Leiter

	Trachsel

NEW YORK – The New York Mets optioned Steve Trachsel to Triple-A Norfolk on Friday, one day after the right-hander became the first pitcher in franchise history to give up four home runs in an inning.

"I was pretty shocked," Trachsel said. "I thought they'd make me skip a start or move to the bullpen. But they have precedent on their side that this had worked."

Because he has more than five seasons of major league service, Trachsel had the right to refuse the demotion, which will last for no more than four starts.

But the Mets persuaded him to accept the move by pointing to the success Bobby J. Jones had after being demoted last season. Jones was sent to Norfolk last June with a 1-3 record and a 10.19 ERA. He returned after two starts and went 10-3 with a 3.69 ERA over his final 19 appearances.

"This is done with the exact same idea and hope as with Bobby Jones," general manager Steve Phillips said. "We're sending him down to get back on track, to gain command of his fastball and build some confidence."

Trachsel, who signed a $7 million, two-year contract in the offseason to replace Jones in the rotation, is 1-6 with an 8.24 ERA after giving up seven runs in 2 1-3 innings of a 15-3 loss to San Diego on Thursday.

He gave up the four homers and all seven runs in the third inning.

"Consistency has been the biggest problem for me," Trachsel said. "The first two innings I was great, the third inning was terrible. That's not me. I can't be pitching like that."

Manager Bobby Valentine was critical of Trachsel on Thursday night, saying his performance was "unacceptable" and that he didn't follow his game plan.

Trachsel was despondent after the game, remaining at his locker in full uniform long after most of his teammates had left. Phillips and Valentine first broached the idea of a demotion at that time, and finalized the move Friday after Trachsel consulted with his agent.

Trachsel also was given the option of moving to the bullpen but felt pitching in the minors would be more helpful.

"This is difficult," he said. "This is not the route I wanted to take. But it's simple. To get back, I'm not going to do it by pitching out of the bullpen."

Despite the disappointing start to Trachsel's Mets career, Phillips remains confident that the right-hander can help the team.

"His stuff is more than good enough to win games at the major league level," Phillips said.

The last-place Mets entered the day 15-25, 8 1/2 games behind Philadelphia in the NL East. It is the furthest they've been below .500 since finishing the 1996 season 71-91.

While Phillips has been working the phones looking for help, there isn't much available on the trade market this early in the season.

"The players who are available are either not playing or not performing for their current teams," Phillips said. "To add payroll without much expectation of an upgrade is not the answer

"Our current players need to play better. They will determine whether we turn it around or not."

The Mets activated left-hander Al Leiter from the 15-day disabled list to replace Trachsel on the roster and started him against Los Angeles on Friday night.

Leiter, out since April 20 with a sore left elbow, was 0-3 with a 5.87 ERA before being put on the DL.

Right-hander Dicky Gonzalez (1-1, 6.61 ERA) will take Trachsel's place in the rotation.