I don’t know who those players were out there last night, but I liked them! The Mets came out swinging in the Bronx last night sending Phelps packing in the 1st inning after scoring 5 runs off him. I don’t know what it is about the Yankees, but the Mets have been rising to the occasion during this series, especially last night. They were getting hits, scoring runs, taking advantage of situations such as Nunez‘s key error in the 1st off a Byrd grounder that should have been an inning ending double play. And two players who had Las Vegas tickets being printed up for them came up with hits to contribute to the offense. Tejada started off the inning with a single and scored our first run and Ike Davis gave us a 2 RBI single. Now I’m not saying they shouldn’t be demoted because that was Tejada’s only hit finishing 1 for 5 and made a defensive blunder that extended an inning and Hefner‘s stat line. And Davis hit another single in the 5th giving him a slight edge as he finished 2 for 5. But it was good to see them get in on the action. 

Another Met on the list for a possible demotion once Wheeler comes up, Jeremy Hefner, finally recorded his 1st win of the season as he pitched 6 innings of three-run ball. Although his record should be better considering he has pitched some games very well, Hefner is still on the chopping block, most likely going up against Dillon Gee. Granted both are not doing too well this season, it will be interesting to see what the Mets will do within the next few weeks. 

The Mets finished last night’s game 9-4 after a homer from Byrd, a two-run double from Duda, and a RBI single from Ankiel. But more than anything, it’s exciting to see your team win with all of its players contributing, especially against their rivals. The Mets have won their last 4 and its been a great 4 days for baseball! HAHA 

There are glaring, critical eyes on this team and I don’t know what the future holds, but changes need to be made. Let’s see if the Mets can do that. 

TEJADA ON DL:: After suffering a right quad strain, Tejada was placed on the DL. Maybe this is a good thing since he’s been struggling so heavily. The Mets recalled Omar Quintanilla from Triple-A Las Vegas, but he will mostly platoon and not play against lefties.

NEXT UP:: Mets finish their series with the Yankees tonight at 7:05PM in the Bronx as Dillon Gee goes up against Vidal Nuno. LGM!

On a night when he was so graciously honored by his crosstown rivals, Mariano Rivera threw out the first and last pitch at Citi Field tonight. He fared far better on his 1st pitch than his last.

So it’s the 9th inning and Mo is coming in. The Mets have been dead offensively all night.  I’m tired and frustrated so I turn off the TV and go inside only to be called back 5 minutes later as my father is yelling that I’m obviously a jinx. I walk into the room just in time to see Wright drive in Murphy (who was on 2nd after a double) as the tying run with a RBI single and then Duda…yes, I said Duda, (who has been ice cold with RISP) drive in Wright with a walk-off RBI single! Harvey is off the hook and remains undefeated and the Mets take two from the Yankees. Did this really just happen?

Nothing was going our way tonight. Kuroda was flawless and the Mets gave him a few helpful plays. Harvey was his usual marvelous self, tossing 8 innings of one run ball on 8 hits and striking out ten. That’s the third time this season Harvey has had double digit Ks in a game. Oh, and he walked NONE! But he was still in line for the loss because the Mets offense was nonexistent as usual for most of the game. Gardner robbed Murphy, yet again, of an extra base hit. Wright struck out in a big spot in the 6th, which according to Keith Hernandez is because there’s “too much pressure” on him. Tejada had a horrible game. He had a throwing error that thankfully did not cause any damage, got picked off second base in the 7th when we were down a run, and made a horrible play on a single to center that allowed the ball to roll into the outfield and put Cano on third. It was a complete mess. Terry Collins was ejected from the game for disputing the obvious out call. And all I really cared about was that Matt Harvey continues to pitch brilliantly, but gets no results. He was about to get a loss when he only gave up one run! 

But the baseball gods were in full swing tonight. We very rarely have luck on our side. That’s the only explanation I have for this win tonight because it clearly was not execution or skill. A WIN IS A WIN! And a win off the best closer out there gives a team just a little bit of confidence. HAPPY HARVEY DAY TO ALL AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT! (Side Note: Doc Gooden sat in the stands tonight behind home plate and talked about how amazing Harvey is! WOW!)

I just love Mets memes =)

NEXT UP:: The Mets head to the Bronx to finish up the last two games of the Subway Series tomorrow night at 7:05PM. Jeremy Hefner will take on David Phelps and the Yanks, hoping to keep this short winning streak alive and to record a win of his own (his would-be first of the season). LGM!

Well it definitely wasn’t as mesmerizing and filled with intensity as I always hope for during the Subway Series (it really hasn’t been for a few years now), but it was still a win and just a little more exciting than a regular game. 

Brandon Lyon took the win and Bobby Parnell took the save in tonight’s game. Jon Niese went 7 innings, giving up only 1 run on 8 hits, walking one and striking out four. He didn’t look like he was at his best tonight, but he got out of some big jams including this bases-loaded one in the 2nd, and Wright provided some assistance with a few Gold Glove caliber plays. (Side Note: If Wright gets snubbed again, I will be writing angry letters…) Check out this back-handed beauty.

Speaking of assistance–Wright also kept Niese from recording a loss by hitting a monstrous solo bomb to tie the game in the bottom of the 7th. (#ThatsWright, #CaptainComeback) And with some good pitching from Brandon Lyon, it was up to the offense to untie this game. 

It’s the bottom of the 8th inning. I need to give a play by play because it was a weird inning. Ike Davis strikes out, of course. That was his third of the night. Apparently his game winning 2-run single last night was not a sign of better things to come. But Mike Baxter comes to bat and starts off our offense with a double. Valdespin comes in as a pinch hitter and walks. I’m glad Jordany is showing some patience at the plate by the way. Anyway, the runners move up on a pass ball, that was also a strike. Tejada hits a slow one to Cano who throws home and gets Baxter by a hair. Ruben was back in the leadoff spot tonight, but his bat is still cold. But have no fear because Daniel Murphy was looking for some revenge after Brett Gardner took away a two-run homer earlier in the game with a leaping catch over the left-center wall. Murphy was angry to say the least after that play. He looked PUMPED! So Murph hit a nice single to give the Mets the lead and eventually the win. 

What happened after that had no bearing on the game because heaven forbid the Mets score with bases loaded…(Wright got hit by a pitch on his elbow to load the bases and Duda then struck out to end the inning) 

All in all, it was a win and it’s always fun to win against the Yankees! #WeOwnthisCiti

ZACK ATTACK:: Despite Wheeler‘s rough outing today giving up 5 runs (3 earned) in four innings, he should be making his MLB debut within the next few weeks or so. He is scheduled for probably another 2 or 3 starts and could be pitching for the Mets as soon as June 12th. Sandy Alderson has already put the innings limitation on Wheeler- 180-185. Zack already has 48 innings in Las Vegas. I can’t wait to see Wheeler and Harvey in the same rotation. It is going to be amazing! The one highlight, besides Matt Harvey himself, of  this season!

ALL-STAR GAME:: #VoteMets– Don’t forget to vote for your favorite Mets! It would be pathetic if we didn’t have some sort of showing from our team since we’re hosting the event.

HARVEY DAY HAS COME AT LAST:: To make the Subway Series even more worthy of your time, Matt Harvey will be taking the mound tomorrow night at 7:10 PM against Hiroki Kuroda and the Yankees. Are you ready?! BECAUSE I AM!!! Tune to SNY or ESPN to be marveled by the phenom that is Matt Harvey as he tries to move to 6-0. 

Every game the Mets have this unfortunate problem- they need to be PERFECT to win. They cannot commit errors, pitchers cannot give up runs, the bullpen needs to be flawless. This is all because their offense is completely nonexistent. 

Last night’s game shows you exactly this. Jon Niese had one bad inning in the first. He had the bases loaded with 2 outs. And the 3-run inning could have been avoided had it not been for Wright‘s error on a ground ball that should have ended the inning. But Niese put the runners on base and Wright let them score. And the Mets went on to lose the game 4-0. Why? Because Niese and Wright were less than perfect in the first inning and of course, the Mets offense failed to show up again. But Jon Niese did not care. It is evident that it’s harder to pitch when you know your team will not score for you, but Niese shut it down after the first inning- striking out seven! Now that’s respectable to see from a pitcher. He picked himself up and made a competitive effort despite that terrible inning. 

This is obviously not a winning formula. But I can’t blame Terry Collins. He’s trying to mix things up to see if he can get guys going. But it’s clear that the Mets are clueless out there. Even when our rotation makes some improvements (and those were limited) and the bullpen hasn’t been THAT bad, our completely nonexistent offense takes center stage. Ike Davis once again went 0-3 and couldn’t come up with RISP. But it’s not just him anymore. Tejada is struggling, hence the constant rotation of the lineup. I don’t know what happened to that line drive hitting player from last season. And no one is really showing much an offensive burst. Do you know what happens when our offense struggles? David Wright starts getting cold, too. And that’s because he wants to be Captain America. That super hero for the Mets. The one that makes everything better, which is completely admirable, but unrealistic. And that’s when he starts changing his swing and striking out more. But I haven’t seen that happen so far. He told the media that he hasn’t been trying to do too much and that is a positive step for him to realize that. He also needs to realize he’s on the Mets and he can’t save us this season, but that’s another story.

SANDY ALDERSON COMES TO THE BOOTH: Alderson talked with Ron Darling and Gary Cohen last night. He touched on the Davis situation and Matt Harvey. Check it out here.

HARVEY PUTS HIS UNBEATEN RECORD ON THE LINE AGAIN:: 1:10 PM this afternoon. SNY. Set your alarm. Leave work early. Do what you gotta do because Matt Harvey is on the mound (5-0) taking on Reds’ pitcher Mat Latos, who also happens to be undefeated. Thank God for Harvey because he’s the only reason I get excited to watch Met games this season. LET’S GO METS! #HARVEYDAY #LGM

Gotta love Facebook memes!! =)

The odds were very much in his favor last night. Harvey looked sharp and rested and definitely had some zip on his pitches. His fastball was in the mid-90s. I even saw some top out at 97 MPH and he was throwing his slider for strikes. You could see that he wanted it and that it could happen. He pitched the first inning with a nose bleed and took a perfect game into the 7th inning. Things were looking pretty good for Harvey until Alex Rios came to the plate and hit a ball deep into the infield pocket at shortshop in the 7th. Tejada tried to make a jump and throw play on it, but just wasn’t quick enough, even with Davis’ long stretch at first base. Tejada rarely ever makes that play. So that ended Harvey’s bid for a perfect game, and it was up to the Mets to at least get him a win. But they couldn’t get that done either. 

Even though Harvey one-hit the White Sox, the Mets were unable to score and secure him a win. The game went to 10 innings, where the Mets were able to scrounge up one run as Mike Baxter singled in Davis, the Mets only show of offense on the night. Bobby Parnell got the win instead, making it the 2nd 10-inning one-hitter in Mets history.

This was Harvey’s third try at winning his 5th game. I guess the upside is that he didn’t get a loss. Harvey did pitch one of the best games of his career going nine innings, allowing one hit, and striking out a career high 12 batters. After yesterday’s game, Matt Harvey became the first pitcher in 100 years with at least 125 strikeouts and 25 or fewer ER allowed in first 17 career starts. Dwight Gooden, who has been following Harvey’s up and coming success, tweeted yesterday–“Matt “THE REAL DEAL” Harvey…Enough said!” Can you believe that? Doc Gooden is constantly singing Harvey’s praises and that has to be an amazing sign! He was even tweeting #MATTHARVEYKCOUNT! That must be such an honor for Harvey!

This season Harvey has been putting himself in a great position among very elite names. I know it’s a small sample size, but watching him, no one can say that he is not special. I just can’t wait to see what he has in store for us game after game. His games are a must-watch!

“It’s baseball. Things like that happen…The guys made all the plays. John Buck called an amazing game. I think I shook him off three times, like I have all year. I jumped on his back and I was fortunate enough that I was able to execute each pitch.“– Harvey on his outing

NEXT UP:: Mets close out their series tonight, weather permitting, with the Chicago White Sox as they send Jeremy Hefner to the mound against Jake Peavy. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10PM on SNY. LGM!! 

Well after some snow outs, you would think the Mets would be refreshed and ready to go. Even if they were, they still couldn’t get any wins. Maybe the delays have caused a “loss in momentum” as Terry Collins liked to put it. The Mets have lost their last 3 games.

*Their bullpen faced a lot of work on Tuesday in their doubleheader against the Rockies. Dillon Gee raked in another loss in the two hour delayed afternoon game as the Mets fell 4-8. (Side Note: Sandy Alderson was out there shoveling snow before the game to make sure the Mets got on the field.) Gee went 4 2/3 innings and gave up 5 runs on 7 hits. He just couldn’t seem to keep the lead when it was handed to him. Murphy and Tejada‘s defensive blundlers didn’t help too much either. On a positive note, David Wright finally got his first homer of the season in the 1st inning, a 2- run blast off Nicasio. And then his second of the season, a solo shot in the 5th, all in the frigid weather of Coors Field. On a night when gripping the bat must have been a constant struggle, Wright went 3-4 and further boasted his already successful numbers at Coors Field. Check out his first one here and the second one here!)

*The Mets also fell to the Rockies in their second game on Tuesday in 10 innings, 8-9. The Mets put up some great offensive numbers early and should have won the game, but Ruben Tejada made a costly throwing error in the 8th inning allowing the two tying runs to score. Now Tejada has been giving us a great offensive addition this season in that 8 hole, but his defense has suffered. I have no idea what’s going on with him, but I would rather him work on his fielding right now. Aaron Laffey only went 4 innings with the Mets hoping to pitch him again on Sunday on short rest. The bullpen was unable to seal the deal despite a 6-run lead. Burke took the loss on Jordan Pacheco‘s walk-off single in the 10th. This is where the postponed games really hurt us. As of Tuesday, Collins was unsure about our rotation this weekend and going forward.

*Their Wednesday game was once again postponed. The Mets are scheduled to make this game up on June 27th. 

*The Mets pulled in their 3rd straight loss and Jon Niese was handed his first loss of the season as the team fell to the Rockies yesterday, 11-3. Despite Wright’s RBIs and a sensational catch, spin, throw from Tejada to get a much needed out in the 3rd inning, the bullpen got crushed. To say the least, this was a road trip the Mets would like to forget immediately. I’m hoping they can get back on track tonight since they’re back home and in nicer weather, but they’re facing some pretty difficult teams coming up- the Nationals, Phillies, and Dodgers. It’s not going to be easy, but if they want to remain competitive, they need to get wins. They need to be resilient and not fall into a dark hole of constant loses and bad play. This will be a big test for the team.

INJURY REPORT: I actually screamed out loud when ESPN app sounded off and my alert read: “Mets top prospect Travis d’Arnaud breaks ankle.” He was sent to New York and will be examined by staff doctors to determine whether he will need surgery. This is awful and will most likely delay his progress this season, never mind his call-up. Let’s just hope he won’t need surgery and that he can recover as quickly as possible. All I have to say is, I’m extremely thankful that John Buck has been playing so well. Here’s to a speedy recovery for Travis. Send him some well wishes on Twitter- @travisdarnaud!!

And Shaun Marcum says his rehab is going well, but he may need an extra start to get to the place he wants to be. He had 41 pitch outing in Florida yesterday, striking out five in four perfect innings, but Collins said he was supposed 65-70 and then work up to 90 in his next start. Things are moving slow, but I guess any news is good news at this point. We just need Marcum back in the rotation- healthy and effective. 

NEXT UP:: Looking to end their losing streak, the Mets send their young phenom, Matt Harvey (3-0), to the mound to match up against the Nationals and their own young phenom, Stephen Strasburg (1-2). If the Mets are searching for a winning recipe, Harvey is just the ingredient they need. Tune in to SNY tonight at 7:10PM to see if Harvey can get something cooking for the Mets. LGM!

I had to leave my house and it was the bottom of the 9th inning, Mets down 3-2 to the Marlins. I had no choice. I had to go. About 45 minutes later, my ESPN app makes a noise and there it is- the Mets first walk-off win of the 2013 season thanks to Marlon Byrd, who received his first cream pie to the face as a Met. I can’t believe I missed it! But when I saw the game recap, it was a heck of a scrappy win. 

This was a great win considering the Mets were shut down most of the game by 20 year old Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez, who was making his Major League debut and making a mockery of the Mets lineup. But Fernandez wouldn’t get his first career win in the end. Daniel Murphy would end up hitting a two-run homer off reliever A.J. Ramos and then Marlon Byrd would finish the win off with his 2-run single in the bottom of the 9th off Marlins closer Steve Cishek, scoring Ruben Tejada (hit by a pitch) and Kirk Nieuwenhuis (single). Check out Marlon’s clutch hit here. 

Considering all the scrutiny and criticism the Mets outfield received coming into this season, these outfielders are playing good baseball. Terry Collins has been mixing up guys out there and its been working so far. 

Collins said after yesterday’s game that Aaron Laffey (who took Jeurys Familia‘s roster spot) would make another start since Shaun Marcum‘s return date is still undecided. Laffey’s line wasn’t pretty, but it was enough to keep us in the game. However, Laffey worries me. With our bullpen less than stellar, we need our starting pitching to be dominant. That needs to be a given in every game, but I don’t think we can get that from Laffey. He gave up two many hits yesterday and that’s just the kind of pitcher he is. I’m not saying he’s not cut out for the Majors. I’m just saying that maybe he’s not the best fit for the Mets right now, especially when we struggle offensively. If we have a pitcher giving up three runs and we can only score two, the odds are not in our favor. I’m hoping that Laffey can lower his pitch count and locate his pitches better in his next start, which could be as late as next Tuesday if the Mets opt to work their rotation that way. 

So the Mets finish their first homestand with a 4-2 record (rather than a 3-3 record) as they head to Philly to begin their first roadtrip of the 2013 season, mostly likely still basking in their first walk-off win. 

CAN HE DO IT AGAIN?– Matt Harvey (1-0) will bring his arm to Citizen’s Bank Park tonight against Roy Halladay (1-0) and the Phillies. First pitch is at 7:05PM on SNY. With Harvey pitching, it’s sure to be a great game! LGM!

By now you’ve heard that R.A. Dickey has been pitching since April with a torn abdominal muscle. Dickey kept the injury to himself, even when he found out it would require surgery following an MRI. It was not until yesterday night, following his final start of his amazing 20 win season that everyone found out. He said he prayed constantly with his wife to make it through this season. (His faith is unbelievable and inspiring…) He’s been fighting through a dull pain all season, but last night he was really feeling it. 

Dickey will undergo surgery to repair the tear on October 18th and the recovery period is said to be around 4-6 weeks. It will not interfere with his preparation for the 2013 season, thankfully. 

I had immense respect for Dickey before I heard this, but I am just beyond myself now. How can one person be so unbelievable on and off the field! His story is just so inspirational, and with this, he adds another chapter. He worked his way onto the TV and then into the hearts of all Mets fans and made this season a memorable one for us. 

If Dickey does not win the Cy Young, I, along with every Mets fan out there, will be destroyed, because he really deserves it. 

Who knows if Dickey will even be on the team for much longer? The team will likely option him for the 2013 season, but it’s unlikely that they will offer him a long-term contract after that. It would be truly amazing to see him get the recognition he deserves. 

Check out ESPN New York Mets blog from Adam Rubin to see all the details from Sandy Alderson’s state of the team address today before the final game of the season…CLICK HERE

GAME 162- I can’t believe the season is over. We had a lot of low points and need a miracle to even compete next season, but let’s not forget the good times:: Dickey’s 20 wins, Johan’s No-han, Wright passing Kranepool for the franchise hits record, Harvey showing us some hope (and some strikeouts!), watching Tejada flourish at short, Davis coming back from a miserable season to hit 30 homers,…Ok so there aren’t many, but when you’re a Mets fan, you have to get used it. Goodbye 2012 season! Let’s hope that something gives and we can make some changes!

Matt Harvey was roughed up- giving up 5 runs on 8 hits in 5 innings against the San Diego Padres. Harvey couldn’t throw a breaking ball for a strike and most of the hits he gave up were extra-base hits. He struggled to find a rhythm and the strike zone all game. Harvey is a fierce competitor and you could see from his post-game interview that he was upset with himself. 

Harvey during his post-game interview.

But Harvey knows he needs to erase this one, keep working hard, and get ready for his next start.  Hopefully he uses this loss to motivate him and takes it out on Atlanta on Friday, which will be his debut at Citi Field. I’m sure Mets fans can’t wait to see the future of the organization first hand on the mound at home. 

Mets offense was definitely limited today. They’ve been struggling to get clutch hits. But Ronny Cedeño showed a little spark with a pinch-hit 2-run home run. (Check it out here…) That makes 8 pinch-hit home runs for the Mets this season. Obviously Valdie leads the pack with 5, followed by Scott Hairston with 2, and Cedeno joins them. 

BROOKLYN GETS A TREAT!– Fans at MCU Park were given a great treat this afternoon! Johan Santana made a rehab start for the Brooklyn Cyclones. I’m so upset I didn’t go to the game! But I’m happy he had a good outing! Santana threw 38 pitches allowing one hit and one walk with three strikeouts over three scoreless innings in the BK. He followed his three innings with further pitching in the bullpen to make it a 90 pitch outing.

Santana on his rehab start: “I feel good. My body had a chance to recover. I really needed that. I threw all my pitches and commanded my fastball.”

Can’t wait to get our ace back! 

BAXTER IN METS HISTORY– Mike Baxter drew five walks in last night’s game, setting the Mets’ record and tying the National League record for walks in a nine-inning game. Congrats Mike!

EDGIN TAKING CONTROL– After Frank Francisco was reactivated, Tim Byrdak was placed on the DL with shoulder soreness. With Byrdak going down, Josh Edgin will be taking on a larger role in the bullpen. It’s a lot to take on in your rookie season, but judging by his performance so far, Edgin seems like the real deal. I think he can handle it! 

OFF DAY– The Mets have an off day tomorrow before Jose Reyes and the Marlins come into town for a three game series on Tuesday. Can’t wait to listen to all the comparisons between Reyes and Tejada…NOT. Ugh, please! Don’t forget to check out the game at 7:10PM! 

Did we just win a series? Yes, I think so! It wasn’t pretty, but the team was able to get it done. 

In Wednesday night’s game, Jon Niese gave a great performance. He had good command on his fastball, which was a very good sign. He was able to bounce back from his worst performance of the season and showed the fight in him. Even when the defense made some terrible plays, Niese composed himself and got outs. It was great to see Niese pick himself up and brush off that bad start. We need him to be at his best because Niese is an extremely important part of our starting rotation. I think he could be a monster pitcher, a force to be reckoned with.  I have a feeling we’ll be seeing a lot of growth from him.

Oh, and Ruben Tejada Jose who? hit a home run on the second pitch he saw from Giants pitcher, Matt Cain. That’s right! Tejada showing some power! I wouldn’t mind seeing more of that. 

Of course, we left the bases loaded for three consecutive innings (7th, 8th, and 9th) and could have scored countless times, but let’s not be a negative nancy. I found it hilarious how Gary Cohen called the game “bizzaro.” Oh Gary…this isn’t the 90s anymore. No one says that! HAHA Check out this game recap from the Daily News.

And then earlier today, the Mets ran the Giants into the ground with a 9-1 win! Chris Young was DOMINANT! You have to give this guy credit. Another pitcher recovering from his worst start of the year, Young pitched seven innings and gave up four hits, four strikeouts, and NO walks today. It’s obvious that the Mets are at their best when their starting rotation is at their best. Getting a good outing from Young was a recipe for success. Not to mention Cedeno‘s bat was on fire. That kinda helped. Here’s the Gameday recap from mets.com.

Even Jason Bay got in on the action with a two-run single in the first inning. Every blog, website, broadcaster, and analyst out there has something to say about Bay. It’s true that the Mets are not getting anything in return for their investment in Bay. But he is a member of the team. I don’t think there’s anyone out there who is harder on Jason Bay than Bay himself. I doubt he wants to be in such a terrible slump. I doubt he wants fans to boo him every time he comes to the plate. All spring he was talking about trying to break out and you could tell he has been working hard. I feel bad that his hard work isn’t paying off. Maybe he needs to go down to the Minors to prove he still has something to offer, but as long as he’s here, we need to support him. (Tweet #BelieveinBay and show him some support)

ROOKIE, CAN YOU TAKE A JOKE? After coming to the game yesterday in a white T-shirt, veteran players decided to teach the rookie, Jordany Valdespin, a lesson in proper pre-game attire. The team enforces a “collared shirts only” policy in the clubhouse prior to games, but I guess Jordany wasn’t warned. He found his shirt with shredded sleeves after the game. The players also wrote “EL HOMBRE” on the back and “NY <3′s Valdie” on the front. Jordany was very upset when he saw the shirt, but eventually calmed down and took it as a joke. David Wright pulled him aside and explained the whole thing. (That’s right, #CaptainWright showing his leadership skills) Don’t worry, Valdie! It’s just a joke! Take it in strides, rookie. I’m glad this didn’t cause any unwanted drama in the clubhouse. 

COMING BACK?– Frank Francisco is making the trip to San Diego and should be back with the team, closing out games starting tomorrow. I guess Bobby Parnell will have to take a back seat. Let’s see how Francisco fairs taking back his closer position. And Johan Santana will be throwing another bullpen session on Sunday, working on his own return from the disabled list. Terry Collins will not put a date on Santana’s return so we will have to wait and see how his rehab goes. 

ANOTHER WEST COAST CHALLENGE: The Mets start another West Coast series against the San Diego Padres beginning tomorrow at 10:05 ET. We’re going to need R.A. Dickey at his best for another win! Take a look at this game preview from CBSSports.com Let’s Go Mets! #LGM