Maine out for the season, Mets career possibly over

That's a shame. I really liked Maine.

almost 2 years ago metsguy234 47 comments 0 recs |

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"I only wanted a few things out of life -- a wife, children, to play baseball and to hunt deer." - Turk Wendell

by Rey-O on Jul 24, 2010 1:52 PM EDT reply actions

Whatever is bugging his shoulder, I hope THIS TIME they fix whatever is the root cause that is causing it. He’s been having the same general problems since 2008, and you’d think that some surgery at some point would fix the pain/scar tissue/bone chips/arteries/ligaments/whatever other things that have been plaguing his shoulder.

"Blinding ignorance does mislead us. O! Wretched mortals, open your eyes!"
Gil Hodges IS a Hall of Famer.

by Brooklyn Dodgers Mets Fan on Jul 24, 2010 2:06 PM EDT reply actions

I get the feeling he's just not capable of maintaining the mechanics he uses to pitch

Reyes, Thole, Wright, Beltran, Bay, Davis, Martinez, Tejada...

by Stephen Schmidt on Jul 24, 2010 3:29 PM EDT up reply actions

Wouldn't the job of the pitching coach be to work with him to find some sort of happy medium?

Or, if need be, change his mechanics such that there is no more pain? I mean, like I said, he’s been in-and-out of pain/shoulder surgeries for three years now; shouldn’t someone have attempted to fiddle around with things?

"Blinding ignorance does mislead us. O! Wretched mortals, open your eyes!"
Gil Hodges IS a Hall of Famer.

by Brooklyn Dodgers Mets Fan on Jul 24, 2010 10:04 PM EDT up reply actions

This surgery is long overdue.

Sending Maine out to the mound game after game, knowing that he was only throwing 87, 88, 89 occasionally, when he’d always been an extreme fly ball pitcher who relied on pitching up in the zone and getting swings and misses and popups, was just plain stupid. He never was a sinker baller with great command and if you’re gonna completely change the way someone pitches, he’d better prove he can pitch in the new way at the minor league level before you start wasting starts on him. I really really hope this surgery works for him and that a few months after he comes back he’s hitting 92 on the gun consistently. If he is he’ll be successful again, I have no doubt.

by TMS on Jul 24, 2010 2:11 PM EDT reply actions

Come to think of it -

delaying this surgery was really a selfish move on the Mets part. They knew that if he had surgery sooner his contract would be up before he’d be able to pitch again. They basically wasted a year of his career.

by TMS on Jul 24, 2010 2:13 PM EDT up reply actions

Yup.

See Beltran, Carlos. If they would do it to Beltran I’m sure they don’t give a fuck about Maine.

by nrmax88 on Jul 24, 2010 2:40 PM EDT up reply actions

See ya

One day, this team is going to kill me.

by fxcarden on Jul 24, 2010 2:15 PM EDT reply actions

yeah we get it

your hate for Maine is by now well known. But if you read the above insightful comments, you might realize you should be angry at the front office instead.

by Endys Game on Jul 24, 2010 2:28 PM EDT up reply actions

I have to wonder

what sort of say agents have in whether or not players have surgery. I take it there are clauses in contracts governing consultation with outside physicians? Or no? I’m thinking of the Beltran debacle.

by tmu on Jul 24, 2010 2:31 PM EDT up reply actions

Probably depends on the player/agent

All-Stars and “big name brands”, of course, matter more than “generic player”, like John Maine is/was, so…

"Blinding ignorance does mislead us. O! Wretched mortals, open your eyes!"
Gil Hodges IS a Hall of Famer.

by Brooklyn Dodgers Mets Fan on Jul 24, 2010 2:34 PM EDT up reply actions

I just never thought he was that good a pitcher.

Sure, he pitched some big games. He had one good season. I tip my hat to him for competing in this league with his limited arsenal. That said, the Mets made a big mistake bringing him back this year. He’ll make a fine coach one day.

I have no beef with the man.

One day, this team is going to kill me.

by fxcarden on Jul 24, 2010 3:08 PM EDT up reply actions

Maine had great stuff

when he was healthy. He could have been a contendah.

"Never throw a slider to The Glider."

- Ed Charles, No. 5

"Who has more fun than people?"

- Ralph Kiner

by The Glider on Jul 24, 2010 3:19 PM EDT up reply actions

I only remember a plus fastball and a slider.

I can’t say I ever saw him throw a curve. Not saying he didn’t, I just don’t recall it.

One day, this team is going to kill me.

by fxcarden on Jul 24, 2010 3:33 PM EDT up reply actions

Didn't Peterson/Warthen/the team work with him to make him "lose" his curve in favor of a slider

because Peterson/Warthen/the team prefer fastball-slider combinations? Something like that.

Same thing with Pelfrey.

"Blinding ignorance does mislead us. O! Wretched mortals, open your eyes!"
Gil Hodges IS a Hall of Famer.

by Brooklyn Dodgers Mets Fan on Jul 24, 2010 10:05 PM EDT up reply actions

And the slider was mostly poopish.

I agree with you fx, I like Maine, I grew tired of watching him labor thru 5 innings throwing 112 pitches, 89 of them fastballs, with 60 strikes and 52 balls. The fastball was a plus pitch, but he didn’tdoesn’t have any other plus pitch. He got by with the fastball only at first, but I don’t see him sticking around the league much longer without some kind of second pitch that is actually decent.

I will always remember the game he pitched for us on that last Saturday of the season against the Marlins. Dealing, almost got us into the playoffs. Thanks for that John.

by nrmax88 on Jul 25, 2010 4:07 PM EDT up reply actions

From a long term perspective

it’s good to get closure on the Maine situation. Really a shame, but hey — pitching is unpredictable. Remember, Jack Armstrong started an All-star game.

by tmu on Jul 24, 2010 2:29 PM EDT reply actions

Oh well

He was solid in ‘06, good in ’07 and kinda stunk after that. Injuries were the undoing. By all accounts he was a good guy and didn’t intentionally suck. The FO never should have counted on him this year. I’ll have generally fond memories of Maine.

by James Kannengieser on Jul 24, 2010 2:35 PM EDT reply actions

This

Kind of remarkable that before we got Santana, Maine was our “ace”. . . .

by tmu on Jul 24, 2010 2:36 PM EDT up reply actions

This'll always be a classic

http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/03/greetings-from-spring-training.html.php

"Blinding ignorance does mislead us. O! Wretched mortals, open your eyes!"
Gil Hodges IS a Hall of Famer.

by Brooklyn Dodgers Mets Fan on Jul 24, 2010 2:36 PM EDT up reply actions

His near no-hitter in the 2nd to last game of the 2007 season was the best game I ever went to

I was in the loge level behind home plate

http://www.doublebobbyjones.com/ -Double Bobby Jones: a Mets blog

by metsguy234 on Jul 24, 2010 2:41 PM EDT up reply actions

I was at that game too

John Olerud, Hall of Famer. Got a nice ring to it.

by squid92 on Jul 24, 2010 2:43 PM EDT up reply actions

What a great pitching performance

… and that’s how I will remember John Maine.

"Never throw a slider to The Glider."

- Ed Charles, No. 5

"Who has more fun than people?"

- Ralph Kiner

by The Glider on Jul 24, 2010 3:20 PM EDT up reply actions

Exactly.

A good FO would have put Maine this offseason in with the half-dozen reclamation projects every time has a stock of. If he produces, it’s a bonus, but he’s never your primary option.

by Jack Str on Jul 24, 2010 8:38 PM EDT up reply actions

My Lasting Memory of John Maine

That would be of him not wanting to come out of the five-pitch game and then arguing with Jerry in the dugout. Indicative of what’s wrong with the NY Mets and what’s right with John Maine. If John Maine is a “liar,” you would want a team of John Maines.

by ColoradoMetsFan on Jul 24, 2010 2:48 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

Johnny Maine is a habitual hard ass

He will be missed. I hope we sign him to a Minor League deal to work out of the pen if he can get healthy.

Everyone is entitled to be stupid, but Jerry abuses the privilege.

by AnthonyR on Jul 25, 2010 11:12 AM EDT up reply actions

i'll buy the man a beer and give him a pat on the back

John still comes down to Charlotte,NC from what i’m told for the alumni baseball game at UNCC, his alma mater. If i see him i’ll buy him a beer and say “hey, your effort was appreciated by mets fans.”

I hate Philadelphia so much.

by the caveman on Jul 24, 2010 2:53 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

TIME TO DRAIN THE MAINE VEIN

i too will miss maine. he provided some quality performances.

HELLO HELLO MR WILPON... BUY THAT MANSION. WE DONT NEED A CONDO.

by kendynamo on Jul 24, 2010 2:57 PM EDT reply actions

Mets Stole that Guy from the O's

Great trade. Was reliable in 06 and 07. I can’t hate that guy. IN fact, I hope he recovers from surgery and can pitch again.

by IanB in MD on Jul 24, 2010 3:00 PM EDT reply actions

+1

"Never throw a slider to The Glider."

- Ed Charles, No. 5

"Who has more fun than people?"

- Ralph Kiner

by The Glider on Jul 24, 2010 3:20 PM EDT up reply actions

Very sad

One of my favourite Mets from the last few years. Interesting, wacky guy who pitched through the pain and was thrown under a bus by the cowardly front office on more than one occasion. Hope he comes back.

by deadspy3 on Jul 24, 2010 3:58 PM EDT reply actions

Will Carroll tweet

@injuryexpert: John Maine’s surgery was done by the Phillies team doc. Scar tissue in the shoulder, assorted other damage. Ready by spring.

by nelsonc on Jul 24, 2010 4:38 PM EDT reply actions

Classic

Phillies Dr. fixes what Mets’ Dr. could not.

Maine becomes a Phillie, and beats the Mets on a 1 hit CG shutout on the last day of the 2011 season.

Yes, I called it.

One day, this team is going to kill me.

by fxcarden on Jul 24, 2010 4:44 PM EDT up reply actions

he'll probably throw a no hitter

"we believe in comebacks"
Jerry being Jerry

by Jadden Hopkins on Jul 24, 2010 6:54 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah, it'll be a no-hitter.

"Blinding ignorance does mislead us. O! Wretched mortals, open your eyes!"
Gil Hodges IS a Hall of Famer.

by Brooklyn Dodgers Mets Fan on Jul 24, 2010 10:06 PM EDT up reply actions

And it'll clinch a division title to boot.

2010: Year of the Grission

In My World, There Is No Such Thing As Off-Topic!

by R_Adragna on Jul 25, 2010 2:45 AM EDT up reply actions

good job front office

Maine was actually a very good pitcher when healthy. If I were the players on this team and in this organization, I wouldn’t trust their medical plans or the “trainers”. I never disliked Maine’s pitching abilities, or John Maine; just didn’t like how the Front Office decided to bank on a “potentially healthy” John Maine and Oliver Perez instead of going out to buying a decent FA pitcher.

"Fantasy, reality, science Fiction. Which is which? Who can tell?"

by feslenraster on Jul 24, 2010 6:40 PM EDT reply actions 5 recs

I'm still trying to figure out where Maine's early season use fits into the "Prevention" and "Recovery" matrix

by Dan Lewis on Jul 25, 2010 8:15 AM EDT up reply actions

Prevention of us from winning and making sure Maine has a long, long recovery

Everyone is entitled to be stupid, but Jerry abuses the privilege.

by AnthonyR on Jul 25, 2010 11:17 AM EDT up reply actions 2 recs

I wish John well

& hope he can come back from this surgery. I remember in the offseason there were reports that free agents didn’t want to play for the Mets. With the way they handled John here & Beltran’s surgery back in January, does this further damage the Mets image in the eyes of players around the league?

"I want to win now, not 3 years from now. That's my stance." - Kevin Burkhardt

by Brian. on Jul 24, 2010 6:58 PM EDT reply actions

It's not going to help. That's for certain.

They may not have gotten it wrong, in that it probably wasn’t clear exactly how to handle things, but they certainly didn’t get it right, if you know what I mean.

by Jack Str on Jul 24, 2010 8:58 PM EDT up reply actions

I really liked Maine. One of my favorites

I was still trying to defend him this year to my friends. I really hope he can pitch again at the major league level (just not in the NL East or for the other New York team).

Can we please start the Ruben Tejada era?

by steelinnj on Jul 24, 2010 9:18 PM EDT reply actions

*for other teams in the NL East

Can we please start the Ruben Tejada era?

by steelinnj on Jul 24, 2010 9:19 PM EDT up reply actions

Recall going to his first game

It was a doubleheader and I think he won it. I wore an outline of maine with a picture of a moose on my cap. After a inning I took it off. He was great, though hiding his injury and then the Mets bungling by the trainers (again and again…….) caused nobody to be winners.

Wish him the best of luck

by cuseindahuse on Jul 25, 2010 11:12 AM EDT reply actions