Jerry Manuel and Joe Torre, Francisco Rodriguez and Josh Hamilton's injury

All's quiet here at the Stadium. At least, as far as I know.

--Jerry Manuel, in what will almost certainly be his final days as a major-league manager, came through today, displaying perhaps his best skill:

Media relations.

I try not to read the minds of players, but I'll read the minds of David Lennon and the other Mets reporters: When you're covering a dead team, as the Mets are now, and Manuel speaks about Joe Torre as he did, you're in hog heaven. You have your story. You babysit the game, to make sure no one gets injured, and you're good to go.

I say, good for Manuel. I don't know if it was Torre's jet lag talking, or if he's just so anxious to keep managing that he didn't care, or if Torre is losing his tact, but Torre was wrong to speak about the Mets job as if it's already open. Yes, it's pretty much a technicality at this point, but it's a matter of displaying respect for Manuel. Torre should remember what it's like to be fired, as it happened to him with his first three jobs (and pretty much with the Yankees, to boot).

--Francisco Rodriguez will be back in court today, to deal with his alleged violation of his restraining order. K-Rod hasn't been around the Mets at all since he reported his season-ending injury. People around the team think he's simply too embarrassed to show his face. Not good.

--The Mets shut down Bobby Parnell.

--Josh Hamilton has two fractured ribs, and while the prognosis isn't clear yet, the Rangers will be a diminished playoff foe is Hamilton is diminished, let alone absent.

If not for Twitter, the great informer, I would've had no clue about Hamilton's status.

--The Padres hired former Diamondbacks manager A.J. Hinch, and the Cardinals released Felipe Lopez. Remember when it appeared that Lopez was a great signing for St. Louis?

UPDATE, 7:36 p.m.: Torre has publicly apologized to Manuel and said, according to reports, "I had no intention of making people believe I wanted to manage the Mets." Uh huh. I don't think this little back-and-forth will impact the likelihood of Torre managing the Mets next year, since it was pretty low in the first place.