Joe Janish

Opinion: Who Is No. 3?
By Joe Janish - May 6, 2008 10:27 am

While Willie Randolph thinks five runs and three home runs allowed in six innings is pitching “pretty well,” as he said to reporters last night, the truth is, Oliver Perez has an ERA above eight in his last three starts.

Last night was encouraging, but even Randolph admits Perez’s inconsistency. Mike Pelfrey is just as unreliable, and unlike Perez, he has yet to find success at the big-league level.

Does that make Nelson Figueroa the current No. 3 starter?

Figueroa may be the least-skilled of the three, and have the least impressive resume, but as of now he’s been the most even-keeled and unflappable - while Perez and Big Pelf tend to unravel under adverse conditions. That said, currently I’d be inclined to give the ball to Figueroa in a “must win” situation. And that’s a bad sign for the Mets.

I’m a huge Figueroa fan, but if he remains their third-best starter, the Mets will have their hands full getting into the postseason.  Figueroa should be a pleasant surprise at the back end of the rotation - not a go-to guy.  Luckily “It’s early as far as pitching is concerned,” as Randolph said after last night’s game, so there’s time for Perez to get on track - and/or Pedro Martinez to get healthy.

RSS feed

107 Comments »

Comment by NY Cuban
2008-05-06 10:31:37

Jose Lima?

Comment by Dirtysanchez
2008-05-06 10:35:07

lmao

LIMA-TIME loll

 
Comment by magic00700magic
2008-05-06 11:08:13

One other issue is how Figgy will respond after Casanova gets sent down, since we wont carry three catchers.

 
 
Comment by casey s.
2008-05-06 10:31:42

I’m sorry, I couldn’t get passed the first sentence. If the NLCS began today! Funny. I don’t think at this point the Mets would have to worry about #3 starters. Perhaps hole #3 on a Arizona golf course…do you go with the driver or 3 wood?

Comment by Tidewater
2008-05-06 13:21:17

That’s true, the #3 starter if the NLCS began today would be Micah Owings.

 
 
Comment by krumbledkookie
2008-05-06 10:33:10

I know Perez has not been great of late, but he’s still the #3.

 
Comment by FSMetFan
2008-05-06 10:33:11

guess what…the nlcs doesn’t start today…nor would we have to worry ab our #3 starter if it did because we wouldn’t be in it.

 
Comment by moze1021
2008-05-06 10:33:18

Ollie is a big game pitcher….

You go with him hands down…

 
Comment by Metropoliben
2008-05-06 10:35:53

A-B-G

Anybody but Glavine.

Comment by Metropoliben
2008-05-06 10:36:11

Yes, I’m still not over last year…

Comment by DjDeF
2008-05-06 10:37:31

I am hoping for another DL stint for Tommy Terrible…of course this is after the Mets rock him around at Shea where the fans let him hear it once again

(Comments wont nest below this level)
Comment by mrose
2008-05-06 10:47:02

way to be classy

 
Comment by Metropoliben
2008-05-06 11:03:59

“Nice guys finish last.”

 
Comment by DjDeF
2008-05-06 11:28:04

Is it classy to boo your own team? Nobody in the Mets fanbase has any right to tell anyone else what classy is.

 
Comment by MetsLv31
2008-05-06 12:07:51

Ok, I’ll tell you that you’re a fool instead.
Here are some of Tom’s numbers over his 5 seasons with the Mets:

Wins: 61
Losses: 56
ERA: 3.97
IP:1005.1
G: 164

Will the guy always be a Brave in my mind? Sure. Did he provide stability for five years in a turbulent rotation? OBVIOUSLY.

And I only boo the fans who boo the team…is that classy?

 
Comment by Xavier22
2008-05-06 12:17:45

and of course those stats don’t reflect the great work he did for the Mets during the 2006 NLCS

 
Comment by DjDeF
2008-05-06 13:08:49

1 game matters to me right now…#162 of the 2007 season. And after he has the audacity to act as if it wasn’t a big deal give me a break.

I do not boo. It goes against everything we go to the games for.

 
Comment by rd
2008-05-06 19:06:53

I was a huge Glavine fan and supporter until he didn’t show up for the most important game of the 2007 season. Then adding insult to injury he tried to downplay it trying to remind everyone of all his successful outings. Definitely boo worthy…..

 
 
 
 
Comment by glengarry glencarter
2008-05-06 10:36:03

if the nlcs started today, i’d be so shocked that the mets were in it, i wouldn’t care ‘the jacket’ took the hill in game 3.

Comment by gipper91375
2008-05-06 14:00:42

LOL. Well said.

 
 
Comment by Gmac94
2008-05-06 10:38:28

Isn’t OP playing for his next contract? It doesn’t seem like it - but I guess that tells you that if you can pitch using your left hand, you’ll get a decent size contract no matter what your ERA is.

Comment by Xavier22
2008-05-06 10:55:51

I guess that tells you that if you can pitch using your left hand, you’ll get a decent size contract no matter what your ERA is.

I think that, unless OP turns it around at wins at least 15 games this year, GMs are going to be leery of offering anything huge to him for three reasons:

1) Barry Zito
2) Ollie’s legendary erratic talent and ADHD on the mound
3) The Bora$ hype machine has been exposed.

Even if Ollie wins 15 games, I wouldn’t want Omar to offer him anything mroe than 3 years. Something tells me a long term contract would only increase Ollie’s ADHD once it was signed.

Comment by Tidewater
2008-05-06 13:23:23

I think you give owners and GMs far too much credit.

(Comments wont nest below this level)
 
 
 
Comment by riggs
2008-05-06 10:38:50

Couldn’t agree more with the guys above… The NLCS doesn’t start today, and even if it did - we’re not in it! Pointless discussion for this time of year. Ollie will get through, have faith in him! What’s going to happen when he pitches an 8 inning 3-hitter next week and then all of a sudden we all love him again? It’s a long season guys, just be patient and let the season play itself out. Always gotta think big picture….

 
Comment by backinbusiness
2008-05-06 10:40:55

Who is Joe Janish?

If the NLCS started today, god willing, Maine is the #3.

And if Figgy keeps it up, why isn’t that good for the Mets, simply because he isn’t a “name”/resume pitcher? I like what I see so far.

Comment by sincekindergarten
2008-05-06 10:44:45

Joe runs Mets Today, the tenth blog listed in the “Other Mets Blogs” column on the left margin.

I do have to agree with your other two points, though.

Comment by backinbusiness
2008-05-06 10:46:45

No disrespect of Joe, I just saw a new picture of a little man pop up on my screen! Hi, Joe.

Do we have any latest update on Pedro?

(Comments wont nest below this level)
 
 
Comment by thekid024
2008-05-06 12:34:30

If Maine is #3 then who is #2?

Comment by backinbusiness
2008-05-06 13:28:57

…pedro…

(Comments wont nest below this level)
Comment by gipper91375
2008-05-06 14:02:34

Umm, isn’t the setup if the LCS started today? Today Pedro has barely made it back to tossing off a mound.

 
 
 
 
Comment by TheRopolitans
2008-05-06 10:43:13

Joe! Please don’t leave Mets Today behind! :p

 
Comment by hclaveria</