“I have Marlon Byrd’s agent on the line…”

On May 23rd, ESPN’s Mets beat reporter Adam Rubin asked where all the “Moneyball” players are. Where are the players you could sign at bargain-basement prices who could become the Mets’ version of Scott Hatteberg (as seen in the book and movie “Moneyball”)?

It was a fair question, given that the Mets were still fumbling with players like Collin Cowgill, Shaun Marcum, and Scott Atchison (as he mentioned) at the time.

But since then, several “hidden-value” players worthy of Billy Beane’s teams of the aughts have emerged.

The view from section 144 in the third inning.

If you have a layover in Denver when you’re on your way from Chicago to New York, you might want to fire your travel agent.

The Mets still can’t figure out the Miami Marlins. They blew a 4-1 lead, and lost to the Fish by a score of 8-4. (Box Score) At least it only took 10 innings this time.

The Marlins have won 18 games this year. 8 of them have been against the Mets.

So, the Mets have lost 6 games in a row, and have fallen to 14-23, 6.5 games behind the NL East leading Atlanta Braves here on May 16^th. Besides Matt Harvey, the starting rotation has been horrible, besides Bobby Parnell, the bullpen has been unreliable, and the Mets’ offense, which lit up opponents the first two weeks of the season, has gone colder than Jeffery Loria’s Grinch-like heart.

This has left even the most loyal and upbeat Mets fans in a funk, and has even prompted some to ask for divine intervention. But it can’t be this bad all year, can it?

Instead of another Mets blog post about how bad this team is, let’s try to find some rays of hope in this otherwise gloomy pallor of baseball.

Bobby Parnell and Dillon Gee

Mets right-handers Dillon Gee and Bobby Parnell participated in the food drive at Citi Field today.  The Mets held the event in conjuction with City Harvest to help Queens residents affected by Hurricane Sandy.

Parnell and Gee even had time to answer some questions about R.A. Dickey and the progress of Dillon’s arm.

“I haven’t even thought about it,” Gee said. “I finished the year throwing a couple of times. I’ve been working out for like three weeks now and I haven’t even thought about it.”

As for R.A. Dickey‘s candidacy for the Cy Young, Gee said: “There’s really not much else you can say about his season. It speaks for itself. It was unbelievable. It would definitely be cool to say I was teammates with a Cy Young Award winner and got to see him day in and day out, how he won it. It definitely would be good for everybody and just an uplifting thing and obviously great for him.”

RHP Dillon Gee has been hospitalized with numbness in the fingers of his throwing hand, according to Adam Rubin and multiple sources in the Mets organization.

Manager Terry Collins said Gee is due to undergo an angiogram.

“They aren’t sure what it is yet,” Collins said.

According to Rubin, “A teammate said the issue was believed to be blood-related in Gee’s shoulder. Another member of the organization said Gee was admitted to the hospital Monday and underwent an MRI.”

Bobby Parnell had a similar malady early last year, and had to spend time on the DL.  This type of issue is usually related to a circulatory problem.

Gee was scheduled to pitch the first game after the All-Star Break in place of Johan Santana, who is already nursing a bum ankle that was hit by a batted ball he hurt covering first.

With Gee potentially on track to miss that start, and Santana already hurt, the stalwart Mets rotation suddenly seems a little unstable.  It’s too early to tell what impact this episode is going to have on Gee’s spot in the rotation, but the Mets may need some reinforcements sooner than later.  It may be time for another spot start by Miguel Batista.  Or it may be time for the dawn of the Matt Harvey Era.

Harvey has pitched well for the Buffalo Bisons, and is chomping at the bit to prove himself in the majors.  Harvey is 7-4 with a 3.39 ERA, .234 BA against, and 102 Ks in 98.1 innings.

The Mets may balk at bringing him up after only 98 innings at Triple-A.  The Alderson regime has been cautious with its most prized prospects, which is the right approach.  The Mets are playing competitive baseball in 2012, but the focus of this team is on 2013 and 2014, as it has been since the offseason.

But it all depends on Gee’s status coming out of the All-Star break.

Update (12:05PM): According to Mike Kerwick, Gee will not make his next start.  Chris Schwinden, anyone?

Update (12:18PM): According to Adam Rubin, Doctors found a clot in an artery in his right shoulder.  Sounds like it could have been a lot worse than just numbness in his fingers.  Doctors cleared the clot with a catheter.  Fortunately, Dillon’s OK.

Update (12:24PM): Gee will be placed on the DL.  Here is the Mets’ official statement:

“On Sunday, Dillon Gee complained of numbness in the fingers of his right hand. Yesterday, after extensive testing, Dillon was found to have a clot in an artery in his right shoulder and doctors at New York-Presbyterian Hospital in New York City used a catheter to break up the clot. Dillon will remain hospitalized for the next day or two to ensure that the clot is fully resolved. Dillon will not make his next start and will be placed on the disabled list. The timing of his return to baseball activity is currently undetermined.”

After a brief homestand, the Mets head north to Toronto to take on the Blue Jays.  Yes, interleague play is here.  The Mets survived Brewing trouble and the Red scare to come away with a 2-2 homestand.  Now they venture not only into the true north (strong and free, apparently), but into the American League East.

Blogging about it…these guys:

• MMO has pictures from the Mets latest “themed” road trip, as every Mets player dressed in hockey jerseys on their way to the home of the Leafs (Shouldn’t it be “Leaves?”).
• ESPN NY Blog breaks down the white hot start of David Wright.
• Patrick Flood wonders if Bobby Parnell is closer material.
• On the Black has his own thoughts about the Mets closer situation.
• B-Met Collin McHugh writes about a bat dog he saw in New Hampshire (Collin writes a great blog about his experiences in the minor leagues).
• Rising Apple suggests combining to wrongs to set interleague play right.

So keep checking out Mets Today for full Mets coverage, eh?

Francisco has struggled in April.

Somewhere in the swirling mess of Saturday’s game against the Giants is a disappointing performance by Frank Francisco.  The Mets’ closer let up 2 hits and a walk in the ninth while attempting to protect a 3-run lead.  After it was obvious Francisco didn’t have his stuff or his command, he was pulled by Terry Collins in favor of Tim Byrdak, and then Jon Rauch.