Mets fire Bernazard, then fireworks begin

NEW YORK — Mets general manager Omar Minaya fired a team executive Monday for a series of blowups, then openly questioned the motives of a local beat writer who reported the turmoil after asking about getting a job in baseball.

Vice president of player personnel Tony Bernazard was dismissed after getting into a heated argument with All-Star closer Francisco Rodriguez, challenging Class AA players to a fight and berating a team employee over a seating mix-up.

Then the news conference took a bizarre turn when the focus shifted to Adam Rubin of the New York Daily News and a series of stories he wrote, documenting problems in the club's minor-league system.

"You got to understand this: Adam for the past couple of years has lobbied for a player development position. He has lobbied myself, he has lobbied Tony," Minaya said.

Rubin was seated near the back of the room and buried his face in his hands after hearing his name come up. He took a moment to gather his thoughts, then asked Minaya if he was alleging that he conspired to get Bernazard fired.

Rubin vehemently denied Minaya's allegations and said he had merely asked for general advice about getting a job in baseball.

Notes

• Barry Bonds stopped Tim Lincecum before the game with some orders for the pitcher: Beat my old team or I'll beat you.

"I think he was joking," Lincecum said with a grin.

He made sure he didn't have to find out.

The former Husky looked like his old self, pitching a four-hitter and bouncing back from a rough outing with a career-high 15 strikeouts in San Francisco's 4-2 victory over Pittsburgh.

"It was right up there with one of his better games," San Francisco skipper Bruce Bochy said. "He looked like he was excited to be home, excited to get us back on track. He was on a mission out there."

Bonds was among those paying tribute to late Giants owner Sue Burns, who died July 19 of complications from lung cancer only nine days after being diagnosed.

• Josh Willingham put the ball from his second grand slam, inscribed with all the details, into an acrylic cube. His bat was staying in circulation for now, even if the Hall of Fame asked for the lumber.

"No, no way," he said. "Well, when I break it, I'll give it to them."

Willingham hit two grand slams and tied a franchise record with eight runs batted in, powering the Washington Nationals to a 14-6 victory over Milwaukee.

• San Francisco acquired first baseman Ryan Garko from Cleveland, adding a key right-handed bat.

• Cleveland manager Eric Wedge and pitcher Winston Abreu were suspended and fined after the reliever plunked Seattle third baseman Jack Hannahan on Saturday.

Abreu received a three-game ban less than a month after he was traded to the Indians and Wedge was suspended for one game. Neither opted to appeal the ruling.