The New York Mets responded to the suspensions of Cesar Puello and Jordanny Valdespin for their part in the performance-enhancing drug Biogenesis fiasco by issuing a gag order, an edict forbidding coaches or players from making comments on the matter. In a backdoor, around-the-barn sort of way, Binghamton Met second baseman Daniel Muno indirectly had his say about his team’s reaction to the loss of the slugging Puello.

“We’re just going to roll with it like we’ve been doing all year,” the B-Met second baseman told Lynn Worthy. “If one guy is not hitting so good, we’re going to pick each other up. Someone is going to do the job for us.”

One of the wheels that has kept the B-Met bus rolling is Muno. The B-Met second baseman, who served a 50-game suspension of his own last summer after testing positive for a metabolic steroid playing A-ball in St. Lucie, is piecing together a solid season in Binghamton.

When Muno drew a five-pitch walk to lead off the bottom of the first inning in Binghamton yesterday, it was the ninth straight game the second baseman had ushered in his team’s offense by reaching base. Travis d’Arnaud followed with a double scoring Muno all the way from first; as they have all season long, the B-Mets were in business.

That run was the 69th time Muno’s cleats have touched home plate tying for the club lead in runs scored with Josh Rodriguez. Muno, a gritty second baseman, has become noted around NYSEG Stadium as a tough out, a guy who works long pitch counts in the batter’s box and hits in the clutch. Muno has almost worked as many base-on-balls this season, 76, as he has been struck out, 77. A .260 hitter, Muno has a .398 on-base-percentage and and has knocked home 58 RBIs. His RBI total only trails the the power hitting tandem of Puello and Allan Dykstra, who have knocked home 73 and 70, respectively. The B-Met second baseman also has some pop in his bat; he’s collected eight home runs, and is second on the club with 22 doubles.

Muno might just be a prophet of sorts. Binghamton chose to remove their slugging outfielder Puello (leading the Eastern League in Slugging percentage at .550, second in batting average at .328, third in RBIs at 73, tied for fourth in stolen bases at 24, fifth in on-base-percentage at .405 and seventh in home runs at 16) from the lineup on the road in Harrisburg last weekend. Puello’s teammates have responded with five straight wins including a doubleheader sweep over Altoona last night.

Muno, an eighth round pick in the 2011 draft out of Fresno State, was a third baseman in college. Noted as a very patient, disciplined hitter who is short to the ball, he hit .348/.471/.471 in college. Muno simply devoured NY-Penn pitching on his first professional stop, batting .355/.466/.514. The infield prospect hit .280/.387/412  in St. Lucie last summer.

Average speed, above-average quickness, and great base running instincts make Muno a threat on the base paths. He stole nine bases in 59 games in Brooklyn, swiped 19 bags last year in Florida and has 11 so far in Binghamton.

The question on everybody’s mind in the Eastern League is what effect losing Puello will have on Binghamton’s miracle season? The 2013 B-Mets are the fastest ever Binghamton team to reach the 50-win and 70-win plateaus and currently stand 29 games above .500.

B-Met manager Pedro Lopez certainly thinks his club can persevere. Here’s what he told Lynn Worthy. “This team is not based on Puello, or (Josh) Rodriquez or (Logan) Verrett or (Noah) Syndergaard. It’s 25 guys pulling in the same direction. It’s a good clubhouse, probably one of the finest that I’ve ever had to manage.”

If the Binghamton Express continues to hum, one of the wheels that will keep them rolling will be a gritty little second baseman named Danny Muno.

(photo credit: Gordon Donovan)