METS

SS Jose Reyes
2B Luis Castillo
3B David Wright
CF Carlos Beltran
RF Ryan Church
LF Angel Pagan
1B Marlon Anderson
C Raul Casanova
RH John Maine

Who thinks of starting a game at noon? The clubhouse was open at 8:30 this morning (local), but nearly two hours later there's hardly anybody here.

SportsCenter is on. Scott Schoeneweis is doing a crossword puzzle. Carlos Beltran just walked in and it looks like he still has the flu. John Maine is listening to some [...]

We all know Nelson Figueroa is one of the better Mets' stories of the year. A feel good story. Who doesn't like rooting for the underdog?

However, the simple fact Figueroa is in the rotation means the Mets' rotation is not where they hoped it would be. Figueroa will go against Hiroki Kuroda tonight in LA.

[...]

METS

SS Jose Reyes
RF Ryan Church
3B David Wright
CF Carlos Beltran
LF Moises Alou
1B Carlos Delgado
C Brian Schneider
2B Luis Castillo
RH Nelson Figueroa

NOTE: A late posting on the line-up today as Willie Randolph was waiting for Moises Alou to report. Randolph was considering giving him a day off.

What we saw the last two times from Oliver Perez is what we'll continue to see. There will be a few good games mixed in to keep the tease aspect going, but overall he's still heads-and-tails.

I've posted a new poll asking what the Mets should do with Perez, the assumption, of course, being he's fixable.

No, [...]

Another Oliver Perez start; another bad night. Here's how I wrote it:
LOS ANGELES _ On the bright side, Oliver Perez didn't give up many of those excruciating painful pull-out-your hair walks.
Instead, he settled for giving up those annoying home runs.

Perez gave up three, making for a quicker, less agonizing defeat, 5-1, last night to the [...]

Willie Randolph began the night saying he's not concerned about Oliver Perez. He ended it by saying he's still in the rotation.

Perez cut the walks tonight, but gave up three homers to the Dodgers. I've been calling him heads-or-tails for almost two years now, but more often than not he's landing on his tail.

IN A [...]

METS

SS Jose Reyes
RF Ryan Church
3B David Wright
CF Carlos Beltran
LF Moises Alou
1B Carlos Delgado
C Brian Schneider
2B Luis Castillo
LH Oliver Perez

Los Angeles

SS Rafael Furcal
LF Juan Pierre
RF Matt Kemp
2B Jeff Kent
C Russell Martin
1B James Loney
CF Andruw Jones
3B Blake DeWitt
RH Chad Billingsley

Was talking to one of the Mets the other day and he said the team gets frustrated when Oliver Perez pitches. When he's all over the place the game slows down and there's a lot of standing around in the field. Makes for an ugly game.

He's got such good stuff that he would be [...]

Greetings from one of my least favorite spots on the tour. I'm not a big LA guy.

In a cab now heading to the hotel. Then to the park. I confess liking Dodger Stadium.

Oliver Perez tonight. Considering how bad he was last time, a good start wouldn't be shocking. He is due.

I'll talk to you later.

[...]

This is why the Mets got Johan Santana, to stop losing streaks and to pull the team up after a stinker.

Santana pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the sixth and Ryan Church's heads-up play and throw to nail a runner at third kept the game tied.

The Mets have now won 15 of their last [...]

Willie Randolph said there's not a gag order on pitching coach Rick Peterson talking with the media.

Nonetheless, The Jacket answers every question with instructions to ask public relations. PR guru Jay Horwitz said there is "no edict" for Peterson not to talk. However, The Jacket is the only uniformed member of the organization who [...]

-With Brian Schneider back, the Mets will play with their projected Opening Day line-up for the first time.

-Pedro Martinez, on the DL with a strained left hammy, is throwing off the mound in PSL. No word when he'll face hitters.

-Matt Wise, on the DL with a contusion of the right forearm, should throw in consecutive [...]

METS

SS Jose Reyes
RF Ryan Church
3B David Wright
CF Carlos Beltran
LF Moises Alou
1B Carlos Delgado
C Brian Schneider
2B Luis Castillo
LH Johan Santana

Here's my take on Mike Pelfrey's game yesterday.     PHOTO: REUTERS

PHOENIX _ The Arizona Diamondbacks were still running around the bases and piling up runs when Mike Pelfrey flipped on the video.

As the ugliness of the day played on, Pelfrey watched in frustration in the clubhouse his contribution to arguably his worst game of [...]