The story of the afternoon for the Mets was leaving runners on base and boneheaded plays on the base paths.  The Mets had nine hits and failed to score a run.

In the first inning, Carlos Beltran was picked off first base with David Wright at the plate.  Wright ended up walking.  In the third inning, Robinson Cancel attempted to steal third with two outs and David Wright at the plate.  Cancel was caught, and made the final out of the inning at third base.

In the fourth, the Mets had the bases loaded with one out, and left all three runners stranded.  In the fifth the Mets loaded the bases again, only to leave all three runners left on base.

The Astros scored all four of their runs off Oliver Perez, who allowed four earned runs in six innings of duty.  Often when Ollie gives up runs it’s because he hurts himself by walking batters and throwing too many pitches.  This afternoon Ollie was just hittable, he did not walk any batters and only struck out three.

In his debut, Eddie Kunz looked extremely nervous.  While he only allowed one hit in his one inning of work, he made a throwing error on a play to first.  Scott Schoenweis and Carlos Muniz worked to pitch a scoreless eighth.

Yes, you read that correctly - the Mets bullpen gave up no runs this afternoon.

On this road trip against the Marlins and Astros, the Mets were 1-5.

Tomorrow, the Mets have a much needed off day and come back home Wednesday for a seven game home stand beginning with the Padres.

After the bullpen blew another game last night, Omar Minaya called up minor league pitcher Eddie Kunz up to the team, according to Adam Rubin at the Daily News.  The Mets drafted Kunz with the 42nd overall pick in the 2007 amateur draft out of Oregon State. 

I hope he helps, and at this point our bullpen definitely needs some reinforcement.  I’m not really afraid of rushing him because he’s a reliever and he came out of college.  He should be getting close to ready, even though his walks scare me. 

However, I’m always skeptical of drafting relievers, it’s something that I’m generally against. 

Update

The Mets have placed John Maine on the DL with shoulder soreness in order to make room for Kunz. 

The Mets lost to the Astros 5-4 in 10 innings tonight. 

Johan Santana executed wonderfully through 6.1 innings tonight, allowing only one run on three hits.  However, the bullpen continued its trend of throwing batting practice.  Scott Schoenweis allowed a run, while recording two outs, and Billy Wagner blew his seventh save of the year in the ninth inning by allowing two runs. 

In the 10th, Aaron Heilman was unable to record an out while putting guys on base, while Pedro Feliciano allowed the winning run in on a sac-fly. 

Duaner Sanchez manged to record the final two outs of the seventh, but his velocity is still worrisome.  His fastball was topping out at 86 MPH, and was saved by a spectacular catch made by rookie LF Dan Murphy.  Murphy caught the ball full flight against the left field wall, and had the presence of mind to throw the ball back in after catch to double Hunter Pence of second base.  In his debut, Murphy was 1-4 with a run scored in addition to the spectacular play in the field. 

The Mets runs were scored on a two run HR by Damion Easley, a Carlos Beltran double and a Carlos Delgado sac-fly.  Beltran was batting in the 2-hole, and rewarded Manuel with the RBI double knocking in Jose Reyes.     

Oliver Perez faces Randy Wolf tomorrow at 2:05 pm, as the Mets look to salvage the final game of this three game series. 

According to Adam Rubin at the Daily News, Mets prospect Dan Murphy is getting called up, after spending only one day at AAA New Orleans. To make room for Murphy, the Mets placed Marlon Anderson on the 15-day DL with hamstring woes.

Perhaps, while he’s on the DL they can also check out his hurting batting average and discombobulation in the field.

A 13th round pick in the 2006 draft for the Mets, Murphy will be batting 6th and starting in left field.  For a full lineup, which includes Carlos Beltran batting 2nd, return to the Daily News.

Added by Rob Harding:

In Addition,

The NYPost is reporting that Jerry Manuel has now anointed Fernando Tatis the starting RIGHT fielder, with the two rookies Nick Evans and Murphy platooning in left. Chavez will go back to being a defensive replacement.

I love Jerry, he knows when to make the moves, as he saw Chavez was clearly being exposed the last two weeks.

The current standings for the NL East are as follows:

Philadelphia Philles : 59 - 49

New York Mets: 58 - 50 (1 game back, 1 loss back)

Florida Marlins: 58 - 51 (1.5 games back, 2 losses back)

With the trade deadline rapidly approaching, I have one main request to Omar Minaya:

Don’t trade Jon Niese. 

I hope the Mets don’t trade Fernando Martinez either, but first and foremost, don’t trade Niese.  Going into the off season, the Mets only have three starters: Johan Santana, John Maine and Mike Pelfrey.  Pedro Martinez and Oliver Perez are both free agents, even though I wouldn’t be surprised if one of them is brought back.  The Mets are in no position to trade a promising young lefty who can compete for a spot in the rotation next spring when they only have three spots in next year’s rotation filled. 

In 22 starts for AA this year, Niese has a 3.04 ERA with 112 strikeouts in 124.1 innings.  In that time, hitters batted .253 with only 5 home runs against Niese.  He also threw two complete games and one shutout.  This season, the Mets only have one complete game.  In his one and only start since being promoted to AAA, Niese allowed one run in seven innings while striking out seven and only allowing three hits. 

Young, cheap and talented pitching is becoming the most valuable commodity in baseball.  Naturally, none of us know how Niese will fare at the Major League level.  But, the Mets are in a situation where they cannot afford to give up what could be the future of their rotation, when their starting rotation for next year is so uncertain. 

Matt Cerrone of Mets Blog is reporting that on ESPN Radio, Peter Gammons said that lefty Arthur Rhodes has been traded to the Marlins in exchange for 22 year old SP Gaby Hernandez. 

Hernandez was a 4th round draft pick of the Mets in the 2004 amateur draft, but was traded for Paul Lo Duca. 

This trade makes it unlikely that the Marlins will acquire lefty John Grabow from the Pirates in a potential three way trade for Manny Ramirez. 

On ESPN radio, Max Kellerman did an interview with ESPN’s Andrew Marchand.  According to Marchand, the Mets potentially have some interest in Cardinals SP Kyle Lohse who is set to be a free agent at the end of this year.  According to Jayson Stark at ESPN, the Cardinals have made Lohse available. 

Marchand noted that a trade for Lohse will be difficult, because the Mets are so set on keeping prospects Fernando Martinez, Jon Niese, Eddie Kunz and Robert Parnell.  Marchand seems to think it would take at least one of those guys if the Mets want to acquire Lohse, even though the Cardinals might have interest in Scott Schoenweis because the Cardinals are not quite out of contention yet and would like some bullpen help. 

Marchand also said that if the Mets cannot acquire relief help, they might call up Eddie Kunz who was the 42nd overall pick in the 2007 amateur draft. 

According to Jerry Crasnick at ESPN.com, the White Sox are on the verge of acquiring future Hall of Fame OF Ken Griffey Jr. from the Reds.  However, for the deal to be finalized, Griffey has to approve it because he has a full no trade clause.  The players involved in the deal are still unknown. 

While Griffey’s statistics have declined, the 38 year old still has pop left in his bat.  This year in 359 at-bats Griffey is batting .245 with 15 HRs and 53 RBIs. 

Update: 11:18 AM

According to Ken Rosenthal at Fox Sports, Griffey has approved the trade to the White Sox, although it is still unknown what the White Sox are trading in return.

Update: 11:59 PM

According to CBS Sports, the White Sox are trading infielder Danny Richar and pitcher Nick Massett. 

This is a really perplexing deal, considering that Jermaine Dye and Carlos Quentin occupy the corner outfield slots, while Jim Thome is set at DH and Paul Konerko is set at 1B (although he has been slumping).   I trust Kenny Williams though…

As Rob Harding noted earlier on Hot Foot, the Red Sox and Marlins have been engaged in intense negotiations regarding disgruntled OF Manny Ramirez.

According to John Perrotto of Baseball Prospectus, the two teams are on the verge of completing the deal. The package includes three prospects, notably Mike Stanton. Stanton is an 18 year old OF playing for the Class A Greensboro Grasshopers who is batting .275 with 26 HRs in 98 games.

At ESPN, Jayson Stark is reporting that there has been very little dialogue between the Rays and Pirates regarding Jason Bay today. Stark cites a potential trade of Manny Ramirez as potentially stalling the trade, because if the Red Sox deal Ramirez then they might pursue Bay as a replacement.

If this gets finalized, I’m shocked. Does a deal like this force Omar’s hand? The Phillies got Joe Blanton, Fish are very close to Manny - does Omar stick with his guns?

Thanks to Vines for the link.

Update 7:55 EST

MLB.com is now reporting that a three way deal may be in the works, that would send Ramirez to the Marlins, Jason Bay to the Red Sox, and jeremy Hermida to the Pirates. For what it’s worth, Ramirez and Hermida are still playing in tonight’s games

Update 9:57 pm EST

Will Carroll of Baseball Prospectus says the Red Sox, Pirates and Marlins have agreed to a three-team Manny Ramirez deal, pending Ramirez waiving his no-trade clause and league approval.

Update 10:22 pm EST

Peter Gammons on ESPN stated that talks will continue into Thursday regarding the this three-way deal.

Something smells fishy about the Carroll report. No pun intended.

According to Jerry Crasnick at ESPN, the Marlins are looking to add a catcher before the deadline passes at 4 pm tomorrow.  Crasnick cites Greg Zaun as a likely possibility because the Blue Jays are looking to move him. 

They have also talked to the Texas Rangers about Gerald Laird.  In the North Country Times, Dan Hayes writes that the Marlins made an offer for Padres’ catcher Josh Bard but were rejected. 

Currently, the Marlins are using John Baker and Paul Hoover at catcher who are batting .191 and .200 respectively. 

2008 Mets’ supplemental 1st round draft pick Brad Holt has dominated the New York Penn League for the Mets’ affiliate the Brooklyn Cyclones so far this year.  The 6′4″ righty from UNC Wilmington is 3-2 in seven starts for the Cyclones.  In 34.1 innings of duty, he has struck out 51 batters while walking only 14.

This week, Baseball America has him listed #5 on their prospect hot sheet, writing:

Holt makes his second straight appearance on the Hot Sheet after a two-start week where he fanned 21 batters in 11 1/3 innings. Holt struck out 14 in six innings on Thursday, running his season strikeout total up to 51, tops in the NYP. The only worse news for league hitters is that Holt told a reporter that he has been throwing his curveball more, meaning he may have been successful in developing that second pitch.

That’s definitely good news.  Even though the New York Penn League isn’t anything to ooh and ahh over, strong numbers like that don’t just come out of no where.

Added by Rob Harding:

2B Dan Murphy and SP Jon Niese also made honorable mention on the hot sheet. It was a good week for Mets prospects…

One of the primary trade deadline rumors surrounding the Mets is the question of whether or not they will make a move for a starting outfielder to replace the likes of Endy Chavez and Fernando Tatis having to play everyday.  Sure, the Mets missed out on Xavier Nady and plenty of fans are disappointed that the Mets failed to acquire him.  But in all reality people making Nady out to be super-stud that he’s not, because somehow this year he has managed to bat .43 points above his career average. 

There are some bigger names out there like Manny Ramirez and Matt Holiday, both of whom are amazing but to acquire them we would have to unload what’s left in our already ransacked minor league system.  I like Adam Dunn, but he’s not worth what the Reds are probably asking for him.  Randy Winn’s name has been involved in a trade rumor to the Mets more than once. 

Winn is a career .285 hitter with below average power and slightly above average speed.  However, he’s being paid $8 million this year, most of which the Mets would likely have to cover in a trade.  In addition to that, he’s under contract for next season at $8.25 million.  I don’t know about you, but this off season I think $8.25 million could be used much more productively. 

The notion of trading for Randy Winn isn’t terrible at first glance - he’s an adequate starter that would fit decently into the Mets lineup.  Yet, when the peripherals are examined like his contract the idea becomes more and more nonsensical.  Trading for him and his inflated contract becomes even more questionable when Kenny Lofton is sitting at home waiting for a phone call from a team. 

Lofton is a career .299 hitter and plays a similar style of baseball to Winn.  He’s not a power hitter, but on average he’ll hit you about 10 HRs in a season.  He’s definitely as good of a base stealer as Winn, if not better.  To sign Lofton, it will likely only cost a few million dollars and a guarantee of playing time on a contender - all of which the Mets can offer.  For other players like Winn it will cost us more money and a prospect or two - all of which for a player comparable and possible worse than Lofton. 

It would be silly for the Mets to get caught up in the trade deadline market where everyday teams are driving up the price on each other for players that are average to mediocre.  It is made especially silly by the fact that there is a quality player (Kenny Lofton) sitting at home waiting for a call from a team like the Mets. 

According to Delaware Online, the Phillies have demoted SP Adam Eaton, likely in favor of J.A. Happ who will act as a situational lefty out of the bullpen. 

Eaton is in the second year of a 3 year $24.5 million deal with the team.  This year, he is 4-8 with a 5.80 ERA and has a K/BB ratio of barely 1.3. 

Without Eaton, the Phillies rotation is set to be (with an off day today):

Tuesday: Brett Myers (3-9, 5.82) @ Washington

Wednesday: Jamie Moyer (9-6, 3.76) @ Washington

Thursday: Kyle Kendrick (8-5, 4.70) @ Washington

Friday: Cole Hamels (9-6, 3.27) @ St. Louis

Saturday: Joe Blanton (5-12, 5.13 ERA) @ St. Louis

It’s really tough to imagine the Phillies being as successful as they have been giving this starting pitching.  Granted, their relief has been great and their hitting is phenomenal, but down the stretch relief pitching is always erratic and closer Brad Lidge seems like he’s ready to implode.  I’d be really uncomfortable as a Philly fan.