link - For months, the team offered a flat "no" to the possibility that it would cut Perez and swallow the remainder of a three-year, $36 million contract awarded him before the 2009 season. Monday, sources said that stance had not changed. One team source said, "It's not on the front burner right at this moment, but you never know what could happen down the line." Most Mets decision-makers have lost all hope that Perez will be able to pitch effectively, and are puzzled at the lefty's dramatic drop in velocity. Despite that, another visit to the disabled list appears unlikely, as the team does not believe that Perez is injured.
http://bleacherreport.com/tb/b5awG - The Mets are getting little production from the bottom of their order, even if Monday's Nos. 6 through 8 hitters -- Francoeur, Henry Blanco and Castillo -- did have one hit apiece. Francoeur is now hitting .122 (5-for-41) since the All-Star break. Castillo is hitting .190 in his past 42 at-bats. Blanco is hitting .227 in his past 22 at-bats. Manuel suggested changes are on the way, but a limit exists to the maneuverability. Jesus Feliciano can replace Francoeur in the outfield, while Manuel can more heavily rely on Josh Thole at catcher and Alex Cora at second base. For the record, though, Thole is hitting .115 (3-for-26) over his past 11 games with an at-bat. Cora's season average is .207.
link - I came to the sad realization a couple days ago that this team isn't going anywhere. They don't have what it take to make the playoffs with the type of attitude they have right now. I'm not the only one either. In a recent poll on Mets Paradise 85% of the voters believed the Mets will not make the playoffs. This doesn't mean that I'm going to stop watching them and stop attending games. This is my team, and if they are going down I'm going down with them. I love this team and that wouldn't change whether they are in the World Series or if they were in last place.
link - Position Player of the Month: Outfielder, Angel Pagan - In a month in which the Mets plummeted down the standings, Angel Pagan was one of the lone bright spots on an otherwise anemic offense. The switch hitter managed to get on base even during the roughest of patches for the Mets and has continued to hit will with runners in scoring position. During July, Pagan hit .337 with five home runs and nine stolen bases. His .402 OBP was all the more impressive. He showed Mets management that he had no business losing out on playing time despite the return of Carlos Beltran. With health has come production from Pagan.
link - Pitcher of the Month: Left-handed pitcher, Johan Santana - After a great July, Johan Santana appears to have returned to form. In six starts, he posted a 3-0 record, giving up just 10 runs in 43 innings of work. His walk totals were down slightly from June and he has clearly regained the command that fans have grown to expect. Five of his six starts were of the quality variety, including a complete game shutout against the Reds. Santana got rocked in his last outing of the month, but had been nearly flawless in July up until that point. He'll be looking to bounce back from that start to post his second consecutive excellent month of pitching.
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