Mets Try to Avoid Sweep at Hands Of Rockies, 2-7 Start

DENVER-- How bad can it get for the Mets? It's gotten pretty bad already. The Mets are off to their worst start in 18 years with their 2-6 record. If they fall again on Thursday afternoon, they'd be off to their worst start in 36 years (2-7).

It's getting pretty rediculous. No one would've envisioned, no matter how bad the pitching was, that they would get off to this awful a start. For a team that needed to get off to a fast start, it's all come tumbling down.

The Mets right now own the NL's second-worst record. They are only better than the 0-8 Houston Astros.

On Thursday, they'll only have to go up against arguably the best left-handed starter in baseball since June 5 of last season. Jorge De La Rosa is 17-3 since that date last year, including his first start this season.

They will counter with big Mike Pelfrey who didn't have a bad start to his season either. On Friday, he went six innings, allowing two runs on four hits.

The question now is: what kind of pressure will "Big Pelf" have? He's already seen the rotation's ace Johan Santana blow up, his good friend John Maine pitch horrificly, Oliver Perez pitch inconsistently and young Jon Niese have one bad start.

So far, the Mets haven't proven they can beat mediocre starting pitching. They went flat against both Nate Robertson and Greg Smith.

The two games they've fought back in this season including Wednesday night's, they've lost nonetheless in the 10th inning.

How can they produce against one of baseball's elite pitchers over the last half-season plus?

If the Mets lose this game, they will almost have to sweep the Cardinals over the weekend, which isn't likely to happen. One more loss, and this is getting extremely ugly. 

Mike Pelfrey vs. Colorado (career)

3-2, 4.00 ERA, 27 IP, 30 hits, 14 BB, 20 SO

Jorge De La Rosa vs. New York (career)

3-0, 3.71 ERA, 17 IP, 11 hits, 10 BB, 16 SO

2010 season series (New York vs. Colorado)

April 13: Colorado 11, New York 3

April 14: Colorado 6, New York 5 (10)

Rockies lead series 2-0