Silver Lining: Maine's Start

by Sam Page on Apr 11, 2009 8:00 AM EDT

While yesterday's loss was lame, the Mets should come out feeling a little better about their rotation. In a sense, John Maine only made 2 bad pitches the whole game, surrendering homeruns to the Marlins' two best hitters. While homers are bad, they're correctable mistakes and not necessarily a sign of things to come. It's early, but five strikeouts, two hits, and one walk in 5 innings is solid.

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homer are bad, yes

but for a flyball-strikeout pitcher, they’re not as bad as, say, no strikeouts or too many walks. Neither was a problem for Maine last night.

And lets be honest, homers to guys like Emilio Bonifacio are bad. Homers to Hanley Ramirez and Dan Uggla are things that happen with regularity, no matter who is pitching.

2009 Mets: maybe its the Phillies turn to have a terrible bullpen?

by Greenpoint Ian on Apr 11, 2009 11:36 AM EDT reply actions

Exactly

I expect big things from Maine this year. Especially with all the real estate at Citi. I’m just glad Jerry Manuel decided against starting Sheffield in Ollie Perez’s CitiField debut. That idea had disaster written all over it. Church must start in all Perez and Maine games, especially at Citi.

by Mark Himmelstein on Apr 11, 2009 1:29 PM EDT up reply actions

Agreed

It’s funny, some pitchers have a personal catcher: Perhaps Pelfrey could have a personal right fielder?

by DevonEdwards on Apr 11, 2009 1:42 PM EDT up reply actions

It's actually not a terrible idea

to change the defensive alignments depending on who’s pitching. Like Murphy at second and Reed in lf when Perez or Maine are pitching since they have heavier fly ball rates. And then cloning Jose and having him play short stop and second when Pelfrey is on the mound.

by Gina on Apr 11, 2009 1:44 PM EDT up reply actions

And he looked like he could have easily gone at least another inning

I understand in that situation it made sense to take him out but with no real long man in the pen, as far as I know, and how much work they’ve already gotten I really wish they could have left him in.

by Gina on Apr 11, 2009 1:04 PM EDT reply actions

yes

maine only threw 83 pitches last night, and he retired the last seven batters he faced. so considering that the pen had been worked pretty hard the last couple of games, maybe it would have been a good idea to let maine hit and stay in the game another inning.

the mets were only down by one run when they pinched hit for maine, and it was the top of sixth, so it wasn’t a do-or-die situation.

by englishgrey on Apr 11, 2009 1:14 PM EDT up reply actions

Long man

Both Stokes and Parnell spent most of last season as starters in the minors. They can easily go 2-4 innings in a pinch.

by Lunkwill Fook on Apr 11, 2009 1:58 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah but Parnell has been overworked already

And they haven’t used Stokes yet have they? I forgot about him I wonder whats up with that.

by Gina on Apr 11, 2009 2:01 PM EDT up reply actions

Stokes

Two innings on Thursday – two hits, three Ks, no runs. That’s it so far.

'Oh yes, I know all about that duty-of-a-citizen stuff. It doesn't go. There are exceptions to every rule, and this was one of them. When a man risks his liberty to come and root at a ball-game, you've got to hand it to him. He isn't a crook. He's a fan.'

by Catsmeat Potter-Pirbright on Apr 11, 2009 2:03 PM EDT up reply actions