UPDATE, 1 p.m.: Consider this your game thread as Ollie Perez takes on Randy Wolf.
UPDATE, 1:57 p.m.: Here’s the deal on John Maine, thanks to colleague Jeff Gold:
“Maine is going to do some side work before his next scheduled start, which is in Florida. Jerry Manuel expects him to make that start, but it will be determined by what he sees, and futher talks with Maine, doctors, etc. Manuel repeatedly said that if Maine is shut down, he is done for the season. A little break—such as a week to two weeks—is not really being considered.”
UPDATE, 2:00 p.m.: Also, that home run in the first by Carlos Beltran was his third since July 13th. His OPS has dipped from .839 to .818 since then, which isn’t as much as you’d think for a guy not hitting the ball out of the park.
UPDATE, 2:06 p.m.: Fernando Tatis was 1 for 23 vs. Randy Wolf before that bases-loaded walk.
Also, Beltran’s homer off Wolf was his first homer batting right-handed since July 13 when he hit one off the illustrious Mark Redman.
UPDATE, 2:38 p.m.: Just floating this out there…Jon Niese (4-1, 3.66) starts tonight for the Zephyrs (you can get the live box score here later on tonight). John Maine’s next scheduled start is Friday in Florida. If the Mets decide Maine can no longer gut through it — and they still plan on skipping Mike Pelfrey on Saturday in favor of Brian Stokes — isn’t Niese the only option on Friday?
It’ll sure be interesting. I guess the only other choice is Brandon Knight, who is headed back from Beijing with his bronze medal. 
UPDATE, 2:52 p.m.: I just spent some time on New Orleans’ website. Eddie Kunz was roughed up Friday night. He gave up five runs on five hits in 2/3 of an inning. He’s struggled so far at Triple-A (7 H, 5 R, 2 BB, 16.87 ERA, 2.2 IP).
UPDATE, 3:15 p.m.: The bullpen strikes again, although Ed Romero bailed Aaron Heilman out there.
Third-base coaches are kind of like offensive linemen: You never want to hear your name on TV. If you do, it isn’t good.
UPDATE, 4:20 p.m.: Bad loss by the Mets. You can’t give up home runs to guys like David Newhan, Darin Erstad and Brad Ausmus. Those guys now have six home runs — three in the last two days. Ugly if you’re wearing or bleeding orange and blue.
5 Comments
Gary Cohen just said that Maine could be out for the year if they shut him down. Let the Jon Niese era begin.
If Pelfrey can’t pitch regularly due to innings what would be any different with Niese??? Same problem has to exist for him. So the Mets are going to go to a 6 man rotation because after all it worked so well in September last year, we might as well do it again….......
Harry, You may be right. Niese has already thrown 156 IP after reaching 137.1 IP last year. But the main difference between he and Pelfrey is the prospect of Pelfrey also having to pitch in the postseason.
For argument’s sake, give Niese six innings tonight and he’s at 162 on the year, 25 more than in ‘07. I bet he only makes two more starts this year.
Hey, who knows? Maybe one of those starts will be for the Mets down in Florida…
New Orleans, which won’t make the playoffs, has just nine games left, including tonight. Niese could go twice more down there or perhaps tonight there and then one more for the Mets.
One thing’s sure: We’ll see how strict the Mets are with their young pitchers over this last month of the season.
If Niese is theoretically replacing Maine wouldn’t he be pitching the entire month of September giving him maybe 30 or so additional innings?
Stokes and Knight aren’t actual options.
Neither has any business starting in the majors for a team in playoff contention.
Gonna have to roll the dice on Niese or else you’re throwing in the towel on all those games.