Mets Daily Notes

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Orlando Hernandez was sent back to New York on Thursday morning after complaining of stiffness in his neck and upper back.
GM Omar Minaya termed the move as a "preventative" measure. As in, if El Duque doesn't throw at all this spring, it will be a lot more difficult for him to get hurt. The Mets are paying Hernandez $12 million over the next two seasons, but they can't be counting on more than 130-150 innings per year.

In an effort to have a little more left in the tank come September and October, Billy Wagner is developing a splitter.
Wagner's splitter may be more of a changeup than a third strikeout pitch. "It's not like some of the big ones," he said. "But I've been working on it in side seasons, and it's been pretty good. It's something different for me, and I pretty much know where it's going." Wagner figures throwing the pitch may allow him to get some groundouts earlier in the count. It's a good plan. Time will tell about the execution.

Mets signed LHP Mike Bynum to a minor league contract.
Bynum, once a top pitching prospect in the Padres system, last pitched in the majors in 2004 and spent last year rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. If his stuff comes back, his slider might make him useful in relief someday.

Mets signed RHP Jose Santiago to a minor league contract.
Santiago, who was up with the Mets for almonst a month in 2005, spent last year in Mexico after failing to make the Mets out of spring training. He's not even getting an invitation to major league camp this time.

Orlando Hernandez, who traveled to New York for an MRI, was diagnosed today with arthritis at the base of his neck and received a cortisone shot.
The Mets think Hernandez will be just fine. He's set to resume throwing in three or four days. El Duque will likely have physcial problems throughout the season, but this is shaping up to be a minor one.

Paul Lo Duca is reportedly expected to miss several days of workouts because of tendinitis in his right hand.
Lo Duca received a cortisone injection Thursday, which is something he's apparently had frequently during past spring trainings. "It's not that serious," manager Willie Randolph said. "We'll know more in a few days."

Pedro Martinez (shoulder) arrived at Mets camp Friday and spoke optimistically about his chances of a midseason return.
Martinez said he "should be back by the predicted time," which has been set as around mid-July, and added that his "arm is doing great."

Paul Lo Duca, who received a cortisone shot in his right hand this week, said he expects to be ready to practice Saturday.
It was the sixth straight year in which Lo Duca received a cortisone shot in the area at the beginning of the spring. "It was a cyst originally and I had to get it removed when I broke a bone, and now there's extra bone growing on top," he said. Doctors have told him he'll never need offseason surgery as long as the shots remain effective.

Even though he doesn't know when he'll resume throwing off a mound, Duaner Sanchez thinks he'll be ready for Opening Day.
The plan was for him to get on a mound in early March, but even if that happens, everything would have to go perfectly for him to avoid a brief stint on the DL at the beginning of the year. Sanchez is recovering from a separated right shoulder.

Orlando Hernandez is expected to resume throwing Tuesday after getting a cortisone shot for his neck on Thursday.
El Duque was diagnosed with arthritis in his neck earlier this week.

Source: RotoWorld

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Carlos Delgado says he is about 80-85 percent following offseason surgeries on his right wrist and left elbow.
Delgado homered in an intrasquad game today, so he might be coming along OK. "I feel good, but I need to get a little stronger," he said.

Source: RotoWorld

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General manager Omar Minaya said Monday that the Mets will not seek to extend Paul Lo Duca's contract before Opening Day.
Lo Duca can become a free agent after playing the last season of a three-year deal signed while he was with the Marlins in 2005.

Edgardo Alfonzo is set to play for the Long Island Ducks of the Atlantic League this season.
Alfonzo's Atlantic League rights were owned by the Bridgeport Bluefish, a team for which he played briefly last year, so the Ducks had to acquire him in a trade involving former major leaguers Bucky Jacobsen and Pat Mahomes.

Carlos Beltran was scratched from Tuesday's intrasquad game with tightness in his neck and quad.
Beltran said he'd be ready to play on Wednesday.

Orlando Hernandez (neck) played long toss Tuesday and reported no problems.
El Duque, who received a cortisone for his neck problems last Wednesday, said he's not sure when he'll be ready to throw from a mound.

Orlando Hernandez threw 41 pitches Wednesday in his first mound session since being diagnosed with neck arthritis.
Assuming he feels fine tomorrow, El Duque could face hitters this weekend. He'd then be a candidate to pitch in games before the end of next week.

Jose Valetin is sitting out Wednesday's exhibition game because of a sprained ankle.
He's listed as day-to-day, but it's unlikely he'll see any time over the next couple of games.

Carlos Beltran started in center field on Wednesday after missing Tuesday's game with neck and quad tightness.
Beltran went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts from the second spot in the Mets order. Beltran hit third behind Paul Lo Duca throughout last year, but Lo Duca was hitting fifth today. Moises Alou and Carlos Delgado hit third and fourth, respectively, and David Wright and Shawn Green were used behind Lo Duca. It's probably just something Willie Randolph wanted to take a look at. Beltran hitting second is a very good idea, but Lo Duca did do better than expected there last year, and if the catcher is going to be moved down, it makes little sense to put him ahead of the vastly superior Wright.

Oliver Perez, the favorite to act as the Mets' fourth starter, surrendered four runs and five hits in two innings Wednesday in a loss to the Tigers.
Perez should be improved this year, but it seems doubtful he'll show much in the way of consistency. The Mets should stick with him and hope for the best. He'll toss some gems, and they'll still win some of the games in which he gives up six runs in three innings.

Lastings Milledge was sent for X-rays on Thursday after getting hit on the right hand by a pitch in Wednesday's game.
Milledge was able to shake off the injury and stay in yesterday's game after getting hit. He's probably day-to-day.

X-rays of Lastings Milledge's sore right hand came back negatives. He's considered day-to-day.
Milledge was hit by a pitch during Wednesday's game.

Jose Reyes homered Thursday in the Mets' second exhibition game.
Reyes also homered in an intrasquad game Monday. He's only getting stronger, and it seems likely that he'll add to last year's total of 19 homers.

Jorge Sosa surrendered a pair of solo homers while working two innings Thursday against the Cardinals.
Endy Chavez probably would have caught the first, a Chris Duncan shot to left. Moises Alou, however, came up a little short to left. Scott Spiezio later hit one well out to right. Sosa is behind Chan Ho Park in line for the fifth spot in the Mets' rotation. He should have a bullpen spot if he doesn't make it as a starter.

Clint Nageotte picked up a relief victory Thursday after striking out two in a perfect seventh inning against the Cardinals.
Nageotte fanned both Rick Ankiel and Jolbert Cabrera with his slider, which was once one of the top breaking balls in the majors. Unfortunately, he topped out at just 87 mph with his fastball and averaged about 85. He'd likely have to recover some velocity in order to contribute out of the pen.

Source: RotoWorld

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Edgardo Alfonzo for Pat Mahomes...what a great trade in the Independent League.

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Jose Valentin (ankle) reportedly hopes to play Saturday.
Valentin twisted his right ankle earlier in the week and sat out both Wednesday and Thursday.

General manager Omar Minaya said Thursday that Duaner Sanchez (shoulder) may begin the season on the disabled list.
Sanchez has said he expects to be ready for Opening Day, but starting him off with a short DL stint would allow the Mets to delay placing Jon Adkins on waivers. Adkins is out of options.

Chan Ho Park was scratched from Friday's scheduled start because of visa issues.
The Mets hope to have the situation cleared up early next week. Park is the favorite to act as the team's fifth starter.

Pedro Martinez, who is expected to miss the first three or four months as he recovers from shoulder surgery, was given clearance to resume playing catch on Friday.
Even if Martinez feels good while playing catch, it's going to be some time before he gets back on the mound. Maybe he'll return and help the Mets after the All-Star break, but no one is counting on him resembling the Pedro of old at any point during the season.

Aaron Sele yielded one run and three hits in two innings Friday in his start against the Cardinals.
The Mets won 6-5 after scoring three runs off Josh Kinney in the ninth. Sele seems like a long shot to make the Mets as a reliever if he doesn't win a rotation spot, so he's going to have to outpitch Chan Ho Park this spring. For fantasy purposes, he's the least interesting of the team's rotation candidates.

Source: RotoWorld

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David Wright hit fifth for the Mets on Saturday and went 1-for-4 against the Dodgers.
Wright hit sixth behind Paul Lo Duca on Wednesday and second in Lo Duca's usual spot on Thursday. After resting Friday, today he was slotted in between Carlos Delgado and Moises Alou, with Lo Duca back batting second. It looks like Jose Reyes first, Shawn Green seventh and Jose Valentin eighth could be constants in the New York lineup. Manager Willie Randolph seems willing to experiment with the middle.

Jose Valentin returned to action on Saturday and went 0-for-2 with a walk.
Valentin missed the previous three days with a sprained ankle.

Mike Pelfrey allowed only a single in two innings Saturday against the Dodgers.
Pelfrey faced just one regular in Russell Martin, though James Loney, Olmedo Saenz, Andy LaRoche and Matt Kemp also provided decent tests. It appears that Pelfrey will head to Triple-A for the beginning of the season, but he might not be there long. He's a definite sleeper for 2007.

Lastings Milledge went 0-for-2 as a mid-game replacement for Endy Chavez in center field on Saturday.
Milledge missed the previous two games with a bruised right hand.

Mets prospect Ambiorix Concepcion is recovering from a broken foot suffered in winter ball and won't begin the minor league season on time.
Concepcion is probably going to play at Double-A Binghamton once healthy.

Source: RotoWorld

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Juan Padilla continued his recovery from Tommy John surgery Saturday by throwing batting practice for the first time.
Padilla threw 15 pitches in the pen and another 30 to hitters. "I'm not where I want to be, but I will be there soon enough," Padilla said. "Hopefully, next week I can get in a game and we can go from there." Padilla could be a candidate for the Mets bullpen by mid-to-late April.

David Wright said he'd be willing to give up his position to get Alex Rodriguez on New York's other team.
Wright said he'd be willing to play "anywhere" to make room for A-Rod. It seems highly unlikely that Rodriguez would opt out of his contract at the end of the season and then stay in New York, but Rodriguez wanted to play for the Mets before signing with the Rangers. "Did he really say that?" A-Rod said when told of Wright's comments. "Wow, tell him I'm flattered."

Philip Humber was pounded for five runs in an inning of relief by the Orioles on Sunday.
He was making his first game appearance since shoulder soreness limited him to one start in the Arizona Fall League. Humber hasn't been ruled out as a fifth-starter candidate, but he's almost certain to open the season in the minors. He should be behind Mike Pelfrey in line for an opportunity.

John Maine threw two scoreless innings Sunday against his former team, the Orioles.
Maine still has to lock up a rotation spot, but there's little doubt he'll serve as the Mets' third or fourth starter. Because he's likely to feature a strong WHIP, he can be viewed as a late-round option in mixed leagues.

Source: RotoWorld

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Manager Willie Randolph said Sunday that Orlando Hernandez (neck) is expected to make his spring debut later this week.
El Duque, who threw a 41-pitch mound session last week, is reportedly scheduled to pitch either Wednesday or Thursday.

Orlando Hernandez will make his spring debut Thursday against the Orioles.
El Duque is behind after being diagnosed with arthritis in his neck last month. The Mets could have had him pitch Wednesday instead, but that would have meant a three-hour bus ride.

Pedro Martinez has yet to resume throwing since gaining clearance to play catch on Friday.
The Mets will let him go at his own pace. When Martinez resumes throwing, GM Omar Minaya said he'll start by making throwing motions and lobbing a ball against a wall.

Source: RotoWorld

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Joe Smith got five groundouts in two hitless innings of relief Monday against the Indians.
The sidearming Smith isn't a closer of the future, but he is one of the NL's better relief prospects and he could begin doing a decent Chad Bradford impression by midseason. He's allowed one hit in three innings this spring.

Oliver Perez gave up one run in three innings Monday in his start against the Indians.
A better outing that his first, especially when it came to command. However, while he did hit 91 mph on the gun, too many of the fastballs he threw today were in the 86-87 mph range. He can survive there when he spots his pitches, but he probably won't excel.

Source: RotoWorld

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Mets fans have got to be a little concerned about Perez not getting his velocity up. No way he succeeds throwing 86 or 87.

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Pedro Martinez (shoulder) began a throwing program at the Mets' minor league complex Monday.
Martinez was cleared to begin throwing Friday. "We're talking small steps," general manager Omar Minaya said.

Carlos Delgado was scratched from Tuesday's lineup because of a sore neck.
Delgado reportedly received two hours of treatment and wasn't sure if he'll be able to play Wednesday.

Filling in for Carlos Delgado, Mike Carp drove in five runs with a pair of doubles Tuesday against the Astros.
Carp is unlikely to see the majors this year after spending most of 2006 at Single-A St. Lucie, but he could be the Mets' first baseman of the future. If he keeps progressing, he'll give the team a reason not to pick up Carlos Delgado's option for 2009.

Tom Glavine scattered four hits over three scoreless innings Tuesday in the Mets' 7-2 win over the Astros.
Glavine, who was away from camp for a couple of days for personal reasons, has yet to allow a run in five innings this spring.

Chan Ho Park's visa problems have been resolved, according to the Mets, and he's scheduled to face the Red Sox on Wednesday.
Park was scratched from his first scheduled start because he didn't have a work visa.

Source: RotoWorld

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Mets signed first baseman Wil Cordero to a minor league contract.
Cordero sat out last season, but he ended 2005 in the Mets organization after being released by the Nationals. He'll give Ruben Sierra someone to swap stories with in Triple-A.

Ambiorix Burgos gave up a walkoff grand slam in his second inning of work Wednesday against the Red Sox.
Burgos had pitched four scoreless innings this spring, but since all four runs today were charged to him, his ERA now stands at 8.31. While the Mets like his potential, he's by no means guaranteed a spot in the bullpen to begin the year.

Chan Ho Park allowed one run and two hits in three innings Wednesday versus the Red Sox.
Park added some distance between himself and Aaron Sele, who gave up four runs in two innings after taking over to start the fourth. Mike Pelfrey is the bigger threat to Park's status, but since the Mets will probably want him in Triple-A initially, Park is the leading candidate to be the Mets' fifth starter.

Playing catch for the first time since shoulder surgery, Pedro Martinez threw for 10 minutes at a distance of 45 feet on Wednesday.
"He looked good," said Randy Niemann, the Mets' rehabilitation pitching coordinator. "It's just the beginning. It's the start of a long process, but he looked really good."

Source: RotoWorld

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Chan Ho Park is the leading fifth starter candidate?

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As expected, Carlos Delgado (neck) sat out Wednesday's game.
Delgado reportedly received additional treatment on his neck Wednesday and said he slept better on it than he had the previous night. He's day-to-day.

Shawn Green, who said that he's corrected a fatal flaw in his swing this week, came up with his first hit of the spring on Thursday.
He singled once and struck out twice in five at-bats, giving him an .056 average. It sure does seem as though he's back in 2006 form already.

Mike Pelfrey surrendered two unearned runs in three innings after relieving Orlando Hernandez against the Orioles.
Pelfrey is making a case for a rotation spot, but it figures to be difficult for him to overtake Chan Ho Park prior to Opening Day. He hasn't allowed an earned run or walked a batter in five innings.

Orlando Hernandez was tagged for five runs in two innings by the Orioles on Thursday.
El Duque had a clean first inning in his spring debut, but the Orioles got to him for five hits in the second, with Rule 5 pick Adam Donachie delivering a three-run homer. The important things was that he said he felt good after the outing. Hernandez has been slowed by an arthritic neck.

Rehabbing reliever Duaner Sanchez was sent home Thursday for repeatedly showing up late for his workouts.
Manager Willie Randolph said Sanchez had been warned about his tardiness and added that he will consult with GM Omar Minaya to determine whether there will be additional disciplinary action. Sanchez also had some similar issues in his days with the Pirates, which is one of the reasons they gave up on him after 2003 (the bigger reason being that they're poor judges of talent).

Carlos Delgado had precautionary X-rays on his sore neck that came back negative.
Delgado, who missed a third straight game Thursday, remains day-to-day.

Mets reassigned 1B Michel Abreu, RHP Clint Nageotte, RHP Kevin Mulvey, RHP Jorge Vasquez, LHP Willie Collazo, LHP Eddie Camacho, C Joe Hieptas, C Drew Butera, C Mike Nickeas, C Francisco Pena, OF Chip Ambres, OF Fernando Martinez and OF Victor Mendez to minor league camp; optioned LHP Adam Bostick to Triple-A New Orleans.
In what would have been considered a surprise a few days ago, Mike Carp survives round one. GM Omar Minaya sounded high on Abreu in the offseason, but the 27- or 31-year-old Cuban defector only appeared in one game this spring. Perhaps Minaya was just talking him up previously for trade purposes.

Source: RotoWorld

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Shawn Green went 2-for-4 with a double as the Mets' first baseman on Friday.
It's a good idea to get Green some time at first, as Julio Franco, who is currently nursing a wrist injury, is no longer much of an option as a regular in case of an injury to Carlos Delgado. With Green playing first, the Mets would have the option of turning to Endy Chavez or maybe Lastings Milledge in right field.

Aaron Heilman took a loss to the Tigers on Friday after giving up four runs in an inning.
Heilman appeared to be out of the inning with no damage after Kody Kirkland grounded to third with two outs. However, after Heilman had walked back to the dugout, it was correctly ruled that Kirkland had fouled the ball off his foot. Kirkland went on to deliver a bases-loaded double and then scored on a double to left that David Newhan got a late break on. Heilman entered the game having allowed one run in four innings this spring.

John Maine tossed three innings of shutout ball Friday against the Tigers.
It should be only a matter of time before Maine is officially named the Mets' No. 3 starter. He's yet to allow a run in five innings this spring.

Duaner Sanchez, who was told to stay home again Friday, will meet with manager Willie Randolph and GM Omar Minaya on Saturday morning.
Sanchez was sent home Thursday for repeated tardiness. Tomorrow morning's meeting is scheduled for 8 a.m. "It wouldn’t be a good idea to be late" Randolph said. "He will come in tomorrow, go over a few things and we’ll go from there. He’s had a couple of days to think about what his priorities are."

Julio Franco had an MRI and X-rays on his left hand and could be out a few days with tendon inflammation.
With Franco joining Carlos Delgado in the trainer's room, Shawn Green started at first base today.

Bret Boone, who called it quits last March, was in the Mariners clubhouse Friday and revealed that he had an offer to play this year and briefly considered it, but decided against it.
"Mentally, I feel much better now. At the time (I retired), I was down on baseball. Now I feel like I could play again," Boone said. "If I felt like this last year, I'd still be playing. But last year, it was time."

Duaner Sanchez is expected to resume his rehabilitation at Mets camp Sunday after meeting with management Saturday morning.
Sanchez was told to go home Thursday and stay there Friday for repeated tardiness. Since Sanchez has yet to resume throwing off a mound since surgery for a separated right shoulder, it appears likely that he'll begin the season on the disabled list.

Paul Lo Duca missed Saturday's game because of nausea.
Lo Duca should be back in a day or two.

Ben Johnson and David Newhan both had three hits and a homer Saturday versus the Nationals.
The two are likely competing for one bench spot. Johnson is hitting .409/.500/.727 in 22 at-bats, but Newhan has also done well and is sporting a .304/.333/.609 line in 23 at-bats. The Mets could use Johnson's power off the bench, but they may favor Newhan's versatility and experience.

Oliver Perez yielded one run and two hits in four innings Saturday versus the Nationals.
Perez walked two and struck out none, but he had a solid outing nonetheless. Since he's given up just two runs in his last two starts, he remains on track to be named the Mets' fourth starter.

Mets reassigned RHP Steve Schmoll to minor league camp.
Schmoll had allowed just one run and three hits in four innings, but he never had a chance to make the team after a disappointing 2006 in Triple-A. The sidearming reliever will be ready if needed.

Source: RotoWorld