The Mets placed LHP Al Leiter on the disabled list yesterday. Leiter experienced mild tendinitis in his shoulder during spring training and the condition recurred in late April. He pitched through the problem for a couple weeks, but New York had to remove him from his May 11th start at Arizona after four innings, as he was unable to maintain command of his pitches. The Mets ordered an MRI, which confirmed that the 38-year-old is suffering from tendinitis rather than battling the kind of structural damage that would require surgery. He remained on the roster and skipped his May 16th start with the thought that he might be able to make a start on Saturday, May 22nd. However, his throwing session did not go well on Wednesday, so New York decided to send him to the disabled list for a bit more rest. Since the move is retroactive to May 12th, Leiter will be eligible to rejoin the team on May 27th. The Mets have an off day on the 27th, but barring a setback Leiter expects to be ready to return around then, so he likely will start on either the 28th or 29th depending on how the team wants to set up their rotation.

New York called up OF-S Esix Snead to replace Leiter on the roster. The 27-year-old continues to display impressive speed at AAA but his ability to reach base and utilize those skills remains in question. While he displayed a solid walk rate in the past with an unimpressive batting average, Snead improved his BA this year at the expense of his plate patience. Snead may only be with the team until Saturday when the Mets likely will recall RHP Tyler Yates to make a spot start in place of Leiter. Consequently, I will be surprised if Snead does much more than pinch run during this stint in the majors. OF-R Mike Cameron suffered a small tear to a ligament in the pinkie finger on his right hand in a home plate collision with C-R Yorvit Torrealba during the Mets' May 5th game against San Francisco. He has played with the injury, taping the pinkie to his ring finger, and does not intend to have surgery to correct the problem until after the season or even go on the disabled list to rest. Unfortunately, the injury has diminished the effectiveness of his contact, decreasing his batting average and his power. Cameron is delaying treatment because he wants to help the team as long as they are in contention, however if the club falls out of contention or if it becomes clear that a substitute can provide the team with more, he may act before the season ends. Snead might spend more time in the majors if Cameron goes on the disabled list, because the Mets are short on centerfielders, but I would not expect him to assume the starting job.

Yates lost his rotation and roster spots to RHP James Baldwin on May 9th. The control problems that have been present throughout Yates' minor league career prevented the 26-year-old from pitching effectively. He has made one start at AAA since his demotion, walking three in 5.2 innings, so there is little reason to expect an improvement in this spot start. While I only expect him to make one start, Yates likely will remain in the majors until Leiter comes off the DL just to make sure he is not needed again, since New York currently lacks any AAA relievers worthy of a short big league stint.

While he was pitching effectively at AAA, Baldwin really did not have a chance to excel in the majors as the schedule dictated that his first two starts were on the road at Arizona and Houston. Two of the National League's better offensive teams and two of the most hitter-friendly parks in the NL combined to wreck Baldwin's chances of sticking in the rotation. The Mets designated the 32-year-old for assignment on May 16th and called up RHP Matt Ginter.

At the time of his promotion, Ginter had compiled a 27:4 K:BB with 27 H and 1 HR allowed in 34.2 IP for a 1.56 ERA over 6 starts at AAA Norfolk in the International League. The White Sox's poor management of Ginter's development had him flopping between AAA and the majors for three seasons. While he has not worked as a starter since 2001, the 26-year-old appears to possess the skills needed to pitch effectively in the majors, so I expect Ginter to remain in the rotation indefinitely. If Ginter falters, New York likely will turn to RHP Aaron Heilman.

3B-R Ty Wigginton visited the disabled list for 15 days after experiencing dizziness and fainting in late April. Wigginton was hospitalized and diagnosed with an ulcer, but after receiving treatment, he was cleared to resume playing and the condition is not expected to affect the 26-year-old's future performance.

The Mets called up 2B-R Danny Garcia to fill the roster spot opened when Wigginton hit the DL on April 22nd. Garcia began the season at AAA and his games there prior to his promotion were unremarkable aside from the reemergence of the plate discipline he displayed in the lower minors. Once in the majors, Garcia usurped 2B-R Ricky Gutierrez as New York's starting second baseman. His batting average is not high enough for him to have a secure hold on the position, but the 24-year-old's strong walk rate is keeping his on-base percentage up, and he is displaying modest power. 2B-S Jose Reyes is close to beginning a rehab assignment, but the Mets will want Reyes to prove he is fully healthy before activating him from the DL. Consequently, I expect Garcia to retain the starting job at second for at least another two weeks. As long as everyone remains healthy and New York continues to carry 12 pitchers, I suspect Garcia will return to AAA when Reyes rejoins the team. However, he played centerfield in college and has some experience at shortstop, so he could be useful as a utility player.

New York demoted OF-L Jeff Duncan to AAA when Wigginton rejoined the team on May 7th. Duncan offered little offensively during his month in the majors and likely will not receive another major league opportunity until he experiences success at AAA.

The Mets designated Gutierrez for assignment when the club needed to open a roster space for OF-L Cliff Floyd's return from the disabled list on May 13th. A variety of ailments continue to pester Floyd, but none are keeping the 31-year-old out of the lineup.

RHP Ricky Bottalico, who signed another minor league contract with New York in late April, joined the bullpen on May 4th. Bottalico almost made the team out of spring training but did not fit after the Mets opted to use Grant Roberts out of the pen rather than as a starter. While New York released him so he could seek employment elsewhere, the 34-year-old eventually returned to the organization. At the moment, Bottalico is one of the most effective pitchers in the Mets' pen, but his walk rate and low G-F could cause problems at any time.

In order to clear room for Bottalico on both the 25 and 40-man rosters, New York designated Roberts for assignment. Rumors of shoulder problems enabled Roberts to pass through waivers unclaimed. Although MRI's taken approximately a year and a half apart supposedly displayed no change his shoulder, Roberts wanted to undergo surgery to repair a fraying labrum last Friday. The Mets initially disagreed, because their own doctor was recommending a non-surgical treatment, but the team now has consented and Roberts may be returned to the roster and placed on the DL. Roberts periodically has complained of shoulder problems over the past five years and missed large portions of the last two seasons due to shoulder pain. I do not expect the 26-year-old to be prepared to pitch in the majors again before next spring, but hopefully this surgery will allow him to resume a once promising career.