With the Mets usual leadoff hitter, Jose Reyes, on the bench with tendinitis, one would expect Luis Castillo to take over as the first man in the order. Think again.
Tonight, Daniel Murphy will be the first batter Daisuke Matsuzaka faces in the Mets lineup. Ramon Martinez will fill in at shortstop once more.
UPDATE – 5:55 p.m.: Beltran, Sheffield and Reed have all be shuffled. Batting order stays the same, though. Beltran is apparently suffering from “right knee soreness.” And it begins.
- Daniel Murphy – 1B
- Ryan Church – RF
- Carlos Beltran –
CFDH - Gary Sheffield –
DHLF - David Wright – 3B
- Jeremy Reed –
LFCF - Omir Santos – C
- Ramon Martinez – SS
- Luis Castillo – 2B
I also like Church batting second. He had a good run of it last year before the concussions. The lineup really drops off after Wright, though. Reed is not someone that should be protecting Wright.