MET NOTES
The Mets appear on the verge of suffering a serious blow regarding minor-league star right-hander Philip Humber.
Although Humber will get a second opinion, team doctors have recommended he get Tommy John surgery, according to a source familiar with the situation.
“His last outing, he felt some discomfort in the arm and we’ve had him checked out by our doctors,” GM Omar Minaya said yesterday.
Minaya would not confirm that Humber needs Tommy John surgery, saying, “I just don’t want to comment on what he needs until he sees another doctor.”
The 22-year-old Humber was the third overall pick in the draft last season and debuted at Double-A on Monday.
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The Mets had their first baseman back last night, as Doug Mientkiewicz, who had been on the DL since June 26 with a strained right hamstring, returned.
Mientkiewicz said he is not 100 percent yet. But he noted yesterday, “It’s good enough to play.”
“I’m not going to come back after 15 days and be Jose Reyes,” he said. “But hopefully I can score from third on a triple.”
Mientkiewicz went 2-for-4 last night, and his average is up to .224. With the trade deadline July 31, he now has a chance to show the Mets over the next couple of weeks that the team can get enough offense out of him instead of perhaps acquiring another first baseman.
“They’re going to make up their mind regardless,” he said. “I dealt with this last year and it really affected me. Now it’s just like, you know what? Whatever’s going to happen is going to happen. I have no control over that. Yes, I’m better than what I’ve shown. But on the other hand, too, I think collectively as an offense, I think a lot of people expected more out of the offense as a whole than what we’re getting.”
Added Mientkiewicz, “My whole goal from now on is just to be able to get [manager] Willie [Randolph’s] confidence back to put me in there every day and perform.”
Mientkiewicz also said he’s made a bet with David Wright, who recently buzzed his hair, that he would do the same thing if he gets his average to .250. Said Mientkiewicz, “I’ll be more than willing to take it off.”
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Tom Glavine on new Yankee Al Leiter: “I know in talking to him that he still feels really good and it’s certainly not the way he wanted things to end. Hopefully this will work out for him and he can get back to doing what he still feels like he’s capable of doing.” … Steve Trachsel (herniated disc) threw 40 pitches in two innings of a simulated game yesterday.
