According to tonight’s broadcast on SNY, relief pitcher Al Reyes was released by the Mets without ever having made an appearance. The Mets signed him in August after he refused an assignment from the Rays.

At this point in time, especially after a day like yesterday where the Mets clearly showed that their bullpen is unreliable and the Mets are willing to use almost any available arm, I cannot imagine anything more embarrassing than being released at this point.

Unless there is some sort of underlying issue of which we are unaware, which is always possible, it’s as if the Mets said to him, “Lately, there is a good shot that a given relief pitcher will enter the game for us and give up at least a run. We’re just confident you’ll give up more than that.” What’s funny is that unless there is that undisclosed issue, there is no real reason to cut him other then perhaps, “You’re so bad, we don’t even want the temptation to pitch you.”

According to the AP, ex-Mets minor leaguer Joseph Petcka has allegedly beat a cat to death in a jealous rage.  Apparently, Petcka was jealous that his then girlfriend, a Sports Illustrated reporter, loved the cat more than she loved him. 

Petcka briefly pitched in the Mets minor league system from 1992-1995.  He never rose above high A level ball.  If you’re curious about his minor league statistics, head over to Baseball-Reference.  Since then he has been an actor, having a small role on “Sex in the City” and appearing in other commercials. 

He is now on trial for aggravated cruelty to animals.

Around two weeks ago, I posted here on Hot Foot describing the curse of Damion Easley.  I noted how he has joined teams that won the previous season yet failed to make the playoffs the following year.  He has played the most games of any active player without making the playoffs. 

Last year, with the Mets on track to the playoffs Easley was punished in two ways: the Mets epic collapse and his season ending ankle injury that would have prevented him from playing in the playoffs barring a record collapse. 

This year the Mets have blown a smaller lead in the division, albeit a smaller one, and Easley is hurt again - though it is a less significant injury. 

Easley injured his right quadriceps, which continue to be tender and prevent him from playing.  On yesterday’s broadcast, Kevin Burkhardt described Easley as being at a point where he still feels the injury in daily activities such as standing up.   

Muscle injuries such as the one Easley has often just take time to recover from and it is possible that he won’t be at 100% for a while. 

So - should the Mets make the playoffs - Easley might not be able to play.  While he has been decent for the Mets at 2B, the Mets do have depth with Argenis Reyes and Luis Castillo both being at similar talent levels as Easley, making Damion expendable. 

Just another episode in the saga that has become ‘The Curse of Damion Easley.’

The Braves have been the Mets’ rival for many a year at this point, and despite the Braves being eliminated from contention, it could come back to bite the Mets.

Every time the Mets play the Braves they  face a juiced up team prepared to blow a crushing loss to a rival amidst another potential postseason miss.  This weekend, the Mets lost two of three to the Braves and face them again for three games beginning on Friday. 

On the other hand, the Phillies have won the first two games in their three game set against the Braves and get to face them again for three games beginning next Monday. 

In short - the Braves will be as central to this race for the playoffs as any other team, other than the Mets, Phillies and Brewers of course. 

Does that bode well for the Mets? Probably not.  So far this season, the Mets are 6-9 against the Braves, despite the Braves having a 67-85 record. 

On the other hand, the Phillies have taken advantage of an uncharacteristically poor Bobby Cox squad.  Thus far the Phillies are 12-2 against the Braves.

There is no doubt in my mind that every game against the Mets is more important to Bobby Cox than most other games, especially when the Braves have the opportunity to play spoiler.  It probably gives the Phillies an upper hand, because the Braves care less about playing the Phillies who are less of a rival.  So? Let’s win tomorrow, go into the Braves series with some momentum and wipe that cigar out of Cox’s mouth and that smirk off his face.   

Plus, my Uncle is a die-hard Braves fan and I don’t want to deal with another winter of e-mails from him heckling us about missing the playoffs and the Braves beating on us. 

Behind the luck of two messianic Mets tube socks, the Mets beat the Nationals 9-7 this afternoon. 

The lucky tube socks began working their magic immediately as Jose Reyes led off the game with a HR.  Also in the first inning, Carlos Delgado did some yard work, hitting his 36th jack of the season.  Other important hits included a Daniel Murphy RBI triple, and two HRs from Carlos Beltran.  Beltran’s HR’s were notable for their line drive quality and the speed in which they traveled outside of the park. 

Brandon Knight was servicable tonight, allowing two runs in five innings.  But naturally, despite bountiful luck from the tube socks, the bullpen just had to make the game interesting.  It took the Mets seven relievers to get the last 12 outs.  

Just imagine how the game would have turned out without the lucky socks, jeez.  

The Mets take on the Nats tomorrow at 7:10 with Johan Santana dueling Tim Redding. 

Ok, we’ve lost two games a row - two of which have been against the Nationals.  In one of those games, we were shutout by Odalis Perez.  ‘Nuff said.   

So it is with much vigor that I can announce that I will be wearing my lucky Mets tube socks tomorrow.  My lucky Mets tube socks have the Mets logo imprinted on them, in addition to having a blue heel and orange sole.  People tend to ask me, “If they are so lucky, why don’t you do the Mets a favor and wear them everyday?”

Well the answer to that is three fold:

1. The more I wear the tube socks the less lucky they become, the longer that they remain dormant luck stores up and they become more effective. 
2. I do not choose when to wear the lucky tube socks, the lucky tube socks choose when to wear me. 
3. General societal rules dictate that I should wash my footwear every once in a while in order to prevent serious odor issues.

The good news it that the tube socks are 2-0 this year, and they haven’t been worn since May 17th against the Yankees when the Mets won 7-4 and won again the next day.  The other time they have donned my size 11 foot was on April 15th against the Braves, which resulted in a five game winning streak. 

But, allow me to clarify something.  I have no control over the tube socks.  The tube socks contain the mystical power and the ability to give the Mets a win.  The tube socks choose when they wear me, not vice-versa.  I am merely the prophet that has been blessed (and cursed?) with the responsibility to bear the weight of such a powerful device.  I am just a tool of the magic - a grunt of the larger picture. 

While I definitely do not believe in any cockamamie magic number jinxes and witchcraft of the sort, the lucky Mets tube socks are the messianic provider of our success, given to us on a faithful day by the committee of baseball gods that includes Dizzy Dean and Willie Mays. 

There has been way too much chatter regarding the magic number that has been posted on Mets Blog.  Sure, I made a post a few days ago here on Hot Foot making a few pokes at the decision, but that was clearly in a facetious manner, and I did not intend for people to seriously believe that if we lose it is all Matt Cerrone’s fault. 

However, the line has been crossed between casual jesting and borderline insanity.  It is getting to the point where people actually believe that Matt Cerrone has caused the Mets to hit this minor skid, not the obvious flaws in the structure of the team. 

But if you do believe in the magic number jinx, how do you know that you’ve got the right jinx?  

Perhaps, the magic number isn’t the jinx - but it is crazed readers and fans that refuse to accept and embrace the magic number that truly curse the Mets.  Wouldn’t that be ironic if the large clan of witch hunters crying to take down the magic number were truly at fault for the Mets’ struggles.  

Or maybe, just maybe - if you’re afraid of really crazy and outlandish ideas turn away now - it is the Mets inability to produce on a consistent basis that causes them to lose.  Now, wouldn’t the be something.  Maybe because it seems like the average high school team has a more consistent bullpen than the Mets is part of the Mets problem.   Or, it could be because we’re counting on the clearly undependable Pedro Martinez to win games down the stretch. 

But all of that logic and reason is absurd, clearly. I’m sure it’s that magic number jinx theory that’s holding the Mets back. 

Loge 13 has been forwarded the prices for various parts of Shea Stadium that will be sold once the season is over.

Among the most interesting parts include:

• Dunkin Donuts Cup in Visitor’s Bullpen: $3,500
• Men’s Bathroom Illuminating Sign - 1st Base Side: $150
• Escalator Directional Sign 2 sided EA2: $750
• Shea Stadium is a Smoke Free Facility Sign: $300
• Gary Carter, Large Double-Sided Banner: $2,000
• 1986 World Championship Flag - $50,000
• Hebrew National Diorama with Mets Logo - 1st Base Side: $300 - $1,750
• Ladies Room Sign: $75

They are selling everything, except I could not find the apple on the list.  I have a tough time imagining much of this gets sold at these prices, but you know if I had a spare $25 thousand to drop, I know the right field foul pole would look wonderful outside my apartment building. . .

Thanks Vines for the wonderful link

According to Adam Rubin’s blog Surfing the Mets, Brian Schneider has been scratched from tonight’s start with what Jerry Manuel called a knee infection. Robinson Cancel will start instead.

Also, according to Rubin, the Mets lost a coin flip today that determined where a potential tie-breaker between the Mets and Phillies would be played. Because they lost the coin-flip, the game will be in Philly.

Well, hopefully Schneider’s injury isn’t serious, especially with the status of Ramon Castro being fairly uncertain. Ordinarily, I wouldn’t mind having Schneider take a day off because I prefer having Castro behind the dish, but I definitely don’t prefer having Cancel back there.

And in regards to the coin flip - hopefully it won’t end up mattering.

Update 5:18 PM:

According to Rubin, Schneider says that there is no infection in the knee, only swelling and he hopes to play tomorrow.