Mets Daily Notes

[DravenX]

News from the 11th of March.

Carlos Delgado is back in the lineup for Sunday's game after missing the last five days with a sore neck.
Delgado had X-rays on his neck that came back negative. The injury seems unlikely to develop into a lingering concern.

Fernando Martinez went 3-for-3 with a double and a walk versus the Tigers on Sunday.
The 18-year-old Martinez has already been assigned to minor league camp, but the Mets brought him up for their split-squad today. He had been 0-for-2 in four appearances this spring.

Jorge Sosa held the Tigers to one run and two hits over four innings of relief Sunday.
He struck out four and walked none. The run came on a Timo Perez homer. Sosa appears to be behind Chan Ho Park and maybe Mike Pelfrey in line for a rotation spot. He'll probably make the Mets as a reliever.

Aaron Sele beat the Tigers on Sunday by allowing one run and five hits over 3 2/3 innings.
Sele has given up six runs and 13 hits in 7 2/3 innings. The Mets are unlikely to carry him, but perhaps another team will come calling if he finishes the month strong.

In his first appearance of the spring, Juan Padilla worked a scoreless inning Sunday against the Marlins.
Padilla is on the way back from Tommy John surgery. The Mets may decide against carrying him on the active roster to begin the year, but he'll have a chance to reestablish hismelf. He had a 1.49 ERA in 36 1/3 innings for the club in 2005.

David Wright homered and walked twice Sunday as the Mets and Marlins played to a 5-5 tie in 11 innings.
Wright hit second today and appears to have a real chance of occupying the spot at the beginning of the year. Such a switch would give his value a minor boost and make catcher Paul Lo Duca a weaker pick.

[DravenX]

News from the 12th of March.

Paul Lo Duca rejoined the starting lineup on Monday and went 0-for-4.
Lo Duca missed two games due to nausea. He's just 2-for-17 this spring.

Lastings Milledge went 3-for-4 with two RBI against the Nationals in Monday's loss.
Milledge is batting .345/.441/.552 in 29 at-bats. He'd probably have to improve even further to have a shot of overtaking Shawn Green before the end of the spring.


Chan Ho Park yielded four runs in 3 1/3 innings to the Nationals on Monday.
He struck out six, but it didn't do him a lot of good. He gave up two doubles to Ryan Zimmerman -- one of which easily could have been a three-run homer -- and a triple to light-hitting Nook Logan. He also walked two and hit a batter. The sloppy outing should help Mike Pelfrey's chances of making of the Mets.

[DravenX]

News from the 13th of March.

Mets released RHP Alay Soler.
It's hard to believe the Mets took this step without ever getting a good look at Soler as a reliever. The 27-year-old Cuban defector was entering the final season of the three-year, $2.8 million contract, but since he didn't pitch at all in 2005, the Mets had given him just one year to see what he could do. He shouldn't be out of work for long.

Jose Valentin was scratched from Tuesday's lineup because of neck soreness.
Ruben Gotay took over at second base. Valentin is day-to-day.

Shawn Green hit his first homer of the spring off C.C. Sabathia in the Mets' 6-5 win over the Indians on Tuesday.
It was his only hit in four at-bats. Green, who opened the spring 0-for-13, is now 5-for-32 with a 7/1 K/BB ratio. With both Endy Chavez and Lastings Milledge off to fine starts, the Mets have no need to promise Green anything entering the year.

[DravenX]

News from the 14th of March.

Orlando Hernandez (neck) threw 60 pitches to minor leaguers in a simulated game Tuesday.
"I threw good today. I'm feeling better," Hernandez said. "Today, my rest between the innings, I felt better when I came back to the mound. I'm ready for the next start."

Duaner Sanchez said he feels his shoulder is close to 100 percent and that he is hoping to throw off the mound sometime next week.
Sanchez now seems almost certain to start the season on the DL. However, he may not be more than one or two weeks behind come Opening Day. Joe Smith is one of the candidates to take his bullpen spot.

Jose Valentin worked out Wednesday and said he intended to play in Thursday's game.
Valentin is sitting out a second game today with a sore neck.

Mike Pelfrey yielded one run and six hits over four innings of relief work Wednesday against the Tigers.
The run scored on a solo shot from Marcus Thames. Every other hit Pelfrey gave up was a single. He's allowed three runs -- one earned -- in 10 innings this spring, giving him a strong case for becoming the Mets' fifth starter. Chan Ho Park appears to be the only other real alternative.

[DravenX]

News from the 15th of March.

Aaron Heilman (elbow) is reportedly hoping to return Friday.
Heilman has been sidelined for six days with tendinitis in his right elbow after having bone chips removed from the area in October. "Just a little nagging," Heilman said. "I'll get a little extra time now when we can afford it rather than later."

Mets optioned RHP Philip Humber and LHP Jason Vargas to Triple-A New Orleans.
Both were long shots to make the team entering camp, and Humber ruined his chances by giving up nine runs in five innings. Vargas was in the midst of a nice spring, having allowing two earned runs in seven innings, but he'll likely be better off in the rotation at Triple-A rather than in the Mets bullpen.

Jose Valentin, who had been out with a sore neck, rejoined the starting lineup Tuesday night against the Red Sox.
He went 1-for-3 with an RBI single. Valentin should be fine going forward.

Julio Franco returned to action on Thursday and flied out to right in his only at-bat.
He stayed in to play third base. Franco hadn't played in a week because of a sore left wrist.

Oliver Perez struck out nine in five shutout innings Thursday in a win over the Red Sox.
Perez was helped out by Josh Beckett being under orders not to swing, giving him two easy strikeouts, including one to end the fifth inning with runners on the corners. However, we're pretty sure David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez were allowed two swing when they fanned twice apiece. The Mets still haven't made it official, but Perez is going to be their No. 4 starter. Even as inconsistent as he's likely to be, he's not a bad pick in NL-only leagues or deeper mixed leagues.

Mets reassigned outfielder Ruben Sierra and catcher Jose Reyes to minor league camp; optioned RHP Marcos Carvajal and outfielder Carlos Gomez to Triple-A New Orleans.
Sierra knew going in that he wasn't in the Mets' plans for the start of the season. Still, according to GM Omar Minaya, he wasn't sure whether he'd report to minor league camp. Sierra was 4-for-24 with a double this spring.

[DravenX]

News from the 16th of March.

The New York Daily News reports that Alay Soler is expected to sign with the Pirates.
Soler, who was released by the Mets earlier this week, is reportedly likely to begin the season at Triple-A. Given Pittsburgh's pitching staff, he'd have a good chance to work his way into a prominent role at some point.

Aaron Heilman returned to the mound on Friday and pitched a perfect inning against the Marlins.
He struck out two. Because of some elbow soreness, Heilman hadn't pitched since giving up four runs on March 9.

Tom Glavine pitched shutout ball for five innings Friday in his fourth start of the spring.
Glavine seems ready for his Opening Day start. He's allowed two runs and 11 hits in 14 innings this spring.

[DravenX]

News from the 17th of March.

Juan Padilla (elbow) hasn't been on a mound since Sunday, when he tossed a scoreless inning against the Marlins in his first appearance since Tommy John elbow surgery.
Padilla said he's physically fine, but the Mets are being cautious so that when he's ready "it'll be for good," without setbacks. Padilla will likely start in the minors.

General manager Omar Minaya said Ruben Sierra had not yet told team brass whether he would report to Triple-A New Orleans.
Minaya expects a decision by Sunday. The 20-year-veteran went just 4-for-24 this spring.

Aaron Sele surrendered six runs -- five earned -- in five innings Saturday in a loss to the Orioles.
Maybe the last appearance of Sele's career? He said in the offseason that he didn't see himself heading back to the minors this year. It's clear he's not going to make the Mets, and the possibility exists that he'll be one of next week's cuts. If he doesn't quickly catch on with another team, he may opt for retirement.

Jorge Sosa was torched for six runs -- three earned -- and eight hits in two innings by the Nationals on Saturday.
Sosa had allowed three runs and five hits in eight innings this spring. He remains likely to make the Mets as a middle reliever.

Chan Ho Park gave up seven runs -- four earned -- and three homers Saturday in a loss to the Nationals.
Back-to-back lousy outings have likely cost Park his status as the favorite to act as the Mets' fifth starter. Mike Pelfrey may well be the choice now. It seems unlikely that Park will be carried on the roster if he isn't going to have a rotation spot.

[DravenX]

News from the 18th of March.

Mike Pelfrey is the clear favorite for the Mets No. 5 starter, even though winning the job may require opening the season at Triple-A New Orleans.
Pelfrey's main competition for the job both got shelled on Saturday as Chan Ho Park allowed seven runs in three innings against the Nationals and Aaron Sele gave up six runs in five against the O's. Pelfrey, who has a 1.00 Grapefruit League ERA, but the Mets shouldn't have to use a fifth starter until April 15.

Despite having an 0-2 record with a 9.72 ERA this spring, Ambiorix Burgos said, "I don't have any doubt that I'm going to make the team."
Pitching coach Rick Peterson said there are very few pitchers who can claim that. "Tommy [Glavine] had a great bullpen the other day, and I told Tommy he made the team," Peterson joked. Burgos, who has been clocked at 103 mph, still needs a lot of work on his location.

Orlando Hernandez left Sunday's game in the fifth inning with a cramp in his right hamstring.
Hernandez felt the cramp running to first on a sac bunt, but it went away after a couple of minutes. He should be fine to make his next start. El Duque allowed two runs in four innings before departing.

Paul Lo Duca went hitless against the Cardinals on Sunday, leaving him 4-for-30 this spring.
Mets manager Willie Randolph is trying to figure out whether he'd be better off with Lo Duca hitting second or in the middle of the order, but Lo Duca isn't cooperating. The longer Lo Duca slumps, the more likely it is that David Wright will find himself situated between Jose Reyes and Carlos Beltran on Opening Day.

[DravenX]

News from the 20th of March.

Mike Pelfrey earned his first victory of the spring by limiting the Orioles to one run over five innings on Tuesday night.
Pelfrey allowed seven hits and fanned just one. He actually has just three strikeouts in 14 innings this spring, though he's been effective anyway. He'll do a better job there if he is named the Mets' fifth starter. It's doubtful that he'll excel right away, but he probably would give the club more than Chan Ho Park.

Mets released outfielder Ruban Sierra.
It seems he wasn't interested in reporting to Triple-A. Sierra offers so little value these days that he'd probably only be worthy of a roster spot in September.

[DravenX]

News from the 21st of March.

Duaner Sanchez is expected to throw off a mound Thursday for the first time since injuring his shoulder in July.
Sanchez will likely begin the season on the disabled list, but could appear in the Mets' final spring training game on March 30.

Juan Padilla flew to New York Tuesday to have his sore elbow examined by doctors.
Padilla is coming back from Tommy John surgery and hasn't pitched since March 11. Asked about his timetable at this point, Padilla said, "Just some rest for now."

Oliver Perez yielded one unearned run and four hits over six innings against the Dodgers on Wednesday.
Perez took a comebacker off his foot during the outing, but he was able to stay in. He struck out two and walked two while lowering his spring ERA to 2.70.

Jose Reyes went 3-for-3 with three steals and four runs scored Wednesday in the Mets' 6-2 win over the Dodgers.
Reyes has 10 steals in 11 tries, and he also has a nifty 2/6 K/BB ratio in 53 at-bats this spring. At this rate, he could be a legitimate MVP candidate this year.

[DravenX]

News from the 22nd of March.

The Mets have shut down Juan Padilla for two weeks because of soreness in his surgically repaired elbow.
Padilla flew to New York Tuesday to be examined by doctors and said then that he thought "some rest" would be needed.

Shawn Green went 0-for-3 on Thursday and is in a 1-for-15 slump.
The Mets were hopeful Green had found his swing two weeks ago, but now that he's struggling again, the possibility is there that he'll lose his starting job to Lastings Milledge. A switch likely would benefit the team.

Billy Wagner was torched for five runs in an inning of relief by the Braves on Thursday.
Wagner had allowed just one hit in six innings entering the day, but he had also struck out just one batter and walked four. It's going to take more time to figure out whether his new splitter will be a viable pitch for him.

Aaron Sele yielded one run and two hits over five innings Thursday in a start against the Mets.
With Jorge Sosa struggling, Sele might have put himself back into the mix for a roster spot. The team will consider carrying him over Sosa as a middle reliever.

Duaner Sanchez felt a pop in his right shoulder after just 11 pitches in a bullpen session on Thursday, but it turned out all he did was tear some adhesion in the shoulder.
"I was little scared. We all want to get back to help," Sanchez said. "Anything can scare you if you don't expect it. I never had surgery [before August], so I didn't know what to expect." Sanchez was still a little sore from the episode, and won't pitch again until Saturday. It's almost a certainty that he'll end up on the DL to start the season now.

[DravenX]

News from the 23rd of March.

Mets signed third baseman Fernando Tatis to a minor league contract.
Tatis was released by the Dodgers last week after he declined to report to minor league camp. He'll probably begin the year in Triple-A.

Aaron Sele said Thursday that he plans to retire if he doesn't make the Mets' Opening Day roster.
Sele was signed to a minor league deal, but said reporting to the minors is "totally out of the question." "It's the big-league level or I'll go home," Sele said.

Carlos Delgado left Mets camp Friday to return to Puerto Rico for the birth of his child.
Assuming it wasn't a false alarm, this means Delgado won't miss any regular-season time. The baby had been due on April 1, Opening Day.

Moises Alou went 0-for-3 on Friday to drop his average to .167.
Alou hasn't had a multihit game this spring and has yet to hit a home run. Unlike Shawn Green, he doesn't have to worry about losing any playing time because of his struggles. Still, it'd be nice to see the 40-year-old start hitting soon.

Orlando Hernandez limited the Cardinals to an unearned run over six innings and struck out five in the Mets' victory Friday.
Hernandez had no issues today after leaving his previous start with a cramp in his right hamstring. He has a 5.25 ERA in three spring starts.

Pedro Martinez said Friday he has moved on to the next step in his throwing program, making 125 throws from 75 feet.
"I'm on the same program, but making a lot more progress than the previous week," Martinez said. With Pedro's progress going as well as the Mets could have hoped, the possibility exists that he'll be back in the majors immediately after the All-Star break.

[DravenX]

News from the 24th of March.

On Sunday, the Mets will get their first look at reliever Guillermo Mota, who is suspended until late May.
Mota, banned 50 games for violating baseball's drug policy, can't pitch in any venue that charges admission. He'll remain in Port St. Lucie when the team leaves and is limited to extended spring games.

Duaner Sanchez was sent back to New York for an MRI on his sore right shoulder.
Sanchez had to be shut down after only 11 pitches on Thursday, but the initial diagnosis attributed the "popping" sensation as nothing more than the breaking apart of scar tissue from his Aug. 1 surgery. Now the Mets want to be sure.

Lastings Milledge had two hits and two steals Saturday versus the Marlins.
Milledge is batting .373 with five steals this spring. Especially since they have Endy Chavez and Ben Johnson available as fallbacks, the Mets shouldn't be afraid to make Milledge their starting right fielder. Shawn Green could be adequate in the role, but the upside isn't there for him to make the Mets regret moving on.

Chan Ho Park was removed after pitching three perfect innings Saturday against the Orioles.
Manager Willie Randolph said after the game that Park was pulled so that he could pitch again Monday. The Mets want to take a look at him as a reliever the rest of the way, which suggests that Mike Pelfrey has made the team as the fifth starter.

The Mets announced Aaron Sele will be on their opening 25-man roster and will begin the season as a reliever.
Sele had threatened to retire if he didn't make the major league squad. Chan Ho Park and rookie Joe Smith will also be utilized in relief. Sele will be used primary in middle and long relief.

Carlos Delgado's wife, Betzaida Garcia, gave birth to a boy, Carlos Antonio, on Friday night in Puerto Rico.
It's still uncertain when Delgado will return, but he's expected to be back well before Opening Day. Manager Willie Randolph said that whenever Delgado decides to return, "he will be welcome."

[awefullspellare]

Interesting rule on where Mota can pitch.

[DravenX]

News from the 25th of March.

Mike Pelfrey is almost certain to start the season as the Mets No. 5 starter
Manager Willie Randolph said no official announcement regarding the staff has been made. He did, however, say that Aaron Sele and Chan Ho Park will start in the pen. That's great news for Pelfrey, but N.Y. might not need a fifth starter until the third week of April.

Jose Reyes, who fouled a ball off the top of his right foot, said the foot had improved but still hurt "a little bit" after the game.
Reyes didn't expect lingering trouble. He wore a plastic guard in his subsequent at-bats, but vowed he wouldn't continue to use it because it inhibits his running.

Duaner Sanchez (shoulder) rejoined the Mets today following Saturday's MRI, but the Mets weren't ready to discuss his condition.
GM Omar Minaya arrived in the press room and said "we don’t have anything definitive on him, yet." Sounds pretty ominous to us.

Lastings Milledge was taken in for X-rays after being hit in the right hand by a pitch in the ninth inning of Sunday's game.
Milledge was 0-for-3 before getting plunked by Matt Albers.

X-rays on Lastings Milledge's right hand were negative. He's day-to-day with a contusion.
Milledge left Sunday's game when he was hit on the hand by a pitch.

Jose Reyes played Sunday despite a bruised foot and went 1-for-4.
Reyes fouled a pitch off the foot during Saturday's game.

Jorge Sosa, who essentially learned Saturday that he wouldn't make the Mets, gave up six runs in two-thirds of an inning of relief on Sunday.
Sosa is set to make $1.25 million this season, but it looks like he'll be earning that salary in Triple-A initially.

Mike Pelfrey gave up four runs in five innings Sunday against the Astros, but he was told after the game that he'll be the Mets' fifth starter.
He still might pitch in Triple-A until his first turn comes up, but he has made the Mets. Pelfrey has a 2.84 ERA this spring.