As the Mets (weather permitting) prepared to open a two-game home series with the National tonight, yesterday’s announcement that Billy Wagner‘s career might be over due to Tommy John surgery cast a pall over Jerry Manuel‘s first-place team. Colleague Kevin Kernan, on the other hand, argues that the Mets can still win without Wagner.

In the notebook, Jose Reyesis hitting .120 so far this month, evoking memories of his disastrous swoon last September. There are also items on Luis Castillo, postseason ticket sales and pitching matchups.