Game 1: Matt Chico v Mike Pelfrey Game 2: Jason Bergmann v Tom Glavine Game 3: Shawn Hill v Philip Humber Willie actually wants to see the rookie pitch. go figure. Philly is 2.5 games back. They have Monday off. Next up for them is a 3 game series with Atlanta.
It's actually Nationals @ Mets, of course. Willie's gut once again shows up. After refusing to use him under any circumstances for even a single batter in the past two weeks, Humber will now start a game that could still be extremely important? Gee, you think that the 3 whole innings he's pitched in the past 3 weeks are going to prevent any rust from showing?
This wouldn't be an issue without the insistence that Pedro get five days rest, something I certainly don't understand. My larger point is that starting Humber could even make some sense, if Willie hadn't been so stupid as to refuse to pitch him for weeks. Now, it's a complete crapshoot.
I haven't heard anything about Beltran's status for the remainder of the season. I hope that means it wasn't serious.
Maybe they're just being cautious, I don't know. If Pedro pitches on Thursday as opposed to Wednesday it would line him up for Game 1 on 5 days rest. Obviously he's not going to be pitching on 5 days rest in the playoffs. Given the fact he really hasn't pitched all year I'm not exactly sure what the thinking is behind giving Pedro extra rest either.
When asked if Humber might be rusty from lack of use, Willie replied "He could be sharp - you never know." Way to set your player up with the best chance to succeed, Willie. This reminds me of something that was said in an article in The London Times in 1997 about genetic testing: ?The chances for the baby?s chromosomes being defective were 250 to 1, which sounds like reasonable odds. Except that all odds are, in reality, 50?50: it may happen and it may not.? Equating ignorance with uncertainty rarely works out very well.
Willie should have that quote tatooed on his chest or something, that perfectly sums up the way he's handled the pitching staff this year.
I totally agree with this post, I don't see the benefit of giving Pedro the extra day either. I agree about Humber as well, I'm just saying given the circumstances and the fact that neither him or Williams have pitched in as long as they each have, I'd rather take my chances with the unknown potential over the known lack of potential. Same thing I have been saying about pitching Lawrence as much as they have..
But pushing him back a day also makes him unavailable for a potential tiebreaker game on Monday, which he would've been able to pitch on normal rest if he started Wednesday. I feel like it should be all hands on deck until they have clinched or been eliminated. Pushing him back to be in line for a potential Game 1 seems a little arrogant to me, especially considering how desparate we have been to ease the burden on our pen lately.
I think Willie is trying to emphasize the point that he doesn't really know anything and all his decisions are pure guesswork.
It's not really pushing him back a day the Mets have been doing this since he came back. My feeling is that Pedro probably asked for the 5 days between starts and the Mets accomodated him. Remember his rehab starts raised a few eyebrows too since he only pitched in the low minors then came up to start a game.
lol, what the hell? "He could be sharp, YA NEVER KNOW!" K Will, good way to manage the pitching staff in a pennant race. Anyway, win tonight and we're in ideal shape.
I was under the impression that Glavine would be our game 1 guy, no? Pedro has only started 4 games, don't know how I feel about setting him up for game 1. By that same token, I'm fine with throwing Humber out there. I'm ready for some new blood, and if the Mets take care of business in their next two games, Humber's start might not really matter. Dumb baseball question: On a 25 man playoff roster, how many roster spots are typically for bench players and how many for relief pitchers?
typically 11 pitchers. Assuming Duque healthy, here's how I would see the Mets 25 man shaping up: Pedro Glavine Duque Perez Wagner Heilman Feliciano Mota Sosa Schoeneweis Maine LoDuca Delgado Castillo Wright Reyes Alou Beltran Green Milledge Chavez Anderson Gotay Conine Castro
PS you could, especially for the divisional round, remove one pitcher in favor of another bench player. If the Mets did that my guess is it would be Gomez for baserunning at the expense of (hopefully) Mota.
It'll never happen but I'd prefer the Mets to carry a 3rd catcher in place of Conine and have Castro be the righty bat off the bench.
Great idea...Willie used a 3rd catcher for a while, didn't he? I hope he considers this, I don't really trust Conine at all.
