Mets baseball blog

Wright released from hospital

David Wright was discharged from the hospital of special surgery Sunday. The Mets third baseman, who suffered a concussion when he was beaned by Giants righthander Matt Cain in the fourth inning of Saturday's 5-4 loss did not come to Citi Field. A team spokesman said he'd gone home and that he had "post-concussion symptoms and a headache."

After Sunday's game, Wright was placed on the 15-day disabled list. Continue

Yes they are booing David Wright

 For the longest time, Mets fans spared the rod with David Wright. Everyone else, up and down the lineup, up and down the roster, has heard the scorn plenty. There's been contempt for the Carloses, Beltran and Delgado. Luis Castillo and Jose Reyes did time turning DPs in the doghouse. Even Johan Santana was famously greeted with boos last April, his first home game at Shea Stadium.

It was always different with Wright. His early speed and his numbers and the fact that the city took to him so quickly provided him mostly with safe harbor even as things turned ugly for everyone else the past two years. Yes, there was talk -- constant, obsessive talk -- about his production with men on base, in clutch situations, in pressurized positions. Continue

Wright injures toe in WBC

Jerry Manuel didn't see David Wright whack a foul ball off his left foot in the first inning of Wednesday night's World Baseball Classic game against Venezuela. But if he had, even the laid-back Manuel would have screamed at the TV as Wright limped around in pain - and, incredibly, remained in the game.

Wright said that at the time, he believed the toe was broken, and yet he played to the finish. Only when X-rays came back negative did he know his toe was intact. Severely bruised, with a cracked toenail, but not broken. Continue

Wright ready to lead

The C on the uniform doesn't matter that much to David Wright. But embracing the team-first message put forth byJerry Manuel in Saturday's opening address is something the All-Star third baseman believes is absolutely critical this year. And he intends to make sure it is followed to the letter inside the clubhouse.

"Obviously, there are guys that have been around for quite some time and they've got more experience than I do," Wright said. "But by no means do I feel intimidated or not feel comfortable going up and talking to those guys if I see something. I understand how the game is where you have to put your time in, but I want to win. And if it takes me taking a bigger leadership role, then I'll do that. Continue

David Wright flagged as A-Rod's fill-in

When Alex Rodriguez decided to play for the Dominican Republic in next spring'sWorld Baseball Classic it opened up a spot at third base on Team USA for David Wright.

The Mets' star was always the logical candidate to man the position in A-Rod's absence, and Monday a Mets spokesman confirmed that Wright has agreed to play for Team USA.

Chipper Jones, who split the third base duties with A-Rod on the 2006 team, is going to play again but he is expected to be used mostly as a DH, leaving third base to Wright. Continue

Wright: We need winter 'facelift'

David Wright admitted that with the Mets' hideous collapses the past two years, they are going to need an offseason makeover. He professed faith in GM Omar Minaya to make a big move, but stressed that it is the players who need to step up, not the front office. And if any players are added, he'd prefer the gritty, gamer type.

Sounds a lot like the World Series champion Phillies. "Obviously, if you go through a few seasons like the two we just went through, you're going to need a little bit of a facelift," Wright said yesterday at a Manhattan fund-raiser for his Do The Wright Thing charity. Continue

Phillies give David Wright, Mets a new World view

It appears watching the Phillies win the World Series this past week is just what David Wright needed. The Mets' third baseman, who made an appearance at the Topps Baseball Camp at Hofstra Saturday, believes that with the rival Phillies winning it all, the World is now at hand.

"To me, the World Series seems more attainable." said Wright. "Knowing that a team in your division that you played 18 or 19 times that you've had pretty good success against went on to win the World Series, I think it gives us an attainable, reachable goal for next year." Continue

Wright making sure collapse doesn't happen again

Losing a playoff berth on the final day of the season for the second straight year doesn't sit well with David Wright. The "bitter taste" of failure, as he described it, is why he's already begun his offseason workout regimen and has watched only about five innings of postseason baseball.

"It's going to be a long offseason, no doubt," Wright said. "But when you fail, it pushes you and motivates you to work that much harder to make sure the same thing doesn't happen next year. You try to better yourself as much as possible." Continue

David Wright helps Mets pitchers with blasts on consecutive days

With two swings over two games, David Wright accomplished more than simply ending a personal slump with a pair of two-run homers. The All-Star third baseman bailed out the Mets' bullpen with a game-winning blast in his final at-bat Thursday. And he provided his entire pitching staff some breathing room with another two-run shot in his first trip to the plate in Friday night's 3-0 win over Florida.

Is there any better way to make friends of a beleaguered pitching staff than that? "We need to do a better job offensively so our starters get the ball to the relievers with some room to breathe, and in comfortable situations," Wright said. "It's tough to have a one-run lead late in a game and have to make a perfect pitch every pitch, knowing that one swing can tie a ballgame. So it was nice today to get them a nice little cushion." Continue

Wright will replace injured Soriano on all-star team

David Wright of the Mets will replace injured Alfonso Soriano of the Chicago Cubs on the National League All-Star roster. All-Star manager Clint Hurdle of the Colorado Rockies made the announcement Friday. Colorado outfielder Matt Holliday, originally selected as a reserve, will replace Soriano in the starting lineup. Continue