The formula for losing baseball: leave plenty of runners on base, especially in scoring position with less than two out. Never get a clutch hit. Walk the opposing batters frequently. In this way, any lead your team gains can be given back quickly. This formula sure seems to be working fine for the Mets.

Last night, yet another game the Mets gave away. By the end of the third inning last night the score should have been 8-0, Mets. Instead, all the Mets could muster was 4 runs. Normally 4 runs would be fine if Johan Santana was on the mound. But last night it was fill in starter Nelson Figueroa. While his story is one of the feel good variety, there is a reason Nelson has pitched everywhere in the galaxy. Last night was a case in which the starting pitcher could not help his offense while the offense could not help their starting pitcher—a very bad combination.

Frustrating is all you can say. The Mets had so many opportunities to score runs early. In the second, the Mets loaded the bases with no one out and only could manage to score 2 runs. A 1-2-3 double play off the bat of Ryan Church who homered in the first inning helped seal the Mets fait in the second. Golden boy David Wright then struck out, still looking for his first hit since Friday night. The Mets took a 3-0 score into the third when a double steal gave the Mets a 4 nothing lead. Again with ducks on the pond, the Mets could garner no more. That’s all folks, at least for the run production for the evening.

Meanwhile on the defensive side of the ledger, Nelson Figueroa could not hold the Dodgers down. He threw 104 pitches in 5 innings topping it off giving up a 2 run inside the park homerun. Turn your sets off folks, game over.

Boomer Esiason correctly calmed fans down this morning sighting that the Mets are only a game and a half out after 31 games played. This certainly is no time to panic. Fans are calling in wanting Willie Randolph fired. It’s still too early for that although if things don’t change for the Mets on the field and the Mets are further behind in two months, all bets are off.

As I mentioned yesterday, the Mets for the better part of a year now have demonstrated they are a .500 team. Win one, lose one, win 2 lose 3, win 3 lose 2, so on and so on. Something is not clicking. Perhaps it’s the injuries. Maybe the Mets are still in some form of spring training mode. Only last Friday were the Mets sporting their projected 2008 starting line up for the first time. They have been without their number 2 starter since the fourth inning of the second game of the year.

One expectation Mets fans have is way out of whack. Since the end of 2006, we expect the Mets to dominate the National League. Fans, they are not that good. They are good enough to win but not good enough to dominate. For one thing the competition is so much tougher now that it was two years ago. The fact that they remain over .500 is a good thing. At least they are in a position to make a run. The baseball season is a long one. So while we are frustrated watching the team struggle, remember. They are still in the thick of it and there are so many games yet to play. The hot teams right now won’t stay hot all year. The teams that are struggling right now could, should, and most likely will contend for a playoff spot. If the Mets win today, they will have split the western swing against two very hot clubs. Put it into perspective. Baseball can not be measured in one or two games, or even a month. Give them a chance, they’ll figure this out. While the Mets may not dominate, they’re too good to keep playing this way.