Amazin' Stories

More queasiness at Citi Field

J.P. here, wrapping up today's game and the homestand. CF Carlos Beltran wasn't the only Met troubled by a stomach virus today. Beltran sat out, but John Maine started and threw six scoreless innings before vomiting after the top of the sixth. He went to the mound for the seventh, but went no further. With the Mets boarding a plane for Pittsburgh after the game, it's fair to wonder whether the pressurized cabin and the non-circulating air could result in that virus spreading. We'll all know more tomorrow.

Jerry Manuel said after the game he didn't think OF Angel Pagan's groin injury was a 'day-to-day deal' and I think he's right. He was hobbling after pulling up, and a DL stint could be awaiting, although nothing is confirmed at this point. Too bad, because he was playing well, hitting .333 since coming back.

Couple of interesting moves by Manuel in the bottom of the seventh and the top of the eighth. With a runner on first and nobody out, he had No. 5 hitter Daniel Murphy sacrifice because he didn't like the way Murphy has been swinging the bat. Murphy got the bunt down and newbie Fernando Martinez followed with an RBI double, so it worked out well.

And in the eighth, when J.J. Putz allowed three of the first four hitters he faced to reach base, Manuel went to Bobby Parnell. Parnell allowed one inherited runner to score but got out of the mess with a one-run lead. This bears watching, as Manuel obviously likes Parnell's work and Parnell certainly would be a candidate to work the eighth if Putz falters.   

Nice touch by the Mets with the ceremonial first pitch today, thrown by a Queens high school lefty, Jordan Wiener, whose father, Mitchell, died tragically from swine flu. Jordan, who threw a five-inning no-hitter in the PSAL playoffs the day after his dad's funeral, fired a fastball strike for the first pitch.

Another one bites the dust

J.P. Pelzman here at . . . OK, Citi Field. I know some of you feel the Generic But Quirky Ballpark thing is repetitious, and I suppose that's a fair complaint. But it's because of those quirks that the HR replay is almost becoming a daily occurrence at this place. It's as if the Mets' management said. 'hey, give us this quirk and that quirk and this quirk, etc., etc., etc.' without worrying how much it was going to affect play. And obviously, it has affected the game numerous times.

OK, I'll climb down off the soapbox now.

Anyway, the biggest problem for the Mets is their rapidly-growing DL. And it may have another member very soon. Angel Pagan, filling in at CF for Carlos Beltran, who still is suffering from the stomach virus that caused him to leave yesterday's game, pulled up lame while chasing Hanley Ramirez's fourth-inning double and was replaced by Jeremy Reed. It looked like a possible pulled groin, and the Mets are calling it right groin discomfort and saying he's day-to-day. Of course, so was Jose Reyes.

Before the game, the Mets honored winners of their 2009 Fantasy Camp. Maybe they should've asked some of them to stick around in case they're needed.

As for other injury news, Jerry Manuel said before the game that Reyes [calf] will be leaving tonight to go to the Mets' Port St. Lucie complex where he will participate in extended spring training. He will work out Monday and play in games Tuesday and Wednesday, Manuel said. If all goes well, he'll rejoin the Mets in Washington on Friday. He'll be eligible to come off the DL that day. 

The news is good on IF Alex Cora [thumb], who is expected to come off the DL Tuesday in Pittsburgh. Cora is playing extended spring training games now, and served as a DH yesterday.

Redding Bombed Again

Tim Redding is out after four-plus innings - allowing seven runs on eight hits, including three straight hits to start the fifth inning. After a Hanley Ramirez single, Jorge Cantu doubled off the leftfield wall and Jeremy Hermida crushed a ball off the Pepsi Porch in rightfield.

This comes on the heels of a 4 2/3 inning, six-run effort in Boston, raising his ERA to 9.20 in three starts (after a spring that included 14 runs in 2 1/3 innings).

Maybe it's too late not to belabor the point, but Tim Redding signed for $2.25 million. Pedro Martinez was asking for $5 million.

Subway Series Ticket Opportunity

METS LAUNCH ONLINE TICKET REGISTRATION FOR SUBWAY SERIES

JUNE 26-28 AT CITI FIELD

 

Fans Can Register Starting Today for Opportunity to Purchase

Tickets at Mets.com and LosMets.com

FLUSHING, N.Y., May 30, 2009 – The New York Mets today announced the launch of an online registration for the opportunity to purchase tickets for the Subway Series June 26-28 at Citi Field.  The registration for the online random drawing will run through Thursday, June 4.

All fans registering now on Mets.com or LosMets.com automatically will be eligible for the random drawing. There is no fee and no purchase necessary to register.  There is a limit of one entry per person. In the case of multiple entries for the same individual, only one entry received will be entered. There is no assurance that any particular registrant will be selected. Opportunities to purchase tickets are non-transferable.

Registration for the drawing closes Thursday, June 4 at 11:59 p.m.  A limited number of fans will be selected in the online random drawing and will be notified via e-mail by Tuesday, June 9 with instructions regarding the online purchase of up to four (4) tickets.  Tickets start at $27 each and must be purchased with a major credit card.  Per ticket and per order fees will apply.

For more information, visit Mets.com, LosMets.com, or call the Mets Ticket Office at 718-507-TIXX

 

The lineup

With an 11 inning game last night - as well as Josh Johnson on the mound - Jerry Manuel decided to rest David Wright, Luis Castillo and Gary Sheffield. So here is the B-squad lineup.

Pagan LF F. Martinez RF Beltran CF Tatis 3B Murphy 1B R. Martinez 2B Schneider C Valdez SS Redding P Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Ollie Setback

If you are waiting for Oliver Perez - and I know somewhere someone is - the wait may be very long.

Perez underwent an MRI Thursday in New York that revealed more patella tendinitis. After beginning his comeback in Buffalo he now will return to Port St. Lucie for rehab work with no hint of a return to the majors.

His delivery is a mess, his control is erratic and that $36 million is not looking like a very sound investment.

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Voice of the fan - and everyone else - is heard?

In the eighth inning tonight, the Mets passed over the usual playing of Sweet Caroline in favor of Meet the Mets. Could that have been in reaction to the criticism over the team swiping the eighth-inning song from the Red Sox, who already made the Neil Diamond song a classic at their own Fenway Park?

Schneider Close

Brian Schneider is here today, but is not activated yet.

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

The lineup

Pagan RF Castillo 2B Beltran CF Sheffield LF Wright 3B Tatis 1B Santos C Martinez SS Pelfrey P

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Fernando-mania? We'll see

J.P. back for a second straight day pinch-hitting for Steve at Generic But Quirky Ballpark. Sorry I didn't blog earlier, but it's been pretty crazy here with all the comings and goings, and I've already written a web story detailing them. Here's the Reader's Digest version: Jose Reyes [calf] and Ryan Church [hamstring] both were placed on the 15-day DL, rookie phenom Fernando Martinez called up [and immediately put in the lineup, batting sixth and playing RF] and journeyman IF Wilson Valdez acquired from the Cleveland organization for cash considerations. Valdez also is in uniform and available.

Bringing up Martinez was necessary, the Mets felt, with CF Carlos Beltran [bone bruise below right knee, inflamed tibia] out of the lineup until at least Friday because of his leg woes. However, Beltran was somewhat pleased that an MRI taken this morning didn't show anything worse.

Church was optimistic yesterday that he wouldn't be out too long, but tried to run this afternoon and couldn't do it. He was frustrated, of course, but wasn't too discouraged. Obviously, the problems he went through with the two concussions last year were worse.

Martinez struck out swinging in the second inning in his first at-bat and just recorded his first RBI on a fielder's choice in the third. FWIW, and admittedly not much, I also happened to be covering for The Record when David Wright made his major league debut at Shea Stadium [remember that place?]. That was July 21, 2004, and he went 0-for-4 in a 5-4 win over Montreal. I also was at Shea the next day when Wright went 2-for-4 with a double in a 4-1 loss to the Expos, the forerunners of these National, of course.