Now starting for your New York Mets: Bobby Parnell?

Today, I watched Bobby Parnell throw three innings in relief of Jon Niese and Nelson Figueroa. Niese, as you likely know, tore his hamstring attempting to cover first base and left the game. He will miss the remainder of the season.

That leaves a hole in the already thin rotation.

Do the Mets trust Figueroa enough to hand him a starting job after his effort against Arizona? (Though today was absolutely brilliant for the New York native.)

Parnell pitched three innings for a reason. He earned his first career save, picked up his first career hit in his first career at bat and scored his first career run.

(Side note, for those wondering about how Parnell earned a save in a game that ended 9-0, here is the MLB save rule:

1. He is the finishing pitcher in a game won by his team
2. He is not the winning pitcher
3. He is credited with at least ⅓ of an inning pitched
4. He satisfies one of the following conditions:
   1. He enters the game with a lead of no more than three runs and pitches for at least one inning
   2. He enters the game, regardless of the count, with the potential tying run either on base, at bat or on deck
   3. He pitches for at least three innings

Parnell satisfied the three inning rule, therefore earning the save.)

Anyway…

Robert Allen Parnell was drafted by the Mets in the 9th round of the 2005 amateur draft out of Charleston Southern University.

In 94 games in Single-A through Triple-A, Parnell started 92 times. Only when Parnell came to spring training did the Mets move him into a relief role.

So today, as Parnell worked and worked and worked, something in the back of my mind was shouting “Are they really going to make Parnell a starter?” Seems I wasn’t alone in my thoughts, either: Joe Janish jumped on this as well.

With the Mets minor leagues already devoid of talent due to injuries at the big league level and no prospects are seemingly ready to make the jump, this “Parnell, SP” may be something to keep your eye on for the rest of this season and beyond.

Jose Reyes has scar tissue

Unfortunately, not the song.

Jose Reyes had an MRI today on his ailing knee that revealed scar tissue and inflammation behind the knee.  This all stems from the hamstring injury earlier in the year.

Reyes will remain in NYC for physical therapy to try to break up the scar tissue and reduce the inflammation.

With Reyes, Jon Niese and Gary Sheffield all in for MRIs today, do you think the Mets will get a group rate?

Niese tears hamstring and Sheffield leaves game

Jon Niese went down in a heap.  Gary Sheffield simply walked off the field.

Niese injured himself covering first base during the second inning of today’s game against the St. Louis Cardinals.  The results from the MRI were just released, and they showed a complete tear of his hamstring tendon.  Niese immediately had surgery on the tear, reports Bart Hubbuch.

As you would expect, he will miss the remainder of the season.  He is expected back for spring training, 2010.

Sheffield walked off the field and into the clubhouse after singling in the sixth inning.  His hit looked like it would have been a double, but the 40-year-old stopped at first base, turned and walked straight into the clubhouse, trainer in tow.

Two more losses for the already injury depleted Mets.  It’s time to bring up the kids.

A day at Citi Field

I’m off to Citi Field for my third Mets game at the new ballpark. I’ll be attending the game with my mother (who is getting to the stadium before my father) and two friends, so it should be a wonderful day. Hope the rain holds off.

Manuel’s Musing

“There's no doubt. It's a tough, tough, tough time for us.”

-Jerry Manuel on tough, tough, tough times

A microcosm of the season

- St. Louis breaking the ice on Ryan Ludwick home run is equal to: Eight losses in 13 games to close out April

- Mets battling back for three runs in bottom of the 2nd is equal to: Winning eight of the first nine games in May

- Mets falling behind by score of 4-3 is equal to: Swept out of Los Angeles in miserable series in mid-May

- Mets again battling back for four runs in bottom of the inning, lead 7-4 is equal to: Winning the series in Boston and winning seven of the last nine games of May

- One run in the 8th for St. Louis on Albert Pujols’ first home run is equal to: A 9-18 June

- Two runs in the 9th for St. Louis to tie the game is equal to: A 12-14 July

- A five run 10th inning, including a Pujols grand slam is equal to: What we have to expect the rest of the season

Castillo latest Met to go down

Steve Somers had a beautiful monologue to open his show tonight. 

When speaking of Luis Castillo’s injury, he rattled off about 20 things Castillo was not doing when he got hurt.  From getting hit by a pitch to breaking up a double play to breaking up an on-field fight, none of them were the reason Castillo left the game early.

Nope, it was those pesky things called stairs.

After leading off in the seventh inning and grounding out, Castillo was returning to the dugout and heading down the stairs when it happened.  He attempted to avoid a glove someone had left on the step, and landed awkwardly on his ankle.

X-rays were negative and the early diagnosis is a sprained left ankle, but no word on the severity of it.

As to who left the glove on the steps…I’m looking at you, Angel Berroa!

This is just another freak accident in a season of mishaps and misplays.  I’m really not even surprised.

Game Chat: STL @ NYM [Game 106]

Joel Pinero (9-9, 2.84 ERA) vs. Johan Santana (12-8, 2.96 ERA)

(Chat removed, as usual)

Reyes returns to New York with leg discomfort

As the final nail in the coffin of people-who-still-think-the-Mets-have-a-chance-if-their-players-all-come-back-healthy, Jose Reyes has returned to New York with leg discomfort.

The news was tweeted by Steve Popper, David Lennon and Kevin Burkhardt.  Each of them believe this signals the end of any hope of Reyes returning in 2009.  I must agree.

Reyes will be re-examined by Mets doctors in NYC.

With the season swirling the drain, there should be no reason for any of the Mets players to rush back.  That is, except for Carlos Delgado, who needs to prove to teams he is still able to play.

So long, 2009.  Hello, 2010.

Lineup for Game 106

St. Louis is in town for a quick two-game series.  Met-killer Joel Pinero is on the mound for the Red Birds.  Johan Santana will oppose him for the Mets.

1. Angel Pagan – CF
2. Luis Castillo – 2B
3. David Wright – 3B
4. Gary Sheffield – LF
5. Daniel Murphy – 1B
6. Jeff Francoeur – RF
7. Alex Cora – SS
8. Omir Santos – C
9. Johan Santana - LHP