A few notes from Willie Randolph’s weekly Mike and The Mad Dog call…

• Nelson Figueroa is on standby and Willie indicated that he would likely take Pedro Martinez’s place if he is DL’ed which Willie also said is most likely.
• Oliver Perez should be the home opener starter the way things are lining up.
• With off-days they may be able to get through without needing to replace Pedro, but Figueroa is the likely starter if they do need one.
• On Oliver Perez : “I thought he had a decent spring. He had some issues with his arm slot at times. I think Ollie is oblivious from everything that goes around him”
• Willie considered putting Raul Casanova in tonight for Ryan Schneider to give him some rest but Schneider talked him out of it.
• Said Ryan Church needs to show him more from a left-handed standpoint, but he has a “beautiful” swing and just needs to get into a “nice little rhythm”
• Mike Pelfrey was “lights out” in the bullpen but has to transfer that to the game. “I think this kid is gonna be fine. His sinker is so powerful. I think this kid is gonna win some games for us”
• On John Maine : “When you look at John you can see him coming into his own. He was in the best shape of anyone in camp. He is starting to really feel himself. He got a little swagger going.”
• On last nights game : “I keep telling our guys to stay through the middle and taking small bites. Be patient. Last night we had that kid on the ropes but we took some overaggressive hacks”
• On Ruben Gotay and Brady Clark : “Gotay really is one dimensional. Gotay doesn’t play the outfield, he doesn’t play the corners. I like Gotay a lot but he didn’t fit into this team. I think Clark right now is a better bat off the bench. Clark can get on base, he can walk, he will scrap and battle. With the left handed dominance in our line up we need a Clark in there to give us an at bat.”
• On the bullpen : “A guy who could be a sleeper for us, even though he gave up the home run last night is Wise, he has a great change up, maybe the best on our staff. He struck two guys out and then he hung a change up there. Sanchez coming back, getting him in the loop is gonna help. I think he will be back towards the end of April.”
• On the Marlins : “We need to get some payback on some people and this is one of the teams.”
• On carrying “The Collapse” : “No, I put my finger on the pulse of this team early on. Everyone let it go, spring training. We understand where we been but we don’t dwell on it. We got some serious payback coming. They know what they have to do and they want to rectify it this year”

Adam Rubin reports on his blog for the Daily News that Ruben Gotay has been claimed by the Atlanta Braves.

Something tells me this will come back to bite us on the ass. I’m convinced he’s going to have a big hit against us in a late August/September game. I hope I am wrong.

Rubin also reports that Anderson Hernandez has been optioned to Triple-A New Orleans.

Sorry for all the confusion, as there has been a lot of miscommunication and lack of complete affirmation on the Gotay front until now.

Matt Cerrone at Mets Blog relays word from Newsday that Ruben Gotay himself told reporters he is in fact on waivers.

Gotay said “I did a good job and didn’t deserve this.” with tears in his eyes.

It is possible that Gotay could clear waivers and be available to reassignment to the Mets minor league system.

I am not really happy about the move. I wish Ruben the best no matter what happens.

At his blog for the Journal News, John Delcos is reporting that the rumor that IF Ruben Gotay was placed on waivers is inaccurate. He goes on to say that he has been passed by Fernando Tatis for the last spot on the opening day roster.

Who would have ever thought Fernando Tatis would be on our opening day roster? It’s not official yet, but it’s looking more and more likely by the day…

According to the Daily News, Steven Register has been placed on waivers. Any of the other MLB teams may now claim him off waivers, otherwise the Mets offer him back to the Rockies, or trade the Rockies for him. This last option would allow the team to place him in the minor league system.

This move shows that either the team is sure Duaner Sanchez is ready, or is willing to give that temporary bullpen spot to Joe Smith (likely) or one of the other AAA relief arms. The most likely scenerio is that Register will be picked up by another team. Though who knows, since just yesterday it seemed like Register was going to make the opening day roster. Its a crazy mixed up world. Oh the humanity!

There are also rumors about that Ruben Gotay has been placed on waivers, though I have no confirmation at this time.

Gotay might actually still be with the Mets. He’s hurt. He can’t field. He can hit, if he were healthy I’d say he’d never clear waivers. Though if he were healthy, he probably wouldn’t have been placed on them. This move is a bit of a surprise, especially since the team could at the very least DL him and buy time to make that sort of decision till he’s healthy.

Mets Blog reports that the Brewers have released RHP Claudio Vargas, according to Tom Haudricourt at his blog for the Journal Sentinel.

Vargas, 29, was 11-6 with a 5.09 ERA in 29 games for the Brewers last season, during which he started 23 games.

Your Friday night injury update, brought to you as always by Canadian rock group Loverboy.

Ruben Gotay is taking drills, and has not severed any limbs as of late.

Carlos Delgado feeling better, not actually hitting though. You win some, you lose some. He threw a bat, it did not maim Brady Clark. Yet.

Brian Schneider participated in a minor league game, but didn’t catch. He did respectable. He was two for four with a sac fly.

And lastly, Orlando Hernandez has claimed to have seen a six foot tall talking rabbit named Frank. He is believed to be on a mission to help prevent the end of the world.

Various medical updates are bouncing across the internets on our many partially functional Mets. Brian Schneider and Endy Chavez are reportedly ready to play in tommorrow’s games, which would join them amongst other ailing players Damion Easley and Marlon Anderson.

Peter Blotte, subbing for Adam Rubin, also says Ruben Gotay has shed his injury boot, though no word if he’s switched it up for some stylish Ugs.

In other injury updates, a local resident of Port St Lucie has been accused of turning Orlando “El Duque” Hernandez into a newt, though preliminary reports indicate that he got better.

The Mets reeled in their fifth straight win today with another walk off win against the Dodgers. 2B Anderson Hernandez won it with a hit down the line in the 9th. Joe Smith got the win for the Mets, and Tom Martin took the loss for the Dodgers.

A few notes

Johan Santana pitched 3 innings of 1 run ball, striking out four.

Hernandez, who could make the team if Ruben Gotay goes down with an injury, went 3-5 including the game winner.

“Teenage Hitting Machine” continued his nice spring showing, going 2-3 including a double.

Tomorrow the Mets travel to Viera to play the Nationals. Pedro Martinez is scheduled to make his first start of the spring.

Via Metsblog, Rotoworld is reporting that 2B Ruben Gotay is scheduled for a CT scan tomorrow. Gotay had X-rays on his sprained ankle yesterday that came back negative.