Notes: Pre-Game Info from Pittsburgh

June 3, 2009 at 15:53 pm · 42 comments

by Matthew Cerrone

Update, 4:55 pm:

Jerry Manuel told reporters that J.J. Putz will now pitch in the seventh inning, with Bobby Parnell shifting up to the eighth-inning set-up role, Newsday’s David Lennon recently wrote on Twitter.

Manuel will be a guest on WFAN at 5 pm, which you can listen to here.

Update, 4:42 pm:

According to eyewitnesses, it is now raining in Pittsburgh.

Update, 4:38 pm:

Ricco told reporters Jose Reyes experienced pain again in his calf during an extended spring training game today.

Reyes will return to New York for additional tests.

in other words, it’s back to square-one for reyes… unbelievable

Church also played in the game and felt better.

Oliver Perez pitched from flat ground today, though there is still no timetable for when he will pitch in a game again.

Update, 4:29 pm:

Beltran told reporters he lost between five and 10 pounds, while dealing with his recent illness, adding, “I feel skinny, very skinny.”

Mets assistant GM John Ricco will soon speak with reporters.

By the way, on Twitter, SI.com’s Jon Heyman announced that Matt Yalloff, formerly of SNY, has joined the MLB Network.

Good for you, Matt.  Good luck.

Update, 4:00 pm:

Beltran will start in center field tonight and bat third.

Cora will start at short and bat leadoff, followed in order by Luis Castillo, then Beltran, Gary Sheffield in right, David Wright, Daniel Murphy at first, Fernando Martinez in left field, Omir Santos and Mike Pelfrey on the mound.

Original Post:

Though it isn’t raining, the tarp is on the field at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, as seen here from David Lennon in a post to his blog for Newsday.

Initially, Carlos Beltran was not in today’s lineup, but, according to the Daily News, he then told reporters he will be playing.

Beltran had been suffering from either a stomach virus or food poisoning, according to the New York Post’s Bart Hubbuch, in a post to Twitter.

Meanwhile, Ramon Martinez will likely be put on the disabled list and soon be replaced on the roster with OF Emil Brown, who will wear No. 29, according to the Star-Ledger’s Brian Costa, also on Twitter.

{ 42 comments }

Chan Ho Parking Lot June 3, 2009 at 3:59 pm

Getting Carlos back is huge. Maybe it will help Wright relax a bit.

LazyMary June 3, 2009 at 4:09 pm

Do you think he can help Wright from pulling off every pitch and hitting loopers to short left? That would be ideal if he could.

Rorschach June 3, 2009 at 4:19 pm

oh boy… Wright needed a day off (he got it when the mets didn’t play one night) then two days later he “needed” another day off (he got it) and now he needs Beltran back in the lineup.

If he is not going to hit at least walk more and strike out less. If he walks, the least he can do is steal.

zer09 June 3, 2009 at 4:28 pm

You’re like the demanding housewife who complains when her husband takes a day off. Give me a break…

ravi3 June 3, 2009 at 4:00 pm

Beltran’s a gamer…Even if he is over the virus he has had, he is certainly still suffering…He surely must be dehydrated. Plus, since he hasn’t been able to keep food down for the past few days, I’m sure he has had some weight loss, as well as a feeling of weakness.

With Brown being called up, I’d assume that Valdez goes down if/when Reyes returns…

Chan Ho Parking Lot June 3, 2009 at 4:06 pm

I’m pretty sure he’s been keeping himself hydrated with plenty of fluids. I can’t imagine him not being told to do that by the doctors, plus I doubt he’d be able or allowed to go out there and play if he was dehydrated.

ravi3 June 3, 2009 at 4:18 pm

Certainly he isn’t terribly dehydrated, but for even someone who suffers a 24 hr stomach flu, it still affects you once you are healthy….Basically, if Beltran was playing at 95% before the virus, I’d say he is prolly 85-90% right now.

zer09 June 3, 2009 at 4:29 pm

I’ll take Beltran at 80% over 100% Reed….

theperfectgame June 3, 2009 at 4:00 pm

Per mets.com, the Mets’ 40-man roster is full, and Emil Brown isn’t on it (or wasn’t earlier today). Far as I can tell, either Ramon Martinez was placed on the 60-day DL, or there was some other corresponding roster move to free up a spot for Emil Brown.

theperfectgame June 3, 2009 at 4:03 pm

and I doubt Martinez was placed on the 60-day DL

MrMustSeeTv June 3, 2009 at 4:05 pm

Ramon Martinez should be placed on the unemployment line.

Chan Ho Parking Lot June 3, 2009 at 4:08 pm

He should be jacked into the Matrix so that Tank can load a “sliding 101″ program into his circuitry.

Rorschach June 3, 2009 at 4:30 pm

Haaa, that slide was horrible.

theperfectgame June 3, 2009 at 4:09 pm

Haha. Be that as it may, if instead the Mets place him on the 15-day DL, as it appears Brian Costa of the Star-Ledger is indicating, there would seemingly need to be another roster move to open up a spot for Emil Brown. I think something’s missing from Costa’s report (or Matt’s relay of Costa’s report) and I’m just trying to figure out what.

dave27 June 3, 2009 at 4:09 pm

I am sure Ramon will be waived.

starz31 June 3, 2009 at 4:04 pm

the weather radar for Pitt looks horrible…who knows if it’ll pass just next to it…but theres gotta be some kind of delay(s) tonight.

ravin108 June 3, 2009 at 4:20 pm

PLEASE be a rain-out. Can a Mets secret operative break a water main under the field and get tomorrow canceled too?

The real key to this lineup will be getting Ryan Church back to form. It is the power potential in his bat that will stabilize run production. F-Mart is a great player but he’s not experienced enough to help get this team where it needs to be.

OH MURPH June 3, 2009 at 4:05 pm

El esta aqui!

gaeapez June 3, 2009 at 4:05 pm

I assume they would play 2 tomorrow if for some reason the game is rained out?

Chan Ho Parking Lot June 3, 2009 at 4:10 pm

It’s supposed to rain there tomorrow too, so it would be in their best interests to try to get the game in tonight if at all possible.

MetsWrightNow June 3, 2009 at 4:12 pm

This isn’t looking good. Forecast in Pittsburgh, according to weather.com is at 70% or better. I doubt they’d play 2 tomorrow. It’s still early in the season and squeezing in a game in Pennsylvania at some point shouldn’t be an issue.

dave27 June 3, 2009 at 4:14 pm

Sure they would play 2. It’s a 12:05 start, and Mets are only going to DC while the Pirates go to Houston.

Patrick June 3, 2009 at 5:06 pm

very unlikely the union would allow that

LazyMary June 3, 2009 at 4:07 pm

I feel like a toddler playing peekaboo – I still get shocked every day Matt posts the lineup and I see the guys like Cora, Martinez, Reed, Valdez, Santos, et al. Injuries really are the second biggest question mark in all of sports….the first being Brett Favre’s retirement status.

stickguy June 3, 2009 at 4:14 pm

makes sense to waive Ramon, but can they do that with him on the DL?

Not sure what they did with Delgado, but if he isn’t on it already, they could certainly move him to the 60 day DL. Doesn’t that get him off the 40 man?

theperfectgame June 3, 2009 at 4:19 pm

It does, but from what I can tell, it can only be made retroactive 10 days. So, he wouldn’t be eligible to return until 50 days from now. Whether that fits into the Mets plans is another story, but I think that’s how it would have to go down. Wagner and Perez are also candidates to be moved to the 60-day DL. Not sure why Wagner at least isn’t already there. Can anyone provide some deeper (or more accurate, as the case may be) insight on this?

dave27 June 3, 2009 at 4:28 pm

I am not sure of all of the rules regarding the 60-day DL, but I think teams are reluctant to use spots for anyone who might return since it will ultimately require another move later.

I guess it doesn’t matter whether they cut Ramon Martinez or bury him on the 60-day DL since it is unlikely he will be back.

Cory Sullivan is on the 40-man and thus would not require a move.

shea818 June 3, 2009 at 4:17 pm

Matt, when should we expect the post saying Beltran’s been pulled from the line up?

bvaz June 3, 2009 at 4:24 pm

so the concept is DL (or waive) Martinez. DFA (and see if he passes through waivers) Valdez Friday or saturday when reyes comes back. Then depending on what FMart does from now until then, designate FMart or Brown when Church comes back.

if Redding doesn’t bounce back, they may need to call up Figgy and decide what to do with redding.

ohboy June 3, 2009 at 4:31 pm

I think I would rather see Sheff protecting Wright than the other way around. Something has to be done to spark Wright’s power bat

anyone agree?

BullpenHelp June 3, 2009 at 4:36 pm

You can’t waive a player on the disabled list. They could, conceivably, put Martinez on the 60-day DL, but I have a feeling they’ve made another move to get Brown on the 40-man roster.

havery June 3, 2009 at 4:36 pm

Maybe a rainout for this team today wouldn’t be so bad. If they don’t play two tomorrow, they could skip Redding and everyone could get some rest.

Rorschach June 3, 2009 at 4:43 pm

That’s really bad news about Reyes. Now what?

methead June 3, 2009 at 4:46 pm

Add Reyes to this lineup and this aint such a bad lineup if Fernando can hit.

stickguy June 3, 2009 at 4:51 pm

Have a poll: who will be back 1st, Reyes or Delgado? SOmething is definitely wrong with Jose.

If he is going to be out longer term, they need some sort of plan to pick a guy and stay with it. I’m thinking Valdez is the best bet, since he is a much better defensive SS.

Or heck, call up Tejada and Thole, and play them with F Mart to get a preview of the 2011 Mets infield!

ravi3 June 3, 2009 at 4:52 pm

This is ridiculous…ESPN usually does an “All-DL Team” made up of injured players throughout the league….These Mets are pretty close to being able to field an All DL Team of their own:

c-
1b- Delgado
2b- Martinez
3b-
ss-Reyes
lf-
cf-Pagan
rf-Church

SP- Perez
CL- Wagner

ravi3 June 3, 2009 at 4:58 pm

Of course this lineup is only ppl on the DL…Otherwise you can add in Maine, Beltran, and Cora, who is playing thru a torn thumb ligament, and will wear one the rest of the season.

Dare I say its a better everyday lineup then what is actually being thrown out there

stickguy June 3, 2009 at 4:53 pm

actually not a bad line up with Reyes in there instead of Cora.

methead June 3, 2009 at 5:08 pm

I know…I had just said that. LOL. Crazy..maybe once Reyes comes back this is the lineup that brings us to the promise land.

or maybe not.

Patrick June 3, 2009 at 5:11 pm

In so far as Putz or Parnell in the 8th, I hate the notion of “roles”, your role in the bullpen is to get outs when you number is called.

The structure of the save and hold is so meaningless and stupid, I need neither to know that Parnell did his job on Monday and Putz did not, and that on Sunday Rodriguez did what he is paid to do.

bvaz June 3, 2009 at 6:47 pm

does Putz lose more velocity and adrenaline now that he is pitching in the 7th instead of the 8th? pretty soon, Livan will be throwing harder than him.

this reyes injury is getting frustrating. remember, he did get through one game without a problem and then got hurt again trying to get a hit.

KL15 June 3, 2009 at 7:06 pm

I really don’t want to say this……….I wish the doctors would take a look at Jose Reyes’ achillies. I’m so afraid that is the source of his problems. I know Jerry Manuel said he was told nothing was torn but I’m SO scared.

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