Who says bullpen injuries don’t directly affect a team’s starting rotation?

With the uncertainty of Billy Wagner’s sore forearm, and the unavailability of Aaron Heilman, the Mets needed to create a roster spot for a bullpen arm (rookie Eddie Kunz).  Therefore, starter John Maine was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a mild rotator cuff strain.

Maine last pitched on July 28th against the Marlins, but was removed in the fifth inning when his rotator cuff acted up.  He was originally slated to start today against the Astros, but the Mets chose to skip Maine so he could further rest his arm (with Thursday’s off day,  Oliver Perez was able to start on normal rest).

Prior to the move to the disabled list being made, Maine was scheduled to start next Friday against the Marlins, which he is physically able to do.  Maine going to the DL has more to do with the bullpen being short than his rotator cuff being worse that originally thought.

With tomorrow being an …

Billy Wagner’s not one to make excuses when he blows a save, but he did let everyone know why he struggled last night.  The Mets’ closer revealed that he has a strain in his left forearm.

Wagner originally hurt his forearm last Tuesday against the Marlins, but after a few days’ rest he hoped the pain would ease.  He felt no pain until warming up last night in the bullpen, but took the mound anyway with the Mets ahead 4-2.  Wagner finished the ninth, but not before allowing two runs on three hits and a walk, blowing his seventh save of the season.

Wagner is scheduled to undergo an MRI tomorrow in New York to see if there’s any structural damage, and at this point, there’s a chance he might go on the disabled list.

“It’s going to take some time,” Wagner said. “I’m going to take some time off, and get back healthy for the push.”

While Wagner feels confident with a little rest he’ll be back to normal, the …

It’s a tough morning for Mets fans. After another blown save by Billy Wagner (his seventh of the season), the Mets find themselves two games behind the first place Phillies in third place. The New York media isn’t cutting the Mets any slack either. The local papers’ headlines read: ASTRO-NOMICAL HIT – Bullpen Has Another and Amazin’ Meltdown and Mets Bullpen Crashes in Houston.  Mets fans know last night’s loss was inexcusable, they don’t need the media shoving it down their throat (the same media that will praise then once they win two games in a row).

Well don’t believe the hype, Mets fans. Sure, things aren’t exactly going the Mets’ way at the moment, but the pennant race is far from over.

The Mets have dealt with obstacles the entire season. From the numerous injuries, mainly to both of their starting corner outfielders (Ryan Church & Moises Alou), and two of their starting pitchers (Orlando Hernandez & Pedro …

The Mets have placed outfielder Marlon Anderson on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left hamstring.  This is the same hamstring Anderson injured in May when he also spent time on the disabled list.

Anderson, the Mets primary pinch hitter, was batting .222 with one home run and 10 RBI’s for the Mets this season, but started to turn it around in the month of July, batting .303.

Taking his spot on the roster the Mets recalled Dan Murphy from New Orleans.  Murphy, who only made one start at New Orleans (going 1 for 4), was having a strong season at Binghamton (the Mets Double-A affiliate), hitting .308 with 13 homers, 67 RBIs and 14 stolen bases.

Murphy made his major league debut last night in the Mets’ loss to the Astros.  He batted sixth and started in left field.  While he only went 1 for 4 at the plate, a single in the top of the second off Roy Oswalt, it was his defense that caught my …

Aren’t we overdue for a Pedro Martinez update? 

Pedro was in Cincinnati yesterday and threw a bullpen session.    Unfortunately he wasn’t able to throw at full strength.  Not because of his stiff shoulder (which caused him to exit after four innings on July 12th against the Rockies), but because of his sore groin.  Martinez strained his groin running the bases against the Phillies on July 7th, and still hasn’t fully recovered.

No one has referenced it, but at this point a trip to the DL might be an option for Pedro.  For now it’s wait-and-see.  With the off-days since the break, the Mets won’t need a 5th starter until Saturday when the Mets host the Cardinals.

With Pedro out for Tuesday it means the pitching matchup against the Phillies will be:

Tues – Johan Santana v. Joe Blanton
Wed – John Maine v. Brett Myers
Thur – Oliver Perez v. Jamie Moyer

With both the Mets and Phillies taking the field on Tuesday tied for 4th place, this is the biggest series of the season for the …

In arguably his best start of the season, Pedro Martinez exited after the fourth inning yesterday against the Rockies.  Martinez was cruising into the fourth when he walked Matt Holliday.  After Holliday walked Pedro began to stretch his shoulder, prompting manager Jerry Manuel and a trainer to make a visit to the mound.  After Manuel elected to leave Pedro in the game, he retired Garrett Atkins, then gave up a single to Brad Hawpe (his first hit allowed).  He finished the inning by getting Chris Iannetta to ground into a double play.

When Martinez was due to bat in the bottom of the fourth, he was replaced by pinch hitter Nick Evans.  Although Pedro was replaced, he intended on going out in for the top of the fifth. 

“Jerry just kept saying no,” Martinez said. “Finally, Dan Warthen came over and agreed with Jerry, and it was two against one. So I said OK.”

The official word on Martinez is he had stiffness in his right shoulder due …

The Mets are hot.  Winners of their last eight, they find themselves in second place, only a half-game behind the Phillies.  Conceivably they could be in first place at the All-Star break.  It’s quite the turnaround from exactly one month ago when they were 32-34, in fourth place, seven-and-a-half games out of the division.

If you asked me a month ago, I felt the Mets should really look at packing the season in, and start trading some players away to rebuild the farm system.  I no longer hold that opinion.  The Mets are doing everything right.  Instead of selling, they need to look at buying.

If you look at the Mets right now there’s one glaring area where they can use an upgrade and that’s the outfield.  With Moises Alou’s career potentially over, and the instability of Ryan Church given the effects of two concussions in three months, a corner outfielder needs to be brought in.  Not to disrespect the likes of Fernando Tatis or Marlon Anderson, who …

Third baseman David Wright was named to the NL All-Star team yesterday as a replacement for the injured Alfonso Soriano.  Wright, who finished second to the Brewers Corey Hart in MLB’s online Final Vote, is hitting .285 with 17 home runs and 70 RBI’s.  This will be David Wright’s third consecutive appearance at baseball’s Midsummer Classic.

As baseball fans, it’s not enough to celebrate the achievements of a great player getting selected to the all-star team.  We have to speculate.  Was Wright the right selection for the spot vacated by Soriano?  If you talk to any Mets fan they will say yes, and tell you how they don’t understand how he wasn’t selected right from the beginning. But given the implications that the All-Star Game now holds (home field advantage in the World Series), Clint Hurdle’s selection could be called into question.  If not Wright, who’s a better option?

The Astros Carlos Lee has been tearing the cover off the ball. Currently hitting .295 with 21 …

It’s been 48 hours since Major League baseball announced its rosters for the 2008 Midsummer Classic.  Since then I’ve looked at the National League roster about 137 times and there was one player’s name I couldn’t find: Mets ace Johan Santana.

Sure, Mets fans could make the argument that Jose Reyes or David Wright (currently second in the Final Vote, trailing the Brewers’ Corey Hart) are more deserving than the Mets’ sole representative, Billy Wagner; I think it’s an injustice that Santana didn’t make the squad.

Okay, maybe injustice is a little too strong of a word.  Nevertheless, he should be representing the Mets a week from tonight in the Bronx.

While on paper, Santana’s record doesn’t look very all-star worthy, I beg to differ.  Sure, Santana is 7-7 on the year.  As unimpressive as that looks, he’s been a victim of run support.  His 2.98 ERA ranks 5th in the National League.  He’s also 5th in strikeouts (108), 5th in K/BB (3.41), and 7th in WHIP (1.14).  His record might be ugly, …

Cross Keith Hernandez off Jose Reyes’ Christmas card list.  The Mets shortstop and SNY Broadcaster almost got into blows on the team’s charter flight to St. Louis over comments Hernandez made about Reyes on the air.

During Sunday’s 3-1 victory over the Yankees, Reyes slammed his glove to the ground after committing a throwing error, allowing Melky Cabrera to reach first base on a routine ground ball.  This prompted Hernandez to make the comments the set Reyes off. 

“Well, he’s got to get over that,” Hernandez said at the time, according to one transcript of the broadcast. “Enough babying going on now. He’s a grown man. He’s been around a long enough time. Take off the kid gloves.”

After the game, Hernandez’s comments got back to Reyes, who felt it best if he addressed it on the flight to St. Louis. While it is unknown what Reyes actually said, Hernandez reportedly responded:

“I was just doing my job – you should do yours.”

…

The Mets had a scare last night against the Cardinals when hard-luck relief pitcher Duaner Sanchez took a line drive off his left knee.  With two outs in the eighth inning, Yadier Molina hit a come-backer that ricocheted off Sanchez’s knee toward third base.  David Wright fielded the ball, retiring Molina at first, while Sanchez, unable to get up, laid on the ground in pain.

“I was in pain right away,” Sanchez said. “I tried to get up, and I just couldn’t.”

After a few minutes, Sanchez limped to the dugout, and was replaced by Billy Wagner to open the ninth, who retired the Cardinals in order, preserving the Mets 7-4 victory.

After the game Sanchez said his knee was sore, but he thinks he’ll be okay. That’s a sigh of relief for the Mets as Sanchez has become a key in the Mets bullpen, going 3-0 with a 3.79 ERA.

Sanchez is no stranger to injury.  The reliever missed almost a year-and-a-half with shoulder injuries after getting into a taxi cab accident …

The New York Mets continue to try and challenge the Knicks for the title of most dysfunctional team in New York. A day after firing manager Willie Randolph, Jose Reyes is making his own headlines by throwing a tantrum in Anaheim.

After leading off the game with a single, Reyes appeared to be walking a little gingerly around the first base bag. Interim manager Jerry Manuel (no relation to Charlie), went to see how Reyes was and as a precautionary measure, opted to remove him from the game. Well that apparently wasn’t acceptable to “the most exciting player in baseball,” as Reyes initially walked away from Manuel (he played the “if I ignore him he’ll leave me alone” card), then followed by yelling at Manuel on the field (playing the “don’t you know who I am” card), and finally throwing his helmet at the dugout (the “I lost this round, but I’m not happy about it” card).

Completely embarrassing…

It’s nice to see after one day the …