BASEBALL TONIGHT EXTRA
By Mark Simon, ESPN Research
The Mets have established themselves as baseball's marathon men this season. They beat the Phillies in 16 innings Tuesday night/Wednesday morning in their third game this season that lasted at least 14 innings.
It's often said there are signs that it's going to be a special season sprinkled throughout the summer, and the Mets have had their fair share in the first two months.
They survived a humiliating loss to the Yankees on Saturday to win two straight and are spreading the news that it's going to be a fun summer for both baseball teams in New York.
ELIAS SAYS
• Kendry Morales went 3-for-5 with a home run in his major league debut in the Angels' 7-6 win over the Rangers. That's a nice accomplishment, but before anyone gets too excited, here's a reality check -- a lineup of the most recent players with three hits and a homer in their debut: 1B-Travis Lee, 2B-Kaz Matsui, SS-Craig Wilson (of the White Sox, not the Pirates), 3B-Jose Offerman, LF-Mark Quinn, CF-George Wright, RF-Rusty Greer, C-Mike Redmond, P-Jason Jennings. Not your fantasy dream team, is it?
More from Elias
JUST SAYING NO
By Peter Gammons, ESPN Insider | Gammons Archive
At least two general managers did their due diligence Monday and called Larry Beinfest to ask whether he would discuss trading Dontrelle Willis. They got the same answer: "He is not available." As of this point, Beinfest insists that not one name has been discussed with another GM for Willis.
Not that Willis won't be available near the trading deadline if -- and it is a major if -- some of the horde of young Florida pitchers progress the way right-handers Ricky Nolasco and Josh Johnson have developed thus far. Beinfest's modus operandi is to plan out where he can get what he would need and focus on a handful of teams; that's what he did when he went to trade Josh Beckett, attaching Mike Lowell's $18 million commitment and zeroing in on the player he wanted from the outset, Hanley Ramirez.
Ramirez has turned out to be, in Beinfest's words, "even better than I ever could have expected."
More from Gammons' blog
TUESDAY'S NEWS AND NOTES
• The Tigers placed DH Dmitri Young on the 15-day disabled list and purchased the contract of 3B Jack Hannahan from Triple-A Toledo. Young has an irritation of a strain in his right quadriceps.
• RHP Jeff Nelson made his first appearance with the White Sox after getting called up from Triple-A Charlotte before the game. The 39-year-old hadn't pitched in the majors this season since being released by the Cardinals at the end of spring training. He entered with two outs in the seventh inning and walked Frank Thomas on six pitches before getting Bobby Crosby to fly out to end the inning.
• The Nationals' 4-1 win over the Astros lasted 2 hours and 8 minutes, the shortest game at RFK Stadium since baseball returned to Washington last year.