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Buzz: John Maine and Oliver Perez, Where are You?

by Matthew Cerrone on June 19th, 2009 at 11:32 am

Fernando Nieve will start Wednesday against the Cardinals, while John Maine will pitch in another extended spring-training game, after which he could replace Nieve in the rotation around July 1, or at least that is the popular opinion.

Yesterday, according to the Associated Press, Maine threw a 60–pitch simulated game in St. Lucie, after which Guy Conti said Maine still felt a pinch in his shoulder, though it is less painful then it had been during his last start.

Meanwhile, Oliver Perez pitched three, pain-free innings in an extended spring-training game.

From what I can gather, Perez could hopefully re-join the Mets at some point around the All-Star break, following a few more minor-league rehab starts.

In a post to his blog for 1050 ESPN Radio, Rich Coutinho asks, “What is really going on with John Maine.

Coutinho still believes Perez will return to the Mets before Maine.