Mets baseball blog

Doctor visits for Mets pitchers Pedro, El Duque

Thursday was not a good day for the Mets' aging back-of-the-rotation starters. As the team regathered after the All-Star break, Pedro Martinez was in New York getting a cortisone shot in his right hip. He was scratched from his start Sunday against the Reds. Mike Pelfrey will pitch instead.

And Orlando Hernandez, who could have been Martinez's rotation replacement down the road, left his rehab start for Binghamton Thursday after one inning with discomfort in his troublesome right foot. Hernandez will be back in New York Friday to see the Mets' busy team doctors. Continue

Church vows to return soon

Fresh off another round of medical tests, Ryan Church returned to Shea Stadium yesterday vowing to be back in the Mets' lineup shortly. "I believe I'll be back sooner than a lot of people are saying out there, sooner than I've been reading," the right fielder said before yesterday's 3-0 win over the Rockies. "Definitely, I'll be back. I won't be sitting the rest of the year out." Continue

Moises suffers another setback

Moises Alou's rehab is on hold, after the 41-year-old outfielder felt "cramping" in his left hamstring while diving for a ball last night while playing for Double-A Binghamton. Alou will be brought to New York today for further examination, a Met spokesman said.

Before the Mets beat the Giants 5-0 last night, manager Jerry Manuel had indicated Alou, in his attempt to return from a strained left calf, would tell the team when he's ready. But now it would appear he's suffered a setback. With Alou and Ryan Church on the disabled list, the Mets continue to use the tandem of Fernando Tatis and Endy Chavez in the corner outfield spots. Continue

Mets' Church goes back on DL

For the second time this season, Mets outfielder Ryan Church was placed on the 15-day disabled list yesterday with head-related injuries. After coming out of Saturday's game against Philadelphia with a migraine, Church, who went on the DL in June with post-concussion syndrome, returned to New York for an MRI exam. Although the MRI ruled out another concussion for Church, he told general manager Omar Minaya he did not feel completely healthy.

"I don't feel 100 percent and I can't keep going out there and running myself down into the ground," Church said before yesterday's game against San Francisco. "I just feel like I'm hurting this team not being able to do anything." Continue

Church: It's just a migraine

- Ryan Church was out of the starting lineup yesterday as he and the Mets continued to insist his latest absence was due to long-term migraines and not two recent concussions.

Church was lifted in the eighth inning of Saturday night's 9-4 win over the Phillies because of dizziness and unavailable for use yesterday in the Mets' 4-2 win in 12 innings. That heightened suspicions that the post-concussion syndrome that sidelined the right fielder for three weeks last month had returned. But after consulting with a team neurologist in New York that the club still refuses to name, Church and the Mets repeated their assertion that migraines were the cause of the dizziness. Continue

Luis Castillo limps onto disabled list

Look at the bright side: Luis Castillo has through the 2011 season to prove to Mets fans that his four-year, $25 million deal wasn't a mistake. Castillo landed on the disabled list before Thursday night's series finale against the Cardinals with a strained left hip flexor. The Mets promoted second baseman Argenis Reyes and outfielder Chris Aguila from Triple-A New Orleans. The other spot opened with the Mets dropping from 13 to 12 pitchers by demoting Carlos Muniz. Continue

Clear-headed Mets' Church expects to face Yankees

Ryan Church said he has successfully shaken out the cobwebs and could return to the Mets' lineup sometime during this weekend's Subway Series. Church, on the disabled list since June 9 with post-concussion symptoms, said he is suffering no residual effects of the two concussions he has suffered since March. Church is scheduled to make a rehab start for the Brooklyn Cyclones either tomorrow or Thursday. Continue

Church headed for DL

- In a long overdue move, right fielder Ryan Church is headed to the DL today because of lingering effects from his most recent concussion. The DL stint is retroactive to last Friday and comes after Church was re-examined by a neurologist in New York yesterday. Church had been given the weekend off after complaining of pressure in his head. Continue

Mets' Church could go on DL

Ryan Church continues to be haunted by post-concussion symptoms, and for that reason, the Mets finally put him back on the bench for the remainder of this weekend and ultimately could place the rightfielder on the disabled list.

Church was supposed to be getting a regular day off when he sat out Friday's 2-1 loss to the Padres. But that thinking changed when manager Willie Randolph approached him during the game to ask if he could pinch hit in the later innings. When Church responded that he didn't feel right and was experiencing a "pressure" in his head, it was obvious that he needed to be shut down for an indefinite period. Continue

Castillo pining to play

Luis Castillo whiffed in his attempt to talk his way into yesterday's starting lineup, but hopes he's ready for tonight's series finale against the Dodgers. Castillo strained a left hip flexor while turning a double play Friday night, leaving the game in the eighth inning. The Mets used Damion Easley at second base yesterday. "I want to be out there, especially since we're starting to play a little better," Castillo said. Continue

Castillo day-to-day after injuring hip

According to the Mets' team doctor, Luis Castillo strained a left hip flexor after turning a double play in the seventh inning of Friday's 9-5 loss to the Dodgers. But in the clubhouse after the game, Castillo described the injury as soreness in his quad. He said his status is day-to-day and that he doesn't plan on missing much time -- if any. "It feels a little sore right now," Castillo said. "We'll see how it feels tomorrow. I want to play tomorrow." Continue

Moises back on the DL

Moises Alou was back in a familiar place yesterday: the disabled list. The Mets' oft-injured left fielder has been shelved for at least 15 days after straining his left calf in Wednesday's 11-4 loss here to the Braves. Catcher Raul Casanova was brought up from Triple-A New Orleans to take Alou's roster spot.

Alou was in the field with one out in the third inning Wednesday night when he pulled himself because the pain became too much to stand. Alou said he is convinced the injury resulted from favoring a previously sprained right ankle. Continue

Castillo hurt

Finally, the Mets' position players are healthy. Moises Alou , check. Brian Schneider, check. So they're back to a full complement. Er, not so fast. Luis Castillo pulled up with tightness in his left quadriceps legging out a triple and eventually left the Mets' 8-3 win over the Reds at Shea yesterday. Though Castillo said he did not think the injury was serious, he questioned whether he could play tonight. Continue

Pagan hurts shoulder after great catch

Angel Pagan is headed for an MRI exam in New York today after injuring his left shoulder on a spectacular catch in the first inning of yesterday's 12-1 win over the Dodgers.

The Mets ' backup outfielder drove his shoulder into a folding seat after flipping over a cement wall along the third-base line while catching a pop-up by Andre Ethier. Pagan somehow held on to the ball and stayed in the game for another inning before aggravating the injury on a slide into second base in the third. The Mets then lifted him for Endy Chavez. Continue

Met's Martinez shows some progress

There was some movement yesterday in the glacial progress of Pedro Martinez and Orlando Hernandez, but don't get too excited about a return just yet.

Martinez, nursing a strained left hamstring, threw a bullpen session in Port St. Lucie with general manager Omar Minaya in attendance and there is the possibility that his next outing could involve facing hitters in batting practice. The next step would be a simulated game and perhaps a start for Class A St. Lucie, but team officials have been reluctant to speculate very far into the future. Continue

Alou returns to Mets

Moises Alou finally was back in the lineup for Friday's game against the Diamondbacks, but the Mets may have to wait a little longer for the real Alou to return.

Alou had been on the disabled list since March 23 because of hernia surgery, and even he suggested a pure hitter like himself is likely to require a few games to get his rhythm back. What was interesting to note is that even a 41-year-old can get jitters. Continue

Schneider back with team, but not ready to play

Brian Schneider arrived in the clubhouse yesterday morning to give the proverbial "thumbs-up" to his teammates before the Mets' 13-1 loss to the Pirates. After spending a six-day stint in the hospital for a staph infection in his left thumb on his catching hand, Schneider was released from the hospital yesterday morning.

"It was just a small, little blister on my catching hand and it popped," Schneider said. "I didn't think it was a big deal, but when you put your catcher's glove on and everything else, it got infected and everything just went so fast." Continue

Alou may be back Friday

Oft-injured left fielder Moises Alou rejoined the Mets yesterday but is not quite ready to play. The plan is to activate him from the disabled list Friday in Arizona, although GM Omar Minaya said that is not definite.

The 41-year-old has been sidelined since March 6 by hernia surgery. Alou cut short his rehab assignment in extended spring training when a CAT scan showed something in his right ankle that doctors feared was a fracture. But an MRI exam on Monday in New York showed no fracture, clearing Alou to play. Continue

Unlucky break for Alou

Moises Alou is headed to New York today, but that doesn't necessarily mean he'll be in the Mets ' lineup anytime soon.The oft-injured outfielder will be examined by team doctors after a CAT scan performed on Friday indicated the recent swelling in Alou's left ankle could be the result of a fracture.

Alou, who underwent hernia surgery last month, was scratched from starts for Single-A St. Lucie on Friday and Saturday because of the swelling.GM Omar Minaya indicated yesterday that he had no knowledge of how the ankle injury occurred. Continue

Brian Schneider's thumb worsens

Brian Schneider was expected to be held overnight at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York after the condition of an infected left thumb rapidly worsened Thursday. GM Omar Minaya expressed hope that the infection could be treated with intravenous antibiotics. Otherwise, Schneider's thumb would need to be lanced and a DL stint would be required.

As a short-term solution, the Mets promoted catcher Gustavo Molina from Triple-A New Orleans and cleared roster room by designating outfielder Brady Clark for assignment. The Mets hope Schneider can return during this weekend's series at Shea against the Braves, at which point they would return Molina to the minors and activate Moises Alou. Continue

Bruised forearm forces Schneider to sit out

Brian Schneider can play through pain, as all catchers must, but the right forearm bruise he suffered in the ninth inning Saturday still hurt too much for him to start the Mets' series finale against the Phillies last night. "He smoked it pretty good," Schneider said of the foul tip off the bat of Chase Utley. Schneider did not come out of the game. X-rays taken Saturday were negative.

Raul Casanova started behind the plate last night. The Mets didn't feel the need to add a third catcher because they hope Schneider will feel good enough to play tonight at Wrigley Field. Manager Willie Randolph said he would use him last night "only in an extreme emergency." Continue

Sanchez sharp in return

Wearing his trademark goggles and entering to the song "Wild Thing," Duaner Sanchez finally returned. After nearly a two-year absence, Sanchez made his triumphant comeback last night at Shea Stadium, closing out the Mets ' 6-0 shutout of the Nationals with a scoreless inning.

The valuable righty reliever looked dynamic in his 19-pitch frame. Sanchez allowed only a single while striking out one, hitting 91 mph and getting an impressive three swings-and-misses in four hitters. And physically? "Everything was perfect," he said. Continue

Duaner Sanchez finally coming back

Duaner Sanchez, who hasn't pitched in the majors since July 28, 2006, is expected to rejoin the Mets Tuesday. The reliever hurt his shoulder in a taxi crash in Florida three days after that game, putting a premature end to his stellar first season with the Mets, in which he went 5-1 with a 2.60 ERA in 49 relief appearances. Continue

Reyes leaves early, out Saturday

For these Mets, their strength up the middle -- a widely recognized ingredient for baseball success -- has recently dissolved. Shortstop Jose Reyes left Friday night's game against the Brewers with tightness in his left hamstring, three days after second baseman Luis Castillo departed early with soreness in his right knee. Castillo is due back on Saturday. Reyes is not. Continue

El Duque might start season on DL

Mets officials appeared to be leaning toward placing Orlando Hernandez on the DL to start the season, paving the way for Mike Pelfrey to make at least two starts, the first opposite Tom Glavine on Saturday in Atlanta, the Daily News has learned.

Joe Smith also looked close to claiming the final spot in the bullpen, a vacancy created with Duaner Sanchez not yet ready for regular-season action. However, team officials were prepared to wait until the 3 p.m. roster deadline Sunday before affirming those decisions. Continue

Schneider will return to lineup

Brian Schneider's on-again, off-again spring is on again. The Mets' recently acquired catcher, limited to just five Grapefruit League at-bats by a strained right hamstring, is expected to be in the lineup today when they visit the Indians in Winter Haven, Fla.

Schneider, who has a history of hamstring problems, hurt it the first time on Feb. 29. He missed the next week, then aggravated the injury while running sprints as soon as he returned. Schneider hit against the Nationals' Triple-A team yesterday on a back diamond at Tradition Field and pronounced himself ready after going 2-for-4 with a double and a homer. Continue

El Duque moves closer to 1st start

Orlando Hernandez keeps taking baby steps with the bunion on his right foot, but the pitcher will get a real test Sunday when he is scheduled to face the Cardinals in his first Grapefruit League appearance.

On an off-day for most of his Mets teammates, El Duque tossed a four-inning simulated game Tuesday morning, primarily against minor-league batters. He allowed three runs on three hits, walked four and a hit batter while striking out one during an 80-pitch effort. Minor-leaguers Rene Reyes and Chris Aguila each homered in the third off the batter's eye in dead center, although catcher Brian Schneider said El Duque was exclusively throwing fastballs that inning, allowing the hitters to sit on the pitch. Continue

Delgado, Castro injuries mar Pedro's debut

Even as the Mets got Pedro Martinez back in a dazzling debut Sunday, their spring training injury curse continued. First baseman Carlos Delgado and backup catcher Ramon Castro both suffered injuries and had to leave Martinez's start against the Tigers at Tradition Field. Delgado's was bloody and scary; Castro's might be more long-lasting. He reinjured his right hamstring and is scheduled to get an MRI Monday. The Mets already are without No. 1 catcher Brian Schneider.

Delgado was hit in the right forearm by a shard from teammate Brady Clark's bat while leading off third base in the third inning. Delgado said he was following the ball -- a flyout to center -- and didn't see the bat fragment until it was too late. Continue

Beltran's knee a 'good sore' after first game

A day after playing in his first spring training game, Carlos Beltran said his left knee was sore yesterday, but "it's not a bad sore, it's a good sore."

Beltran did not accompany the Mets across the state to Fort Myers, instead staying behind to bat seven times against Pedro Martinez in a simulated game in Port St. Lucie. Beltran said he hoped to be in the lineup again today as the designated hitter when the Mets host the Orioles at Tradition Field. When will Beltran play centerfield? Let's just say he's not marking his calendar. Continue

Ryan Church takes batting practice

Ryan Church took batting practice Friday for the first time since suffering a concussion last weekend, and the Mets' new right fielder even felt clearheaded enough afterward that he hopes to appear in a game as early as Saturday. "I got a little winded, a little tired at the end, but I'm shooting to actually play. Hopefully, anyway," said Church, who collided with fill-in first baseman Marlon Anderson chasing a pop-up last Saturday. "The best way to shake the cobwebs out of there is to get back out there." Continue

Alou's hernia adds to Mets' injury woes

The Mets, despite a dizzying rash of injuries, clung tightly to the belief that they would be at full strength by Opening Day. But that's no longer possible after the team learned last night that Moises Alou is scheduled for hernia surgery today and will miss the next four to six weeks.

Of all the Mets' recent ailments, this one hurts bad, and is likely to have general manager Omar Minaya immediately seeking help on the trade front. Minaya understood heading into this season that Alou's productivity would be limited by a stint or two on the disabled list and frequent breaks for rest. Last season, Alou batted .341, but he only appeared in 87 games, and he's not off to a promising start this year, which happens to come with an $8.5-million price tag. Continue

Ruben Gotay may have broken ankle; Orlando Hernandez limited

Ryan Church returned to Mets camp Monday, with sunglasses shielding his sensitive eyes to light, and concealing a modest shiner. But as the symptoms of a Grade 2 concussion suffered in a collision with Marlon Anderson on Saturday continue to subside, the injury news for the Mets gets no better.

Ruben Gotay will have a CT scan Tuesday on his right ankle, and team doctor Struan Coleman suspects the infielder may have suffered a fracture sliding into the plate on Sunday against the Dodgers. That diagnosis would force Gotay to the disabled list to start the season. Gotay navigated the clubhouse in the morning using crutches, and departed after the Mets' 3-2, 10-inning win against the Braves having switched to a walking boot. Continue

Collision hurts Church most; Mets' injuries mount

The Mets waited until noon to post a lineup for yesterday's 1 p.m. game against the Dodgers at Tradition Field. It wasn't so much that manager Willie Randolph had trouble deciding whom to play. The problem was finding enough healthy bodies to actually field a team - and there were even fewer by the end of the day.

Earlier that morning, Carlos Delgado was sent back to New York for an MRI of his aching right hip, the same area that caused him to miss 17 days with a hip flexor injury last September. His departure exposed a major weakness for a team with no sufficient Plan B at first base. Continue

Delgado to get MRI on hip

New York Mets first baseman Carlos Delgado , spotted walking with a pronounced limp late Friday night, was sent back to New York today to find out what's causing it. Complaining of pain in his problematic right hip, the veteran slugger left camp early in the morning so he could undergo a MRI exam in Manhattan and get looked at by team physician Straun Coleman. Continue

'08 could be it for Duque

Orlando Hernandez talked about retirement yesterday for the first time, and anyone who glanced at his gnarly right foot could understand why. Hernandez, who said the odds of his quitting after this season are 50-50, revealed a huge bunion on the side of his right foot, a clear indication that he did not have surgery to remove it, as the Mets stated last October.

Hernandez passed on bunion surgery because of the two-year rehab it requires; it's something he's saving until retirement. Instead, he had an operation to repair a dislocated tendon at the base of his second toe, which is now shorter because of the surgery and causing problems with his balance on the mound. To top it off, Hernandez is suffering from a tooth problem, which is creating discomfort and also interfering with his work schedule. Continue

Endy Chavez hurts other hammy, will be ready for start of spring training

Endy Chavez, who played only 71 games last season because of a strained left hamstring, hurt his right hamstring and ankle in a play at the plate in December in a winter league game in his native Venezuela, but is expected to be ready for the start of spring training.

"He tweaked his hamstring, a slight pull, and he banged up his ankle," said a baseball official familiar with the injury who requested anonymity. "But he's fine. It should not impact him being ready at all." Continue

16 months after crash, Duaner Sanchez back on comeback trail to Mets

On a mound shielded from the drizzle outside, and just 20 feet from the spot where his recovery from a taxi-cab accident suffered a serious setback, Duaner Sanchez's right foot is touching the rubber for the first time since March.

Sporting a scraggly beard and sunglasses, and with a young clubhouse attendant named T.J. capturing his delivery with a video camera for rehab coordinator Randy Niemann, the reliever tentatively makes his first throw atop a mound since a bone weakened in that accident gave way during spring training. Sanchez's mind finally eases after the fifth toss Monday at the Mets' otherwise-sleepy Florida complex. Continue

Luis Castillo, Duaner Sanchez on mend

The Mets' Luis Castillo had his troublesome right knee cleaned during a recent surgical procedure, and should be 100% by Jan.1. The Mets are expected to make a strong push to re-sign him, although they will wait to at least explore what second basemen are available via trade.

With Moises Alou's $7.5 million team option expected to be picked up by the Nov. 15 deadline (the contract otherwise has a $1million buyout), second base and catcher are the Mets' two most glaring voids. The Mets are not expected to re-sign pending free agent Paul Lo Duca.

GIGANTES STEP: More than a year after separating his right shoulder as a passenger in a taxi cab accident on July 31, 2006, reliever Duaner Sanchez is finally nearing a return to game action. The righthander plans to begin participating in winter ball with Gigantes in the Dominican Republic the first week in December, according to the Mets....Tim Teufel is expected to be asked to manage the Mets' top Class A affiliate, St. Lucie. (Daily News)

El Duque's bunion removed

Orlando Hernandez had surgery Friday to remove the bunion on the second toe of his right foot and is expected to be ready for spring training. Hernandez, 42, did not make a start after Sept. 11 because of the painful condition and was forced to wear a protective boot for two weeks before returning for three relief appearances to finish the season.

El Duque had been the most dependable pitcher in the Mets' rotation before the bunion became an issue. He went 9-5 with a 3.75 ERA in 24 starts but totaled only 9 2/3 innings after Aug. 25. Continue

Maine played with hip injury all season

One of the Mets' Maine men wouldn't give into the pain and be a lame man this season. Pitcher John Maine, who with his brilliant performance on Saturday gave the Mets and their fans one last reason to hope, revealed yesterday that he was plagued with a painful left hip injury all season. Maine said he believes he'll need surgery although he won't know the full extent of the injury until today when he sees a specialist in Philadelphia, of all places.

"It's been bothering me all year, but especially around the All-Star break it started barking," Maine said as he was holding his MRI films in his hand. When asked if he would be ready for spring training, Maine described the surgery as a, 'quick little thing." Continue

El Duque throws without protective boot

The boot got the boot. Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez was wearing his regular baseball shoes yesterday and not the oversized protective boot that he had been wearing to protect his right foot, which has a bunion.

So it was progress, although it is not known what his next step will be, when he will take it or where it will land him. Hernandez did manage to throw a little on flat ground. "OK," he said when he was asked how he felt. "I threw easy." Willie Randolph held out the possibility that Hernandez could pitch in a game before the regular season ends Sunday. El Duque would not go that far. "I think 'Today,"' he said. "I don't know the future." Continue

Mets' Beltran again leaves game early

Carlos Beltran left early again yesterday for the third consecutive game after crashing into the wall in the sixth inning of the Mets' 7-6 victory over the Marlins. Beltran's tendinitis-stricken knees are becoming more of a problem, but general manager Omar Minaya rallied to the defense of his hurting centerfielder, apparently because of the public perception that he doesn't play hurt. When asked about yesterday's game, Minaya offered instead an unsolicited defense of Beltran, and how it was remarkable that he managed to play at all. Continue

Beltran day to day

Carlos Beltran left last night's game in the fifth inning when he slipped on the warning track and aggravated tendinitis in both knees. He took anti-inflammatory medication and suggested he'd make every attempt to play today given the importance of the remaining games. "I still feel weak, but I already took a pill," Beltran said. "I'll do whatever it takes to be back in the lineup." (Daily news)

Great Scott! Still no Wagner

Mets closer Billy Wagner did not appear for a second straight game due to back spasms. Instead, Scott Schoeneweis closed out the Mets' 9-6, rain-delayed win over the Marlins. Schoeneweis posted a four-out save, escaping an inherited two-on, two-out jam in the eighth and tossing a perfect ninth. He struck out three.

Wagner couldn't pitch on Thursday because of back spasms, and yesterday he said he had improved but his status for last night was "going to be a gametime decision." Asked if he would be day-to-day for the rest of the season, Wagner said, "Hopefully not. Hopefully this treatment will knock it out." Continue

Orlando Hernandez's sore foot may nix playoffs

Orlando Hernandez is expected to wear a protective boot on his ailing right foot for up to 10 days. The footwear will keep him off a mound for perhaps the rest of the regular season, and leaves his availability for the division series in question since El Duque has logged only three innings since Aug. 30.

Hernandez missed last year's postseason after straining a calf muscle during a workout day at Shea on the eve of Game 1 of the NL division series, which he was scheduled to start. "I feel the same. I'm not feeling good," said Hernandez, who is troubled by a bunion that affects him pushing off the mound. "I'm not happy. After seven days, maybe I'll have a better answer." El Duque is permitted to ride a bicycle and can throw, but not off a mound. Continue

Carlos Delgado eyes Thursday return from hip injury

Willie Randolph doesn't except Carlos Delgado to play this series, but the first baseman labeled himself within days of returning from a strained hip flexor. "I definitely think so," said Delgado, who hasn't played since getting hurt swinging in Cincinnati on Sept. 4.

Delgado, who hit in a cage Sunday, suggested he needed to advance to a simulated game, or at least batting practice, before playing, so the four-game series that opens Thursday at Florida could mark his return. Delgado predicted the injury would be behind him once he's back. "It's something I cannot baby," he said. "Either I swing or I don't swing." (Daily News)

Orlando Hernandez's foot pain cuts short throwing session

Circumstances change by the day with Orlando Hernandez, who appears doubtful to make his start tomorrow after recurrent pain in his right foot forced him to cut short a throwing session Friday. Willie Randolph had said following Friday's game that El Duque was "fine" following his bullpen session and on target to take the ball tomorrow in Washington. But the 41-year-old Hernandez, who missed the playoffs last October with a calf injury, revealed yesterday that he didn't throw Friday because he's still feeling pain in his foot when he pushes off during his delivery.

"Duque's still feeling a little discomfort in his foot, so we're going to see how he feels (today) before we decide whether he'll pitch (tomorrow)," Randolph said "He's not in any excruciating pain ... but he's still not quite right where he wants to be." Continue

Mets' Delgado takes important steps in his rehab

Carlos Delgado took an important step in his rehab Friday night, returning to the field during batting practice for the first time in more than a week.

Sidelined since Sept. 4 with a strained right hip flexor, Delgado joined his teammates on the field for their pregame stretch, played catch and took grounders at first. But it is not clear when Delgado will swing a bat again. He did not make himself available to reporters after BP, but he said through a spokesman, "I did everything I was supposed to do, and I felt fine." The Mets originally gave a seven-to-10-day timetable for Delgado's return, but it has become clear he will not likely be back until close to the end of the season. Continue

Sore foot plagues El Duque

Orlando Hernandez's pain yesterday went beyond the emotional hangover from his shellacking against the Braves in a 13-5 Mets' loss a night earlier. The right foot that caused Hernandez to miss his previous start was hurting again, just not nearly as badly as two weeks earlier when he received a cortisone shot.

"There's a little pain," Hernandez said. All the Mets know is they need better from Hernandez than his performance Tuesday, when he surrendered eight earned runs over three innings. It was his first loss since July 4. Continue

Delgado to miss rest of homestand

The Mets' plan for Carlos Delgado to miss a week to 10 days took a hit yesterday when Willie Randolph said the slugger won't play against the Braves or Phillies - the remainder of the 10-game homestand.

Delgado's been out with a strained right hip flexor. The original estimate of a week to 10 days for Delgado's absence came last Wednesday. But it will be 12 days at the end of this homestand. Delgado refused to say when he might return, but he's not swinging a bat yet and said he couldn't play today. As for returning for the playoffs, he replied, "I'll be OK." (NY Post)

Delgado sidelined, but team has 1st options

Carlos Delgado, sent back to New York for an MRI exam on his ailing right side, has a strained hip flexor that will sideline him for at least a week. Mets VP Tony Bernazard said he expected Delgado would be ready for the postseason, but how much action Delgado would see over the remainder of the regular season was uncertain.

Delgado felt a pull Tuesday on an eighth-inning swing and left the game after the at-bat. He had started to heat up during the 10-game trip that ended yesterday, and Willie Randolph had rewarded him by moving him back to fifth in the batting order. Jeff Conine (0-for-4) started in Delgado's place at first base yesterday and can platoon with Shawn Green for now, with Marlon Anderson also available. "We have flexibility," Bernazard said. Continue

Delgado injures hip, forcing hot bat to sidelines

Carlos Delgado hurt his right hip on an eighth-inning swing and left the game after the at-bat, likely sidelining him from today's series finale against the Reds. Delgado had been enjoying a three-hit game and is hitting .389 on the trip. "When I put my foot down and did my rotation, I felt something pull on the side of my hip," Delgado said. "...Hopefully it's not something that will keep me out for too many days, so I can continue to do what I'm doing."

Delgado likely will be joined by Paul Lo Duca and Jose Reyes on the bench for the matinee. Willie Randolph told the shortstop, who has started all but one game this season, that he'd get a day off. Reyes is hitting 6-for-38 (.158) on the trip. He's popping up often, which Randolph speculated was related to fatigue, and chasing high pitches while pressing to stop a slide in his batting average to .292. Continue

Sore foot shelves El Duque

Orlando Hernandez will go at least 10 days between starts, as he'll miss both the Reds series this week and the Astros series this coming weekend.

Willie Randolph said yesterday that El Duque, who is suffering from a sore tendon in his right foot, likely will pitch sometime next week. That means Hernandez will take the hill against either the Braves or Phillies, whom the Mets play in succession beginning next Monday at Shea. Hernandez hasn't pitched since last Thursday in Philadelphia. With El Duque out, Mike Pelfrey will pitch Friday against the Astros. Continue

Easley exits with sprained ankle

Damion Easley became the latest member of the Mets to fall victim to injury after spraining his ankle during Saturday's game. Doctors diagnosed it as a third-degree sprain, which will almost certainly end his season. In the sixth inning of the game against the Nationals, Easley was on first base when pitcher John Lannan delivered a wild pitch, and he took off, sprinting to second.

"I was getting ready to slide, and I was looking at the second baseman to see if he was getting ready to field a throw," he said. "He put his hand up to signal there wasn't going to be a throw, and I was already getting into my sliding position, so I tried to hit the brakes and go in standing. Continue

Castro likely to go on DL

Ramon Castro's bad back regressed yesterday, and the catcher said he believes he's headed to the disabled list. Castro has been suffering from back arthritis, but on Thursday said he was much improved. He's likely going to be put on the DL retroactively to Monday, meaning both Mets catchers - Castro and Paul Lo Duca - will be on the DL.

As for getting more tests, Castro said, "I don't know what they're going to do." If he goes on the DL, the Mets would bring up Sandy Alomar Jr. to pair with Mike DiFelice. Continue

Sore leg keeps Delgado seated

Carlos Delgado's left leg remained stiff a day after he hyperextended his knee pursuing a foul ball, so the first baseman skipped last night's 10-7 loss to the Pirates and was unsure of his availability for today's series opener at Washington. "He was already dealing with a sore knee," Willie Randolph said.

The Mets also played without Lastings Milledge, who was scratched with the flu. Shawn Green made his second start this season at first base, while Marlon Anderson manned right field. Anderson, attempting a sliding catch, misplayed Nate McLouth's sinking two-out liner in the sixth, which allowed the Pirates to move within 7-5. Green has played 71 straight error-free games at first, the best active streak in the NL. Continue

Delgado injures left knee

Mets first baseman Carlos Delgado said he hyperextended his left knee when chasing a foul pop near the first-base stands in the second inning of the Mets' 10-8 win over the Pirates last night. Delgado stayed in the game but left before the bottom of the eighth. "It's a little sore," said Delgado, who was unsure if he can play in today's series finale. Continue

Hamstring forces Mets' Lo Duca to DL

Paul Lo Duca didn't want to be cautious. The Mets did. And the Mets got their way. The team placed the catcher on the disabled list following Saturday's loss to the Marlins, after he aggravated the strained right hamstring that had sidelined him for a week's worth of games earlier this month. To take Lo Duca's roster spot, the Mets recalled Mike DiFelice from Triple-A New Orleans.

It wasn't a decision that Lo Duca endorsed, and he did not make himself available to the media following the game. "He's not thrilled," said general manager Omar Minaya. "It was basically taken out of his hands. It was our decision." Continue

Ailin' Castillo just one of the guys

Luis Castillo fits in so well as a Met, the second baseman even needs days off to rest a nagging injury. Castillo and Moises Alou, both in yesterday's original lineup, were scratched. Castillo (2-for-16) arrived from Minnesota with a balky knee that Mets officials initially were unsure would pass their medical review. He did enter as a defensive replacement for Ruben Gotay, so it's not overly alarming. "I needed a day," Castillo said. Continue

Lo Duca hammy a pain

It was as routine a play as they come, a runner advancing from first to second on a single. When it ended with Paul Lo Duca grabbing the back of his leg, it became the most important play in a long day of baseball for the Mets.

With one out in the sixth inning and the nightcap of yesterday's doubleheader tied at 3, Lo Duca was looking to go from first to third on a sharp Lastings Milledge single to right. He heard the hamstring "pop a little" when he hit the bag and ended up retreating to second. Lo Duca tested it out in front of the training staff before coming out of the game and limping slightly to the dugout. Continue

Beltran out indefinitely

Turns out "X" really does mark the spot. Carlos Beltran's stomach was covered with several tiny black X's on Friday night, visual markers of where the pain of his strained abdominal muscle was greatest.

Beltran wasn't expecting to play in either half of Saturday's doubleheader against Washington, and didn't rule out sitting out Sunday as well. He rode a stationary bicycle and worked with a medicine ball on Friday, and said he would attempt to do the rotational exercises on Saturday that the strain prevented him from performing the day before. Mets manager Willie Randolph said that with an off-day on Monday, he could be more inclined to sit his slugger until then, effectively giving him a free day of rest. Continue

Ailing Beltran won't play today

Carlos Beltran was pulled from the Mets' lineup last night about 30 minutes before the game after suffering a strained abdominal muscle on his left side during batting practice.

Beltran said he was "100 percent" sure he will not play today. He said he was treated with ice and anti-inflammatories and does not know how long he will be out. Lastings Milledge started in centerfield and Marlon Anderson in left.Beltran's absence and the continuing uncertainty surrounding Moises Alou could have an impact on the Mets' plans for Tuesday's non-waiver trade deadline. Continue

Moises injury makes prophets of doubters

Turns out Moises Alou is hurt again and won't be rejoining the Mets after all - at least not until the end of this week and maybe not then either. All those who are not the least bit surprised, raise your hands.

It is not a stretch to say the Mets' waiting and hoping for the 41-year-old Alou to take his spot in the middle of the lineup and provide them with the sort of production they anticipated when they signed him for $8 million last winter has been like waiting for the global warming doomsday. Who knows when or if it's ever going to happen? Problem is, the Mets should have known that putting so many of their eggs in Alou's fragile basket was a risk. The guy, after all, had been on the disabled list four times in the last two years, missing a total of 108 games and this season he's already missed six more weeks with a strained left quad. Continue

Alou set for Shea return

It was a little more than a month into the Mets' season and left fielder Moises Alou was doing exactly what general manager Omar Minaya and skipper Willie Randolph were hoping from the veteran in his debut season in Flushing - hitting above .300 and adding a potent righthanded bat to the lineup.

But on May 12 against the Brewers at Shea, Alou came up lame on a sixth-inning groundout, leaving the game with what appeared to be a minor injury to his left quadriceps. It was anything but, as Alou landed on the disabled list and spent over two months rehabbing the strained quad. The Mets were able to maintain their hold on first place in the National League East, but Alou's .318 average and powerful bat were sorely missed. Continue

Alou's return might oust Mets' Milledge or Green

Now that the clock officially has started on Moises Alou, who played yesterday in Port St. Lucie, the Mets soon must figure out how to use him in conjunction with one of their hottest players. Yes, that would be Lastings Milledge.

As long as Alou remains on the disabled list, Milledge will be in leftfield, but it was surprising to see him listed as the No. 2 hitter for last night's game against the Padres at PETCO Park. With David Wells on the mound, Milledge bounced Ruben Gotay, who was replaced at second base by Jose Valentin. Continue

Valentin hurts hand in Puerto Rico argument

Jose Valentin apparently is a hands-on owner. So much so, that he was out of the Mets' lineup last night against the Reds. Valentin said he bruised the hamate bone and pinkie in his right hand when he banged it against a wall during an altercation Tuesday at the office of the professional baseball team he owns but is attempting to sell in his hometown of Manati, Puerto Rico.

"It was a little bit of an argument," Valentin said after sitting out last night's 3-2 win over the Reds. "I just lost my mind a little bit, but it wasn't a fight. I didn't hit no one. I tried to avoid the situation, but I lost control and just banged my hand against the wall. ... I was just happy it wasn't a fracture or nothing." Continue