Mets' amazing collapse; Yankees return to playoffs

Playoff Races At A Glance AL East W L Pct. GB Red Sox** 94 64 .595 -- Yankees** 91 67 .576 3 AL Central W L Pct. GB Indians* 94 64 .595 -- AL West W L Pct. GB Angels* 92 67 .579 -- AL Wild Card W L Pct. GB Yankees** 91 67 .576 -- NL East W L Pct. GB Mets 87 71 .551 -- Phillies 86 72 .544 1 Braves 83 75 .526 4 NL Central W L Pct. GB Cubs 83 75 .525 -- Brewers 81 77 .513 2 NL West W L Pct. GB Diamondbacks 88 70 .557 -- Padres 87 71 .545 1 Rockies 86 72 .544 2 NL Wild Card W L Pct. GB Padres 87 71 .551 -- Phillies 86 72 .544 1 Rockies 86 72 .544 1 Braves 83 75 .526 4 *clinched division title **clinched playoff spot

MAILBAG Comments, questions or obviously unfounded criticism? To e-mail Donovan, use the form below. Your name: Your e-mail address: Your home town: Enter your question:

The most amazing part about the amazing freefall of the team New Yorkers like to call the Amazins is not how swiftly it has come -- though, you have to admit, this has been one stomach-in-the-throat drop for the Mets. And it's not that it happened in the first place. The Mets, if you've seen them at all this year, have never seemed inclined to run off with the National League East title, as they did last season.

No, what's truly stunning about the fall of the Mets is that it has come with such a whimper. "Seems to me," said catcher Paul Lo Duca, who has been practically screaming at his teammates for weeks now, "we're all waiting to lose."

The Mets' lead in the NL East dropped to a slim game, with four to go, after another uninspired non-effort Wednesday, this one a 9-6 loss to the Nationals in a boo-filled Shea Stadium. Two weeks ago the NL East race wasn't much of one, with the Mets up by seven games. Since the Phillies tightened things with a sweep in New York -- their second straight whitewash of the New Yorkers -- the Mets have continued stumbling against the worst of the division.

They lost two of three to the Nationals in D.C. They lost the first game to the Marlins in South Florida, then had to go 11 innings to pull out the last one there. And now, back home, they've been swept by the Nationals, the final loss being Wednesday night's nightmare, a game in which they led 5-0.

The desperation in New York is now as evident as the unrest among the fans. Willie Randolph, the stone-faced skipper, called on Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez in relief Wednesday night. Hernandez had not pitched in relief since the end of the 2005 season, when he was playing for the White Sox. He had been in a protective boot for a sore right foot only two days earlier.

But there he was Wednesday, throwing 29 pitches in the seventh inning, 14 of them balls. Hernandez was, strangely enough, the pitching highlight of a night that began with a failed effort by rookie Philip Humber, moved through Joe Smith's short stint in the fifth inning (two hits, two batters faced) and ended with the boos tumbling down on closer Billy Wagner (two hits, two walks, two runs in the ninth).

How bad has the Mets' pitching been lately? The Nationals are the lowest-scoring team in the league. In their last six games against the Mets they averaged 9½ runs a game.

On Thursday night, in a makeup game at Shea against the Cardinals, the Mets turn to Pedro Martinez (3-0, 2.57 ERA), making his fifth start of the season. Martinez has pitched only 21 innings in his four starts, but right now the Mets will be looking at him to be the stopper he once was. They've never needed him more.

"We have to find a way to win," Randolph said. "Quick."

While the Mets continue to fall, the Phillies keep charging. They bounced back with a 5-2 win over the Braves in the most unlikely of ways. They pitched.

Kyle Lohse gave up two runs on six hits in seven strong innings of work, and the bullpen was strong again (its only recent blowup was in Monday night's loss to the Braves). The Phillies climbed to within a game of the Mets in the East and remained one back of the Padres in the wild-card race. The Phils are 13-6 since a series loss in Atlanta earlier this month.

Lohse was so on at one point against the Braves that he plowed through the sixth and seventh innings on only 11 pitches. Tom Gordon, a night after giving up a monstrous home run to Chipper Jones, had an easy night. Lefty J.C. Romero turned around Jones to strike him out in the eighth, pumping his fist afterward. And Brett Myers threw a perfect ninth for the save.

The loss to the Phillies in all likelihood closes the book on the season for the Braves, too. They're now four back in both the East and the wild-card races with four to go. In this game, their defense did them in, though a pitcher had something to do with it.

In the third, starter Tim Hudson fumbled a Pat Burrell comebacker that could have been converted into a double play, instead settling for one out. Then Jones -- who has played a better-than-average third base this season -- threw away a routine grounder by Aaron Rowand, possibly distracted by Chase Utley flashing in front of him on the basepath. The Phils scored three unearned runs to go up 4-0. The Braves never recovered.

The Phillies and Braves end their series Thursday night in Philly, then the Nationals come to Citizens Bank Park over the weekend. The Mets will host the Marlins.

Should be an amazin' finish in the NL East. One way or the other.

1 of 2