Tony DeMarco

As April winds down, the New York Mets are at the top of the National League in virtually every major statistical category. And we’re not just talking hitting. We’re talking about pitching, too.

The former comes as no surprise. The latter is downright scary. Because if the Mets can continue to get anything close to this level of pitching efficiency, the rest of the National League is in trouble. Here’s where Rick Peterson’s staff stood through Wednesday’s games:

Wins: 1^st (13)

ERA: 1^st (2.88)

Hits to innings pitched ratio: 1^st (147 hits allowed, 181 innings)

Earned runs: 1^st (58)

And that was after the Rockies pounded rookie Mike Pelfrey and the bullpen for 11 runs and 20 hits on Wednesday. The only other concern is Orlando Hernandez, who's injury was revealed on Monday. Hernandez was put on the disabled list with bursitis in his shoulder. His replacement is Chan Ho Park, who was roughed up in his first start.

On the bright side, Tom Glavine, John Maine and Oliver Perez have been brilliant.

Maine is proving his 2006 postseason breakthrough was no fluke, posting three quality starts, including seven one-hit innings in his first outing. Perez had one throwaway outing in his first three, with the encouraging sign being a 17-7 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

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The bullpen hasn’t missed Guillermo Mota (serving a 50-game suspension) and Duaner Sanchez (season-ending surgery). Lefty Pedro Feliciano and rookie submariner Joe Smith haven’t allowed earned runs. Billy Wagner is three-for-three in save situations with a 1.00 ERA. And other than long man Aaron Sele’s 6.00 ERA, only Ambiorix Burgos has an ERA above 2.70.

And meanwhile, Pedro Martinez reports that he is very pleased with his recovery from surgery, and expects to contribute in the second half.

And now for the expected offensive domination:

Through Wednesday’s games, nobody was within 23 points of the Mets’ .295 team batting average. Only the Phillies were within 19 percentage points of the Mets’ .368 team on-base percentage. And only the Marlins and Brewers were within 36 percentage points of the Mets’ .470 team slugging percentage.

The Marlins had scored one more run (117-116), but needed one more game played to do so. And thanks mostly to Jose Reyes, nobody was within four steals of the Mets’ total of 21, and their 10 triples also led the league (Reyes again).

If Reyes isn’t the National League Player of the Month, then Carlos Beltran may be.

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But this lineup is a one-through-eight proposition — or at least it will be once Carlos Delgado shakes off a slow start. Shawn Green and Jose Valentin have been productive in the No. 7 and No. 8 spots — Green with three homers and 13 RBI, Valentin is at .281 with 12 RBI. Both, of course, have hit much higher in lineups earlier in their careers.

It all adds up to the best team in the National League at this point.

Q: Will Roger Clemens return to the Yankees, and is it too soon to panic if you are a Yankees fan?
— John Durham, Riverdale, Ga.

A: There’s really no telling what Clemens is going to do, especially because at this point, I don’t believe he knows what he wants to do. I think he will pitch this season, and I base that on his competitive drive and the fact that he can make an eight-figure salary for about four months work.

As for what uniform he will wear, the Yankees have a definite need at this point, with Chien-Ming Wang just coming off the disabled list and Mike Mussina and Carl Pavano still sidelined. But to answer your second question, while there are legitimate reasons for concern, yes, I think it’s way too early to panic.

General manager Brian Cashman is doing the right thing by giving opportunities to the organization’s best pitching prospects — Darrell Rasner, Phil Hughes, etc. — early in the season. And if there is a need for Clemens later, the Yankees probably are first in line to sign him.

Q: Last year Detroit was the surprise team. What team do you see as the surprise team this year? Please say Pittsburgh.
— Mike Amone, Spanish Fort, Ala.

A: I hate to disappoint you, Mike, but I think the Milwaukee Brewers have a much better chance to contend — and even win — the National League Central than the Pirates. I like how their young position players — Prince Fielder, Rickie Weeks, J.J. Hardy, Bill Hall — are taking the next step and becoming stars. Jeff Suppan has deepened the starting rotation, and with the return to form of Derrick Turnbow to join closer Francisco Cordero, the back end of the bullpen is improved.

I do think the Pirates have a chance to be better than last season, but my best-case scenario for them still would be a few games below .500. It appears as if their young starting pitchers are maturing and improving, and that’s going to make a positive difference. But their offense still is a bit short.

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