So why is it there?
Beats me. My best guess is that it was something for Paul McCartney’s concert, but if it’s already up, why not use it? Very weird.
Update: Here’s the explanation, via NYMetsGrrl94, in the comments:
GKR discussed this during one of the broadcasts. They said it is going to play a feed of the game for the fans in left field seats that can't see all the action. They also said it will be used starting at the next homestand.
And there we have it. Thanks!
I might throw.”
-Jerry Manuel on days Oliver Perez starts
Last night was terrible. Hopefully it’s only a 24-hour bug.
Anyway, here’s what I missed…
- Bobby Parnell will make a start on Saturday, filling in for Mike Pelfrey. Pelfrey will be back with the Mets in Arizona, starting on Monday.
I like the idea of seeing what the Mets might have in Parnell, but don’t you think they should stretch him out a little more? Though he was on the mound for three innings on Wednesday, he only threw 30 pitches. I guess the Mets are hoping to get just five innings out of him, as he will be held to a 60-75 pitch limit, reports Adam Rubin.
- Angel Berroa DFA’d to make room for Anderson Hernandez.
Oh, goody.
- Gary Sheffield and Luis Castillo may not be as injured as we all thought.
Sheffield was in one of the lineups for the Mets last night, but ended up sitting out. Castillo may return as early as Saturday, said Jerry Manuel.
- Mets lose to Padres by a score of 8-3.
Not much to see here. Livan Hernandez had a rough first inning, as usual, but couldn’t stitch together much after that.
The Mets have brought back Elmer Dessens to take the roster spot of Jon Niese.
Dessens pitched 12 1-3 innings for the Mets previously this season. He has a 3.65 ERA and 1.135 WHIP over nine games. He’s allowed two home runs, walked six and struck out five.
Adam Rubin notes that Dessens is closing in on his full pension due to 10 years of service time.
Mike Pelfrey will miss his scheduled start on Saturday in San Diego for the birth of his first child. Pelfrey did not make the trip to California.
That, coupled with Jon Niese’s injury, leaves two holes in the Mets rotation over the next week. Here’s how the pitching matchups look for the next five games…
The way I see it, Pelfrey can work the first game of the Arizona series, slotting back in behind Santana. That means the Mets will need just one pitcher to fill in on Saturday.
Nelson Figueroa was more than serviceable yesterday, coming off a disaster of a start against the Diamondbacks. Bobby Parnell’s named has also been tossed around as a starter, so that could be an option.
And don’t bother looking down at the minor leagues. No pitcher is near the “major league ready” level of Jon Niese, so don’t expect a call-up to fare well.
Adam Rubin is reporting that the Mets have reacquired Anderson Hernandez from the Washington Nationals for minor league infielder Greg Veloz.
Hernandez spent four years with the New York Mets after the team traded Vance Wilson to the Tigers for him. He spent parts of three season with the Mets, never playing more than 25 games. With the Mets, he hit .138 / .157 / .207, driving in three runs in 89 plate appearances.
Over two seasons with the Nationals, Hernandez has played 105 games, hitting .272 / .335 / .337 with 40 RBI. This season with the Nationals he hit .251 / .310 / .320 with one home run and 23 RBI in 255 plate appearances.
Veloz, 21, is a Single-A player who hit .232 / .297 / .303 with two home runs and 19 RBI. He also swiped 18 bases this season.
A-Hern must be better than Angel Berroa. Right? …Right?
Here are a few shots of bricks from the FanWalk outside the Jackie Robinson Rotunda at Citi Field… (Click to enlarge)
For Mookie.
This seems so fitting this year. 
Hilarious.
Um…oops?
Did you know the Wilpons had a brick?
Wednesday’s 9-0 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals was one of the more impressive games I’ve seen the Mets play this season. But can they consider it a victory after possibly losing two more players to the disabled list?
We know Jon Niese will miss the rest of the season after completely tearing his hamstring tendon off the bone and already had the subsequent surgery. Gary Sheffield is in murkier waters, leaving the game with cramps in the sixth inning.
Sheffield had recently come off the DL, so where he ends up in the next few days is one big question mark.
But back to the game.
The Mets pounded out 15 hits and plated nine runs. David Wright connected for a two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning, setting the tone for the rest of the game.
They got a two-run triple from Nelson Figueroa, who entered the game in relief of Niese and pitched 4 1-3 beautiful innings.
Angel Pagan had the best day of all, going 3-4 with 4 RBI. In the 6th, he drove a ball into the gap between center and right field, tripling in Jeremy Reed. Two innings later, Pagan drove a ball to straightaway center, a 425-foot two run home run. That homer chased in Bobby Parnell, who is 1-1 in his career with a run scored.
Parnell’s efforts on the mound should not be overlooked, either. Three solid innings in relief, which he needed only 30 pitches, striking out three. I suggested it and Jerry Manuel may be in favor of it, but it looks like Parnell may get a chance to start this season.
So a solid all-around victory is marred by the definite loss of a young, up-and-coming pitcher and a possible loss of the team’s biggest slugger. Is that a win?
“Right now, we're still a sub-.500 team.”