Carlos Beltran’s stomach is acting up again, keeping him out of the lineup today. Beltran was forced to leave Saturday’s game with the same ailment. Angel Pagan will take over in centerfield.
Game Chat will be up at 1 p.m. Join in!
-Jerry Manuel on the lineup he put on the field yesterday.
The Mets lineup was not built to win.
The Florida Marlins (23-27) beat the New York Mets (27-21) by a score of 7-3.
Tim Redding was shelled. He allowed seven earned runs in four plus innings. Redding let up eight hits, walked two and struck out two. Jeremy Hermida chased Redding from the game with a three-run home run off the Pepsi Porch.
Sean Green took over for Redding in the fifth, striking out two. Ken Takahashi turned in three spectacular innings in relief, allowing only one hit. Brian Stokes finished out the game, allowing one hit and striking out one.
Fernando Tatis drove in Angel Pagan in the first inning with a single to centerfield for the Mets first run.
Fernando Martinez picked up his first major league hit in the third inning. He drove in the Mets second run in the fifth inning with a double to centerfield.
Pagan grounded a ball down the third base line in the bottom of the ninth inning, with two outs, scoring Brian Schneider from second base. With runners on second and third, Martinez struck out to end the game.
“We all felt he could be a receiver and call a game. The surprising part is he's hit
and hit well in the clutch.”
-Jerry Manuel on Omir Santos.
Ramon Castro was the odd-man out.
Castro was traded to the Chicago White Sox for right-handed reliever Lance Broadway.
Broadway has appeared in 19 games for the White Sox over three seasons, posting a 4.69 ERA. Broadway has pitched in 8 games in 2009 and has an ERA of 5.06.
Broadway, a great name for New York, will be sent to Triple-A Buffalo.
The Mets will activate Brian Schneider for tomorrow’s afternoon game and will retain Omir Santos on the major league roster.
Update – 7:05 a.m.: Via Adam Rubin:
The Mets will pay the White Sox roughly $1.4 million, according to a source, the prorated portion of the difference between what remains on Castro’s $2.5 million deal and Broadway’s $402,500 salary at the major-league level.
Omar Minaya on the trade:
“When Omir Santos plays the way he has, we have to keep him around.”
“We possibly were going with three catchers.”
“Broadway was a No. 1 pick in 2005…We will send Lance to Buffalo, as a starter.”
“Ramon was grateful for the opportunity here.”
I knew I remembered this name from somewhere, but couldn’t put my finger on it. My roommate, Andrew Fletcher of Scott Proctor’s Arm, re-posted photos from his trip to Yankee Stadium last year.
Interesting, to say the least.
This one was all about Omir.
The New York Mets (27-20) beat the Florida Marlins (22-27) by a score of 2-1 in 11 innings.
Mike Pelfrey was brilliant again. 7 2-3 innings for Pelfrey, with only five hits and one walk. He struck out six and lowered his ERA to 3.88 by allowing only one earned run. The one run came in the fourth after Chris Coghlan hit a leadoff triple. Dan Uggla drove him in with a sacrifice fly.
Bobby Parnell finished out the 8th inning with runners on first and second by getting Uggla to groundout to second base. Francisco Rodriguez logged a 1-2-3 scoreless inning. J.J. Putz turned in 1 2-3 innings, walking one and striking out one. Pedro Feliciano came on and finished out the 11th.
Omir Santos, threatened by demotion with the imminent return of Brian Schneider, did it all for the Mets.
With the team down one run in the fifth inning, Santos knocked a solo home run down the left field line to tie up the game.
In the bottom of the 11th, Gary Sheffield led off with a single to left field. With Fernando Tatis batting, Sheffield kept getting checked at first base. Marlins pitcher Brian Sanches kept throwing over to first to keep Sheffield close. After a few throw-overs, Sheffield took off for second. The throw from Ronnie Paulino went wide and nicked some leather before heading into centerfield. Sheffield trotted to third.
Tatis was hit by a pitch on the very next pitch, bringing Santos to the plate. Again, on the next pitch, a single to left field off the bat of Santos chased home Sheffield and brought home the win for the Mets.
That was something special. No way can the Mets send down Santos after tonight’s performance. I think Mets fans will be bidding adieu to Ramon Castro.
The Mets square off against the Florida Marlins as Mike Pelfrey takes the mound.
(Chat removed, as usual.)
Adam Rubin is exclusively reporting that the Mets are working the phones trying to trade Ramon Castro before Saturday’s 1:10 p.m. game.
With Brian Schneider already at Citi Field and waiting to come off the DL, the Mets have a move to make to avoid carrying three catchers. Omir Santos may be too valuable to send to the minor leagues.
What I don’t understand about this situation is the Mets knew Schneider was coming back. They knew there would be a tough decision coming down the pipeline – it was only a matter of time.
But they waited until they had mere hours to make a move to start fielding calls on a catcher? Because that makes sense.
Hopefully Omar Minaya & Co. have been actively shopping one of the catchers quietly to other teams.
They know they don’t want to eat Castro’s contract. They want to keep Santos on the team and avoid sending him to Triple-A. They want to bring Schneider back as soon as possible.
They just don’t how to pull it all off.
** *** **
Nymrod27, over in the chat box, suggested an interesting trade package: Castro and Ryan Church.
Church seems on the outs with the organization as rookie Fernando Martinez is likely up for the long haul. With Castro being shopped and Church with no place to play, this seems like something that could happen.
Nice idea, Nymrod27. It just might happen…if Church wasn’t on the DL.
Twitter user Patrick Boegel reminded me that no one on the DL can be traded.
Good idea, but can’t happen.
The Mets have a tough choice to make and they won’t be able to put it off much longer.
Brian Schneider, you know – the Opening Day catcher, is close to returning to the Mets after back and calf injuries. (I’ve added a photo of Schneider to help jog your memory.)
Schneider was expected back as soon as early May, but the injuries piled up and he continued rehabbing in Florida.
Update – 4:11 p.m.: Schneider is at Citi Field, but has not been activated. Adam Rubin reports he will be activated before tomorrow’s game.
Update – 5:09 p.m.: Via Rubin again:
The Mets are working the phones, trying to trade Ramon Castro before Saturday's 1:10 p.m. game, according to sources.
Via Noble Thoughts:
The club has made no announcement or given any public indication of its intentions regarding its catching, fueling speculation that any one of the three catchers -- Schneider, his original backup Ramon Castro or Omir Santos, the revelation of Mets season -- could be the odd man out. But there was an indication two weeks ago and again Friday morning that Santos, who has gained favor with manager Jerry Manuel, would be returned to the minor leagues.
Here are some likely options:
The Mets will likely send Santos back to the minors, even though he’s shown that he can hold his own at the major league level and has some penchant for a timely hit.
The fans will miss you if you go, Omir.
