Livan Hernandez is starting to look an awful lot like a big fat rotten pumpkin instead of the relatively average coach he was earlier in the season. Was there no team willing to take him at the deadline for anything?
Meet the Mets
Looks like Billy Wagner is on schedule for a big league return on Friday. He says that he is open to a move to a contender. The Daily News already says he's a former Met.
The Mets have signed their top draft pick Steven Matz out of Ward Melville High School with an $895,000 contract.
David Wright promises to return to the 2009 Mets for some reason.
Alex Cora figured he'd give in to peer pressure and sit out the 2009 season. He has two dislocated thumbs.
A scout, talking to the New York Post, is viciously disappointed about Wilmer Flores, but compares Jefry Marte to Aramis Ramirez.
Jeff Wilpon travels to Buffalo to apologize.
Around the NL East
It's too bad that the biggest news in the division came from Washington with the signing of Stephen Strasburg. 102 mph fastballs coming soon to Citi Field. Circling the Bases takes a look at the key numbers behind the deal.
Ryan Church had a bases-clearing double and the Braves beat up on the Diamondbacks 9-4 behind Tommy Hanson.
Nick Johnson has a strained hamstring and is listed as day-to-day. Johnson is second in the NL in OBP at .419.
Johnson is helping the Marlins achieve the improbable, yet again, compete on a shoestring budget.
Around MLB
The Tigers made a move to acquire favorite Met target Aubrey Huff from the Orioles.
White Sox GM Kenny Williams called out his team as underachievers. It's hard to overachieve when you have Freddy Garcia going tonight.
The Rays aren't expecting to sign their top two draft picks.
John Smoltz was released by the Red Sox.
The Philadelphia Inquirer takes a look at baseball among African American fans.