Mike Pelfrey, New York Mets Start Tough Week by Hosting Washington Nationals

If anyone wearing a New York Mets uniform right now feels as though they're already playing with house money, could you blame them? The Mets, of whom not much good is expected this season, have gotten off to a 3-0 start in 2012, courtesy of their three-game sweep of the Atlanta Braves.

They will host the Washington Nationals (2-1) Monday night to kick off a best-of-three. Washington, at the moment, is the only National League East team outside of Flushing, Queens playing winning baseball, making Monday's series opener the start of an important week for New York, which begins a three-game set at Citizens Bank Park vs. the Philadelphia Phillies (1-2) on Friday.

Quality outings by Johan Santana, R.A. Dickey and Jonathon Niese anchored the Mets' effort vs. Atlanta, and now Mike Pelfrey will attempt to keep his club's winning streak alive against the Nationals and starter Edwin Jackson.

Pelfrey averaged 13 wins per year between 2008 and '10, but took several steps back last season, going 7-13 with a 4.74 ERA over 34 appearances (33 starts). The 6-foot-7 right-hander is one of many "ifs"--i.e., things that must go right--on this Mets team for postseason play to even become remotely possible through All-Star weekend, so his season debut will be watched closely by the coaching staff and management.

The Mets, who've little margin for error, must get through this week, their next six games, without crashing down to earth. Pelfrey has the onerous task of keeping them steered in the right direction.

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