Redding Defeats Redbirds

Mets win.

This team is earning a “scrappy” reputation because of performances like Tim Redding’s last night.  Seven-innings of Pujols-stunting work earned a victory for the Mets on the heels of yet another injury – this time it’s Carlos Beltran with a sore knee.  What’s a manager to do?  Bat Tatis in the cleanup spot?  Someone do me a favor and translate this paragraph from MLB.com, because I can’t make heads or tails of this hokey-pokey:

His assignment, the 14th involving 13 Mets this season, prompted the club to promote rookie Fernando Martinez from its Triple-A Buffalo affiliate. Jeremy Reed was to play center field, in Beltran’s stead Monday when the Mets began a four-game series against the Cardinals at Citi Field. But manager Jerry Manuel indicated he would use Martinez in center field with some regularity. The club had demoted Martinez to Buffalo last week when Nick Evans was added to the big league roster, at least partially because it wanted Martinez to play regularly.

I don’t follow the Mets that closely, but if I follow that paragraph, the Mets demoted F-Mart so he can play every day in Buffalo.  That would make Jeremy Reed the fourth outfielder and Nick Evans the fifth (!).  Without Beltran, though, F-Mart gets called back up, as Reed becomes the CFer, Evans is the fourth OFer, and F-Mart is the fifth (!), and, F-Mart still won’t play everyday because maybe Reed will be the every day CFer, but then again, maybe not.  OK.  Got it.

Donald Fehr will retire after 25 years as the MLBPA’s EVP:

“It has been a high privilege to be entrusted with the leadership of this extraordinary union for the last 25 years, and I am enormously proud of what the players have accomplished during that time,” Fehr said in a statement.

“But now, about two years before the next round of collective bargaining, is the right time for me to relinquish my position and for the players to name new leadership. Accordingly, I have informed members of the executive board that I will resign effective no later than next March 31.”

Fehr cashes out just before his luck looks to tumble.  With the kind of heat the players, and the players alone, have taken for PED usage, that next round of collective bargaining that Donald mentions prominently shapes to be a doozy for the MLBPA.  BBT Analyst Jrz suspects the remaining 102 names on “The List” to be leaked.  I’ll add that those names will be leaked slowly and methodically, maximized for impact.  In the meantime, hit BBT’s “Lucky 102” page and drop a comment on who you think will be named.