MET NOTES
PHILADELPHIA – Joe McEwing read the newspaper yesterday and saw the sickening stat: Since his last hit on May 25, he was 0-for-29 entering last night’s game.
Quizzed about it hours before last night’s 8-7 loss, the Philadelphia-area native couldn’t remember whom he got the hit off (Florida’s Vladimir Nunez in the ninth inning of a 6-5 loss at Shea). But he remembered it was a single.
Manager Bobby Valentine played McEwing at second base last night to give Roberto Alomar a break in the 96-degree heat. Batting eighth, McEwing went 0-for-2 with a strikeout in the third and a groundout to third base in the fifth before he was lifted for Alomar with the Mets trailing 6-4 in the seventh. The streak is now 0-for-31.
“[Dwelling on it] only makes it worse,” McEwing said. “I feel great mentally and physically, and mechanically.”
The 29-year-old is not a one-dimensional player, so it’s tough to use the barometer of batting average to judge his effectiveness. His average was .267 on May 25 and is at .189 now.
“My confidence is still here,” he said. “I know I’m better than this. Sure, you definitely want to hit. That breeds confidence. But my confidence is knowing even though I’m struggling, I can help the team as a defensive replacement, pinch-runner, pinch-hitter. “
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The Expos may be very interested in Met closer Armando Benitez, but it’s highly unlikely a deal can be brokered. Benitez is under contract through next year, making a somewhat affordable $5.625 million this season and $6.75 million in ’03.
The Expos would have to blow the Mets away with a deal, sending as many as three or more blue-chip position and/or pitching prospects.
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John Valentin was also in the lineup at shortstop, spelling Rey Ordonez. Valentin has 18 RBIs in 102 at-bats and is a proven run producer. He may see more time if he can prove he can handle the workload. He was lifted during a double-switch in the bottom of the sixth.
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MLB security chief Kevin Hallinan was pulling Mets out of the clubhouse one by one before the game, including Tony Tarasco. But the matter was not believed to be drug-related. Hallinan also deals with keeping unsavory characters away from ballplayers.
Hallinan said he was recruiting Phillies and Mets for the Rookie Career Development Program, which instructs young ballplayers how to avoid trouble. Hallinan could not comment on the Post report of an earlier incident concerning Tarasco in Montreal in April.
