Recap : Game 81 - Mets at Tigers - Verlander Stops the Tigers Bleeding

Final Score: Detroit 5, NY Mets 2

Justin Verlander and the Tigers stymied the red-hot Mets, beating them 5-2 to avoid a three-game sweep.

Andy Dirks went 2-for-3 with a solo homer and two runs scored and Austin Jackson added an RBI for the Tigers, who have won five of their last eight.

Verlander (11-3) pitched seven strong innings, giving up one run on seven hits while fanning six.

Daniel Murphy and Carlos Beltran hit solo homers, and Jose Reyes went 2-for-3 for the Mets, who had a four-game winning streak snapped.

Mike Pelfrey (4-7) was tagged with the loss, surrendering five runs -- four earned -- on eight hits in just 4 2/3 innings.

Box Score: Click Here

Fernando Martinez recalled, Harris on the bereavement list

Sad news from New York: The Mets' Willie Harris has been put on the bereavement list after he and his wife lost their baby last night.

Harris flew back to New York after last night's game to be with his wife who went into early labor at just five months. The child did not survive.

Best wishes to Harris at a time like this that has to be extremely difficult for him and his family.

The Mets called up outfielder Fernando Martinez from Triple-A Buffalo to take Harris' roster spot.

Players can be on the bereavement list a minimum of three days and a maximum of seven.

Poll: Who do you think the Mets will Trade?

Mets Chronicle invites you to Vote in our new monthly poll.

This Month's Poll Question:

Who do you think the Mets will Trade?

Carlos Beltran
Jose Reyes
K-Rod
Mike Pelfrey
None of the Above

Please Vote on our right sidebar located at the top.

Fans Voted: Say NO to Trading Jose Reyes

Mets Chronicle took a poll,  Should the Mets Trade Jose Reyes?

68 % of  Mets Chronicle Readers said they would not and sign him.

32% of Mets Chronicle Readers said they would trade him for prospects now

Perhaps the Mets Fans speak the truth and that's exactly what they have to do..

Stay tuned for more polls on Mets Chronicle

Mets announce three more draft pick signings........

According to Adam Rubin of ESPN:

The Mets announced the signings of three more draft picks. Here's the press release:

The New York Mets today announced that they have signed three additional draft picks from the 2011 First-Year Player Draft, including left-handed pitcher Jack Leathersich, club’s fifth-round selection, from UMass-Lowell.

The Mets have also signed their 14th-round pick, catcher Xorge Carrillo, and their 37th-round selection, right-handed pitcher Craig Missigman.

The Mets have signed 22 of their draft picks. The players will be assigned to minor league teams within the next week.

Preview: 2011 Regular Season Game 81 - Mets at Tigers

New York Mets (41-39) at Detroit Tigers (43-38), 1:05 p.m.

Probable Starting Pitchers: New York - Mike Pelfrey (4-6, 4.78) Detroit - Justin Verlander (10-3, 2.38)

In the first sellout since the home opener at Comerica Park last Saturday versus Arizona, Detroit Tigers ace Justin Verlander struck out a career-high 14 batters en route to his 10th win of the season.

Verlander will try to become the majors' first 11-game winner today in the finale of a three-game series versus the New York Mets in Motown. New York Yankees lefty CC Sabathia is also going for his 11th win several miles east this afternoon versus the Milwaukee Brewers.

The right-hander hopes to make quick work of the Mets and is a sizzling 8-0 with a 1.56 earned run average in his last 10 starts. The Tigers are 9-1 in that time and watched their ace tear through the Diamondbacks in last weekend's 6-0 home victory. He allowed one walk and scattered four hits, improving to 10-3 with a 2.38 ERA in 17 starts. He has won his last six starts and hasn't suffered defeat since April 27 in a 10-1 loss versus Seattle.

"I feel like I'm throwing the ball really well," Verlander said on the club's site after his last win. "I feel like my fastball control has been outstanding, for the most part, during this stretch. Most of the good games I have are built off of that, being able to locate that, and mixing the offspeed off of that."

Verlander is 6-2 in 10 home starts and lost his only appearance to the Mets last June 22, when he gave up five runs in two innings of a 14-6 disaster.

All Star Voting for Reyes

Vote Here for Jose Reyes to be the starting shortstop for the 2011 All Star Game in Arizona. According to MLB.com

Troy Tulowitzki was ahead by a little more than 200,000 votes on Monday, but the Mets' three-time All-Star and current National League batting leader picked up 104 percent more online votes than Tulowitzki over the past three days.

Lets got Mets fans! Voting ends tonight at 11:59 pm.

Happy Recap : Game 80 - Mets at Tigers - Mets Outdo Themselves Scoring 16 Runs, 20 Hits

Final Score: NY Mets 16, Detroit 9 

Daniel Murphy and Angel Pagan each drove in four runs as the Mets staved off several comeback bids from the Detroit Tigers and claimed a 16-9 win in the middle test of a three-game inter-league set.

Pagan finished 4-for-6 and scored three times for the red-hot Mets, who have tallied 52 runs in the last four games -- all wins. Scott Hairston knocked in three runs while Ronny Paulino had four hits and touched home four times for the victors.

"We're swinging the bats well. It's nice to play well, so hopefully we can keep it going," Murphy said.

Starter Chris Capuano (7-7) reaped the benefits of the offensive game, which was a season-high in runs and hits (20) to get the win. He allowed five runs on six hits over five-plus innings.

The Tigers clobbered five home runs to keep the game interesting but still suffered their third loss in seven games. That included a 14-3 pounding on Tuesday. Miguel Cabrera had two of the Wednesday homers that brought in four runs.

Detroit starter Phil Coke (1-8) continued his struggles and was roughed up for eight runs -- seven earned -- on 10 hits in four-plus innings. Then again, none of the Tigers pitchers had much success as manager Jim Leyland used position player Don Kelly to get the final out in the top of the ninth.

"The way we were hitting the ball out tonight I really thought we were going to win," Leyland said.

The Mets picked up where they left off in the opener of the series.

Reyes and "The CLAW"

Some players on the Mets call it "The Claw" others call it "The Spotlight," whatever you want to call it, we've been seeing a lot of it lately. It started off last season when Reyes made the gesture at Razor Shines, who was then the first-base coach. But it has become more common this season, for two reasons. The routine involves a handful of Reyes' teammates now. And the way he is hitting, he has had more reason to do it. While the Texas Rangers made it famous last season during their World Series run, Reyes has said he picked it up from Miguel Tejada when they played together for the Dominican Republic in the 2009 World Baseball Classic. "I do it for my teammates," Reyes said. "I just want them to have a lot of energy like me." Reyes for President or starting shortstop in the All Star Game Vote Here

Tonight's Mets Starting Lineup - Mets at Tigers - Game 80

Scott Hairston will DH Tonight

Mets Starting Lineup at Detroit - Game 80:

1. Reyes-SS
2. Turner-3B
3. Beltran-RF
4. Paulino-C
5. Bay-LF
6. Pagan-CF
7. Hairston-DH
8. Murphy-1B
9. Tejada-2B

Game Notes:

• Paulino will bat 4th ( I said 4th) and Catch Capuano
• Scott Hairston will DH tonight and Bat 7th
• Murphy Moves down the order and will bat 8th, he will play 1B.
• Justin Turner will bat 2nd and play 3B

Preview: 2011 Regular Season Game 80 - Mets at Tigers

New York Mets (40-39) at Detroit Tigers (43-37), 7:05 p.m.

Probable Starting Pitchers: NY Mets - Chris Capuano (6-7, 3.99) Detroit - Phil Coke (1-7, 4.32)

The New York Mets exploded offensively on Tuesday to move above .500 for the first time since the first week of the season. Tonight, they shoot for a series win when they play the middle test of their three-game inter-league set against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park.

Jason Bay and Carlos Beltran each cleared the bases in the fourth and fifth inning, respectively, to break a 299-game drought without a grand slam, as the Mets rolled to a commanding 14-3 win.

The large offensive output saw a season-high in hits (18) that included Jose Reyes' 4-for-4 showing at the plate. The victory also put the Mets over the .500 mark (40-39) since the team was 3-2.

"We're not one of those bopping teams," Bay admitted. "We're more of a string two or three hits together instead of a bloop and a blast. It was nice to show that we can still hit the ball out of the ballpark."

The offense overshadowed a solid start by R.A. Dickey (4-7), who allowed three runs on 10 hits and struck out six over seven innings.

Happy Recap : Game 79 - Mets at Tigers - Mets Blast 18 Hits, 14 Runs

Final Score: NY Mets 14, Detroit 3

For a team that hadn't hit a grand slam since 2009, the New York Mets sure made it look simple with two in as many innings.

Jason Bay and Carlos Beltran each cleared the bases in the fourth and fifth inning, respectively, to break a 299-game drought without a grand slam, as the Mets took commanding 14-3 win over the Detroit Tigers to open a three-game interleague set.

The large offensive output saw a season-high in hits (18) that included Jose Reyes' 4-for-4 showing at the plate. The victory also put the Mets over the .500 mark (40-39) for the first time since the opening week of the season.

The offense overshadowed a solid start by R.A. Dickey (4-7), who allowed three runs on 10 hits and struck out six over seven innings.

Austin Jackson had a two-run homer and Andy Dirks added a solo shot for Detroit, which had a three-game winning streak snapped.

Tigers starter Rick Porcello (6-6) continued his recent struggles, yielding seven runs on 11 hits in just 3 2/3 innings. Over his last three starts, he has given up 21 runs in 11 1/3 frames.

Final	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
N.Y. Mets «	2	0	0	7	4	0	0	1	0	14	18	1
Detroit	0	0	0	0	2	0	1	0	0	3	10	1

W: R. Dickey (4-7) L: R. Porcello (6-6)

HR: NYM - J. Thole (1),J. Bay (4),C. Beltran (11)   DET - A. Jackson (4),A. Dirks (4)


Box Score : Click Here

Jon Niese Passes Tests After Having Rapid Heartbeat

According to the NY Times, Mets starter Jon Niese passed a battery of tests at Henry Ford Hospital on Tuesday that he underwent to help determine the cause and nature of his recurring rapid heartbeat.

According to John Ricco, the Mets’ assistant general manager, the initial results showed that everything was normal with Niese’s heart. Ricco said the team was still awaiting the results of one more test, though.

Niese was wearing a heart monitor Tuesday and will wear it for 24 hours, then have the results examined by physicians here.

Ricco said Niese, who is 24, had an electrocardiogram, echocardiogram and a treadmill stress during the exam.

During his start last Saturday in Arlington, Tex., Niese reported having a rapid heartbeat and shortness of breath. After the game, he said he had those symptoms from time to time.

Tonight's Mets Starting Lineup - Mets at Tigers - Game 79

Jose, Jose, Jose.....

Mets Starting Lineup @ Detroit - Game 79:

1. Reyes-SS
2. Harris-DH
3. Beltran-RF
4. Murphy-3B
5. Pagan-CF
6. Bay-LF
7. Duda-1B
8. Turner-2B
9. Thole-C

Game Notes:

• Dickey will get the start tonight, but won't hit (AL Rules). 
• Willie Harris returns to the 2 spot in the order and will DH  
• Justin Turner will bat 8th and play 2B.
• Josh Thole will have the honor of catching Mr. Dickey's knuckleball

R.A. Dickey vs Tigers: Mets Fans Beware - Tigers Hitters have seen him and hit him in the past

R.A. Dickey's  SPLITS	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	WHIP	ERA
Last seven days	8.0	3	1	1	1	9	0.50	1.13
Away	39.2	46	19	14	12	28	1.46	3.18
vs. NL	81.2	90	44	38	26	50	1.42	4.19
June	28.0	20	11	7	7	20	0.96	2.25

Detroit Tigers Career statistics vs. R.A. Dickey
BATTER	AB	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
Magglio Ordonez	18	5	0	0	1	2	1	3	.278	.350	.444	.794
Brandon Inge	17	5	0	0	1	2	0	3	.294	.294	.471	.765
Victor Martinez	2	1	0	0	0	0	1	0	.500	.667	.500	1.167
Ramon Santiago	9	3	0	0	0	0	1	3	.333	.400	.333	.733
Jhonny Peralta	8	1	0	0	0	1	0	2	.125	.125	.125	.250
Miguel Cabrera	13	4	1	0	1	1	1	0	.308	.357	.615	.973
Ryan Raburn	3	2	0	0	0	1	0	0	.667	.667	.667	1.333
Brennan Boesch	2	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	.000	.333	.000	.333
Alex Avila	3	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	.333	.333	.333	.667
Totals	75	22	1	0	3	7	5	11	.293	.346	.427	.772

All sign's have pointed up recently for R.A. Dickey as he was masterful last time out. But the case stands where the numbers don't lie. The Tigers hitters are batting a career .293 (22 for 75) off  Dickey (Remember he pitched in Texas, Seattle and Minny before the Mets).   They also have combined for 3 HR's and 7 RBI's in the past.

Let's just hope the past does not become the present and he can come away with the win.  Let's Go Mets - Get Over the Hump (.500)

Preview: 2011 Regular Season Game 79 - Mets at Tigers

New York Mets (39-39) at Detroit Tigers (43-36), 7:05 p.m.

Probable Starting Pitchers: NY Mets - R.A. Dickey (3-7, 3.76) Detroit - Rick Porcello (6-5, 4.50)

The New York Mets try to go above .500 for the first time since the first week of the season this evening when they open a three-game inter-league set against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park.

The Mets pulled to the break-even mark over the weekend by taking two of three from the defending American League champion Texas Rangers. New York managed a series win on Sunday, as Jose Reyes went 4-for-5 with three runs scored and another driven in, sparking the Mets to an 8-5 victory.

Daniel Murphy added three hits, two runs scored and an RBI for New York, which has won four of five.

Dillon Gee (8-1), coming off his first loss of the season, got back in the win column with a quality six-inning start of three runs allowed on eight hits.

"It was nice to come in and just battle," Gee said. "Not good stuff today, but after the first inning, especially when they got me the lead back, my main goal was to keep them there, keep us in the game. I was just fortunate to be able to do that."

Nolan Ryan Shoots down Beltran and K-Rod "Interest"

Yesterday, Jon Heyman reported that the Texas Rangers were interested in both Carlos Beltran and Francisco Rodriguez of the New York Mets. It didn't take long for the Rangers to downplay those rumors.

Nolan Ryan addressed the rumors on 103.3 FM's Galloway and Company.

"I can't believe that we have an interest in either," Ryan told 103.3 FM's Galloway and Company.

"I don't see that's an upgrade" to the Rangers' bullpen, Ryan said. "And Beltran, you worry about his knee. And you're taking on an awful lot of salary."

I Guess when the president Ryan speaks,  people better listen..

Cecil Fielder says the Mets have a chance to sign his son , Prince Fielder

According to the NY Daily News, Former Yankee star Cecil Fielder, the father of Milwaukee Brewers slugger Prince Fielder, told the Daily News Monday that he could see his son landing in New York - but not in the Bronx.

"I don't think the Yankees are gonna get him," Fielder told The News at the Bombers Boomer Broadway Softball Classic, a charity event at Yankee Stadium. "But I think if everything goes well on the other side, the Mets are one of those teams that if they get that situation all squared away, they could get him."

Prince enters this week's three-game series against the Yankees hitting .305 with 21 homers, and he's expected to be a hot commodity come December. He signed a one-year, $15.5 million deal with the Brewers in January, and Fielder conceded that his son would "probably like to stay in Milwaukee." But the 27-year-old is represented by super agent Scott Boras, a likely sign he's headed for the open market.

Mets Best Running Team in the Majors

Jose Reyes narrowly made it to first base on a grounder that never left the infield, stole second, advanced to third on a fly out and dashed home on a passed ball.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the analytics company- Baseball Info Solutions measures each major league team's overall contribution on the basepaths by looking at its success in three areas: stolen bases, avoiding double plays and taking extra bases while avoiding being thrown out. By adding extra baserunning advances and steals, subtracting for baserunning outs and unsuccessful steal attempts and comparing the total to the major-league average- BIS calculates each teams net gain on the basepaths.

Entering Monday, the Mets led the majors with a +60 net gain. Running begins with Reyes.

He has 14 triples leads the majors by a wide margin, and has 28 stolen bases entering Monday ranked second. But just about every Mets position player has shown an ability to steal a base on occasion. Angel Pagan has 11 steals, and 10 other players have at least one.

The result: The Mets entered Monday tied for the major-league lead with 77 stolen bases. And they have been successful on 78% of steal attempts, which was tied for the third-highest mark in baseball.

Vote for Reyes to start as NL shortstop in the 2011 Allstar game here

Audio: Jon Heyman talks to Adam "The Bull" about Mets, Yankees, Trade Talk

Texas Rangers are interested in Beltran and K-Rod???

WFAN and SI.com’s Jon Heyman reports that the Rangers are “interested” in Mets outfielder Carlos Beltran and Francisco Rodriguez.

Beltran and the Rangers are not an obvious match, since Texas is set at the outfield corners with Josh Hamilton and Nelson Cruz. Of course, there are ways to make it work, as Hamilton and Beltran are capable of playing center field. Plus, Hamilton and Cruz are not locks to avoid the DL from here on out.

Dodgers File for Bankruptcy

News from the west coast, Frank McCourt's Dodgers have filed for bankruptcy. The filing puts a halt on all legal action concerning the Dodgers. McCourt will argue that this will prevent a takeover from Major League baseball, though the court may decide differently. The court may in fact order the sale of the team. Perhaps auctioning it off similarly to the Texas Rangers sale.

Audio: Howard Johnson talks with Richard Neer on WFAN

Former Mets slugger and hitting coach, HoJo, talks with Richard about Davey Johnson, Sparky Anderson and the current Mets situation.

Happy Recap : Game 78 - Mets at Rangers - Jose Reyes Leads the Charge to Victory

Final Score: NY Mets 8, Texas 3

First off, my apologies for no preview today - went fishing...got skunked

But....., 

Jose Reyes went 4-for-5 with three runs scored and another driven in, sparking the Mets to an 8-3 victory over the Rangers.

Daniel Murphy added three hits, two runs scored and an RBI for New York, which took two of three in the interleague series.

Dillon Gee (8-1), coming off his first loss of the season, got back in the win column with a quality six-inning start of three runs allowed on eight hits.

Derek Holland (6-3) was knocked around for 12 hits and seven runs -- just three earned -- in six-plus inning for Texas. Michael Young went 2-for-5 with a home run and three RBI in a losing effort.

The Rangers took the series opener before getting routed, 14-5, on Saturday. They handed the Mets a first-inning run in the finale when a wild pitch allowed Reyes to score.

Video: Highlights from Yesterday's 14-5 Win Over Rangers

David Wright is Stretching and Twisting before Swinging

David Wright Stretching

According to ESPN's Adam Rubin, David Wright is due to ramp up his physical activities today in Port St. Lucie.

"He is going to begin the process of getting himself in baseball condition," said Terry Collins, who spoke with Wright by telephone. "All he has been doing is riding a bike. So he's going to start running. He's going to start doing twisting exercises. They didn't want him to hit, which I thought was a good idea. They didn't want him to start swinging until he's done a bunch of twisting, and got his body in better shape. ... We've got to get him a little more flexible, some twisting stuff. He'll do that for a few days and then he'll start hitting midweek. He'll probably do that five or six days before he's ready to play [in a rehab game]."

Asked if the Mets' second-half opener on July 15 against the Phillies at Citi Field is a realistic return date for Wright, Collins called it "feasible."

Collins said he plans to go to Florida during the All-Star break to watch Wright.

Happy Recap : Game 77 - Mets at Rangers - Mets Score 14 Runs in Win

Final Score: NY Mets 14, Texas 5

This time, the Mets had everything going for them.

And then some.

Coming off an 8-1 loss to the Rangers the night before -- a game right fielder Carlos Beltran summed up thusly: "They swung the bat well and their pitcher was throwing good" -- the Mets turned the tables with a 14-5 rout of Texas on Saturday afternoon.

Beltran hit a two-run triple and scored during a three-run first inning, Jonathon Niese (7-6) threw 5 2/3 innings and New York evened the three-game series with their third win in four games.

The Mets scored six runs in three innings against sputtering Texas starter Alexi Ogando (7-3). Later, their first eight batters reached base during an eight-run sixth.

The Rangers showed life with back-to-back solo homers from Adrian Beltre and Michael Young in the fourth inning, but didn't have enough offense to avoid their third loss in eight games.

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
NYM	3	0	3	0	0	8	0	0	0	14	17	0
TEX	0	0	0	2	0	0	1	2	0	5	11	1

W: J. Niese (7-6)
L: A. Ogando (7-3)

Box Score: Click here

Today's Mets Starting Lineup - Mets at Rangers - Game 77

Pridie will start today

Mets Starting Lineup vs Texas - Game 77:

1. Reyes-SS
2. Harris-DH
3. Beltran-RF
4. Murphy-3B
5. Pagan-CF
6. Duda-1B
7. Thole-C
8. Pridie-LF
9. Tejada-2B

Game Notes:

• Willie Harris will DH in the #2 Hole. 
• Jason Bay will sit in favor of Jason Pridie , who will be in left and bat 8th
• Jonathon Niese, who has the 9th-lowest ERA (2.25) since May 18, will start for the Mets.

Mets Minor-League Pitching Leaders

Matt Harvey doing his thing in the minors

Mets Minor-League Pitching Leaders

ERA

1	Birdwell	KNG	0.00
2	Diaz	MTS	0.00
3	Wheeler	MTS	0.00
4	Yanez	KNG	0.00
5	Gorski	STL	1.57

Wins:

1	Harvey	BIN	8
2	Peavey	STL	6
3	Cuan	SAV	5
4	Germen	SAV	5
5	Gorski	STL	5

SO's:

1	Harvey	BIN	92
2	Familia	BIN	87
3	Gorski	STL	82
4	Whitenton	SAV	70
5	Peavey	STL	69

Saves:

1	Edgin	STL	16
2	Kaplan	STL	10
3	Carr	STL	8
4	Bennett	SAV	5
5	Lujan	BUF	5

Whip:

1	Birdwell	KNG	0.50
2	Tapia	KNG	0.60
3	Wheeler	MTS	0.60
4	Baldonado	MTS	0.80
5	Diaz	MTS	0.80

Avg.:

1	Morris	KNG	.083
2	Wheeler	MTS	.091
3	Birdwell	KNG	.133
4	Aldama	BRK	.161
5	Walters	BRK	.161

Updated:6/25/11

Mets Minor-League Hitting Leaders

Pron lighting it up

Mets Minor-League Hitting Leaders

Average:

1	Pron	KNG	.500
2	Concepcion	KNG	.412
3	Lagares	STL	.341
4	Muno	BRK	.320
5	Satin	BIN	.316

Hits:

1	Den Dekker	BIN	81
2	Satin	BIN	75
3	Flores	STL	74
4	Marte	STL	74
5	Vaughn	STL	73

Homers:

1	Maldonado	BIN	13
2	Duda	BUF	10
3	Pascucci	BUF	9
4	Rodriguez	SAV	9
5	Satin	BIN	9

RBI's:

1	Flores	STL	47
2	Pascucci	BUF	46
3	Satin	BIN	43
4	Rodriguez	SAV	41
5	Maldonado	BIN	39

OBP:

1	Pron	KNG	.533
2	Maron	KNG	.500
3	Taijeron	BRK	.452
4	Concepcion	KNG	.444
5	Muno	BRK	.433

SLUG PCT:

1	Pron	KNG	.714
2	Satin	BIN	.532
3	Concepcion	KNG	.529
4	Muno	BRK	.520
5	Nieuwenhuis	BUF	.505

Updated 6/25/11

Preview: 2011 Regular Season Game 77 - Mets at Rangers

New York Mets (37-39) at Texas Rangers (41-36), 4:10 p.m.

Probable Starting Pitchers: NY Mets - Jonathon Niese (6-6, 3.70) Texas - Alexi Ogando (7-2, 2.66)

Alexi Ogando has finally hit a wall for the Rangers, and the young hurler will try to break through it when Texas takes on the New York Mets in the second installment of a three-game series at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.

Ogando has been one of the biggest surprises in the American League this season, as the 27-year-old opened the campaign with a 7-0 ledger and a 2.10 ERA.

However, the good times would not last, as the hard-throwing right-hander has now dropped his last two starts. After allowing six runs in less than two innings against the Yankees, Ogando put forth a strong effort in his last outing against Atlanta, but despite his gritty effort, he still took the loss.

In five innings against the Braves, Ogando allowed three runs -- one earned -- on five hits.

Both of those setbacks came on the road, but now the first-year starter is back at home where he has been outstanding. In seven games in Arlington the right-hander is 5-0 with a stunning 1.91 earned run average.

The Mets will hand the ball to Jonathon Niese, who has been inconsistent on the season. In 15 starts this season the crafty lefty is only 6-6 with a 3.70 ERA.

Whispers: K-Rod is NOT on the Yankees wish list

According to the NY Post,  The Yankees are searching for bullpen help, but Francisco Rodriguez is not on their wish list.

A published report had the Mets closer saying he would be willing to accept a setup role in The Bronx, but a source said the Yankees have "no interest" in Rodriguez if he is traded.

Rodriguez has 20 saves, but the Yankees don't like several things about him, from his contract to his off-field behavior.

Doing a deal with their crosstown rivals is also a tricky situation that could inflate what the Mets look for in return.

ESPN: Source, "Mets need to trade Francisco Rodriguez soon, to keep his vesting option from becoming a problem"

According to Buster Olney of  ESPN:

A rival team official believes the Mets need to trade Francisco Rodriguez soon to keep his vesting option from becoming a problem.

He's at 28 games finished now (needs 55 to vest a $17.5MM salary for next year), and the longer they keep him the less flexibility a team will have after acquiring him.

I think the Mets should rid themselves of K-Rod. At this point the way things are going , Parnell can't do any worse.

Recap : Game 76 - Mets at Rangers - Pelfrey gets roughed up in Texas

Final Score: Texas 8, NY Mets 1

Matt Harrison threw seven strong innings Friday, and Adrian Beltre and the Texas Rangers offense did the rest in an 8-1 victory over the New York Mets.

Harrison (6-6) snapped a two-decision losing streak, giving up one run on seven hits and a walk while striking out four.

Beltre hit a two-run homer to cap a three-run first inning and added a pair of doubles for the Rangers, who have won five of their last seven games. Michael Young and Josh Hamilton also hit two-run homers in the victory.

"I think that right now we are a better team than we were a few weeks ago," said Young. "We're a better team then we were a month ago and if we can keep that up we'll be in the hunt."

Ruben Tejada hit an RBI single in the fifth inning for New York, which started a six-game road trip against the AL with its fifth loss in eight games.

Before the game started, Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki took the mound to throw out the ceremonial first pitch 12 days after leading Dallas to its first-ever NBA title and winning the Finals MVP award.

Nowitzki, sporting a Rangers hat and jersey, and still wearing a small splint on his injured left middle finger, worked from the stretch and gunned a pitch that nearly sailed over the catcher.

He pulled his right sleeve up and flexed his biceps as he walked off the mound, waving to the receptive crowd.

It was, perhaps, a bit of good luck for the Rangers.

Mets Notes: Capuano, Bay, Beltran

• Chris Capuano awoke with some lingering soreness in his abdomen, but not enough to worry him. He pushed his work schedule back a day, and will test the muscle in a bullpen session on Sunday. With the off-day on Monday, manager Terry Collins could skip Capuano, but still keep the rest of the starters on rotation.
• Collins hopes to use Jason Bay as his cleanup hitter against lefties.
• Carlos Beltran will play designated hitter on Sunday. Lucas Duda will start on Saturday, but Collins does not know if he will DH.

Tonight's Starting Lineups - Mets at Rangers - Game 76

Tonight's Starting Lineups: NY Mets at Texas - Game 76

NY Mets Pos Player HR RBI AVG SS Reyes, Jose 3 31 .338 3B Turner, Justin 2 32 .268 RF Beltran, Carlos 10 44 .276 LF Bay, Jason 3 15 .230 DH Hairston, Scott 3 9 .258 C Paulino, Ronny 1 8 .322 CF Pagan, Angel 2 19 .242 1B Murphy, Daniel 4 23 .290 2B Tejada, Ruben 0 11 .272 P Pelfrey, Mike (4-5, 4.70)

Texas Pos Player HR RBI AVG 2B Kinsler, Ian 8 25 .236 SS Andrus, Elvis 3 29 .273 CF Hamilton, Josh 6 32 .297 3B Beltre, Adrian 12 53 .259 DH Young, Michael 4 47 .314 RF Cruz, Nelson 17 40 .241 1B Moreland, Mitch 10 22 .290 C Torrealba, Yorvit 3 13 .257 LF Murphy, David 4 15 .238 P Harrison, Matt (5-6, 3.16)

Mets have agreed to terms with supplemental first round pick Michael Fulmer

The Mets have agreed to terms with supplemental first round pick Michael Fulmer, the pitcher announced (on Twitter). He said he agreed to a contract yesterday, though he has yet to sign paper (hat tip to Adam Rubin of ESPN NewYork).

Baseball America ranked Fulmer 45th among draft eligible prospects and the Mets selected him with the 44th overall pick.

Fulmer's fastball reaches the mid-90s and he can maintain his velocity late into games, according to BA. He has a hard slider, though he'll have to work on developing a change-up.





OHSSE Highlights from Deer Creek (OK)'s Michael Fulmer's big night against Class 5A's #4 Carl Albert. Fulmer and his 3rd ranked Antlers beat CA 10-2 with the Arkansas Signee striking out 16 batters. Fulmer also added a double and home run at the plate. The Oklahoma High School Sports Express airs first on Sunday nights at 10:30 on FOX25 and then replays during the week on local stations in Enid, Stillwater, Ponca City, McAlester, Broken Arrow, Lawton and on Pioneer DTV.

Preview: 2011 Regular Season Game 76 - Mets at Rangers

New York Mets (37-38) at Texas Rangers (40-36), 8:05 p.m.

Probable Starting Pitchers: NY Mets - Mike Pelfrey (4-5, 4.70) Texas - Matt Harrison (5-6, 3.16)

Mike Pelfrey tries to follow up his first complete game of the season tonight when the New York Mets open a three-game interleague series against the Texas Rangers at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.

Pelfrey went the distance to beat the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on Saturday, holding them to a run and five hits, while striking out five without walking a batter.

"It doesn't happen much these days as it did in the past, but it's fun to go out there and finish what you start," said Pelfrey, who has never faced the Rangers.

The road, though, has given Pelfrey problems this season, as he is just 1-5 away from home this season with a 6.75 ERA in eight starts.

Pelfrey's road woes could continue tonight, as he faces a lethal Rangers' lineup that has given National League pitchers fits this season, especially Nelson Cruz and reigning AL MVP Josh Hamilton.

Cruz is batting .400 with two homers and six RBI in six interleague games this season, while Hamilton has hit .375 with two homers and eight RBI. He also has a 17-game interleague hitting streak at home.

The Rangers were denied a series sweep of Houston in heartbreaking fashion on Wednesday, as Neftali Feliz blew his fourth save of the season, surrendering four runs in the ninth in the 5-3 loss.

K-Rod Open to Trade to Contender Team As Setup Guy

K-Rod has stated that he would give up his closer role if traded to a contender team. "If I am going to be traded, obviously I want the opportunity to close out games, but if it's going to be good teams like the Yankees or the Rays, and it's going to be for two months, I can go out there and help them out," Rodriguez said Thursday, according to the New York Daily News. The Mets have incentive to dump Rodriguez. He has a $17.5 million vesting option for 2012 that kicks in if he finishes 55 games this season. He has already finshed 28. If a team picks him up to be a setup man, that issue wouldn't come into play. Rodriguez also has a no-trade clause to 10 teams, but he doesn't think that's a big deal. "Honestly I don't even know what (teams) are on the no-trade clause, I haven't even been asked about that yet," Rodriguez said, according to the Daily News. "I mean I would definitely love to stay here, but I have to be open to every possibility out there right now." Rodriguez has 20 saves and a 3.25 ERA this season but it seems he already has one foot out of the door. So let's all just give him that final shove and leave his uniform out on the front yard.

David Wright is cleared to do baseball related activities

According to David Lennon of  NY Newsday,  Mets third baseman David Wright was cleared to resume baseball activities after a promising checkup Thursday with a back specialist.

Wright has been on the disabled list with a stress fracture in his lower back since mid-May.

If everything goes smoothly in his workouts and subsequent minor league rehab assignment, he could return to the Mets before the All-Star break.

Wright was batting just .226/.337/.404 with six homers and 18 RBI in 39 games before suffering the injury, but he is certainly capable of righting a lot of this season’s early wrongs with a strong second half. Justin Turner has been filling in at the hot corner for the surprising 37-38 Mets.

Happy Recap : Game 75 - A's at Mets - Reyes/Capuano beat A's

Final Score: NY Mets 4, Oakland 1

Jose Reyes had two hits, two RBI and a run scored to back six scoreless innings by Chris Capuano to give New York a 4-1 victory over Oakland in the rubber match of a three-game interleague set from Citi Field.

Capuano (6-7) allowed five hits and did not issue a walk while striking out seven, but left the game due to a right oblique injury after the sixth inning.

Francisco Rodriguez tossed a perfect ninth inning to earn his 20th save of the year to give New York its third win in the last five games.

Graham Godfrey (1-1) allowed four runs -- two earned -- on six hits and two walks in Oakland's second straight loss after a six-game win streak.

The Mets got all the runs they would need after loading the bases with no outs in the second on consecutive singles by Jason Bay, Lucas Duda and Josh Thole. Capuano came up next and grounded into a 4-6-3 double play to score Bay and Reyes followed with a bouncer up the middle to bring home Duda to give New York a 2-0 lead.

Video: Craig Carton's Rant on Trading Jose Reyes (WFAN/MSG)

Video: Rain Delay Special - The Mets and 4 Cats and a Sheep go to the ballgame

Today's Starting Lineups - A's at Mets - Game 75

Justin Turner has reason to smile about!

 Today's Starting Lineups: A's at Mets - Game 75

Oakland Pos Player HR RBI AVG 2B Weeks, Jemile 0 6 .321 SS Pennington, Cliff 3 21 .255 CF Crisp, Coco 2 23 .262 LF Jackson, Conor 1 20 .267 3B Sizemore, Scott 1 10 .262 1B Ellis, Mark 1 16 .210 RF DeJesus, David 5 22 .233 C Powell, Landon 1 3 .211 P Godfrey, Graham (1-0, 4.76)

NY Mets Pos Player HR RBI AVG SS Reyes, Jose 3 29 .335 2B Turner, Justin 2 32 .271 RF Beltran, Carlos 10 44 .279 3B Murphy, Daniel 4 22 .282 CF Pagan, Angel 2 19 .248 LF Bay, Jason 3 15 .229 1B Duda, Lucas 0 5 .170 C Thole, Josh 0 18 .239 P Capuano, Chris (5-7, 4.29)

Preview: 2011 Regular Season Game 75 - A's at Mets

Oakland Athletics (34-41) at New York Mets (36-38), 1:10 p.m.

Probable Starting Pitchers: Oakland - Graham Godfrey (1-0, 4.76) New York Mets - Chris Capuano (5-7, 4.29)

The Oakland Athletics lost in frustrating fashion to the New York Mets last night, watching their season-high six-game win streak go to waste on a hit batsmen with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 13th inning.

Oakland vies to bounce back and earn a series victory Thursday afternoon in the rubber match of this three-game interleague set from Citi Field.

Brad Ziegler was on the hill for the A's in the 13th inning of last night's contest and allowed a one-out single to Lucas Duda, who moved to second on Daniel Murphy's ensuing base hit. Jose Reyes was then intentionally walked and Ziegler plunked Justin Turner to allow Duda to stroll home for a 3-2 New York win.

"I know the pitch was inside, it got away from me," said Ziegler, who was pinned with the loss. "It's just not how you want to end the game. If I'm going to lose, I'd rather be beaten with a base hit."

Athletics starter Gio Gonzalez was brilliant through seven innings in a no- decision, as he yielded only one run and four hits with eight strikeouts and one walk. He also retired 15 of the final 17 batters he faced. Oakland starters were 5-0 with a 1.16 ERA in six games before Gonzalez's result.

Kurt Suzuki homered and Conor Jackson recorded two hits and an RBI for the Athletics, who will visit Philadelphia for three games on this road swing and sit 5 1/2 games behind Texas for the American League West lead.

Before their recent six-game winning streak, the A's had lost 13 of 14 games, including 10 in a row from May 30-June 9.