Figueroa had the following to say after the game:

“There were no soft outs, even when I made good pitches they found a way to put them in play… It was one of those days when nothing seems to go right, nothing seems to work, Plan B didn’t seem to work well and in the big leagues you don’t have a chance to get to Plan C… It was very frustrating, to work so hard to come up here and try to help this team, and to get here and only last an inning and two-thirds, you know, I’m gonna beat myself up over it tonight.  But, tomorrow I’ll be live and available and I’ll be a better pitcher for it.”

…i don’t know about Plan B, it looked to me like nelson made no adjustments… it was just strike after strike, and big swing after big swing and a ton of contact…

“It just looked like they were on every pitch,” Jerry Manuel said, following the game.  “Every pitch he threw it looked like they had a good idea.  They put some good swings on him.”

In his previous start for the Mets this season, he allowed three runs in six innings to the Brewers in April.

He is 2–4 with a 6.14 in eight starts for the Mets the last two seasons.

…i have said this before, and i’ll say it again, nelson is good on his feet, it seems, he mixes pitches well, in the moment, and he’s versatile, and probably best suited to be a part of the bullpen, able to pitch both short and long relief… his skills seem more useful there…

Last season, he had a 3.00 ERA during 12 innings in relief.

…it will be interesting to see what they do now… figgy has obviously not enjoyed being promoted then cut, promoted then cut… i don’t blame him… it seems to me, they can keep him in the bullpen for a while, and not have to make a decision until someone returns from the disabled list – most likely Billy Wagner…

Pat Misch has been designated for assignment.

Figueroa had been 7–1 with a 1.51 ERA in his last 10 starts for Triple-A Buffalo.

Misch allowed three runs in 13 games while pitching for the Mets.

Additionally, Nelson Figueroa will be promoted to start Monday against the D-Backs, since Tim Redding pitched in relief on Saturday.

Figueroa is 7–1 with a 1.51 ERA in his last 10 starts for Triple-A Buffalo.

…the question is, who will be removed from the roster to make room for figgy… i’m think Pat Misch, who has not pitched since July 19, despite having allowed just three runs in 13 innings pitched…

Holt is 2–2 with a 3.85 ERA in his last four starts in Double-A, while striking out 30 hitters in 21 innings.

…to read a recent Q&A i did with holt, click here…

Meanwhile, Nelson Figueroa was named Pitcher of the Week for the same period by the International League.

Figueroa has thrown eight straight Quality Starts in Triple-A, during which he is 6–0 with a 1.44 ERA.

Hernandez allowed seven runs and 10 hits in his previous start, and three runs in the first inning against the Yankees in the start before that.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, courtesy of ESPN.com, Hernandez is the first pitcher in Mets history to allow three or more first-inning runs in three successive starts, which no major-league pitcher had done since Mike O’Connor for the Nationals in July 2006.

…exactly… he gets totally roughed up early, of late, and though he finds a groove and gets back on track, with this Mets offense, it’s too little too late…

In his last three starts, he has a 30.00 ERA.

Jerry Manuel, on the state of the rotation, said last night:

“I’ll say this, over the break, we’ll decide what the rotation is going to be… We’ll just have to take a good look at it and see which direction we’re going to go.  I’m not saying somebody is in or somebody is out.  I’m just saying that we’re going to take a look at it.”

…manuel keeps saying, as long as the team gets good pitching, they have a chance to win every night… livan is not even giving them that of late… the reality is, for whatever reason, the Mets are 2–8 in his last 10 starts… and so, again, given the lack of offense, the Mets need to do something to give themselves a better chance…

…i bet the Mets go with Johan Santana, Oliver Perez, Mike Pelfrey, Jon Niese and Nelson Figueroa following the All-Star break, since it seems like the Fernando Nieve Show is coming to a close as well…

Niese has a 1.04 ERA in his last six starts for Triple-A Buffalo, where Figueroa has seven consecutive quality starts and a 2.50 ERA.

Meanwhile, Nelson Figueroa got his first win for Triple-A Buffalo last night going seven plus innings and letting up one earned run, while new addition Emil Brown went 2-4 with a run scored.

Brown is batting .313 in 16 at bats since joining the Bisons.

For more, check out Toby’s Mets Minor League Blog.

Niese allowed five runs and seven hits in 4.2 innings today against the Braves.

According to Rubin, “It may not be a leap to suggest that Tim Redding will be activated and start Monday in Los Angeles.”

In an earlier post, Rubin does an outstanding job, as usual, giving an update on the farm system, reporting on Nick Evans, Wily Mo Pena and Angel Pagan, and prospects Jonathan Malo, Tobi Stoner and Sean Ratliff, among others.

Garcia will be replaced on the roster by Nelson Figueroa, who will start tonight against Triple-A Rochester.

Wily Mo Pena will be added to the Triple-A roster as well.

…i’m glad… like i have said, i like figgy, and think, eventually, the Mets will get it right and give this guy a permanent spot in the bullpen… that said, i bet it helped him to hear there may soon be a job open in the starting rotation…

Rubin also blogs about Mike Lamb, who will join Triple-A Buffalo, as well as John Maine’s side session, Ugly Betty, Carlos Beltran’s 1000th RBI, and why Gary Sheffield started in right field and not left field last night.

Although O’Day posted a 0.00 ERA over four games, Davidoff writes that Mets officials were frustrated with him allowing all three of his inherited runners score.

…geez, imagine if the Mets showed more urgency with the bullpen last season…

Meanwhile, Adam Rubin of the Daily News reports that Nelson Figueroa has cleared waivers and will return to Triple-A Buffalo

…i am glad to hear nelson cleared and hopefully he will have another shot as a long reliever or spot starter …