Luvofthegame
09-03-2006, 10:31 PM
BY ADAM RUBIN
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER
HOUSTON - Cliff Floyd's return from the DL began with him grounding into a double play. By the end of the night, the left fielder was a major contributor to the Mets' 4-2 win against Houston.
Floyd, out three weeks while nursing Achilles tendinitis, went 1-for-3 with two RBI in his return - hitting a sac fly in the fourth to give the Mets a 2-0 lead and capping the scoring with an RBI double in the ninth.
He started in left field and batted sixth. Endy Chavez shifted to right field, giving Willie Randolph a leadoff hitter with Jose Reyes getting a rare day off, and giving Shawn Green his first respite since joining the Mets. Chavez later shifted to center and Green went to right field in the ninth after Carlos Beltran left the game after crashing into a chain-link fence in left-center.
"I just want to salvage something of a pretty up-and-down year - mostly down," Floyd said.
Floyd played only two days with St. Lucie to tune up for his return. He felt soreness in his hips after playing with the Single-A team on Tuesday, then took off a couple of days and rode out a tropical storm before belting two homers Friday night. Floyd expected to remain in the minors through today, but said with a laugh: "When you hit two home runs off 20-year-olds, I guess they call you up."
Floyd spent six days away from Port St. Lucie during the DL stint, attending the funeral of his 21-year-old sister Shanta, who died of cancer. Floyd said his family was shaken at the funeral, a reaction that surprised him. He said he felt more relief than anything, knowing his sister's suffering was over.
"I thought, 'At least she's not going through the pain anymore,'" Floyd said. "To me she looked peaceful. I was happy about that."
Floyd, in the final year of a four-year, $26 million contract, said he hasn't given any thought to what appears an inevitable parting with the Mets after the season, saying only: "If the Mets want me, it'll be my first option."
He readily acknowledged he isn't having the season he expected. Floyd returned from the DL with a modest .245 average, 10 homers and 36 RBI in 274at-bats. Randolph said he wants to play Floyd enough this month to give him the opportunity to get going. The manager indicated Floyd would face nemesis Roy Oswalt in today's matinee if the left fielder felt up to playing a day game after a night game.
Floyd has a .444 career average against Oswalt, who has twice drilled him with pitches in 22 plate appearances.
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER
HOUSTON - Cliff Floyd's return from the DL began with him grounding into a double play. By the end of the night, the left fielder was a major contributor to the Mets' 4-2 win against Houston.
Floyd, out three weeks while nursing Achilles tendinitis, went 1-for-3 with two RBI in his return - hitting a sac fly in the fourth to give the Mets a 2-0 lead and capping the scoring with an RBI double in the ninth.
He started in left field and batted sixth. Endy Chavez shifted to right field, giving Willie Randolph a leadoff hitter with Jose Reyes getting a rare day off, and giving Shawn Green his first respite since joining the Mets. Chavez later shifted to center and Green went to right field in the ninth after Carlos Beltran left the game after crashing into a chain-link fence in left-center.
"I just want to salvage something of a pretty up-and-down year - mostly down," Floyd said.
Floyd played only two days with St. Lucie to tune up for his return. He felt soreness in his hips after playing with the Single-A team on Tuesday, then took off a couple of days and rode out a tropical storm before belting two homers Friday night. Floyd expected to remain in the minors through today, but said with a laugh: "When you hit two home runs off 20-year-olds, I guess they call you up."
Floyd spent six days away from Port St. Lucie during the DL stint, attending the funeral of his 21-year-old sister Shanta, who died of cancer. Floyd said his family was shaken at the funeral, a reaction that surprised him. He said he felt more relief than anything, knowing his sister's suffering was over.
"I thought, 'At least she's not going through the pain anymore,'" Floyd said. "To me she looked peaceful. I was happy about that."
Floyd, in the final year of a four-year, $26 million contract, said he hasn't given any thought to what appears an inevitable parting with the Mets after the season, saying only: "If the Mets want me, it'll be my first option."
He readily acknowledged he isn't having the season he expected. Floyd returned from the DL with a modest .245 average, 10 homers and 36 RBI in 274at-bats. Randolph said he wants to play Floyd enough this month to give him the opportunity to get going. The manager indicated Floyd would face nemesis Roy Oswalt in today's matinee if the left fielder felt up to playing a day game after a night game.
Floyd has a .444 career average against Oswalt, who has twice drilled him with pitches in 22 plate appearances.