MET NOTES
Last night, the Mets’ third baseman was hitting in the eighthole.
But David Wright hasn’t been demoted.
Wright didn’t start last night’s game, getting a night off. Chris Woodward played third base instead.
“I’m going to look out for my big boy,” Willie Randolph said before the game. “I talked about that last week, that I was going to try to get him and a few other guys that have been playing every day a day off this week and today’s his day.” Wright had played in 82 of the Mets’ first 83 games this season.
“A couple weeks before the All-Star break [a season ago], it seemed like I hit a little bit of a wall. This year I’ve scuffled a little bit here lately,” Wright said. “So I think it’s Willie both looking out for myself and looking out for the team. It’s not like we’re losing much putting Woody in there, so it’s a good chance for Woody to get in there and get some at-bats just to stay fresh, and it’s a good chance for me to get some rest so that hopefully I can go out there and turn it up here and finish strong after the first half.”
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Cliff Floyd was back in the lineup last night despite suffering a concussion on Tuesday.
The left fielder said he was “fine.” . . . Billy Wagner received a present for his 300th save before yesterday’s game from the Mets, as the team gave him a glass “ascending star,” in his words. “They’re just true professionals,” Wagner said. The Mets also did a video tribute to Wagner before the game.
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Paul Lo Duca on Wright’s chances in the home run derby during the All-Star break: “You never know. I’ve seen guys go in there, not hit any. I told him, ‘Just hit one.’ That’s all that matters.
So we’ll see. But he’s definitely got the tools and a lot of power to do it. It’s just, it’s different.
There’s no batting cage and it’s a tough situation and especially in that ballpark, the lefthanders are going to have an advantage.”
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Steve Trachsel, who is slated to pitch tonight’s series finale against the Pirates, said his groin is OK. Trachsel had a tight right groin on Saturday against the Yankees . . . Today is Randolph’s 52nd birthday.