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Underachievers face off as Mets host Mariners

Jun 23, 2008 - 1:40 PM Seattle (26-49) at NY Mets (37-37) 7:10 pm EDT

FLUSHING, New York (Ticker) -- The New York Mets and Seattle Mariners cost their managers their jobs with their underachieving play. It seems only one team has gotten the message.

Jerry Manuel's Mets host manager Jim Riggleman and the Mariners on Monday in the opener of a three-game interleague series.

New York fired Willie Randolph on Tuesday, and since then the Mets have responded by winning the finale against Anaheim and taking two of three from Colorado over the weekend. On Sunday, Mike Pelfrey carried a shutout into the sixth inning and Carlos Beltran hit a two-run homer to lead New York to a 3-1 victory over the Colorado Rockies.

The Mets, who have won five of seven, will ask ace Johan Santana (7-5, 3.04 ERA) to try and keep the momentum.

However, Santana is winless in his last three starts despite allowing just five runs and 18 hits in his last 19 innings. The two-time Cy Young Award winner hopes his 7-1 mark and 2.92 ERA in 16 games against Seattle will help him get back into the win column.

Meanwhile, the Mariners replaced John McLaren with Riggleman on Friday - three days after firing general manager Bill Bavasi. Seattle has shown no signs of life since having lost four of six since Bavasi was fired last Monday. Mark Teixeira hit three home runs as the Mariners fell, 8-3, to Atlanta on Sunday.

Felix Hernandez (6-5, 2.87 ERA) is the perfect man to help Seattle bounce back. Hernandez, who is seeking a fifth straight win, has allowed just three earned runs over his last 28 1/3 innings.