This is a good thing

So... Pedro is done.  It's a good thing for the Mets.  Or at the very least, it's no big deal.

Honestly, when I got home tonight and heard the news, I felt relieved.  (I started to write a diary today about how the Mets should just bench him for the playoffs--it's saved on my machine at work, and when I get in tomorrow, I'll tack it on to this story if you want to see it.)  

The Mets have been winning all season without Pedro.  They don't need him to win.  Pedro was the team's savior last year, to a certain extent.  He brought excitement to the Mets, and he made them a team worth rooting for.  This year, he's been hurt almost without exception.  After winning five games in April, Pedro has not been the team's ace all season.

One of the fears I had was that Pedro would get a playoff start and he would not have his stuff, or he would be too injured or out of shape to pitch well.  Not only could it cost the Mets a playoff game, but it might demoralize the team since their "ace" would not get the job done.

Now the Mets know what they have and what they do not--there are no question marks.  The whole not-having-Pedro thing could be a rallying point, and Lord knows the Mets could use something to rally around after playing the way they have over the last two weeks.

Here's how the team's rotation could/should look for the five-game divisional series:

• El Duque
  
• Glavine
  
• Maine
  
• Trachsel
  
• El Duque

And for a possible seven-game series:

• El Duque
  
• Glavine
  
• Maine
  
• El Duque
  
• Trachsel
  
• Glavine
  
• El Duque

Of course, the whole schedule is subject to change depending on who the Mets are facing, what the situation is in any given series, etc.  If the Mets play back-to-back series that go the full five and seven games, it most certainly will not follow the above pattern.

But I like the way this lineup looks.  It's the guys I've seen winning games for the Mets all season.  Plus, the bullpen is awesome.  You have to feel good about it.  I like knowing who will start at Shea on Tuesday or Wednesday.  All the anxiety I've had over the last week or so seems to have gone out the window tonight.

This Mets team has overcome so much this year that I don't  think the loss of Pedro is going to get in the way.  You have to believe.  Let's go Mets!