Castillo, Mets Injuries Cause NOTHING But Pain

What a PAINFUL last 4-5 days for the Mets. In order that I not throw up while typing this blog, all I can say is: If I'm the Mets, I don't play Luis Castillo as a starter at Citi Field EVER again. Put Cora or Valdez, even Murphy or Tatis at second base.. Somewhere, Orlando Hudson, the man we should have signed at a better deal, was smiling. You KNOW if the team misses the postseason by a game, Castillo will forever be cast as the reason why.

Meanwhile I'd suggest that the very injured team go to its medical staff for treatment, but seeing how the team has botched the health of several players the last year or so, I'd rather suggest they go to Canada or France for socialized care.

It's to the point now where you have to wonder what is going on! Is the team's medical and conditioning team up to the task of caring for high priced investments? You don't need Reyes, Delgado, Pagan and Perez for examples-timely as they are. Going back a few years, Mo Vaughn was healthy, Vlaimir Guerrero was not.

But in the here and now, the Mets have issues-and one of the biggest is NOT keeping guys healthy. Flying Ryan Church all over the place last year after his second concussion in 3 months in 2008 was dreadful. Perhaps the fact that Church wasn't able to play for long stretches and finally shelved last season is why Jerry Manuel doesn't seem to like him.

Now, we have John Maine, Gary Sheffield and Johan Santana. Thursday night, I find out that Maine is niow on the DL with shoulder fatigue. Where did this come from? Sheffield told reporters yesterday he was to have an MRI on his ailing knee. Today, the Mets told WFAN and us here at PIX that Gary will NOT have an MRI AND that Santana is healthy.

Why Santana? After yesterday's blowup against the Yankees, he admits to a sore back and blisters his last few starts, but he's fine. Huh? I know the Mets want to protect their players, but this stuff leaves you thinking that they are incompetent. GOD FORBID anything is wrong with Johan: If so, the season-divison, wild card, contention-is over. Remember how hush hush the club was with Pedro Martinez' various ailments? How'd that work out?

At the moment, it seems the battered Mets need a new prescription: A medical team that has a clue, and an infrastructure less secretive than the White House.