…this would at least keep Jon Niese on schedule should the team decide he is the best option for Saturday’s start in place of the injured John Maine, who, by the way, threw a bullpen session yesterday and seems ready to return from the disabled list on time…

However, according to the Daily News, citing a ‘team official,’ Saturday’s start is more likely to go to Claudio Vargas, Brian Stokes or Nelson Figueroa.

…well, if niese will not be called upon, as he hope he will be, then i’m all for the return of figueroa, who, frankly, the team could probably use in the bullpen right now, as well…

In six starts for the Mets this season, Figueroa was 2–3 with a 5.13 ERA.  Meanwhile, he gave up three runs and seven hits during five innings from the bullpen.

… added to by Joe Janish

Perhaps stating the obvious here, but I imagine the Mets don’t want the lefthanded Niese to make his big league debut against a predominantly righthanded-hitting lineup (particularly with two lefthanded pitchers already slated to start in the series).   However, if that’s the Mets’ excuse, it doesn’t hold water, as the Marlins are hitting only .235 this year vs. lefthanded pitching.

Last night for Triple-A New Orleans, Mets LHP Jon Niese let up two runs and six hits in six innings.

The 21–year-old Niese is 2–0 with a 2.08 ERA in two starts at Triple-A.

…i was hoping to see niese start for the Mets at Shea Stadium this weekend against the Marlins, filling in for the missing John Maine…the buzz around the team seems to suggest either niese, Claudio Vargas or Robert Parnell will be called upon to pitch either Friday or Saturday, depending on whether Oliver Perez is given an extra day of rest…

For what it’s worth, according to Toby Hyde from Mets Minor League Blog, Mets GM Omar Minaya was in New Britain this past weekend to watch Parnell’s last start.

In 23 starts for Double-A Binghamton this season, the 23-year-old Parnell is 10–6 with a 4.33 ERA, while striking out 87 batters and walking 56 in 122 innings pitched.

The 30-year-old Vargas pitched in 11 games, including four starts, for the Mets after being called up from New Orleans on May 13.

He was 3-2 with a 4.62 ERA in 37 innings.

…of the people who pitched last night, i’m not sure vargas is the guy who should be getting sent to the minor leaguers, quite frankly…

Prior to letting up four runs in two innings last night, Vargas had a 2.45 ERA in 11 innings since moving to the bullpen on May 30.

Nevertheless, Muniz did not allow a run in his first five appearances for the Mets this season, but let up four in his final outing on June 2.

…muniz had a bad outing that last time up, otherwise he had been looking pretty good…get him off the Heath Bell Express and just let him settle in…i’d like to see what he’s got…

He is 2–2 in four starts with the Mets, with a 4.50 ERA.

Willie Randolph, on Vargas, while speaking to reporters following last night’s win, said:

“Vargie did another nice job for us.  You know, he made a couple mistakes, but he’s done exactly what we wanted him to do.  It was a great pick up by Omar to add him to the staff.  He’s experienced, he’s a cool customer.”

Yesterday, at his blog for Newsday, David Lennon wrote that, when Pedro Martinez returns next week, the Mets may keep Mike Pelfrey in the rotation and move Vargas to long relief.

…i worry, because vargas seems to pitch to contact…which, as a reliever, could be a problem…we’ll see…i guess if he is used as a long reliever, it could work…

By the way, in Pelfrey’s last seven starts, the Mets are 0–7, during which he is 0–6 with a 6.70 ERA while allowing - get this - 73 base runners in 36 innings pitched.

…added to by Brandon Eddy…

…i totally agree, matt…vargas is better suited to remain in the rotation…i would love to see what pelfrey can give us out of the bullpen…i believe his stuff is better suited for 1-2 innings right now…you never know, maybe being a reliever is his calling…

…and, i guess, demote Carlos Muniz, who is creating his own version of the Heath Bell Shuttle…

Lennon also writes about Fernando Tatis, Carlos Delgado, and Willie Randolph’s new-found strategy of not protecting his veterans.

Speaking of Delgado, who will likely play tonight against the right-handed Brad Penny, at his blog for the Daily News, Adam Rubin wonders if Randolph will once again bench Delgado on Friday when the team faces the left-handed Clayton Kershaw.

…i hope so, since i’m going to the game tomorrow night, and am super excited to see John Maine vs. kershaw…

…the thing is, i want delgado to lock down the first base job, because it will mean he finally started hitting…however, if he’s going to remain inconsistent, and check in among the worst hitting first basemen in the league, what else is willie supposed to do but put him on the pine…

As noted this morning, MLB.com and ESPN.com both list Martinez as next Tuesday’s starter for the Mets in San Francisco against the Giants.

…which, by the way, is Claudio Vargas’s next day to pitch, following his likely start tomorrow against the Dodgers…

In his three starts for the Mets this season, Vargas is 1–2, but with a 3.93 ERA in 18 innings, during which he has struck out 10 batters, walked seven and allowed 12 hits.

Meanwhile, Pelfrey is 0–3 in his last three starts with a 6.51 ERA in 15 innings, during which he has struck out nine batters, walked nine and allowed 17 hits.

…it’s a tough call…the Mets can demote pelfrey at no cost, while vargas will need to pass through waivers, which could end up being the deciding factor…

[Poll=103]

The 29-year-old allowed three hits and two earned runs over 6 1/3 innings. He struck out six, and walked four.

Vargas, spoke with reporters after the game…

“I felt good and I pitched good, and I gave the team a chance to win the ballgame.”

…on how he felt when Willie Randolph removed him from the game after 97 pitches…

“I felt good, he made the decision, he’s the skip, you have to respect that.”

…it’s all we could have asked for, unfortunately it wasn’t enough…as for willie removing him from the game, he couldn’t have predicted how heilman was going to pitch, but i didn’t think it was a good point in the game to take vargas out…

Willie, on why he didn’t pull Aaron Heilman when he seemed to be struggling…

“In that situation, you have to let him work his way through it…we just went through the top of the lineup and I needed some length, Schoeneweis was under the weather, we wanted to stay away from Wise…so I was trying to get two innings out of him…obviously he didn’t make any pitches.”

“I don’t think this will set him back or anything like that. He’s a guy who’s a big part of our bullpen.”

…on Claudio Vargas’s performance…

“He did exactly what we needed him to do, came in and did an outstanding job for us. That’s what we’re looking for, it’s a shame we weren’t able to put together any type of attack.”

…it’s hard to determine who to blame here, heilman for not throwing well, or willie for leaving him in…it was just such a frustrating loss after vargas’ promising start…

…like schoeneweis before him, heilman will have to learn to play through the boos until he can prove he doesn’t deserve them, but for now, and i don’t often say this, he does…

The Mets have also placed OF Angel Pagan on the 15-day disabled list with a injured shoulder.

In their place the Mets have recalled RHP Claudio Vargas, RHP Matt Wise and OF/IF Fernando Tatis.

…good to see the Mets make the correct moves and field their best possible 25-man roster…i’m also happy to see Joe Smith stay with the major league club, he has pitched well and didn’t deserve a demotion…