The Mets have been quiet in the trade market, and given their recent play and most of the names being thrown around, I’m pretty happy about it.  The Washington Post wrote Sunday about the Mets’ interest in Livan Hernandez (8-8, 5.70 ERA) – yuck.  It doesn’t look like the A’s can trade Barry Zito given their AL West race although the Daily News and others, note that the Mets had a scout on hand to watch him throw.  Will Carroll reports that the Mets and Cardinals have discussed Aaron Heilman (1-3, 4.32) for almost free agent Jason Marquis (12-8, 5.67).  Why?

            However, late on Sunday, or very early Monday on the East Coast, Jayson Stark had a note that the Mets have caught Brian Sabean’s attention with their interest in Jason Schmidt, but have refused to include Lastings Milledge for a rental.  Stark made clear this one was a long shot, but I’m very intrigued.  Meanwhile, in the Bay Area, Giants fans are pissed.  Almost every caller over the weekend to the Giants’ flagship, KNBR, was screaming – in a west coast way – for blood.  Sabean, Felipe Alou and of course, our boy Armando Benitez, are absolutely wearing it.  This might help the Mets.      

            In lighter news, Tsuyoshi Shinjo put together a sensational outfit for the Japanese All-Star game that included red camo wristbands and undershirt, neon batting gloves and shoes, and best of all, a scrolling LED beltbuckle with a message in English for the fans!  The You-Tube clip is brilliant.  Uni-Watch breaks it all down here, scroll down for the article posted on July 27th.   

            In non-Mets news, I can’t believe the Yankees picked up Abreu and Lidle without giving up Philip Hughes.  Big move for the Yankees, but I’m not sure what this does to rest of the market since they paid big money but very little in talent.  Over at BP, Joe Sheehan wrote that “adding a monster OBP to a good lineup should have a non-linear effect on run scoring.”  I’m not sure why that should be if OBP and run scoring are usually linearly related.  It seems like an off-the-cuff comment by a very excited Yankee fan, but maybe there’s research to back it up. 

 

Stars of the Day:

AAA: Tagg Bozied/Dave Williams

AA: Miguel Perez & Matt Lindstrom

A+: -

A: Jon Niese

SSA: Nelson Portillo/Dustin Martin…Jonathan Castillo & Jeremy Mizell/Mark Wright

R (APP): Emmanuel Garcia & Will Bashelor
R (GCL): -

 

Norfolk (AAA - International League)

@ Norfolk 3, Richmond 1

 

            Tagg Bozied’s pinch hit, two-out, two-run HR in the bottom of the ninth capped a three run inning.  While celebrating his last walkoff HR, a grandslam for Portland in 2004, Bozied ruptured his patella tendon.  At last check, his knee was still intact this time round.  Anderson Hernandez had two hits in a 2-4 day while Victor Diaz was 1-3 with a walk that started the Tides rally in the bottom of the ninth.   Lastings Milledge was ejected arguing balls and strikes in the first inning and might have bumped an ump in the process says the Virginian-Pilot. 

            On the bump, Dave Williams was strong in his return from the DL allowing just one hit in five shutout innings.  Steve Schmoll scooped up the win for a scoreless ninth. 

 

Binghamton (AA - Eastern League)

@ Binghamton 4, Harrisburg 0

 

            The B-Mets won their 11th in a row behind Miguel Perez who blanked Harrisburg on four hits over six innings.  He struck out six and walked one.  Matt Lindstrom blew away three in his two innings in a non-save situation. 

            Wilson Batista was the only B-Met with two hits, but Corey Ragsdale did hit his eighth HR in the second inning. 

            The B-Mets are off Monday, but kick back into action Tuesday in New Britain.

 

St. Lucie (A+ - Florida State League)

St. Lucie

 

            Off.  The Floridians host Daytona on Tuesday.

 

Hagerstown (A – South Atlantic League)

@ Hagerstown 4, Asheville 3

 

            Jon Niese fanned six Tourists in five innings for his 11th win of the year, lowering his ERA to 3.34.  He gave up three runs, but only one was earned while inducing 5 groundball outs.  Niese has now won his last three starts in a row, striking out at least six in each outing.

            Fernando Martinez was 2-4 from the top of the Suns order.  Leivi Ventura was 2-2 with a walk, RBI and run scored, while Jesus Gamero continued his recent roll with a double and two runs driven home. 

 

Brooklyn (SSA – New York Penn League)

Brooklyn 3, @ Aberdeen 0 (7 innings)

Brooklyn 3, @ Aberdeen 0 (7 innings)

 

            Nope, not a typo, Brooklyn won a pair by identical 3-0 scores Sunday. 

            In game one, one swing of Dustin Martin’s bat, a three run HR in the top of the third, was more than enough for Nelson Portillo.  Portillo struck out four and walked just one in his six innings.  

            In game two, Jonathan Castillo made his first start of the year for the Cyclones and threw four shutout innings with 5 strikeouts.  Jeremy Mizell vultered the W with two innings of scoreless relief.  The offense scored single runs in the second, fourth and fifth innings.  Mark Wright was 3-3 with his first HR of the year.  Jon Schemmel added a 2-3 evening. 

 

Kingsport Mets (R – Appalachian League)

Kingsport 8, @ Elizabethton 7

 

            The K-Mets scored 5 times in the first, watched as the Twins scored seven unanswered and then evened things with a pair in the eighth, before winning it in extras.  Emmanuel Garcia pushed his average over .300 wit ha 3-6 night from the top of the order.  Will Bashelor bashed a double and a HR in 3-5 afternoon.

            Steven Cheney’s two scoreless innings in the eighth and ninth were enough for the win. 

GCL Mets (R – Gulf Coast League)

GCL Mets

 

            Off.