Mets Win and other Mets win as well....

Perhaps difficult to focus on the Mets 7-1 win over what in essence amounted to the Astros B Team yesterday with all the hoopla of the WBC raging it's every hormone around us.

I suppose the biggest news was the Kaz Man's first two hits of the Spring to raise his average all the way up to a remarkable .143. Either that or Trachsel allowing four hits over three scoreless innings against what seemed a batting order less imposing than that of Team Australia. I mean, Brian Gordon, Hector Jimenez, Eric Bruntlett, Chris Burke, Mike Lamb, etc.? This was less than an intrasquad workout for Trachsel.

Trachsel, proving he can throw out Little League batters...but what about the rest?

I know that rightfully, Victor Diaz and X Nady are getting all the outfield battle press but Tike Redman is very quietly putting up numbers. Yesterday he drove in his 6th RBI of the Spring. Certainly food for thought. Not as a starter but as a backup outfielder once Cornelius Floyd goes down with a bum hammy or knee and nady and Diaz are starting the outfield corners. Nady, by the way, felt tightness is his left hamstring on Monday and soreness in the muscle on Tuesday. He didn't play against the Astros and won't play on today against the Indians.

(That is of course unless Carlos Beltran suffers some freakish injury in WBC play...) Did you happen to note yesterday in PR's 2-1 victory over Panama that he slid headfirst into first base trying to beat out a hit? I mean c'mon Carlos, save that heroic bullshit for Game Seven of this year's World Series for the team whose paying you a gizillion dollars to hit .270 all season, eh? Not some ridiculous little charade of a tournament game between Puerto Rico and Panama for crissakes like the history of civilisation is hanging in the balance.

As for the Mets making their various appearances for a variety of countries it should be noted, that other than Beltran's craziness on the basepaths and going hitless, newly acquired Julio Jorge gave up a 9th inning homer pitching for Venezuela to Adrian Beltran. Manny Acta, the world's worst third base coach and manager of the Dominican Republic, earned a win in his inaugural WBC managing appearance.

Victor Zambrano, pitched 2 1/3 innings, coming in for Venezuela in the 7th inning, promptly allowed a single to Albert Pujols. However, he then struck out David Ortiz before throwing, predictably, a wild pitch before walking Moises Alou. And then typical of the Who Knows Where He'll Throw? style, then struck out Adrian Beltre before retiring Juan Encarnacion to end the inning. But that wasn't it. He later threw another wild pitch in the 9th before being replaced by Carlos Hernandez and finished by pitching 2 1/3 innings, allowing two hits, a run a walk and struck out three in all.

Jose Reyes didn't play.

Former Met Mike Piazza had a double and a run scored as Italia easily poached Australia 10-0.

Former Met Edgardo Alfonso had three hits for Venezuela and a homerun with 2 RBIs.

*****

For more breath taking details about the WBC and Bond's latest bimbo, crank and steroid scandal, visit our obligatory sponsors and reprobative imitators at Sports Amnesia. (well really just more of the Bunker household, but wtf, eh?