link - - “I’m not sure what the free agent of trade market is going to be this offseason, but there needs to be that combination, From the small sample that I have seen from players from our minor leagues, we’re doing pretty well that way. You need to have those homegrown players that bring that energy and excitement, and those veteran guys you go get via trades or free agency. "It’s just me and Jose since 2004. You want stability, because stability means you did something right the year before and you want the same group of guys back. But we obviously haven’t been able to find that, in a combination that we can consistently get to the playoffs year in and year out. Until you find that, you’ve got to keep bringing guys in and out.“We fully expected after (reaching the playoffs in) 2006 to make it a yearly thing. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out that way.”
link - Mets general manager Omar Minaya told David Waldstein of the New York Times that the team would like to re-sign Hisanori Takahashi. "We’ve been very happy with him," said Minaya. "He’s done everything we’ve asked of him, and he’s shown the ability to pitch in New York. I’m sure we’ll sit down after the season and, hopefully, we can work something out." The 35-year-old left-hander has been a pleasant surprise in his first season stateside, posting a 3.95 ERA in 12 starts and 28 relief appearances, averaging 8.4 K/9 and 3.3 BB/9. The Mets have used him as their closer recently, however Takahashi may want to see if he can find a chance to start elsewhere.
link - Michael Weiner , MLBPA executive director, told Newsday that Francisco Rodriguez ‘s grievance hearing is likely to be scheduled for mid-October. Rodriguez is contesting the Mets’ attempt to make the remainder of his three-year, $37-million contract, which runs through 2011, non-guaranteed after K-Rod needed season-ending surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right thumb. The Mets say that Rodriguez injured his thumb in an alleged criminal assault on the father of his girlfriend.
link - I’ve been pumped about the development of outfielder Lucas Duda all season. He is a hulking individual, standing in at 6’5’’ and 240 pounds, so we’ll see how mobile he can be in the outfield. But the left-handed swinging outfielder has put up the most dominant power numbers I’ve seen from a Mets' prospect this year. The 24 year-old made a flawless transition from AA to AAA as well. Between 110 games in both stops, he has hit .303 with 23 home runs while driving in 87. He struck out 77 times while drawing 58 walks. He pulverized right-handed pitching at Buffalo this season, hitting .353 against them. There is a lot of unexpected upside here, so it will be interesting to see what he can do.
link - Throughout this Pirates road trip, Lastings Milledge has struggled in the outfield, taking long routes to balls and failing to make catches. Manager John Russell said Milledge has been slow to adjust after being switched from left to right field. “He doesn’t see the ball as well (in right),” Russell said. “The angle, the view off the bat is different. It’s a matter of getting his first step a little bit better. Milledge’s woes are bit unusual, Russell said, because it usually tougher for a player to go from right to left. “But I have seen it when a guy just gets comfortable on one side and it’s hard to switch.”
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