In yesterday’s loss, Mike Pelfrey handed off a two-run lead to his team’s bullpen, but Brian Stokes let up one run in the seventh, after which Scott Schoeneweis, Joe Smith, Pedro Feliciano and Aaron Heilman combined to let up four runs in the eighth inning.

Schoeneweis, speaking to reporters after the game, said:

“There’s no explanation anymore.  I just don’t know what to say…I just don’t know what to say.

“We’re not consistently making big pitches at big times.  We do it one night, we don’t do it the next night.  There’s really nothing more to say or explain or philosophize about.  We’ve just got to get it done, somehow.”

David Wright, talking to reporters after the game, said:

“It was one of the games where you could feel, as the game went on, the momentum kind of slipped away.”

…in other words, eventually, they always know that the bullpen must enter the game…ugh…we feel you, david…

“If the season ended today, we’re going to the playoffs,” Joe Smith is quoted as saying in Newsday.

…that’s the problem, though, the season doesn’t end today…

For more on the team’s bullpen, check out Howard Megdal’s column in the New York Observer.

Luis Ayala, who is pitching with a sore groin, retired Milwaukee in order for a save in the ninth inning.

Jerry Manuel, regarding yesterday’s bullpen, speaking to reporters following the game, said:

“They stepped up, attacked the hitters and threw strikes, and the catchers did a good job bringing them through that.  I felt going in, with a lot of our righthanders, that we appear to match up very well against this team.  They’re a very aggressive club and we were able to get it done.”

In their last two appearances, the Mets bullpen has not let up a run.

In the four games before that, they let up seven runs.

The sooner we accept the rocky reality of this team’s bullpen, the better off we will be.  This is how it’s going to work it seems: The bullpen will look great, ease our minds, then explode the minute we exhale.

Thankfully, the same can be said for most bullpens.

Prior to the game, Jerry Manuel told reporters that he might turn to Eddie Kunz in a save situation, but instead he stuck with Feliciano in the ninth inning – while Kunz continued to warm up in the bullpen.

Manuel, on why he stuck with Feliciano instead of using Kunz, while speaking to reporters after last night’s win:

“Willie Harris is a patient hitter and he was leading off the inning.  Feliciano has been very good for us.  He hasn’t had a lot of glitches in his appearances…I felt very comfortable with him.  He then goes to another right-handed hitter, and once you get the one guy, I feel very confident that you’ll get the other guy.  I felt (their) strength was from the left-side on the bench.  I did not want to start Eddie with (Harris), who I didn’t think was a swing-early guy.  You know, had that lineup started out in the ninth with, say, Ryan Zimmerman and that group, then Kunz would have been the guy.”

…seriously, i appreciate the honest, logical, rational thought and explanation to reporters…i really do…

Smith, regarding the bullpen, told reporters after the game:

“With the way our bullpen has been pitching, you’ve got to come ready to pitch every day.  So, you can’t really let yesterday bother today.  When we come in (Wednesday), it’s going to be, ‘Can the bullpen do it again.’  So, it’s a new day no matter what we did today.”

Manuel, specifically on Smith, who let the first batter he faced to reach base, who advanced to second on a stolen base, but then retired the following three batters he faced to end the inning:

“I think Joe checked some of his films out.  He came up before, in the dugout, right before the National Anthem and said, ‘Hey, I’m ready to go.’  So, I just wanted to send a little challenge out there, he’s had success against some of these hitters and he was very successful tonight.”

…frankly, the best part about last night’s performance is that the rest of bullpen, kunz included, should be fresh and ready to go for the rest of the series…actually, both smith and feliciano were so economical in their pitches, they’ll probably be available tonight as well, though hopefully they will not be needed…

…all this said, the Mets were facing the worst offense in baseball…of course, a win is a win, and if ‘baseball is 90 percent half mental,’ just getting through the bullpen to be successful could be a victory on its own…

• Since Wagner last pitched on Aug. 2, Aaron Heilman has allowed six earned runs in 4 1/3 innings over five appearances and Joe Smith has allowed four earned runs in 2 1/3 innings over five appearances.
• Meanwhile, Duaner Sanchez, Scott Schoeneweis and Pedro Feliciano have combined to throw 10 1/3 innings while allowing only two earned runs on eight hits, two walks, and one hit batsman over the same span.

Of course, these stats can be taken in any number of ways:

• Proof that stats can be misleading, because anyone with eyes knows the whole bullpen is at fault.
• Proof that Jerry Manuel must be misusing his bullpen by trotting out his least successful relievers so frequently.
• Proof of nothing but a very small sample size.

Another potentially interesting stat – Smith is 0-2 with a 11.74 ERA with seven walks in 7 2/3 innings spaced out over 14 appearances since the All-Star Break, and has options remaining on his contract.

For my take on the bullpen situation, check out my column here.

I recently talked with Heath Bell about bullpen roles, which you can watch here:

For Part 1 of my talk with Bell, during which we discuss his favorite moments at Shea Stadium, click here.

Martinez, regarding the bullpen, while speaking to reporters following yesterday’s loss:

“With me, it’s OK.  Everybody out there was trying to reel in and win.  They never quit, and you have to give them credit.”

…i admire pedro’s view, but forgive me if i am unable to be so peaceful and loving today…

The Mets have 20 blown saves this season, which is fourth-worst in the National League.

The Phillies have blown just eight saves, best in the league.

…i’m officially sick…do you realize if the bullpen had blown just half of that number, the Mets would be in first place by eight games, and have the best record in the league…

…one more time, in case you missed it: if the bullpen had blown just half of that number, the Mets would be in first place by eight games, and have the best record in the league…

This season, while Billy Wagner has blown seven saves, Pedro Feliciano is 0 for 2 in save situations, Aaron Heilman is 2 for 4, Carlos Muniz is 0 for 1, Scott Schoenweiss is 1 for 4 and Joe Smith is 0 for 3.

What’s worse, During the 10–game winning streak in July, opponents hit .191 against the bullpen – but, in the 22 games since, opponents are batting .289.

Jerry Manuel, on Smith:

“Joe Smith did a tremendous job for us.”

In 41 appearances this season, Smith is 1–1 with a 3.22 ERA, during which right-handed batters are hitting .205 against him.

…phenomenal job joe…just what the team needed at just the right time…

…as rubin points out, the goal is to use a pitcher from the 40–man roster…whereas Claudio Vargas, like Jorge Sosa, would have to be passed through waivers if the team wants to return him to the minor leagues following the start…

Rubin also reports that Matt Wise will be activated from the disabled list on Thursday, “once the spot starter is returned to New Orleans.”

Ted Berg, of SNY.tv thinks the Mets should just demote Sosa, and risk losing him, writing: “The only rationale the Mets could have for keeping Sosa around is the fear he could flee to free agency or be claimed by another team if he is waived. But at this point, how many Major League teams are clamoring for a reliever with a 7.06 ERA?”

For more, check out Rubin’s report in the Daily News, where he quotes Billy Wagner on the decision to demote Smith.

…added to by Matthew Cerrone…

…this is absurd…Willie Randolph is having a hard enough time managing his bullpen, now he’s being forced to go at it without smith, who has been his best reliever not named wagner…all for sosa, who is due to earn $2 million on the year…unreal…

…i hope this is temporary, in that they recall smith as soon as Wednesday’s starter is no longer needed, which would mean putting a player like Luis Castillo on the disabled list to make room for smith or Matt Wise…

…it’s just so difficult to understand when a team is unwilling to field the best 25–man roster possible…

… added to by Joe Janish …

… if the Mets are so bent on keeping Sosa around, wouldn’t it make more sense to demote Nelson Figueroa? Figueroa would have to remain in AAA for ten days, but his turn won’t come up again until May 24th … then you demote the spot starter on Thursday and activate Wise in his place … plus Figueroa gets a start with New Orleans to stay sharp … unless the Mets are worried that Figueroa won’t pass through waivers on the way down …

Once Wise is promoted, a current pitcher from the team’s pitching staff will be displaced.

…it does not appear the Mets will carry the extra pitcher, and play short on the bench, seeing as how they are seemingly always playing short on the bench to begin with…as such, the future’s of Joe Smith, Jorge Sosa and Nelson Figueroa all seem to be in question…for Matt Wise…matt who…exactly…

…my bet is that the Mets drag their feet on this decision up to the absolute last minute…

…i have no idea how or what they’re going to do…what i fear is that this team will cater towards contract issues, and not just put the best possible team on the field…and that’s so frustrating…

Meanwhile, Pedro Martinez threw a side session in St. Lucie yesterday; Orlando Hernandez is still wearing a boot; and Ramon Castro remains on target for a possible weekend return.

Smith got the final out of the inning, then pitched a scoreless eighth inning as well.

He has allowed one run in seven appearances this season.

Willie Randolph, on Smith:

“Joe did a great job…He’s really whipping the ball in and going after people.  I’m really happy with the way he threw.  It was very similar (to last season)…When you’re sidearmer, the feel and rhythm of your delivery is so different.  It’s unorthodox…He looks similar to last year, but different.  He’s whipping the ball better, and that’s key for him.  He’s able to pop the ball in there, use his slider.  He’s throwing well.”

Smith told reporters after the game that he has made subtle changes to his delivery, trying to keep his release point as low to the ground as possible.

…look, we all know joe can pitch…he is talented, effective, etc., that’s not the issue…

…the issue is, did he learn from last year, will he be able to pitch a full season, can he maintain through the summer, and so on…he told reporters, “Last year was a good year for me, I learned a lot from it.”…hopefully, that is what he means…

For more on Smith, read the New York Post and Newsday.

…excellent…welcome back, smith, who has been fairly consistent of late, which is exactly what the team wanted to see from him…

Also, Brady Clark beat out Fernando Tatis - and Ruben Gotay - for the team’s final bench spot.