Giants at Mets
New York, NY – The injury-plagued New York Mets have been though this many times this season.
But not knowing when their All-Star third baseman and face of the franchise will return will not be easy.
After David Wright was placed on the 15-day disabled list Sunday due to post-concussion symptoms, New York will try to win its third straight series at home against the San Francisco Giants on Monday night.
Oddsmakers from online sports book Sportsbook.com have made the Giants -110 moneyline favorites for Monday’s game against the Mets. Current MLB Public Betting Information shows that 52% of more than 134 bets for this game have been placed on the Giants -110.
While the Mets (55-62) have played much of the season without stars Carlos Beltran, Carlos Delgado and Jose Reyes, watching Wright get beaned by Matt Cain in Saturday’s 5-4, 10-inning loss has been especially difficult for his teammates.
"He’s in our thoughts and our prayers," first baseman Daniel Murphy said after driving home Jeff Francoeur with a game-winning single in Sunday’s 3-2 victory. "He’s the leader of this ball club."
Wright spent Saturday night in the hospital and was released Sunday morning. A Mets team spokesman said the four-time All-Star had seen a neurologist.
"I do believe we have to be cautious with this, and we will be," said manager Jerry Manuel. "There’s no doubt in my mind."
Manuel said before Sunday’s game it’s "a possibility" Wright could miss the remainder of the season.
With Wright out, New York won for the seventh time in nine home games versus San Francisco behind 7 1-3 solid innings from Mike Pelfrey and a two-run homer by second baseman Luis Castillo – his first since May 30, 2008, at Shea Stadium.
Livan Hernandez (7-7, 5.28 ERA) gets another start for the Mets on Monday, but only after Manuel took a few days to think about giving the veteran right-hander another opportunity.
Hernandez has walked seven and allowed 12 runs and 15 hits while losing his last two outings.
"I’ve got to say I’m sorry to everyone and go and say I’m sorry to Jerry, because I didn’t pitch good today," Hernandez told the Mets’ official Web site following a 6-2 loss at Arizona on Tuesday when he yielded five runs and seven hits over four innings.
Manuel could have gone with Tim Redding or Nelson Figueroa, but decided to stick with Hernandez.
"Just looking back at everything, there’s been times where he’s had a couple bad outings and then he’s bounced right back," Manuel said. "Hopefully we can get that from him now on the rest of the way."
Hernandez, who pitched for the Giants from 1999-2002, did not receive a decision in an 8-6 win at San Francisco on May 15. He surrendered five runs and eight hits over five innings.
San Francisco (63-54), which has dropped six of nine, counters with rookie Joe Martinez (2-1, 6.00). The right-hander, a native of South Orange, N.J., is looking to rebound from a 9-1 loss to Los Angeles on Tuesday when he walked three and allowed four runs and seven hits in 4 1-3 innings.
Martinez, who will make his third career start, is 1-1 with a 5.79 ERA in two appearances since returning from the disabled list after getting struck in the head by a line drive by Milwaukee’s Mike Cameron on April 9.
Giants catcher Bengie Molina is expected to return to the lineup Monday after Eli Whiteside replaced him Sunday. Molina, who hit the game-winning homer Saturday, is 8 for 17 with three homers lifetime versus Hernandez.
Posted: 8/17/09 6:00AM ET
