Stokes surrenders 8th inning home run in loss

Pat Misch was excellent.  Mets struggled to score runs.  Bullpen surrendered home runs.  Mets lost.

Just another day for the Mets.

Misch, making his first start for the Mets, lasted seven innings, allowing only one run.  He let up six hits, walked two and struck out two.  It was his longest outing of his career, tossing 98 pitches.

Brian Stokes entered, allowed a game tying hit, then surrendered a three-run home run to Alfonso Soriano.  Those were the first runs Stokes has given up since August 1, over 12 1-3 innings.

The anemic Mets offense managed only two runs on seven hits.  Omir Santos and Fernando Tatis drove in the runs on a single and double respectively.

But hey, no one got hurt.

Lineup for Game 129

Pat Misch making his first start for the Mets today, likely backed up by Lance Broadway.  Here’s the lineup…

1. Angel Pagan – CF
2. Luis Castillo – 2B
3. Daniel Murphy – 1B
4. Jeff Francoeur – RF
5. Fernando Tatis – 3B
6. Omir Santos – C
7. Cory Sullivan – LF
8. Wilson Valdez – SS
9. Pat Misch – LHP

Hit the comments to discuss the game.

Will the Wilpons sell the Mets?

The author of a new Bernie Madoff book believes so.

Erin Arvelund, author of “Too Good To Be True,” a book about Madoff’s Ponzi scheme, believes the Wilpons lost somewhere around $700 million and will be forced to sell the Mets very soon.

“You can quote me,” Arvedlund told FOX Business. “It's a matter of when. It could be as soon as next year.”

The Mets, obviously, refute the rumor.

A Mets spokeswoman told FOX Business on Thursday by e-mail:

“The numbers speculated continue to be inaccurate. We refute what has been reported. As we have said on numerous occasions, losses incurred by the Sterling Partners do not and will not affect the day-to-day operations and long-term plans of the Mets organization. The team is not for sale in any respect.” Wilpon's Sterling company controls the Mets franchise.

Well here’s another storyline to watch for in the coming months or years.  This team is never boring, that’s for sure.

h/t to The Mets Police

Report: Jose Reyes has torn hamstring, may require surgery

In a report for the Daily News, Adam Rubin relays info from a source that Jose Reyes has a completely torn hamstring and may require surgery.

Rubin writes:

While hardly ideal, surgery is not necessarily as ominous as it might sound. That tendon is expendable, and is sometimes partly removed and inserted into the elbow when a pitcher undergoes Tommy John surgery.

This morning on Twitter, pAuLiE_bRuZ asked me, “Do you think it’s a joke that they are deciding now that Reyes needs surgery?”

To put it plainly: No.

This season has seen a multitude of injuries and another one getting worse is no surprise.  The Mets front office needs to take a very serious look at their training staff and their medical professionals.  Things like this shouldn’t be found out months after the fact.

Something is very, very wrong with all of this.

Chris Carter claimed by Yankees

When the Mets traded Billy Wagner to the Red Sox, they were to receive two players to be named later.  It was reported that Chris Carter, a 27-year-old first baseman/corner outfielder, was one of the players heading to the Mets.

But a third team, the New York Yankees, have thrown a wrench into the process.

As the Sox need to send Carter to the Mets, they had to put him on waivers with the intent that he would not be claimed and they could send him to Queens.  Instead, the Yankees claimed him.

Obviously, the Red Sox pulled him back off waivers and will now have to keep him on their 40-man roster for the remainder of the season.

The Mets will still receive Carter, but it will have to wait until the off-season.  So thanks to the Yankees, instead of seeing Carter in Citi Field this September, we’ll have to wait until spring training to see what talent he has.

Thanks a lot, Brian Cashman!

Update: Let me clarify.

I think this is a bushleague move by the Yankees, as the Red Sox already have Billy Wagner and they just want Boston to have to keep Carter on their roster for the remainder of the season.

For the Mets, this won’t affect them much.  I have no notion that Carter is the next great first baseman the Mets have been searching for.  He might be decent off the bench, if that, but nothing more.

This is more a critique of the Yankees / Red Sox rivalry than anything regarding the Mets roster.

It would be nice to see Carter, but I’m not going to lose sleep over having to wait to watch him in blue and orange.

Manuel’s Musing

“As long as the tempo is right, the dog days don't seem as bad.”

-Jerry Manuel

Startling numbers from Thursday’s Mets win

17 hits.

5 doubles.

2 home runs.

10 runs scored.

3 double plays.

And take a look at the box score…Woah.

A sign from Landshark Stadium

Snapped by my friend Justin Cohen at last night’s game.

I’ll be driving up and moving in to my house in Connecticut for my senior year (Ahh!) of college.  See you on the flip side.

Mets should claim Matt Murton

The Colorado Rockies have put Matt Murton on irrevocable waivers in hopes that no one would claim him and he would head back to Triple-A. 

The Mets should claim him.  Now.

Murton, only 27, has some pretty awesome Triple-A numbers.  In 954 plate appearances with three different organizations, Murton has hit .312 / .388 / .469 with 19 home runs and 129 RBI.

At the major league level, Murton has performed well sans 2008.  In his longest season, 2006, Murton had 508 plate appearances with the Chicago Cubs.  He hit .297 / .365 / .444 with 13 home runs and 62 RBI.

Over the span of five seasons and 1051 plate appearances, Murton is hitting .287 / .353 / .438 with 29 home runs and 112 RBI.

He can play the corner outfield positions and would be a cheaper alternative to Jeff Francoeur next season.

Ken Davidoff summed it up the best:

I understand why the Mets and many fans like Jeff Francoeur. He has slugged very well since coming to Flushing, and he does have that positive body language that we all like. But to go to the $4-$5 million neighborhood with Francoeur for 2010 just isn't good payroll management, not when you look at his overall career.

Manuel’s Musing

“It hurts to lose regardless of what I have or don't have.”

-Jerry Manuel on 2009