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I'm a little confused about the Mets starters. A year ago the "experts" predicted the Mets would give the Phils a run for their money in the division. Now, all of a sudden, they have a lack of starting pitchers. Maybe because it's a result of the collapses but this team hasn't changed that much. That doesn't mean that they couldn't use another quality arm in the rotation but they aren't terrible. In fact, they're far from it. Santana is the ace that few teams have and the others covet. When healthy, John Maine is a solid starter. I realize that health is a big question mark but the guy is a major league pitcher. Mike Pelfrey is erratic but has age on his side and some skills. A year ago he had a solid 3.72 ERA. Oliver Perez is decent four or five. He has the skillset to be a top of the rotation guy but is way too inconsistent to be anything other than a bottom of the rotation starter. To me, Perez needs to re-discover 2007 or even 2008 and Maine needs to stay healthy for the Mets to compete. Sure, they really could use a fifth arm in that rotation. A number two would fit in nicely but the closes things out there are Ben Sheets and possibly Chien Ming Wang. Both are iffy but Wang would probably command less salary wise. I think he's worth a shot and if he re-discovers his years as the Yankees ace, they're in pretty good shape. Maybe they can't steal it away from the Phillies but they can compete for the Wild Card with a few breaks and the return of Wright's swing and Reyes' legs.
As a lifelong Mets fan...both Perez and Maine have to go. A starting pitcher who can't get beyond the fifth inning will do nothing more than destroy the bullpen over the course of a year. In the Mets' case, any and all problems are complicated by a belief in the front office that the team is basically a playoff contender, requiring only the return of the players who were injured last year.
That act doesn't play any more (except, apparently, within the walls of the Met offices), which is why I am more dispirited going into the 2010 season than I can ever recall.
He's not healthy. He's also not that good. He has no out pitch, so once the league adjusted to him, hitters could stand in the box and foul pitches off him all day until they got the pitch they were looking for, or they could draw a walk. And once Maine walks a couple of batters his mind turns to mush, because he also completely lacks focus. By the time he gets through four or five innings he's already thrown around 100 pitches. His only accomplishment in the majors is his 15-win season, and wins are simply not a good way to judge a pitcher's value. John Maine is at best a "AAAA" pitcher in a major league uniform.
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Oliver Perez is decent four or five. He has the skillset to be a top of the rotation guy but is way too inconsistent to be anything other than a bottom of the rotation starter.
Perez has all of the physical tools in the world. Unfortunately, he's also a major head-case and is not willing to learn until he thinks he has to because he's already in the doghouse. Johan Santana and Pedro Martinez both tried to get through to him, and both said he wasn't all that interested. What pitcher wouldn't jump at the chance to talk shop with those guys? One of them said, on the record, that they couldn't get him to put his Gameboy down.
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Maybe they can't steal it away from the Phillies but they can compete for the Wild Card with a few breaks and the return of Wright's swing and Reyes' legs.
What are your thoughts?
Until MLB introduces a Wild Card for third place teams, this team isn't competing for anything. When the organization talks about everything they expect to happen for them to be able to win something, they list pretty much everything other than a return of Tom Seaver in his prime. They needed to shake things up, not sign one big free agent. Until they do that, they're going to be on the outside looking in, and they'll be looking at a lot of empty seats too.
???? Are you serious? The same Ollie Perez who couldn't put the ball over the plate last year? The Mets COULD have a good staff, but that would mean starters 2 through 5 would have to pitch to their highest potential at the same time. That rotation is very shaky beyond Santana.
Maybe not decent but certainly no worse than what some teams are throwing out there as their five. Not to say a more consistent pitcher wouldn't be better but at least he has the potential to dominant. Obviously, you can't say that based on last year's performance but the two prior to that were solid. At this point, he isn't going anywhere so you may as well throw him out there when you need a five and keep your fingers crossed.
I disagree on Maine. The guy has a career ERA of 4.22 which is better than Ted Lilly, Jeremy Bonderman, Joel Pineiro, Brett Myers, and a bunch of others. Take out last year and the previous years were under that with two of them under 4. I'm not saying that's great but he's not bad. He's a solid number four.
I disagree on Maine. The guy has a career ERA of 4.22 which is better than Ted Lilly, Jeremy Bonderman, Joel Pineiro, Brett Myers, and a bunch of others. Take out last year and the previous years were under that with two of them under 4. I'm not saying that's great but he's not bad. He's a solid number four.
You can't take out last year. That's the problem. The guy is breaking down. He's never healthy. If you take out the last year of anyone whose body is breaking down you can make them seem better than they really are. Even in his best year, 2007; 15-10 with a 3.91 ERA in 191 innings pitched, there was still the issue of him lacking focus. Prior to that he never pitched more than 90 innings in a season, and since then he has been hurt. The Mets were actually considering non-tendering him this winter, but they didn't have anyone to take his place. If they do land a #2, Maine's going to compete with Jon Niese for a spot in the rotation, and the team is higher on Niese right now for whatever that's worth.
Pelfrey, Maine, and Perez are done! I don't care about past performance or potential. They need to go. Mets need to pump some young talent into the bullpen if they ever wish to see the post season again.
Pelfrey, Maine, and Perez are done! I don't care about past performance or potential. They need to go. Mets need to pump some young talent into the bullpen if they ever wish to see the post season again.
Don't worry they'll sign more "has beens" to replace Pelfrey, Maine, and Perez.
Besides, let's face it: a has-been is one up on a never-was.
I can see it now... The Mets next slogan. We know how much they always liked to use a good slogan, but sadly they stopped doing that after 2007. It doesn't really fit for 2010, but if they shake the team up and bring in some of those kind of players for the following year... Get the banner ready!
YOUR 2011 NEW YORK METS Let's Face It: A Has-Been Is One Up On A Never-Was
Right now this year's slogan, if they had one, would be...
YOUR 2010 NEW YORK METS Pray For A 14-40 Start So We Can Start Firing Some People And Maybe We Can Get This Thing Turned Around
Anything to move on from last year's slogan, if they would have had one...
YOUR 2009 NEW YORK METS Bring Your Glove. You Might Catch A Foul Ball. Hell, You Might Get To Play Tonight
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