Game #32: Mets 6, Dodgers 3

The Mets' Jose Reyes slid past Juan Uribe on one of his two triples in the first five innings. (NYTimes.com)

When dysfunction meets dysfunction, there is a strange phenomenon: good baseball.

Jose Reyes' brilliant speed was well on display, and Jason Pridie belted the Mets into the lead for good, giving them a 6-3 win over the Dodgers.

The Good Stuff:

• Pridie knew beforehand thanks to Angel Pagan's setback that he was not in danger of being sent down to Buffalo just yet, but his clutch 3-run homer in the 6th may have solidified his place on the roster, even when Pagan comes back.
• Jose Reyes was in the zone tonight, slashing 2 triples and a double to score 2 of NY's 6. What's a shame is that we might have to ship him off cause we can't afford both him and David Wright. The favorite to stay is Wright, but if I were GM I think I'd be leaning toward keeping Reyes. The 27-year-old shortstop (yes, he's really that young) is batting .326 on the year, as opposed to Wright's .244 (David went 0-3 tonight), and Reyes is the more electrifying player. Hard-hitting third basemen like Wright are fairly common, but a player who energizes his team like Jose Reyes doesn't come around very often.
• Also getting in on the stat sheet are Carlos Beltran (sac fly in the 1st), Jason Bay (RBI single to provide insurance in the 7th), and Ike Davis (an absolute rocket of a solo shot in the 2nd).
• More props to the bullpen for 3 1/3 innings of solid relief.

The Bad Stuff:

• Jon Niese wasn't terrible on the mound, but wasn't spectacular either: 5 2/3, 3 runs on 7 hits, 3 walks, 5 Ks. What puts him other Bad Stuff tonight is because racked his pitch count up to 116 and didn't even go 6 innings; he averaged about 20 and a half pitches an out. Fuel is expensive nowadays; efficiency, dude!

Final Analysis:
The Mets picked up right where they left off yesterday. Thursday it was SF, Friday it was LA, both times it was a win for NY. Like I said yesterday: we're not always on, but when we're on, we're on. Ideally we'll keep it on for the rest of the weekend.

MM

P.S. Happy 80th Birthday Willie Mays! One of my favorite players of all time, and a New York legend. Also, a Happy Birthday to my grandma, who is 81 today. That's the way it was in Dad's house growing up; every May 6th: "Happy Birthday Willie Mays! ...Oh yeah, and Mom!" Further proof I was born into a baseball family. Many more to you, Willie & Grandma.