New York Mets News

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (AP) _ Carlos Delgado returned to the New York Mets on Thursday, five days after the birth of his son, Carlos Antonio. Delgado, who had gone to Puerto Rico to attend the birth, received congratulations from teammates. Now that he's back, he can catch up on his rest. ``You don't sleep well at the hospital,'' he said. The former Toronto Blue Jays star made the trip ...

The New York Mets will play the Baltimore Orioles in next year's Hall of Fame game on May 21, a rematch of the 1969 World Series. Orioles great Cal Ripken Jr. is expected to be the focus of the Hall of Fame induction ceremonies on July 29. A two-time MVP who played in 2,632 consecutive games to break Lou Gehrig's record streak, Ripken is considered a certain first-ballot inductee next ...

David Wright, Jose Reyes _ and Jackie Robinson. New York Mets fans will get a taste of the old Brooklyn Dodgers as they file into the team's new ballpark, which will include a tribute to the player who broke baseball's colour barrier in 1947. The Mets held a groundbreaking ceremony Monday to celebrate the 45,000-seat ballpark that will replace Shea Stadium at the start of the 2009 season. One hallmark ...

The World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals will host the New York Mets in the 2007 major league opener on Sunday night, April 1. The game, a rematch of this year's NL championship series, will be televised nationally in the U.S. at 8:05 p.m. EDT, the Cardinals said Monday. After an off day on April 2, the series concludes with games April 3 and 4.

The first long drive to left field wound up in the webbing of Endy Chavez's glove as he crashed against the wall. The second one sailed clear over his head. And that's what sent Yadier Molina and the St. Louis Cardinals to the World Series. Molina's tiebreaking homer in the ninth inning and another Game 7 gem by Jeff Suppan helped St. Louis overcome Chavez's astounding grab, giving the Cardinals a 3-1 victory over the New York ...

The New York Mets are handing the ball _ and their season _ to Oliver Perez in Game 7. That's right, Oliver Perez, who was demoted to the minors by lowly Pittsburgh less than four months ago. The erratic lefty who went 3-13 with a 6.55 ERA in the big leagues this year. The guy who couldn't seem to throw a strike earlier this season. And he'll be pitching on ...

Jeff Suppan pitched a pair of clinching games in 2004, the last time the St. Louis Cardinals made it to the World Series. They'll ask him to do it again in Game 7 against New York Mets fill-in starter Oliver Perez. Suppan beat Roger Clemens in Game 7 of the 2004 NLCS after eliminating the Dodgers in the divisional round. He was the team's second-most reliable starter with 12 victories, ...

With the New York Mets on the brink of elimination, John Maine pitched a game to remember. The rookie dominated the St. Louis Cardinals with the poise of a veteran, Jose Reyes sparked the offence with a leadoff home run and the Mets rock 'n' rolled at boisterous Shea Stadium to beat St. Louis 4-2 on Wednesday night and force the NL championship series to a decisive seventh game. Reyes had three hits and two stolen bases, ...

Fully rested, Tom Glavine had the St. Louis Cardinals right where he wanted them. Unless the Mets can rally, he'll have all winter to rest. The Mets gave Glavine an early two-run lead after he extended his scoreless streak to 16 innings in the post-season. And then, all so quickly, it all came undone, and New York moved within a loss of elimination with a 4-2 defeat Tuesday night in Game 5 of the NL championship series. St. ...

A big swing by Albert Pujols and another playoff gem from a rejuvenated Jeff Weaver put the St. Louis Cardinals on the cusp of the World Series. Pujols' homer helped the Cardinals get to Tom Glavine at last, and Weaver shut down the New York Mets for a 4-2 victory Tuesday night and a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven NL championship series. Cardinals ace Chris Carpenter can close it out Wednesday night in Game 6 at Shea ...

Most of the New York Mets were putting on their snazzy dress clothes, ready to head back to their hotels. Carlos Delgado was still in the clubhouse wearing sweats and carrying a bat, his work day not yet done. In the first post-season of a major league career that began in 1993, Delgado has carried the Mets within two wins of the World Series with a polished performance that most ...

Carlos Beltran sent the ball soaring over the wall. So did David Wright. And Carlos Delgado. And then Beltran did it a second time. With four home runs, the Mets tied the NL championship series, making sure it will end back home in New York. ``It's all even now. It's, `Who wants it more?''' Wright said after the Mets battered the St. Louis Cardinals' bullpen in a 12-5 victory Sunday ...

First, Steve Trachsel was awful. Then, he got hurt. Now it's up to Oliver Perez _ yes, Oliver Perez _ to keep the New York Mets in the NL championship series. Trachsel lasted just three outs and 43 mostly mediocre pitches in the Mets' 5-0 loss Saturday night, which gave the St. Louis Cardinals a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven-series. Pitching for the Mets for perhaps the final time, he gave up five hits and five walks, was ...

Left-fielder Cliff Floyd wasn't in the New York Mets' starting lineup for Game 2 of the NL championship series Friday night after reinjuring his left Achilles tendon in the opener against the St. Louis Cardinals. Floyd, who hobbled off after two innings of New York's 2-0 win Thursday, had an ultrasound test Friday. ``There was no further damage found,'' Mets manager Willie Randolph said. ``Just a matter of how comfortable ...

Cliff Floyd felt his left Achilles' tendon pop twice. With that, he left Thursday night's NL championship series opener after two innings. ``It's really sad,'' he said. New York's left fielder caught fly balls in each of the first two innings, moving gingerly each time. Then, in the bottom of the second of the Mets' 2-0 win over St. Louis, he hit a foul ball down the left-field line and ...

Cliff Floyd was listed in the starting lineup for the New York Mets in Game 1 of the NL championship series Wednesday night against St. Louis despite a strained left Achilles' tendon. ``They asked me if I could hit, and I feel pretty good hitting right now,'' Floyd said. The Mets kept Floyd on their active roster Wednesday morning but did make one change from the first round, dropping left-handed ...

Cliff Floyd remained on the New York Mets' roster for the NL championship series despite a strained left Achilles tendon. The Mets did make one change Wednesday from the first round, dropping left-handed reliever Royce Ring and adding infielder Anderson Hernandez. That left them with 11 pitchers on the active roster for the start of the NLCS on Wednesday night against St. Louis. Ring did not pitch in the three-game ...

Cliff Floyd's injured left foot will be the focus when the New York Mets work out Tuesday ahead of the NL championship series opener against St. Louis, and general manager Omar Minaya acknowledged it would be a risk to keep the outfielder on the roster. Floyd reinjured his foot during Saturday's first-round clincher at Los Angeles when he ran hard to score from first on a double. While the Mets ...

Shawn Green and the hitters started fast, Billy Wagner closed it out quickly and now the New York Mets are headed to the NL championship series. A dominant offence and reliable bullpen led the way as the Mets completed their first post-season sweep since 1969, beating the Los Angeles Dodgers 9-5 in Game 3 Saturday night for a first-round sweep. The Mets will open the NLCS at Shea Stadium on Wednesday against the San Diego-St. Louis winner. The ...

Mets outfielder Cliff Floyd, slowed by an injured Achilles' tendon, came out of Saturday night's NL division playoff game after scoring from first on Shawn Green's double in the third inning. Endy Chavez replaced Floyd in left field in the bottom of the inning. Floyd singled with two outs in the third and scored when Green's drive hit the top of the left field fence over a leaping Marlon Anderson, giving the Mets a 4-0 lead over the ...

Thanks to a stellar performance by steady Tom Glavine, the otherwise pitching-depleted New York Mets are on the cusp of a first-round sweep. Making his 33rd post-season start _ but first since joining the Mets in 2003 _ Glavine tossed six shutout innings and New York scratched out enough runs to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-1 Thursday night for a 2-0 lead in their NL playoff series. ``This is ...

Minus two top starters, the New York Mets got dynamic post-season debuts from Carlos Delgado and David Wright to jump ahead of the Dodgers. Back in the playoffs for the first time since losing the 2000 Subway Series, the Mets capitalized on a wild baserunning blunder by Los Angeles and a perfectly respectable performance from emergency starter John Maine in a 6-5 victory Wednesday. Billy Wagner closed it for his ...

Orlando Hernandez is expected to miss the entire post-season because of a calf injury, and Mets rookie John Maine will start Game 1 of the playoffs Wednesday against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Hernandez has a torn muscle in his right calf and was left off New York's first-round roster, leaving the NL East champions without two of their top starters. ``All year long we've had guys who picked each other ...

The New York Mets are running out of healthy pitchers at the worst possible time. Already missing Pedro Martinez, the NL East champions suddenly might have to replace scheduled starter Orlando Hernandez in Game 1 of the playoffs because of a calf injury, too. El Duque felt discomfort in his right leg while he was jogging in the outfield Tuesday as the Mets tuned up for their first-round series against ...

Already missing Pedro Martinez, the New York Mets suddenly might have to replace pitcher Orlando Hernandez in Game 1 of the playoffs because of a calf injury, too. El Duque felt discomfort in his right calf while he was jogging in the outfield Tuesday as the NL East champions tuned up for their first-round series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The 40-year-old right-hander, who had been scheduled to start New ...

David Wright's career is really taking off. Delta Air Lines named a plane after the New York Mets' all-star third baseman Monday at LaGuardia Airport. The plane, an MD-88, is called The Wright Flight, and it shuttles between New York, Boston and Washington. The plane's name and Wright's signature and jersey number (5) are next to the boarding door. The 23-year-old Wright and his brothers, Daniel, Matthew and Stephen, often ...

Frank Robinson emerged from the dugout more than 10 minutes after his final game as a major league manager and walked across the grass behind home plate. Thousands of spectators stood, applauded and shouted good wishes, including yells of, ``We love you!'' The Hall of Famer smiled and waved, then doffed his cap and put his large right hand over his heart. Sunday's farewell was the sort Robinson wanted when ...

Frank Robinson used the phrase ``In closing . . . '' four times, yet kept speaking. Who could blame him? The Washington Nationals' manager knew that when he relinquished the microphone Sunday, the ceremony in his honour would end, and his final game as a major league skipper would begin. ``I've never done anything harder than I have to do right now,'' Robinson said, his voice cracking, ``and that's to ...

The Washington Nationals announced Frank Robinson won't be their manager in 2007. The New York Mets said Pedro Martinez will miss the start of next season after shoulder surgery. And then the clubs went out Saturday night and played a game of far less significance than those two news items. That game does still count in the books, though, and Julio Franco made the most of it, tying a career ...

New York Mets right-hander Steve Trachsel left the team Saturday to fly home to California because of family issues and was scratched from his scheduled start in the regular season finale. The Mets did not immediately announce who will replace Trachsel (15-8) against the Washington Nationals on Sunday. The NL East champions weren't sure when Trachsel will return. ``We'll probably have a workout on Tuesday, so hopefully he'll be back ...