The Mets tonight welcome a healthy Pedro Martinez back to the team, hopefully to stay awhile but you never know. To make room they optioned newly activated reliever Carlos Muniz. Claudio Vargas in the meantime got a sudden introduction to his new role as a long man, mopping up for irritating lefty Oliver Perez after the Giants bashed Perez for six momentum-eviserating runs in one-third of an inning Monday.

The arrangement saves a starting assignment for Mike Pelfrey, who, for all of his struggles has turned in more quality starts with a lot less hype than, say, Joba Chamberlain, Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy combined. Oliver Perez too for that matter.

Pelfrey may not ever be the guy the Mets hoped he'd be when they called his name in Omar Minaya's first draft as head honcho three years ago this week, but finding that out is the right thing to do.

Speaking of anniversaries, it was 10 years ago this Sunday that while playing ultimate frisbee in Yonkers, I collapsed to the turf with what would later be diagnosed as a ruptured Achilles tendon. Aside from effectively ending a maniacal pursuit to become the world's most famous frisbee player, the coming months off my feet for surgery and subsequent rehab would lead to the even stupider quest to chronicle every uniform number in Mets history.

I’m almost too cranky to post this but seems that Pedro’s shocking injury will lead him to the disabled list and trigger the first roster move of the young season. Reports this morning say Nelson Figueroa will be recalled and ought to get at least one turn in the rotation before Orlando Hernandez is eligible to come off the DL – provided he’s healthy. Figueroa suited up this spring in No. 27, most recently belonging to Carlos Gomez, hero of the Twins’ opener.

Gomez of course was badly miscast as 27 and looks sleeker and more confident in 22. Lastings Milledge in typical overconfidence kept No. 44 and Paul LoDuca is still wearing 16 in Washington. I think of 27 as a pitcher’s number — it was Swan, Cardwell, Oliver, Harnisch — and now Nelson Figueroa. I’m confident we’ll see No. 45 again in time potential employers he’ll be a free agent this offseason but until then we'll just have to do without.

OK, so now that Johan Santana is in the fold and will presumably slip on a No. 57 jersey at a press event sometime next week, there's still the matter of the other new guys and what they'll turn up in when spring training begins later this month.

What new guys? Well, those indicated by the "--" symbol alongside their names on the mets.com 40-man roster: Pitchers Ruddy Lugo; Steven Register, Brian Stokes and Matt Wise; and outfielders Ryan Church and Angel Pagan. Catcher Brian Schneider is also indicated with a double-en-space, but we're reasonably sure he's headed for the No. 23 jersey photographed below and Marlon Anderson will change into something new.

 

Deadline Terror (July 31): As opposed to say, 2004, the Mets at least didn't mean to get worse at the deadline this year, though it was certainly bad news on the doorstep to learn that rubbery reliever Duaner Sanchez 50 would miss the rest of the year as the result of injuries sustained in an automobile accident in Miami; increasing any exisiting pressure they felt to do something about the bullpen, while dialing back any temptation to make Aaron Heilman a part of a bigger deal for a pitcher, left-handed pinch-hitter or anything else that might help come October. So instead the Mets swapped fungible outfielder Xavier Nady 22 to the Pirates for Proven Veteran Setup Guy Roberto Hernandez, along with Oliver Perez, who not too long ago, ranked among the most promising young left arms in the game.

You're Invited (Dec. 24): The Mets yesterday announced that nine players had been signed to minor league contracts and been invited to Spring Training. They include ancient slugger Andres Galarraga, who will turn 44 this summer -- younger than The Francos at least (thanks Paul). It's possible that the Big Cat makes the team, perhaps as the righthanded swinging half of a first base platoon, but he won't be wearing his familiar No. 14 here. That's retired.

Rehabbing Met bullpen veterans Grant Roberts 36 (photo at right by David Whitham); Scott Strickland 28 and Orber Moreno 49 were also retained with minor league contracts, as was outfielder Gerald Williams 21. Bringing back Williams would seem more pointless than usual, but for the news that Mike Cameron 44 is having surgery and will likely miss the first month of the year.

52 and Out (Oct. 12): We neglected to mention the last-inning, last-day appearance of catcher Joe Hietpas, who narrowly became the 52nd and final Met of 2004, its 747th overall, and the 17th No. 10 in team history. Also, we owe goodbyes to Todd Zeile 27, John Franco 45 (maybe?) and probably, lots of others who've played their last game in a Met uni. In the meantime, we'll wish good luck to the RED SOX, who begin the ALCS against the Yanks tonight, and humbly suggest that as Omar Minaya retools the team for 2005 his first move involves re-hiring Bobby Valentine, whom (told ya so) just about everyone missed more than they realized the regrettable day they fired him. Hey Charlie -- keep no. 2 warm.

Updates: Thanks to a note from MBTN reader Ken, we're updating our records on Dan Norman. Norman wore 33 during September callups in 1977 and 1978, and didn't switch to 8 until 1979. Thanks!

Seo back in 38, Looper to 40: (Jan. 22) Photos from the Met Caravan in New York this week revealed potential number-switching for 2004. Jae Seoarrived at Grand Central wearing No. 38 and Braden Looper in No. 40. This represents a bit of a switch -- Seo actually made his Met/MLB debut in No. 38 back in 2002 but that number was subsequently issued to Pat Strange, who wore it last year as well as Seo took No. 40. Looper in the meantime appeared earlier this month at the Met Minicamp in No. 46, but perhaps due to our warnings below, thought better of it. (Thanks to Phillip for the tip!)

Zeile Returning, Karim Filling: (Jan. 20) The Mets are expected to announce one-year contracts for infielder Todd Zeile and outfielder Karim Garcia in the next few days. The left-handed hitting Garcia has failed to nail down a regular job with several clubs so far and so fits right in to the Mets' right-field situation. His presence seems to suggest a righty-swinging platoon partner is on the way.