Hakuna Tejada! What A Wonderful Day!

Rejoice, all you Ruben Tejada lovers!  Your beloved shortstop is back!

The Mets' Opening Day shortstop has been activated from the disabled list (as was relief pitcher Ramon Ramirez) after being sidelined for the past seven weeks with a thigh injury.  Infielder Jordany Valdespin will be leaving 'Spin Citi to return to AAA-Buffalo to make room for Tejada on the active roster.

Tejada will be the starting shortstop and will bat second in tonight's rubber match against the Yankees, according to the Mets' official Twitter account.

#Mets Sunday lineup vs. Yankees: Torres-CF, Tejada-SS, Wright-3B, Hairston-LF, Duda-RF, Turner-1B, Cedeno-2B, Thole-C, Dickey-RHP
— New York Mets (@Mets) June 24, 2012

Since Tejada was injured on May 6, the Mets have started four different players at shortstop, with Omar Quintanilla (21 games), Ronny Cedeño (16 games), Justin Turner (6 games) and the recently-demoted Jordany Valdespin (1 game) all taking turns keeping the position warm for Tejada's eventual return.

That return will come tonight.  Prior to his injury, Tejada was hitting .305 with ten doubles in 27 games, all while playing a smooth shortstop (only two errors in 111 chances).  Sabermetricians will also be quick to point out that Tejada is one of only two Mets this year (David Wright is the other) to rank in the team's top five in offensive WAR (0.9, 4th on the team) and defensive WAR (0.3, 3rd on the team).  For those not into the advanced metrics, that's pretty darn good.

Hakuna Tejada!  Ruben is back, well-rested and (hopefully) fully recovered from his thigh injury and embarrassing face plant that kept him on the sidelines since early May.  His presence in the lineup and on the field can only help the Mets as they try to continue their improbable run to the top of the division.

Frank Francisco Doesn't Choke Anything But Chickens

After providing bulletin board material earlier today, Frank Perdue, I mean Frank Francisco, plucked the competition in the first game of the Subway Series, helping preserve the Mets' 6-4 win over their crosstown rivals.

After a nearly one hour rain delay prior to the first pitch, the Mets kept the thunder rolling, scoring five runs off Yankees starter Andy Pettitte.  The big blow came off the bat of Ike Davis, who used Nick Swisher's glove to his advantage.  The Yankee loudmouth helped push Davis' high fly ball over the right field wall for a three-run homer, giving the Mets the big early lead.

As is what usually happens with the Yankees, the Bronx Bummers chipped away at the Mets' lead with three home runs.  All four of their runs scored on longballs.  Solo shots by Alex Rodriguez and Andruw Jones, followed by a two-run blast by Robinson Cano, cut the Mets' lead to 6-4.  That set the stage for Francisco to come into the game in the ninth.

Russell Martin, whose cheap Yankee Stadium home run helped defeat the Mets two weeks ago, sent another ball deep into the night.  But this time, the venue was different and Andres Torres was able to track the long fly ball down, flopping to the ground as he caught it in center field, Lenny Dykstra style.

Then Frank Squared allowed a couple of chickens to cross the road, walking Raul Ibañez and allowing a single to Derek Jeter.  The Yankees now had the tying runs on base, with Curtis Granderson and Mark Teixeira waiting to pluck back.  Instead, Frank Francisco roasted them.

Granderson struck out looking at a fastball down the middle and Teixeira popped up to the middle of the infield, where shortstop Omar Quintanilla did his best not to copy Luis Castillo, catching the ball for the final out.

It could have been a fowl moment for Frank Francisco and the Mets tonight.  But the closer backed up his words and sealed the deal on the Mets' victory.  Perhaps the great Metstradamus said it best when he tweeted the following:

Put it in the bok bok boks!
— Metstradamus (@Metstradamus) June 23, 2012

Frank Francisco might have been foolish to say what he said.  In the past, those words would have come back to bite the Mets in their collective @$$e$.  But this isn't the past.  And these aren't those Mets.

The Mets are now 39-32 heading into Saturday night's middle game of the Subway Series.  Their 23 home victories are second in the majors to the Dodgers, who have an MLB-best 24 home wins.  The Mets are proving that they're not hanging on in the division race on a wing and a prayer (and a drumstick).  They really are a good team.  And they're not chicken to prove it to anyone who gets in their way.