The Mets today addressed their absurdly weak hitting attack by acquiring recently released righthanded-hitting Padre corner outfielder Brian Buchanan (think:Shane Spencer without the drinking problem). Buchanan was given No. 10, most recently belonging to Jeff Duncan. To make room the Mets demoted Heath Bell 19, just a day after a successful Major League debut.
Bell Toll for Heilman
Within 24 hours on Monday, Aaron Heilman 48 was recalled, rocked and summarily banished to Norfolk. In his place the Mets recalled Tides closer Heath Bell,who throws hard and fashioned attractive numbers in AAA (67 K’s in 53.2 IP). He wears No. 19. Here’s hoping this Bell tolls clearer than his Met predecessors Gus 3, Derek 16 and Jay 44.
To make room for Bell on the 40-man roster, the Mets moved Orber Moreno 49 to the 60-day disabled list. Heilman’s recall sent Matt Ginter 13 back to Norfolk, where he remains.
Ginter Back; Brazell Down; Heilman en Route
Matt Ginter just won’t go away. He’s back in uniform 13 again, taking the start in San Francisco while Craig Brazell 9 flies back to Norfolk. Word is forgotten prospect Aaron Heilman will meet the Mets when they return to Shea to make Monday’s start. Heilman wore No. 48 when we last saw him; it is uncertain at this point whether Ginter will go down again or a certain well-rested lefthander announces his retirement.
4 Years and 10 Minutes in MBTN History
The Mets controversial trades last month are paying off in unpredictable ways. When Victor Zambrano 38 left his start Tuesday with elbow trouble, the Mets recalled the player received with him, reliever Bartolome Fortunato, who made his Met debut Friday wearing No. 43. Meantime, Joe McEwing 11 went down Thursday with a dirty-slide-induced broken leg and so the Mets recalled Jeff Keppinger, the throw-in infielder received in the Kris Benson deal.
Keppinger was issued No. 6 — for the fourth time this year and the 31st time in Met history. Both are records that may never be broken! (The Mets quietly last week traded catcher Tom Wilson, the third wearer of the 6 jersey this year. Ricky Gutierrez and Gerald Williams were the other two victims so far).
Expect plenty of wound-licking and hand-wringing this week if/when Scott Kazmir makes his debut with the Devil Rays and Jim Duquette submits his resume on Monster.com. This has been a very weird month, even for the Mets.
…And Down Goes Matsui
The Mets finally got around to disable-listing shortstop Kaz Matsui 25, leaving the Mets without any of their imagined starting infielders this year. In his place the Mets called up AAA slugger Craig Brazell, who will make his Met/Major League debut while wearing No. 9.
More Infielders
With the middle infield again hurting, the Mets dipped into Norfolk and recalled veteran scrubeenie Wilson Delgado, issued him No. 17, and hoped Reyes and Matsui felt better soon. To make room the Mets sent Matt Ginter 13 back to Norfolk presumably for for a short stay while Tom Glavine sees his dentist. They also sent Pedro Feliciano 55 down again and recalled Dan Wheeler 39.
The news got worse Friday when the Mets said Jose Reyes 7 would spend the next four-to-six weeks on the disabled list. Feliciano was recalled in his place.
Piazza DLed, Garcia Up
Struggling one-time superstar Mike Piazza 31 hit the disabled list last night to rest a bad knee. In his place the Mets recalled Danny Garcia 12, who’d been refining his game at Norfolk as multi-position player.
Mets Acquire Fregosi for Ryan
OK, maybe it’s not that bad. Maybe it is! The Mets tonight pulled a series of staggering moves, gutting the farm system in exchange for two pitchers who probably won’t provide the pennant the Wilpons are so hungry for but at best add stability to an aging rotation. Dealing pesos on the dollar, the Mets sent AAA catcher Justin Huber to Kansas City for third base prospect Jose Bautista, then packaged Bautista, jobless infielder Ty Wigginton, and promising righty Matt Peterson to Pittsburgh for Kris Benson, the free-agent to be, and minor-league infielder Jeff Keppinger.
Moments later we learned they’d also paid through the nose for erratic, possibly injured Devil Ray righty Victor Zambrano. All they coughed up in this deal was studly prospect Scott Kazmir and, just for the hell of it, intriguing longshot pitching prospect Joselo Diaz. Along with Zambrano came a cup-of-coffee reliever called Bartolome Fortunato, who was assigned to Norfolk.
Comings and Goings
Onto the disabled list: Karim Garcia 20. Off it: Orber Moreno 49. Designated for assignment: Ice Williams 21. Rescued from oblivion: Tom Wilson 6.
Welcome Home
Jose Reyes finally returned to the Mets. To make room for him the team designated catcher Tom Wilson for assignment, leaving the team temporarily with two catchers and six outfielders and importantly, freeing up uniform No. 6 for another issue. Reyes looked great in 7, hustling in one run and tripling to set up the gamewinner.
In another move the Mets once again sent Pedro Feliciano 55 back to Norfolk before seeing any action in New York. That Feliciano’s replacement, Jose Parra, saw action in his first opportunity probably didn’t make the return trip any sweeter for Pedro. Parra, a veteran righthanded reliever who was closing in Norfolk, suited up in the dreaded No. 46.