SAN DIEGO – Their world is up and down. One day good, another day bad.
If the Mets are to ever get the consistency needed to make a run at the NL wild card, they need their version of the Killer B’s to step it up a notch.
Last night in the perfect weather world of America’s Finest City, Kris Benson was pretty perfect in his own right and showed what he is capable of doing, pitching the Mets to a 9-1 victory over the Padres at Petco Park.
Same goes for Carlos Beltran, whose swing is coming around quite nicely.
Benson allowed just one hit over the first eight innings. He finished with a three-hitter and surrendered one run over 81/3 innings, his longest outing of the year, as he upped his record to 8-4.
More important, Benson gave the Mets a Pedro-like lift that was desperately needed after Pedro Martinez struggled on Tuesday.
David Wright was the hitting star with six RBIs and a three-run home run, but Beltran reached base his first three times and stole home on a double steal in the first, and he doubled in the fourth. His only out of the night was rocket to right that was caught by Brian Giles.
After two simply dreadful outings, Benson completely dominated the Padres as the Mets are beginning to understand how to best use Benson. He is maturing into the pitcher he was projected to be.
“It’s a night and day difference,” Benson said of this season, “but it’s something I knew would happen if I could stay healthy. I’m having a lot more fun this year.”
Noted pitching coach Rick Peterson, “He is just maturing into a winning pitcher. He was a guy at Pittsburgh who was highly talented, but being around Pedro, being around Tommy [Glavine], being around this environment has been incredibly helpful for him to understand: ‘What does it take to be a winner?’
“It doesn’t take just talent; it takes how to manage a game, when to pitch around someone, how to handle your transitional innings, when you face the No. 8 hitter and the pitcher,” Peterson said. “It’s just like a fine wine, it has to mature, and Kris is growing into being a winning pitcher.”
After surrendering 11 earned runs in his last two starts, Benson cruised past the Padres, who had won five straight.
The only hit over the first eight innings was a third-inning double to left by catcher Miguel Olivo. It almost looked too easy for the tall right-hander. Somewhere, Anna was smiling and you can be sure, wearing something sexy.
There is no doubt Pedro is the leader of the pitching staff and the team, at least until Wright is ready to take full command of the Mets. And you can be sure that day is coming where Wright will be wearing a “C” on his chest.
But any good team needs leaders on different levels.
Because Beltran is the $119 million man, he is immediately thrust into such a role. Beltran is having his struggles his first year as a Met.
“I think his thigh was bothering him a great deal more than he let on,” his agent, Scott Boras explained. “Now he’s healthy again and I think you are starting to see his numbers rise.”
Boras admits there has been a transition period for Beltran.
“There’s no question that a player who signs a big contract has to go through that,” he said. “He has got to learn that he has to return to what made him successful, that is taking a lot of pitches and getting deep in the count, and he’s been doing that lately and we’re starting to see the Carlos of old.
“This guy is a great talent, and I’m sure Mets fans will have a lot to cheer about.”
The Mets need more than Pedro, Wright and Jose Reyes. They need Beltran to be a force and Benson to be the ace he was last night. They need their own set of Killer B’s.