MET NOTES
With each start in Norfolk, Scott Erickson continues to lessen the belief that he can return and help the Mets.
Erickson, who’s rehabbing a strained left hamstring, made his sixth start for Norfolk last night, and the results were again disastrous. Facing Scranton Wilkes-Barre, he allowed seven runs on eight hits in six innings, walking four and fanning six. The 36-year- old Erickson now owns a 7.84 ERA in Triple-A.
For Erickson, the worst part about last night’s effort is the timing. By Monday, the Mets must either promote him, get his consent to continue his rehab assignment or release him. Results-wise, Erickson certainly has not done much to convince the Mets not to choose the final option.
*
After his first missed game in 1,213 contests, Kaz Matsui was feeling pretty good about getting back in the lineup.
“I think the day off [Thursday] helped me refresh a lot,” Matsui said. “Maybe start off on the right foot again.”
Actually, there is some reason to believe Matsui, mired in a 2-for-22 slump, is about to go on a tear. Consider the history.
In early May against Milwaukee, Matsui was booed when he grounded out in the ninth inning, part of an 0-for-5 day that dropped his average to .230. Matsui did not start the next day, but later came in and hit a game-winning double. Over his next five games, he then collected eight hits.
Then in early June in Kansas City, Matsui again did not start following two straight 0-for-4 games. But he came off the bench and went 2-for-2, kicking off a stretch where he rapped 10 hits in his next six games.
With his latest slump, Matsui’s average is at .253.
*
Orber Moreno returned to the Mets yesterday after his 15-day stint on the DL with a strained right shoulder, and Art Howe said he would not hesitate to use Moreno in the later innings.