Hernandez, making his fourth minor-league rehab start and first with the B-Mets, gave up two runs in the first inning. He said he felt fine before the game began but hurt his right foot during the first inning, though he couldn't recall exactly when the injury occurred. It's the same foot Hernandez had surgery on prior to the beginning of this season.
The injury likely happened on the first out of the game. Connecticut leadoff hitter Kyle Haines hit a slow grounder to first baseman Mike Carp, who tossed the ball to Hernandez covering the bag at first. Hernandez recorded the putout but appeared to take bad step on the bag, hobbling slightly after the play.
First batter of the game. Alou lasted six innings before he took himself out. Even Hampton lasted two innings. El Duque, who lasted the rest of that first inning, couldn't even outlast them. That's like the injury equivalent of missing the $100 question on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. Poor guy.
It might be easier to list what's right with Orlando Hernandez than to list what's wrong with him. "El Duque" was due to come off the disabled list on Sunday from his bunion discomfort, but rather than just have a flare up of that existing injury, Hernandez has come up with a brand new injury, as a strained tendon in his right foot will put him on the shelf for at least another month.
This from the same guy who missed the 2006 playoffs because he hurt his calf while jogging in the outfield, and the same guy who had the following spring training hampered by arthritis in his neck. Add to that the fact that nobody really knows how old he is, it's possible that we may never see Hernandez in a major league uniform again at this rate.
The Mets, who probably took well over a year too long to stop depending on the health of El Duque, are looking at signing Claudio Vargas to help out their rotation. Just six months ago, Hernandez was being counted on to throw in the front end of the Mets rotation, before a previous flare-up with tendinitis started to convince the Mets that Hernandez just isn't very durable anymore ... just really, really old.
As if having their division lead shrink from seven games to a mere game and a half in the span of a week isn't bad enough for the Mets, it looks like their money pitcher ... the one they got for all of his playoff experience ... is "iffy" for October.
That immobilizing boot that Orlando Hernandez has on his right foot is apparently going to be there for a while and the pitcher may not be available if the Mets reach the postseason. El Duque, who was diagnosed with a bunion and a bit of tendinitis during an examination of his foot on Monday in New York, is scheduled to remain in the boot for a week to 10 days. He'll be allowed to work out while wearing the boot -- ride a stationary bike, play catch, lift weights. What he can't do, however, is much more significant than what he can. With the boot on, El Duque will be unable to run or throw off a mound.
"I'm not happy," Hernandez said. "I have no answers. Maybe after seven days I'll have a little answer."
Of course, in seven days the Mets may not be in a playoff spot anyway so this could all be moot. It is ironic that Hernandez, who the Mets got to pitch in big games ... especially big playoff games ... may not ever pitch in a playoff game for the Mets. He missed last year's postseason after injuring his foot while running just before the playoffs even started. And now, if there is a postseason for the Mets in 2007, there's every possibility he could miss that too.
(The good news is that the immobilizing boot will prevent him from injuring himself while running again.)
The Injury Turk is starting to catch up to the older Mets. Orlando Hernandez and Jose Valentin have already gone down with injuries, and now the injury reaper is chasing Moises Alou. The 40-year-old has already experienced a cut chin and a jammed shoulder. But that wasn't enough to sideline him too long. So now, it's a knee injury that is nagging Alou, and it may keep him out of action for a game or two if anti-inflammatory medication and draining the knee don't do the trick:
"My knee felt unstable and painful," Alou said. "The doctor said I have a little bit of fluid there. I had an MRI the other day and I have a little bit of arthritis and a small little tear in my meniscus. The little tear, I guess, sometimes it rubs something and makes me get an uncomfortable feeling. I wore a brace during the game after (tweaking it in the fourth) to feel more secure, but it didn't help much."
In baseball, there are no little tears ... especially for 40-year-olds. When something rubs something and you get an uncomfortable feeling, it's time to see the doctor (or a therapist, but that's an entirely different uncomfortable feeling caused by an entirely different method of rubbing). Previously on The Fanhouse: Moises Alou Fought the Wall and the Wall Won Mets lose El Duque and Valentin to Injury
Going into Tuesday night's game with the Marlins, Mike Pelfrey was under an optical microscope. With each of Pelfrey's previous three starts getting progressively worse, Omar Minaya indicated that his "blue chip prospect" status wouldn't keep Pelfrey from being sent back down to the minors:
"You got to perform up here at some point or time," Minaya said bluntly. "You got to perform or else we'll go down for other options in the minor leagues."
With Orlando Hernandez on the shelf with bursitis, it seemed that Pelfrey's spot would have been a little safer. But the Mets have options in New Orleans with Jorge Sosa, Phil Humber, and Jason Vargas having good seasons in AAA. (Sosa had pitched on Sunday, but why the Mets brought up Chan Ho Park on Monday instead of Humber or Vargas is beyond me.)
Pelfrey pitched better on Tuesday against Florida so his job, which seemingly is up for debate from start to start, is safe for another start. But the Mets still lost the game, and his tenuous hold on that fifth spot may point the Mets elsewhere if he doesn't continue to improve.
Jorge Sosa appears to be the candidate du jour, especially given that the 29-year-old right-hander has major-league experience, a live arm and a sparkling 4-0 record and 1.13 ERA at the team's Triple-A affiliate in New Orleans. Another possibility includes left-hander Jason Vargas (2-2, 4.55). Right now, it doesn't look like the Mets plan to call up rookie right-hander Philip Humber (2-2, 4.15), who was the team's No. 1 pick in 2004. Minaya also said the Mets may be looking to add another arm via a trade, saying that the team is "always looking."
Said (Tom) Glavine: "It adds a little bit of craziness to the mix. You'd love nothing better than to come in here everyday and know whose pitching. ...That's not the case. If the guy you bring in here has a bad game, or a bad couple of games, yeah, there's a little bit of 'Who's pitching tonight?'"
Glavine should know ... he pitched on a team in 2006 that endured 13 starting pitchers, a list which included Jose Lima and Geremi Gonzalez. Now that was craziness.
This was the reason that the Mets even signed Chan Ho Park. Orlando Hernandez took his inevitable trip to the disabled list with bursitis in his shoulder, and Park was lying in wait at AAA New Orleans. Unfortunately, Park was also lying with a 7.29 ERA in the minors, making Met fans hold their breath as Park, and not Jorge Sosa who was pitching brilliantly for the Zephyrs but had already thrown six innings on Sunday, made Monday night's start in place of El Duque.
The results were not good, as Park gave up a two out single in the third inning to Scott Olsen of all people, which opened the floodgates for two innings full of bloop hits, home runs by small middle infielders (Alfredo Amezaga), and lots and lots of pitches that missed the strike zone. Despite that ...
"I really didn't think he threw as bad as it looked," catcher Paul Lo Duca said.
Maybe not, and maybe the Mets defense contributed with some sloppy play by Damion Easley in their 9-6 loss (Easley now starts in place of Jose Valentin who is lost to the Mets with a partial tear of his right ACL). But the circumstantial evidence is not good. Park's high AAA ERA, along with giving up a home run to a guy who hadn't hit one since last August 31st tells a different story.
And that's not even mentioning giving up the hit to Olsen which started it all ... but in fairness to Park, Olsen has been hitting everyone equally. The Marlins hurler has a batting average of .545 in his brief eleven at-bat season. The secret of his success?
"Luck," Olsen said. "Obviously, this ain't going to keep up."
After giving up his third home run of the game in the Mets' 6-2 loss to the Nationals earlier today, Orlando Hernandez's next pitch in the sixth inning ran up and in on Shawn Hill, nailing him in his hand/forearm area.
Without much hesitation, the home plate ump ejected El Duque from the game. A little unwarranted, if you ask me.
You could see right after Hernandez plunked Hill he raised his hand up as if to say: "Whoops, sorry, didn't mean to do that." And, by the way he pleaded with the ump, you get the picture he was just having a bad day on the mound and didn't have any intention of throwing at Hill. Also, this graf from the AP wrap seems to indicate it was nothing more than a mistake.
Once El Duque retreated to the bench, he climbed to the top step of the dugout and spoke calmly to Hill, who was standing on first base. Shaking his head and gesturing with his hands, Hernandez (1-1) appeared to be explaining that he had no intention of plunking Hill and couldn't understand why he was tossed. Hill appeared satisfied.
Again, to me, this was just a pitcher having one atrocious day on the hill. Talk about kicking a dude when he's down.
Orlando Hernandez had better save something for the rest of the season. With his seven strong innings and his two hits including a two run double, he seems a little too frisky for a ??-year-old. Running the bases, or running in general, hasn't been kind to El Duque lately, as it was a torn calf suffered while running that put him out of the playoffs (and a cramp in his leg suffered in spring training while running to first base).
But run he did. And thankfully, he's still in one piece as the Mets took another game from the defending World Champs on ring night on Tuesday night by a score of 4-1.
"I'm happy to pitch seven innings," said Hernandez, who unlike most pitchers was more impressed with his pitching than he was with his hitting. "I try to do a good job every time. I work out for four days (to pitch) for one day. I look for something good to happen every time I go to the mound."
El Duque's seven strong innings were certainly impressive. But he probably should have been a little more impressed with his hitting than he was. His two run double came after Willie Randolph left him in to face Kip Wells with the bases loaded and the score just 2-0. In a close game like that with an old pitcher on the mound who pitched just 12 innings in spring training, some would have played it safe and went with the pinch hitter. But Willie Randolph left El Duque in, basically giving away the out for two more innings out of his starter. He got the two innings, got the bonus two run double, and his hunch paid off as it got him the win. Most importantly, he got El Duque back to the mound without him disintegrating.
Chan Ho Park battled for a job this spring training and now he's got one. However, it's not the one he really wanted. Mets brass came up with the decision on Friday night, but failed to tell Park about it until after his performance on Saturday. It was a performance, by the way, that Park had expected would go five innings, but instead he was pulled after three to start to get him used to relief work. Park's surprise turned to disappointment:
"I came here looking for a job as a starter, that's for sure," said Park, who agreed to a $600,000, one-year contract with the Mets in the offseason. "They asked me to be a reliever, and obviously I'm unhappy. I have to figure out what's best for the team."
It's simple, really. What's best for the team is to have right handed relievers that aren't complete dog meat. And right now Park, who pitched effectively in relief at the 2006 World Baseball Classic, is a better bet to come out of the pen from the right side than say, Ambiorix Burgos (an 8.76 ERA in the spring), Jon Adkins (8.10 ERA) or Jorge Sosa (who's one good season came with Leo Mazzone as his pitching coach). Park is needed in the pen until guys like Duaner Sanchez and Guillermo Mota return from injury and suspension.
And also what's best for the team is Park (and Aaron Sele, who has also won a job with the Mets ... most likely in the bullpen) to be around as insurance for Tom Glavine (age 41) and Orlando Hernandez (age 37 or 41 depending on who you believe). El Duque has torn a calf while running, cramped up while running, and developed arthritis in his neck ... all in the last six months. Mike Pelfrey will most likely already be in the rotation, and nobody knows when/if Philip Humber will be ready this season. So Park is needed to be on the same page with the Mets' line of thinking. Hopefully after the surprise wears off, he will be.
You know, the Red Sox had the right idea when they told Daisuke Matsuzaka not to swing the bat for the rest of spring training. Now keep in mind that "Dice K" is only 26 years old. Orlando Hernandez ("El Duque" to you and me) is ... well, nobody really knows his age except to say he's not 26. In fact if you double that number, subtract 5, multiply by pi, divide by ... oh, never mind. He's old, and he shouldn't run, as evidenced by his latest adventure on the basepaths on Sunday.
El Duque had bunted and run toward first. His right hamstring wasn't enjoying the trip; it grabbed. "Cramps for gramps," someone said. But nothing more than cramps. No repeat of the torn calf muscle that denied him participation in the Mets' postseason in 2006. But of course it came to mind. But the cause was cramps, which subsided quickly.
If there's a spring training rule where teams can request the use of a designated hitter, then shouldn't there be a rule that pitchers over the age of 35 can request the use of a dolly to travel along the bases? Or maybe designated base runners like we had in the playground when we were kids?
"My arm is more important than my hamstring, and both felt all right," he said.
Well that's a relief. But a pitcher his age really shouldn't have the luxury of choosing which body parts are important and which aren't. They're all important! (Just ask Pedro Martinez.)
I'm beginning to think that if Pedro Martinez, Moises Alou, Mike Hampton, and Orlando Hernandez played cards together, nobody would win because they'd all give themselves paper cuts dealing the cards. You already know about Alou. You saw that Martinez is having further injury problems. You may have also seen that Hampton injured his groin in a recent rehab start. Now, the fourth horseman of "ow" has experienced a setback in his first rehab start in AA Binghamton while trying to return to the majors:
It might be easier to list what's right with 
As if having their division lead shrink from seven games to a mere game and a half in the span of a week isn't bad enough for the Mets, it looks like their money pitcher ... the one they got for all of his playoff experience ... is "
The Injury Turk is starting to catch up to the older Mets. Orlando Hernandez and Jose Valentin have already 
Going into Tuesday night's game with the Marlins, Mike Pelfrey was under an optical microscope. With each of Pelfrey's previous three starts getting progressively worse, Omar Minaya indicated that his "blue chip prospect" status wouldn't keep Pelfrey from being 
This was the reason that the Mets even signed Chan Ho Park. Orlando Hernandez took his 
After giving up his third home run of the game in the Mets' 6-2 loss to the Nationals earlier today, Orlando Hernandez's next pitch in the sixth inning ran up and in on Shawn Hill, nailing him in his hand/forearm area.
Chan Ho Park battled for a job this spring training and now he's got one. However, it's not the one he really wanted. Mets brass came up with the decision on Friday night, but failed to tell Park about it until after his performance on Saturday. It was a performance, by the way, that Park had expected would go five innings, but instead he was pulled after three to start to get him used to relief work. Park's surprise 
You know, the Red Sox had the right idea when they told Daisuke Matsuzaka 
