by Ken Rosenthal

Center fielder Carlos Beltran sniped to reporters about left fielder Angel Pagan after a flyball dropped between them in the 11th inning of Monday night's loss to the Dodgers.

Manager Jerry Manuel denied a problem with outfielder Ryan Church on Tuesday, evidently forgetting every dig he has taken at the outfielder since spring training.

And, perhaps most important, the Mets seem torn on how to replace first baseman Carlos Delgado, who will be out at least 10 weeks after undergoing hip surgery.

One scout makes a logical point: Jeremy Reed is an outfielder. Daniel Murphy is an infielder. So, why is Manuel playing Reed at first base and Murphy in left field?

Mets general manager Omar Minaya told reporters Tuesday that Murphy and Fernando Tatis would be the team's primary options at first. But Reed was again at first Tuesday after making the Mets' fifth and final error the previous night.

Daniel Murphy (left) is getting mixed messages from Jerry Manuel. (Jeff Lewis / Associated Press)

Delgado, a potential free agent, is unlikely to be part of the Mets' 2010 plans. The team could start the transition immediately, commit to Murphy at first and worry about Delgado's return later.

Murphy, 24, might never show the power that teams want out of first base — or, for that matter, out of left field. Yet, some scouts compare his hitting approach to Don Mattingly's — not that you would have known it from a move that Manuel made on Tuesday.

The Mets, trailing the Dodgers 5-3, had runners on first and second with two out. Murphy, a left-handed hitter who handles lefties well, was set to hit against rookie left-hander Brent Leach. But Manuel summoned Gary Sheffield, Joe Torre countered with right-hander Ron Belisario and Sheff grounded out to end the inning.

Not exactly a vote of confidence for Murphy, whom the Mets keep insisting is a big part of their future.

Indians' DeRosa: On the move?

The Indians are open-minded to trades that would provide major-league pitching help, and the buzz in scouting circles is that they want to use super-utility man Mark DeRosa to bring such a return.

A Mark DeRosa trade could be the answer for the Indians. (Chris O'Meara / Associated Press)

DeRosa, 34, is highly regarded, but he's a potential free agent batting .242, diminishing his value.

The Rockies, who would love to dump third baseman Garrett Atkins to clear a spot for Ian Stewart, have kicked around an Atkins-for-DeRosa exchange, but the Indians would have little motivation to make such a move.

DeRosa, who plays six positions, also would be a good fit for the injury-depleted Mets. But the team that probably could use DeRosa most is the Brewers, who just lost second baseman Rickie Weeks to season-ending wrist surgery.

Like the Mets, the Brewers might not have the pitching that the Indians would require. They also might balk at assuming the rest of DeRosa's $5.5 million salary.

Still, the Brewers and Indians completed the CC Sabathia trade last June. The addition of DeRosa might continue the momentum of the Brewers' 21-5 run — and tweak DeRosa's former team, the Cubs, in the process.

The problem in Oakland? Not the manager

The A's were outscored 47-13 while losing four straight to the Tigers and Rays, but don't expect general manager Billy Beane to fire manager Bob Geren.

It's not as if the team is underachieving and the manager is at fault.

The A's again have suffered an inordinate amount of injuries to players at critical positions. Their starting rotation is the youngest in the majors. And their offense has not produced well enough to insulate the pitching, in part due to the injuries.

The Red Sox's next move — or moves

The Red Sox apparently want to trade a young pitcher such as Clay Buchholz or Michael Bowden only for a young hitter whom they could control for a similar length of time.

Rangers Class AA first baseman Justin Smoak and Cardinals AAA third baseman Brett Wallace are the types of hitters who fit that description, though the Red Sox do not appear to be aggressive on either player at the moment.

The addition of a prospect would not solve the Sox's immediate needs if they wanted an alternative to slumping designated hitter David Ortiz. But the Sox also could add a more established veteran in a separate deal, giving up less talent in exchange for taking on salary.

Brandon Webb is unlikely to be on the move. (Christian Petersen / Getty Images)

The D-backs' tangled Webb

The idea of the Diamondbacks trading right-hander Brandon Webb before the July 31 non-waiver deadline is not preposterous, but it's pretty close.

Webb, 30, has not pitched since April 6 due to bursitis in his right shoulder. Even if the D-backs concede the season, he would need to regain his health and effectiveness quickly to bring the value the team would desire.

The D-backs are more likely to move right-hander Jon Garland, a potential free agent. They control Webb for one more year at $8.5 million, and a 2010 rotation that included Webb, Dan Haren, Max Scherzer and top prospect Jarrod Parker could be formidable.

Angels' Palmer: Is the party over?

We all love the Matt Palmer story, and everyone should keep rooting for the 30-year-old rookie who has won his first five starts for the Angels. But when Palmer's ERA rose from 3.38 to 4.26 on Tuesday night, it might have marked the beginning of his regression.

Little in Palmer's minor-league track record with the Giants suggested that he is capable of suddenly emerging as a quality starting pitcher. His absurdly low .202 batting average on balls in play demonstrates that he has benefited from good fortune.

The AL average on balls in play is .304.

Around the horn

Dontrelle Willis got his first win since September 2007 on Tuesday. (Duane Burleson / Associated Press)