Report: Billy Wagner placed on waivers

In the first move in a process of trading a player this late in the season, the Mets have put Billy Wagner on waivers, reports Adam Rubin and Jayson Stark.

From here, a team can claim Wagner and the Mets can either pull him back or work out a deal.  If a trade is put through, the claiming team will be responsible for some of Wagner’s contract and his buyout for 2010.

“It's unlikely Wagner would be claimed,” Stark wrote.  “Any team claiming him would be on the hook for approximately $2.7 million of his $8.5 million salary for this year, plus a $1 million buyout of his option for 2010. So if, as expected, he goes unclaimed, the Mets would be able to trade him to any interested club.”

Wagner expects to be activated on Thursday, Rubin reported.

Beyond stinker

Revenge, I guess, is a dish best served on a hot Wednesday night in August.

Bobby Parnell made his third start for the Mets and surrendered eight runs in the second inning, just like the Mets did to the Braves the night before.

I called Monday’s game a “stinker.”  Thursday night’s game was so much worse.

Parnell ended up allowing nine hits and nine earned runs, walking two and striking out one in three innings.  Parnell was going to be limited to 100 or so pitches, but was only around to throw 72, 40 for strikes.

The offense pounded out 10 hits, but were only able to plate two runs.  Luis Castillo, Daniel Murphy and Wilson Valdez each picked up two hits, with Murphy knocking a triple in the sixth inning.

Castillo and Angel Pagan drove in the Mets only runs with RBI hits in the third and fifth innings.

Overall, a miserable game.  The highlight may have come when my girlfriends parents appeared on the Kiss Cam at Citi Field.  What a thrill.

A huge tip of the cap to anyone that stayed at Citi Field for the entire thing.  True fans.

Lineup for Game 120

The Mets are hoping yesterday’s fourth inning wasn’t just a one-time deal.  Here’s the lineup that will take the field tonight…

1. Angel Pagan – CF
2. Luis Castillo – 2B
3. Gary Sheffield – LF
4. Daniel Murphy – 1B
5. Jeff Francoeur – RF
6. Fernando Tatis – 3B
7. Omir Santos – C
8. Anderson Hernandez – SS
9. Bobby Parnell – RHP

Hit the comments to discuss the game.

New Shirt: STOP THE WAVE

The Wave is one of the worst things to ever happen to a sporting event.  It’s silly, stupid and bothersome to other fans that might want to …ya know… watch the game.

So, I mocked up these simple shirts.  They’re fairly brash, so wear them proudly.  We must band together to stomp out this evil. 

Please, if you’re heading out to Citi Field (or anywhere else where they play sports and The Wave is popular), buy one and wear it.  Please.

JOIN THE MOVEMENT.  STOP THE WAVE.

This is comical

Each year, three members of each team are selected as nominees for the annual Hank Aaron Award.

Players from the Mets you would expect to be on the list: David Wright, Carlos Beltran, Carlos Delgado, possibly Gary Sheffield and maybe Jose Reyes.

Players actually on the short list this year: David Wright, Luis Castillo and Angel Pagan.

Wright, Castillo and Pagan are the three Mets selected for the Hank Aaron Award, given “awarded annually to the best overall offensive performer in each league, with each club having three nominees. This is the seventh consecutive year that fans have had a voice in selecting the award winners.”

Says a lot about 2009, doesn’t it?

Sheffield thinks he’s a goner

Gary Sheffield, a brash player who has flown pretty much under the radar this season, is starting to stir the pot a bit.

Sheffield, whom the Mets are paying only $400,000 this year, thinks his days as a Met are numbered.  Sheffield told Larry Brooks on the NY Post that, “Based on what I know now, no, I do not think I will be here.”

He was already placed on waivers and pulled back this season, meaning if the Mets were to dump him, they would not, as Brooks wrote, “be able to negate a claim.”

Sheffield leads the Mets in home runs with 10.

I don’t think there’s a future for Sheffield with the Mets.  He’s getting older when the Mets really need to be getting younger.  He’s 40 and has provided some surprise power that the Mets would otherwise not have.  He was a smart pickup at the time, but there’s no need to hold on to him with a tight fist.

Why Jerry Manuel cracks me up

Jerry Manuel says what he thinks.  Every time.  Without fail.  (Hence the Manuel’s Musing.)

Yesterday we heard Manuel compare Ryan Church to David Wright.  Wright, Manuel said, “is made up a little different” than Church.

Current player, ex-player or anyone at all shouldn’t have to hear this from a manager’s mouth.  Maybe a player after a plunking or bushleague play, but a manager should keep his trap shut unless it’s entirely necessary.  And this was far from it.

Manuel keeps people on the edge of their seat with what he’s going to say next, but this was a little too far.  He needs to think about his words might mean to someone else before he blurts it out.

Still, he’s always entertaining.

An eight-run frame and an injured Ollie

I watched the Mets put up eight runs in an inning last night.  I wasn’t dreaming.  It wasn’t a video game.  And it wasn’t a Mets Classic.

The New York Mets, with this lineup, put up eight runs in an inning.

The bottom of the 4th inning saw 10 hits, the most in franchise history in one inning.  Gary Sheffield and Luis Castillo each picked up two hits, driving in two runs a piece.  Jeff Francoeur, Fernando Tatis, Anderson Hernandez and Angel Pagan each drove in one.

Who woulda thunk it?

And Oliver Perez, forever the enigma, threw 81 pitches over five innings.  He let up two home runs, accounting for the four runs.  Perez walked one and struck out four.

Jerry Manuel later said that he removed Perez from the game due to pain behind his knee, the same knee that landed him on the DL earlier in the season.

An eight-run inning and possibly losing another player to injury.  Something so rare and something so common.  Oh, 2009.

Manuel’s Musing(s)

“There's no ill intent. I don't mean to take a shot at him. If that's how he felt, I apologize to him. I like Ryan Church.”

-Jerry Manuel on his feelings for Ryan Church

and

“Anderson is a guy we're going to look very closely at. We feel very confident he's a good second baseman in this league”

-Jerry Manuel on Anderson Hernandez’s talent

Lineup for Game 119

In a face-off of off-season free agents, Oliver Perez will pitch for the Mets and Derek Lowe will take the mound for the Braves.  Here’s the lineup the Mets will run out…

1. Angel Pagan – CF
2. Luis Castillo – 2B
3. Gary Sheffield – LF
4. Daniel Murphy – 1B
5. Jeff Francoeur – RF
6. Fernando Tatis – 3B
7. Omir Santos – C
8. Anderson Hernandez – SS
9. Oliver Perez - LHP