Planet Green

We begin with the news that with the arrival of Shawn Green, the Mets had a couple of roster moves to make. To make room, not only has Omar Minaya designated the planet Pluto for assignment, but outfielder Ricky Ledee has been designated as a dwarf planet by the International Astronomical Union. Officials reason that Ledee was not the dominant object in his area of the locker room...and thus planet number nine, and the outfielder who wore number nine both leave us.

It will be interesting to see how the rest of the season goes for Planet Green, whose final month and a half of the season will be linked to that of tonight's opponent and former candidate to be our ninth planet, Preston Wilson. Wilson got off to a strong start with his new Cardinal team, with a dinger, a double, and a leaping catch into the stands mixed in. So he's started out tonight with a bit of a head start.

Well, Green's value is going to be measured more for what he does for the rest of the lineup as a ripple effect than what he does himself. In that case, mission accomplished as David Wright drove a fat fastball from Jason Marquis for a single in his first at bat with Green as his protection, while Green himself followed his standing ovation with a screamer that went right at Ronnie Belliard for a 4-3 double play, then got another ovation for hitting the ball hard.

Look, up in the rafters...it's a bird...it's a plane...it's the bar being raised.

So the second time around was the true test. Taking advantage of a wild Jason Marquis, Wright drilled a sac fly to right field...followed by Green's line drive ribbie to left with the backdrop of Chris Cotter explaining how he's more a line drive hitter than a home run hitter. You can reason that Wright's long fly ball, and his single were the best swings he's taken in a long time thanks to the added protection of Green. So now we know Green's role in the lineup: enabler.

And it's worth noting that the bottom of the third also included young Preston botching a fly ball which was generously scored a triple for Paul Lo Duca...who probably became the first catcher in a bozillion years to have a triple and an infield hit in the same game.

So the inevitable comparisons between the actual acquisition and the "almost" acquisition becomes more favorable for New York's newest friend.

Some may say Shawn Green is a luxury. But with David Wright and Carlos Delgado slumping for the better part of a month before Delgado's breakout week which started in Philly, luxury became necessity. Thus, Planet Green makes his arrival, and a successful one at that. With Delgado already heated up, and David Wright taking better swings, the Mets solar system is now in alignment.