There aren't many good things to point to in the way that the Mets are playing right now. As of this writing they are 2 - 9 in the month of June.

The starting pitching has shown little resolve lately. The bullpen is unfocused. At the plate there has been an overall drought in batting with RISP and no production in late innings. The bench is lackadaisical and depleted. Defense has not been sharp. We have just lacked the energy that lets us believe that any game is still within reach, and as Rob described, even in those games that we do come from behind we are unable to put the opposition away.

But I have to uncomfortably admit the biggest glaring weakness in all of this is the guy in the 3-hole, the $119-Million Dollar Man, the Five-Tool player, "Mr. GQ," Carlos Beltran.

The guy has just been radiating failure. He looks horrible at the plate, from both sides. He is a sucker for the most amateurish curve ball and is late on the fast ball. His eye is gone, swinging at pitches all over creation. And unbelieveably, it looks like he is dogging it in the outfield and on the basepaths.

Five tools, indeed. All of them dull.

We need leadership from Carlos, and we need it now. If he is not prepared to put it all on the line maybe he needs to sit on the bench for a little while.

Carlos, I am pleading for you to prove me wrong. The team will go nowhere without your quiet, confident, graceful leadership.