It’s hard to fathom what’s happened to the Mets. Once a virtual postseason lock, they’ve seen a seven-game division lead just over two weeks ago (Sept. 12) evaporate.

As they were being baffled by Joel Pineiro in a 3-0 blanking at Shea for their seventh consecutive home loss, the surging Phillies meanwhile put up six on John Smoltz taking advantage of a couple of errors before hanging on for a 6-4 victory to stunningly tie for first with only three games left for each club this weekend.

It’s the first time since May 15 that Willie Randolph’s struggling club hasn’t led the NL East. To put into perspective what kind of collapse this would be if they fail to make October which now is actually possible because the Padres at last check were up on Milwaukee 9-5 in the eighth, no team who held a seven-game lead this late in the season has ever failed to win a division.

The most stunning aspect for the Amazin’s is that their offense has supplied plenty of runs. Before being silenced tonight, they had averaged close to seven runs during a skid that’s seen them lose 10 of 14 to give the Phils life.
It’s as simple as the pen can’t get anyone out. Just ask the Nationals who visit Philadelphia in one key series this weekend after scoring 32 runs in a three-game sweep in Queens. Manny Acta’s ballclub ranked dead last in the majors in offense. Yet they had no problem hammering Mets’ pitching in taking five of the last six against the Mets in the past week, outscoring them 57-39.

Austin Kearns wore out the Mets’ staff going 7-for-21 with three dingers, 10 RBI’s and nine runs scored. The left fielder slugged two of those home runs and drove in seven the past three days. Before the past week, he had two homers and five knocked in the previous 11 against them in the season series.

He wasn’t the only one to hurt New York. In three games (all wins) in which his team outscored the Mets by a combined 34-14, Washington outfielder Ryan Church was 6-for-11 with two homers and eight RBI’s. In fact, five of his six hits were for extra bases. What’s even more daunting is that he only started twice in those three games, also coming on to hit a pinch hit two-run home run in a 12-4 win Sept. 17.

Second baseman Ronnie Belliard also got in on the act hitting in five of the six contests with a homer, four doubles and nine RBI’s for the former Cardinal.

Even washed up Tony Batista did damage against Tom Glavine with a solo shot for his second home run of the season the other night plus light hitting catcher Brian Schneider drove in six including a couple off struggling closer Billy Wagner.

Wednesday night was probably the low point as the Mets sent out pitching prospect Phil Humber for his first major league start. Carlos Beltran (2 HR) and Moises Alou (HR to extend season best hit streak to 30 straight) supplied the former 2004 third overall selection with a 5-0 lead off Barry Bonds’ victim Mike Bacsik. But Humber and Met rookie reliever Joe Smith couldn’t hold it giving up seven runs in two frames including a five-run fifth which allowed the Nats to rally from four down to take a 7-6 lead on Wily Mo Pena’s two-run double.

Maybe that inning took the air out of the Mets’ balloon because they haven’t scored since the fourth of that game, going silent the last five against a hittable Washington pen which they got six off of in a gutwrenching 10-9 defeat Tuesday.

The hitters certainly had to be overly frustrated by the Mets’ pen’s inability to hold onto the leads that they’ve built during this stretch. A three-run lead is never safe for this team. Not with the starters unable to go deep into games and give a fatigued pen a blow.

Who would you trust? Guillermo Mota makes Kyle Farnsworth look good. Pedro Feliciano who is one of Randolph’s better options suddenly can’t get righties out. Last night’s goat Smith looks every bit like a rookie who has hit a wall after closing games in A ball last year for the Cyclones in an abbreviated season in the NY-Penn League. Jorge Sosa has been overused by Randolph and can’t be trusted. Aaron Heilman is probably their best but has a penchant for walking guys and occasionally gives up the big home run.

Wagner’s troubles have been well documented. It was evident that the ex-Phillie had nothing when he came in Wednesday trying to keep it a one-run deficit for Randolph. He better find it in time for this weekend cause the Mets are going to need him probably even against the Marlins.
How crazy is it? When Scott Schoeneweis suddenly is throwing strikes and working scoreless frames despite a rough season, you know it’s gotten bad.

The Mets can take solace knowing El Duque got back out there and gutted out a scoreless seventh Wednesday despite walking two. It looks like that’s where you’ll see the veteran the rest of the year. It certainly can’t hurt their chances because like Pedro Martinez, he knows how to pitch.

What might be most disturbing about the Mets’ tailspin is they couldn’t even get a lift from their inspirational leader who after giving up three runs (2 ER) in the first three frames tossing over 50 pitches put up four straight scoreless and K’d eight on 105 pitches (73 strikes).

The Mets’ offense was kept off balance by Pineiro who used a fastball which reached 94 along with a wicked slider (87) which had batters swinging over to go eight scoreless permitting just four baserunners (three hits) all night. In fact, he used just 93 pitches (60 strikes) and went to two three ball counts before ex-Met Jason Isringhausen shut the door by retiring the top of the order 1-2-3 without a hint of trouble.

One would’ve thought Pedro’s performance in which he got better in his fifth start would be enough to turn the tide and get his teammates’ bats going. But they just seemed in a collective daze as Pineiro dominated. He easily could’ve gone the distance which was brought up by exasperated SNY tandem Keith Hernandez and Ron Darling. A graphic then came up showing that there have only been 112 complete games this season as compared to over 500 two decades ago. The shrinking number inspired by pitch counts had the former ‘86 Mets attention.

As Hernandez pointed out, “It’s Pineiro’s last start of the season. Why not have him finish it?”

But that’s just how it is these days where even when you have a pitcher in complete control without throwing a ton of pitches, they still come out. It’s why you see starters unable to go deeper into games and then you have taxed pens like the Mets are experiencing as they limp to the finish line.

So can the Mets recover from this awful skid which has seen the Phils make up seven games? All depends on what their psyche is? They looked pretty shot the past two nights. They do get the Marlins who they knocked around taking three out of four in Southern Florida last weekend.

Aside from Dontrelle Willis who’s going against Tom Glavine in the regular season finale Sunday, the matchups tend to favor them with Oliver Perez facing B.J. Kim Friday night and John Maine Saturday against Chris Seddon.

Meanwhile, the Phillies who got home run No.44 from Ryan Howard and a two-run shot which proved to stand as the winner from resurgent left fielder Pat Burrell (30th) will have to deal with those pesky Nats this weekend.

They’ll get plenty of support from a fanatic crowd who’s starved to see their team’s first October since 1993. The white towels will continue to be waved. You have to wonder if on the contrary, some Mets fans have tossed theirs in with so many empties the past couple of nights despite announced paid attendances of 40,000 plus.
The Phils will send ace Cole Hamels to the mound Friday against Tim Redding. Adam Eaton goes against Matt Chico Saturday and Jamie Moyer opposes Jason Bergmann in the season finale Sunday.

In the event the two teams finish in a tie after Sunday, the Phillies would host a one-game playoff the following day to settle it.

If you’re a Mets fan, knowing the history of the Phils’ epic collapse in 1964, you probably are hoping it doesn’t get to that point. But here’s something interesting. While their team can’t seem to find the magic winning formula at Shea, they own the majors’ best road record finishing 47-34.

We’ll know soon enough if it gets to Monday.

What’s more? With the wildcard leading Padres winning again in Milwaukee to stay a game back of Arizona, their 88-71 record is one better than both NL East competitors- meaning it’s now entirely possible that the NL East loser will miss out on the playoffs.

With the red hot Rockies at last check leading the Dodgers 6-3 in the seventh thanks to a two-run homer from Todd Helton in search of their 11th consecutive win, it’s possible they could remain tied with both the Mets and Phils a game behind the Padres.

There’s even a crazy scenario where you could have all four teams finish tied on the final day with a mini-playoff tournament possible.

Still, what are the chances that will happen? Who can tell in this wild year?

In the mean time, we’re going to find out plenty about the Mets starting later tonight. Fasten your seatbelts!