The Mets are back below .500 again after Johan Santana gave up the first grand slam by an AL pitcher since 1971 in an eventual 5-2 loss Monday night to the Mariners. Felix Hernandez, who hit the grand slam off his fellow Venezuelan, then left the game in the fifth inning after being injured by a controversial slide by Carlos Beltran. For a closer look at Hernandez’s historic night, the details are right here.
Colleague Jay Greenberg writes that the Mets might have a new manager in Jerry Manuel, but they still have the same underachieving team.
Manuel, meanwhile, tried to clear up his controversial “fertilizer” comment by saying he meant it as a positive thing and not a knock on the fans.
In the notebook, Luis Castillo was back in the starting lineup Monday but could become a part-time player. We also have an item on the progress of Ryan Church’s comeback.
And finally, Mets owner Fred Wilpon came out of hiding to to give his thoughts on the Willie Randolph firing and how it was (mis)handled by the Mets.