Mets Tie for Last Place

HOUSTON, TX, May 15 -- With today's victory over the painfully bad Houston Astros, the New York Mets have pulled into a tie for last place in the National League Eastern Division. They now share the bottom spot in their five-team division with the perennial losers of the entire league, the Washington Nationals.

After being in sole possession of last place for almost the whole season, the team is now in danger of climbing into 4th place.

"It's a real bummer," said Mets left fielder Jason Bay, who has been contributing mightily to the goal by hitting .022 over his past several games. "It's really hard to keep striking out all the time, like David Wright has been doing. You swing and sometimes the wood stick hits the little round white thing, and sometimes the other team doesn't catch it, and you gotta stay on the bases. Then one thing leads to another, and poof, suddenly you've scored a run, and then poof, you win a game."

Mets third baseman David Wright has been pursuing the all-time single season strikeout goal as part of the team's overall campaign. He added onto his total in yesterday's victory, bringing his total for 2011 up to 43 in 146 at-bats for a strikeout average of .294. The current king is Baltimore's Mark Reynolds, who whiffed an amazing 223 times in 578 at-bats for Arizona in 2009, posting a .386 strikeout average -- a full 126 points higher than his batting average that season.

"I can really help the team into the cellar if I go for that record," said Wright. "I'm going to start closing my eyes when I swing, and hope the the Force is not with me."

First baseman Ike Davis went on the Disabled List with two ankle injuries last week. Davis has been the team's best hitter and fielder, but his strikeout average was a pitiful .240, over 60 points lower than his .302 batting average. "The team doctor pointed out that I can help the team into last place best from the DL," said Davis. "I've been trying to get with the program and miss the little round white thing with the wood stick, but I guess I'm just not good enough yet."

The Mets continue their trek to the bottom tonight at CitiField against the second-place Florida Marlins tonight. Against pitcher Josh Johnson, with 55 Ks in 53 innings pitched this season, the Mets are well positioned to meet their goal.

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