"It did not take long for the Mets' new regime to decide that Fernando Martinez would not be a part of the future; by mid-summer, team officials were privately calling the former top prospect a bust. So news that the Mets had waived Martinez and reliever Daniel Herrera, first reported Monday by ESPN, carried a strong whiff of anticlimax.

Still, in inviting 29 teams to claim Martinez, the Mets publicly conceded what they had long since concluded internally: Martinez's long history of injuries, which included arthritic knees at the age 23, outweighed his potential.

Two bench moves necessitated the decision: The Mets last week agreed to terms with outfielder Scott Hairston and infielder Ronny Cedeno. With the 40-man roster already full, the team had to cut two players. If Martinez clears waivers, the Mets can send him to the minor leagues (Herrera, a veteran, can declare free agency if he clears)."