Marlinshome.com | Florida Marlins News, marlins Scores, Game Recaps & Commentary - <div>The bus ride from Citi Field to Citizens Bank Park is about two hours, long enough for the Mets to nap. But it would be nice if they woke up by the time that they take the field tonight. </div>The team has seemed to sleepwalk through the first 21 games of the season, trying to find its way with little fight or fire. Carlos Beltran has made sliding seem like too much effort. David Wright has forgotten how to hit. Oliver Perez has lost the strike zone and the bullpen has started to look a little like the last group of relievers who were dumped this winter. But if anything should wake the Mets , it is what awaits them tonight ? a rival in the Phillies who ended the debate of who was better by winning the 2008 World Series ? although that hardly stopped the chatter from the Phillies? side. The Mets had to not only endure their own frustrating ending last season, but then had to watch the Phillies go all the way and maybe even harder to stomach, listen to the Phillies taunt them through the winter. Cole Hamels reiterated the choke artist label. Jimmy Rollins demeaned them at the celebratory parade. If you thought it would have lit a fire under the Mets to start the season, think again. A 9-12 record doesn?t begin to tell the story. The Mets have looked lifeless, already raising questions of just maybe this group does not have what it takes. Armed with talent and a payroll of nearly $150 million, something still seems to be missing. Could the sight of the Phillies across the way for the first time this season wake them? "It?s always fun to play against the Phillies because the intensity is crazy," Jose Reyes said. "We like that." There has been little sign of it so far. Maybe a day off and the arrival in Philadelphia, where not only the world champs reside, but also the fans who treat the Mets with more venom than any other place, will change that. "I mean, we know the intensity is going to be great," Reyes said. "The fans are going to have a lot of energy. But it?s still the same game. We have to come out and try to perform good. If we don?t do the job on the field we?re not going to win so it doesn?t matter if the intensity is good or not. We just have to come out and try to take care of business." Reyes opened his eyes wide when told that J.J. Putz and some of the other newcomers to this rivalry had never experienced this sort of intensity in their pro careers. Putz said he didn?t think that his team had a rival during his years with the Seattle Mariners. "He?s going to see the difference," Reyes said. "He?s going to feel the intensity as soon as you step on the field. There?s going to be a lot of booing for us. He?s going to hear it." The wake-up call would be nice because the Mets are without their most important weapon ? Johan Santana. Having pitched Wednesday, and seeing the team squander another solid effort, the Mets are going to have to rely on Mike Pelfrey, Oliver Perez and John Maine. They also are uncertain whether they will be without Carlos Delgado, who sat out the last three games with inflammation in his right hip. That would make it a nice time for Wright to wake from his own individual troubles. With 27 strikeouts in 82 at-bats this season he has seemed lost, but always has hit well in Philadelphia, including a .341 average with 10 RBI in nine games last season. Wright spent three weeks in the spring with Rollins and Shane Victorino on Team USA in the World Baseball Classic, but didn?t come out of it any better friends with the pair. When Wright and Putz were flying home with the two Phillies, Rollins made a point of telling them, "It?s on again." Now all that remains to be seen is if the Mets can wake up and make it a rivalry again. BRIEF: The Marlins are requesting that Major League Baseball look into the situation that occurred in the ninth inning Wednesday when Mets manager Jerry Manuel brought in pinch-hitter Omir Santos from the bullpen, forcing Marlins reliever Matt Lindstrom to wait out his arrival. "We will talk to Major League Baseball about it," Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez told reporters Thursday. "I don?t know if you can do anything. I don?t know if you can put a clock on it. It?s gamesmanship. But [Marlins director of Baseball operation] Larry [Beinfest] is going to write a letter." Manuel admitted after the game that he thought the time could throw Lindstrom off his game, but it backfired when Santos popped out to end the game.

The bus ride from Citi Field to Citizens Bank Park is about two hours, long enough for the Mets to nap. But it would be nice if they woke up by the time that they take the field tonight.

The team has seemed to sleepwalk through the first 21 games of the season, trying to find its way with little fight or fire. Carlos Beltran has made sliding seem like too much effort. David Wright has forgotten how to hit. Oliver Perez has lost the strike zone and the bullpen has started to look a little like the last group of relievers who were dumped this winter.

But if anything should wake the Mets , it is what awaits them tonight ? a rival in the Phillies who ended the debate of who was better by winning the 2008 World Series ? although that hardly stopped the chatter from the Phillies? side.

The Mets had to not only endure their own frustrating ending last season, but then had to watch the Phillies go all the way and maybe even harder to stomach, listen to the Phillies taunt them through the winter. Cole Hamels reiterated the choke artist label. Jimmy Rollins demeaned them at the celebratory parade.

If you thought it would have lit a fire under the Mets to start the season, think again. A 9-12 record doesn?t begin to tell the story. The Mets have looked lifeless, already raising questions of just maybe this group does not have what it takes. Armed with talent and a payroll of nearly $150 million, something still seems to be missing.

Could the sight of the Phillies across the way for the first time this season wake them?

"It?s always fun to play against the Phillies because the intensity is crazy," Jose Reyes said. "We like that."

There has been little sign of it so far. Maybe a day off and the arrival in Philadelphia, where not only the world champs reside, but also the fans who treat the Mets with more venom than any other place, will change that.

"I mean, we know the intensity is going to be great," Reyes said. "The fans are going to have a lot of energy. But it?s still the same game. We have to come out and try to perform good. If we don?t do the job on the field we?re not going to win so it doesn?t matter if the intensity is good or not. We just have to come out and try to take care of business."

Reyes opened his eyes wide when told that J.J. Putz and some of the other newcomers to this rivalry had never experienced this sort of intensity in their pro careers. Putz said he didn?t think that his team had a rival during his years with the Seattle Mariners.

"He?s going to see the difference," Reyes said. "He?s going to feel the intensity as soon as you step on the field. There?s going to be a lot of booing for us. He?s going to hear it."

The wake-up call would be nice because the Mets are without their most important weapon ? Johan Santana. Having pitched Wednesday, and seeing the team squander another solid effort, the Mets are going to have to rely on Mike Pelfrey, Oliver Perez and John Maine.

They also are uncertain whether they will be without Carlos Delgado, who sat out the last three games with inflammation in his right hip. That would make it a nice time for Wright to wake from his own individual troubles. With 27 strikeouts in 82 at-bats this season he has seemed lost, but always has hit well in Philadelphia, including a .341 average with 10 RBI in nine games last season.

Wright spent three weeks in the spring with Rollins and Shane Victorino on Team USA in the World Baseball Classic, but didn?t come out of it any better friends with the pair.

When Wright and Putz were flying home with the two Phillies, Rollins made a point of telling them, "It?s on again." Now all that remains to be seen is if the Mets can wake up and make it a rivalry again.

BRIEF: The Marlins are requesting that Major League Baseball look into the situation that occurred in the ninth inning Wednesday when Mets manager Jerry Manuel brought in pinch-hitter Omir Santos from the bullpen, forcing Marlins reliever Matt Lindstrom to wait out his arrival.

"We will talk to Major League Baseball about it," Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez told reporters Thursday. "I don?t know if you can do anything. I don?t know if you can put a clock on it. It?s gamesmanship. But [Marlins director of Baseball operation] Larry [Beinfest] is going to write a letter."

Manuel admitted after the game that he thought the time could throw Lindstrom off his game, but it backfired when Santos popped out to end the game.