Collins: Mets are more relaxed on road

The Mets have a home record of 22-28. On the road, they are 33-27. Overall, they are 55-55.

In 2010, the Mets were great at home: 47-34. And not so great on the road: 32-49.

So what gives? Manager Terry Collins said he thinks he sees a reason -- but he doesn't have an explanation for his reason.

"Our guys are so much more relaxed on the road than they are at home," Collins said before Wednesday night's game with the Marlins at Citi Field was rained out after a wait of one hour, 15 minutes.

"I mean, you sense it walking through the clubhouse," he said. "You just sense it. I don't have the answers to that. I'm trying to certainly research it and find out what it might be."

Usually, the opposite is true. A team is more relaxed at its home base, where familiarity with the ballpark and sleeping in one's own bed breeds contentment. But Collins feels anxiety among his players at Citi Field that isn't present away from Queens.

"I'm telling you, just being around the guys and watching them work and watching them get ready for the games and watching them play the game, there's just a more relaxed sense of the way they are when they're on the road," he said. "I don't have a reason for that."

The Mets certainly seemed plenty relaxed before Wednesday night's scheduled game. Rain canceled batting practice and delayed the start of the game, so the dozen or so players in the clubhouse chatted on the phone or played with their I-Pads or joked around with a young visitor.

The rest of the players congregated in an area of the clubhouse that is off limits to reporters. Were they pacing or chewing on their fingernails? It's impossible to say.

The Mets have lost four in a row after a five-game winning streak. They made crucial defensive mistakes in losing on Monday and Tuesday.

Monday's defeat dropped the Mets to 0-9 in the first game of homestands. Significant?

"It's odd, for sure," Collins said. "I heard that stat [Tuesday] and I was shocked by it. Very, very surprised by it. I don't have an answer for it. We were talking as a coaching staff today about game preparation. What we need to change at home that we do on the road that we're not doing on the road. Everything as far as we know is the same."

Collins said he did his best to lighten the mood before last night's scheduled game because he sensed the players could get down after two disheartening losses. The Mets don't want to drift away to oblivion and their manager is doing his best to make sure they know he still expects a lot from them.

"This isn't a joke," Collins said. "These games count. Winning is what we're supposed to do."

No matter where the game is played.

Notes & quotes: The Mets are off Thursday. Collins shuffled his rotation for the Braves series that begins Friday. R.A. Dickey, Jonathon Niese and Dillon Gee will face Atlanta. Gee was supposed to start Wednesday night. Mike Pelfrey, originally slated for Sunday, was moved to Monday's series opener against San Diego . . . No makeup date was announced. The Marlins have one more trip to Citi Field: Aug. 29-Sept. 1 . . . Gee will have his jersey retired by the Brooklyn Cyclones Thursday night.