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.

During the 12-run eighth inning, Val Pascucci, who started the game at first base, took the mound with one out. He allowed a pair of doubles, but recorded two outs – twice as many as Tim McNab and Ivan Maldonado combined to retire in the inning.

Pascucci also doubled home two runs in the loss.

…sorry, i couldn’t resist… so many possible jokes…

To read more about Pascucci, and to listen to the radio call of his third home run, check out MiLB.com.

Pascucci is batting .286 with 24 HR and 65 RBI during 89 games in Triple-A this season.

What’s more, he is hitting .377 against left-handed pitching with a .495 OBP.

…i am not willing to go so far as to say pascucci will be the team’s answer in left field, but when it comes to bringing in a power bat for the bench, pascucci has got to be the man…he reaches base nearly half of the time when facing a left-handed hitter, which is beyond impressive…as a pinch hitter, assuming he is comfortable in such a role, he does not need to play the infield…he’s job would be to hit, that’s it, which he is clearly capable of doing…

…Update…11:30 am…

For more, check out Ted Berg’s most recent report for SNY.tv.

What’s more, Aguila is batting .353 against left-handed pitching, with a .413 OBP.

Hit .234 with 18 extra base hits and nine walks in 141 games played for the Marlins between 2004 and 2006.

In a recent report for ESPN.com, fantasy baseball guru Erik Karabell wrote: “The Mets might want to take a look at Aguila in the outfield…Yes, this is the same singles hitter who did very little in the Marlins outfield…but he’s playing well and hitting for power now.”

…i don’t actually believe aguila or Triple-A OF Val Pascucci will rise to the Mets and save the season…however, i don’t understand why Abraham Nunez is a better option for the Mets bench right now, especially if Marlon Anderson is set to return from the disabled list in the next day or so…at least aguila and pascucci are hitting…nunez isn’t hitting, and didn’t hit in the minors…

In 39 games in New Orleans this season, Pascucci is hitting .297 with 11 home runs and 29 RBI, with a .479 OBP against left-handed pitching.

For more on Pascucci, check out Billy Turner’s report for the Times-Picayune, where manager Ken Oberkfell is quoted as saying, “Val’s a patient hitter. He’s not just going to chase pitches.  If people are going to try to pitch around him, he doesn’t mind taking his walks.”

…to me, considering the realities of this roster, the team’s back-up outfielders should be Damion Easley, Fernando Tatis and Endy Chavez…at the same time easley, tatis and Marlon Anderson can back up the infield, while pascucci or aguila are used exclusively as a pinch hitter – assuming Ramon Castro is viewed strictly as a back-up catcher…because this three-catcher, no-hit-infielder system, which the team is currently using, just makes no sense and is not at all effective…

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.

Pascucci has more home runs in 32 games with the Zephyrs than the total produced by Mets left fielders and first basemen in 2008.

Ted Berg: You’ve been hitting pretty well down there lately.

Val Pascucci: Yeah, it’s been going alright. I’ve had a few home runs lately and a couple came off my Albuquerque team from last year, so it was kind of fun to get back at those guys.

Ted Berg: Your numbers have really picked up since you’ve joined New Orleans. Did the change of scenery help?

Val Pascucci: Maybe the change of scenery was good. I felt like I was hitting the ball hard over there with the Phillies, but sometimes baseball goes like that. You’re hitting well, you’re doing well, but the team was losing; it was a tough place to play. It was cold at the beginning of the season, but I always try to do the same thing — drive the ball hard up the middle and have good at-bats. I’ve been doing the same since I’ve been down here (in New Orleans) and just had some more luck.

Ted Berg: When you join an organization, do you look at its needs? Do you look up and down the roster?

Val Pascucci: A little bit. You try to figure out where to go, where you could maybe help a team win. Every offseason you try to find where you’re going to fit in the best, and the Mets seemed to have a need. I had a relationship before with Omar Minaya and some of those guys from the Expos. Hopefully they give me a call sometime to help them out, if they make that decision.

Ted Berg: You’ve had exceptional stats in Triple-A for several years now. Does it ever get frustrating that you’ve seen so little Major League action?

Val Pascucci: I don’t know if the word is frustrated. You can’t really control it; the GMs and managers and everybody else make those decisions. The only thing you can control is what you do on the field, so you just try to do your best and try to put up numbers, and hope someone takes notice. I mean, obviously every player wants to get to the big leagues. Me, I left after the ‘04 season and played in Japan for two years. Coming back, obviously my goal is to get back to the big leagues and have some success there.

Ted Berg: Is the game any different over there?

Val Pascucci: A little bit. You’ve got to get used to the way guys play. There’s a lot of bunting over there. They pitch a little different — all their pitchers have offspeed pitches they throw for strikes, any count, any time they’ll throw you that stuff. The fans are pretty involved over there, they’re into every game and every player has a chant or song with your name in it for when you come to the plate.

Ted Berg: Did you have one?

Val Pascucci: Yeah, I did…It was a chant, they’d say like, ‘Val! Val Pascucci!,’ and it went on.

…to watch the chant on YouTube, click play below…

Ted Berg: I’m trying to start a movement here. What do you think might endear you to the New York fans.Val Pascucci: Different people have always talked about my name…It’s a big-league name. But hopefully, I could gain fan support if they see me play. Try to win them over.

Ted Berg: Any nicknames?

Val Pascucci: Scooch has always been in there, from Pascucci. And the Boss has come around a few times – I guess everyone talks about my Italian side and ties it into all that.

Ted Berg: Did anyone tell you that you got mentioned on the pre-game show on Wednesday?

Val Pascucci: No, I hadn’t heard that.

Ted Berg: I’ve been making such a stink around the office about how you’d be a good fit for the team, that my colleague Matt Cerrone mentioned your name in a list of potential solutions. So hopefully it starts to catch on.

Val Pascucci: I hope so! I appreciate the support.

…added to by Matthew Cerrone…

…awesome job, ted…to me, he’s hot right now…he’s obviously seeing the ball well, and so if the Mets need a bat with power off the bench, which they do, it would make sense to capitalize on pascucci’s hot hand…i mean, Raul Casanova is basically on the bench as a bat, not a back-up catcher, with the way Willie Randolph has used him, and i have to think ‘scooch’ would be a better option in that role…

To read more on Pascucci, check out Berg’s column at SNY.tv, in which he further profiles the 29–year-old outfielder.

This is a terrible, terrible suggestion.

Heilman has been shaky, but he can still be sent to the minors without having to clear waivers, and so trading him for a 28–year-old loose cannon who is hitting .161 with a one home run makes very little sense to me.

If the Mets need an outfield bat with power, who can also play first base, and would not cost them a young pitcher like Heilman, they should promote Val Pascucci or Chris Aguila from Triple-A New Orleans.

The 29–year-old Pascucci is hitting .288 with 11 home runs and 25 RBI in 32 games since joining the Zephyrs, during which he has drawn 22 walks, while striking out 29 times, in 111 at bats.

The 29–year-old Aguila, who spent time with the Marlins the last few years, is hitting .293 in 54 games for New Orleans with 14 home runs and 27 RBI.

Against left-handed pitching, Aguila is batting .333, while Pascucci is batting .364.

I would much rather see the Mets demote Nick Evans, who is clearly overmatched, while promoting Pascucci or Aguila.

Neither player is on the 40–man roster - but, according to MLB.com, the Mets have two slots available to be used.

By the way, later today on MetsBlog.com, SNY’s Ted Berg will post a Q&A he recently did with Pascucci for an article he wrote for SNY.tv, which you can read by clicking here.