The Mets woke up this morning a .500 team, which is nothing to get excited about.

It’s ridiculous to write them off and say they won’t get better. However, it’s not early to acknowledge this is a flawed team with nothing guaranteed except a lot of frustrating moments this summer.

They aren’t playing well and it begins with the pitching. Bullpen and starters both have been inconsistent. And, by definition, inconsistency translates to .500.

That’s what Willie Randolph said after tonight’s game. He also said: “We need to get the total game going.”

The Mets had two hits tonight, and still had Mike Pelfrey not spit the bit, they could have won. But, they didn’t make the plays when they had to. They didn’t make the plays winning teams make.

Sure, tonight is just one game in April, but the truth is they’ve had more than one game like this and are playing as if there will be more.

One thing we learned tonight is it’s not all Carlos Delgado. They proved they can lose without him. They are proving they can lose in a lot of ways.

IN A NUTSHELL, Atlanta 6, Mets 3

The offense and Pelfrey’s poise disappear.

FROM THE CLUBHOUSE

David Wright saying it all: “This is one of those early season challenges for us. This is when the better teams prevail and this is when the better teams find a way to win.”

Mike Pelfrey on his performance: “I walked too many guys. It’s a matter of execution and I did a very poor job.”

IN-GAME ANALYSIS

3rd INNING: Would it be all right to say the Mets “Perezed” the Braves that inning? Can that be the term for four straight walks? Mets 3, Atlanta 1
5th INNING: Mets gave Pelfrey a lead and he gave it back. Mets 3, Atlanta 3
9th INNING: The Mets were embarrassed last night in Washington. More of the same tonight. Atlanta 6, Mets 3

When the manager says last night’s loss reminded him of some of the games when they collapsed down the stretch, you know it was bad.

I am aware of the need for patience and understand pennants aren’t decided in April. However, bad habits and attitudes can be forged early and the Mets aren’t playing well.

-Aaron Heilman is a serious issue and they won’t win anything until he’s fixed.

-Carlos Delgado is also a problem, but the option is to hope for the best.

-Oliver Perez reminded us again of his unreliability. Get used to it.

-Situational and clutch hitting is erratic.

-We’re not seeing Jose Reyes at the top of his game.

-Jorge Sosa is getting hit hard.

The Mets had a chance to put away the Washington Nationals and end their road trip on a positive note.

However, Oliver Perez lost it and Aaron Heilman never had it and the Mets limp home 3-4 on the trip after opening with two wins in Philly.

The three quotes below pretty much said it all.

IN A NUTSHELL, Washington 10, Mets 5

Perez showed why he is an enigma and Heilman’s nightmare continued.

IN THE CLUBHOUSE

Aaron Heilman on his troubles: “I need to find a way to make better pitches.”

Oliver Perez on his troubles: “We were close to winning and I started walking people.”

Willie Randolph on his team: “We struggled like this down the stretch last year.”
IN-GAME ANALYSIS

Top of 2nd: Perez fine so far. Delgado leaves another RISP. Mets 0, Washington 0.
Top of 3rd: A RBI single by Luis Castillo. They just booed a couple on the Kiss Cam. No passion. Mets 1, Washington 0.
4th Inning: Perez cruising. Only two hits given up. Small ball working. Mets 2, Washington 0.
5th Inning: About Perez? Never mind. Mets 3, Washington 3.
6th Inning: Aaron Heilman gives up a slam. Game over. Washington 7, Mets 3.
9th Inning: Finally, this is over. Washington 10, Mets 5.

Brady Clark was DFA. Gustavo Molina activated. Brian Schneider will be hospitalized overnight with antibiotic IV as they try to treat infected left thumb without surgery.

There’s no telling how much time Schneider will miss.

No word yet on Brian Schneider, but it looks as if he won’t go on the DL.

Brady Clark was pulled off the field before BP. This is speculation on my part, but I think they will DFA Clark to make room for back-up catcher Gustavo Molina.

This way they can keep Schneider around in case his infected left thumb heals inside of two weeks.

This allows them to option Molina when Moises Alou is ready to come off the DL.

Brian Schneider is getting his infected left thumb examined in New York. Willie Randolph said if the decision is made to lance the infection, he would go on the DL.

Back-up catcher Gustavo Molina is here in preparation of the Mets making a move.

-Brian Schneider went to New York to have his infected left thumb examined.

-Moises Alou went 0-for-5 with a walk while playing seven innings in an extended spring game.

-Ramon Castro had the day.

METS

SS Jose Reyes
2B Luis Castillo
3B David Wright
CF Carlos Beltran
RF Ryan Church
1B Carlos Delgado
LF Angel Pagan
C Raul Casanova
LH Oliver Perez

Looking through the rubble of the trainwreck at first base, it’s hard to find any solution.

-It would take some serious stones to eat the contract.The contract prevents them from dealing Carlos Delgado, too. Who wants that burden?

-Sure, let’s trade for Inge. But, who you giving up? Most of their prospects are in Minnesota.

-Benching him doesn’t make sense, because who are you going to play?

-Teaching the position to Alou at this stage of his career, and during the season, isn’t going to happen.

Basically, the way I see it is the most you can do is hope there’s an encore in there.

Never mind it was against Washington. What is important is Johan Santana found a way to win and stop the losing streak before it got rolling.

That’s earning his money.

The offense was better last night. It had some help with the Ryan Zimmerman error, but it clicked in a few spots.

I think the offense will get better. There are too many good players for it not to improve.

When the Mets traded for Johan Santana they said there wouldn’t be any long losing streaks. They’ve dropped three so far.

Carlos Delgado is dropped to sixth in the batting order. Today is Game #20 and already there have been three significant line-up changes: Ryan Church from sixth to second; Church dropped down to sixth again (after a five-game losing streak) and now Delgado from fifth to sixth. I think that’s a lot of movement early.

We’ll see how it plays out tonight.

But, here we are in early April and again wondering what’s up with Carlos Delgado. Is he done? Will he have a bounce back year? Can he give the Mets something?

Let us know and vote in the poll.

IN-GAME ANALYSIS

3rd INNING: Delgado’s groundout put the Mets on the board first. Santana doing his job. Frozen yogurt machine is empty. Mets 1, Washington 0.
4th INNING: Tim Redding doubles home two off Santana. Washington 2, Mets 1.
6th INNING: Sometimes your best offense is the other team’s defense. Mets take advantage of bad throw to score three. Mets 5, Washington 2.

METS

SS Jose Reyes
2B Luis Castillo
3B David Wright
CF Carlos Beltran
RF Ryan Church
1B Carlos Delgado
LF Angel Pagan
C Brian Schneider
LH Johan Santana

A few Mets took early BP this afternoon.

Ryan Church said the outfield is fair, meaning a batter won’t get a cheap homer, but also won’t have 440-foot outs, either.

Church said ground balls to the outfield die in the thick grass. He said he has to be aware of charging the ball and not burned by the runner trying to stretch.

Waiting on the batting order. Brian Schneider will be playing.

“I still feel it (bruised forearm),” Schneider said. “But, it’s much better.”