A couple of quick hits from today's 5-4 loss to the Tigers:
-- How's this for an inauspicious start? Oliver Perez nailed a photographer on the knee during his pregame warmups. The pitch sailed over Paul Lo Duca, who never touched it, and scattered the pack of 10 or so photogs camped behind the plate. As soon as they noticed one of their own had been struck, they cleared out, and the day didn't get much better for Perez: 2.0 inn., 5 hits, 4 ER, 1 HR, 18.00 ERA. On a more positive note, Perez did walk only one batter.
-- Lastings Milledge was hit on the right hand by Zach Minor in the sixth inning and the Mets got a brief scare when he left the batter's box clutching his arm. But Milledge stayed in the game and later stroked a single in the eighth. "It's going to be sore tomorrow, but it's all right," Milledge said.
-- Billy Wagner, who is working on a split-fingered changeup, threw only one during the fifth inning. Wagner is developing the pitch to keep hitters off his fastball, and hopes to get more comfortable with it as spring training progresses.Wagner allowed two hits, one run and did not strike out a batter.