On the Mets beat

Just finished up the Mets' conference call with GM Omar Minaya and he did have a few interesting revelations about the final hours before today's 4 p.m. non-waiver trade deadline.

-- Minaya said he spoke with Red Sox GM Theo Epstein about Manny Ramirez, but the talks never escalated to anything serious. Bottom line: the Mets couldn't provide Boston with the run-producing outfielder the Sox needed to try and fill the void left by Manny's departure. Bay is hardly a replacement for Manny. But evidently he was better than what Minaya was prepared to offer.

"I won’t say I was surpised because I knew he was in the market," Minaya said of the Ramirez deal. "But I just thought, in the end, they just really wanted to move him. They got Jason Bay so they got a guy that’s going to help them right away. We couldn’t give them a guy that was going to help them right away."

-- Minaya also discussed Bay with the Pirates. But again, the prices in young talent, such as Fernando Martinez, Jon Niese, Eddie Kunz and Robert Parnell, were just too high for Minaya.

"We did talk to them a little bit about that," Minaya said. "But they did say that they were looking very premium-plus prospects."

-- As for the uncertainty of going forward with the shaky status of John Maine (rotator cuff strain), Ryan Church (post-concussion symptoms) and Pedro Martinez (assorted ailments), Minaya sounded like he was keeping his fingers crossed -- and hoping that help would make it through the waiver wire.

"I just think that we didn’t do something because you can’t force trades," Minaya said. "If the fit is not there, you just can’t force it. We hope these guys are going to be OK. We don’t know that. But the fact of the matter is there was no starters out there on the marketplace there that were available really. And the position players that were available, some of them we didn’t particularly care for. With some, we did like them, but they were rentals and we were not going to trade two of our premium prospects or more for rental players."

Relax. The deadline has passed.

This just in from the Mets:

RHP Brandon Knight has cleared waivers and was outrighted to New Orleans. He was placed on the Temporary Inactive List while he joins the US Olympic Team.

Hey, it's something, right? Maybe he won't have those opening night jitters the next time out.

Don't hold your breath for any late announcements from the Mets. A team official just informed me that nothing got done in the final minutes.

No trades today for the Mets.

Well, there's always the Aug. 31 deadline. Only now the players in question must pass through waivers first.

Stay tuned. We'll bring you GM Omar Minaya's comments from a 5 p.m. conference call.

Here we are inside the final hour and the Mets are still working hard on acquiring a relief pitcher -- their primary focus with just over 45 minutes left before the 4 p.m. deadline. Just spoke to a baseball official who said GM Omar Minaya is going to take this down to the wire and one of the most recent names to surface, as reported by SI.com, is the Nationals' Luis Ayala.

The Mets haven't thrown in the towel yet ...

Bummed out that Manny appears headed to the Marlins?

Dejected that Ken Griffey Jr. is getting shipped to the White Sox?

Don't worry. The Mets still have 5 1/2 hours (and ticking) to swing a deal before this afternoon's 4 p.m. non-waiver trade deadline, but brace yourself for the possibility that it might pass without an addition to the roster.

Will that make or break the Mets as they push for a playoff berth over these next two months? I'd say no. Is Raul Ibanez in leftfield going to be the difference in September? Arthur Rhodes? I don't think so. As long as Ryan Church makes it back at some point later next week -- and he looked good during BP yesterday -- the Mets can survive in leftfield with some variation of Fernando Tatis, Endy Chavez, Marlon Anderson, Nick Evans, etc.

Despite team officials expressing skepticism about a trade late last night, we'll keep you posted from here with updates. In the meantime, don't get too upset over Mike Pelfrey's return to Earth against the Marlins. His 7-0 streak was bound to end at some point.

Marcus Henry is back for another night on the blog. Mike Pelfrey takes on Josh Johnson of the Marlins as the Mets look to increase their lead over the Phillies and Marlins in the NL East.

Mets (58-49) at Florida Marlins (56-51), 7:10 p.m.

Starters: Mike Pelfrey (9-6, 3.67) for the Mets and Josh Johnson (0-0, 3.71) for the Marlins.

Last starts: Mike Pelfrey has arrived. Pelfrey, who hasn't lost a decision since a May 26 setback against the Marlins, stifled the St. Louis Cardinals in his last start on July 25th (7IP, 7H, 1R, 5K). It wasn't a great start against the Marlins, however, as Pelfrey was battered for six runs (4 earned) and four walks in four innings pitched. But that was too long ago to be at the forefront of Pelfrey's mind.

Don't let Josh Johnson's 0-0 record fool you. He was on the 60-day DL earlier this season and has only made three starts. The Marlins are 3-0 in his starts. His latest start was on July 25th, a 3-2 win over the Cubs. Johnson got a no decision, but he allowed just two runs in 5 1/3 innings. He's given up 7 runs in 17 innings this season for a 3.71 ERA.

Good times, bad times: Good times: The Mets, winners of 16 of their last 21 games, are still hot. The pitching, the role players and most importantly, a key player like Carlos Delgado is tearing the cover off the ball. The bad: John Maine's MRI didn't reveal any serious damage, but you have to wonder if this could be the start of something bad. Rotator cuff injuries are tricky. If Pedro Martinez doesn't come back strong, things could get dicey.

Top 1st: Jose Reyes singled to centerfield to lead off the game. Argenis Reyes singled through the vacated hole at shortstop. Jose Reyes, who was moving on the pitch, advanced to third. David Wright bounced into a 6-4-3 double play, scoring Jose Reyes. Argenis Reyes was forced at second. The Mets lead 1-0. Carlos Delgado grounded out to first for the final out.
Mets 1, Marlins 0

Bottom 1st: Hanley Ramirez grounded out to second on the first pitch. Hermida grounded out to third for the second out on a nice scoop by Delgado.Jorge Cantu struck out swinging to end the inning.
Mets 1, Marlins 0

Top 2nd: Carlos Beltran walked on four pitches. Fernando Tatis popped out to shortstop. Marlon Anderson singled to leftfield. Beltran moved to second. Brian Schneider grounded into a 1-6-3 double play to end the inning.
Mets 1, Marlins 0

Bottom 2nd: Josh Willingham struck out swinging. Dan Uggla lined a single to centerfield. Former Met Mike Jacobs doubled to center field, but Uggla was thrown out at the plate trying to score from first on a great relay throw by Jose Reyes. Cody Ross flied out to centerfield to end the inning.
Mets 1, Marlins 0

Top 3rd: Mike Pelfrey grounded out to second. Jose Reyes singled to right. Argenis Reyes lined into a 5-3 double play to end the inning. It's the third double play of the game for the Mets.
Mets 1, Marlins 0

Bottom 3rd: John Baker grounded out to third. Josh Johnson lined out to centerfield for the second out. Ramirez grounded out to shortstop to end the innning. Pelfrey has thrown 36 pitches through three innings.
Mets 1, Marlins 0

Top 4th: Wright grounded out to first. Delgado grounded out to Uggla, who was playing in short rightfield. Beltran grounded out to shortstop to end the inning.
Mets 1, Marlins 0

Bottom 4th: Hermida tripled down the rightfield line to lead off the inning. Cantu singled to short centerfield, scoring Hermida to tie the score at 1. Willingham singled to leftfield. Cantu moved to second. Two on and no out. Mets pitching coach Dan Warthen visited Pelfrey. Uggla struck out swinging for the first out. Jacobs flied out to leftfield for the second out. Ross tripled to rightfield, scoring Willingham and Cantu. Marlins lead 3-1. Baker doubled to deep centerfield, scoring Ross. Marlins lead 4-1. Pitcher Josh Johnson doubled to leftcenterfield, scoring Baker. Marlins lead 5-1. That's three straight extra-base hits for the Marlins. Ramirez grounded out to second to end the inning.
Marlins 5, Mets 1

Top 5th: Tatis flied out to left centerfield. Anderson grounded out to second for the second out. Schneider singled to left. Evans, pinch-hitting for Pelfrey, grounded out to first for the final out.
Marlins 5, Mets 1

Bottom 5th: Carlos Muniz is in to pitch for the Mets. Pelfrey's line: 4IP, 8H, 5R, 3K. Hermida grounded out to first. Cantu struck out for the second out. Willingham doubled off the leftfield wall. Uggla struck out swinging.
Marlins 5, Mets 1

Top 6th: Jose Reyes walked to lead off the inning. Reyes moved to second on a wild pitch. Argenis Reyes grounded out to shortstop. Jose Reyes stayed at second base. Wright grounded out to shortstop. Jose Reyes stayed at second. Delgado fouled out to third for the final out.
Marlins 5, Mets 1

Bottom 6th: Jacobs struck out swinging. Ross flied out to deep left. Baker struck out swinging to end the inning.
Marlins 5, Mets 1

Top 7th: Beltran struck out looking. Tatis grounded a single to leftfield. Anderson lined a single to leftfield. Tatis moved to second. Schneider struck out looking for the second out. Damion Easley stroked a three-run homer to leftfield, scoring Tatis and Anderson to cut Florida's lead to 5-4. Reyes fouled out to first for the final out.
Marlins 5, Mets 4

Bottom 7th: Duaner Sanchez is pitching for Muniz. Luis Gonzalez, hitting for Josh Johnson, grounded out to the pitcher. Ramirez flied out to rightfield for the second out. Hermida singled to right. Cantu flied out to left to end the inning.
Marlins 5, Mets 4

Top 8th: Joe Nelson is pitching for Florida. Argenis Reyes struck out swinging. Wright struck out swinging. Delgado flied out to deep center to end the inning.
Marlins 5, Mets 4

Bottom 8th: Joe Smith is pitching for the Mets. Willingham walked.
Uggla hit a two-run homer to left to give the Marlins a 7-4 lead. Alfredo Amezaga lined out to first. Ross walked. Pedro Feliciano is in to pitch for Smith. Baker struck out swinging for the second out. Wes Helms, pinch-hitting for Nelson, grounded out to third to end the inning.
Marlins 7, Mets 4

Top 9th: Kevin Gregg is into close for the Marlins. Beltran struck out swinging. Tatis struck out swinging. Anderson reached on an infield single to third. Schneider singled to short centerfield. Ramon Castro, pinch hitting, singled to leftfield, scoring Anderson to cut Florida's lead to 7-5. Schneider moved to second. Jose Reyes flied out to left to end the game.
Final score: Marlins 7, Mets 5

Mets drop the final game of this three-game set. Pelfrey (9-7) takes the loss and Johnson (1-0) gets the win. The Mets fall to 58-50 and Florida improves to 57-51. The Mets travel to Houston on for a three-game set that begins Friday. Pedro Martinez is set to take on Brandon Backe.

JReyes (ss)
AReyes (2b)
Wright (3b)
Delgado (1b)
Beltran (cf)
Tatis (rf)
Anderson (lf)
Schneider (c)
Pelfrey (rhp)

I'd like to believe the Mets when they say John Maine has a "mild strain" of his rotator cuff and his status is day-to-day. Manager Jerry Manuel even refused to rule out Maine starting on Sunday in Houston.

But last night, when I chatted with Pedro Martinez about it, he was not as optimistic about the diagnosis.

Martinez knows something about rotator cuffs now after the extensive surgery on his right shoulder following the 2006 season. And as he described his own history of rotator-cuff issues, which first surfaced during the 1998 ALDS against the the Indians, his initial reaction sounded a lot like what John Maine said Monday night.Or as Pedro said in today's story, "That's how it starts."

After leaving Monday's game in the fifth inning, Maine said the pain in the back of his shoulder, which had been troubling him all week, was something that he had never felt before. That's exactly how Martinez described it, too, recalling how he first experienced it long ago in 1998.

The good news is that rotator-cuff injuries are manageable -- depending on the severity, of course. But Martinez said the only real treatment is to strengthen the area around the rotator cuff to take the burden off the cuff itself. That takes time, however. Martinez was encouraged by the fact that the Mets pulled Maine early and he's young at 26. Maine also doesn't have the same pressure to carry this team as Martinez did in those years with the Red Sox.

In more upbeat news, Oliver Perez and Aaron Heilman shut down the Marlins last night and Carlos Delgado did what he usually does -- smack a two-run homer to ice it. Ryan Church also seemed encouraged by yesterday's indoor batting practice session and he plans to repeat it outside today -- weather permitting.

That makes GM Omar Minaya feel a little better if he can't get any more outfield help on the trade front, though manager Jerry Manuel still sounded worried because the Mets remain in uncharted territory with Church's post-concussion symptoms.

(Thanks to eorthopod.com for the image).

Good evening everyone. Marc Jimenez here as the Mets look to bounce back from a disappointing 7-3 loss Monday night as they play the middle game of a three-game series with the Florida Marlins (56-50). Oliver Perez (6-6, 4.15 ERA) will be on the hill for the Mets (57-49). He has pitched well as of late but has not won in a month. In his last start, he allowed just a run while striking out a season-high 12 in 7 2/3 innings in the Mets’ 3-1 win against Philadelphia on Thursday. Scott Olsen (6-5, 4.07), who surrendered six runs in six innings in a 6-3 loss to the Cubs on Thursday, will be going for the Marlins.

Will be back after the Mets bat.

By the way, if you have not heard, Angels get Mark Teixeira from the Braves.

Top 1st: The Mets started the game with three straight doubles, but got just one run. Reyes tried to stretch his two-bagger into a triple and was thrown out. (Gotta love the effort though.) Two batters later, Wright doubled in Evans. After that, Delgado struck out and Beltran flied out. Mets 1, Marlins 0.

Bottom 1st: Perez was cruising to an easy inning after striking out Ramirez on three pitches and getting Hermida to line out to Beltran -- who made a nice lunging catch -- but then Ollie gave up back-to-back doubles as Willingham plated Cantu. Mets 1, Marlins 1.

Top 2nd: Olson retires the Mets on eight pitches as Tatis, Easley and Castro go down.

Bottom 2nd: Perez allowed the Marlins to clear the pitcher’s spot as he issued a two-out walk to Hoover. Olsen then grounded out to end the inning.

Top 3rd: Quick inning for the Mets. Perez and Reyes fanned before Evans flied out. Eight in a row retired by Olsen.

Bottom 3rd: 1-2-3 inning for Perez. He fanned Ramirez and Hermida and got Cantu to ground out to Reyes.

Top 4th: Olsen looks like he has settled down after a shaky first. Wright lined out to left and Delgado flied out. After Beltran drew a walk, Tatis popped out to Uggla, who made a nice over-the-head-type catch.

Bottom 4th: Perez isn’t sharp. However, after allowing a walk to Willingham, Ollie got Uggla and Helms to fly out and struck out Ross.

Top 5th: Mets are retired in order. Easley flied out, Castro popped out and Perez grounded out.

Bottom 5th: Perez worked in and out of trouble. After allowing singles to Olsen and Ramirez, Ollie got Hermida to hit into an inning-ending double play.

FYI: An MRI showed John Maine suffered a mild strain in the right rotator cuff. … Also, Angels starter John Lackey has no hit the Red Sox through six innings.

Top 6th: The Mets had the top of the lineup this inning and got a run to retake the lead. Evans reached base with a single, Delgado walked and Beltran had an RBI single. Tatis then reached on a slow come-baker to Olsen -- who couldn’t come up with the ball cleanly -- to load the bases. But Matt Lindstrom came on for Olsen and got Easley to pop out. Mets 2, Marlins 1.

Bottom 6th: Despite not having his best stuff, Perez has really battled. Ollie walked Willingham and gave up a bloop single to Helms, but he got Ross to fly out to end the inning.

FYI: Lackey through 7.

Top 7th: Reyes singled off Lindstrom, who’s hitting 99 on the gun, with two outs and stole second, his 35th swipe on the season. But Evans bid for his third hit came up short as he grounded out

FYI: Lackey through 8.

Bottom 7th: Heilman started the inning and walked two (Amezaga and Ramirez), but he got out of a jam by fanning Hermida and getting Cantu to ground out.

FYI: Pedrioa singled off Lackey with one out in the 9th to break up the no-no. Then Youkilis homered. Angels 6, Red Sox 2.

Top 8th: Delgado belted a two-run homer -- his 23rd on the season and ninth this month. Wright drew a walk off Pinto before the blast. Mets 4, Marlins 1.

Bottom 8th: Heilman struck out the side!

Top 9th: Reyes had a two-out double, his third hit of the game, but the Mets leave him there. Now it’s time for Wagner.

Bottom 9th: Wagner closed this one out with a 1-2-3 inning. He fanned Baker and Ramirez to end the game. Final: Mets 4, Marlins 1.

The Mets still have not released any information on John Maine's stiff right shoulder -- he arrived in NYC for his MRI at roughly 2:30 p.m. -- but Pedro Martinez just began his throwing session in the visitors puddle-strewn bullpen here at Dolphin Stadium. I'll head down to talk to him shortly.

Reyes (ss)
Evans (lf)
Wright (3b)
Delgado (1b)
Beltran (cf)
Tatis (rf)
Easley (2b)
Castro (c)
Perez (lhp)

Hello everyone. Today's Mets live chat with David Lennon will begin at 10 a.m. Please have your questions ready.

Good evening everyone. Marc Jimenez here to take you through tonight’s game as the Mets visit the Florida Marlins. Following Johan Santana’s dominating performance in a 9-1 win over St. Louis on Sunday, the Mets have won 15 of its last 19 games. John Maine (9-7, 4.20 ERA) will try to keep the Mets (57-48) on top of the NL East. In his last start he allowed three runs on six hits with five strikeouts over seven innings in a 6-3 win over Philadelphia on Wednesday. Ricky Nolasco is going for the Marlins (55-50).

Will be back after the Mets bat.

Top 1st: Reyes grounded out on a nice bare-hand play by Cantu. Chavez followed with a single, but Wright and Delgado each popped out to second.

Bottom 1st: Maine had an OK first inning. He allowed a one-out walk to Hermida and a single to Cantu before getting Willingham to pop out and Uggla out on strikes.

Top 2nd: The Mets get two this inning. Beltran singled and scored on a Tatis’ triple (though it should have been a double and an error) and Easley followed with an RBI base hit. Schneider and Maine, who could not get down the bunt, struck out and Reyes flied out. Mets 2, Marlins 0.

Bottom 2nd: After allowing a leadoff single to Jacobs -- who did not run hard out of the box, costing himself a double -- Maine set down the next three.

Top 3rd: Quick inning for the Mets. Delgado reached on an infield single with two outs, but he was thrown out trying to steal second as Beltran had a 1-2 count.

Bottom 3rd: A solid inning for Maine. He allowed a double to Hermida, but on the next play, Hermida made a mistake when he tried to go to third on a ball hit to Reyes. Maine then got Willingham to ground out.

Top 4th: Nolasco is looking much better as he struck out the side: Beltran, Tatis and Schneider. Easley, however, singled before Schneider made the last out.

Bottom 4th: Maine strikes out the side! (Last 6 outs all on strikeouts.)

Top 5th: Nolasco struck out the side again! He fanned Maine and Reyes. Chavez reached on an error by Uggla -- no surprise there -- before Wright went down swinging. (Last 9 outs via the strikeout.)

Bottom 5th: During the first batter Maine faced in the inning, he appeared to have some discomfort. The Mets trainer and Manuel came out, but Maine stayed in the game. Though, on the very first pitch Maine threw to the batter, Baker, he allowed a home run. Maine got Nolasco to fly out then he was lifted in favor of Carlos Muniz. Ramirez followed with a double and Cantu nearly hit a two-run homer before flying out. Maine was charged with a run on four hits with six strikeouts and a walk. Oh, I almost forgot, Wright made a nice catch on a foul pop-up from Hermida. He jumped into the stands and elbowed a fan before making the excellent grab. Mets 2, Marlins 1.

Top 6th: Mets get nothing other than a single by Tatis.

Bottom 6th: Bad inning for the Mets as the Marlins tie the game at 2. Willingham reached as Muniz failed to cover first base and moved to second on a wild pitch before scoring on Ross’ RBI single. Mets 2, Marlins 2.

Top 7th: The Mets got a leadoff walk by Evans (off Pinto) but could not bring him in.

Bottom 7th: Sanchez came on and allowed a one-out infield single to Ramirez before fanning Hermida and getting Cantu to ground out.

Top 8th: The Mets took the lead this inning thanks to some sloppy play by the Marlins. Wright singled and took advantage of the shift being played on Delgado and advanced all the way to third base as Delgado grounded out. Beltran was then intentionally walked. Tatis followed and hit into a taylor-made DP, but Uggla’s throw to first base was wide as Wright scored. Mets 3, Marlins 2.

Bottom 8th: Huge inning for the Marlins as they scored five runs. Joe Smith started and allowed a double to Willingham and an RBI single to Uggla to tie the game at 3. Smith was pulled for Schoeneweis but it didn’t get any better. Helms had a pinch hit single and Ross followed with an RBI base hit to give the Marlins the lead. Baker followed with a bunt single -- though Wright should have made a play. After Amezaga flied out and Ramirez struck out on a 3-2 pitch, the Marlins scored on a wild pitch and added two more on a double by Andino. Marlins 7, Mets 3.

Top 9th: Castro, Anderson and Reyes go down in order. Ugly loss for the Mets. Final: Marlins 7, Mets 3.

Reyes (ss)
Chavez (rf)
Wright (3b)
Delgado (1b)
Beltran (cf)
Tatis (lf)
Easley (2b)
Schneider (c)
Maine (rhp)

Just an idle thought. Not that it really matters to the Mets or their fans, but it is a postscript to the story of their season: Do you suppose Willie Randolph will appear at Yankees Oldtimers Day next Saturday?

Randolph has been quite low-key since his firing by the Mets. He did show up at the All-Star Game in the Bronx but declined to talk to reporters. His name is not on the preliminary list of attendees for the final Oldtimers Day at the Stadium, but the Yankees have been known to come up with a surprise or two.

This is a sensitive issue. Randolph certainly has earned the right to be there. On the other hand, his appearance would completely overshadow the whole event. He will eclipse Don Larsen, Yogi Berra, Rickey Henderson, Paul O'Neill and everyone else because we in the media will be eager to hear what he has to say about the Mets surge under Jerry Manuel.

What do you think? What would you do?

It's getaway day at Shea for the Mets and Cards. Of course, it was getaway day when Albert Pujols put everyone out of their misery in the 14th inning a little over 12 hours ago, so maybe there'll be a lot of free-swinging and a liberal strike zone from Jeff Kellogg.

Kyle Lohse (12-2, 3.35) goes against Johan Santana (8-7, 3.05) today. Wonder if Jerry Manuel will have Santana go a little longer this time.

On with the show in a few.

Top 1: Good recovery by Santana after a leadoff walk, getting Pujols on a 6-4-3 DP. Quick work. 0-0, middle of 1.

Bottom 1: Chavez and Wright each have one-out hits, but Delgado smokes a grounder right to Pujols for a 3-6-3 DP. 0-0, end of 1.

Top 2: More quick work for Santana, with three short fly balls. 0-0, middle of 2.

Bottom 2: Santana prides himself on being a good hitter, but he whiffs on a full count with runners at the corners. Mets are already stranding runners, a nice carryover from last night. 0-0, end of 2.

Top 3: At this rate, Santana won't even break 100 pitches in a complete game. That's eight straight set down now after the game-opening walk. 0-0, middle of 3.

Bottom 3: Mets get two runs, both off the benefit of bad throws by Cards' outfielders. Chavez should have been doubled off on Delgado's liner to center, but Skip Schumacher makes a poor throw. Then, on Beltran's single, Chavez is again dead at the plate, but Ryan Ludwick's throw short-hops Yadier Molina. 2-0 Mets, end of 3.

Top 4: Amazing start for Santana -- 11 straight retired, he's faced the minimum and thrown 33 pitches. 2-0, middle of 4.

Bottom 4: First 1-2-3 inning for Lohse, who is up to 71 pitches. Stark contrast to Santana. 2-0, end of 4.

Top 5: No-hitter's gone, but Santana keeps it under control. Still cruising. 2-0, middle of 5.

Bottom 5: Wright launches one into the bleachers for a 3-run lead, just as the sky starts to darken over Shea. 3-0, end of 5.

Top 6: Santana back to cruise control. Now at 62 pitches through 6. 3-0, middle of 6.

Bottom 6: I'd say the lead is comfortable now -- Mets add 5, two-run HR by Tatis and Castro, and eight hits among 10 batters. Time to beat the raindrops now. 8-0, end of 6.

Top 7: Pujols snaps the shutout, one pitch after Beltran makes one of the best catches in Mets history, robbing Ludwick of a HR in dead center. Right up there with Endy in 06 and Swoboda in 69. 8-1, middle of 7.

Bottom 7: Mets tack on another with Santana delivering his first RBI as a Met. How about his first CG? It has started raining here. 9-0, end of 7.

Top 8: Couple of hits, but Santana gets through the 8th at 98 pitches. Will he get out to finish it?

Bottom 8: Mets go down 1-2-3, and Santana comes out to start the ninth. And lightning strikes nearby as he's warming up. Hurry it up!. 9-1, end of 8.

Top 9: Santana gets the CG, his first in over a year. Mets off to Miami with a win. 9-1, final.

Any thought about keeping Brandon Knight around as a long reliever went out the window when the Saturday night game lasted into Sunday morning. Beause it went 14 innings and the entire bullpen was used--and Aaron Heilman was maybe a little overused--the Mets had to get an arm, fast.

So they designated Knight for assignment, allowing him to join the U.S. Olympic team on its way to Beijing. His start Saturday, which could have resulted in a win had the bullpen held onto a 5-4 lead, will serve as a nice sendoff. Mets players were wishing him well in the clubhouse today.

His spot on the roster has been taken by Willie Collazo, who is probably here for the day because Heilman is unavailable and a few other pitchers probably are tired.

In other pitching news, Jerry Manuel said he plans to speak with Pedro Martinez today and talk about the chance of starting Martinez Friday in Houston. Martinez is on bereavement leave, which is why the club had to tab Knight to start Saturday. Martinez will have to pitch to batters sometime this week, possibly in a simulated game, to get ready.

--Mark Herrmann at Shea Stadium

Today's lineup

J. Reyes SS
Chavez RF
Wright 3B
Delgado 1B
Beltran CF
Tatis LF
Easley 2B
Castro C
Santana P

No one had to tap Aaron Heilman on the shoulder to remind him of the situation. When you're the last one in the bullpen, you know what is required of you. "You pretty much understand," he said after he gave up the decisive two-run home run to Albert Pujols that sent the Mets to a 10-8 14-inning loss against the Cardinals early Sunday morning.

The 14th was Heilman's third inning, which is at least two more innings than he usually throws. But short of sending in Oliver Perez, the starter who was warming up in the 14th, it was Heilman's show. He said he still felt all right in that last inning. "I just didn't execute on that pitch. I left it up," he said.

Pujols sent it even farther up, way into the left-centerfield bleachers. Facing Pujols on a full tank is no fun; trying to get him out with the arrow on "E" is quite another. So there were no recriminations from or about Heilman,

In fact, the eighth of eight Mets pitchers was first on the manager's mind afterward. When Jerry Manuel was asked his impression of the game, he said, "I just have to applaud Aaron for his effort, more than anything else."

Heilman admitted there is no joy in taking one for the team. "Unless you win," he said.
When he was asked if the third definitely was going to be his last inning, no matter what, he grinned and said, "I don't know."

He was clear on one thing. When he came to bat with two outs and nobody on in the 13th, he wasn't thinking about a single. He was swinging for the fences. "You'd better believe it," he said.

Hey, did we miss anything? Time to fire it up!

We'll catch you up in a bit...

Top 4: Is this the same pitcher who started the game? Knight whiffs Albert Pujols on a diving slider, stranding a runner. 4-4, middle of 4.

Bottom 4: Jose Reyes puts the Mets in front with a solo homer on the first pitch of the frame from Piniero. Two doubles and a homer for Reyes now, in four innings. 5-4 Mets, end of 4.

Top 5: Knight hits one and walks one, but he gets out of another jam on Adam Kennedy's grounder to second. He's thrown 97 pitches and may be done -- he's due up fourth in the 5th -- but have to say he did a capable job, especially after the awful first. 5-4, middle of 5.

Bottom 5: Knight is done after 5, and Robinson Cancel stole a base. Really? And they still might win? 5-4, end of 5.

Top 6: Well, so much for that... Carlos Muniz (bad), Pedro Feliciano (good, but brief) and Joe Smith (bad meaning bad, not bad meaning good) pour some gasoline on this one. 8-5, middle of 6.

Bottom 6: Delgado cannot be stopped. A two-run homer, his second of the game and 11th in his last 26 games. Mets inch closer. 8-7, end of 6.

Top 7: Nice recovery by Smith to retire Pujols with a runner on. Mets still in it. 8-7, middle of 7.

Bottom 7: Reyes can't produce more magic, and here comes Sanchez... Might be some more runs on the horizon. 8-7, end of 7.

Top 8: Leadoff double by Rick Ankiel, then nothing for the Cards. Duaner gets it done. Delgado up third this inning. 8-7, middle of 8.

Bottom 8: That was impressive by Kyle McClellan... Strikes out Wright, Delgado and Beltran. Hmm. I'm sure the bottom of the lineup will rally in the 9th. 8-7, end of 8.

Top 9: Scott Schoenweis escapes a jam with a Pujols DP. Six Mets pitchers and they're still a run down. 8-7, middle of 9.

Bottom 9: That was a bit of a shock. Tatis takes all of the park and the ball barely clears Ankiel's glove in center. On to extras! 8-8, end of 9.

Top 10: Wagner comes on (7th pitcher for the Mets) and gets the first 1-2-3 inning of the night. Top of the order up. 8-8, middle of 10.

Bottom 10: Delgado has another chance to be heroic, but it's a 1-6-3 DP to end a good scoring chance. On to extra extras! 8-8, end of 10.

Top 11: Six straight for Wagner. Spasm? What spasm? 8-8, middle of 11.

Bottom 11: That wasn't so great at the bottom of the order. Castro swings at the first pitch as a pinch-hitter and bounces back to the mound. On to the 12th. 8-8, end of 11.

Top 12: Heilman on, the last man out of the pen. Two hits, but Ankiel and Troy Glaus go down. 8-8, middle of 12.

Top 14: No, we're not superstitious here, just had to skip a bit to take care of some other reporting... 2-and-0 counts to Pujols don't usually end well. Neither did this one. Two-run shot, and now the Mets have to rally again. 10-8, middle of 14.

Bottom 14: No rally. 10-8 Cardinals, final.

Jerry Manuel said a little while ago that he will not use Duaner Sanchez in an eighth-inning setup role."I think we have other options, No. 1," the manager said. "No. 2, I'd like to see Duaner's velocity a little better than it is right now."

Sanchez has loaded the bases without retiring anyone in each of his last two outings. Manuel said the velocity issue might be because Sanchez didn't pitch for the better part of two years and might be hitting a wall. Also, after he was hit on the leg in St. Louis, the Mets cut back on the pitcher's conditioning.

"I couldn't do much running," Sanchez said, adding that he is getting back into conditioning as well as throwing long toss sessions. "I'm feeling good."
---Mark Herrmann at Shea Stadium

Tonight's lineup against the Cardinals

J, Reyes SS
Chavez RF
Wright 3B
Delgado 1B
Beltran CF
Tatis LF
Cancel C
A. Reyes 2B
Knight P

The Boston Globe's Dan Shaughnessy says today that the Red Sox are finally done with the antics of Manny Ramirez. Seems that bowing out of Friday's lineup is now being viewed as an act of subordination and there will be more meetings between Manny and the front office in the days ahead.

Ramirez has a no-trade clause, but would he waive it to get out of Boston? The Red Sox also hold a $20-million option on Ramirez for next season, but are they ready to cash out?

All interesting questions. So here's another: Is GM Omar Minaya still a big fan of Ramirez? And would it be possible to get him -- either by Thursday's trade deadline or during the offseason? Just wondering.

The Mets' strategy of waiting until the final minutes of next Thursday's 4 p.m. trade deadline to secure an outfielder seemed like a good plan 24 hours ago.

Now? Not so much.

The Pirates shipped Xavier Nady -- and lefty reliever Damaso Marte! -- to the Yankees late Friday for a total of four prospects. And in the past few hours, the Indians and Dodgers agreed on a deal that sent Casey Blake to LA for two minor-leaguers.

Believe it or not, the Mets weren't too high on either Nady or Marte, or so they were saying after Friday's impressive 7-2 win over the Cardinals. As for Blake, it appears that Cleveland got a pair of decent prospects in return, and probably better than what the Mets had on the table.

Could the Mariners' Raul Ibanez be next? He seems like the guy the Mets have been targeting all along, as we mention in this morning's Newsday, so don't be surprised if they swing a deal for him in the very near future. At this rate, the Mets really can't afford to be patient much longer.

St. Louis (57-47) at the Mets (55-47)

Things are starting to get mighty interesting for the Mets as the look to take on the Cardinals and build on their series win over Philly. The biggest story thus far has got to be the hugely improbable resurgence of Carlos Delgado (see the post below for more info on that) and their equally improbable station atop the NL East. Things to watch out for: Wagner was good, but looked pretty uncomfortable in his last outing. He said, in the post-game interviews, that he was feeling fine but, given Duaner Sanchez's scary outing in game one of the Philly series, he'll definitely be someone to keep an eye on. Fortunately for the Mets, they've got one of their most consistent pitchers on the mound: Mike Pelfrey (aside: is this bizarro season or what?)

Pelfrey (8-6, 3.81 ERA) won six straight starts before earning himself the no-decision against the Reds (six hits over seven innings, but three uncharacteristic home runs). He has seen his ERA shrink from nearly five at the end of May to below three runs per nine. His hasn't lost since May 26 and the last time the Mets lost with him on the mound was on June 5 - a 2-1 squeaker against the Pads. Pelrey, though, proved himself susceptible to the long ball in his last outing and will have to watch out against the big bats of Albert Pujols, Rick Ankiel, Yadier Molina and pretty much every single other person in the lineup.

The Mets will face righty Mitchell Boggs (3-1, 6.59 ERA) - one of the 13 (hmmm) pitchers on the Cards staff. The Mets might have scarred Boggs a bit his last time facing them. The rookie had won three of his first five starts before being steamrolled for 11 runs (10 earned) over six innings on July 3. Boggs was promptly shipped to the minors and recalled on July 21 to work in the crowded 'pen.

Laura Albanese here for the liveblog...

FINAL: 7-2, METS. TWO-GAME LEAD

Top of the ninth
Duaner Sanchez in to pitch. Kennedy lines a single to center and takes second on defensive indifference. Ryan walks. Manuel is already on the phone, no doubt having flashbacks to Tuesday. Mather lines a single to left to load the bases. That's it for Sanchez. PITCHING CHANGE: PEDRO FELICIANO. Schumaker flies out to short, with the infield fly rule in effect. PITCHING CHANGE: AARON HEILMAN. Ludwick flies out to left. Kennedy tags and comes into score while Ryan goes to third. Pujols grounds the ball to Wright, he throws it low, but Delgado picks it out.

Bottom of the eighth
Reyes flies out to right. Chavez grounds a single up the middle for his fourth hit of the day. Wright pops up to third. Delgado flies out to Glaus in shallow left.

Top of the eighth
Joe Smith in to pitch to Ludwick, who hits a little bouncer up to Wright, who barehands it and gets him at first. Pujols strikes out for the third time - really odd considering that he doesn't strike out very often. Ankiel doubles and Glaus walks. Molina chops the ball to second and AReyes takes it to the bag for the force.

Bottom of the seventh
Brad Thompson to pitch. Tatis strikes out looking and Schneider grounds out. OtherReyes...erm...Equally Effective Reyes (for now) hits a solo shot over the rightfield wall. First major league homer. Marlon Anderson hits for Pelfrey and strikes out.

SCORE: 7-1, METS

Top of the seventh
Kennedy grounds out to short on the first pitch. Pinch hitter: Brendan Ryan. Ryan grounds out to short. Miles singles to left and Schumaker flies out to center.

Bottom of the sixth
Reyes plops a single in front of Ludwick in shallow right. Chavez lines a single off the mound that somehow bounces into shallow rightfield. Reyes goes to third and Chavez pulls into second for the shortest double ever. Wright grounds out to third. Delgado stikes out swinging for the second out. Beltran lines out to left.

Top of the sixth
Schumaker grounds out to short. Ludwick singles to rightfield. Pujols strikes out (again!) on a sinking fastball. Ankiel singles to left-center and Ludwick goes to second. Glaus lines the ball back up the middle and Ludwick scores. Ankiel goes to second. Molina grounds out to short.

SCORE: 6-1, METS

Bottom of the fifth
Wright chops a basehit to left for a single. Delgado hits the ball off the scoreboard for a two-run shot. Beltran walks and Tatis strikes out. PITCHING CHANGE: RANDY FLORES. Schneider grounds out to first and Beltran, who was running on the pitch, moves to second. OtherReyes lines a single to center and Beltran scores (if he keeps this up, he'll be promoted to Equally Effective Reyes). Pelfrey lines out to right.

SCORE: 6-0, METS

Top of the fifth
Moline grounds a single past Reyes for a single. Kennedy flies out to left-center. Boggs squares to sacrifice but Pelfrey fields the ball and tosses it to Reyes at second for the out. The relay is late and Boggs is safe at first. Miles strikes out looking on the slider.

Bottom of the fourth
Tatis lines a single to left-center. Schneider follows up with another basehit to put guys on first and second for AReyes. Reyes hits a grounder to Kennedy, who bobbles it to cost the Cards the dp - they get the force at second. Pelfrey lines out to second (runners stay put). Reyes up with two outs...he hits a long fly off the centerfield wall...two runs score and Reyes pulls up with a triple. Chavez hits a grounder to first, it takes a bad hop and Pujols barehands the ball and takes it to the bag for the out.

SCORE: 3-0, METS

Top of the fourth
Pujols pops out to AReyes in shallow right. Ankiel flies out to left. Glaus hits a slow roller to short and Reyes charges and fires to first for the out.

Bottom of the third
Reyes grounds out to first and Chavez lines a single to left. Wright lines a hanging curve to the leftfield corner...Chavez is off running and scores standing up. Delgado flies out and Beltran grounds out to first.

SCORE: 1-0, METS

Top of the third
Adam Kennedy flies out to center and Boggs strikes out. Aaron Miles singles and Pelf hits Schumaker to put guys on first and second. Ludwick gives it a ride to right but Chavez runs down the long fly for the out.

Bottom of the second
Fernando Tatis walks but Schneider grounds into the 4-6-3 dp. OtherReyes walks to bring up Pelfrey, who flies out to center.

Top of the second
Ankiel lines out to rightfield. Troy Glaus pops out to short and Molina strikes out swinging.

Bottom of the first
Reyes grounds out to second. Endy Chavez follows up with a linedrive to right past a diving Adam Kennedy. Wright flies out to right. Chavez steals second without a throw and Delgado draws the walk. Beltran grounds out to first and the Cards get the force at second to end the inning.

Top of the first
Skip Schumaker drills a ball to center but Beltran corrals it for the out. Ryan Ludwick rips a single to left. Albert Pujols strikes out swinging. Ludwick runs during Rick Ankiel's at-bat and gets tossed out at second by Brian Schneider.

Reyes (ss)
Chavez (rf)
Wright (3b)
Delgado (1b)
Beltran (cf)
Tatis (lf)
Schneider (c)
A. Reyes (2b)
Pelfrey (rhp)

It's official: Brandon Knight will start tomorrow vs. St. Louis.

I'm here to give you even more words on everyone's new favorite player. Admit it. You had been using that black No. 21 jersey for a dog blanket back when Delgado was hitting .210. Maybe you already had ripped it into rags for polishing your car. Now, you're clicking on Mets.com and trying to decide on the home white, road gray or ever-popular pinstripes. Heck, get all three.

Forget Raymond. Everybody loves Delgado now. And why not? Yesterday's two-run double in the eighth inning -- with two outs and two strikes BTW -- launched the Mets into sole possession of first place in the National League East. And for all those wondering why Delgado is such a human wrecking ball at the plate over the past month, check out my column in this morning's Newsday.

Mechanics? Video? I think not. Hitting coach Howard Johnson pretty much tells you all you need to know about what flicked the switch in Delgado. (I'll give you a hint -- it happened while you were sleeping on June 17). Along those same lines, here's a not-so-subtle reference Delgado made to Randolph that Johnette Howard included in her column today:

[The resurgence of Perez and Delgado has dovetailed almost perfectly with the firing of Mets manager Willie Randolph and pitching coach Rick Peterson. That's a fact that Delgado didn't miss an unsolicited chance to rub in yesterday when told his on-base percentage for the month of July is .489.

And here's another anecdote I found interesting about Delgado. Remember that treasured hitting diary he keeps on all of his at-bats? Back in February, when he left his home in Puerto Rico for spring training, Delgado forgot the notebook on a kitchen table and thought he had lost the valuable resource. It wasn’t until his wife, Betzaida, returned to the island in June that she discovered the diary.

“We had everything ready to go – baby stuff, suitcases,” Delgado said, “and I guess I didn’t put it in my carryon bag.”

Delgado got it back during the Subway Series at Shea and he’s been dutifully logging entries ever since. “I’m up to May,” he said. Delgado was batting around .215 at that time, so at least he can feel like the worst is finally behind him.

Maybe that's true for the Mets, too. Now that Ollie Perez is unhittable, as Johnette Howard explains in this column, anything seems possible. Don't look for the Phillies to disappear, however. This week was just the latest round in what is becoming a steel cage match between these two teams, who apparently don't like each other very much.

You can subtract Angel Pagan from the Mets' outfield mix for this season. The team just announced that Pagan will have surgery on Tuesday to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder. The operation will be performed by Dr. David Altchek at the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan.

Pagan injured the shoulder on May 7 when he flipped over a retaining wall at Dodger Stadium while making a catch of a foul ball. The Mets were hopeful that he would return after a rehab stint, but Pagan, a switch-hitter, was unable to bat from the right side.

Here's the new Phillies' lineup:

Bruntlett SS
Utley 2B
Burrell LF
Howard 1B
Werth RF
Victorino CF
Feliz 3B
Coste C
Moyer P

Not sure why Rollins was scratched yet.

Jerry Manuel said he wants to give Nick Evans some more at-bats, so he's playing him in leftfield against Jamie Moyer.

My question: Why? Has Evans shown anything after his first game that makes you think he's a starting outfielder in the big leagues?

Brian Stokes is likely to start Saturday for Pedro Martinez.

Here's the lineup for the 12:10 start. It's not raining here at the moment.

Reyes SS
Evans LF
Wright 3B
Delgado 1B
Beltran CF
Tatis RF
Easley 2B
Castro C
Perez P

Usual suspects for the Phillies.

Phillies (54-47) take on the Mets (54-47) for the series and for first place.

It seems like ev