[EmpireWF]

Mets starter Phil Humber will make his rotation debut tonight at Shea Stadium versus the Washington Nationals. Humber has pitched in the big leagues before but strictly out of the pen.

Humber was seen as the #2 pitching prospect in the system (behind Mike Pelfrey) and was a top first round draft pick a few years ago out of Rice. Generally, most of the baseball scouting places (such as Baseball America & Prospectus) project Humber as being a future middle of the rotation guy.

His first start couldn't have come at a more important time for the Mets. They have lost two in a row and are at risk of being swept. That doesn't even include the Phillies who are right by their heels in the NL East race.

[EmpireWF]

Unbelieveable, the Mets had a 5-0 lead......they now trail, 7-6.

Humber had a good start but was taken out in the 4th. His line is: 6 H, 2 ER, 2 BB in 4.0 innings.

The bullpen gave up the lead. They now need to get 12 more outs and retake the lead.

[EmpireWF]

In a bit of a surprise, El Duque has returned. He's pitching in relief here in the 7th with the Mets down by a run.

You can tell Willie Randolph really wants to win this game.

There was talk Hernandez would throw a simulated game tomorrow and wait to see if he could pitch in the post-season (if the Mets make it). Guess that plan is out the window lol.

[EmpireWF]

Matt Cerrone of MetsBlog summed up the Mets, after being swept by the Nationals, pretty well.

"all i know is that it is what it is: a total foot race now, a fight to the finish…and with a one game lead, and Pedro Martinez on the mound, i am oddly confident…the thing is, he’s gonna have to pitch nine innings, because, if he doesn’t, who knows what will happen…

…i have never seen a bullpen kick a team in the ass like this, and what’s worse, they’re not being helped out by the team’s starting pitchers, who, regardless of age and experience, seem incapable of lasting beyond the fifth inning…

…it’s a lethal combination, which is poisoning any effort of the team’s bats try to make towards helping to a win a game…i mean, in the last week the Mets offense has scored four runs or more in 12 straight games, yet they’re 4–8 during that time…"