Mustachio is out

Jose Valentin hit a pitch off his right shin, fractured the tibia, and will be out for a long time. It's a tough break, no pun intended, though in truth Jose hasn't been playing all that well since he came back from his first stint on the DL this year.

While I love Valentin as a personality and influence on the team, and for the great role he played on last year's team and at the beginning of this year, but the Mets this season are rich from having second basemen. Ruben Gotay has been really hot, hitting .354 going into today's game, and Damion Easley is having a good year too, hitting .257 with 20 RBIs. Easley is right now on the Bereavement List (the BL-- which I didn't know existed until Damion was placed on it earlier in the week), at home not far from Dodger Stadium in Riverside, CA with his ailing father. This means that Gotay has had to bat righty tonight, which he hasn't done much of this year, but that won't last when Easley comes back. Never the less, this could be Ruben Gotay's lucky break, and a good thing for Easley too.

I wish Ruben good luck in his newly important role, Jose best wishes for a speedy recovery, and Damion and his whole family my hope for their healing.