All right, raise your hand if you thought it was even possible for the Nationals to score 18 runs over two consecutive games, because I sure didn’t think so. The Mets’ pitching certainly kept things more exciting than a face-off between first- and last-place teams has any right to be. Still, for all the pitching woes, it was nice to see the offense really come together and rescue the two-game set. It really is a fearsome squad when everyone’s hitting well. The Mets (82-63) are now three-and-a-half up over the Phillies as they welcome the Atlanta Braves (64-82) into Shea for a weekend series. And yes, those records are nearly exact opposites of each other. Nice, isn’t it?

Southpaws MIke Hampton (2-2, 5.60) and Johan Santana (13-7, 2.70) will face each other during Friday night’s game. They’ll be followed by Jo-Jo Reyes (3-10, 5.26) and Pedro Martinez (5-4, 5.44) on Saturday afternoon. Jorge Campillo (7-7, 3.70) and Oliver Perez (10-7, 4.15) will close out the series on Sunday.

Game 1: Mike Hampton, LHP

What’s the Story? You can find my original scouting report on Hampton here.

This Year: The Mets faced Hampton on August 25th, and he did okay. He went only six innings and gave up eight hits, striking out just two. But he also walked just one, and generally did a good job keeping the ball on the ground. He did elevate one to David Wright, however, who drove it out of the park.

What to Expect: Mike Hampton just hasn’t looked especially crisp this season. His sinker just hasn’t had the same bite, and he’s left a few pitches up in the zone. His groundball rate is a little pedestrian for a sinkerballer, and he’s given up a few homeruns. Given his so-so walk rate and poor strikeout rate, it’s a major cause for concern. He is playing for a contract this offseason, so if he’s going to make an impression on prospective buyers, it’d better come now.

Game 2: Jo-Jo Reyes, LHP

What’s the Story? You can find my original scouting report on Reyes here.

This Year: Jo-Jo Reyes pitched pretty well against the Mets his last time out. He went six innings, allowing just two runs on four hits, walking three and striking out five. He gave up just one extra-base hit, a double to Fernando Tatis that brought home one of the two runs.

What to Expect: I’m really not too high on Reyes, who has walked too many batters in his major league career and struck out too few. His fastball is pretty deceptive, but it flattens out, and he really needs to be careful with where he locates it. He’s at his best when he attacks the lower half of the strike zone early in counts, while changing speeds effective with his changeup, slider, and overhand curve, a pitch he might benefit to incorporate a little more into his arsenal. Durability remains a question.

Game 3: Jorge Campillo, RHP

What’s the Story? My original report on Campillo may be found here.

This Year: Campillo looked great when the Mets saw him in May. He went six innings and didn’t allow a run. In fact, Mets hitters managed just three hits off him and struck out seven times, tying him for his season-high. He also walked no one.

What to Expect: Campillo’s a classic junkballer. His fastball only comes in the mid-80s, so he’ll generally shy away from throwing the pitch, at least in relation to most pitchers. In fact, he’s thrown fewer fastballs than every starter with 120 innings except Tim Wakefield, Jesse Litsch, Andy Sonnanstine, and Doug Davis. He’ll throw almost as many changeups and sliders, while occasionally mixing in his slow curve. He’s got outstanding control, making him a tough opponent for a patient team like the Mets. Campillo can be hit, however, and he’s an extreme flyball pitcher, making him prone to the homerun.

Overall: I’m going to say two out of three here. I don’t like Ollie and the Mets against Campillo, who’s really been a bright spot for the Braves this season. I do like Johan over Hampton in the opener. The rubber game, to me, is likely to be the middle game. Pedro hasn’t looked particularly great of late, but Jo-Jo Reyes is just plain bad right now. I’ll take Pedro in a potential slugfest.