Omar Minaya:  They were hitting really well, but the reality is that Easley had a very good year.  I mean, we’ve got a really good bench.  And the fact that a lot of our guys were hurt, early those guys were hurt, we had injuries, and guys like Fernando Tatis – as a bench player – were outstanding, Easley as a bench player was outstanding.  Castro as a bench player did a very good job.  Those guys, though they may have numbers that look good in Triple A, still they have never been proven guys in the major leagues and you can’t take Triple-A numbers and correlate them to Major Leagues numbers.

Question 4, during which we talk about ‘gritty players,’ and how you scout such a player, will post at 12 pm.

To read a full transcript of this entire interview, click here.

Rodriguez, who was 1 for 3 in his first game for Triple-A New Orleans yesterday, hit .298 in 158 career games for the Cardinals in 2005 and 2006. 

He spent all of 2007 with Triple-A Memphis. 

Meanwhile, the Mets bench is hitting .165, which is good for last place in the National League.

…and yet, this has not stopped them from carrying two back-up catchers, as well as Abraham Nunez and Ryan Church, who will see a neurologist today because he has been unable to play regularly for the last two weeks…

On Sunday, Willie Randolph told reporters that Marlon Anderson could rejoin the team on its current home stand.

Anderson is batting .167 and was hitless in his previous 18 at-bats before going on the disabled list with a hamstring injury.

The Mets entered this season assuming their bench would be Damion Easley, Endy Chavez, Ramon Castro, Angel Pagan and Anderson.

However, Pagan is still recovering from a banged up shoulder, while Chavez is batting .218 and Easley is batting .238, although they have both been hitting in the last week or so.

For what it’s worth, for Triple-A New Orleans, OF Jesus Feliciano is hitting .322, OF-1B Val Pascucci is batting .301 and OF Chris Aguila is hitting .296.

Of course, Robinson Cancel is batting 375.