Not So Amazins - MLB

A few random and most likely irrational fun-facts about the now 37-36 New York Mets:

– Only the Giants (45) have hit less home runs than the Mets (46) this season.

– In the first year of a three-year, $36 million contract, the Mets are
paying Oliver Perez $12 million in 2009. So far that’s good enough for
one win. A pretty good win-to-highway-robbery ratio if you can get it.

– While David Wright has whiffed 73 times already this season (on
pace for 163), the Mets have struck out less (394) than any team in the
majors.

– Gary Sheffield, who wasn’t even under contract with the club until April 3, leads the team with just nine home runs.

– Brett Gardner has more hits (5) than the Mets (4) during the first two games of this weekend’s Subway Series.

– Bouyed by the strong play of Omir Santos, Mets catchers have driven in more runs (51) than any other team in the majors.

– And finally, according to Mets Today,
the team currently has approximately $67,675,000 worth of players on
the disabled list. This figure is roughly equal to that of the Twins
payroll, while higher than the Rays, Athletics, Nationals, Pirates,
Padres and Marlins.

You know, the other night, as I watched Fernando Nieve toss six
scoreless innings against the Cardinals and Nick Evans go 2-for-3 with
a home run, it was easy to feel pretty darn good about this pack of
scrappy nobodies. Unfortunately for Mets fans, nearly every underdog
story comes with an expiration date. And after being humbled through
the first two games of this weekend’s interleague series against the
Yankees, I’m afraid we’re left rooting for curdled milk.

PITTSBURGH — The New York Mets will have to dig out of an early-season hole without star first baseman Pete Alonso.

The leading home run hitter in the majors will miss three-to-four weeks with a bone bruise and a sprain in his left wrist.

The Mets placed Alonso on the 10-day injured list Friday, retroactive to June 8. Alonso was hit in the wrist by a 96 mph fastball from Charlie Morton in the first inning of a 7-5 loss to Atlanta on Wednesday.

Alonso traveled to New York for testing on Thursday. X-rays revealed no broken bones, but the Mets will be missing one of the premier power hitters in the game as they try to work their way back into contention in the NL East.

“We got better news than it could have been,” New York manager Buck Showalter said. “So we take that as a positive. It could have been worse.”

New York had lost six straight heading into a three-game series at Pittsburgh that began Friday. Mark Canha started at first for the Mets in the opener. Mark Vientos could also be an option, though Showalter said the coaching staff may have to use its “imagination” in thinking of ways to get by without Alonso.

“I’m not going to say someone has to step up and all that stuff,” Showalter said. “You’ve just got to be who you are.”

Even with Alonso in the lineup, the Mets have struggled to score consistently. New York is 16th in the majors in runs scored.

The team also said Friday that reliever Edwin Uceta had surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee. Uceta initially went on the IL in April with what the team called a sprained left ankle. He is expected to be out for at least an additional eight weeks.

New York recalled infielder Luis Guillorme and left-handed reliever Zach Muckenhirn from Triple-A Syracuse. The Mets sent catcher Tomás Nido to Triple-A and designated reliever Stephen Nogosek for assignment.

Nogosek is 0-1 with a 5.63 ERA in 13 games this season.