Mets manager Willie Randolph stated that the team has yet to pick a pitcher to make the start against Washington on Wednesday and that they’ll probably call up a minor leaguer.

Among the options include Brian Stokes, Adam Bostick, Tony Armas Jr. and Claudio Vargas.

Stokes pitched on Friday, which would put him in line to make a Wednesday start. He has been very up and down in his last few starts. In his May 4th start, he couldn’t make it through two batters, giving up six earned runs. His start this past Friday was much better, with Stokes going 8.1 innings, giving up just four hits and one earned run for the 3-1 win.

Bostick is 2-1 with a 3.89 ERA with 24 strikeouts in 39.1 innings pitched (8 starts).

Armas Jr. is 1-3 in seven starts with a 3.02 ERA in 28 strikeouts. Armas last pitched last Tuesday, going six innings and giving up three earned runs.

Finally, Claudio Vargas, who signed on with the team just over one month ago, is 1-1 in two starts with a 4.91 ERA for the Zephyrs. Vargas last pitched Thursday, May 8th.

While we wait for the results of Pedro’s MRI today, Adam Rubin reports in his blog for The Daily News that Brian Stokes has cleared waivers and will head to AAA New Orleans.

Stokes, who lost out for the final bullpen spot to Joe Smith, is expected to be part of the Zephyrs rotation.

7.07 era last year in Tampa’s pen.  Not a shock that no one picked him up.  Now that I’ve distracted you for two minutes, you can go back to waiting for the Pedro update.    

The Mets officially placed Orlando “El Duque” Hernandez, Duaner Sanchez and Ramon Castro on the DL, Castro’s being retro’ed to the 21st and Sanchez the 27th. As expected, Castro’s roster spot will go to Casanova.

In other roster moves, Stokes was DFA’ed. Stokes has stated previously that he would not accept a minor league assignment, and is presumble packing up his ball, headed home as you read this.

All the leftovers are headed to the minors, just in case we need the talents of Rincon or Nelson Figueroa in the future.

As with the previous announcements, there is nothing earth shattering here. Our resident Psychic, Metsgal, in fact predicted all these moves about four months ago and sealed them in an envelope. The only shame is that Rincon would have allowed us to have both a guy named Casanova, and a guy named after a ABBA song on the roster at once. Regardless, its safe to assume Duq will work on pitching in pain with his old leg kick delivery and once ready, he’ll replace Pelf. Castro will be given time to heal up, I don’t see them rushing him, then will reclaim his spot from Casanova. I think an eye will be kept on Fig, who’ll probably pitch his ass off in AAA in hopes that if Pelf falters and Duq heals slowly that he might be given a chance to fullfill his dream of pitching at Shea.

It appears that Joe Smith will have to prove he deserves to be part of the Mets bullpen last year after he struggled through a dead arm period in the later part of last season. On Mets.com, Mary Noble discusses Joe Smith’s chances of starting the season with the big league club.

Noble talks about how new Met Ryan Church had firsthand experience with Smiths late season decline.

Their shared experience began — and ended — in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 17. A 1-1 pitch from Smith in the seventh inning became a pinch-hit two-run home run by Church and another unsightly episode in the Mets’ slippery-slope September slide.

Smith had faced the Nationals three times previously, faced eight batters, struck out four and allowed one to reach base. Those appearances happened in April, and the difference between April and Sept. 17, according to Church was “about six or seven miles an hour.”

Smith will have a tougher time making the team with Duaner Sanchez and Matt Wise in the mix. Sanchez, Billy Wagner, Aaron Heilman, Scott Schoeneweis, Pedro Feliciano and Jorge Sosa are are all most likely penciled in already. Smith, Wise, Ruddy Lugo, Juan Padilla, Brian Stokes and Tony Armas Jr. will fight it out for the likely seventh and final spot.

Ben Shpigel of the New York Times runs down the some of the highlights of Day 3 at Port St. Lucie.

Ed Ryan at Mets Fever relays some winter league information to us about a couple of notable Mets relievers.

Ed gives us an update on how Willie Collazo, Adam Bostick, Jorge Sosa and newly acquired Brian Stokes are performing.

According to the Associated Press, the New York Mets acquired relief pitcher Brian Stokes from the Tampa Bay Rays for cash.

The 28-year-old right-hander was 2-7 with a 7.07 ERA in 59 games for Tampa Bay last season, allowing 49 runs and 90 hits in 62 1-3 innings. He is 3-3 with three saves and a 4.30 ERA in three starts and nine relief appearances for Mexicali of the Mexican Winter League.