Results tagged ‘ Mike Pelfrey ’
Mike Pelfrey Will Get Hurt
The latest news in Mets camp was that they optioned Jon Niese to minor leagues camp. This all but assures that Livan Hernandez will be the fifth starter. Now, I am not saying that Livan is a bad pitcher. In fact I wanted him to win the spot. He was pitching the best of the 4 fifth starter candidates (the others, besides him and Niese, were Tim Redding who got hurt and Freddy Garcia who has been terrible and is close to being released). But the other big news is that Mike Pelfrey is developing a sinker, which was taught to him by Livan Hernandez. Once again, I have nothing against Livan, but this is bad news anyway.
Mike Pelfrey is the future of the Mets staff. If Johan Santana was injured, Pelfrey would be the ace. But he is a prime candidate to be affected by the Tom Verducci Effect. There is already a huge chance that he will get hurt, which would be terrible for the Mets staff. I don’t want him throwing a sinker. He will get hurt. Plus, Livan Hernandez taught it to him. Over the past few years, how much success has he had? I don’t know that Pelfrey has chosen his mentor wisely. Over the past three years. Livan Hernandez has an ERA over 5.00. Why in the world would I want somebody like that teaching my best prosepect a pitch that can ruin your career like a sinker? This seems like the worst news of the spring. I will not buy into this as good until we are deep into the season.
Johan Santana: I Hope They Play Him Right
With the constant talk of Johan Santana, I can’t help but worry. It seems every time I go to another website, there is a new report. Literally, one says he will miss opening day, the next says he’ll start opening day, the next says he’ll miss it, the next says he will miss the season, the next says he’ll be fine. Optimistically, I am thinking he will start opening day. But I would rather he start a week later than miss a few months. I think what’s going to happen is they are going to rush him, have him start opening day, and then he will get hurt and miss a lot of time. If he does miss opening day, who will start for the Mets?
Mike Pelfrey is the young, number two fire baller who is the future of the Mets rotation. Pelfrey did very well last year and could have a breakout season in 2009. The only problem is he *might* get hurt this year since he threw so many innings last year. I think he is the next in line but the Mets staff want to be careful with him.
Oliver Perez is the number 3 starter, but since he has been in the league for a while and has ace stuff, he would probably assume ace responsibilites. Perez is very wild and very eratic at times, so he can’t be trusted, but ace is just a title and it doesn’t make a difference if you start opening day or the second day.
John Maine is very good for a number 4 starter. I would probably prefer Andy Petitte, but Maine is younger. John Maine has been working on a curve ball this spring, which could make him a better pitcher, but he is coming off shoulder surgery so this could hurt him in the end. He showed some good signs last year but is expected to take a step back in 2009.
By the way, about the contest. It said on the rules that the essays had to be mailed in by Monday. We had a snow day on Monday so my teacher couldn’t get to her school inbox, where us students had given her our essays. She said she mailed them to the post office yesterday, Tuesday, but she didn’t seem to remember that they were late. She sounded very happy about how good the essays were but she said that next time she needs to enter a happier contest. Anyway, this really disappointed me and gave me something else to worry about because I really want to win that contest. And when I don’t, I am going to lose a lot of sleep thinking about if I just didn’t write a good essay, or if I lost a laptop, a visit from Sharon Robinson and a trip to the All-Star game because of a snow day.
Why the Mets WILL Resign Oliver Perez
The Mets have to resign Oliver Perez. It is as simple as that. I know he will cost a lot more than last year, but the Mets need to give him that. Here is why. (more…)
Castillo Up, Maine Down
After delaying his return from the DL for “the need of more rehab” (I think Castillo gave an extra day because he knew the Mets were better without him), Luis Castillo was finally taken off the DL. So who was the unlucky soul who got sent down? Argenis Reyes? Nick Evans? Brian Stokes?
None of them. They got lucky. With John Maine going down with a possible season ending bone spur in his shoulder, he was placed on the 15 day disabled list. The platoons will stay in place.
Stokes, however, will stay in the bullpen as the Mets plan to go with a 4 man rotation until they can get some September callups. With the back-to-back complete games (and so he doesn’t have to face the Marlins who beat him three times this season), Mike Pelfrey is in need of an extra day of rest, and so Pedro Martinez will go tonight against the Phillies, Oliver Perez tomorrow, an off day, Johan Santana, then Stokes will get a spot start before Pelfrey will start on 6 days rest. Once September rolls around, the Mets will probably just go with whoever is hot. Nelson Figueroa, Claudio Vargas, and Jon Niese are all possibilities.
Not the Only Streak Snapped
Not only was the Mets’ loss on Friday the end of a 10 game winning streak, but Adam Dunn’s home run today in the second inning off Mike Pelfrey was the first he allowed in 62 and 1/3 innings (something like that). I think they said that he had pitched to 264 at-bats before the homer. Pelfrey allowed 2 more homers later in the game, Edwin Encarnacion and Brandon Phillips each hitting one.
Last Day Before All-Star Break
Well, its the last day before the All-Star break and the Mets look to continue their winning streak to 9 games. The last time the Mets won 8 in a row was that fantastic road trip to the west in 2006. The Mets haven’t won 9 straight since 2000. I wouldn’t count on this streak to go much longer, seeing as the players will undoubtedly cool down with 3 days off.
Pedro Martinez was taken out of yesterday’s game after just 4 innings with muscle soreness. He says he is okay though. Carlos Muniz worked 2 innings in relief, and then Schoenweis, Heilman, Sanchez and Wagner all came on as well. Had Claudio Vargas been up in the majors this wouldn’t be necessary. Now Johan Santana might be used in relief of Mike Pelfrey today. Pelfrey just came off a 114 pitch outing, so he should get pulled early, and Johan Santana last pitched just 5 innigns because of a rain delay. If Santana doesn’t pitch long relief, he could close out the game. Billy Wagner has been used in multiple straight games, and he will be in the All-Star game, so Jerry Manuel might be looking to give him a day off now. Pedro’s injury leads me to believe that maybe the reason for John Maine’s inadequacy in his last start was because of his elbow hurting. He said his elbow was killing him a couple days prior to that game, and I haven’t heard any news of it lately so it should be fine, but just throwing out a possibility.
Bobby Murcer died on Saturday from brain cancer. A tumor was discovered in 2006 and he had surgery to remove it, but the cancer hung around. Murcer, a long time Yankee player and announcer, was 62.
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