Mets 7, Diamondbacks 1

El Duque turned back the clock and baffled the Snakes in a dominant complete game performance. Carlos Beltran hit his 15th HR of 2006 and showed yet again, that hitting in front of Carlos Delgado is a very different scenario to hitting in front of Mike Piazza. Endy Chavez had 3 RBI’s. Lastings Milledge had Mark Grace muttering repeatedly — and it wasn’t anything about Sheffield-esque bat speed. And with all of these terrific things happening late last night, the Glass Is Half Full Dept. of CSTB instead moves to the very real possiblity that Kaz Matsui is done, done, done as a New York Met. From the New York Post’s Mark Hale.

When Xavier Nady comes back from the disabled list – which could be as early as Tuesday – Matsui is a candidate to be released by the Mets, according to a person with knowledge of the club’s thinking.

Matsui also be traded; one major league team official said yesterday there was buzz that the Mets were going to “move him soon.”

If Lastings Milledge, called up when Nady went on the DL with an appendectomy, continues his strong start, the 21-year-old phenom could stay with the team when fellow outfielder Nady returns.

The Sporting News’ Ken Rosenthal suggests a swap with Colorado for Eli Marrero might occur, but Matsui’s hefty salary could surely give the Rox pause, if not questions regarding Kaz’ relationship with Jesus Christ.

The Cleveland Plain Dealer’s Paul Hoyles claims the former Tribe OF Milton Bradley “engaged in a discourse of hand signals with the fans seated behind him in right field,” during the A’s 4-1 over the Indians yesterday afternoon. When a player with Bradley’s bad reputation goes out of his way to reach out to the hearing impaired, the only thing more inspiring might be the straight-forward way with which Hoyles pays tribue to a former Cleveland fixture.

From the Substance Abuse Blotter :

a) Jim Leyritz ‘fesses up to taking speed.  And all that time, we just thought he was on Asshole Pills.

b) Detroit DH Dmitri Young has reportedly entered the Betty Ford Clinic. Though this is very sad, on the bright side, no one is claiming that Dmitri has entered Betty Ford.

c) Albert Pujols’ personal trainer says he’s not involved in any of this Jason Grimsley-HGH-premature-baldness nonsense, despite having been outed by Will Leitch yesterday afternoon.  Well, that’s just great. Some former amateur wrestler / bodybuilder dude is angry with Will Leitch for having publicy smeared him. It would be terrible if any harm came to a hardworking, conscientious journalist.

And it would be a shame if Leitch was punched in the face, too.