"Mike, the Mets pitching stinks" so said Chris Russo today at the top of the Mike and the Mad Dog show today. Once again, Russo uses his vast database of knowledge, crunches all the numbers, then bases his opinion on one game. Yes, Soler was bad last night. So were the rest of the Mets. They couldn't get it done with runners in scoring position and made crucial mistakes such as trying to score Reyes which thankfully did not end with a catastrophic injury and Milledge's non error out in left field. In fairness, the Mets are entitled to lose a game once in a while. In fact, once in a while they will lose a game like last night when they are beaten soundly. It happens. It's baseball not football. It's baseball where losing 65 games in a season is a great season. So why does Russo say the Mets pitching stinks. Because as always, he reacts to one game. For someone who claims to be such a baseball fan, he sure seems to approach the game like it were football. Let's look at the facts and the facts are based on real numbers.

First off, the Mets are 47 and 29, in first place by 11.5 games. You don't get there if your pitching "stinks". The Mets currently have the best ERA in the National League at 3.90. They are second in the league with opposing batters hitting just .246 against them. The Padres pitchers lead the league with .244. The Mets pitchers are second in strike outs with 570. Milwaukee has 571. They are tied with Florida for second place with the fewest earned runs being given up at 304. The Padres have given up 298. A category the Mets could stand some improvement is in walks allowed. They are seventh in the league having allowed 256 walks. Also they are second in giving up the fewest total bases at 1036. Florida leads the league with 3 less than the Mets. The Mets are third in the league in giving up the fewest hits with 650,  85 of which have been home runs. Must I go on?

How can you possible judge an entire pitching staff over 76 games based on one?Apparently Chris Russo can. Maybe he's just upset because his Giants are simply not that good so the only joy he can muster is pouring cold water on a fine Mets season. Could the Mets use more pitching. That's easy to answer--what team couldn't? Are the Mets pitchers old. Yes, but so are a lot of other teams' pitchers. What, Curt Schilling, Mike Mussina, Roger Clemons, and Randy Johnson all of a sudden are spring chickens?

Chris, do us Mets fans a favor. I can take the criticism. It doesn't bother me. I can be critical about the Mets too, I often am. But for goodness sakes, if you're going to bash the Mets, please do your homework and go to work prepared to back it up. Is that too much to ask from someone who makes a living doing talk radio? It's your job for goodness sakes.