SAN DIEGO – Third baseman Robin Ventura returned to the Mets’ starting lineup during last night’s 1-0 loss to the Padres.
Ventura had not started either of the Mets’ final two games of their homestand because of soreness in his upper left thigh.
He made an impact in the bottom of the first inning. After former Yankee Ruben Rivera tripled, Tony Gwynn hit a broken-bat grounder to Ventura. Ventura caught Rivera off the bag for the second out of the inning.
“I feel super,” said Ventura of his thigh before the game.
In the ninth, Ventura also laid down a no-out bunt that moved runners to second and third against Trevor Hoffman, but the Mets couldn’t score.
Trainer Fred Hina said the injury isn’t something that is going to go away though in a day or two.
“It’s not something that is so serious that he can’t play,” said Hina.
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Derek Bell’s team-high 11-game hitting streak ended last night as he went 0-for-4. … Mike Hampton (back) threw yesterday on the side and is expected to make his next start in St. Louis Friday. …
Melvin Mora – on the DL after having stitches in his right index finger removed – began his rehab assignment as a DH for Triple-A Norfolk. Mora is expected off the DL Sunday, the first day he is eligible.
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Valentine gave struggling pinch-hitter Matt Franco a start at first base last night. Franco entered the game at .135 in 37 at-bats.
“Often a pinch-hitter struggles because he’s not in a rhythm,” Valentine said before last night’s loss. “Pinch-hitting is the toughest job in baseball.”
Franco drilled two single to left so it seemed to work. He left the game with his average up to .175 in 40 at-bats.
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You apparently agree with Valentine and GM Steve Phillips. The results of a New York Post.com Poll said that 82.4 percent of fans thought that releasing Rickey Henderson was the right move. More than 2,000 people responded.
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The Mets began their second ridiculous road trip this month last night. Earlier, the Mets spent two weeks flying around the country from Denver to San Francisco to Miami (with no off day) and finally to Pittsburgh. They ended the trip 5-8.
This current 10-day trip – after three games here – takes the Mets to St. Louis for a three-game set beginning on Friday. Then it’s back to California to face the Dodgers for three.
“It stinks,” said Ventura, a California native. “Even though I like San Diego and L.A., I don’t think that St. Louis should be in the same road trip unless we stop there on the way home. To go in between it doesn’t make any sense.”
The good news for the Mets is they will be in New York nearly all of June. Of their 25 games in June, 17 are at Shea. They only leave New York for six days as they play two in Chicago, June 13-14 and three in Milwaukee, June 16-18. Before the Mets go to Chicago, they face the Yankees in the Bronx, June 7-9.
The other big date of note is June 29. The Braves and the John Rocker circus comes to town.