On the Mets beat

Expect Pedro Martinez to take the mound Monday, but against the Reds -- not in Brooklyn. The Mets were so impressed by today's 64-pitch bullpen session here in Atlanta that they have now pencilled him in for The Great American Ball Park. The one caveat is waiting to see how he feels tomorrow morning, but you can bet he'll be facing the Reds in his 2007 debut.

"I would love it," Martinez said. "It all depends on how I react tomorrow. It's probably up to them to make the decision where I go and take the next step. If you ask me right now, I believe I'm going to feel good."

Unfortunately, Orlando Hernandez did not feel so good after Thursday's shelling by the Phillies and headed back to New York for a cortisone shot in his sore right foot. It looks like he'll have to skip Tuesday's start, which will then be filled by Oliver Perez, who will get bumped by Martinez.

I was a little skeptical at first about David Wright as the National League MVP, but after what he's done to carry the Mets this year, I can't think of a better choice. It might be tough for him to get enough votes across the country because he's not up there in home run and RBIs, which, as antiquated as it may seem, still count for too much to some writers.

But as someone who has watched Wright on a daily basis, and seen the spotty performances from other Mets this season, I took a closer look at his candidacy in today's Mets Insider.

Also check out Ken Davidoff's column examining the momentum shift from the Mets to the Phillies after this week's four-game sweep.We'll see what the Mets can do about that starting tonight at Turner Field.

I'm sensing more dissatisfaction with Willie Randolph on this blog, but don't kill the manager over using Billy Wagner for two innings in yesterday's gruesome 11-10 loss to the Phillies. Wagner has been pushing to be used in those spots -- much more so than being stuck in non-save situations, which has happened far too often this season.

After the game, there was some back-and-forth about whether Wagner "volunteered" for two-inning duty or was "told" to pitch out of desperation. It's a moot point.To Wagner's credit, he stood up and said it was his job to pitch in that situation. So don't hang Willie for giving him the ball there. After not pitching for five days, Wagner should have had plenty of ammunition. It was his fault for running up his pitch count before falling apart in the ninth.

The concern now is Wagner's availability for the Braves' series. He's out of the mix for tonight's game, and with Mike Pelfrey or Philip Humber starting Saturday, I don't like the Mets' chances of having a lead by the ninth on Saturday. Then again, with Tim Hudson tonight and John Smoltz on Sunday, this is like a "Welcome to the Thunderdome" weekend for the Mets.

After repeated viewings of the smackdown Marlon Anderson put on Tadahito Iguchi last night, I'd have to agree with umpire CB Bucknor. Obviously, players go into second base hard to break up a double play. But I think here is where Anderson went wrong. If you watch the replay closely, Anderson not only has his arms up in a blocking stance -- no problem there -- he pushes Iguchi to knock him down. Check out where Iguchi lands after the collision.

Forget Joe West's convoluted explanation. Anderson did touch the base with his foot. That's indisputable, Joe. Sliding into fielders is no problem either. But pushing them, as Anderson did, is where Rule 6.05 (m) came into play. Tough break for the Mets. No doubt. But the umpires didn't screw up this one.

Guess who's joining the Mets on Friday? Yep, Pedro Martinez, but only for a bullpen session. The plan is for Martinez to throw on the side in Atlanta under the supervision of his personal guru Guy Conti and pitching coach Rick Peterson. If all goes well, expect Martinez to start for Class A Brooklyn at KeySpan Park on Monday , with a likely return to the Mets either Sept. 9 against the Astros or Sept. 10 against the Braves. Both games are at Shea.

In other news, Carlos Beltran was sporting a nasty bruise on his right side -- courtesy of an Adam Eaton fastball on Tuesday -- but he is in the lineup. Postgame X-rays of Beltran's rib cage were negative.

It also looks like Mike Pelfrey will start Saturday against the Braves in the spot vacated by Brian Lawrence. Philip Humber is a possibility, but the Mets are leaning toward Pelfrey, who was limited to 45 pitches in his start Tuesday for Triple-A New Orleans.

Here's tonight's lineup:

Reyes ................. SS
Castillo ................ 2B
Wright .................. 3B
Beltran ................. CF
Alou ..................... LF
Delgado ................ 1B
Lo Duca ................ C
Milledge ................ RF
Perez ................... LHP

Better to be lucky than good, and as this photo indicates, the Mets were neither in last night's 4-2 loss to the Phillies in 10 innings at Citizens Bank Park.

It's only natural to second-guess Willie's use of Guillermo Mota, but really, what were his other choices? In a hitter's park like Citizens Bank, maybe the call was to go with a rested Billy Wagner for two innings and take your chances beyond that. As it turned out, Phillies closer Brett Myers retired six straight before Ryan Howard's walkoff homer, so the Mets didn't do much anyway.

As soon as a few of his teammates noticed that Endy Chavez was in tonight's lineup, they broke out in song.

"En-dy Cha-vez ... I hope you play today," Jose Reyes chimed. "En-dy Cha-vez ... I hope you play today."

The singing continued as the Mets headed out for batting practice, and if Chavez felt a little embarrassed by all the attention, it was worth it all to finally be back after spending nearly three months on the disabled list with a strained left hamstring.

Now that Shawn Green already has lost the rightfielder's job, and Lastings Milledge has looked vulnerable lately, it will be interesting to see how manager Willie Randolph uses Chavez. Randolph insists that he will be part of an outfield rotation at the corner positions, maybe even give Carlos Beltran a breather. But if Chavez gets off to a fast start, there will be a temptation to stick with him over Green and Milledge.

In other news, the Mets are unsure of where Pedro Martinez will make his next start. They refuse to completely rule out Saturday in Atlanta, but that would be a stunning upset. The more likely possibilities are either St. Lucie or Brooklyn, with Double-A Binghamton a more distant third.

Also, Ambiorix Burgos had Tommy John surgery earlier today. Looking back, I guess I was wrong about that trade. After raving about Burgos and his 100-mph fastball during spring training, it appears that GM Omar Minaya whiffed in sending Brian Bannister to the Royals for Burgos. Bannister, who starts tonight against the Tigers, is 10-7 with a 3.28 ERA for the lowly Royals. My bad.

Almost forgot. Brian Lawrence was optioned to Triple-A New Orleans. No surprise there.

After last night's 9-2 loss to the Phillies, Orlando Hernandez was the first one to get his hands on the remote control for the two hanging TVs in the near-empty visitors clubhouse. Apparently, El Duque was uninterested in Pedro Martinez's start for St. Lucie because he only watched a few pitches before settling on the Jean-Claude Van Damme vehicle, "Bloodsport."

Most onlookers recognized Van Damme, but few could place the movie, until Paul Lo Duca wandered out of the trainer's room, peered up at the screen and yelled, "Bloodsport!"

Van Damme -- Frank Dux in the movie -- took a few kicks to the face, a punch or two to the solar plexus and even had some grainy substance thrown into his eyes, which had a blinding effect. In other words, it was only a little more heated than Monday's interactions between David Wright and plate umpire CB Bucknor.

But Wright managed to restrain himself until the end of the eighth inning, when he finally was ejected. It was indicative of the team-wide frustration from a loss the Mets need to get past quick. With three more games against the Phillies, followed by three in Atlanta, this is no time for the Mets to slip into a funk. As Lo Duca said before Monday's game, the slogan for this week should be, "No Mercy."

That's a movie, too, only with Richard Gere and Kim Basinger. Perhaps the Mets should stick with Van Damme for motivational purposes.

A few items of interest before tonight's epic NL East showdown:

-- Paul Lo Duca (hamstring) has been activated and is in the lineup. Luis Castillo (knee) is back, too. But Endy Chavez will have to wait until tomorrow, presumably when Brian Lawrence is sent down to make room.

-- Look for Pedro Martinez to get another minor-league start before making his Mets debut on either Sept. 7 or 8 against the Astros at Shea.

-- Billy Wagner says not to worry about his whole "dead-arm" issue from the weekend. Wagner said he just needed a breather and should be fine for the stretch run. For what it's worth, manager Willie Randolph said that Wagner never mentioned "dead-arm" to him and he was under the assumption that Saturday was just a day off for his closer. Sounds fishy to me.

-- Don't count on Ambiorix Burgos for any relief when rosters expand next weekend. Burgos is headed to New York for more tests after complaining of a sore elbow. Mike Pelfrey also was given an extra day between starts but GM Omar Minaya said he's fine to pitch tomorrow for Triple-A New Orleans.

BTW, Chase Utley returns tonight after a DL stint for a broken hand, courtesy of LI's own John Lannan.

Here's the lineup:

Reyes .................. SS
Castillo ................. 2B
Wright ................... 3B
Beltran .................. CF
Alou ...................... LF
Delgado ................. 1B
Lo Duca ................. C
Green .................... RF
Lawrence ................RHP

I received a few e-mails from readers who were having difficulty posting comments on the blog. Not sure what the problem was, but we have the tech crew checking it out -- OK, web guru Mike Casey -- to see if the glitch can be fixed.

As for the Mets, just wanted to follow up on last Friday's Insider about Moises Alou. I mentioned that Alou, a big racing fan, wears a Smarty Jones T-shirt underneath his jersey. It's not, however, a reference to Alou's own situation and the fact that the great horse retired too early. Alou bought the shirt during the Smarty Jones craze in 2004, wore it during batting practice and has stuck with it ever since.

Paul Lo Duca, aiming to rejoin the Mets on Monday, will begin his rehab assignment tonight at KeySpan Park for Class A Brooklyn against the Oneonta Tigers. Lo Duca has been on the disabled list since Aug. 12 with a strained right hamstring and is eligible to return Monday.

I wonder what could be wrong with Guillermo Mota? What is different about Mota this year than last season? If only there were one thing we could put our finger on ... Hmmm. How did Mota go from being a dominant reliever over the final two months of last season to ordinary -- and even bad -- this year.

Let's take a look at the numbers. Mota had a 6.21 ERA in 34 appearances for Cleveland before the Indians traded him to the Mets on Aug. 20. Practically overnight, Mota pitched to a 1.00 ERA in 18 games for the Mets with 19 strikeouts in 18 innings to finish the season.

Fast forward to the present day, and Mota is looking a lot like that lousy Indians reliever -- 6.38 ERA in 36 games for the Mets. In his last five outings, Mota has allowed 10 earned runs in 5 1/3 innings for a 16.88 ERA during that span.Last night's seventh-inning implosion cost the Mets a chance to rally back against the Padres in a 7-5 loss.

So what could be wrong with Mota? There was that little matter of testing positive for steroids, which was revealed in early November of last year and cost Mota a suspension of 50 games at the start of this season. Hmmm. I wonder ...

There's a polka band on the field right now -- The Ablemen -- and I'm not sure why. The guy with the accordian kind of looks like Buddy Harrelson from up here in the press box. Here's the cover of their new CD. And no, they have not done "Beer Barrel Polka" yet. Somehow these four guys are louder than Styx was last week at PNC Park in Pittsburgh.

Anyway, Paul Lo Duca worked out at Shea today and is awaiting his marching orders for a rehab assignment. Lo Duca said his strained right hamstring is much improved, and in retrospect, he believes the Mets made the correct call by putting him on the disabled list.

"I'm fine to play right now," said Lo Duca, who is eligible to return on Monday. "It did help. I feel really good now."

Same lineup as Tuesday:

Reyes ......... SS
Castillo ....... 2B
Wright ......... 3B
Beltran ........ CF
Delgado ....... 1B
Alou ............ LF
MIlledge ...... RF
DiFelice ....... C
Lawrence ..... RHP

Another uninspiring performance by John Maine last night, but here's the good news: If Pedro Martinez looks halfway decent in his return from shoulder surgery -- he's likely to make his 2007 debut against the Astros (Sept. 7-9) -- the Division Series rotation will be Orlando Hernandez, Tom Glavine and Martinez in that order.

Hard to believe that Maine could be bumped after an All-Star caliber first half, but he's got to pick it up over the next five weeks if he wants to start a first-round game. It's going to be a real competition with Oliver Perez in the mix as well.

Sit in the manager's chair for a second. Do you automatically put Maine in the rotation? Do you feel more comfortable with him rather than Perez in the second round? These are questions that need to be answered in the coming weeks.

Sorry for the diversion, but with Walpole -- my former Little League team -- playing this afternoon against Lake Oswego, Ore., I have to take a minute to wish them luck. Just in case you were vacationing on the moon Friday, and somehow missed this amazing catch, here's the grab by centerfielder Mike Rando that saved Walpole in its first game.

As for the Mets, Damion Easley was placed on the 15-day disabled list with what the team believes is a Grade 3 sprain of his left ankle. Easley is expected to miss the remainder of the season, but the Mets won't know for sure until tomorrow's MRI. Anderson Hernandez is up to take his place on the roster.

Carlos Delgado will take advantage of tomorrow's off day to further rest his hyperextended left knee, but he should be fine for Tuesday. Shawn Green is at first base, Marlon Anderson is in leftfield (for the resting Moises Alou) and Sandy Alomar Jr. is giving Mike DiFelice a break behind the plate.

The Mets placed Ramon Castro on the 15-day disabled list this afternoon because of lower back arthritis, retroactive to Aug. 13, and now have the Zephyrs' catching combo of Mike DiFelice and Sandy Alomar Jr. on the roster.

Castro said he felt worse running on Friday and the condition has not improved much.

"It was the right decision," Castro said. "When I run, I feel it. I can hit, but it's not me."

Even Alomar, who arrived today from New Orleans, was a little banged up recently. He missed a few games earlier this month because of bruised ribs from a collision at the plate in Fresno.The Mets also flew Alomar to Pittsburgh earlier in the week, but sent him back when they were optimistic about Castro.

Carlos Delgado is sitting again -- probably more to give Damion Easley another crack at a lefthander than because of any concern over his hyperextended left knee. Delgado is on the field right now playing catch and is expected to take batting practice. He is likely to return to the lineup tomorrow.

Here's the nine the Mets are sending out to face the Pride of Long Beach, John Lannan.

Reyes .......... SS
Castillo ......... 2B
Wright .......... 3B
Beltran .......... CF
Alou .............. LF
Easley .......... 1B
Milledge ........ RF
DiFelice ........ C
Perez ........... LHP

My apologies for the previous post on Pedro Martinez, which has since been taken down. The Mets made a mistake on their notes for tonight's game and listed Martinez as starting Tuesday in Port St. Lucie. As soon as the media corps reached the clubhouse, however, Mets PR honcho Jay Horwitz pointed out that Martinez had not been switched. to Tuesday. The notes were incorrect.

So, the bottom line is this: Martinez is starting Monday in Port St. Lucie and the plan is still for pitching coach Rick Peterson to be in attendance. For all of you booking flights to see Pedro, I apologize. But if you are going, I hear the new Garden Inn by Hilton is the place to stay in Port St. Lucie. Much better than the Spring Hill Suites.

Here's tonight's lineup.

Reyes ............ SS
Castillo ........... 2B
Wright ............ 3B
Beltran ........... CF
Alou ............... LF
Green ............. RF
Easley ............ 1B
DiFelice .......... C
Glavine ............ LHP

Big night on tap at PNC Park. A sellout crowd is expected and not because of the hotly anticipated duel between Brian Lawrence and Tony Armas. No, Styx is the main attraction. Yep, the creators of Mr. Roboto himself are here to put on a postgame concert and the citizens of Pittsburgh are fired up about it. Can't say I share in that excitement. Was Cheap Trick not available? How about .38 Special?

On the baseball front, no Carlos Delgado tonight. He's still bothered by the hyperextended left knee he suffered in Wednesday's wild 10-8 victory. Ramon Castro (arthritis) hopes to play tomorrow in DC. Also, Lastings Milledge was a late scratch due to what the team described as "flu-like" symptoms.Marlon Anderson takes over in right.

Here's the lineup. Notice Shawn Green is subbing at first base.

Reyes ................ SS
Castillo ............... 2B
Wright ................ 3B
Beltran ............... CF
Alou ................... LF
Green ................. 1B
Anderson ............ RF
DiFelice .............. C
Lawrence ............ RHP

Here's a few paragraphs about the Mets' lineup that didn't stick for the second edition. Seems like Lastings Milledge has won himself some additional playing time at the expense of Shawn Green.

Hoping for a spark, manager Willie Randolph juggled his lineup for last night’s game, elevating David Wright to the No. 3 spot and dropping Beltran to fourth for the first time this season.Since Randolph enjoys discussing the lineup about as much as Karl Rove likes attending Democratic fundraisers, the manager didn’t reveal much about his strategy.

Randolph added another new wrinkle by starting Lastings Milledge in rightfield, which essentially was a benching of Shawn Green with Ian Snell, a righthander, on the mound for the Pirates. That move had been a long time coming. Milledge was batting .429 (12-for-28) with three doubles and four RBI this month, so Randolph could no longer stick with the veteran.

Admittedly, Milledge's defense can be shaky at times, as anyone who witnessed that sideshow act last night in the eighth inning can attest. But the Mets can really benefit from his energy and hustle, which he put on display by busting it for a double in the third inning.

Randolph can no longer deny it. The Mets are a better team with Milledge in the lineup.

*****
On an unrelated note, this week is one of the rare times during the season that I stay in the same hotel as the Mets and I'm amazed at the number of parents -- with young kids -- that stalk the lobby for players at 1 a.m. or later. I don't understand the obsession with autographs and this is really taking it to the extreme. It's fine if you want to stop them in the middle of the afternoon on the way to park or something like that. But letting 8-year-olds patrol a hotel lobby after midnight is bizarre, I'm sorry.

Two interesting wrinkles for tonight's lineup against the Pirates.

-- Carlos Beltran is batting fourth for the first time this season, with David Wright elevated to third.

-- Lastings Milledge is starting over Shawn Green in rightfield against Pirates rigthander Ian Snell.

Could be that manager Willie Randolph has skipped over using a platoon in right and gone straight to installing MIlledge, who is batting .429 (12-for-28) with three doubles and four RBI this month.

Contrary to my earlier prediction, MIke DiFelice is starting tonight behind the plate, and that means Ramon Castro is in worse shape than I thought. Castro had a cortisone shot on Monday, but Randolph said he still is able to play tonight -- in an emergency. They'd rather give him the night off and see how much he improves for tomorrow.

It looks like the Mets will not recall a catcher as insurance for Ramon Castro, who was forced to leave Sunday's game with arthritis in his lower back. The only roster move for later this afternoon will probably involve taking Marlon Anderson off the bereavement list and sending David Newhan to Triple-A New Orleans.

Castro is officially listed as "day-to-day" and that could point to starting MIke DiFelice behind the plate tonight for Orlando Hernandez. My feeling, however, is that Castro will be in the lineup against the Pirates.

Now that NFL training camps are in full swing, the Steelers dominate the news here. Then again, that's a year-round phenomenon in the Steel City, even during the "We Are Family" days at since demolished Three Rivers. To get a sense of where the Steelers rate, there are two life-size figures that stand side-by-side at the airport here on the way to the baggage claim. One is Franco Harris, making the "Immaculate Reception" and the other is George Washington.

I'm a little surprised by that. Going with the father of our country over Terry Bradshaw or Lynn Swann? Somebody screwed up.

Running a few errands today before heading to Pittsburgh, but I was listening to WFAN and have to check in with a random thought. Enough with saying Carlos Beltran should have caught Hanley Ramirez's fly ball and saved Billy Wagner on Friday night.

I'm hearing Joe Benigno go on and on about how he should have reeled that ball in. I don't know if Joe was there or not, but I was, and that ball was absolutely crushed. It was not a fly ball. It was a line-drive rocket straight over Beltran's head, the most difficult play possible for a centerfielder. Not to mention Beltran had just missed 16 days with a strained oblique muscle and that was his first game back on a rainy and unseasonably cold night.

I'm not in the habit of making excuses for Beltran -- he's had a down year after last year's MVP caliber season -- but lay off him on this one.

About 90 second after I sent that first blog entry, Mets PR deputy Ethan Wilson strolls by and announces Beltran is a go for tonight. Surprising. He'll be in centerfield and bat third -- naturally.

It's 58 degrees and breezy here, so the Mets better keep their fingers crossed.

A little lineup intrigue this evening. The Mets still have not decided if Carlos Beltran will be activated from the disabled list for tonight's game, despite a lengthy conversation with GM Omar Minaya and manager Willie Randolph. Around 5:45 it looked like Beltran would get the green light when a misguided clubbie slid his nameplate into the No. 3 spot in the lineup. That appeared to be premature, however, and Randolph was not pleased when he noticed what had been done.

I don't understand what the rush is to activate Beltran on a cold and rainy night. Sounds risky for a guy trying to come back from a strained oblique muscle, even if it doesn't involve his legs. The Mets said it will be a game time decision, so stay tuned.

Just a quick update before heading to rainy Shea in a few minutes. Made a trip out to the Melville home office this morning, and during the visit, had a conversation with my sports editor, Hank Winnicki, about the Mets' "on-and-off" approach to this season. Hank mentioned that the Mets had the look of a team that believed it could flick the switch whenever it wanted to, as they did at times during the Braves series. But I'm not sure -- with the number of injuries they've sustained -- the Mets are good enough to have that attitude.

This is a team that really has been operating at less than full strength since mid-May, but it says something that the Mets still have stayed atop the division and have the best record -- by a single percentage point over the Diamondbacks -- in the National League.

Forget about Thursday's late comeback. That came against Tyler Yates. I found it disturbing that the Braves really outplayed the Mets in a few different areas. They outfoxed them -- Tim Hudson's safety squeeze -- outhustled them and definitely overpowered them. When Oliver Perez and John Maine fall flat, as they did in the two losses, the Mets wind up in serious trouble.

That's not to say the Braves are better. I still think the Mets have the edge, and they were missing Carlos Beltran for the series. That can't be overlooked. Atlanta just seemed more determined throughout, more hell-bent on making a statement, and the Braves left town feeling they did. If only the rest of the Mets stuck around long enough after yesterday's game to vent some of the frustration David Wright showed, I'd feel more comfortable believing this team as a whole was angered by losing a fourth straight series to their bitter rival.

Billy Wagner rolled in this morning with his white Texas Longhorns cap on backwards and looked a little worn out. Despite escaping Wednesday's bases-loaded, none-out jam, Wagner was still taking it hard as only he can. When a reporter joked, "I didn't know you were that good." Wagner replied, "That was funny yesterday."

He was kidding. I think. In addition to being a top-tier closer, you won't find a more stand-up guy in the majors than Wagner. That makes him a perfect fit for New York and the Mets are getting their money's worth with that that signing.

Here's an interesting question: Does Pedro Martinez even make the postseason rotation? Martinez should be healthy enough to pitch in September, but at this rate, there's no way he would bounce any of the current starters -- without a significant injury or two. Strictly on performance, the top three, in order, are John Maine, Orlando Hernandez and Oliver Perez. Obviously, there's no way the Mets would snub Mr. 300 Tom Glavine in the first round, but it's an interesting debate with the playoffs only seven weeks away.

Lastings Milledge gets the afternoon off today and no, Beltran isn't back. I wouldn't rule out this weekend, though. Marlon Anderson is in centerfield.The rest of the lineup is pretty standard.

Reyes ...... SS
Castillo ..... 2B
Wright ...... 3B
Delgado .... 1B
Alou .......... LF
Green ....... RF
Castro ...... C
Anderson .. CF
Maine ....... RHP

A lot of us aren't excited about Barry Bonds breaking the home run record, but Willie Randolph is.
“It’s tremendous,” he said. “It was unbelievable to watch him attain such an unbelievable feat. I’ve known Barry a long time, since he was a kid, and it was nice to see he and his family enjoy something like that.”
Here's a question for Mets fans: Would you rather see Bonds keep the record forever or A-Rod break it in a Yankees uniform?

Carlos Beltran looks iffy at best for Thursday, which is the first day he is eligible to come off the disabled list. Beltran took some soft-toss swings this afternoon for the first time since straining his left oblique muscle on July 25, but said he was more just "feeling for the ball" than actually hitting. He estimated his readiness at about 75 percent batting from the left side and 50 from the right.

"If I don't feel I can play Thursday, I want to take a little more time," Beltran said. "I don't want to aggravate the oblique. I don't need to be 100 percent. At 85-90 percent I'll be good to play."

If Beltran continues to improve, he anticipates that he could at least pinch hit or play against righthanded starters. It's more likely, however, that the Mets would wait until he is closer to 100 percent from both sides before activating him.

Just in case you don't get enough of Wright during those ads for MLB 07:The Show or Fathead, here's another spot to look for during the Aug 8 broadcast of FX's "Rescue Me." Wright plays the role of a delivery man at a New York firehouse. As part of the promotion, Vitaminwater will donate $500 for every one of his homers to the David Wright Foundation, which will benefit New York City firefighters. Here's a photo from the filming.

Here's an eclectic list of sports figures sending their congrats to Tom Glavine on No. 300. Got to love Bobby Orr and Wayne Gretzky checking in. Who's your favorite?

BILL BELICHICK
“On behalf of your favorite NFL team the New England Patriots, congratulations on your incredible career and your 300th victory.”

STEVE CARLTON
“Congratulations, welcome to the 300 Club, and I’m looking forward to seeing you in the Hall. I’m sure this will lead to that eventuality - so congratulations once again.”

BOBBY COX
“Tommy, congratulations on number 300. I can’t think of anybody more deserving, anybody tougher than you’ve been throughout your entire career. And I can only think of the big game you pitched for us in our World Series championship year here in Atlanta in 1995; Game Six of the World Series, a 1-0 shutout. You’ve always been a big part of the Braves history and now you’re making history with the New York Mets.”

WAYNE GRETZKY
“Congratulations on your 300th win. I’m so very proud of you and I want the people of New York to know and baseball fans across America to realize that you were drafted ahead of Brett Hull and Luke Robitaille. Had you chosen hockey maybe in 1993 the Kings would have won the Stanley Cup. You were the missing link. Congratulations!”

PEDRO MARTINEZ
"I can't tell you how happy I have been to be Tom Glavine's teammate the last three years. He represents all that is good about baseball. He is a tremendous human being. I'm proud that I have won 200 games and to think he has won 300 games - WOW - that is an amazing accomplishment."

LEO MAZZONE
“You never forgot that little voice whispering in your ear telling you never to give in. And you haven’t given in for 300 of them buddy. It was my privilege to be your pitching coach for a long, long, long time. I don’t think anyone else in major league history is going to win 300 anymore. It’s a testament to your talent and your mental toughness and I’m real proud of you, thanks for making me look real smart.”

BOBBY ORR
“I just wanted to congratulate you on your 300th victory. I would have loved to have seen you in our game; you would have been a great teammate. Everyone here in New England is very proud of you. So again, congratulations, enjoy your day, and I’m proud to call you a friend.”

GAYLORD PERRY
“Congratulations for being in the 300 club, we expect many more wins.”

MIKE PIAZZA
“Congratulations on your 300th win. It’s an incredible milestone, you should be very proud. Congratulations buddy.”

TOM SEAVER
“Well Mr. Glavine, welcome to the 300 Club. It’s a very select group. It’s a measure of excellence over a long period of time. I’m proud to have you in that group and I think number 310 might be a good time to call it quits.”

ALLEN H. (BUD) SELIG
“On behalf of Major League Baseball, I congratulate you on becoming the 23rd pitcher in baseball history to reach the 300 career wins milestone. You join many of the greatest pitchers who have ever lived in achieving this increasingly rare feat. It has been a pleasure to watch your outstanding career unfold. You have won with professionalism and class, and your devotion to our national pastime is an example for all of your peers. I personally have known your great dedication and am very proud of your contributions to the game on and off the field.”

DON SUTTON
“I feel like I owe you an apology. I remember when I first saw you pitch and I got to know you a little bit I said this man is going to win 200 games, sorry I shortchanged you. I always kind of felt a special affection for you, kind of like a little brother. I want you to share it with the teammates and the friends who have never wavered in the support of your goal and their belief that this definitely was a worthy goal and you were going to get it. I hope when things slow down just a little bit you pull up a chair in a quite corner and pour yourself something good from Napa Valley, I know you have some of it and then pat yourself on the back because you did it the hard way. You had to work; you had to be a pitcher. You didn’t throw 99 miles an hour, but you mastered the art of pitching. I couldn’t be happier for anyone I have ever known in the game.”

JOHN SMOLTZ
“Well we’ve been locker mates for a long time, 16 years, and we play golf together. We were able to see each other at our worst and best moments in baseball, and got to see the side that nobody else got to see. I have seen you through some of the toughest times and watched you persevere on and off the field. Congratulations Tommy on win number 300. Your perseverance, your workouts, your dedication has allowed you to get to this point. You are part of an elite group. You’re headed to Hall of Fame.”

CHARLIE WEIS
“As you reach this milestone 300th win, I’m reflecting a little bit about all those times you were pitching for the Braves against the Yankees in the World Series and now with the Mets. In the rest of baseball history, it will be very seldom that this milestone will be reached. On behalf of everyone here at Notre Dame and all the people from Massachusetts, from my days with the Pats, I just want to congratulate you and tell you how proud we are for you to have accomplished this feat. Congrats to you and your family and we wish you nothing but the best.”

Kudos to the Chicago Tribune's Scott Strazzante for this great photo of the pivotal call in the Mets' 6-2 loss to the Cubs yesterday at Wrigley Field. And you know what? It's still impossible to tell if Ryan Theriot was safe (as Marty Foster saw it) or out (as the Mets did). Unfortunately, they cropped the base out of the photo for the on-line version (Tribune Co.protecting its Cubbies, perhaps?). But trust me, Theriot hasn't touched it yet.You can read about the impact of that play in the gory details of John Maine's brutal third-inning meltdown.

The Mets would love to sign Carlos Zambrano this winter, whatever the cost, but it seems the Cubs ace loves Chicago. That's what he says now, anyway. Let's see what happens in a few months.

Oh yeah, almost forgot. Tom Glavine has a big game tonight.

No Paul LoDuca today and the catcher didn't seem too thrilled about sitting again. When asked why he wasn't playing, Lo Duca pointed to the manager's office and said, "Go ask him." Everyone through he was joking, but Lo Duca added, "I'm serious."

So we asked Willie Randolph.

"He's not ready," the manager said. "I don't want to have my No. 1 catcher not be 100 percent. I appreciate that he wants to play. But as manager I have to be smarter than react to the will of a player. I have to think about the big picture."

Randolph also had the initials BR on the side of his hat to honor his friend and mentor, Bill Robinson, who was buried this morning in Washington Township, N.J. The two were teammates when Randolph was called up to the Pirates.

"He was a brother of mine," Randolph said. "He took me under his wing during the 'We Are Family' days."

Here's the lineup (notice that Luis Castillo and Moises Alou are back). Don't look now, but it looks like Randolph has gone to a platoon in RF. Green hasn't played against the two lefthanded starters during this road trip.

Reyes .......... SS
Castillo ..........2B
Wright ...........3B
Delgado ........ 1B
Alou ..............LF
Easley .......... RF
Castro .......... C
Milledge ........ CF
Maine ........... RHP

Picked this title in honor of Eddie Vedder, who threw out the ceremonial first pitch. The lyric was the closest I could get to the Mets' patchwork lineup, which is without Luis Castillo, Moises Alou and Paul Lo Duca.

Both Castillo and Alou were scheduled to play this afternoon. But roughly an hour later, manager Willie Randolph revealed a different lineup, with David Newhan in leftfield and Ruben Gotay at second base.

Randolph denied these were "changes" but I'm not sure what you could characterize them as. He also claimed that neither Castillo not Alou were hurt, but neither appears to be in very good shape at the moment. Castillo claims that he's OK, but after Thursday's 0-for-6 performance, he's 2-for-16 since coming to the Mets. And it's a little unusual to be on the bench only three days after the trade. Very unus