Mets Morning News: Carter Remembered, Francisco Likes A Challenge, AndMets Skeptical Of Braun

Hundreds of friends, family, and former teammates gathered at Chris Fellowship Church in Palm Beach Gardens, Fl. Friday night to remember Gary Carter. Read more about the service in The Times.

Mike Puma of the New York Post sat down with new Mats closer Frank Francisco. Francisco said he is up for a challenge.

"I got excited, because it’s a young team with a lot of potential," Francisco said yesterday. "Everybody has their eyes on the Mets to see what’s going to happen, and I like that. I like challenges — that’s me. I like people watching me."

According to Andy Martino of the Daily News, there was plenty of skepticism in the Mets clubhouse after Ryan Braun won his appeal.

"Ryan Braun is out there saying this shows he is innocent," one Met said. "Does that mean O.J. Simpson is innocent, too?"

"Oh, wow," a Mets player said on Friday, after hearing of Braun's chain-of-custody explanation. "That was his defense? Now every positive test is going to be challenged. That could be a mess."

Added a third player: "What a joke."

Another Met said: "Seems like he's guilty."

A few Mets did go on the record about the case. David Wright, R.A. Dickey, and Jason Bay all spoke with Newsday about Braun's victory.

 "I wasn't rooting one way or the other," Wright said. "I've gotten a chance to be around Ryan a little bit -- whether it was the World Baseball Classic or the All-Star Game -- and I think he's a great guy. I've had a blast playing with him and against him. Whether you agree or disagree with the decision, I guess the process worked."

"If you're guilty, I'm hoping that you're found guilty," Wright said. "If someone knowingly tries to cheat the system or cheat the game, I hope that they're caught and I hope that they're punished. In this case, I see what everybody else sees, but that's why you have the appeals process."

"I was surprised because it set a precedent," Dickey said. "I totally expected for them to find that it was legitimate. The fact that, through a technicality, they found that it wasn't, that is a surprise.

"I think that people still have doubt, like, 'Oh, here's another way to get away with it,' that type of mentality. But we've also seen a high number of people caught by it. The fact that Ryan Braun, the NL MVP, is not beyond the arm of what's going on, that's encouraging, too."