Francoeur meets with Manuel again about playing time
Mets right fielder Jeff Francoeur puts his team ahead with a solo home run in the ninth inning against the Braves in Atlanta, Tuesday. (Aug. 3, 2010) Credit: AP
PHILADELPHIA - At least Jeff Francoeur still has his sense of humor.
After learning he wasn't in the Mets' lineup against the Phillies, the rightfielder held a 30-minute closed-door meeting with Jerry Manuel Sunday morning, and both men left laughing.
Manuel had said Saturday that Francoeur was going to platoon with Fernando Martinez, but Francoeur held out hope for a reprieve after hitting his second game-winning homer in a week Saturday night - the only two wins the Mets had in a six-game trip to Atlanta and Philadelphia.
Francoeur wasn't able to talk his way into the lineup, but he did get some assurance that he'll play against more than just lefties. "You're going to see Frenchy playing against righthanders," Manuel said. "I still think that Frenchy brings a lot."
Francoeur, who homered in the seventh inning of the Mets' 1-0 win Saturday night, said the meeting with Manuel was "just talking pretty much the same stuff as [Saturday]" - when he met with Manuel and general manager Omar Minaya separately.
"I basically told [Manuel] I want some opportunities next week, especially facing some righties," Francoeur said. "I don't know where that's going to go or what's going to happen."
Manuel said after yesterday's 6-5 loss that slumping Carlos Beltran probably will sit Tuesday against Colorado, which could open a spot for Francoeur.
Home groanThe Mets' lineup featured seven homegrown players (Martinez, Jose Reyes, Angel Pagan, David Wright, Ike Davis, Josh Thole and Ruben Tejada). The last time the Mets' starting lineup had seven homegrown players was July 22, 1990, against Atlanta (Mark Carreon, Dave Magadan, Gregg Jefferies, Darryl Strawberry, Kevin Elster, Todd Hundley and Dwight Gooden). The Mets lost that game, too.
Extra bases
Martinez went 1-for-4 in his first start and made a diving catch in the fifth. Tejada went 0-for-4, is 0-for-8 in the two games since his recall and is batting .196 with the Mets this season . . . Mike Pelfrey will open the series against Colorado Tuesday at Citi Field against 17-game winner Ubaldo Jimenez.
