Paul LoDuca will be sitting out tonight, Ramon Castro will be catching Tom Glavine tonight.

Well, I allowed users to post anonymously to ease the process for everyone but I forgot that the medium I'm using is the big bad internet where anonymity breeds perversion. So, I have decided to revoke that privilege to keep this a PG-13 rated site. Oh well.

If you don't want to get all caught up in the rumors and buzz, go to MLB.com to see what has officially gone down before today's 4 pm trade deadline.

Sorry if I'm boring but the other sites have it nailed down.

Pedro Martinez hopes to throw for the Port St. Lucie Mets against the Brevard County Manatees on Wednesday.

MiLB.com reports that Pedro will be rationed to 45 pitches and hopes to complete three innings.

He said he isn't "looking to do anything exciting to try to impress anybody" Wednesday night. "I just want to come out of it healthy, execute my pitches and my program, regardless of the results" said Pedro.

Update 8/1

Tonight's game was rained out so Pedro's rehab work will most likely be pushed to tomorrow.

According to Fox Sports, the Mets are close to a deal with the Twins regarding 2B Luis Castillo:

"The Mets had been using Ruben Gotay and Damion Easley at second, but Castillo is a proven everyday player who helped the Marlins win the 2003 World Series."

In a recent and very close poll at Mets Heads, readers felt the Mets should focus most on getting an outfielder before the trade deadline.

I've liked what I've seen from Ruben Gotay so far, but can't be sure what he would provide the Mets in the long-term. I'm not saying Castillo is a major improvement, but based on each player's achievements, he is an improvement.  I just wouldn't want to see them give up too much just for the sake of making a trade.

A three-time Gold Glove winner, Castillo is batting .304 for the Twins this season and has been the club's primary leadoff hitter. Castillo leads the AL and is second in baseball to Colorado's Willy Taveras with 37 infield hits.

Update...

Metsblog is reporting the deal is done pending physicals, and for cheaper than I expected.  I'm wondering if Omar has something up his sleeve with this one, perhaps a package deal with Gotay now that Castillo's secured? Either way, solid pickup.

Simple question...if you could choose, who would you like to see at shortstop for the Mets over the next 5 years; A-Rod or Jose Reyes?

Barry Bonds is one home run away from tying Hank Aaron for the all-time lead in home runs.

After the Mets loss last night, I must say that although I thought I wouldn't care, I was glued to the screen after Bonds came one closer to Aaron's mark.  Part train wreck, part spectacle, and part *history, watching Bonds was riveting.

Someone will someday surpass Bonds' imminent record, A-Rod perhaps who is on the verge of his own milestone (500 home runs), perhaps some unknown player who has not yet been born into this tainted baseball world of doubt and skepticism. This faith is somewhat comforting to someone who will probably never know for sure whether Bonds cheated or not, although I wasn't born yesterday.

I wish the cold-blooded, surly Bonds luck trying to cope with the "satisfaction" he will get from breaking sports' most hallowed record, most probably by breaking the rules to get there. I'm sure some O.J.esque defense mechanism will convince him that he has deserved being called the Home Run King, and somewhere in that oversized head of his, he is happy to have become a better player than his father and that by surpassing his godfather Willie Mays' home run mark, that speaks for itself.

The saddest part of this soap opera to me is that Bonds would have been a Hall Of Famer without any alleged enhancement.  But, for someone with a Napolean Complex, that just wasn't good enough.  So Barry, on the eve of your greatest achievement, I hope you sleep well as you continue to convince yourself that being great is only but a number.

Former Mets OF Lenny Dykstra offers his take on the volatile financial market for TheStreet.com.

Dykstra has contributed over 100 pieces to The Street.

It's still very funny to me that the chew-spitting, dirty uni Dysktra is now a financial analyst. Anything's possible!