In his blog for the Daily News, Adam Rubin tells us something that will be music to our ears here at the Foot. Nelson Figueroa has cleared waivers and is expected to report to AAA New Orleans. This opens the possibility of Figgy returning to Shea should the need and/or opportunity present itself.

I’m quite happy about this, as you should be. I understand we needed Claudio Vargas, since the double header had forced us to burn two pitchers in one day, but Figgy was booted out unjustly

Did he melt down? Sure. Should Dukes’ childish antics have rattled him so? No way. Did I really want to listen to Figgy cry about said Dukes taunting? Nope. But any one else in the rotation would have been given another shot.

It feels like Ollie has a meltdown game in at least a quarter of his starts, and its not like all three of the other starts are gems. Maine’s had his incredible off days. Mike Pelfrey is still hit or miss, though the ratio is improving.

Figgy had one extremely bad game, and was immediately shipped to waivers. Hopefully he does well in AAA and gets another shot to toss a few games, or a home in the bullpen. He seems like he works his ass off, gives it his all, and if this team is going to turn itself around it needs guys like that.

I am normally a glass half-full person, but after yesterday’s loss and the Mets pathetic showing in their series at Shea against the Washington Nationals, I’ve had it. I’m dumping the glass.

This team has no heart. Yup, I said it… NO heart.

Wags, DWright, Moises, Johan, Mainer, Ryan Church and Brian Schneider are the only ones on this team who have shown they are gamers; so let’s get that out of the way. I’d even put Nelson Figueroa in there.

However, guys like Carlos Beltran, Carlos Delgado, Jose Reyes, and Oliver Perez aren’t getting it done. Reyes has become a shell of his former self and has reverted to that pre-2006 player than hacks at everything. He had a week and a half where he appeared to be getting on track, but now he’s off again.

We all know that Delgado has been hit or miss; it’s been mostly miss this year. I can’t say I’m too surprised after last year’s swoon. He told everyone that would listen in the spring that he broke down everything this off-season and re-taught himself how to hit. Unfortunately, his re-teaching has made Carlos Delgado into Wilson Delgado.

The most disappointing person, to me, is Carlos Beltran. He was very boastful in the spring, telling reporters that the Mets were this year’s team to beat. They sure are (as my Phillies fan brother keeps telling me); teams just keep beating them and beating them.

Beltran has done absolutely nothing this year, aside from his spring declaration. I especially enjoyed watching him yesterday; he swings at the first pitch with runners and first and third and two outs. Perfect opportunity to hit in the clutch and work the count; of course, that didn’t happen.

I’ll keep it short on Perez. I have zero confidence in him when he’s on the mound. Someone, anyone want to tell me where the passion is? Where is the hard work that this team was built on when Willie Randolph took over as manager in 2005?

I know Gary Grund has called for an overhaul of the coaching staff, but I can’t put all of the blame on Willie and Co. Is he the one that hits a wall in the 4th inning? Is he the one that can’t play fundamental baseball? The answers are no.

Sure Willie will take the fall, but you can blame Reyes, Beltran, Delgado, et al, for his ouster.

There will be some that believe that since it’s May 16 that there is plenty of time. It’s an excuse. This team is running out of time… and fast. Losing two of three, or getting swept by the Yankees, and

Billy Wagner said it best after Thursday’s game:

“We’re not earning our money.”

That is an understatement.

The Mets made some roster moves today…

Courtesy of Metsblog.

The Demoted:

• P Nelson Figueroa
• P Jorge Sosa

The Promoted/Activated:

• P Claudio Vargas
• P Matt Wise
• IF Fernando Tatis

The DLed:

• OF Angel Pagan

Vargas, not Adam Bostick, will start tomorrow’s game…

The Mets lost by a score of 8-1 today at Wrigley Field and were swept in their mini two game set. Ted Lilly got the win for the Cubs. Nelson Figueroa took the loss for the Mets.

Figueroa pitched OK. He went 5 innings, allowed 7 hits and 5 walks, but limited the damage to 3 runs, 2 of which scored after Carlos Delgado mental error. Speaking of Delgado, what is wrong with him? I keep telling myself he’s going to come around, but the reality is that he is an aging 35 year old and is not the big bopper he once was.

Jorge Sosa was also a disaster today, allowing a grand slam in the 8th to series MVP Ronny Cedeno.

On a lighter note, Carlos Beltran made a terrific play in centerfield that robbed Derrek Lee of an extra base hit.

Brady Clark drove in the Mets lone run with an rbi groundout.

The Mets look to right the ship tomorrow against the Nationals. The pitchers will be Johan Santana and TIm Redding.

Nelson Figueroa pitched his second straight impressive outing for the Mets last night, going seven innings, giving up just two runs. He lowered his ERA to 3.60 and was able to throw five pitches for strikes. Willie Randolph spoke about impressed he was with the performance.

“He’s been hitting his spots, able to get strike one and then change his delivery, keep you off stride,” Randolph said. “He throws his curve, uses his cutter. He’s a pitcher. He’s crafty, knows what he’s doing. Strike one is key, then he can expand the zone, be creative.”

Down 2-1, Figueroa made a spectacular catch off a hit by the opposing Nats pitcher, John Lannan, when he snared the liner with a quick behind-the-back grab.

“Baseball’s the same all over the world, 60 feet, 6 inches,” said Figueroa. “My job is to get strike one, no matter if it’s somebody in Taiwan or Ken Griffey Jr. My job is to keep our team in the game as long as I can.”

Figueroa spoke about the long game and how he spent the other seven innings.

“You do a lot of nothing, just walk around and hope we can find a way to pull it out,” Figueroa said. “That was a really good game. Shame it took 14 innings, but as long as we win, it doesn’t matter.”

In the New York Times, Joshua Robinson discusses the entourage of friends and family that have been in attendance for the Brooklyn native’s two starts to cheer him on.

I am really pulling for this guy to succeed. Back to back great starts is a nice way to make your case. Keep it going Nelson, 60 feet, 6 inches.

Michael Salfino on SNY.tv takes a closer look at tonight’s Mets starter, Nelson Figueroa who turned some heads in his impressive debut, where he took a perfect game into the 5th inning.

Salfino tries to analyze the raw data from Figueroa’s last start to better understand how he ranks among the league average.

Salfino gets detailed in the speed and movements of Figueroa’s pitches and concludes that he relies more on sweeping movement than movement up and down the strike zone. His first start shows that he should have success against righties, but it is yet to been seen if he can do the same against left-handed hitters. He will have his chance to prove that tonight against the Nationals.

The picture comes courtesy of MiLB.com, and is Nelson Figueroa dressed as Prince for Halloween.

Bart Hubbuch reports in the New York Post today that GM Omar Minaya expects the strained left hamstring to sideline Pedro Martinez until at least the middle of May - and possibly into June.

Nelson, you hear that knock, its opportunity. Answer the door.

From The Green Fields Of The Mind…

this picture was taken at tradition field during a saturday afternoon game in March. we took this picture not because it was a Met we knew but because the guy was gracious enough to scoop up dirt off the field because some kid asked him to. another kid repeated the request. then another. all in all this player’s hands got dirty that day not from throwing a baseball, but from putting some dirt into ziploc baggies for a bunch of fans.

he had a warm-up jacket on the whole time so we could not see the name on the back of his jersey but as soon as we had internet access, a quick google told us the Dirt Scooper with the bushy eyebrows and great smile was Nelson Figueroa, a journey man of sorts with a story that made it impossible not to root for him.

the last time I cried over the mets, it was september and anger and even an irrational sense of betrayal, was the source of those tears. Friday night I cried for a different reason.

way to go figgy - even though you are one bad start away from the minors again, for one friday night you made a lot of fans remember why they keep coming back.

There is not one player I will root harder for this year than Nelson Figueroa.

“A dream come true” is what Brooklyn born Nelson Figueroa called his first win as a NY Met and his first in the majors since 2003:

“I dreamed about this and I am grateful to Willie and Omar for giving me the opportunity to pitch for this organization.”

While watching the final out be recorded:

“I was real emotional, I thought I was gonna lose it. It was like a storybook, Wagner let me use his suite for my family and friends. The original pass list was for like 55 people but by the end of the game there were about 100 family and friends in Wagner’s suite. I want to thank him for that, it was great.”

On his future with the Mets:

“I just want to be a cog in this machine whether it be in the bullpen or as a starter.”

You keep pitching like that kid, well maybe not kid, but you keep pitching like tonight, you will indeed be a cog in the Mets machine.

Figueroa’s quotes were gathered watching SNY’s Post Game Show.