Mets 4, Brewers 3
Brewers 8, Mets 2
Mets 9, Brewers 3

This weekend was an opportunity for the Mets to see if they were capable of continuing their success against slightly stiffer competition. Having easily dispatched with the dregs of the NL East, the Brewers came to town with a good young team and a winning record. It was the first real test for the red hot Mets.

Tom Glavine was up to the challenge on Friday, retiring the Brewers as easily as he had the Nationals and Marlins. He gave up just one unearned run through six innings on one walk and six hits and he struck out an astonishing eleven. In a rotation that's equal parts potential and uncertainty, Glavine has been a rock in the early going.

The Mets offense had just six hits on the night, but made them count for four runs. Xavier Nady's second home run and a double by Paul Lo Duca were the only ones to go for extra bases. But that was just enough of a cushion for Glavine and the bullpen, even after Aaron Heilman allowed two runs without recording an out. One of those runs scored after Duaner Sanchez replaced Heilman, but Sanchez pitched well for two innings, allowing one run and two walks while striking out two. Billy Wagner closed things out with a perfect ninth and he even struck somebody out.

Things did not go so smoothly for the offense or the bullpen on Saturday. Steve Trachsel's start didn't help matters much, either. He lasted just five innings and gave up four runs on nine hits and one walk while striking out four. He also hit two batters. Darren Oliver allowed a run in two innings of relief, giving up a home run to Carlos Lee. He did strike out two.

And then there was Jorge Julio. He entered the game with an ERA of 16.88, having allowed at least one run in each of his three appearances. That streak was emphatically kept intact in this game as he put a game that was still somewhat close out of reach in a hurry. He allowed just two hits in one inning, but he also hit a batter and the second hit was a Geoff Jenkins home run, so it all added up to three more runs, raising his ERA to 19.64. And that doesn't even account for the three unearned runs he allowed in his first appearance.

After this game, he'd pitched three and two-thirds innings and allowed eleven runs on eleven hits and two walks. He'd struck out six but also allowed three home runs. Right now he in no way resembles a major league pitcher, and given Heath Bell's early success in Norfolk--4.1 IP, 8 K, 0 BB, 1 R--I would really like to see the Mets make a move sooner rather than later. Having Julio in the bullpen is like having only five pitchers out there, because there is no way he can be brought into a game when the outcome is in any sort of question. He is the worst player on the team, and with both Endy Chavez and Jose Valentin on the roster, that's really saying something.

Things got back to normal on Sunday with more, well, adequate pitching and plenty of offense to support it. Brian Bannister had another harrowing but effective start, allowing just one run in five innings. But he allowed six hits and five walks while striking out four and nearly every inning was a struggle. He's gotten good results so far, but he is going to have to improve his control and cut down on baserunners significantly to have any kind of sustained success.

The Mets' offense didn't have as much trouble getting to Ben Sheets, as Nady hit his third home run, a two-run shot, in the second inning. The Mets added one more run against Sheets in both the fifth and sixth innings. But the bullpen nearly failed the Mets again, as Oliver entered in the sixth and gave up two runs on two hits, recording just two outs before Chad Bradford had to bail him out.

Things remained tight for the next two innings as Heilman kept the Brewers off the board to maintain the lead. He walked two batters and allowed one hit, but he also struck out two. Just as the Mets were about to bring in Wagner to try to close out another close game, they exploded for five runs in the bottom of the eighth to put this one out of reach.

Four Mets walked in the eighth, including Jose Reyes and Lo Duca to start the inning. Carlos Delgado followed them with his fourth home run of the season, a line drive blasted down the right field line. Two more walks and a Nady single loaded the bases for Victor Diaz, who came through with a double to plate two. Along with Nady, Lo Duca and David Wright each had two hits in the game including a double for Wright.

So, with a six-run lead, the game was officially over enough for Julio to get another shot. The Brewers were less pleased with his particular brand of in-game batting practice on this day, as he only allowed one hit. That hit was an absolute laser of a double to the wall by Bill Hall, but Julio finally got out of an inning without allowing a run, dropping his ERA to 15.43. I still don't want him on the team tomorrow.

And tomorrow will be the day the Mets (9-2) first come face to face with the actual competition in the division. The Braves (6-7) come to town in second place, trailing the Mets by four games. In recent years even when the Mets were good they couldn't quite solve the Braves. In the playoff years of 1999 and 2000, the Mets were a combined 9-12 against Atlanta, and that doesn't even include the '99 NLCS heartbreaker. If the Mets are going to establish themselves as the class of this division, taking a couple games from the Braves would be a good way to start. Monday's pitching matchup looks like a way to get off on the right foot, as Pedro Martinez (2-0, 3.46) will face Jorge Sosa (0-2, 11.37).  ¶ joe | 4:54 PM |