Adam Dunn prefers to wear No. 44.

Just sayin'.

I don't normally bang my fist on my desk and demand the Mets make trades but if the Marlins series suggested anything it's that the Mets' offense needs to improve, the bullpen could be better, the starting rotation could use some depth and the bench is shaky. Other than that though, looking great.

(bang)

Not that Willie, silly. Though his habit of dumb sacrifice bunts accomplishing nothing carries on in the new era. We're talking about Willie Collazo, the little lefthander whose jersey name-on-back was misspelled last season, much to the amusement of geeks everywhere.

Collazo was recalled Sunday following Brandon Knight's start in place of greiving Pedro Martinez and issued No. 36, the same jersey he wore last season. Knight, who rebounded after a shaky first inning in his only Met appearance and wound up with a no-decision, is on his way to Bejing with Team USA. Pedro is on his back to the Mets and penciled to start on Friday albeit with a strict pitch count.

It will be interesting to see who his teammates turn out to be that night, the first after Thursday's non-waiver trade deadline. With the bullpen demonstrating once again it could use an upgrade; with the health of Pedro and Ryan Church remaining so mysterious; with Marlon Anderson still employed; and with John Maine headed for an MRI on his shoulder, anything seems possible. It is to their credit the Mets have thrived the way they have during this difficult stretch.

Brandon Knight is set to start for the Mets Saturday night as the replacement for Pedro Martinez, who was placed on the bereavement list following the death of his father.

Knight, who will dress in No. 28, will have come a long way from the independent Atlantic League, where he began the year, and is six years removed from his last big-league appearance, with the Yankees in 2002. The limits of the bereavement list (maximum of 7 days) and the upcoming Olympics in Bejing, where Knight is scheduled to represent the US of A and manager Davey Johnson, figure to make this a brief visit, but let's hope a successful oine.

Sandy Alomar Jr. -- as a player -- most recently wore the 28 jersey,obtaining it in a swap for No. 19 with teammate Jeff Conine last season. (Can you believe either of those guys finished their careers as Mets?) The uni had previously belonged to stylish reliever Juan Padilla (goggles, magic tricks, invariably took off his hat at the end of an inning). Padilla, who'd been rehabbing various arm ailments since a promising showing in 2005, was quietly released by the organization this month.

* * *

That same crappy feeling I got when Robin Ventura joined the Yankees returned tonight when I learned the Bombers had traded for Pittsburgh's Xavier Nady. I don't want to see the guy fail but playing up to his abilities in Yankee Stadium's left field ought to be worth a few laughs before the season's over, and I wouldn't bet big on his continuing to run a 900+ OPS, even if I won't actively root against it.

Here's to the Mets for not allowing that shameful showing in the opener to prevent them from claiming first place to themselves by series' end. Seems we were fortunate to catch Philly while Chase Utley suffered a severe case of the sucks, but if 2007 taught us anything it's that the winners can't choose how ugly the losers turn out to be.

With the uniform number roulette temporaily slowed down -- at least until they call up a guy to take Pedro Martinez's again-delayed start on Saturday (word coming in as as I write this is Brandon Knight, currently wearing No. 15 for your New Orleans Zephyrs), or Ryan Church arrives, or the trade deadline occurs... or whatever -- we have a few uni oddities to ponder.

Reader Michael sent along these here images of Jose Reyes wearing unfamilar numbers. While Reyes has occupied No. 7 for his entire Met career (except for Jackie Robinson Day this season), these are extrametular: No. 9 for his stint with the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic; and No. 28, I presume, from Binghamton prior to his callup but I'll let you experts out there tell me for sure.

The below team shot of hideously-dressed 1979 ballplayers on a tour of Japan, first published on Uni Watch this week, subsequently generated a fair amount of discussion at the Crane Pool Forum. The multistriped hats aren't 1976 pillbox throwbacks but renderings in the then-contemporary style in Japan (the 1976 lids had three stripes, not five). But what knocks me out are the contrasting styles of the numerals on the Mets jerseys worn by John Stearns and Joel Youngblood, respectively (see a larger image here). Can anyone offer an explanation of Youngblood's incorrect No. 1?

No they didn't make it to 11 straight wins but as first pointed out in the comments section below the Mets on Friday ran out an all-odd starting lineup for what we believe to be the first time in their 46-year history.

7 Reyes SS

9 Anderson LF

5 Wright 3B

15 Beltran CF

3 Easley 2B

21 Delgado 1B

17 Tatis RF

23 Schneider C

33 Maine P

They'd been toying with this accomplishment frequently this season, particularly with Alou unavailable, and were heretofore held back mainly by the presence of Endy Chavez in the starting 9 (or starts by Pelfrey or Perez).
Fittingly, this milestone -- rarer even than an extra-base hit by Brian Schneider -- was achieved only after replacing even manager Willie Randolph with an odd successor in Jerry Manuel.

And with that taken care of, we can focus on regaining first place.

Finally, something worth counting! Ten... and counting...

The Mets prior to Friday's game recalled catcher Robinson Cancel (again) and designated Chris Aguila for assignment (again). This facilitates more pinch-hitting opportunities for Ramon Castro but invited a new uni controversy as Cancel returns only to find the No. 4 jersey occupied by twitchy new infielder Argenis Reyes.

Reyes appeared in the game wearing 4 -- and readers Rich and Zach report seeing Cancel warming up Muiniz in the bullpen wearing No. 40 ("guess they FINALLY gave up on Burgos wearing a Jersey anytime soon," sez Rich). Cancel would become the first position player to wear 40 since the infamous Tony Tarasco in 2002. Most recently, 40 was exchanged between Brian Bannister to Ambiorix Burgos when they were exchanged for one another.

Seven in a row, and once again, we prevailed vs. the other guy's ace. Willie was right after all -- these guys are all winners!

Sorry to hear about Bob Klapisch: Maybe not the favorite writer of Mets fans, but his Worst Team Money Can Buy is the prematurely definitive story of a sorry era in Mets history, and probably more interesting today than it was back then, if only as a relic of Old Media.

Schedule it already!

Sure to be buried in discussion of their second straight shutout, destined to get less attention than two ridiculousy unnecessary and counterproductive sacrifice bunts, and with the Yankees all the way to third place, tough to crack the papers at all, so thought it'd be worth pointing out the fact that tonight's starting Mets lineup was 8/9ths odd:

7 Jose Reyes, SS
10 Endy Chavez, RF
5 David Wright, 3B
15 Carlos Beltran, CF
3 Damian Easley, 2B
21 Carlos Delgado, 1B
17 Fernando Tatis, LF
11 Ramon Castro, C
57 Johan Santana, P

That's the oddest lineup I'd come across since we last raised the subject and found an 8-men odd lineup from May 20, 2004:

57 Eric Valent, LF
25 Kaz Matsui, SS
31 Mike Piazza, 1B
43 Shane Spencer, CF
20 Karim Garcia, RF
23 Jason Phillips, C
27 Todd Zeile, 3B
9 Ty Wigginton, 2B
29 Steve Trachsel, P

Oddly enough (get it?!) the right fielder in both lineups provides the only even number.  It's entirely possible I overlooked an odder starting nine at some point this year -- the current personnel leave almost no chance for an even starting squad, but as always if you happen find occurrances such as this -- also, all-ascending or all-descending lineups, so rare I've found none in 46 years -- you know where to send it. Gary Cohen may be aware of the two-sixes controversy, but it's not like Big Media is on this story yet.

* * *

Roster move: Tony Armas to the disabled list, Carlos Muniz back up again.

The Mets saved their season with two great wins this weekend after nearly burning it all away Friday.

Quick note to point out Jesse Spector's Touching Base Column in the Daily News Sunday, which did a nice job on the proliferation of Mets No. 6s. Also, a reminder that I will be at the Queens Library in Flushing tonight (Monday, July 7), around 6 p.m., to speak about the Mets, baseball and writing with Greg Spira, co-editor of Meet the Mets. 41-17 Main Street, (718) 661-1200.

Just in case the AL needs to win home-field advantage in the late innings, Billy Wagner will be representing the Mets at the All-Star game. Has there been a more unlikeable Met than Wags? Or is it just me?

Late in tonight's satisfying blowout over the wretched St. Louis Cardinals, Argenis Reyes made his Mets debut wearing the No. 4 jersey most recently belonging to chubby backup catcher Robinson Cancel. Reyes, a singles-hitting middle infielder and a veteran of the Cleveland farm system, had a nice first spring training with the Mets and gets an opportunity while Luis Castillo rests up a quad or something on the disabled list.

Arriving along with Reyes was outfielder Chris Aguila, swapped in for reliever Carlos Muniz, still smarting from Troy Glaus' game-ending home run Wednesday night. 

Aguila, interestingly, is back in the same No. 29 jersey he wore in his brief appearance last month; the Mets had since issued 29 to Andy Phillips, whom they claimed on waivers from Cincinnati a week ago, designated for assignment on Monday, and, we learned today, subsequently lost back to the Reds on a waiver claim.

So, after a 2-2 split in the four-gamer in St. Louis, the Mets arrive in Brotherly Lovetown Friday to for more fourplay: This may (or may not) say something about where the team is headed.

After a solid half-season rehabbing his career in AAA, the Mets rewarded Tony Armas with his first big-league appearance of the year. Tonight's start in St. Louis (off to a shaky start as I write) is designed to provide a bit of rest for a stretched-out rotation, after which it is expected Armas will stay with the club filling the long-relief role previously filled by Claudio Vargas, Nelson Figueroa and Jorge Sosa. Armas appears tonight in No. 44 -- the same jersey he wore this spring that was later issued to Brady Clark when Clark when the trip north and Armas did not.

Leave it Greg Prince of Faith & Fear in Flushing to point out the last time No. 44 appeared on the back of a Mets pitcher it was the Mercury Mets and Jason Isringhausen -- who made his last appearance for the Mets wearing that jersey in July of 1999. That and a lot more.

Meantime, MBTN reader Paul C., aka King Of All Screen Capturers, delivers the above image of Isringhausen's unique Mercury Mets look -- condensed fonts don't exist in the future, doncha know.

To make room for Armas the Mets designated infielder Andy Phillips for assignment -- easy come, easy go -- and are gambling a short bench won't bite them in the butt before Moises Alou makes a return. Yes, they're counting on that again. Yes, the Met offense is collapsing under the anticipation of his return once again.

Talkin' baseball: Join me in Flushing this coming Monday, July 7, as I appear along with Greg Spira, co-editor of Meet the Mets, in a discussion about the Mets, baseball, books and anything else. We will have books for sale and/or signature (including Matt Silverman's Mets Essential and 100 Things), and afterward, I'll be happy to join you for a beer to watch the Mets-Phillies game.

Details: 6 p.m., Monday July 7 at the Queens Library -- Flushing , 41-17 Main Street, (718) 661-1200.