Eddie Kunz

ullpen's pattern of implosion, Jerry Manuel offered two other options after yesterday's game:  Eddie Kunz and John Maine.

    Kunz closed for Oregon State's College World Series team in 2006 and was the closer for Double-A Binghamton before the Mets called him up to the big leagues.  The Mets drafted him with the intention of molding him into their closer of the future, since Wagner is 36 years old and has just one year left on his contract after this season.  Despite his lack of major league experience, he's actually the only pitcher on the Mets' staff other than Wagner with any sort of closing experience.  At first Manuel wanted to keep him out of high-pressure situations for the time being, but the ineptitude of the rest of the bullpen has forced the manager's hand.  Consistent with Manuel's comments after yesterday's game, Kunz will get an opportunity to close tonight, if necessary.

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a Brian Giles cue shot with two outs, that allowed Luis Rodriguez to score the go-ahead run.  Eddie Kunz allowed a solo homer, the first round-tripper he's given up in more than three years, for a bit of insurance, but it was no matter because the Mets went down in order against Trevor Hoffman, the all-time saves leader, in the ninth anyway, and the Padres evened the series at 1-1.  Wright had also made a significant baserunning error in the fifth inning, getting doubled off at first on a Carlos Beltran fly ball to right field.

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o and Schoenweis have difficulties getting righties out while Smith gets hammered by lefties.  Eddie Kunz has been groomed as the closer of the future in the minors for the last two years,

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though for the time being Jerry Manuel says he will use a bullpen by committee in the ninth inning, Eddie Kunz, the heir apparent to Billy Wagner, is on the major league squad and may get some looks in the closer role over the next two weeks while Wagner is out.  Daniel Murphy, who was a third baseman in the minors but requested some work at second base and the outfield--a smart move, considering David Wright isn't going anywhere anytime soon--is getting the start in left field tonight agains the Padres.  The Mets really love the way he hits, so he could be a fixture at the major league level for the remainder of the season and perhaps into the future.  And rumor has it that the Mets are considering calling up Jon Niese to make a few starts in Maine's stead.

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