MIAMI – Utilityman Kurt Abbott’s back pain has become so intense that the Mets placed him on the disabled list and called up infielder David Lamb, who was hitting just .230 at Triple-A Norfolk before last night’s 2-0 loss to the Marlins.
Abbott originally hurt the back during the Dodgers series last month. It was the same series in which Rey Ordonez suffered his fractured forearm, ending the shortstop’s season. To make room for Lamb, the Mets moved Ordonez from the 15-day DL to the 60-day DL.
Abbott’s injury – “a tiny bulging disc,” he said – is not expected to be serious. After his 15 days on the DL is up, Abbott expects to be able to return. He said he aggravated the back while turning on his air conditioner Saturday.
Abbott hasn’t been playing much with the emergence of Melvin Mora.
“I have no excuses for not hitting,” Abbott said.
Lamb, 25, said he was shocked when Triple-A Norfolk manager John Gibbons told him he was being called up.
“It was the last thing I was thinking about,” said Lamb, who can play short, second or third.
Bobby Valentine was also taken aback (pun intended) about the Abbott news.
“It took us a little by surprise,” Valentine said.
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Jay Payton wasn’t in the lineup for the second consecutive game because of his sore left wrist. Payton said there is a “50-50 [chance,] maybe better,” he will be able to start today.
Like Sunday against the Braves, Joe McEwing received the start in center. Payton did enter the game as a defensive replacement in the ninth inning.
Payton didn’t take batting practice before last night’s game, but plans to test the left wrist at the plate before today’s game.
The 27-year-old Payton hurt the left wrist while swinging in his final at-bat Saturday. Trainer Fred Hina then advised Valentine to rest Payton Sunday.
Payton is blossoming into the player the Mets have always felt he could be. Injuries curtailed Payton, a Mets’ first rounder in 1994, throughout his career, but he has played tremendously this season. He entered last night at .305. He knows resting the injury is best.
“It’ll just end up like it was two days ago,” Payton said of trying to start last night. A reporter said it was spoken like a true veteran, to which Payton responded, “I am when it comes to injuries.”
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Mike Hampton will start tomorrow against Chuck Smith (0-1, 2.60 ERA0. Hampton is 7-5 with a 3.68 ERA … The Mets were 45-35 after 80 games last year and are 46-34 this year. They are 27-15 in their last 42 games.
