I didn’t want the Mets walking wounded to feel lonely, so this past Monday, I apparently broke a bone in the little toe of my left foot (confirmed by x-ray Thursday).  So, powered by Advil, ice packs and one of my favorite all-time cartoons, here’s the news:

• Those sneaky Yankees muck up ^[1] the BoSox plans:

When the New York Mets and Red Sox worked out a trade for left-handed reliever Billy Wagner earlier this week, Chris Carter, an outfielder-first baseman currently playing for Triple-A Pawtucket, became part of the deal as a player to be named headed to Boston, sources said. In preparation for the deal, the Red Sox placed Carter on waivers, with the intention of moving him on to the Mets.

But the Yankees, sources said, placed a claim on Carter — perhaps to create some 40-man roster discomfort for the Red Sox. In order to complete the Wagner trade, the Red Sox are now pulling Carter back from waivers, and for the rest of the year they must carry him on their 40-man roster.

• Yankees in(terested) for a Penny ^[2], in for a pound(ing)?:

The Yankees have an interest in veteran right-hander Brad Penny, who was released by the Red Sox late Wednesday night.

According to a person with knowledge of the Yankees’ plans, the club doesn’t know of an agreement between Penny and the Red Sox that he wouldn’t sign with an AL team if they released him.

Penny, who is expected to clear waivers Monday because he has about $1.5 million left in salary and attainable bonuses, might be considered an upgrade over Sergio Mitre in the fifth starter’s spot. After he clears waivers, Penny would cost the club signing him $100,000.

. . . “He’s got good stuff,” Johnny Damon said of Penny, whose fastball touched 97 mph and averaged 91 to 93. “His secondary stuff might need a little tweak but his fastball was electric, it cut and he hit his spots with it. Bring him here, why not? I love the way the guy competes.”

• Jorge’s finger ^[3] will bother him the rest of the season?:

. . . Posada’s left ring finger had been struck with a foul ball, aggravating an injury that first happened about two weeks ago. Now the Yankees have to wonder how much of an impact his fragile finger can have on them as they power toward the postseason.

“It’s not going to go away,” Posada said. “It’s going to stay there until I get some rest.”

If the Yankees have a comfortable enough lead in the American League East in September, they can presumably give Posada a week off. Since rosters will have expanded to 40, the Yankees will have the backups Jose Molina and Francisco Cervelli, up from Class AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, to handle the catching. Manager Joe Girardi hinted at that possibility.

But Posada said a week off would not make a difference. When he said he needed rest for the finger to heal, he meant that he needed extended rest for the swelling to subside and for the finger to be pain free.

“I don’t think it’s going to heal until the season is over,” Posada said. “The joint is bruised. There’s not much I can do.”

• Boss George remembers the late Ted Kennedy ^[4].
• Late news . . . the Mets season has abruptly ended ^[5] . . .
• Here’s one way to pass the time during the crappy weather forecast for this weekend.  You can test yourself on the trivia questions posed during the recent SABR Trivia Contest ^[6].
• Jay Witasick (32 non-descript games in relief in 2001) turns 37 today.  Witasick also pitched in one game of the 2001 World Series: 1.1 IP, 10 H, 9 R, 8 ER, 4 K (!).
• Louisiana Lightning, Mr. Ron Guidry, is 59 today.
• Mike Torrez turns 63, and Lou Piniella turns 66 today.
• On this date in 1977, birthday boy Guidry fires his 3rd shut out of the year, a 1 – 0 whitewash of the Rangers. Guidry faces just 28 batters, allowing two hits.
• On this date in 1996, Seattle’s 10-2 win over the visiting Yankees is delayed 10 minutes by a bench clearing brawl in the 8th inning following a close pitch by M’s rookie Tim Davis. The M’s John Marzano and Yanks Paul O’Neill and Jeff Nelson all receive 2-game suspensions, with the New Yorkers each getting fined $1,000. Nelson opened the 8th by plunking Joey Cora.

See you Monday.