Darling Needs Injury Update & Other News & Notes...

Oops - Someone forgot to tell Mets' announcer Ron Darling that mets minor league relief pitcher Henry Owens is hurt and on the DL. Darling had a great Q&A Session on SNY.TV's website.

Q: Ron, any idea why Henry Owens isn't pitching at Norfolk yet? 33 strikeouts in 14 innings. Thanks.-- John G.
A: With all the starting pitching woes that the Mets have had (10 starting pitchers so far), Norfolk has been adding some older pitchers, i.e. Dave Williams. Owens will get his chance if he continues his dominant pitching.

You would think that someone as important as Darling would have received that injury update!

Here is a link to Darlings Q&A: Darling

~An excellent new Mets site was forwarded to me a few days ago and I wanted to share it with you- it's hosted by John Young, and it's called SHEA NATION (great name, by the way) - here's the link: sheanation (and thanks, John, for helping us with the whole hyperlink thing!!!) Keep up the great work, John!!!

~John Maine makes his second rehab start tonite - let's keep our fingers crossed!! (Doesn't look like we'll see much of Bannister any time soon, so a healthy Maine would be a most welcome sight right now!)

~We keep hearing the name of Livan Hernandez popping up as a possible acquisition by the Mets. He's an innings eater, for sure, and the half-brother of Orlando, and the way our bullpen is being over-worked, we could sure use someone who can go past the fifth or sixth inning other than Glavine & Martinez.

~On a hockey note, kudos to the NY Islanders for bringing back Brian Trottier! About time! Seeing him with the Rangers was sickening...way to go, Trots! Here's a good article about his return: NewsdayTrots Funny enough, Jon and I were talking about this approximately 2 months ago, lambasting the Isles organization for letting people like Trots leave the organization in the first place. And Mike Milbury is STILL their GM- WHO does he have naked pics of???

~The Press & Sun-Bulletin out of Binghamton, NY has a good article about the pressures of being Mike Pelfrey: PelfreyBinghamton Let's hope our future rotation stalwart calms down and stops feeling the pressure from NY...

~Okay, Bonds' lovers- can Barry pitch? No? Well, at the age of 35, Babe Ruth returned to the mound for one game, after not pitching for 9 years, and won one for the Yanks! Babe was so much more dominant then anyone he played with, the only comparison I can make to anyone in modern sports is the Great One, Wayne Gretzky - and Babe didn't have a Gordie Howe before him! Here's a great article about it: Babe And remember to pick up Leigh Montville's amazing The Big Bam all about Ruth's amazing life.

~It's confirmed- I have tix for Pedro's return to LA on Tuesday evening, a few rows behind home plate (and about $80 later- sheesh!) I will come back with some great pics - promise!

~Relatively slow news day- for now- more tomorrow! And as promised (belatedly) coming tomorrow- Omar & Willie's Grades! (After all, our name IS Trades, Tirades & GM Grades!!!)