Chicago, IL (WFAN)  -- Where O Where have the Carloses gone? Oh, Where O Where can they be? Well, we know that one has gone to Minnesota to patrol centerfield for the Twins or Johan Santana wouldn't be here to stop losing streaks. The other two reside in the heart of the Mets batting order, and therein lies the problem at the moment. Although slowing down - going 0 for Chicago after his monster series in Philadelphia ( 8-11 with 4 RBI ) - David Wright has more than held up his end as the # 3 hitter, batting .329 with 4 HR and 19 RBI ( tied for the National League lead ) along with 10 doubles ( also tied for the N.L. lead ). Throw in 17 walks and an OBP of .455 - and Wright is off to a solid start. But the # 4 and # 5 hitters have been sorely lacking in holding up their end of the bargain. Who's been worse lately has been difficult to distinguish. The two sluggers who had regularly gone for 30+ homers and 100+ RBI per season have combined to hit 2 home runs ( one each - half of Wright's total ) and drive in 2 less runs combined ( 17 ) than Wright has. Ugly.

Although Delgado has drawn much of the fans' wrath thus far, Beltran has been just as bad. In his first four games, Beltran exploded out of the gate - going 7-16 with 6 of the 7 hits being doubles. Then the power switch went off, and Beltran is hitting just .143 ( 7-49 ) since. His only home run came off Washington lefthander Matt Chico on April 16 - since then, Beltran is just 1-21 (.048). Meanwhile, Delgado was fine through his first 7 games. He hit .357 (10-28) with two doubles and a homer. But over the last 12 games, the first baseman has batted .114 (5-44) with just one extra base hit. The averages are down to .215 for Beltran and .208 for Delgado. And they're a big reason why the Mets are dead last in the N.L. in home runs - having hit just 10 as a team through the first 19 games. When your 4 and 5 hitters are putting up such anemic numbers, you're in trouble, not just heading for it.

Now over the years, I've bought my share of drinks for other people at the bar, and I don't want anything in return. What I do want is for someone to step up and buy a hit for Marlon Anderson, one of the real nice guys in the game. The premier pinch hitter can't get out of his own way right now. After singling in his first pinch at-bat on Opening Day back on March 31 in Florida, Anderson has looked lost at the plate and has been, until yesterday (a 9th inning walk), totally absent from the basepaths. What's worse, in his other 15 plate appearances, he hasn't driven the ball at all - one sacrifice, one GIDP, 3 ground outs, 4 pop outs and 6 strikeouts. Maybe a turn at first base for Delgado or at 2B for Luis Castillo - 4 AB for the day - will get him going.

Something to watch. Met starters are averaging 5.8 innings through the first 19 games. Met relievers have made 70 appearances out of the pen through the first 19 games. Last season the Met bullpen logged one appearance shy of 500 for the year. This year, they are on pace to make 597 trips to the mound if this keeps up. Can you say wear and tear? Keep watching.

C U Later

Eddie C.