MET NOTES
ATLANTA – The Mets used 144 lineups last season, most in the majors, and Bobby Valentine has a tendency to tinker with what he calls his “groupings.” The groupings are a subset of the lineup, but Valentine and his staff have found a combination they like.
For their series-opening 5-4 loss in Atlanta last night, the Mets used the same lineup for the third time in four games.
“The players are comfortable with that one,” Valentine said.
The Met skipper took his staff out to dinner before the Florida series and went around the table to solicit lineup opinions. Valentine’s polling isn’t unusual; in spring training, he asked every coach to fill out a couple of lineups, and he received some interesting permutations. One of those had Rey Ordonez hitting second.
Valentine said his coaches liked a lineup that had Roberto Alomar leading off, Timo Perez hitting second, Mike Piazza in the third spot and Mo Vaughn batting cleanup. The bottom half of the lineup was Edgardo Alfonzo, Jeromy Burnitz, Roger Cedeno and Ordonez.
Piazza, Vaughn and Alomar drove in runs in the same game for the first time this year, although Piazza and Vaughn plated runs by getting hit.
“That means we’re getting going,” Valentine said. “That’s a good sign.”
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With a 1-for-3 night, Burnitz raised his average from .199 to .201.
In the eighth inning, he lost his bat in the stands, and it hit a small child in the first row or two. The child was taken away for medical treatment but didn’t appear seriously injured.
Still, the Met right fielder was visibly shaken, putting his hands on head and taking a few moments in the on-deck circle to compose himself.
“He just saw that he hit the kid, and he was upset,” Valentine said.
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According to Valentine, Al Leiter spoke with bullpen coach Randy Niemann about his mechanics, which Leiter felt were not in the right position during Sunday’s loss.
The lefty felt he was rushing and making his cutter too easy to hit.
“It’s a feel thing,” Valentine said. “He can [correct] it on the side. That’s what a side is all about.”
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GM Steve Phillips talked to Ralph Nelson, the vice president of umpiring, to tell the Mets’ side of the story from Saturday night’s ejections. There’s no word yet on fines or suspensions.
