MET NOTES
When Mike Piazza walks out to the plate tonight, he will look out and see No. 32 on the mound. What will Piazza be thinking?
“He’s one of those guys that when they are on the mound you have a better than good chance to win the game,” said Piazza of Mike Hampton, tonight’s Met starter against the Phillies at Shea.
“He’s going to keep us in the game. Hopefully, if we get him some runs, we’re going to win that ballgame.”
But are the Mets going to finish the ball game. That’s the real question. Hampton, who thinks his strained left groin is fine, hasn’t been able to finish his last two starts. Mother Nature has beaten him both times out.
Nine days ago, Hampton threw 47 pitches before rain washed away his start at Yankee Stadium. Bobby Valentine and pitching coach Dave Wallace decided to bring Hampton back last Wednesday, but in the midst of the more than three hours of rain delays in Chicago, Hampton strained his groin and pitched only one inning. This prompted Hampton to nickname himself “Rain Man.”
Having thrown only 32 pitches, the Mets were going to bring the 27-year-old Hampton back on Sunday, but on the advice of trainer Fred Hina, they pushed him back to tonight to further avoid pulling the groin.
Thus far, Rain Man is 6-5 with a 4.04 ERA. He will be opposed tonight by ex-Met Paul Byrd (1-5, 7.85).
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When Valentine made his “no scholarship” statement in reference to Jay Payton a few weeks back, Payton shot back that if he were given enough at-bats, he would hit. So far, Payton, who is now playing every day, has been right. Is Payton aware of his average?
“I know I’m not hitting .206,” Payton said.
He was hitting .206 on May 24; today he is at .276.
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The Mets and Brewers Sunday wore sweatbands and temporary tattoos in support of prostrate cancer research and awareness. The home runs hit by Kurt Abbott and Robin Ventura were worth around $50,000 toward research for the disease. The money was donated by sponsors.
Todd Zeile on the Mets playing 16 of their next 20 at Shea: “We play better at home. I like being with my family. My son is out of school now.”
Zeile, who didn’t play Sunday, is hitting .309 with 11 homers and 43 RBIs.