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Schwei: Breaking Down After All-Star Break Not New To Mets

By John Schweibacher
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The Mets' post-All-Star break struggles continue. After losing two of three to Atlanta, the Mets dropped to 9-20 since the break, continuing a pattern over the last four seasons of poor records in the month following the midsummer classic:

Mets' record at All-Star break compared to first 29 games afterward:

•2012: 46-40/ 9-20
•2011: 46-45/12-17
•2010: 48-40/10-19
•2009: 42-45/12-17

R.A. Dickey earned his 15th win of the season with a complete-game 6-1 victory over the Marlins last Thursday in which he struck out ten batters and did not issue a walk. It was the third time this season that Dickey recorded a double-digit strikeout total in a game in which he did not walk anyone. According to the Elias Sports Burau, since 2008 the only major-league pitcher with three such games in one season was Felix Hernandez in 2011.

Elias also notes that, among the more famous knuckleballers in recent major-league history, Charlie Hough, Tim Wakefield and Hoyt Wilhelm never had a ten-strikeout, no-walk game. The Niekro brothers each did it once. Tom Candiotti did it three times.

Dickey's third outing with 10 or more strikeouts without a walk also matched the franchise mark shared by Tom Seaver and Jon Matlack. It was also Dickey's sixth double-digit strikeout game of the season, the most by a Mets pitcher since David Cone had eight in 1992.

Andres Torres had a double, triple and home run in last Thursday's 6-1 win over Miami. He became the fifth player in Mets history to finish a single shy of the cycle. According to the Ultimate Mets Database, there are four other Mets with at least one double, triple and homer in a game:

•Joe Christopher 8/18/64 7-3 win vs. Pit
•Ron Swoboda 6/6/67 3-1 win at Pit
•Darryl Strawberry 8/16/87 23-10 win at Chi
•Gregg Jefferies 8/29/88 6-0 win vs. SD
•Gregg Jefferies 9/9/88 7-3 win at Mtl
•Gregg Jefferies 7/2/89 7-5 win vs. Atl

There have also been six players who had at least one double, triple and home run in a game against the New York Mets. Three of the six were by players who would later play for the club:

•Donn Clendenon 7/1/66 12-0 loss vs. Pit
•Willie Crawford 5/11/72 6-4 loss vs. LA
•Willie Stargell 9/17/73 10-3 loss at Pit
•Brian McRae 7/4/95 3-0 loss vs. Chi
•Jay Bell 8/24/98 9-5 loss vs. Arz
•Garrett Jones 7/12/09 9-8 win at Pit

The Mets' 13-0 loss to the Marlins last Wednesday was the second-worst home shutout loss in Mets history. The only larger shutout defeat was a 16-0 win by the Braves on July 2, 1999 at Shea Stadium. The Mets' worst shutout loss at the Polo Grounds was a 12-0 win by the Cubs on May 30, 1963 in the first game of a doubleheader.

Mets' worst shutout losses:

•7/2/99 vs. Braves 16-0
•6/14/09 at Yankees 15-0
•6/30/97 at Tigers 14-0
•8/8/12 vs. Marlins 13-0
•8/14/06 at Phillies 13-0

Garrett Olson was designated for assignment by the Mets after making one appearance after being called up from Triple-A Buffalo. Olson allowed four earned runs in one-third of an inning against the Marlins, giving him an earned run average of 108.00 as a Met.

If Olson never pitches for the Mets again, he will have the dubious distinction of having the worst ERA in club history:

•Garrett Olson 108.00
•Todd Zeile 45.00
•Derek Bell 36.00
•Brett Hinchcliffe 36.00
•Tim Hamulak 23.14
•Chan Ho Park 15.75
•Mark Fyhrie 15.43
•James Baldwin 15.00

The Mets face a pair of division leaders this week as they face the Reds in Cincinnati and the Nationals in Washington.

In 2011, the Mets swept their four-game series against the Reds in Cincinnati in late July. This season, the Mets have gone just 1-4 vs. the Reds in the two series between the two clubs at Citi Field.

The Nationals have taken nine of 12 against the Mets so far in 2012, winning two of three in both series played in Washington.

Schwei's Runs, Hits and Errors:

Runs: Jon Niese. Went eight innings in win against Atlanta, giving him 13 straight starts in which the Mets lefty has gone at least six innings and the ninth time in 12 starts he has gone at least seven.

Hits: Ike Davis. Two-hit game in Sunday night's victory vs. Braves was the Mets first baseman's first with two or more hits at Citi Field since April 24, 2011.

Errors: Least vs. East. After starting the season 13-5 against NL East opponents, Mets have now gone 8-19 in their last 27 games vs. their division rivals.

How will the Mets fare this week? Make your prediction in the comments below...

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