Wright, who hit a career-high 33 home runs last season, is on a pace to finish 2009 with just 10. Part of the problem is Citi Field's crazy-deep dimensions, but Wright seems to have morphed into a different hitter altogether.

He doesn't go deep anymore, and he strikes out all the time — almost once every four at-bats. At this rate, Wright will rack up nearly 160 Ks this season. Only three hitters in history have ever whiffed that much and still batted .300 — Bobby Bonds, Ryan Howard and Sammy Sosa.

Wright is finding out how steep New York's celebrity tax can be.

"When you're the face of the franchise and everything is centered on you, if it's all about one person, it becomes more than one person can bear," said Gary Sheffield.

Actually, the handicap cuts deeply in both directions. The stadium is oversized and the Mets are just too weak. After scoring three runs last weekend against the Phillies, the Mets became the first team this season to go three consecutive games without hitting a home run at Citizens Bank Park.

K-Rod is certainly a deserving All-Star, but ... (Jim McIsaac / Getty Images)

Bringing in Citi's centerfield fences is one option. So is removing the upper half of the 16-foot wall that makes it so hard to go deep. An eight-foot barrier would be more reasonable.

The club's other option is to morph into the 1980s-era Cardinals, emphasizing speed, defense and pitching. Since 2004, the Mets have become a quasi-American League entity trying to out-slug the Phillies — with limited success.

To revamp the roster, however, means getting dramatically younger and more athletic. That kind of make-over isn't easy, however, given ownership's attraction to older free agents.

If not, the Mets need to act decisively before the ballpark is abandoned altogether. Even an SNY TV executive admitted the team's Q-rating is next to nothing. "They're unwatchable," said the network official

The Mets may have no choice but to lower ticket prices if the deficit reaches double-digits. That would be bitter medicine for the Wilpon family, which has been denied playoff revenue for the last two years. Finishing out of the running for a third straight season could impact the Mets' plans this offseason, especially when they'll be looking for a replacement for Delgado.

Still, no one would say the Mets have over-achieved or won anyone over with hustle. Instead, everyone's been dragged into the same cesspool, notably the pitchers: the starters and relievers both had collective ERAs over 5.00 in June, the first time that's happened since 1962.

Manuel seems lost trying to fight the malaise. He's alternately asked (begged) the front office for help via a trade and tried pumping up his players in team meetings. Throughout, Manuel has been candid in addressing the team's problems.

But nothing's worked so far. At year's end, ownership will take a hard look at Manuel's motivation quotient and ask if he's the right man to ever get a healthy Met team — if one can still imagine such a thing — into the playoffs.