“They’re going good right now, so they might want to use me differently. I just want to go back and pitch. Starter, reliever, whatever. Of course I prefer starting, because it’s what I know, but I’ll do what they want me to do.”
~ John Maine, quoted by the Daily News
…well, well, well… that’s awesome to hear… hopefully this situation, with maine, Dan Warthen, Jerry Manuel, and being pulled from the game after five pitches, etc., has helped… i had someone close to the team tell me maine needed to be ‘knocked down a peg,’ and so there was concern if he’d ever pitch for the Mets again, because he was NOT happy about how things were handled… hopefully, this suggests otherwise…
…i actually think a free-and-easy, let-it-rip, unencumbered maine would be best in the bullpen, where he wouldn’t have to worry about pitch counts, extending himself, mixing his pitches the second time through the rotation, etc., he could just fire away, be able to slow down and focus on one to three specific batters and be done with it… in the bullpen, warming up, he and Randy Niemann could talk specifically about the hitters he is going to face, he’d have a game plan for those few men, and he could enter to attack… and that’s it… nothing more, nothing less… i mean, even at his best, maine struggled to pitch beyond four and five innings anyway, which also put a tax on the bullpen… and so, this could be best for everyone involved…
…that said, initially, i think the Mets would like to return Hisanori Takahashi to the bullpen sooner than later, thinking he, like maine, is not good a second and third time through the opposing lineup… and so, maine might be needed in the rotation right now, in the short-term… in the lon run, though, the Mets know they have to acquire a better, more reliable, consistent, innings-eater for the rotation, and that could eventually push maine to the pen…
Maine said yesterday he expects to rejoin the team toward the end of the month, after making at least two minor-league rehab appearances – the first of which will be this Sunday for Binghamton.
Why not bring Misch into the rotation as the #5 guy, and relegate Takahashi and Maine for BP duty?
Sure. Hopefully that would involve sending Mejia down to AAA to see how he does as a SP.
I still would like to see the Mets get an innings eating pitcher, as Matt suggests. But a guy for the #3-5, doesn’t need to be Cliff Lee (although that’d be freakin’ sweet)
Yup that would be a kevin millwood or a jared washborne.
Either of those would be nice. They are great, but they keep you in games and pitch their innings.
At this point the way Pelf and Johan pitch, if you get some consistent offense, you only need a 3,4,5 of guys who compete and keep you in games to be a upper tier team in baseball. Not many teams have a 1-2 that is pitching as well as Johan and Pelf.
I agree, but again, what do you give up in a trade for a #3 guy? Are you willing to give up one of those prospects for a #3 arm? Or is it better to send a few more prospects and get a #1 ace like Cliff Lee?
In my opinion, wait it out. Don’t make any trades for any pitcher unless its a steal. (Like the Church/Frenchy swap) Then when Mr Lee is on the free agent market, you throw a few $$$’s at his face and there ya go. No farm system lost. Sure you lose a pick in the draft but at this point, its worth it. Then for next year you have Santana, Lee, Pelf as the 1,2,3. I’d buy my season tickets for 2011 then.
Oh i’m not saying go ahead and pull the trigger. I don’t think making this move puts the mets over the top this year.
That’s the only time i’m for sending away any type of prospect for a MLB starter, unless it’s a STAR. I would pull a deal for Lee if and only if he is signed to a contract.
There are prospect’s i’d part with, guys like dillon gee who have no real upside other then maybe innings eater at the MLB level.
I think the biggest concern with putting Maine in the bullpen would be the potential up and down, warming up but not entering the game to warm up again later.
I’d be slightly concerned on how that could affect him both physically and mentally.
Well what they are doing right now (starting) isn’t working. It’s either relieving or nothing. What’s your preference?
I also think he’d start an inning, not come in mid-way. I think that’s a better transition for guys going from the rotation to the bullpen, in terms of preparation.
whatever the case, his response is the exact opposite of Oliver Perez. And that is awesome
By the way do you know how he said it because it doesnt seem like he was very enthusiastic.
I dont think his fastball would see a big increase. Pitchcounts dont matter when your mechanics are off and your shoulder is shot. I say we trade him to Milwaukee so he can reunite with Peterson. Best thing for him and us, as long as we can get a halfway decent prospect in return.
His fastball really doesn’t need to see a big increase to be effecting in relief. If he knows he only has to throw one inning and can just fire away and get back to 92 on the gun and throw the high heat. That should be enough to get hitters out in the 6-7th innings. When he was a starter at the beginning of the year he was working on keeping the ball down and pitching to contact to keep his pitch count down so he could go 6 innings and thats when he struggled and got hit hard. The high heat out of the strike zone will be effective later in the game when hitters are more anxious to make something happen and won’t take as many pitches.
John maine wishes he could throw 92, he maxes out at 88 and who knows what he is gonna throw after his one millionth shoulder issue.
I don’t think we could get a halfway decent hot dog vender in return at this point…maybe if he show’s something out of the pen.
Maybe we can get some Bats and balls.
With a water cooler to be named later…ok,I’m done…goodnight everybody.
I disagree.
At his best John Maine out-dueled Chris Carpenter for 5+ innings in a huge pressure game 6.
At his best he rang up 14 K’s and pitched 7.2 Innings of no-hit baseball against the Marlins. In another huge pressure game.
At his best John Maine is a 15 game winner, and a guy that looked completely dominant last seasons spring training.
Thats John Maine at his best. Unfortunately, he doesnt bring his best game very often, which is unfortunate.
That was also pre injuries. 3 straight seasons. 3 straight surgeries. 3 straight terrible seasons when he pitched.
He isn’t the same pitcher now as he was in 2006. Flat out he isn’t that good. he isn’t as good as he was in 2007 when he won 15 games.
He’s shot, his arm is shot. At BEST as you keep putting it. He’s a middle reliever/spot starter like Fernando Nieve at this point in his career.
Personally i’d just waive Bye Bye and cut ole johnny boy loose… along with his other waste of space Ollie P.
What I said was that I disagree with what matt said in the post. He said “at his best Maine struggled to get through 4 or 5 innings.”
I simply said I disagree, because “AT HIS BEST” he was a much, much better pitcher than he is getting credit for.
Theres a big difference between “at best” and “at his best.” “at best” implies his current ceiling, while “at his best” refers to the pinnacle of his career thus far. Which would be mid-2006 through 2007.
look, i really like john and thought he was going to be a staple (not a star, but reliable) for us for a long time. that hasn’t been the case. and frankly he hasn’t been the same guy consistently for a few years now.
from all of the side sessions and BPs and whatever he’s been doing, have we gotten any sense of where his velocity is? I know he doesn’t have to throw 95 to be effective, but he’s not good enough and doesn’t seem to have the control to be able to live without living around 90.
I wish him luck and hope he’s sound and ready to go soon. I just don’t expect much more than a distraction at this point.
any word as to where his velocity is at the current moment?
I don’t like that he said “They’re” going well and not “We’re” going well.
That and the “or whatever” is what prompted me to ask Matt above if he knew the tone he said it in.
“we’re” would indicate that he had something to do with it which would be beyond presumptuous, but anyway I think he was talking about the starting pitchers.
Good comments to hear from Maine. Seems like he is starting to “get it.”
Funny what a little bitch slap can do…
Love him or hate him it’s nice to see that kind of attitude coming from a pitcher. Ollie could learn a thing or two from Johnny Boy…
I know he’s cost us some games this year but I’d really like to see Maine try and get back into the rotation. I know he’ll never be the guy he was in 06/07 but if he can be half that, he’d make for a solid #5, and I’ll take it.