MET NOTES
Although Benny Agbayani again wasn’t ready to play last night, he says there is no reason to believe he will miss the postseason.
However, GM Steve Phillips thinks Agbayani could be “right on the edge” of being healthy for the playoffs, which will start the middle of next week for the Mets.
Last night was the third game Agbayani missed because of the pulled right hamstring.
“I think it will be [ready for the playoff],” Agbayani said. “I have more time to work out. I can work out the whole day, so I’m not concerned about that.”
Phillips thinks Agbayani will be ready but wasn’t as positive as Agbayani.
“Slightly concerned,” Phillips said of state of his of mind on Agbayani’s availability. “He is progressing. He is going to be right on the edge of being ready to go come postseason.”
Agbayani appeared more optimistic last night than he had over the weekend.
“I know my body and I know how it feels,” Agbayani said. “When I’ve pulled it before I knew it would take some time in the past.”
Agbayani hurt the hamstring slipping on home plate at Veterans Stadium on Friday.
*
Derek Bell snapped an 0-for-18 skid with his first-inning single. … Phillips won’t say if the Mets will go with 11 or 10 pitchers for the postseason, but Pat Mahomes made a push last night for the last spot on the staff. Mahomes struck out half the batters he faced in his two shutout, hitless innings. Only one ball was hit hard, as Andres Galarraga sent the last out of the eighth inning to warning track, but Bell made the catch. …
Edgardo Alfonzo hit his sixth homer in his last 13 games. He is batting .365 (23-for-63) in those games.
*
Rick White started his stay with the Mets tremendously, but he has struggled of late. Last night, he went two-thirds of inning and gave up three runs, two earned, on two hits.
“He’s pitched an awful lot of innings,” manager Bobby Valentine said. “His ball is not quite as sharp right now as it was early.
*
The Giants are the Mets’ most likely playoff opponent. Heading into last night, the Giants owned a two-game lead over the Cardinals for the best record in the NL.
However, the Cardinals really owned a three-game advantage because if the two teams tied, the Giants own the tie-breaker, having beaten St. Louis 5-4 in the season series.
