New York Mets

This picture only kind of looks like New York Mess...er...Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez is about to cave in some schmuck's jaw.

Both the New York Mets and Pittsburgh Pirates will have something to play for as the teams begin a three-game series tonight in Pittsburgh.

The Mets, of course, just want to win two of three in order to win an NL road series. They haven't done that this season, nor have they won consecutive NL road games.

The Pirates just want to win, period. Pittsburgh enters tonight's game with a record of 40-81, the worst mark in the majors. Their next loss will clinch them their 18th consecutive losing season dating back to 1993.

HOUSTON: It's almost unbelievable to imagine how the Mets lost their game tonight to the Houston Astros. They just keep finding original ways to do so.

Pat Misch was on the mound for the Mets making his second Major League start of the season. The Mets were trying to win their first NL road series of the season.

Over the first six innings of the game, it felt as if Misch was going to throw a one-hitter. After all, he had only allowed one hit through six.

The New York Mets haven't had recent success with young players—until 2010. 

This year promising youngsters are popping up everywhere in the organization.

As much as a roller coaster year it has been, one thing is for sure.  The Mets have some talented prospects on the up rise.  Ike Davis is the cream of the crop along with Jon Niese, but there are many others. 

Greetings fantasy baseballers, and welcome to another edition of the Wire.

Hopefully you heeded the past weeks’ advice and picked up Pat Burrell, Mike Minor, Daniel Hudson and others, before it was too late. This week is sort of a special edition with a look at a trio of closers—mostly of the present, and mostly with no future. Regardless, they have one thing in common—they will receive the lion’s share of save opportunities for their respective teams.

HOUSTON-- Johan Santana threw a complete game for his second straight start, but this one only lasted eight innings.

The Mets were continuing their series in Houston, facing a former friend in Nelson Figueroa, and they were flat yet again, losing 4-3 in Minute Maid Park Tuesday night.

They did score a run in the opening inning, produced by Jose Reyes. He lead off with an infield single, moved to second on a passed ball, and scored on a Fernando Martinez single.

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On the New York Daily News' website, they had a poll asking whose fault it was that Mets' season has spiraled out of control. They gave you four options:

With the news that New York Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez is done for the year, it’s only logical to look at the candidates to replace him.

I am going to venture to say that the last week has not been the best week in Francisco Rodriguez's life.

First he had the embarrassing incident with his stepfather last week, which resulted in Rodriguez being placed on the restricted list. Now adding insult to injury—or in this case, injury to insult—Rodriguez is done for the year in Flushing.

HOUSTON: The Mets will continue their four-game series in Houston tonight, seeking to win back-to-back road games. The last time they accomplished the feat was June 17-18 against the Indians and Yankees.

More importantly, the Mets need to win two more games in this series to secure their first NL road series win of 2010. Yes, that's right, they have only won two Interleague road series this season.