At Newsday’s Mets blog, Bob Herzog writes of a quick conversation between Omar Minaya and the team’s writers prior to today’s game…
Minaya, as quoted by Herzog…
“There are a lot of big names, but they’re rumors.  That’s fun for the fans but who knows?  In the next two or three days, there could be a big swing [...]

…earlier today, i wrote that the mets were 26–36 against teams that are .500 or better…clearly, i was way, way off…
According to Steven DiMartino, a MetsBlog reader, also known as Mets Fan in Oklahoma, the Mets are 31–23 against teams that are .500 or better…
…and he is correct…
…i have no idea what i was looking [...]

The Topps baseball card company has announced that it has signed an exclusive trading card deal with Mets 3B David Wright…
Warren Friss, General Manager of Sports, Topps, as quoted in a company press release…
“At the age of 23, David is already one of the marquee players in the game.  Topps is thrilled to be working [...]

Following this afternoon’s win over the Cubs, C Paul Lo Duca appeared on ESPN’s Pardon the Interruption…
Asked whether he enjoys how his team’s fans can be, Lo Duca responded by saying…
“Oh definitely.  I mean, we had come back from a 9–1 road trip and we got beat and got boo’d off the field – and [...]

John Maine has allowed no runs on seven hits while walking four and striking out 11 over his last 17 innings pitched…
Though he has yet to pitch against a team with a winning percentage higher than .469 this season, he is 1–3 in five starts with a 2.45 ERA sporting 27 strikeouts in 33 innings [...]

Following this afternoon’s win, the Mets sent Heath Bell back to Norfolk to make room on the 25–man roster for Pedro Martinez, who will start in Atlanta on Friday…
…i hope bell has ez-pass…

…big win, boys…big win…
…for those unable to see the game on television, the team pummelled Jose Valentin along the first base line after his game winning single…literally…i mean, with smiles, they were mockingly punching him in the stomach, as valentin rolled around on the ground beneath a crowd of white uniforms…as David Wright gave humorous [...]

The Mets defeated the Cubs by a score of 1-0 in 10 innings this afternoon at Shea Stadium. Jose Valentin drove in Carlos Beltran with an RBI single for the win. For those of you stuck in your cubicle, let the Associated Press be your watercooler…
…a few thoughts on this one…
…man, has Jose Valentin come [...]

Two things of note from NY Sports Day…
Joe McDonald writes a nice profile of Mets OF Endy Chavez, who tells McDonald, “Willie put me a lot in the lineup and I got action almost everyday. That helped me be ready anytime he calls on me. It helps me now with all the support he gave.”…
…willie has [...]

At SI.com, Jon Heyman writes that the Mets should trade Lastings Milledge, Aaron Heilman and Phil Humber to the Marlins for Dontrelle Willis…
Within the intriguing column, Heyman writes the following:
“Marlins people recently told competing executives that for them to trade Willis they’d have to get back someone “younger, cheaper and just as good.”“Perhaps they were [...]

Prior to today’s game, Willie Randolph told WFAN that Tom Glavine will pitch on Sunday against Atlanta…

Last night, ESPN.com’s Buster Olney was kind enough to talk with me for a Conversation @ MetsBlog to discuss the possibility of Omar Minaya trading for A’s LHP Barry Zito…
…to listen to this interview, click the play button below…

During the conversation, Olney tells me the following regarding…
…whether Minaya can acquire Zito…
“He can, he can make that trade right now,” [...]

The Game…
The Mets (59-41) hope to salvage the finale with the Cubs (39-60) in a Wednesday matinee at Shea, starting at 12:10 pm EDT…
The Pitchers…

RHP John Maine (1-3, 3.12 ERA) pitches for the Mets…Maine threw a complete game shutout against the Astros last week, needing only 98 pitches to do so…Maine has only walked seven [...]

…does this worry you…
The Mets are 23–36 against team’s with a .500 record or better this season…
Against the National League’s starting pitchers with ERAs better than Pedro Martinez’s 3.45, the Mets are 2–5, while the pitchers have posted a 2.84 ERA…
…i am not necessarily worried, but i am a bit concerned…
…let’s put it this way, [...]

…despite trading for Bob Wickman to serve as their closer, the buzz from atlanta has the Braves still looking to acquire more relief pitching, and maybe even another starting pitcher – the only young players they will not part with are C Brian McCann and C Jarrod Saltalamacchia…
…you know what, i want them to acquire [...]