MET NOTES
Victor Zambrano only lasted 1 1/3 innings Tuesday, so the Met bullpen was stretched as thin as Mr. Fantastic of the Fantastic Four.
Although manager Willie Randolph wouldn’t confirm a published report that Kaz Ishii will be bumped from his Saturday start for Jae Seo, he indicated that Ishii was in the bullpen mix for last night’s game against the Brewers.
“I might use him a starter or something like that,” he said. “Everyone’s available.”
As far as kicking Ishii to the bullpen for Seo, Randolph answered, “We’ll wait and see. We haven’t made a decision on that yet. . . . Right now, Ishii is our starter. That’s the way it is right now – unless you know something I don’t.”
Seo was 7-4 with a 4.29 ERA for Triple A Norfolk and was squeezed out as part of a numbers game earlier this year. In three starts for the Mets, he’s 2-1 with a 2.00 ERA.
The Mets are already preparing for Steve Trachsel to take the spot, which is why he went a week between rehab starts instead of the normal five days.
Trachsel (herniated disc surgery) will start Saturday for Double A Binghamton, the same day as Ishii or Seo, so that’s not a coincidence.
Trachsel’s side session yesterday, in which he threw between 65-75 pitches, went off without a hitch.
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The Mets were 7-1 in their last eight home games entering last night. Tuesday’s victory was the first time they had come from four runs down to win since July 28, 2002.
The pitching staff allowed five homers Tuesday for the first time since last Sept. 11 versus the Phillies. The team improved to 5-3 in extra innings, posted its fifth walk-off win and 11th victory in its final at-bat.
Mike Piazza was back in the starting lineup last night, batting seventh, after Ramon Castro started Tuesday. Castro is batting .350 (7-for-20) with four runs, three doubles, two homers and nine RBIs in his last five starts.
The Mets mustered 35 hits in their previous two games.
Cliff Floyd‘s first-inning single Tuesday was the 1,200th of his career.
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This afternoon at 12:10, Kris Benson (7-4, 3.40) starts against LHP Doug Davis (9-7, 4.01).
