Mets put Burnitz, Cone on DL

NEW YORK, April 23 (UPI) -- The New York Mets Wednesday placed outfielder Jeromy Burnitz and

pitcher David Cone landed on the disabled list.

Both players were injured in the Mets' 8-4 loss to the Houston Astros. The move was made as part of a series of roster adjustments.

It is a big setback for Burnitz, who is trying to rebound from the worst season of his career. He suffered a non-displaced fracture of the fifth metacarpal bone when he was hit on the left wrist by a fastball thrown by Billy Wagner in the ninth inning.

The Mets said Burnitz would be sidelined 4-6, although they did not officially place him on the disabled list.

"For sure (it's frustrating)," Burnitz said. "I've been feeling comfortable since spring training. It's a heartbreaker."

Last season, Burnitz batted just .215 with a 19 homers and 54 RBI in his first year with the Mets. However, he had gotten off to a decent start this year, batting .279 with two homers and five RBI.

"It's part of the game," said Mets catcher Mike Piazza. "I really didn't think it was broken. Jeromy's been working really hard for us. He's been doing the job offensively and defensively. He's going to be missed."

Burnitz suffered a similar injury on his right hand in 1999 that caused him to miss just over a month.

"It's the same thing as in '99, but on my other hand," Burnitz said. "When you get hit, it's numb for a couple of minutes. You really don't know until you get an X-ray, but it's clear as day."

Earlier in the game, the Mets had gotten more bad news as veteran righthander David Cone left after just two innings with a sore left hip that could throw a roadblock into his comeback attempt.

"It's something I've battled the last few years of my career," said the 40-year-old Cone, who returned to the major leagues this season for the first time since 2001. "It's always something when I get loose. It was OK. Tonight, I felt fatigued, weak, and unstable."

Cone's two-inning stint was his shortest since pitching 1 2/3 innings on Aug. 24, 1999 against the Texas Rangers as a member of the New York Yankees.

"He battled, but he didn't have it and that was due to his hip," said Mets Manager Art Howe. "It was important to get him out of there before something really bad happened. He had to be (hurting) quite a bit because David is one tough cookie, but not under these conditions."

Cone is 1-3 with a 6.75 ERA in four starts for the Mets this season.

The Mets also recalled utility man Joe McEwing and pitcher Pat Strange from Triple-A Norfolk of the International League, and purchased the contract of outfielder Raul Gonzalez from the same team.

McEwing, 30, had only one hit in six at-bats with four strikeouts in seven games with the Mets this season before being sent to the minors last week. He batted just .199 with three home runs and 26 RBI for New York last year.

The Mets also optioned catcher Jason Phillips to Norfolk and designated pitcher Heath Bell for assignment.