MET NOTES
SAN DIEGO – Newly signed draft pick Lastings Milledge might help in four years, but the Mets have an outfield opening now. And the club recalled Jeff Duncan from Triple-A Norfolk yesterday to fill Cliff Floyd’s injury vacancy.
With left fielder Floyd on the way to season-ending Achilles surgery, an opportunity for Duncan, Raul Gonzalez or Tony Clark could develop in the final 38 games, beginning with last night’s series opener against the Padres. It’s likely Duncan will play center field against righties, and Timo Perez will move to left.
Duncan hit .263 in 30 games with the Mets in his first two stints. He was optioned six days before his recall, and normally players must wait 10 days to return to the majors. But because a player (Floyd) went on the DL, that rule was waived.
Clark, who has exclusively played first base in his career, began working with coach Gary Pettis in an effort to acclimate himself to the outfield. With 16 homers, Clark has a power bat the Mets will desperately need now that Floyd is making preparations for 2004.
Gonzalez can play left every day if Clark cannot, and the Mets could do worse than to give him a greater opportunity.
Duncan, who homered twice in his first few games with the Tides, received a quick recall. It was the third time Duncan has been recalled this season. Players with options can be recalled and demoted on an unlimited basis within a calendar year.
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Jose Reyes raised his average to .316 and extended his hitting streak to 17 games with Monday’s 2-for-4 game. Reyes has six straight multihit games, going 13-for-31 in that span.
Reyes is making a strong push for Rookie of the Year, although Dontrelle Willis of the Marlins is the prohibitive favorite.
Willis, Florida’s dominant left-hander with the funky delivery, has led the Marlins’ resurgence this season. Reyes has been the Mets’ everyday shortstop virtually since his recall June 10, though the Mets stay stuck in last place despite his prowess.
It will be interesting to see how voters weigh an everyday player on a failing team versus a starting pitcher on a wild-card contender.
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Jason Phillips is another Met on an offensive roll. He has two homers and nine RBIs in his last six games. He’s 9-for-23 in that span.