--RHP John Maine, out with a bone spur behind his right shoulder, is expected to toss a baseball on Sunday for the first time since mid-August, the New York Daily News reported. Maine will require winter surgery, though he shouldn't be behind in spring training.
--LHP Jon Niese isn't guaranteed another start after allowing five runs in three innings in Milwaukee in his major-league debut Tuesday. Regardless, the Mets don't plan to use a fifth starter again until Sept. 15 or 16 in Washington. --C Ramon Castro, who is eligible to return from the disabled list on Thursday, is expected to be activated that day. Castro has been recuperating from a strained right hamstring.
--RHP Mike Pelfrey has tossed 176 2/3 innings this season after limiting the Phillies to three runs in seven innings Friday. Mets officials originally hoped for the 24-year-old Pelfrey not to exceed 180 innings this season, but have abandoned that goal with the team in a pennant race and fellow starter John Maine on the disabled list with a shoulder injury.
--LHP Ricardo Rincon made his first major-league appearance Friday since April 18, 2006 for St. Louis at Pittsburgh. He retired Chase Utley on a sinking liner to right field to open the ninth, then struck out Ryan Howard before departing.
--LHP Johan Santana opposes Phillies ace Cole Hamels in Sunday night's series finale. When Hamels was in high school in Southern California, Santana was on his fantasy baseball team. The two squared off April 18 in Philadelphia, with Santana getting the win in the Mets' 6-4 victory.
BY THE NUMBERS: 281 -- Number of steals by Mookie Wilson in the 1986 World Series hero's Mets career. Jose Reyes matched that franchise-record mark Wednesday in Milwaukee.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "It was good. I'm starting to get the stroke back. It's been a hectic year. I don't want to throw this last month away. I want to build on things, try to get back to how I was in the first half and finish strong." -- Right fielder Ryan Church, whose grand slam Wednesday in Milwaukee was his first home run since June 1, before a seven-week absence to deal with post-concussion symptoms.
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