Flores goes to Ven. to see ailing grandfather

NEW YORK -- Wilmer Flores flew home to Venezuela on Wednesday to be with his ailing grandfather, with plans to return to the Mets on Friday in Miami. With Flores gone, Ruben Tejada started at shortstop against the Phillies.

Flores, 24, is hitting .263 with 14 home runs in 119 games. Since the night he became a national sensation for crying on the field, believing he had been traded, Flores has hit .316 with four home runs and 15 RBIs. He has developed into something close to an everyday starter during that time, seeing reps both at shortstop and second base.