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!

Since MLB takes down anything you put on YouTube these days, Can't Stop The Bleeding points out a reenactment of John Maine's first major league home run yesterday. And I thought I had too much time on my hands...




They certainly try their best to recreate Maine's home run trot, that was great to see last night. Thanks to Metsblog for pointing it out.

Ever wonder how those Red Sox stay so trim and snazzy? Me neither, but there's an interesting article in the Boston Globe regarding the Red Sox barber LMontro.

"...he styled some of the best players in Major League Baseball, including Ortiz, Jose Reyes, and Albert Pujols. Suddenly, he had an all-star clientele that kept him on speed-dial. During the 2006 season, LMontro flew back and forth across the country cutting members of the Yankees, Mets, Marlins, Orioles, Tigers, and Red Sox. "I couldn't settle with one team," he says. LMontro might have had the same schedule this season, but something happened during spring training. In March, LMontro was in Fort Myers, Fla., about to give Ortiz a trim, when he got a call from Tejada. The Orioles shortstop was in Fort Lauderdale, and asked if LMontro would come and give him a quick cut. "I told Papi, 'I'll be back,"' says LMontro. "I was about halfway there when Papi called me and said, "Make a U-turn.' I've been exclusive with the Red Sox ever since."

I'm always looking for a good deal, so here are some of the Mets' upcoming ticket offers and merch promos.  The Mets should give me some kind of commission for doing this.

$5/$10 Seats and Free Popcorn
    -use code "FANDANGO"
$5 Upper Reserved Seats
Senior Fan (60+) Discount
Saturday July, 28th Travel Mug
Sunday July 29th, Seat Cushion
Thursday August 9th, Mets Shoelaces
Friday August 10th, T-Shirt
Saturday August 11th, David Wright Jersey Bag
Sunday August 12th, Sports Bag

Screw the shoelaces, but I do like the $5 Picnic Area seats when they open up.

Former Met and current Atlanta Brave Julio Franco recently spoke with David Lennon at Newsday.

Franco as quoted by Lennon:

Franco, on his time with the Mets:

Oh come on, I respect you as a man Julio but sometimes you just have to let it go.

Franco has four hits in his last 25 at bats.

Mike Piazza rejoined the A's tonight and is 0-for-1 so far. Check out the Box Score here.

As much as I hate Braves fans, seeing these two guys jump that wall was awesome.  Don't try this at home.