ESPN

Here's the lineup for the opener of an abbreviated series against the Reds:

Kirk Nieuwenhuis, cf
Mike Baxter, lf
David Wright, 3b
Lucas Duda, rf
Daniel Murphy, 2b
Ike Davis, 1b
Justin Turner, ss
Mike Nickeas, c
Johan Santana, lhp

Jenrry Mejia's third appearance in the minors since returning from Tommy John surgery will be as a starter Saturday with Double-A Binghamton.

Chris Young's rain-delayed second start with Class A St. Lucie is complete. Pitching in a 10:30 a.m. Florida State League game against Bradenton, Young allowed three earned runs on seven hits while striking out two and walking none in 5 2/3 innings.

Before the outing, team officials privately said they expected Young's work to continue at Triple-A Buffalo after this outing, with an eye toward joining the major league rotation about June 1.

Young is returning from May 16, 2011 surgery to repair a torn anterior capsule in his right shoulder.

Fred Wilpon told reporters at City Hall on Wednesday morning that David Wright "is playing like a superstar right now."

Wilpon had made unkind remarks toward Wright in a magazine piece last year, saying of Wright: "Really good kid. A very good player. Not a superstar."

It's now highly likely that Wright, who is under the team's control through 2013, ultimately will remain with the organization long term.

Earlier, Wilpon told CBSSports.com's Jon Heyman about Wright staying long term: "I hope that happens." He called the third baseman "a great kid and a great player."

Bud Selig officially awarded next year's All-Star Game to Citi Field on Wednesday morning.

The game will be played July 16, 2013.

Bloomberg said the city will receive a $191.5 million economic impact from an estimated 176,000 participants. He estimated another 30 million would watch the game via television or on the internet.

"If I knew how easy this was, I would have asked the mayor and commissioner if they could have arranged for us to have the World Series this year," said Fred Wilpon, who was using a cane after undergoing left hip replacement surgery two weeks ago. "But I don't think that would be possible."

Added Bloomberg: "Well, I'm counting on a Subway Series this year, just so you know, with the winner in the bottom of the ninth winning it."

Selig said he had no second thoughts in the recent past about awarding the game to the Mets in light of the Wilpons' financial issues stemming from Bernard Madoff's Ponzi scheme.

"It absolute did not. No," Selig said when asked if he had reservations. "Because, as I said at the time, I had great faith in the Wilpons and the family, and I was very confident that they would work things out, and they have. And so my confidence was rewarded, and here we are announcing the All-Star Game. I'm I had no trepidation at all."

Bloomberg said he was proud that New York was not only hosting next year's All-Star Game, but also a Formula 1 race, Wrestlemania and the 2014 Super Bowl. “I’m also counting on a Stanley Cup,” he added.

The mayor said this will be the ninth All-Star Game in the city, a record. He also said there had not been two in any city in a five-year span before. Old Yankee Stadium hosted the 2008 game in its final season.

METS (20-16, third place/NL East) vs. CINCINNATI REDS (18-17, second place/NL Central)

Wednesday: LHP Johan Santana (1-2, 2.92) vs. RHP Mike Leake (0-5, 7.11), 7:10 p.m. ET

Thursday: RHP R.A. Dickey (5-1, 3.65) vs. RHP Mat Latos (2-2, 4.54), 1:10 p.m. ET

Reds short hops

• The right side of Cincinnati’s infield should remain stable for a long time. First baseman Joey Votto signed a 10-year, $225 million extension with the Reds on April 4 that locks him up as least through 2023. Six days later, second baseman Brandon Phillips signed a six-year, $72.5 million contract, through 2017. Votto won the 2010 NL MVP, is a two-time All-Star and earned last year’s Gold Glove at first base. Phillips has been an All-Star the past two seasons and has three Gold Glove awards.

Votto on Sunday became the first player in major league history with three homers in a game including a walk-off grand slam. The final blow came against Washington’s Henry Rodriguez. Votto joined Johnny Bench, Gus Bell, Eric Davis and Aaron Boone as the only players to have multiple three-homer games in their Reds careers. His bat will be turned over to the Hall of Fame, although Votto is not done using it yet. Votto’s first two homers came off Nats starter Edwin Jackson.

• Former Phillie Ryan Madson, who signed a one-year, $8.5 million deal with the Reds last offseason that includes a 2013 mutual option, will not throw a pitch for the organization this season. Madson underwent Tommy John surgery last month. Sean Marshall, who was acquired from the Chicago Cubs in December for left-hander Travis Wood, outfielder Dave Sappelt and minor league infielder Ronald Torreyes, has six saves in the closer’s role.

• The Reds will become the first team since interleague play began to face both New York teams consecutively in the Big Apple. After the two-game series against the Mets, Cincinnati shifts to Yankee Stadium for a weekend interleague series. According to STATS LLC, it will mark the seventh time since interleague play began that a team consecutively has faced opponents in the same market. The Texas Rangers will become No. 8 next month, when they have a combined seven straight games at Oakland and San Francisco.

• Aroldis Chapman has tossed 18 1/3 scoreless innings, the most innings logged without allowing a run in the majors among relievers this season.

• Mike Leake (0-5, 7.11 ERA) produced his shortest career start Friday at Washington, lasting only three innings while allowing six earned runs. He played at Arizona State with Ike Davis.

• Third baseman Scott Rolen landed on the disabled list Saturday because of left shoulder soreness. Rutgers product Todd Frazier has manned the position in Rolen’s absence, with infielder Mike Costanzo called up to take Rolen’s roster spot.

• Zack Cozart became the first rookie shortstop to start on Opening Day for the Reds since Dave Concepcion and Frank Duffy did it consecutively in 1970 and ’71.

• Right fielder Jay Bruce is hitting .365 with seven homers and 17 RBIs in his past 17 games.

• Mat Latos was acquired from the San Diego Padres on Dec. 17 for Edinson Volquez, Yonder Alonso, Yasmani Grandal and Brad Boxberger.

• Ex-Met Miguel Cairo returned May 7 from the disabled list, where he had landed with a left hamstring strain. The Reds also employ a second former Met as a utility infielder: Wilson Valdez. Cairo could see limited action at third base if Frazier underperforms.

Matchups

Santana vs. Reds (career: 4-0, 3.23 ERA)
Miguel Cairo .294, 2 BB, 6 K, 20 PA
Brandon Phillips .263, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 3 K, 22 PA
Joey Votto .250, 3 BB, 3 K, 15 PA
Wilson Valdez .200, 2 K, 5 PA
Jay Bruce .182, 1 RBI, 3 K, 11 PA
Ryan Ludwick .160, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 9 K, 27 PA
Drew Stubbs .000, 4 PA

Dickey vs. Reds (career: 1-0, 2.70 ERA)
Ryan Ludwick .333, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 6 PA
Todd Frazier .333, 1 K, 3 PA
Jay Bruce .333, 1 K, 3 PA
Miguel Cairo .333, 3 PA
Wilson Valdez .250, 1 BB, 3 K, 9 PA
Drew Stubbs .250, 1 RBI, 2 K, 4 PA
Brandon Phillips .200, 1 RBI, 1 K, 5 PA
Ryan Hanigan .000, 1 PA

Leake vs. Mets (career: 0-1, 2.19 ERA)
Justin Turner .667, 1 BB, 4 PA
Ronny Cedeno .364, 1 RBI, 12 PA
Daniel Murphy .333, 3 PA
Andres Torres .286, 1 BB, 4 K, 8 PA
David Wright .167, 2 K, 6 PA
Ike Davis .000, 2 PA

Latos vs. Mets (career: 2-1, 3.00 ERA)
Ronny Cedeno .500, 1BB, 5 PA
Lucas Duda .333, 1 K, 3 PA
Andres Torres .308, 1 RBI, 5 K, 13 PA
David Wright .143, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 1 BB, 3 K, 8 PA
Ike Davis .000, 1 K, 2 PA
Rob Johnson .000, 2 PA

Last series results

Cincinnati won, 2-1, at Citi Field, Sept. 26-28, 2011 (AP game recaps)

Reds 6, Mets 5: Chris Heisey hit a go-ahead, three-run homer just moments after making a diving catch and Cincinnati held off New York. Jose Reyes had three hits for the Mets to take over the NL batting lead, but his baserunning blunder in the eighth inning cost them a chance to tie the game. Reyes lined an RBI double into the right-field corner to cut it to 6-5. Perhaps expecting a throw to the plate that would allow him to take third, Reyes took a wide turn around second -- much too far. The Reds threw behind him and he was easily tagged out. Joey Votto and Jay Bruce singled off Tim Byrdak (2-1) in the seventh before Heisey hit the first pitch from Josh Stinson over the 16-foot fence in left field. Logan Ondrusek (5-5) got one out for the win and Francisco Cordero escaped a jam in the ninth to earn his 36th save.

Reds 5, Mets 4 (13 innings): Jose Reyes hit two solo homers, putting pop into his bid for the NL batting title, but the Reds won on Drew Stubbs' squeeze bunt in the 13th inning. Juan Francisco, who entered after Reds star Brandon Phillips exited early with a strained left quadriceps, hit a tying double with two outs in the ninth. He then hustled for a triple in the 13th and scored on Stubbs' bunt. Justin Turner lined into a double play with the bases loaded to end the game, leaving Reyes on deck. The Reds left the bases loaded in the 10th when pinch-hitter Dontrelle Willis struck out, and left them loaded again in the 11th when Chris Heisey grounded out. Sam LeCure (2-1) got the win and Francisco Cordero held on for his 37th save in 43 chances. Dale Thayer (0-3) took the loss. Both of Reyes' home runs came against Bronson Arroyo. Jay Bruce hit his 32nd home run and Joey Votto hit his 29th for the Reds.

Mets 3, Reds 0: After a bunt single in the first inning, Jose Reyes was finished. The strategy paid off: Reyes won the National League batting title that night when Milwaukee's Ryan Braun went 0-for-4. The hit elevated Reyes' average to .337057 and gave him a 2½-point lead over Braun. The Brewers star needed to go 3-for-4 to overtake Reyes. He finished at .332. And that gave the Mets their first batting champion. Fans chanted "Please stay, Jose!" throughout the ninth inning, and he gave a salute to the crowd as he walked off the field. Chants of "Jo-se Re-yes!" continued after he threw his hat into the stands as he disappeared into the home dugout. Meanwhile, Miguel Batista (5-2) pitched a two-hitter for his 11th complete game -- and his first since July 19, 2006, for Arizona. He allowed a one-out single to Edgar Renteria in the first and leadoff double to Chris Heisey in the second. Queens product Mike Baxter hit his first big league homer, a two-run drive off Edinson Volquez (5-7) in the sixth. Nick Evans singled in a run in the fourth. The Mets, beset with financial issues, traded Carlos Beltran and Francisco Rodriguez during the season, lost David Wright for several months with a back injury and finished their third straight losing season at 77-85. The Mets announced a crowd of 28,816, giving them a final attendance of 2,352,596, a drop of about 7 percent from 2010 and their lowest total since ’04.

Travis Taijeron’s alma mater, Granite Hills (Calif.) High School, has produced no shortage of major league talent. The list of former players at the El Cajon high school near San Diego includes Brian Giles, Marcus Giles, Shane Spencer, Tom Fordham, John Barnes, Mike Reinbach and Chris Jones.

The high school’s all-time home run leader, though?

That would be Taijeron, an 18^th-round pick by the Mets last year, who then became a New York-Penn League All-Star with the Brooklyn Cyclones after signing. Taijeron passed Marcus Giles’ 24 homers early in his senior season and went on to finish with 33.

The long-ball production has continued this season with low-A Savannah. Taijeron, 23, is hitting .291 with eight homers and 26 RBIs in 127 at-bats with the Sand Gnats. He also has walked 20 times and been hit with five pitches, resulting in a .405 on-base percentage.

Taijeron’s 2012 homer total is tied for the Mets organization lead with Buffalo’s Valentino Pascucci and St. Lucie’s Cory Vaughn, and is tied for second in the South Atlantic League, trailing only Charleston’s Tyler Austin, a 13^th-round pick of the Yankees in 2010, who has 11.

“I like to think I can do a little bit of both,” Taijeron said about maintaining a high average and also producing homers. “I do hit for power. My approach at the plate is not to try to go up there and hit home runs or anything like that. My approach is to get on base and to drive in runs. Every once in a while I just kind of run into it and put a good swing on a ball, or the pitcher makes a mistake, and I like to capitalize on it as best I can.”

Back in high school, Taijeron played catcher. He did so during his first season in college as well, at Grossmont Junior College. But when he moved to Southwestern College for his sophomore season, the program already had an established catcher. So Taijeron shifted to the outfield. He continued playing in the outfield during his final two college seasons, at Division II Cal Poly Pomona. He primarily has manned center field, with some exposure in left field, since turning pro.

There has been no catching duty with the Mets. Not even bullpen sessions.

“I really liked playing catcher. I actually really loved the position and everything,” Taijeron said. “But, at the time, [Southwestern] already had a catcher. I was the new kid on the team and everything. I think they went to the state finals that [previous] year, and he was one of the big leaders on the team. So it was best for the team that he stayed behind the plate and did his thing. He was one of the captains on the team. I was able to help the team out by moving to the outfield.”

As for potentially becoming another product of his high school to reach the majors, Taijeron said the outfield wall at the California school’s stadium always gave a reminder that was possible. The school recognizes the players who have made it to the big leagues with signs honoring them.

“The field has changed a little bit since then, but when I was at high school, we had all the baseballs on the outfield wall,” Taijeron said. “There were all the different players and the years that they played at the high school and all that.

“My team, they were a really good group of guys, who grew up together since Little League. And we always looked at those guys. We were at games when I was younger and saw them play, so we knew what we always wanted to do growing up. Seeing those guys was kind of a big motivation for us to try to get our names on the walls.”

Organization leaders

Average: T.J. Rivera, Savannah, .362; Bobby Scales, Buffalo, .339; Vinny Rottino, Buffalo, .314; Wilmer Flores, St. Lucie, .313; Eric Campbell, Binghamton, .310; Jefry Marte, Binghamton, .307; Zach Lutz, Buffalo, .307; Matt den Dekker, Binghamton, .294; Wilfredo Tovar, St. Lucie, .292; Danny Muno, St. Lucie, .292.

Homers: Valentino Pascucci, Buffalo, 8; Travis Taijeron, Savannah, 8; Cory Vaughn, St. Lucie, 8.

RBI: Travis Taijeron, Savannah, 26; Valentino Pascucci, Buffalo, 25; Danny Muno, St. Lucie, 23; Wilmer Flores, St. Lucie, 22; Aderlin Rodriguez, Savannah, 22.

Steals: Luis Nieves, Savannah, 9; Cesar Puello, St. Lucie, 7; Danny Muno, St. Lucie, 6; Pedro Zapata, Binghamton, 6.

ERA: Alex Panteliodis, Savannah, 0.89; Tyler Pill, Savannah, 1.89; Zack Wheeler, Binghamton, 2.05; Collin McHugh, Binghamton, 2.40; Chris Schwinden, Buffalo, 2.45; Cory Mazzoni, St. Lucie, 2.55; Jeremy Hefner, Buffalo, 2.72; Chase Huchingson, St. Lucie, 2.80; Angel Cuan, St. Lucie, 2.84; Rafael Montero, Savannah, 3.05.

Wins: Jeurys Familia, Buffalo, 4; Gonzalez Germen, Binghamton, 4; Chase Huchingson, St. Lucie, 4; Collin McHugh, Binghamton, 4.

Saves: Adrian Rosario, St. Lucie, 10; Fernando Cabrera, Buffalo, 8; Adam Kolarek, St. Lucie, 4.

Strikeouts: Jeurys Familia, Buffalo, 42; Matt Harvey, Buffalo, 38; Garrett Olson, Buffalo, 38; Tyler Pill, Savannah, 37; Zack Wheeler, Binghamton, 37.

Short hops

• Ex-Cub Bobby Scales, who signed with the Mets organization late in spring training and ranked third in the International League with a .339 average, has bolted from Buffalo. The second baseman/leadoff hitter worked out a deal with Orix to return to Japan. Scales played 80 games with Nippon Ham last season in that country. Oswaldo Navarro primarily will take over second base duty for Buffalo with Scales’ departure.

• Corner infielder Zach Lutz suffered the latest in a career-long string of unfortunate injuries. Lutz broke the hamate bone at the base of his hand swinging in a cage pregame Sunday. That requires minor surgery to remove the bone, and will cost six weeks. Lutz, who had been tormented by stress fractures in his feet earlier in his career, was limited to 61 games last season with Buffalo primarily because of a pair of concussions.

Lutz’s roster spot went to Corey Wimberly. He had been sidelined since suffering a broken fifth metatarsal in his left hand in an outfield collision during spring training with Vaughn while being borrowed from minor league camp for a Grapefruit League game at Disney against the Braves. Wimberly hit .238 in 172 at-bats with Pittsburgh's Triple-A affiliate last season while manning second base and all three outfield positions.

• Mechanical adjustments have led to a noticeable increase in velocity on right-hander Jeurys Familia’s fastball since the start of the season with Buffalo. Familia was sitting at 92-93 mph during early season starts, but now is hitting 98-99 mph with some regularity. Familia still has been working behind in the count too often. Although he allowed only one run and five hits in five innings at Charlotte in his latest start, Familia required 101 pitches. Stilll, Familia (4-1) has limited opponents to two earned runs or fewer in each of his past five starts. He has struck out 42 and walked 30 in 37 2/3 innings.

• Vinny Rottino upped his Triple-A hitting streak to 18 games Tuesday. That streak has wrapped around a cameo in the big leagues. Before the major league call-up, Rottino exclusively had played left field. Ex-San Francisco Giant Fred Lewis since was signed and has taken over that position, so Rottino mostly has shifted to right field. But the 32-year-old utility man did catch for the first time this season on Tuesday.

• Right-hander Jeremy Hefner, who tossed three scoreless innings for the Mets against the San Francisco Giants during an April 23 doubleheader, had his streak of outings in which he tossed at least seven innings snapped Tuesday against Gwinnett. Hefner was charged with six runs in 5 2/3 innings. His ERA rose from 1.77 to 2.72, which dropped him out of the top 10 in the International League entirely.

• Left-hander Josh Edgin (7.20 ERA with Buffalo) produced his first Triple-A save Sunday at Charlotte.

• The Bisons, in part because of nomadic Scranton/Wilkes-Barre playing a home series in Buffalo, have started a 16-game homestand.

• Sean Kazmar returned to shortstop for Binghamton on Saturday after missing 21 Double-A games with a left abdominal strain. It was the first time in nine professional seasons that Kazmar had been on the disabled list.

• Zack Wheeler (2-2, 2.05 ERA) showed no ill effects from the middle fingernail issue that caused him to miss a B-Mets start. After missing a turn, Wheeler reentered the rotation Thursday at New Hampshire and allowed two runs on six hits while striking out seven and walking one in a 94-pitch effort over five innings.

• B-Mets center fielder Matt den Dekker has been hitting the ball with authority. Den Dekker has a 10-game hitting streak that has lifted his average to .294. He homered twice during a four-game weekend series at New Hampshire, including one Friday that snapped a 277-plate-appearance drought for the B-Mets without a long ball. Binghamton went on to post three homers Friday, then another three Sunday.

• First baseman Eric Campbell, an eighth-round pick in 2008 out of Boston College, is hitting .385 in 12 games since returning the DL for a right shoulder strain.

• Right-hander Kevin Mulvey, who has been working in relief with the B-Mets, landed on the DL with a right groin strain.

• Vaughn, who got off to a quick start with St. Lucie, has seen his average tumble to .234 during a seven-game stretch in which he is 1-for-28. Vaughn nonetheless has eight homers and 20 RBIs in 124 Florida State League at-bats this season.

• Center fielder Cesar Puello produced his first homer this season on Monday for St. Lucie. He had 10 homers last season in the Florida State League.

• With Chris Young and Jenrry Mejia temporarily working in St. Lucie’s rotation, the regular starters have needed to adjust. Yohan Almonte has piggybacked Mejia’s starts, while Angel Cuan has worked in relief of Young.

• Right-hander Domingo Tapia, who has received rave reviews from Mets brass, tossed 5 2/3 no-hit innings before being pulled from a start with Savannah on Friday. He walked three, and three errors were committed behind him, resulting in an unearned run.

• Third baseman Aderlin Rodriguez, whose average had tumbled to .190 with the Gnats, since has six hits in nine at-bats his past two games.

Adam Rubin’s farm report appears Wednesdays during the regular season

David Wright jawed with his manager, Terry Collins, in the dugout, but insisted afterward he was upset in the heat of the moment with the situation, not at his manager. The Mets ultimately lost to the Milwaukee Brewers, 8-0, Tuesday at soggy Citi Field. Collins pulled Wright in the bottom of the seventh along with Daniel Murphy, trying to protect the third baseman from getting drilled a half-inning after D.J. Carrasco served up a homer to Rickie Weeks, then plunked Ryan Braun with the next pitch. Wright wanted to stand in the batter's box to take the expected retaliatory blow and end the drama.

"At this level, somebody is going to get hit," Collins said about retaliation, to which the Mets skipper felt the Brewers were entitled. "And it wasn't going to be David Wright tonight. I can't control what's going to happen down the road. He's not going to get hurt in this game, in this situation, tonight."

Please join me for a Mets chat at 1 p.m. ET Wednesday here.

Wednesday's news reports:

• Before the T.C.-Wright dugout spectacle, Dillon Gee had let down the Mets. Gee served up a pair of homers to Travis Ishikawa and was charged with seven runs in 5 1/3 innings. "Mistakes that he makes are in the middle of the plate," Collins said. "I mean, when I took him out of the game, Nicky [catcher Mike Nickeas] said every mistake he made tonight they drilled."

Said Gee: "I don't know. I'm at a loss for words today. I felt good out there. I felt like I made a lot of good pitches. In my mind, I only made a couple of mistakes."

Meanwhile, Murphy extended his hitting streak to a career-high 11 games before departing the game.

Read game recaps in the Record, Times, Post, Newsday, Star-Ledger, Daily News and Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.

• Columnist Mike Vaccaro in the Post summarizes the Wright-Collins argument this way:

Whether [the hit by pitch] was intentional or not isn’t important. Neither is the transaction of removing Wright from the game. This was: Both Collins and Wright care enough about this team and this season as it approaches the quarter pole that they were willing to fill the dugout with noise and rancor, even for a lost cause. They are a fine match, a manager who cares and a player who cares even more.

Read my take here. Columnist Tim Smith in the Daily News also opines on the topic.

• Mayor Michael Bloomberg, MLB commissioner Bud Selig and Mets principal owner Fred Wilpon will participate in a ceremony at City Hall during which the 2013 All-Star Game officially will be awarded to Citi Field. The long-planned event was delayed in being announced for months as MLB worked out contracts with the Javits Convention Center for a fan fest as well as logistics such as NYPD staffing costs for a midtown parade of All-Stars and Central Park concert. You can watch the official announcement live at 11:30 a.m. on the city's web site here. Read more in Newsday, the Times, Post, Daily News and Star-Ledger.

• Collins told Anthony McCarron in the Daily News that Jason Bay "absolutely" will get his left-field job back when he returns from the DL after dealing with a fractured rib. Collins acknowledged the challenge will be finding playing time for Kirk Nieuwenhuis as well, but the manager will make it work. “He didn’t come here to be an extra player," Collins told McCarron about Bay. Nieuwenhuis went 0-for-3 Tuesday. He is hitting .294 with two homers, 12 RBIs, 14 walks and 39 strikeouts in 119 at-bats.

• Josh Thole was examined Tuesday at Citi Field and expected to imminently gain clearance to begin athletic activities. The catcher said he should learn the results of a concussion test Wednesday. Thole, who suffered what may be the fourth concussion of his professional career nine days ago in a plate collision with Ty Wigginton, said his headaches ended Friday. Read more in the Star-Ledger, Record, Daily News and Newsday.

• Jenrry Mejia and Chris Young are slated to move to Triple-A Buffalo to continue their returns from surgeries that both were performed on May 16, 2011. Mejia soon should be exposed to relief work to gauge his ability to contribute at the major league level in that capacity, an organization source told ESPNNewYork.com. Young was due to pitch for Class A St. Lucie on Tuesday night, but the game was rained out. He presumably will pitch Wednesday morning for the Florida State League club before moving to Triple-A.

• A special screening of the Andres Torres-centered documentary "Gigante," about the center fielder's battle with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, will be held at NYU School of Medicine (550 First Ave.) on May 31 at 7 p.m. The free event is open to the public, but preregistration is mandatory at yungogigante.eventbrite.com.

• Wright was noncommittal on his receptiveness to discussing a contract in-season if the Mets approached his representatives.

• Brian Costa in the Journal profiles sudden pinch-hitter-extraordinaire/local product Mike Baxter. Baxter is hitting .471 (8-for-17) with five RBIs as a pinch hitter this season, including a sixth-inning double Tuesday. The contribution also includes a go-ahead two-run double in the ninth inning Friday at Marlins Park.

Plenty of players have found success in pinch-hit roles, but they tend to be veterans who were starters at one point. Baxter, 27, entered Tuesday with just 58 games of major-league experience and just 10 career starts. "Mike is becoming really good at it in a short window," said Mets third-base coach Tim Teufel, who had 192 pinch-hit appearances during his 11-year major-league career. "Usually for a young player, it takes time. He's taken to the role. He's found a way." The Mets' depth was a perceived weakness going into the season. But despite several injuries, they entered Tuesday with a 20-15 record, thanks in part to some unexpected contributions from players at the fringes of the roster. Players like Baxter.

• Michael Salfino in the Journal looks at the Mets' patience at the plate under hitting coach Dave Hudgens. Among the relevant stats: Through Monday, the Mets had seen the most pitches per plate appearance in MLB (3.98), according to Stats LLC, better than runner-up Oakland (3.97) and No. 3 Arizona (3.94). Writes Salfino:

The epitome of the Mets desire to work counts as much as possible, though, is their place as the only team in baseball yet to swing at a 3-0 pitch (70 opportunities). That's widely regarded as the optimal hitter's count. But the Mets clearly don't want to help pitchers work their way out of trouble. New York's patient approach seems to be organization-wide. A spate of injuries have seen four opening day starters head to the disabled list, but replacements Justin Turner (4.22 pitches per plate appearance), Mike Baxter (4.23) and Kirk Nieuwenhuis (4.22) have actually improved the Mets average.

• Baseball America projects the Mets taking Louisiana high school shortstop Gavin Cecchini with the 12th overall pick in the draft next month. The magazine also says the Mets have been "strongly linked" to Texas high school outfielder Courtney Hawkins and Texas A&M right-hander Michael Wacha.

• Brandon Brown had three RBIs and Dustin Lawley homered as Savannah held on for a 4-3 win at Charleston. Read Tuesday's full minor league recap here.

• Collins is not a fan of prescribed roles in the bullpen, but the manager said pregame Tuesday that he needs to accept it as part of the evolution of the game. “Guys are here to do certain jobs,” Collins said. “That’s what they’re paid for. That’s what they prepare for. I mean, you have pitchers in the game today who don’t even go to the bullpen until the sixth inning. They’re not even out there. They’re doing stuff in the clubhouse. They’re stretching. They’re getting rubdowns. That’s the way it is and you have to adjust. I don’t have to like it, but I have to accept it.” Writes columnist Mark Bradley in the Star-Ledger:

No one could have blamed Collins if he took a match and some gasoline to his bullpen roles after Francisco blew the lead twice last weekend in Miami, which was potentially damaging to the psyche of his entire team. And when Francisco got into trouble in the ninth inning on Monday, and the fans were letting him hear it, you wondered, was Collins willing to let another one get away? “The one thing I don’t want to do is turn our bullpen inside out because we have a couple of blown saves,” Collins said. “Everybody has blown saves. But if you start changing everybody’s roles, then all of the sudden it’s very uncomfortable for some guys.” And then Collins repeated, “That’s something I’ve come to accept.”

• Johan Santana and Chris Capuano appear on columnist Bob Klapisch's list of 10 early season MLB surprises in the Record. Writes Klapisch on Santana:

You don’t dominate hitters with an 88-mph fastball without brains and guts, both of which are still Santana’s most precious currencies. His arm has been rebuilt by surgeons, who couldn’t restore the left-hander’s 94-mph heater of his prime. Still, Santana is so good, he’s averaging more than a strikeout an inning. It’s hard to believe Santana was on the DL for the entire 2011 season. Put it this way: The 2.92 ERA isn’t just surprising, it’s magic.

• SNY will televise its "Yearbook" show for the 1962 season for the first time on Thursday at 8 p.m., Ken Belson writes in the Times. Writes Belson:

To sports fans, the show, which is called “1962 Yearbook,” is a wonderful example of how sports was covered a half-century ago, complete with fawning announcers, eager players and a lack of whiz-bang technology that predominates on sports networks these days. “They were trying to generate interest and enthusiasm among the fans,” said Gary Morgenstern, senior vice president for programming at SNY, said of the show and others that would follow. “They weren’t terribly successful, so it was about getting people to fall in love with the team.” The tapes were discovered in 2008, when the Mets were cleaning out Shea Stadium and moving to Citi Field. The video was not meant to be shown on television. Rather, it was to be used by the team’s sales staff to drum up ticket sales in the off-season.

• Miguel Batista remains on target for his next start, despite dealing with a groin issue while tossing seven scoreless innings Monday. He is due to pitch at Toronto on Saturday.

• Mets players already were wearing hockey jerseys in the clubhouse Tuesday, in preparation for a dress-up en route to Toronto after Thursday's homestand finale. Mike Kerwick in the Record spotted R.A. Dickey in a Predators jersey (he lives in Nashville), the Whitestone native Baxter wearing a Rangers jersey, and Nieuwenhuis -- a Denver-area product -- wearing an Avalanche jersey.

TRIVIA: Who hit the homers off Braden Looper to spoil Pedro Martinez's Mets debut in Cincinnati on Opening Day in 2005?

Monday's answer: Gee attended the University of Texas-Arlington.

GWINNETT 6, BUFFALO 1: Gwinnett righty Todd Redmond tossed six scoreless innings despite Buffalo producing a hit in each of those frames. Valentino Pascucci doubled to lead off the fourth, but was thrown out by left fielder Stefan Gartrell trying to stretch it to a triple. In the fifth, Omar Quintanilla reached on his second hit of the game but was picked off by Redmond. "A lot of base running mistakes, miscues hurt us today," manager Wally Backman said. Gwinnett took advantage of its chances, scoring six runs on seven hits. Gartrell hit a two-run homer in the top of the first. In the sixth, Gwinnett scored four more runs on four hits, knocking starter Jeremy Hefner from the game. In between the first and sixth innings, Hefner pitched four innings of no-hit innings. "Hefner struggled in that one inning, which we'll work on for his next start, but aside from that positives can be taken out from his performance earlier in the game," Backman said. Hefner, who entered the game with the second-lowest ERA in the International League, saw his ERA increase to 2.72. The Bisons scored their lone run in the ninth inning, when Fred Lewis led off with a triple and scored on a groundout from Vinny Rottino. Rottino went 1-for-3 with a walk to extend his Triple-A hitting streak to 18 games. Box

TRENTON 10, BINGHAMTON 1: The Thunder offense erupted for 16 hits, including nine in an eight-run eighth inning. Trenton starter Shaeffer Hall baffled Binghamton over 6 2/3 scoreless innings. B-Mets starter Mark Cohoon (2-4) had thrown seven strong innings before things unraveled. With the B-Mets trailing by two, the southpaw started the eight, but failed to record an out. The first five Thunder reached safely, highlighted by two-run homers by Corban Joseph and Luke Murton. Erik Turgeon entered in relief, but struggled. He allowed four more hits and watched as the Thunder tacked on four additional runs. In all, Trenton sent 12 men to the plate and set season highs with nine hits and eight runs in the inning. The B-Mets managed five hits against Hall. The southpaw threw a first-pitch strike to the first 22 batters he faced and cruised through six innings before allowing a pair of singles in the seventh. With the Thunder leading by two at the time, manager Tony Franklin called upon Kelvin Perez to get the final out of the frame. The righty struck out Sean Kazmar to end Binghamton’s final threat. Binghamton plated its lone run in the eighth against Perez. Matt den Dekker extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a double. He scored on Juan Lagares’ double. Box

BRADENTON at ST. LUCIE (ppd): Chris Young's scheduled start was postponed by rain. The teams will play a 10:30 a.m. doubleheader Wednesday. Box

SAVANNAH 4, CHARLESTON 3: Brandon Brown had a double and three RBIs and Dustin Lawley homered for the Gnats. T.J. Chism allowed two runs in the bottom of the ninth but held on for his third save. Jake deGrom allowed one run (unearned) in six innings while limiting Charleston to two hits. Box

Compiled from team reports

Terry Collins fully admitted pulling David Wright as well as Daniel Murphy the half-inning after D.J. Carrasco was ejected for plunking Ryan Braun because the manager did not want his marquee players as targets for retribution in the 8-0 loss to Milwaukee.

Collins said the Brewers had every right to retaliate, and figured they would go after his star, Wright, who was due to lead off the next half-inning. The manager added that plate umpire Gary Darling had every right to eject Carrasco.

Wright persistently argued in the dugout with Collins about being removed from the game, but said afterward he loved his manager and was merely upset with the situation. Wright wanted to take any retaliatory blow for the team.

"He wasn't getting hurt," Collins said about his reason for pulling Wright, who was 2-for-2 to up his average to .408. "I'm not accusing anybody of the possibility of retaliation. But I don't blame the umpires for doing what they did. I don't blame the other team for any perception they had of what happened. But I've got news for you: In this game, there are unwritten rules. And one of the unwritten rules is you hit my guy, I'm hitting your guy.

"They're not hitting my guy tonight. I'm not exposing him to being hit. He said, 'If anybody gets hit, I want it to be me.' I said, 'I'm sorry, it isn't going to be you.' They're not going to hit Jordany Valdespin. But if they're going to retaliate, they're going to hit David Wright. And that ain't happening tonight. ...

"And I'm not saying they were going to hurt him. Believe me, I'm not accusing them of anything. I just know what might have taken place. And I was trying to avoid it."

Said Wright: "Terry's the manager, and I've got all the respect in the world for Terry. I try to go to battle for Terry every day. He's got to make the move that he thinks is best for the team, and he obviously did that. Whether I agree with it or disagree with it, I respect him. I've loved playing for him the short amount of time that we've had together. And I've got all the respect in the world for Terry specifically.

"You get caught up in the moment. Things probably looked a lot worse than they really were and we go on from here. Terry and I have no issue. It's one of those things, like I said, in the heat of the moment it probably looked worse than it really was. ...

"I guess my thinking at the time was Ryan gets hit and then I go up there and get hit and then everything is settled."

Carrasco, incidentally, denied intent in hitting Braun with the first pitch after Rickie Weeks' homer. Wright said it would be handled inside the clubhouse whether Carrasco actually meant to hit Braun, since it put the third baseman in a perilous spot.

"I was just trying to throw a sinker in first pitch and it got away from me and hit him," Carrasco insisted.

As for the ejection, Carrasco added: "It was a really quick decision. There was not even like a time to read my emotion or take into account the score of the game or the situation there that I was there to throw a few innings out of the bullpen. I'm not trying to get tossed out of the game two or three hitters into the game."

Carrasco didn't think there was a heightened sensitivity to Braun being hit because of beating a 50-game MLB suspension. The umpire made it clear to Carrasco that he was ejected for hitting Braun a pitch after Weeks' homer. Braun has been hit an NL-high five times. Braun declined to comment to Milwaukee reporters.

"I think it was more the fact that there was a home run hit and then a guy was hit right after that," Carrasco said about Darling's motivation. "I told [the umpire] I wasn't trying to hit him right there. It's a seven-, eight-run game, and I'm trying to throw some innings. I'm not trying to hit a guy and get thrown out. He didn't feel that way. He thought it was a retaliation kind of deal for a home run hit. But I don't play that way."

Said Wright about Carrasco's action and the motivation: "That's something that we'll take care of in here. It's not something I'm going to get into right now. But it'll be taken care of. I think it's one thing when the emotion of the game is there and things are said. And it's another thing after you get a few hours or sleep on it and figure it out the next day. ... I'm not sure why he got hit. I don't know."

Wright is playing with a broken right pinkie. He also was infamously beaned by Matt Cain in 2009.

Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said about plunking Braun: "I didn't like it, and I don't understand it."

Asked about Collins pulling his stars, Roenicke added: "It was interesting what that was showing."

Collins noted there may not have been retaliation because the umpire had given a warning. Any retaliation would have fallen on Zack Greinke, who was working on a shutout. What would have happened if Wright stayed in the game to face Greinke?

“It made sense,” Greinke said about Collins' move. “I don’t know what would have happened if he stayed in. They don’t want anyone important to get hurt, just like we don’t want someone important getting hurt. That’s kind of the main thing.”

The Mets and Brewers don't meet again until Sept. 14-16 in Milwaukee.

Wright said he regretted venting in the dugout to Collins.

"I was up first that inning, so I didn't have the luxury -- I probably should have picked a better spot for it," Wright said. "But in the heat of the moment, like I said, I was up first and was ready to get my stuff on and Terry kind of got me at a moment where I was upset with the situation and got me at a moment that I was pretty hot. It wasn't directed at Terry at all. I talked to him a handful of times after it happened and we made it very clear -- or I made it very clear to him -- that was not directed at him or the coaching staff whatsoever."

WHAT IT MEANS: Dillon Gee allowed seven runs for the second time this season. And the Mets’ attempt to climb six games over .500 came up short for the third time in a week. The Mets lost to the Milwaukee Brewers, 8-0, on a wet Tuesday night at Citi Field as David Wright stewed about being pulled from the game.

Gee was chased with one out in the sixth and the Mets trailing 7-0 after serving up a three-run homer to Travis Ishikawa -- the ex-Giant’s second long ball in two innings and his third, fourth and career-high fifth RBIs of the game.

Gee’s ERA swelled to 5.65.

Gee (2-3) also allowed seven runs against the San Francisco Giants on April 23. His career high for runs allowed was eight against the Philadelphia Phillies in a 10-0 loss on Aug. 22, 2011.

Zack Greinke tossed seven scoreless innings for Milwaukee.

D.J. FIASCO: Tasked with logging innings with a lopsided deficit to protect the rest of the bullpen, D.J. Carrasco lasted all of three batters. Rickie Weeks launched a one-out homer to left field off Carrasco in the seventh to snap an 0-for-21 rut. Carrasco then plunked Ryan Braun on the arm with the next pitch -- either (1) unintentionally, (2) because of the homer, or (3) because of Braun beating a drug suspension. Carrasco was ejected by plate umpire Gary Darling. Braun has been hit by an NL-high five pitches this season, matching last year's total. Two of the plunkings came in Milwaukee's previous series, against the rival Chicago Cubs.

Ramon Ramirez logged the final 2-2/3 innings.

SIT AND STEW: Terry Collins pulled Wright for pinch hitter Jordany Valdespin the half-inning after Carrasco’s ejection, and Wright was shown on TV expressing displeasure with his manager for the decision to remove him.

It was not immediately clear whether Collins was motivated by fearing retribution for the Braun plunking since the two-game series was ending, or simply wanted to get Wright out of the game with an 8-0 deficit and wet weather. Collins recently said Wright would need a break during a 20-games-in-20-days stretch.

Wright went 2-for-2 to lift his average to .408 before departing.

NEW CITI JACKS: Ishikawa’s second homer would not have been a long ball under the old Citi Field dimensions. Opponents now lead 5-4 in homers that benefited from the revised dimensions.

WHAT’S NEXT: The Cincinnati Reds visit Citi Field for a two-game series. Johan Santana (1-2, 2.92 ERA) opposes right-hander Mike Leake (0-5, 7.11) in Wednesday’s 7:10 p.m. opener.

Chris Young's intended start with Class A St. Lucie was rained out Tuesday. The game will be made up as part of a 10:30 a.m. doubleheader Wednesday at Digital Domain Park.

Young, who is returning from May 16, 2011 surgery to repair a torn anterior capsule in his right shoulder, is expected to move to Triple-A Buffalo after that start. In his first Florida State League outing, Young allowed five hits and two walks while striking out four in five scoreless innings Thursday.

Andres Torres' documentary "Gigante" about how he has overcome the challenges of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder to have a successful baseball career will be screened for the first time at Farkas Auditorium at NYU School of Medicine (550 First Ave.) on May 31 at 7 p.m. The free event is open to the public, but pre-registration is mandatory at yungogigante.eventbrite.com.

The event is co-sponsored by the NYU School of Medicine Adult ADHD Program, whose program director is Lenard A. Adler M.D.

As for the movie's origin, on a conference call to introduce Torres after the trade from the San Francisco Giants in December, the outfielder said: "I got diagnosed in 2002. ... From '07 I started taking medication and I became better. ... After we won the World Series, one of the owners of the San Francisco Giants, he told me about making a movie to inspire kids about my life. I was excited to do it. It's about helping others and how we get better. It's a great project. It's not about me. It's about helping other people. People look at me and all the struggle. ... I've [had] a lot of ups and downs, but it's about making adjustments. Now, I feel pretty good. Like I said, I am who I am. If I can help other people and other kids with this, I'm really excited what I'm doing. I've been a spokesperson about this. It's great for others, too."

Torres added about the medication he still takes: "I really have to take medication because it helps you focus and how to concentrate better. People who have this have to understand that this is a condition that you really have to pay attention, and the medication helps -- definitely helps."

A year ago, Jose Reyes' agents indicated they did not want to discuss an extension in-season. Instead, they wanted Reyes to be able to focus on baseball, and they wanted the opportunity to test the free-agent waters.

Would David Wright take a similar tact -- no discussions whatsoever in-season -- if the Mets tried to initiate extension talks this summer?

Wright said he had not even thought about that scenario and was neither enthusiastic nor dismissive. It would be a somewhat different scenario than Reyes, in that the Mets approached the shortstop the summer before his free agency. Wright is under the team's control through 2013, with a team option for next season at $16 million.

Wright said the topic has not come up among him and his agents Sam and Seth Levinson and ex-Met Keith Miller.

"Honest to goodness, I haven't thought about it," Wright said. "I haven't talked to Sam or Seth or Keith about anything. That's something I've yet to think about or approach with anybody, because it hasn't been brought up. There's no answer to that because it hasn't been approached yet. I'd have to discuss that with Sam and Seth and come up with a plan first. But, like I said, there's nothing going on."

Jenrry Mejia's comeback from Tommy John surgery is expected to move from Class A St. Lucie to Triple-A Buffalo. And it likely will include exposure to relief work in the near future, an organization source said.

Mejia allowed one run one three hits while striking out seven and walking none in six innings Monday in his second appearance in the Florida State League. Mejia's next assignment may still be as a starter with the Bisons, but the source said the organization is interested in taking a look at Mejia performing relief-type duties soon -- such as working back-to-back days, entering with runners on base, etc. -- to gauge his worthiness to contribute at the major league level this season in that capacity.

Officially, GM Sandy Alderson texted to ESPNNewYork.com: "We will be making a decision shortly on the next steps for Mejia."

Chris Young, due to make his second start for Class A St. Lucie on Tuesday night, also is expected to join Buffalo after that outing. Young definitely will work in Buffalo's rotation, with an eye toward a major league promotion about June 1.

Young and Mejia both underwent surgery on May 16, 2011. Mejia had Tommy John surgery. Young had surgery to repair a torn anterior capsule in his right shoulder.

Miguel Batista tossed seven scoreless innings Monday against the Milwaukee Brewers in the rotation spot Young presumably would occupy.