Source: Figueroa flees for free agency

Nelson Figueroa has refused his assignment to Triple-A Buffalo and filed for free agency, according to a source who has asked to remain anonymous.

Figueroa was designated for assignment after his quality start on Sunday.  He cleared waivers and Figueroa has a day to decide to report to the Mets affiliate in Buffalo or file for free agency.

The source has said that Figueroa has chosen to opt for free agency over returning to the Mets organization.

And who can blame him?  The Mets did not treat him well after he turned in a good start for them.  They cut him loose and brought on Casey Fossum in a messy roster shuffle.

I wish the best to Figueroa and his family.  He was a great guy and did everything the Mets asked of him.

Lineup stays the same

After a messy game last night, I was shocked to see the lineup stay as is for tonight’s game.

1. Jose Reyes – SS
2. Daniel Murphy – LF
3. David Wright – 3B
4. Carlos Delgado – 1B
5. Carlos Beltran – CF
6. Ryan Church – RF
7. Ramon Castro – C
8. Luis Castillo – 2B
9. John Maine – RHP

No live blog tonight, but feel free to hit the comments to discuss the game.

If you’re a masochist…

You’ll want to watch this.  Over and over and over.  And over.

Via The Good Phight from Back She Goes…

No comment.

All-Star balloting now open: Vote LMillz!

Major League Baseball is three weeks into the season, and they’ve already set up online balloting for the All-Star Game set for St. Louis.

Major League Baseball today marked the official start of All-Star Balloting for the 80th All-Star Game, which will be held on Tuesday, July 14th, with a special on-field ceremony prior to the New York Mets-St. Louis Cardinals game at Busch Stadium, the host of the 2009 Midsummer Classic. The Major League Baseball All-Star Game Balloting program is the largest of its kind in professional sports.
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Every Major League Club will have begun its in-stadium balloting no later than Wednesday, May 6th. When the in-stadium phase of balloting concludes on Friday, June 26th, fans will have the opportunity to cast their final ballots exclusively online at MLB.com and the 30 Club Web sites until Thursday, July 2nd at 11:59 p.m. (EDT). In addition, Banco BHD will sponsor All-Star balloting in the Dominican Republic, making Spanish-language ballots available offline and online at www.bhd.com.do from May 5th-June 22nd.

I just cast my ballot (you can cast 25, but I don’t know anyone who cares that much) and I found it fairly hard to choose based on 13 or 14 games, but that’s just me.

Oddly, or maybe not so oddly, you can still vote for Lastings Milledge to make the All-Star team.  I’m officially starting the “Vote LMillz” campaign to get Milledge into the All-Star Game.  I’d love to see what MLB will do if Milledge makes the team while he’s still in Triple-A.

Vote often and vote Milledge.

Guest Blog: Overpricing and charity

This guest post come from my good friend Jeremy Schilling, who maintains his own blog at jschil.wordpress.com.  Enjoy…

No, this is not another blog post about the overpricing of tickets or the lack of perfect attendance at early Yankee and Mets games this season. This post is about ideas.

NBC Nightly News has been doing a segment for about a month and a half now called “Making a Difference” – how average Americans are helping their neighbors in tough times. It’s by far the most popular segment Nightly News has run in a long time.

So let’s have these teams make a difference.

There are hundreds of charities out there which would love to go to a baseball game. Give the tickets to them.

Now I understand that yes, this comes with a financial loss. But you know what – hopefully they’ll pay it forward, and eventually, it’ll all come full circle. No one wants to see empty seats in a ballpark, no one. So why don’t we fill it up with worthy people – baseball’s next generation.

Does this next generation care about tax-exempt bonds, personal seat licenses or obstructed seats? I bet you not. Most just want a day out in the sun and fun, seeing America’s pastime, and a time away from all their troubles.

Change was the keyword for a good 5 or 6 months in this country in late 2008. So why don’t we CHANGE the lives of Americans by giving them prime seats, the expensive seats that no one wants, to worthy charities and letting deserving people see a baseball game.

That is the American way of doing things.

Thank you, Jeremy.  Check out his blog at jschil.wordpress.com.

Figueroa clears waivers; O’Day picked up by Texas

Nelson Figueroa has cleared waivers, according to Adam Rubin.

Figueroa will report to Triple-A Buffalo.

Good.  Justice is served.

Also, Darren O’Day has been picked off of waivers by the Texas Rangers, according to Ken Davidoff.

So long, Darren.  Maybe, if the Rangers drop him, the Mets can bring him back if the timing is right.  You never know.

The Mets can hit…sometimes

The Mets bats are fairing pretty well so far, even though you wouldn’t figure that out by listening to sports radio and reading some blogs. 

Check out these stats from Josh over at Jorge Says No!…

As of last night's game against the Cardinals, each position player on the Mets was hitting at least .300 with the exception of Ramon Castro (and Castro only has 20 at bats this season). Think about that: the Mets entire infield and outfield is hitting at least .300 right now. Crazy.
Proof:

1. Reyes - .339
2. Murphy - .320
3. Wright - .306
4. Delgado - .300
5. Beltran - .354
6. Church - .350
7. Castro - .150
8. Castillo - .400

I know it's only 13 games into the season, but this is still very, very impressive. And somewhat weird.

Too bad these aren’t the Mets numbers with runners in scoring position.

(Ed. note: I changed up the table a little.  It will appear differently on Josh’s site)

Photo of the day: Daniel Murphy and Yadier Molina

I think we caught them
during a tender moment.

Twitter Poll: Who is to blame?

Last night, a few follies in the field may have cost the Mets the game.  Couple that with some sleepy bats in the 7th, 8th and 9th and a meltdown by your starting pitcher and you have some fans pointing fingers.

Last night, mere minutes after the game, I asked my Twitter followers to pick one player to blame last night’s loss on.  Obviously, this isn’t the most classy post, but the fans were angry last night and they needed a place to vent.

Here are their responses…This was easily the most popular Twitter Poll…

• susi__ said: BELTRAN! 3 words..did not slide!
• Retire31 said: Beltran. You slide, you change the whole perspective of the game.
• lvadgal said: Beltran for NOT sliding
• tweetthemets said: Obviously Beltran & Murph look bad, but it comes down to Ollie again. Never met an early lead he couldn't blow.
• danfirrincili said: Didn't see the first seven innings. So I'd pin this one on Murphy. I want to like him, but he has no position in the field.
• metsfansforever said: beltran shines murphy ollie etc
• gmo418 said: Jerry Manuel for letting Oliver pitch to that one extra batter, then Fossum...the suck!
• acesigma said: Murphy. Even if Beltran scores Murphy still drops the ball. No way you can know if he'd be taken out.
• PerpetualMemory said: Perez b/c he is a fat [expletive deleted] who can't pitch more than 2 innings w/o getting distracted by something shiny in the crowd.
• SITTINGINTHEBAC said: the whole team they need to wake up asap
• Jbones72 said: murphy, let's get real he can't play left!
• zim1021 said: Gonna have to give it to Murphy. He's playing the field. He should know it's slippery. Should've fielded in a hop.
• Section518 said: Not Beltran. Bad play, but he's the best baserunner in the game. I'd put it on Murph. His misplays in LF got to Ollie.
• ambilevous said: face it dude, ollie needs his own personal shrink and 24 hr on call crisis team
• metgirl4ever said: upset about Beltran, but blame 'butterfingers Murphy' at this moment, I'm not opposed 2 hazing involving glue & a glove
• fullnelson said: Ollie P, couldnt get 2 hold runners & get da last out @ 5th in. 1 u cant get 6in & 3ER Gm over
• dave_doyle said: Blame it on Murphy. He stinks in left field.
• J_Alexandria said: Ollie, Murphy, the Blind UMPS, Beltran . in that order.
• fscker said: can i pick an ex-card? Fernando Tatis for not smacking jerry manual to get back into left field. Bring Back Fernando!!!!
• mets_geekette said: Murph. I know everyone keeps saying patience, patience, but you know what? Catch the fly ball.
• Thommy7893 said: Murphy. Because of his "Butterfinger play".
• cutiepie0319k said: i don't think you can blame it on one person.. between Murphy, Ollie, Beltran... a few players did oopies.

And from the peanut gallery / jokesters…

• ChuckKnoblog said: Beltran's no slide blunder cost the game; you have gotta slide! Murphy put the icing on the cake with his comical miss-step.
• maxypoo said: molina of course!

Not on Twitter?  Hit the comments to toss in your 2¢ about who might be to blame for last night’s loss.

Follow me on Twitter to participate
in the next Twitter Poll!

Game Recap: Cardinals 6 – Mets 4

Another sloppy game costs the Mets.

The Mini Recap

Oliver Perez had four good innings and 2-3 of a bad inning.  Four earned runs, one with Casey Fossum pitching, brought the Cardinals back to tie the game.  J.J. Putz and a slip-and-fall by Daniel Murphy allowed St. Louis to score two in the 8th inning.

The Mets bats were there early, scoring four times in the first four innings.  Then the bats went to sleep and they didn’t pick up a hit from the sixth inning on.  You can’t win a game like that.

Just a sloppy, poorly played game by the Mets.  They had a 4-0 lead and let is slip away.  They just looked awful.

For the full game recap, head over to Baseball Digest.