It’s been only two games, but the Mets can’t help but like what they see from Jeff Francoeur.
The Mets are 2-0 and have scored 13 runs in the two games since acquiring Francoeur from the Braves for Ryan Church on Friday. That’s quite a turn-around for a club that had been shut out three times in its previous five games before their new right fielder’s arrival.
Francoeur had his second consecutive two-hit game as a Met yesterday, including a sixth-inning double.
“He’s brought some life and some energy, no doubt about that,” manager Jerry Manuel said.
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The Mets set their rotation for immediately after the All-Star break, with the struggling Livan Hernandez still on thin ice but getting at least one more start.
Oliver Perez will get the nod Thursday in Atlanta, when the Mets open a 10-game, 11-day trip.
Perez will be followed by Mike Pelfrey on Friday, then Johan Santana on Saturday. Fernando Nieve will get Sunday’s start, then Hernandez will pitch the opener of a three-game set in Washington on Monday.
Manuel, though, indicated a third consecutive bad start by Hernandez could prompt the recall of Jon Niese from Triple-A Buffalo.
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Carlos Delgado hit in the batting cage yesterday for the first time since hip surgery nearly two months ago, although the slugger still has no definite timetable for a return to the lineup.
Delgado plans to go to Port St. Lucie today to continue baseball activities and hit on the field for the first time, most likely tomorrow or Wednesday.
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Manuel created some optimism about Jose Reyes yesterday, despite not having any more of a definite timetable for the shortstop’s return from what the team calls a slight hamstring tear.
“It was very encouraging to watch him move as freely as he was moving and to be able to not have a [very] noticeable limp or anything,” Manuel said. “Even though I could still see that in him, it was not as noticeable as it was early on.”
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The Mets optioned infielder Argenis Reyes to Buffalo after yesterday’s game.
