MET NOTES
MILWAUKEE – Robin Ventura’s right hamstring still hurts enough that when he bends down to ties his shoes, he feels it.
So when Met manager Bobby Valentine reached for his lineup card last night, he decided not to put Ventura name at third. The disabled list isn’t an option right now, but Ventura can feel the pain.
“It’s very mild,” Ventura said before last night’s 6-4 loss to the Brewers.
In the eighth, Ventura was going to pinch-hit, but lefty Ray King was brought in so Valentine opted for Todd Pratt, who walked.
Ventura hurt the hamstring on Sunday chasing a foul ball in the seventh. He left the game at the end of the half-inning. He had treatment on the past two days.
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Joe McEwing started at third for Ventura and led off. McEwing helped throw off the Brewers pitchers’ rhythm with his marathon at-bats. He walked and knocked a triple in four plate appearances. …
Benny Agbayani returned from the DL and batted fifth. He went 2-for-5 and said his timing is almost there. Agbayani wore a special glove on his left wrist while batting. He also planned on wearing a different special glove when he ran the bases. The base-running glove was similar to ones a Roller Blader wears. …
Rick White made his 2001 debut, throwing one shutout inning and striking out two. White missed the beginning of the season with a sore throwing elbow. Valentine said he would’ve pitched White two innings if he didn’t have to pinch-hit for him in the sixth. …
Rey Ordonez, 0-for-3 last night, is hitting .242. Edgardo Alfonzo was 3-for-5 with a homer, double and single. … Al Leiter drove over with his brother, Mark, who began the spring with the Mets, to the game last night. Mark is a Brewer reliever.
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Tonight, Steve Trachsel will try to change his season. Trachsel is 0-3 with a 12.21 ERA. He has not altered his approach, although pitching coach Charlie Hough has worked with him since his start last Wednesday at Shea in which the Expos bombed him for seven runs in three innings. … Assistant GM Jim Duquette said he hasn’t been contacted by the Dodgers yet.
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The reviews were good for Miller Park, the Brewers’ new retractable-roof stadium.
“This is really an awesome place,” Valentine said.
Darryl Hamilton spent most of his career playing at County Stadium, so when he drove up yesterday, he said, he felt weird looking at the sea of dirt where the old ballpark once stood.
“It was kind of strange seeing a hole in place of the old place,” Hamilton said. “Missing it? I don’t know.”