The Unhappy Recap: Phillies 5, Mets 2

It's still early... it's still early... it's still early...

If you read the blog comments and the message boards after Tuesday's home-opening loss to the Phillies, you'd think the average Mets fan was one Aaron Heilman walk from jumping off a crane at Citi Field. Panic is setting in among many of the faithful, but here's hoping the majority retain their sanity, at least for a few more games.

Here's why the Mets lost: They couldn't get hits off 45-year-old Jamie Moyer, although they did hit several balls to the warning track. And when Scott Schoeneweis induced what could have been an inning-ending double play grounder to first (after loading the bases on two one-out singles and hitting Chase Utley), Carlos Delgado hit Utley in the back, allowing two runs to score.

If Delgado makes that play, the Mets get out of the inning up, 2-0. But it was one of those days when nothing seemed to go right, and the way the Mets have played the Phillies the last nine games, that's the norm. Brian Schneider had two passes balls, and while the first didn't lead to a Philly run, it contributed to the quick exit of Oliver Perez, who walked two with a balk before Joe Smith came into the game.

Could Willie have left Perez in there? Sure, but at the time it seemed understandable given Perez's history of melting down fast. We would have liked to have seen Willie allow Perez a chance to get out of it. Could Willie have had Endy Chavez bunt Schneider to second with no outs in the seventh? Sure, but as Keith Hernandez said, a tie against a good hitting team like the Phillies doesn't mean much. So you can't second-guess that one.

Why was Schoeneweis still in there after allowing singles to Rollins and Victorino? He's paid to get lefties out, and that's what was up next in Utley and Howard. He hit Utley, but Utley was hit three times on the day because he stands so damn close to the plate.

Plus, we later learned that Pedro Feliciano didn't arrive until the seventh inning because his flight from Puerto Rico was canceled. He was home for a 'family emergency' but said everyone was OK; after what his baby daughter went through last season, we can only hope everyone's healthy, and you can't knock him for arriving late. Of course, we didn't know that during the game and wondered why the hell Willie didn't bring him in.

Are we concerned that the Mets are 0-for-9 in their last nine games against the Phillies? Yes, but we're more concerned with the fact that Luis Castillo's knees still hurt and the Mets let Ruben Gotay go. I guess Damion Easley can play second base for a while. And El Duque had another MRI on his foot. When it rains, it pours.

Mike Pelfrey, it's time to step it up. And if you're worried that Pelfrey won't be able to make the leap this season, think again. According to the New York Times, there's an astrologer in Queens who says Jupiter is Pelfrey's first house, and that's a good thing.

Meanwhile, the Mets admitted they were Rickrolled, and while they played the Rick Astley song in the eighth inning -- it got 5 million write-in votes online -- they say they'll determine the song by fan reaction over the next few games.

Like we said, there's only one choice: The Curly Shuffle. Get on board!