The absence of Carlos Delgado is balanced out by opportunity for the Mets.
Delgado will be out for at least a week with a strained right hip flexor. But although the Mets return to Shea Stadium tonight without their first baseman, they also return with a still-comfortable lead in the NL East and a chance to expand it further.
The Mets are playing at home for the first time since Aug. 26, and after spending 10 days on the road, they’ll host the Astros this weekend before the Braves and Phillies arrive for three games apiece. The Mets – who are up 5 games on Philadelphia and 7½ on Atlanta with 23 games remaining – finished their road trip winning five of their last six games.
“If we take this momentum home, we can end it,” Paul Lo Duca said.
That goal will have to start with Mike Pelfrey facing the Astros, and the pitcher and the opponent enter the game on different rolls.
In Pelfrey’s last outing, Saturday against the Braves in Atlanta, the young right-hander fired six impressive innings of one-hit ball. Pelfrey (1-7) earned his first victory of the season that afternoon at Turner Field, and tonight he’ll see if he can continue that success.
Encouragingly for Pelfrey, he won’t be facing as strong a team as he did in Atlanta. Houston has lost four of five and sits 16 games under .500.
But the Mets aren’t as strong as they were either; they’ll be without Delgado, who missed Wednesday’s game against the Reds and could miss up to 10 days. He could return for the end of the homestand, but it’s more likely he’ll be out until the following road trip, which begins Sept. 17 in Washington.
With lefty Wandy Rodriguez on the hill tonight for Houston, the Mets figure to use righty-hitting Jeff Conine at first base. Since being acquired from Cincinnati, Conine hasn’t impressed at the plate, going 3-for-16, a .188 average. With Delgado out, however, Conine’s performance will become more important.
Besides Delgado, there are a few other issues to track on the homestand:
* Orlando Hernandez’s status.
Hernandez hasn’t pitched since last Thursday in Philadelphia due to a sore tendon in his right foot, but he is slated to pitch sometime next week against either the Braves or Phillies. Based on his importance and the amount of time remaining before the start of the playoffs, the Mets need to make sure Hernandez is OK.
* Billy Wagner’s reliability.
Wagner didn’t pitch at all in the Reds series, so his last appearance was Sunday at Turner Field. Wagner got the save that day, but he also gave up a run and has been scored on in his last five outings.
Other than the health of Delgado and Hernandez, Wagner’s recent shaky performance is probably the Mets’ biggest issue. The All-Star closer was spectacular for the first four months of the season, but has been unreliable since.
* Pedro Martinez’s continued comeback.
Martinez threw a bullpen session yesterday and is scheduled to start Sunday in the series finale against Houston. He should pitch twice during the homestand and has said he thinks his pitch quality and location will improve.