NEW YORK -- An MRI exam on Mets catcher
Paul Lo Duca showed
a strained right hamstring, and he said he hoped to be ready to
catch Tuesday when Tom Glavine goes for his 300th career win at
Milwaukee.
The news on All-Star center fielder Carlos Beltran wasn't as
clear. His MRI showed a strained oblique, and after the game
manager Willie Randolph said Beltran would be re-evaluated in a
couple days.
After sitting out Sunday's game, Lo Duca said he tore scar
tissue, and that he wasn't concerned.
"As of right now, I'll be out there," Lo Duca said.
Lo Duca left the Mets' 6-5 loss to the Washington Nationals on
Saturday night because of the injury. A day later, he said he was
focusing on being ready to be part of Glavine's milestone.
When told of Lo Duca's optimism, Randolph said: "If he is, then
I am."
In his pregame talk with reporters, Randolph was
uncharacteristically agitated. MRI results weren't in yet, and when
a reporter asked if it was aggravating to have to play short,
Randolph frowned.
"No, it's very comfortable," he said.
"It's aggravating to not have a full squad. I mean, I had to
use a pitcher to hit last night. It's aggravating to deal with what
you have to deal with, but that's the way it goes."
Less than 30 minutes before the game, the Mets solved that
problem, designating right-hander Jon Adkins for assignment and
recalling outfielder David Newhan from New Orleans. Adkins had just
been called up on Thursday. The Mets had sent Newhan down 12 days
ago.
Newhan added much-needed outfield depth; 41-year-old
Moises Alou, just activated Thursday form the disabled list, started in
left field. He'd been sidelined since May 17 because of a strained
left quadriceps.
Alou went 0-for-3 with a strikeout in the rain-shortened 5-0 win
over the Nationals.
"You're always concerned when a guy's coming back from
injury," Randolph said. "But he said he felt good. I trust him.
He knows how his body feels better than anyone."
The Mets have had 12 players on the disabled list this season.
Outfielders Endy Chavez (hamstring) and Carlos Gomez (broken hand),
pitchers Pedro Martinez (rotator cuff surgery), Juan Padilla (elbow
surgery), and Duaner Sanchez (broken shoulder), and infielder
Jose Valentin (broken tibia) are currently out.
The team has also been without pitchers Orlando Hernandez,
Oliver Perez, Jorge Sosa and Dave Williams, and outfielders Alou
and Shawn Green at some point during the season.
The team activated catcher Mike DiFelice in place of pitcher
Mike Pelfrey, who was sent back to Triple-A New Orleans after the
loss Saturday night. DiFelice will back up Ramon Castro.
Castro went 2-for-2 with a two-run homer and a double Sunday,
has hit safely in his last 11 starts, and is 17-for-38 in those
games. Despite just 101 at-bats, he is tied for fourth on the team
with seven homers.
Lo Duca is hitting .270 with five homers and 31 RBIs in 84
games.