The controversy of the Mets’ catching situation seemed almost too easily resolved as Ramon Castro was traded to the White Sox on the same night that Omir Stantos drove in both Mets runs, including the walkoff gamewinner, and Brian Schneider returned to the dugout for the first time in weeks.

Castro, the meaty backup who’d been a reserve forMike Piazza, Paul LoDuca and Schneider, and who provided a buttload of big moments for the Mets, was swapped for Lance Broadway, a tall 25-year-old one-time prospect.Castro leaves as the longest-serving No. 11 since Tim Teufel (1986-91). Despite ranking sixth in games played among Met 11s, Castro has more home runs and RBI than every Met 11 except Teufel and all-time leader Wayne Garrett.

Broadway — who just has to appear in New York at some point —  is assigned for now to the starting rotation at AAA Buffalo. He was wearing No. 41 in the White Sox bullpen before the trade.

Good luck to Castro, who despite frustrating the Mets with injuries and a seeming unwilliness to take over starting duties when the team needed him, at his best was probably a better hitter than Santos will ever be. But, Santos certainly has been the man for this season, and the next few months will probably be pretty close anyway.

 

Home runs by guys who wore 11 *
1. Wayne Garrett 55
2. Tim Teufel 36
3. Ramon Castro 33
4 (tie). Duke Snider, Lenny Randle 7
6. Gene Woodling 5
7. Dick Schofeild 4
8 (tie). Ed Bouchee, Roy McMillan, Kelvin Chapman 3

*-Only HRs hit while wearing No. 11 count 

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