Cutnpaste: - Pedro Zapata, Omar and Jerry Meeting, Gooden abandons family, Manuel Walks Anderson... and Cubby Bobby V

Pedro Zapata:


link  - •Pedro Zapata is holding his own in Savannah at .286/.346/.374 after dominating in 2009 in a repeat performance at Kingsport. The problem is that he's not young for the level, so holding his own isn't as impressive, and there's nothing he truly excels at, and the overall package just isn't strong enough to create a well-balanced outfielder. His stock is steady.

Omar and Jerry Meeting:



While most of the Mets dressed slowly, appropriately somber after another disheartening loss, general manager Omar Minaya sat in manager Jerry Manuel’s office trying to get an explanation. The talks would continue on the long plane ride home – a trip that likely would feel much longer than the time in the air – and likely during today’s day off. And until the talks are over, no one will sleep easily in the Mets’ organization, and no job is safe.

Gooden abandons family:


7-26 from: - link  - - Former Mets and Yankees ace pitcher Dwight “Doc” Gooden has abandoned his family — leaving his two kids scrounging to survive on public assistance and food stamps, his wife told The Post. Monique Gooden said she and her children — 5-year-old son Dylan and 4-month-old daughter Milan — are living with her parents in their home in Columbia, Md., as the troubled 1985 National League Cy Young Award winner is nowhere to be found. “He’s left us with no money,” his slighted spouse said. “When I got here to Maryland, I had to go apply for social services, food stamps and health insurance for the kids. He has offered no financial assistance to us.”

Manuel Walks Anderson:


7-26 from: - link  - What inspired Manuel to walk Anderson? Well the catcher was on deck. Not just any catcher, a 41 year old catcher known for his game-calling skills rather than any offensive ability. Behind him stood the pitcher with fewer than 10 career plate appearances. Manuel could not handpick a better trio to potentially bat with a runner on third. It’s obvious the intentional walk only became a thought once Pelfrey retired Blake. ZiPS pegs Blake as a .345 wOBA hitter the rest of the way; it also has Anderson and Ausmus at .298 apiece. A double play was the goal, but only with one out. Manuel never thought about placing a runner on first without having at least one out because a double play from that situation plates a run

Cubby Bobby V:


7-26 from: - link  - The ESPN analyst and former New York Mets and Texas Rangers manager says he’s interested in taking over for the retiring Lou Piniella after this season. Valentine, who led the Mets to the pennant in 2000 and managed the Texas Rangers, calls the Cubs job “one of the most coveted positions in all of sports” and adds “anybody who thinks of himself as a manager would love to be considered as one of the people who might take his place.” Valentine spoke before Sunday’s game between the Cubs and Cardinals.