lead after relieving Santana along with the games where he simply didn’t get any run support, he could easily have been in the running for the Cy Young Award.

On Sunday, for the second time this year, Johan pitched a complete game.  Somehow, I magically managed to be in attendance for both of them.  Complete games are rare enough that I’ve made the 380 mile trip to the Pittsburgh area more often in the last year and a half than the Mets have managed to pitch complete games.  But I digress….

Johan was masterful on Sunday, completely dominating an overmatched Pirates offense en route to the Mets’ sixth straight win.  An also rare two run home run by Brian Schneider in the top of the 2nd that I missed due to highway traffic would be all the offense he would need.  The Mets would add two more for good measure including a home run by Carlos Beltran that I missed while at the concession stands.  The Pirates put up little resistance with only three hits.  And the bullpen……well, they got to enjoy the game from the confines out beyond the centerfield fence, perhaps the best part of it all.

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