Here is the unedited audio of Brett Myers flipping out on Philadelphia Inquirer reporter, Sam Carchidi.

Be advised that the audio contains explicit language.

Endy Chavez will play with AA Binghamton in their game today in Trenton.

All signs seem to indicate Endy is healthy, but unless someone ends up on the DL it seems unlikely he'll be activated prior to the Sept 1st roster expansion. At this point, the sole exception would be if Lawrence is removed from the rotation after his start tommorow, which I assume will only occur if they are confidant that either Pedro or one of the AAA starters can fill that fifth spot.  But with Castillo sore, Gotay seems to have regained secondbase, and Millz is clearly staying in right, both were the sole position players left who could be sent to AAA without the worry of waivers.

As far as DFAing goes…why would you? I understand many of you out there aren't fans of Shawn Green, but if the team was going to DFA him, it'd have happened. If they didn't do it weeks ago, if they didn't do it last weekend when they announced Lastings had earned the every day right field job, they're not going to do it now with roster expansion just days away. So either Lawrence pitches, then goes goodbye, or we wait just a few extra days for Endy. We survived two months, we can survive a few more days.

As the Mets struggled, as the bats slumped, as the arms got tired and the bullpen melted down, I kept hearing a certain phrase.

The Window Is Closing.

Thats right, three years into the Omar regime, the window is closing, the Mets are at the now or never point. As someone who's watched the Mets since the 80s I can clearly state one thing.

That is the stupidest thing I've ever heard.

In three years Omar has steadily built a stronger team. Less than 80 wins in 2004, to a team thats in pace to take its second consecutive NL East pennant. John Franco is a but a memory, and Billy Wagner is in his place. Its an entirely different NY Mets.

The window is closing. The Mets aren't hitting like they did last year. Though neither is 95% of the MLB. Yes, we're not running away with as many games.  Yes a better Braves team means we're not 30 games up with a magic number of 5 in August. But the window is closing?

This is a Mets team thats played hurt. Every single position player except for Wright and Reyes has been hurt. Delgado most likely has some sort of problem he's hiding. The entire outfield, both catchers, most of the bench, and the starting second basemen are all amongst the list that have been DLed.  Our Ace has yet to pitch. Somehow, they've still fought on.  The biggest critique of last season was that the team was never challanged, and that is whats blamed for the playoff collapse. Well this year, the team was challanged.

The window is closing. This implies a dim future doesn't it? I'm confused here. Don't why have a deep farm system? Gomez. F-Mart. All those arms. Wright, Reyes and Beltran are all on payroll for quite some time.  After his turn around, it suddenly looks like Lastings is more likely to get an extension than a trade. We have a strong hitting young backup second basemen in Gotay. To me, that sounds like a pretty good core. And thats before we even look at some of our young arms.  Maine. Ollie. Joe Smith.

The window is closing. What are we really losing in the offseason that should make us panic? Shawn Green will be allowed to walk. But Lastings seems ready to step up.  Glavine will retire, but a healthy Pedro easily slides in there. Alou is on the fence. One if not both our catchers will be gone, so thats the biggest area. We need a fifth starter, but we also have a nice stockpile of arms that could fill that spot.

As more and more players around the league sign extensions, this current offseasons free agency market looks worse and worse. Which means not just slim pickings for us, but slim pickings for everyone else. We probably won't land two blockbuster free agents, but neither will Philly or Atlanta. So if anything, we're coming back with the same core of players but with a difference: experience, and health. Guys like Maine and Smith will be returning with some post season seasoning. Guys like Pedro, Beltran and Delgado will be returning in better shape, or in Pedro's case: actually returning.

The idea that the window is closing is a Yankee Idea. Its a fair weather fan idea. This is a Mets team that has the pieces to compete for years, with a management willing to try for moves to keep the team strong. The window isn't closing, not this year. And not any time soon.

Duque went a full seven, and Heilman earned a save. El Duque gave up just two runs, both solo homers, walking only two and giving up just four hits. He struck out seven. He earned the win, the ninth straight start of Duq's the Mets have won. His last loss was July 4th. He was also economically, surpsingly for a Met starter, throwing only 106 pitches in his seven innings.  Ollie can do that in three. Feleciano gave up a run and two hits in the eight.

Delgado finally got a hit, going 1 for 4 with two RBIs. Wright drew a two out walk, and advanced to third on a Beltran single. Conine was intentially walked to load the bases, then Delgado singled to end his 0 for streak.

Wright went 2 for 2 with 2 walks and 2 runs. 2.   Conine doubled in his first Met start, notching an RBI and two walks. Reyes stole his 70th base.

Sandy Alomar caught two base stealers….one of them, Juan Pierre. Which is kind of amazing. Sandy Alomar. Juan Pierre. Who'd have thunk?

Its always festival latino when El Duque's on the mound. The Man of No
Age takes the ball, he's 8-4 with a 3.09 ERA.  The Mets have won his
last eight starts, but he is 1-2 in five starts career against LA. He
no decisioned against them while out in LA, giving up four runs in six
innings in an eventual Mets win. He was pulled part way through the
sixth in the June west coast trip to LA, having surrended five, four
earned.

He'll face Eric Stults, 1-1 3.91 ERA. Stults has two career starts
agianst the Mets, going 1-0 with a 2.38 ERA.  He's spent limited time
in the majors this season, having recently been recalled from AAA.

Lineup

SS Reyes

RF Milledge

3B Wright

CF Beltran

LF Conine

1B Delgado

C Alomar

2B Gotay

P Duque

As Delgado's slump continues, and he has done poor in the past vs
Slutz, he stays down in the sixth spot. Conine, playing today in Alou's
place, takes his spot in the order. Day game, etc etc Alomar will
catch, probably for the last time as a Met. So long Sandy, and thanks
for all the memories. Wright is now hitting .314 for the season, .440
career against LA, and .333 against Stultz.  Reyes meanwhile, hits .500 against him in six at bats, including a triple and a homerun. So just a double short of a career cycle.

Gametime is 4pm, on Fox. Ralph Kiner sits in for the third inning. WFAN for the other 8. And as always, stop on by the Hot Foot Bleachers, today its Matt Cerrone Bobblehead day for the first 1000 fans.

Next Friday, August 31, MetsBlog.com will host MetsBlog Night at McFadden’s, which is located on 42nd St. and Second Avenue in New York City.

The
bar will feature the Mets game against the Braves in Atlanta, with
available audio from SNY’s broadcast, as well as an optional, but
recommended $20 drink special, i.e., unlimited domestic drought beer
through the game.

…i can tell you its really a great time, the place can accomodate lots of fans and the last few parties we have thrown there have been outstanding…come on down and join myself,  my buddy Matt from Mets Blog and many other Mets fans and bloggers  for what should be a really fun night…

I implore you to vote for Mr. Met for the Mascot Hall Of Fame. It will be a travesty if the San Antonio Spur's Coyote beats out our beloved Mr. Met. The Coyote leads Mr. Met by 6,000 votes. Tell your friends, tell your family, rip this post off and post it on your own blog, run naked down Times Square with a giant Mr. Met head, whatever it takes folks, lets get the big guy the recognition he rightfully deserves.

Watch the video below where Fox Sports blogger Bryan Biederman interviews Mr. Met about his Mascot Hall Of Fame candidacy.

    This morning's home stand forecast is provided by NYNJPAweather!  GO METS! 

Zone 1: New York City

Counties Include: (NJ) eastern Essex, southern Bergen, Hudson, southern Passaic, eastern Union, northeastern Middlesex, (NY) Queens, Kings, Richmond, New York, Bronx

Today: Fog in the morning will give way to hazy, hot, and humid conditions.  Temperatures will feel near 100.  High: 93

Three Hour Temperatures: 9AM: 74  12 PM: 83   3PM 90    6PM: 89

Tonight: Showers and thunderstorms.  A few of the thunderstorms will be severe with strong winds, frequent lightning, and heavy downpours.  Low: 77

Three Hour Temperatures:  9 PM: 83   12AM: 80   3 AM: 79

Sunday:  Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms, otherwise partly cloudy.  High: 90  Low: 72

        As Pedro Martinez's return become more of a reality and less of a fantasy, I'd like to examine what Pedro would mean for this team in terms of pitching and overall attitude. 

       The return of Pedro Martinez improves the entire pitching staff, even the bullpen.  How you ask?  Confidence!  Pedro Martinez is an ace.  No doubt.  No debate.  He has the ability and intelligence to retire a major league line up with an 86 mph fastball, and now he's throwing 89 possible 91 mph by the time he returns.  When Pedro Martinez pitches, it's not an outing, it's a lesson in the art of pitching.  The return of Pedro also means that Tom Glavine no longer will face the “ace” on the other team.  He returns to the more comfortable position of #2 on the staff.  Some may say that such a thing doesn't matter, however when Pedro pitches, Tom Glavine also pitches better.  At the same time, the entire starting staff now moves down one space.  Orlando Hernandez becomes the “third starter” and some may say he's been the most consistent out of all the pitchers this season.  

        The return of Pedro also significantly helps Maine and Perez as well.   I believe both young pitchers, especially Maine, are in new territories in their careers.  Neither of them have ever been on a winning play off team for the whole year, and this can be more of a mental barrier to get over.  According to Ron Darling on SNY, a young pitcher goes through some doubt sometimes when they reach this point in their career.  He wonders whether he's really this good and if it will last.  They start doubting their choices on the mound, and make mistakes they didn't make at the start of the season.  I believe both pitchers are getting past this natural part of their development.  However, the month of September looks to be very kind to both as they will likely face the back end of the rotation of other team's.  In other words, they can make a mistake and still win the game.  I think this will be huge for both pitchers and give them some breathing room.

       Finally, Pedro brings a new sense of aura to the entire team.  You'll see a team that will have a drive and fire behind it, that we haven't seen since the beginning of last year.  A team that has two hall of fame pitchers leading the way into the playoffs.  A team that feels it can win on any day. 

      The best of Mets baseball is still to come, and I think it will make it's appearance in September and October, just when you want it to.  Just ask a Cardinals fan.

Endy Chavez was spotted by cameras at Shea, and is rumored to be rejoining the Mets sometime this weekend, ie as soon as Omar decides who gets the ticket to Not Shea Ville.

If the Mets choose to go the root that will not risk losing a player, the only options are Gotay and Milledge, any other position player would have to be DFA'd.  Of course, there is the option of sending one of the arms with options down, but then an already tired looking bullpen would be even more taxed. Gotay or Milledge or the likely bets, though keep in mind its only a week till Sept 1st and their return.   Milledge of  course, as the outfielder seems like the more likely choice,  but until recently had been hitting quite well.  Gotay though a possibility is the primary backup secondbasemen, though Marlon Anderson could serve in that role where Milledge to continue on as the every day right fielder.

Its really a guessing a game. But with Endy at Shea, its pretty much a 97% chance he's activated by this time Sunday.

Ollie struggled a bit but kept himself, or at least his ERA, from getting banged up. He was throwing a lot of pitches, finishing with 119 for the night.  But he survived through jams, lasted a full seven, and though he walked five (ouch) he struck out six (suckers) and gave up 0 runs (he is the Bandito). Ollie got the win.  Sosa looked a bit sloppy, lasting just a third of an inning and facing four. Pedro cleaned up his mess. Billy, not his best work, but hey, he didn't blow the save.

The Mets offense continued to make sure Brad Penny hates Shea, drawing four walks, taking six hits and three runs of him. The offense was spread pretty evenly over the game. Reyes led off with a walk and a stolen base, then scored on Gotay's double. Reyes would double two innings later, and score on a Wright single.  Wright in turn, homered two innings after that. Wright finished 2 for 3 with two RBIs and a walk. Milledge went 1 for 3 with a walk and a RBI.

Former Yankee Proctor had a nice balk, but controlled his urge to set anything at Shea on fire.

Most of the Met arms are still looking a bit troublesome, but the fact that Ollie kept the Mets in this is pretty impressive. He threw a lot, but held on. Wright helped, with two great defensive plays in a matter of minutes. In the sixth he made a play on a ball that bounced off Ollie's glove for an out.  He followed it with a diving play on a ball hit by Loney.   Milledge added his own little diving catch. And while the mets pitching staff certainly was not efficient tonight by any means, at the very least they got the job done. Granted, efficiency wise, Penny was no better, almost matching Ollie pitch for pitch, but giving up runs in the process, and getting an earlier pull. Seriously though Wags: three singles in the 9th? Stop that.  The Mets offense continues to do quite well against good pitching, now if they can carry this momentum into games they face rookies and guys with big ERAs, that would be wonderful.

The offense seems to have taken a step up, but can the bullpen?

Ollie takes the ball in hopes to get the Mets back on track. 11-8, 3.52 for the season, he has yet to face the dodgers, who he's an even 4-4 career against. Though he won his last start, he's had a rough patch, falling short of the sixth inning in three straight, and giving up three or more earned runs in four. And if you go back one more game to five, he added another five unearned. So, its not been good lately for Perez. He faces Penny, 14-3, 2.59 ERA, but 1-8 Career at Shea.

lineup:

SS Reyes
2B Gotay
3B Wright
CF Beltran
LF Alou
1B Delgado
RF Milledge
C DiFelice
P Ollie

Castillo sits with some soreness, Gotay takes his place in the order and field. As his slump continues, Delgado falls further down the spiral, bumping Alou to the five hitter spot. Alou by the way, hits Brad Penny like its his job, .476 career against the Dodgers Ace.  Wright and Reyes also have done well against the team that betrayed the east coast to move to hollywood, Reyes is .322 against LA with 4 homeruns.  Wright hits .432 against the team, and .583 against Penny. All of which, makes Allyssa Milano very sad.

Game time is 7:10, SNY. WFAN. And as always, Hot Foot Bleachers, where Lastings Milledge has more nicknames than RBIs.

After its week of voting and listing of expert opinions, ESPN has named Jose Reyes the Face of Mets baseball.  Reyes is tied for longest currently tenured Met, and received just shy of 50% of the votes.  Three of the four experts picked Reyes, with the fourth (some guy named Cerrone) selecting manager Willie Randolph. Baseball Tonight's Eric Young on Reyes:

Wright was the only other Met to break into double digits, with 29%, or almost half the votes Reyes got.

To honor this accomplishment, how about we let Reyes take a day off before he collapses from exhaustion? Come on Willlie, let Jose put his feet up for a day. He deserves it. He earned it. Gotay can play short. Just one day. And maybe take him out for ice cream too, some Carvel, in a Mets plastic helmet. With sprinkles.

On a side note, according to the sportsnation map, which breaks it down state by state: Alaskans don't like Omar, who got 0 votes from the entire state. Beltran did well back in his old time Royals neighborhood, and Wright still came in second to Reyes in his hometown Virginia. So even Davids parents voted Jose.