Piazza back from disabled list, but still in tough spot

Mike Piazza wants the New York Mets to get him out of a situation that’s been difficult to deal with.

For much of this season, he didn’t know whether he’d be at catcher or first base until he got to the ballpark and glanced at the lineup card.

“Hopefully, they figure it out,” he said Monday, when he was activated from the disabled list. “If they want to keep doing what we’re doing, fine. If they want to half and half, it is what it is.”

Piazza, sidelined since Aug. 6 because of fluid on his left knee, has started 41 games at catcher this year and 48 at first. He was at first base Monday night against Florida.

Mets general manager Jim Duquette planned to talk with Piazza and manager Art Howe before the game. Duquette wants to watch Piazza at both positions during the final 5 1/2 weeks of the season before making a call, but promised a decision heading into the offseason.

“I think there’s no question that it would be our intention to get some final resolution to it,” Duquette said. “It’s really the only way we can plan for next year.”

Mets manager Art Howe, not wanting to give his opinion publicly, listened to Duquette and said: “I agree wholeheartedly.”

Piazza, who turns 36 on Saturday, isn’t sure which position he’d prefer to play. He had wanted to catch long enough to become the career leader in home runs at the position, which he did May 5 when he hit his 352nd on May 5 to overtake Carlton Fisk.

His throwing isn’t good — he’s gotten just seven of 37 base stealers — and his foot and glove work at first base needs lots of work, which he readily admits.

“I still like to catch,” he said. “But on the same note, I also like the challenge of learning another position. I’ve enjoyed playing first at times, no question.”

Both Piazza and the team want to get rid of the uncertainty.

“It’s up to them, I really do believe,” he said. “I think it’s important for them, for the organization, to figure it out what they want to do and just communicate with me. From the start, I don’t know why there was a sort of a belief that I didn’t want to be a good team player. That was misunderstood.”

Chipper names son after Mets’ park

Despite all the boos, Chipper Jones will always love Shea.

So fond of Shea Stadium where the fans heckle him, the Atlanta star named his new son after the New York Mets’ ballpark Monday — Shea Logan Jones.

“I love playing there,” Jones said. “Check the numbers.”

Jones has hit 17 home runs at Shea, his highest total at a visiting park, and his first major league homer came there on May 9, 1995. He is a lifetime at .314 hitter at Shea.

Jones was with his wife, Sharon, for the birth of their third child Monday. He made it back to Turner Field by mid-game, and struck out as a pinch-hitter in the seventh inning of a 7-6 win over San Francisco.

The couple planned to name the child Shea whether it was a boy or girl, Jones said.

Garcia misses start

White Sox right-hander Freddy Garcia will miss his second straight start Wednesday because of tightness in his right forearm.

Jason Grilli will start in Garcia’s place against the Oakland Athletics.

Garcia is 10-10, and has gone 6-3 since the White Sox acquired him in a trade from Seattle on June 27. Grilli is 0-1 after being called up from Triple-A Charlotte last week to start for Garcia last Friday.

Garcia threw on the side Sunday in Cleveland.

The White Sox are expected to decide this week whether to put Garcia on the D.L.

“The White Sox put reliever Mike Jackson, whose 1,005 appearances rank eighth all-time among pitchers, on waivers.

Chicago called up right-hander Felix Diaz from Triple-A Charlotte for the third time this season to start today against Oakland.

Former Dodger Crawford dies

Willie Crawford, the former outfielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers whom Hall of Fame Manager Tommy Lasorda described as “one of the greatest athletes” to come out of this city, has died. He was 57.

Crawford, a Los Angeles native, died Friday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, according to the Dodgers. The cause of death was not disclosed.

“He was big and powerful, and he could hit a ball as far as anybody,” Lasorda said. “Boy, was he something.”

Around the league

Slugger Jason Giambi is expected to rejoin the Yankees today to continue his rehabilitation. The five-time All-Star has not played since July 23. He was diagnosed with a benign tumor last month. … The Indians sent outfielder Grady Sizemore back to Triple-A Buffalo to make room for outfielder Ryan Ludwick.