MET NOTES
ATLANTA – Both Steve Trachsel and Tom Glavine left their last starts with blisters. While Trachsel downplayed his two blisters and said there was “no question” he’d make his next start on Thursday, Glavine sounds more troubled by his index finger ailment.
“It’s not any worse than I was expecting it to be,” Glavine said yesterday, a day after he was knocked out of Saturday’s start following 3 1/3 shaky innings. “It’s sore. It’s tender.
“My biggest concern is it’s exactly where it was last year. I didn’t miss any starts, but I didn’t pitch great with it.”
Last season, Glavine was 11-4 with a 2.27 ERA in the first half, but was 7-7 with a 3.93 ERA after the break. He also was hammered by the Giants twice in the NLDS, which may be a reason why he’s with the Mets.
Glavine said the blister came up right before the All-Star Game last year. Although he estimated “10 letters a week” came to Turner Field by fans with home remedies, nothing Glavine tried worked.
Atlanta pitching coach Leo Mazzone sympathized, but expects to see him Friday night at Shea.
“It stings his finger on the release,” Mazzone said. “Baseball’s come so far medicine-wise, the only thing they can’t figure out is how to [bleeping] fix a blister.
“I’ve seen Tommy Glavine pitch and go to the post so many times when other pitchers would not go, and go out and win. I know a lot of guys who don’t want to pitch with a pimple on their [butt].”
Art Howe was hopeful the rotation wouldn’t be disrupted but acknowledged it could affect either starter’s next turn. Trachsel pooh-poohed that notion, although he has a minor blister on the thumb and another on his forefinger.
“I’ve got NuSkin,” Trachsel said, referring to a special skin product. “But anything else I say [I use] could be considered illegal.”
* The Mets don’t know when they’ll announce Mo Vaughn‘s future plans for his knee. Neither did they know of Vaughn’s reported plans to possibly attend Roger Clemens‘ bid for his 300th victory today at Yankee Stadium.
“It’s an off day for the Mets,” GM Steve Phillips said. “He can watch any game he wants. I don’t care.”
* Roger Cedeno had a brain cramp in right field in the fifth inning of the 3-1 loss, but it wasn’t costly. With Vinny Castilla on second and one out, Cedeno caught Henry Blanco‘s flyball down the line.
Cedeno stopped and did a pirouette away from the diamond as the slow-footed Castilla tagged and reached third. Castilla was stranded there when Greg Maddux struck out.
“I thought it was three outs,” Cedeno said. “I looked and saw Robbie [Alomar] calling for the ball.”
Said Howe: “You see it happen every year but you wonder how it could happen. I’m just glad he didn’t flip the ball in the stands.”