Test Blog

It was a big day for the Mets yesterday. First they learned Tom Glavine will not need surgery. Then they pulled off a comeback win. Then they finally acquired Shawn Green.

According to several reports Tom Glavine will not need surgery. That’s good news. But we’ll need to see how he handles his condition going forward. It’s going to be an interesting situation to watch develope.

The last couple of weeks I’ve been spending alot of time working on another one of my blogs and have missed some opportunities to discuss some things here. Indeed, alot has happened in Mets world the last couple of weeks and as all jaded long time Mets fans it leads me to think if this is the proverbial other shoe dropping as we go down the stretch drive with a thin outfield and starting rotation.

The latest casualty is Tom Glavine. The other day they were saying he could be done for the year but today it looks like it won’t be as bad. But with Pedro Martinez on the DL with a strained calf you have to wonder how much more loss this rotation can take before suffering a titanic breakdown.

The Mets have already lost Duaner Sanchez for the remainder of the year. Cliff Floyd is on the DL with an inflamed left Achilles. Ramon Castro’s status is unknown after suffereng a left knee injury while stretching before a minor league rehab game for the Brooklyn Cyclones.

It looks like the inability to acquire a seasoned starter at the trade deadline and the necesity of trading Xavier Nady for bullpen help could all come to bite the Mets in the end. It’s certainly creating some edginess right now.

Cliff Floyd took himself out of last Saturday’s game due to his sore left Achilles and did not play again until a pinch hitting appearance on Tuesday. Before Tuesday’s game manager Willie Randolph had been asked if Floyd was available to play and he said yes explaining that the injury was not of DL severity. Less than a day later Floyd was put on the disabled list. He is eligible to come off the DL on Aug. 23.

This brings up a complaint I have had with Randolph over his tenure as Mets manager.

Duaner Sanchez caught a cab on Sunday night which changed the course of the non-waiver trade deadline for the Mets and changed the way manager Willie Randolph will manage his bullpen and outfield for the rest of the season.

Xavier Nady had an emergency appendectomy today and has been placed on the DL. He will be replaced on the roster by Lastings Milledge. I expect that Milledge will be the regular right fielder while Nady is out and be returned to triple-A afterward. Unless, of course, he knocks the skin off the ball in which case Nady could find himself coming off the bench. Nady is expected to be out about 4 weeks. Milledge was batting .291 with four home runs, 19 RBI and eight stolen bases in 46 games at Norfolk.

When I originally posted this it was not confirmed. It has since been confirmed via a press release posted on the Mets website.

It was definitley an interesting weekend for the Mets. The Vi­ctor Zambrano incident on Friday, John Maine’s visit to the DL and a renegade umpire in the weekend finally against the Braves. Renegade umpire?

In the second inning of yesterday’s game Vi­ctor Zambrano was visited on the mound by manager Willie Randolph. Randolph asked the hurler how he was feeling. Zambrano replied that he was fine. Randolph left the mound and let Zambrano continue pitching. The next two pitches would be Zambrano’s last of the year.

Brian Bannister’s MRI yesterday showed a grade 1 hamstring straing. He is being listed as day-to-day. The DL hasn’t been ruled out but I expect him to miss a start and be replaced by Darren Oliver. If he goes on the DL then I think it’ll be either Jose Lima or John Maine. If I have my math right Maine is on track to pitch the same day Bannister’s turn comes up in the rotation so I’d give him the edge.