On the Mets beat

The jury has spoken. Steroids or not, the Shea crowd eventually warmed to Guillermo Mota after his two scoreless innings last night. Mota entered to mostly boos in the eighth, but left the mound to cheers at the end of each inning. He would have been perfect if Carlos Gomez didn't slip and fall trying to come in on Dan Ortmeier's shallow fly ball with two outs in the eighth. After one outing, it looks like Mota might not need steroids to be successful.

Another observation from Wednesday's 3-0 loss to the Giants: Tom Glavine is growing increasingly irritated with his lack of run support. He was angry after losing to John Smoltz last week, despite allowing only two runs, and clearly annoyed by coming up short again Wednesday, when he was touched for three runs over seven innings. Glavine also is trying to put No. 300 out of his mind for the time being. He's currently stuck on 295.

"To me, 300 is so far away right now it's not even part of the equation," Glavine said. "I'm thinking about 296 right now."

Funny how Barry Zito has been mediocre overall this season (5-5, 4.21 ERA) but Cy Young in two starts against the Mets (2-0, 2.08 ERA, 12 Ks in 13 inn.). Maybe Zito finds a little something extra against the team that didn't pony up $126 million for him over the winter. But I think anyone on the Mets would tell you they're glad they took a pass.

The Mets get disgraced reliever Guillermo Mota back for tonight's game against the Giants. In a case of unfortunate timing, the club had no choice but to summon him immediately from Triple-A New Orleans once his 50-game suspension was up. Sharing the media crosshairs with Barry Bonds this week at Shea is not an ideal situation for Mota, regardless of his apology.

If Mota gets in tonight's game, and there's a good chance he will, the crowd reaction should be interesting. Bonds was booed loudly last night, interspersed with the expected "Barry S----" chants. As for Mota, I'm not sure what the statute of limitations is. Mota is not the only former steroid user in the majors, just one of the few that has been caught. He apologized, did his time according to league policy, and now is making the most of his second chance.

Mota was a Mets villain before last season's trade because of his beanball episodes with Mike Piazza, one of the most popular players in franchise history. But I have a sense the fans are ready to forgive this latest offense. Unless, of course, Mota can't get anybody out. Then it's open season on him, steroids or not.

The Mets really surprised no one with today's announcement that Shawn Green had been placed on the 15-day disabled list with a fractured bone in his foot.

OK, maybe Green.

"I walked to the doctor's office without my boot or anything," Green said. "I thought it was impressive. I guess not."

The big concern was that Green could possibly displace the bone if he kept playing through the injury, and that was not a chance worth taking. "Right now, it's a clean break," he said.

The Mets activated Ben Johnson to replace Green on the roster, and they were fortunate to learn today that Carlos Gomez was fine after suffering a mild strain of his left hamstring on Saturday. Gomez had no setbacks after a 40-minute workout that included running the bases and he is tonight's lineup, playing rightfield and batting eighth.

"I can do everything," Gomez said. "I can run at 100 percent. There's no limitations."

As the Mets take batting practice, the visitors dugout is overflowing with reporters and TV cameras awaiting Bonds. It seems that Bonds is refusing to do his standard news conference on the first day of a visit by the Giants, and as you might guess, that has annoyed the large media contingent assembled for the event.

Of course, there's nothing Bonds likes better than tweaking the media, and he kept us hanging for three days during the Mets' trip to the Bay Area earlier this month. In the end, he never granted us an interview.

Barry Bonds. Is there a bigger name in all of sports at the moment? No chance. And now Bonds rolls into Shea tonight for a three-game series against the Mets, who are coming off a 4-2 road trip and now lead the Braves by four games in the NL East. Newsday has Bonds well covered today in stories by myself, Ken Davidoff and Shawn Powell, but I'm curious what the response will be this evening. As long as the Mets win, do fans want to be part of history and witness a Bonds' homer? Or would you prefer three strikeouts? Just curious.

Not sure why I used that headline, other than the fact that the Mets have a bunch of injured guys (i.e. the hospital reference) and I like the show.

The Mets' injury situation didn't improve much overnight, but at least Carlos Gomez doesn't appear to be seriously hurt. Gomez, who is planning to have an MRI tomorrow in New York, believes he will be ready to return to the lineup for Tuesday. In case of emergency, Gomez could be used as a pinch hitter for this afternoon's game against the Marlins.

Shawn Green showed up wearing his boot and dressed accordingly, in matching black shirt and black pants He's still unsure when his doctor's appointment will be be, but remains hopeful he can avoid the disabled list.

Paul Lo Duca was called into manager Willie Randolph's office early this morning for an update on his sore left elbow, which was hit by a pitch again last night for the second time this week. Ramon Castro will start behind the plate today.

And with the outfield in shambles, Damion Easley will start in leftfield for the first time of his 14-year career. Easley has played eight games in the outfield -- six in RF and two in CF -- but didn't get a chance to shag balls this morning because it was raining.

Moises Alou (strained left quad) also showed up and basically said there was no way he would be ready when he is eligible to come off the DL on Tuesday. "Could I play now? Yeah," Alou said. "But the whole thing about putting me on the DL was to get to 100 percent and I'm not at 100 percent."

Busy day here in South Florida. In addition to a long list of injury updates, Pedro Martinez rolled in this afternoon to say hi and see if his No. 45 still fits. As usual, the visitors clubhouse took on a circus-like atmosphere, with Martinez laughing and joking as he shook everyone's hand, from the reporters to the players and a hug with manager Willie Randolph.

The two most noticeable things about Martinez? He looks bigger and stronger since we last saw him in spring training. And unlike the rest of the Mets, he has a full head of bushy hair. But with his return still scheduled for August, Martinez insists he's not getting a buzzcut this weekend.

"Everyone shaved their heads," Martinez said. "I'm glad I'm away from here."

Martinez joked that the pitching coach would have to go first, but he knows full well there is no way Rick Peterson is sacrificing his mullett for team unity. He also made an interesting remark about Roger Clemens' return to the Yankees. Martinez said he watched Clemens pitch for Double-A Trenton this week and added, "Without a doubt, I can do that now," Martinez said."The Roger that I knew, that's not him."

Martinez may be rehabilitating, but he clearly hasn't lost his fastball when it comes to interviews.

On the injury front, GM Omar Minaya said he expects Jose Valentin (torn ACL) to return in the next week or two. "He's coming along very well," Minaya said.

Carlos Delgado described his four at-bats Wednesday from the sixth spot as the best of the season. Apparently, manager Willie Randolph wasn't overly impressed. Delgado, despite his career .344 average against John Smoltz, is hitting sixth again tonight. Here's the lineup:

Reyes ... SS
Chavez .. LF
Beltran .. CF
Wright ... 3B
Lo Duca .. C
Delgado ...1B
Green .... RF
Gotay ... 2B
Glavine ...LHP

Carlos Delgado has been dropped from his customary No. 4 spot to No. 6 for tonight's game against the Braves. Delgado is batting only .209 and manager Willie Randolph felt that the move might be helpful as he battles out of his recent slump. Can't really blame him. Delgado went 0-for-4 in Tuesday's loss and hitting into that first-inning double play was a killer.

"We'll put him in a situation where he won't feel as much pressure," Randolph said. "See how that goes for a while."

Here's the rest of the lineup against Braves' lefthander Chuck James:

Reyes ... SS
Green .... RF
Beltran ... CF
Wright .... 3B
Lo Duca .. C
Delgado ..1B
Easley .... 2B
Gomez ... LF
Perez ..... LHP

I'm not sure if it's good news or bad news for the Mets that Carlos Delgado insists he is "100 percent" healthy despite his declining performance this season. Delgado turns 35 next month, and it's unlikely that age has suddenly caught up to him. He does play first base after all. He's not a catcher.

Whatever the problem is, the Mets can't carry him forever, and as manager Willie Randolph pointed out yesterday, his slump is affecting the pitches that Carlos Beltran sees as well. Before long, Randolph may have no choice but to have the red-hot Wright jump Delgado in the lineup.

Maybe this will change when Citi Field opens in 2009, but according to a poll in this week's Sports Illustrated, it appears that players do not harbor any secret desire to make Shea their home.I can understand San Diego -- who doesn't love Southern California -- and the Yankees and Red Sox make sense, too. But Atlanta and St. Louis? No fish tacos and no surfing. What's the attraction?

SI Players asked 464 MLB Players: “If you could play for any major league team other than your own, which one would it be?”

San Diego Padres 10%
New York Yankees 10%
Atlanta Braves 10%
Boston Red Sox 8%
St. Louis Cardinals 7%

FAST FACTS Poll taken just before the start of the season.... Every team received a vote except for the Washington Nationals.... The Detroit Tigers, last year’s AL representative in the World Series, received just one vote, the same as the Kansas City Royals and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.... The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (seventh, 5.5%) edged the L.A. Dodgers (eighth, 5.2%).... More than 18% of players 27 years old or younger voted for the Braves.

Not sure if they put the fire out, the winds changed or what, but the smoke-filled haze that hung over Atlanta this morning finally has lifted. Actually quite sunny and clear now. The smell of charcoal is gone, too. Should be all set for the 7:35 first pitch.

Atlanta is on fire. No, not the Braves. They've lost six of eight, and dropped their last two series to the Nationals and Red Sox. I'm talking about the city itself. The whole place is enveloped in a smoky haze, courtesy of the wild fires in South Georgia and a shift in wind patterns. I've been assured by the hotel staff here that the smoke will disappear later this evening, when the wind changes direction, but that's still going to make for a very unpleasant next 10 hours or so. If you think your allergies are bad up in New York, this is like sticking your head over a hibachi. So much for staying in a smoke-free hotel.

For those of you watching in HD tonight, don't adjust your sets. In the meantime, read up on Newsday's advance of this NL East showdown here and here.

UPDATE (11:11 AM)
... Just spoke to someone with the Braves who said the smoke could be a factor for tonight's game, but nothing has been determined yet. Stay tuned ...

Got to give the Mets credit for keeping a straight face when asked yesterday about going for the sweep of the Yankees. That had to be difficult, especially after watching the hapless Bombers stumble all over Shea in a game that should not have been as close as the 10-7 score.

At least manager Willie Randolph talked tough -- even if it was to the graduating class at Fordham. Newsday's Shawn Powell was at Rose Hill to document Randolph's day at the podium, and after Randolph asked, "Where's my Mets fans at?" he was greeted with a volley of enthusiastic screams.

"Good," Randolph said. "We're taking over this town."

That was it from the Mets as far as trash talking yesterday, but Tom Glavine's postgame assessment of the Yankees bordered on pity. Can you believe it? The Mets are not only 2-0 against the Yankees this weekend, they're starting to feel sorry for them.

"Obviously they're struggling," Glavine said. "They're not playing the way they expect to, or the way anyone in baseball expects them to. I still think they're a good team. At the end of the year, they're going to be a competitive team, a playoff team."

Competitive, maybe. Playoffs? Only if they buy tickets for Shea this October.

Rain falling, Mets rolling. And Damion Easley comes to the plate in the seventh inning to "Too Legit to Quit." I've heard some interesting choices for theme music, but going with MC Hammer? That's bold.

Manager Willie Randolph followed up Friday's 3-2 win over the Yankees with an even greater accomplishment this morning: delivering the keynote address at Fordham's commencement ceremony with his daughter, Ciara, in the graduating class.

"It was a great, great day," Randolph said. "A glorious day."

And only getting better. Not only did the Mets knock out Yankees' starter Darrell Rasner after just nine pitches -- Endy Chavez's one-hopper struck him on the hand -- but David Wright smoked a two-run homer that soared over the leftfield picnic area to put the Mets up, 3-1, in the bottom of the first inning.

Oh, and by the way, it's Dr. Willow now after Randolph received an honorary doctorate from Fordham this morning.

Here's the Mets' lineup for Game 1 vs. the Yankees:

Reyes SS
Easley 2B
Beltran CF
Delgado 1B
Wright 3B
Lo Duca C
Chavez LF
Gomez RF
Perez P

Yankees lineup? WHO CARES! Right? This is a Mets blog.

Guess I'll answer my own question from below: If you bought a ticket and stayed until the ninth inning, you feel pretty good right about now.
Predictions for the Subway Series?

Chavez CF
Gotay SS
Green RF
Delgado 1B
Franco 3B
Newhan 2B
Castro C
Gomez LF
Vargas P

That, folks, is your New York Mets lineup today. With last night's game ending at 12:53 a.m. and the Yankees series starting tomorrow, Willie Randolph decided to give Reyes, Wright, Beltran, Lo Duca and Easley the day off. Reyes said he could have played, wanted to play.
Right thing to do? How would you feel if you bought a ticket to today's game?

Here’s your Newsday.com-only Mets game story with quotes. Enjoy:
It was about 12:05 on Thursday morning when some clever scoreboard person at Shea Stadium put the Eric Clapton song “After Midnight” on the loudspeakers.
It was only the seventh inning of the Mets-Cubs game that was supposed to start at 7:10 p.m. but didn’t get underway until 10:17. That’s a three-hour, seven-minute rain delay.
Waiting that long to get in the game – especially with another one scheduled for Thursday at 1:10 p.m. – was OK with the few thousand fans who braved the rain and stuck around. And it was really OK with the Jorge Sosa and the Mets.
Sosa allowed one run and one hit in seven-plus innings as the Mets beat the Cubs, 8-1, in a game that ended at 12:53.
There was one troublesome note for the Mets: Jose Reyes was replaced by pinch runner Ruben Gotay after feeling tightness in his left hamstring during an eighth-inning at-bat.
Reyes said he felt a cramp after his first swing in the at-bat (he stayed in and singled). He also said he would play Thursday afternoon.
“No doubt,” he said.
Sosa, who has won all three of his Mets starts, left to a standing ovation from the small but energetic crowd after walking Cesar Izturis to open the eighth. Izturis came around to score on a two-out bloop single by Cliff Floyd, ruining the shutout but not Sosa’s impressive evening/morning.
“He’s doing a nice job,” manager Willie Randolph said. “He’s in a nice little rhythm right now. He’s pitched like that in the past at times. He’s really feeling his pitches and staying on his slider real well, mixing in his pitches.”
Damion Easley had a two-run homer, rookie Carlos Gomez had two hits and his first two major-league RBIs and David Wright had two hits and two RBIs for the Mets (25-14), who leap-frogged Atlanta again to move into first place in the NL East.
Sosa, who walked three and struck out five, was a 13-game winner for the Braves in 2005. In 2006, he went 3-11 with a 5.42 ERA for Atlanta and St. Louis. The Mets signed him to a one-year, $1.25 million free agent deal on Jan. 16, but he had an awful spring training – 8.53 ERA – and started the season at Triple-A New Orleans.
Cajun cooking must have been to his liking. Sosa went 4-0 with a 1.13 ERA for New Orleans before his recall on May 5.
“He threw strike one after strike one after strike one,” said catcher Paul Lo Duca. “He was unbelievable.”
Rain began falling at Shea Stadium at about 4 p.m., just as general manager Omar Minaya was answering questions from reporters in the Mets dugout about the steroid suspension of minor-leaguer Lino Urdaneta and the Lastings Milledge rap lyrics fiasco.
It rained hard and it rained good, with thunder and lightning and everything, before finally stopping a little before 10 p.m. The few thousand fans who remained (37,483 tickets were sold) cheered when an announcement was made that the game would begin around 10:15.
The Mets took a 1-0 lead in the second inning against Cubs lefthander Rich Hill (4-3) when Gomez blooped a two-out RBI single down the rightfield line.
Gomez, who is 4-for-9 since getting called up on Sunday, will get to stay a Met a little longer as Moises Alou was placed on the 15-day disabled list after the game, retroactive to Saturday.
The Mets called up lefthander Jason Vargas to start on Thursday against Chicago’s Angel Guzman.
After Wright’s sacrifice fly in the third, Easley made it 4-0 in the fourth with a 415-foot, two-run home run into the Cubs’ bullpen in left. It was the sixth homer for Easley; two more and he’ll tie Carlos Beltran for the team lead.
Notes & quotes: Vargas, 24, was 2-3 with a 5.40 ERA in seven starts for Triple-A New Orleans. Last season he was 1-2, 7.33 in 12 appearances (five starts) for the Marlins. “I like his stuff,” Randolph said. “He uses his changeup real well, pitches inside for a lefty, uses his cutter. I know when we first made the [trade], I liked the move at the time.”. . . Aaron Sele, the final holdout among the Mets players, got his head shaved yesterday.

It is 10:17 p.m. at Shea Stadium and Jorge Sosa just threw the first pitch of tonight's 7:10 p.m. game to Ryan Theriot. That's a 3:07 rain delay, kids.
Check back on Newsday.com late tonight for a full game story.
And keep answering the question on the post below: what do you expect to happen this weekend at the Subway Series?????
UPDATE, 10:55 p.m.:If you had a ticket to tonight's game, whether you used it or not, the Mets will let you exchange it for a ticket for one of three games: June 18, 19 and 20 against the Twins.
Mail the ticket(s) to:
Mets Ticket Office
Shea Stadium
Flushing, N.Y. 11368-1699
Include your name, address and daytime phone number, and tell the Mets which date you want and which date is your backup. The Mets must receive your tickets by June 4.
If you have any questions, don't call me. Call the Mets.

Just heard a loud crack of thunder here at Shea at 6:33 p.m.
The tarp is on the field and it's raining heavily, as it has been since about 4:00.
We'll let you know if and when this game is going to begin.
In the meantime, why don't we all start thinking about this weekend's Subway Series. What are your predictions? Mets sweep? Mets take two of three? Yankees take two of three? Yankees sweep? All three games rained out? Let us know.

I know John Maine just suffered his first loss of the season, Cliff Floyd banged out three hits against his former team and Carlos Zambrano, the Mets' No.1 starter next year, turned in a nifty eight-inning audition at Shea this evening. But let's not lose sight of the fact that Lastings Milledge is on the verge of rap superstardom.

The Mets were not thrilled today to hear Milledge rapping with Manny D on a track called "On Ya Knees" that includes sexist language about women and liberal use of the N-word. MIlledge, or "L Millz" as he's called on the web site, apparently is a friend and manager of Manny D. It's always good for a player to have options if baseball doesn't work out, but the Mets surely wish his outside interests were a little more PC.

Not sure how many of you out there in Mets Nation were genuinely concerned about David Wright, but it appears that the worry is over regarding the All-Star third baseman. After a dismal April, when Wright batted .244 with zero home runs and only six RBI in 24 games, he's definitely turned the corner. This month, Wright is hitting .327 (18-for-55) with four home runs and 11 RBI in just 13 games. Looks like there's no reason to melt down that wax figure at Madame Tussauds just yet.

"It's all about getting hot at the right time," Wright said after Monday's 3-for-4 night against the Cubs, "and doing your part to help the team win."

Remember, it was Wright who spurred the Mets' new buzzcut craze, and the team has won five of six since losing its hair. As for Wright, he's 10-for-23 with four doubles, two homers and six RBI after letting bullpen catcher -- and close friend -- Dave Racaniello use the electric razor on his head.

Noticed a handful of "Welcome Back Cliff" signs tonight, but the former Met, who manager Willie Randolph called a "big teddy bear" before the game, never emerged from the dugout. There were plenty of other reasons for fans to get worked up, however. David Wright looks like he's finally emerged from his April doldrums for good. Wright went 3-for-4 tonight with a two-run homer and is now batting .435 (10-for-23) since the calendar flipped.Delgado also made it worth sticking around by drawing a bases-loaded walk with two outs in the ninth inning to decide the Mets' 5-4 win.

I was a little surprised to hear the crowd get on Aaron Heilman in top of the ninth inning. As soon as the strains of Blue Oyster Cult's "Don't Feel the Reaper" blared over the loudspeakers, the fans began booing loudly. I don't think they were screaming "More cowbell!" either. Despite the jeers, Heilman did his job, and needed only one pitch. With Ryan Theriot at second base, Heilman got Cesar Izturis on a bouncer back to the mound to end the threat -- and earn the victory.

It will be a homecoming for sorts for Cliff Floyd tonight when the Cubs arrive in Flushing for a four-game series. Floyd was a favorite of reporters for his candid and humorous quotes, but the oft-injured leftfielder could be too blunt at times for management's liking. It happened again in spring training this year when Floyd ripped manager Willie Randolph for his supposed uncertainty in the ninth inning of that brutal Game 7 loss to the Cardinals in the NLCS, and that caused a few ripples in an otherwise placid Mets' camp.

Floyd was no fan of Shea, that's for sure, and he reiterated those feelings this weekend to the Daily Southtown. But he did appreciate the energy of playing in New York -- this is a guy who played in empty stadiums in Florida and Montreal -- and I was curious what the reception will be for him tonight. Does Cliff remain a fan favorite?

After Mike Pelfrey fell to 0-5 on Saturday, Mets manager Willie Randolph said this:
“He’s going to get another opportunity to take the ball next time. The young man is learning how to pitch at this level. He’s going to take his ups and downs.”
Randolph wasn’t kidding about the “downs” part. When Pelfrey reported to work yesterday, the manager told him he was going down to Triple-A New Orleans. That’s where his next opportunity to take the ball will come.
Pelfrey’s demotion was made necessary in part because of his record, and also because of the pulled quadriceps muscle suffered by Moises Alou on Saturday. Alou, who was already batting a sore left knee, appears headed for the disabled list. He reported no improvement yesterday, but the Mets wanted to wait a few days to see if their 40-year-old leftfielder heals more quickly than he fears.
“I’m not very optimistic,” said Alou, who played in only 98 games for the Giants last season because of ankle and back injuries. “It’s not a good feeling. Unfortunately, I had my knee that was bothering me so I couldn’t work on my leg for a couple of weeks.”
To replace Alou in the lineup and Pelfrey on the roster, the team called up prized prospect Carlos Gomez from New Orleans and started the 21-year-old in rightfield against the Brewers. With Lastings Milledge on the minor-league disabled list and Ben Johnson just having returned from the DL, the Mets decided to give a quick look to one of the prize jewels of their organization.
Gomez doubled down the leftfield line in his first big-league at-bat.

Major League Baseball and its 30 Clubs are again joining Susan G. Komen for the Cure for "Going to Bat Against Breast Cancer," a program that incorporates numerous facets of the game on and off the field to generate awareness about breast cancer and raise funds to help fight the disease. The initiative, which runs until May 19th, will celebrate Mother's Day with special programs at each ballpark hosting a home game on Sunday, May 13th.
During the "Going to Bat Against Breast Cancer" program, fans can support the initiative by logging onto a MLB-themed microsite (www.komen.org/mlb) and making a monetary pledge in the name of a specific team or to the general cause. Donations made in a team's name will go to programs in that team's community to support breast health and breast cancer awareness. The donations can be made at five different levels: "Single" ($25), "Double" ($50), "Triple" ($75), "Home Run" ($100), and "Grand Slam" ($250). Major League Baseball Charities has also committed an additional $50,000 on top of the fan donation total.

"Major League Baseball is proud to again partner with Susan G. Komen for the Cure to help raise awareness and funds for a disease that affects so many women and their families," said Baseball Commissioner Allan H. (Bud) Selig. "It is important to all of us in baseball that our Clubs, players, licensees and fans give back to our communities in such a meaningful way."

A number of Major League players will help raise awareness for breast cancer on Mother's Day, May 13th, by using pink Louisville Slugger bats. To date, more than 200 players have signed up to use a pink bat, which is more than twice the participation in 2006. Select game-used bats, as well as teamautographed bats from every Club, will be auctioned on MLB.com at a later date, with proceeds benefiting Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Fans can also purchase their own personalized pink bat at MLB.com, the official Web site of Major League Baseball, or www.slugger.com, with Major League Baseball donating $10 from the sale of each bat to benefit Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

A number of Major League players will help raise awareness for breast cancer on Mother's Day, May 13th, by using pink Louisville Slugger bats. To date, more than 200 players have signed up to use a pink bat, which is more than twice the participation in 2006. Select game-used bats, as well as team autographed bats from every Club, will be auctioned on MLB.com at a later date, with proceeds benefiting Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Fans can also purchase their own personalized pink bat at MLB.com, the official Web site of Major League Baseball, or www.slugger.com, with Major League Baseball donating $10 from the sale of each bat to benefit Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

During games played on Mother's Day, Major League players will wear pink wristbands and pink ribbons will be displayed on player uniforms, as well as those of all on-field personnel. The breast cancer awareness theme will be carried throughout the game, including pink ribbon logos on the bases and commemorative home plates, and pink dugout lineup cards. Team-autographed commemorative home plates, pink bats and lineup cards from each ballpark will also be auctioned off on MLB.com at a later date with proceeds to raise additional funds for Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

Fans can also support "Going to Bat Against Breast Cancer" by purchasing limited edition New Era caps and Soft as a Grape shirts featuring pink Club logos alongside the breast cancer ribbon logo. Out in time for Mother's Day gift buying, fans can purchase the items by logging onto MLB.com or visiting their Club's nearest Clubhouse store. Major League Baseball will donate one dollar from the sale of each item to Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Additionally, while supplies last, a special Mother's Day bathrobe with the MLB pink ribbon logo will be given as a gift with a purchase of $150 or more at Club retails shops within all 30 ballparks.

Major League Baseball will use its various assets to help communicate the Breast Cancer awareness message. A special Komen for the Cure PSA will run on the scoreboard and PA announcements will be broadcast in-stadium by each Club playing at home on Mother's Day. Fans also will be able to receive informational brochures about breast cancer awareness by visiting the guest services area at each ballpark. MLB.com will features stories on MLB players and their mothers. Ads featuring New York Mets third baseman David Wright will appear in a number of publications, including Sports Illustrated, The New York Times, USA Today, Baseball America and Sports Collectors Digest. Additionally, 20,000 specially-themed Mother's Day greeting cards featuring David Wright will be distributed to fans on Wednesday, May 9th, at key locations throughout Manhattan.

As the Mets get set to open a three-game home series against the Brewers, it's time for our weekend Mets blog poll. It's a very simple question: Will Milwaukee make the playoffs?
Since I picked them to win the NL Central before the season, I will cast the first vote.
Yes.
Results late Sunday.
If you'd like some more info on the Brewers, check out www.deadspin.com and look for a pair of items from May 8 and May 9 about the Brewers and their fans.

Despite some grumbling this morning from a few veterans, it looks like Jose Reyes is getting a free pass on the whole buzzed-head trend. Reyes has stubbornly refused to submit to the clippers, even after saying Tuesday he would do it when Aaron Heilman did. Following Tuesday's 4-1 win over the Giants, both Heilman and Tom Glavine got buzzed, but Reyes protested.

"It takes me so long to grow it like that," said Reyes, who wears his hair in tightly-cropped curls. "I don't know.
Maybe tomorrow I'll do it."

Reyes said he only gets his hair cut once a year, and the last time was in November, right after he returned from MLB's Japan tour. The All-Star shortstop is considering getting it professionally done on the off day.

"He doesn't have a regular 'do," manager Willie Randolph said. "To do his, that's a decision to make. He's got a little curl going and it takes a while for him to grow it back."

If Reyes was a backup infielder, and not an MVP-caliber shortstop, you can bet those curls would be gone by now. Even general manager Omar Minaya had his head buzzed by Carlos Beltran this morning, much to the surprise of everyone in the clubhouse.

"Part of the team, bro," Minaya said. "If you're part of the team, you're part of the team. We're all in this together."

With the Mets united in baldness, this team is begging for a nickname. If the 2004 Red Sox were the Idiots, what does this make these Mets? The Eggheads? Just wondering.

By late Tuesday, only two Mets had yet to take their turn in the barber's chair. Tom Glavine had his head shaved immediately after the Mets' 4-1 win over the Giants, as did Aaron Heilman.

That left only Aaron Sele and Jose Reyes as the two remaining holdouts on the 25-man roster. Sele at least had a plausible excuse, saying that he had to fly to LA on Thursday for a family photo session. For that, his teammates were willing to give him a pass, but he should expect to go bald or go home when he returns to Shea on Friday. The only other holdout was Jose Reyes, who did not provide a reason.

Reyes said before the game he would submit to the razor, but did not after batting practice and played with his full head of hair intact. Even manager Willie Randolph tried to get Reyes into the chair Tuesday afternoon, but the shortstop refused. Not sure what's going on with that, but it's probably a good idea if Reyes joins his teammates.

BY DAVID LENNON

SAN FRANCISCO – One by one, the Mets marched into the clubhouse bathroom yesterday, where Carlos Beltran, the $119-million barber, waited with an electric razor. By the time Tom Glavine arrived, many of his teammates already were bald, and the rest were waiting in line to join them.

Only hours away from taking the mound, Glavine was granted an exemption, but he pledged to take his turn after that night’s game against the Giants. And when Glavine had wrapped up career victory No. 294, courtesy of the Mets’ 4-1 win, he dutifully took a seat and let Carlos Delgado work him over with the clippers.

“He looks ten years younger,” hitting coach Rick Down said. “He can pitch until he’s 50.”

Few would doubt that after watching Glavine handle the Giants last night for seven innings. He allowed seven hits, but the only blemish was a home run to Bonds, who moved closer to Hank Aaron’s record with No. 745 in the fourth inning. Glavine (4-1) struck out five in ending a stretch of three straight no-decisions and picked up his first win since April 17.

“I’m happy with the way I’m throwing the ball,” said Glavine, who trimmed his ERA to 2.98. “But when you’re not winning games, you feel like something’s not right.”

The Mets backed Glavine with a 4-0 lead after two innings and he was in control from that point in helping the Mets end their two-game losing streak. Manager Willie Randolph earned his 200th win as Mets manager and Bonds closed to within 10 home runs of Aaron. Glavine was fortunate that he just missed another homer.

In the second inning, Bonds fired what amounted to a warning shot in the second inning when he pulled a deep drive wide of the rightfield foul pole and into McCovey Cove. The next time up, Glavine was not so lucky. Bonds hammered the first pitch he saw in the fourth inning – a hanging slider -- and sent the fans scrambling in the right-center bleachers for the historical souvenir.

“In his first at-bat, I threw him a little bit of everything and I didn’t throw him a slider,” Glavine said. “It got too much of the plate. When he gets his pitch, he’s hitting home runs. He’s not hitting singles or doubles.”

It was Bonds’ 10th home run this season, and the fourth career shot off the Mets’ lefthander -- but first in more than a decade. The last time was an inside-the-park homer on April 23, 1997 at Candlestick Park.

The Mets, perhaps energized by their buzzcuts, sprinted to a 4-0 lead against Giants starter Matt Cain. But it was Jose Reyes, another of the four that delayed their date with the razor, who sparked the early rally with a double and triple in his first two at-bats.

Reyes led off the first inning with a ground-rule double, and David Wright and Beltran followed with back-to-back doubles of their own to put the Mets up, 2-0. One out later, Moises Alou added a sacrifice fly.

In the second inning, Paul Lo Duca opened with a single and Reyes smashed a two-out triple into the right-center gap. It was Reyes’ sixth triple this season, which is tops in the majors, and he moved into a tie with Buddy Harrelson for second place on the Mets’ all-time list with the 46th of his career.

Once Wright showed up yesterday afternoon with his head shaved Beltran turned the razor on his teammates. When someone mentioned to Billy Wagner that his cut was ugly, he responded, “Yeah, but I’m rich.” Wright insisted this was not some superstitious response to his recent struggles at the plate – he was 3-for-23 on this road trip before last night.

“It has nothing to do with what’s happening on the field,” Wright said. “I wanted to change it up a little bit. It’s getting hot outside. It was nice this morning. Didn’t need any gel.”

For guys with good hair, like Shawn Green and David Newhan, this was a real sacrifice to team unity. Newhan even hid among his clothes, with only his legs sticking out. “What time do we stretch guys?” Green joked.

Ultimately, the two gave in, and Newhan got especially rough treatment. Beltran shaved the top of his head first, leaving him with a circular halo that players referred to as the “Gallagher” treatment, like the comedian.

“My hair’s nothing,” Lo Duca said. “But for Green and Newhan, I give those guys props. That took guts.”

Predictably, the one person who went nowhere near that bathroom was pitching coach Rick Peterson, whose flowing locks are as much of his identity as the jacket he wears over his uniform. “There’s a better chance of me punching out 20 tonight,” Glavine said.

It’s not like the Mets, at 19-12, needed to change their luck. When Keith Hernandez, Met i