According to Ken Davidoff, Omar Minaya said that as of now, Nieve is penciled in as the fifth starter in the rotation. Davidoff further clarifies that Nieve is ahead of Jon Niese as the Mets “want to take it slow” with Niese.
He also mentioned that the Mets still want to add another arm, be it John Smoltz, Jon Garland or Ben Sheets (not in that order).
According to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com, John Maine and the New York Mets agreed to a one-year deal moments after he filed for arbitration.
The deal is worth $3.3 million with the chance to make an additional $225,000 from bonuses based on starts, according to the AP.
Also filing for arbitration today was Pedro Feliciano, Jeff Francoeur, Sean Green and Angel Pagan.
The Mets might be able to swing this one, but they might have to pay a bit more. Everyone knows the Mets desperately need rotation help, so all free agents have the upper hand.
This also could just be a ploy by Wolf’s agent to get Milwaukee to pony up a few million more or possibly an extra year.
John Maine for Corey Hart: Two things come into play here…
1. Rick Peterson is the pitching coach in Milwaukee. John Maine and Peterson back together could rekindle some magic.
If I was another team, I’d have to be seriously concerned about Maine’s health, pitching guru or not. I just don’t think he has the build to be a starter anymore.
2. Corey Hart in LF, Jeff Francoeur in RF. Um, yikes.
Interesting. Glad the Mets are spreading their interest around, even if nothing pans out. I hate when they lock in on targets and put their blinders on.
John Maine, according to Joel Sherman, will have a contract tendered to him by the New York Mets.
Maine, who pitched in only 15 games last season for the Mets, avoided arbitration last season with a one-year, $2.6 million contract. He has struggled with shoulder injuries the past few years, pitching in 40 games in 2008 and 2009 combined.
I like Maine and think he’s a quality pitcher, but am worried about his durability. If this is another year where we can only count on half a season from him, is it worth the deal, no matter the price?
After ‘09, I hope it’s become apparent to the Mets organization that they need to both plan for injuries and bring in players who have had a track record of staying healthy and staying on the field.
For Maine, though, I think it’s worth the risk. He likely won’t make more than $3 million due to his injuries and if they can keep a guy with this talent for only $1 million more than Alex Cora, I’m for it.
Welcome back John Maine. Maine will be making his 12th start of the year, his first since June 6.
Here’s the lineup for the first of today’s twin-bill…
Tobi Stoner, a 24-year-old righthander, is expected to be called up to the Mets for Tuesday’s game at Citi Field, reports Adam Rubin.
Stoner went 9-9 between Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Buffalo this season. He went 2-2 with Binghamton and 7-7 with Buffalo.
He compiled a 3.55 ERA and a 1.154 WHIP in 144 2-3 innings. He allowed 14 home runs while striking out 92 and walking 47.
Stoner is likely up for insurance purposes, as John Maine is starting in the second game of a doubleheader on Sunday. Maine is coming back from a long stint on the DL with shoulder issues.
Does anyone else foresee a whole lot of “Stoner” jerseys selling out?
This list was put together by reader and friend David Cancel. It lists the date, the player, the injury and where it took place. It’s long and excruciating. Take a look.
Yikes.
Thanks, David!
Player: Billy Wagner
Update: Pitched in his first rehab game for the Single-A St. Lucie Mets. He threw 10 pitches, eight of them for strikes in a perfect inning of work. He struck out two.
ETA: Still a couple of weeks away.
Player: J.J. Putz
Update: Threw in the bullpen, 25 pitches, at Citi Field. He claims he was “pain free” and hopes to be back within three weeks.
ETA: Three weeks, I guess.
Player: Carlos Beltran
Update: Tested out his knee by hitting BP before the games. He was said to have launched one into the Pepsi Porch. He’s still weary of running on it (i.e. playing the field).
ETA: Why not? Three weeks for him too.
Player: Carlos Delgado
Update: Has been taking BP and has also been seen teaching Daniel Murphy the tricks of the trade at first base.
ETA: Month away.
Player: Jose Reyes
Update: Was scheduled to run bases, but due to a “setback,” did not.
ETA: Month or more.
Player: John Maine
Update: No action since Dr. James Andrews backed up diagnosis of no structural damage.
ETA: 2010.
As it stands right now, John Maine will not be going under the knife.
Mike Pelfrey relayed word from Maine that the doctors told him that is was “nothing structural,” citing the pitcher rushing back from his off-season surgery. Pelfrey went on to mention that the pain may be coming from a pinched nerve.
Maine, like last year, could return late in the season, but nothing seems likely. He will continue rehabbing and move from there.
At least it’s not structural.
The gist of this article can be had in the headline, but let me expand a little more.
The 2009 Mets season, as I see it right now, is a lost one. Outside of some magical run the team would have to make with mostly the parts they currently have, the season is going to be a wash.
Jose Reyes, John Maine, Carlos Beltran, Carlos Delgado and the rest of the Mets disabled should be shut down for the sake of the players and their futures with or without the Mets.
There should be no reason to rush any of these players back from their assorted injuries to stare at a 10-game deficit in August.
Well, don’t shut them entirely down, per say. But don’t rush them back into 2009. Let them slowly but surely work their way back into their prime and if they feel ready enough to play this season, let them. But there should be absolutely no reason to try and bring (or even rush) players back into the major leagues for this mess of a year.
Now the news is coming out that Maine will be visiting Dr. James Andrews, the most feared name in baseball surgery, it’s just another reason to be as cautious as possible.
I’m ready to pack it in for 2009. Box my hope up for this year and let’s start the thrilling process of figuring out who can help the Mets in 2010 and beyond. If deemed unhelpful, send them away and bring back some young prospects. This season is lost, let’s not lose any more players for any longer.
Fernando Martinez tore his meniscus and had the subsequent surgery on Tuesday. He is out six to eight weeks.
I’ve had this surgery before and it’s no fun, but for the knee, a meniscus is a good thing. The Mets are very lucky that is wasn’t the ACL, MCL or any other CL. You may remember Ramon Castro had the same surgery a few years ago.
For the rest of the Mets walking wounded, Omar Minaya updated reporters earlier today.
Wonderful.
After a long time off, I’m back with another edition of The State of the Mets.
Today, I discuss the injury bug, Daniel Murphy and Nick Evans and update you on John Maine and Oliver Perez.
If you follow the blog or my tweets, you know that Francisco Rodriguez has thrown the most pitches out of the bullpen and Johan Santana has thrown the most pitches overall.
Here’s a chart of the Mets pitchers and their pitches per plate appearance. Look who is “leading” the way…
Here’s an update from the NY Post about John Maine’s rehab start:
Maine, who is on the DL with a pinched nerve in his shoulder, allowed two hits and three walks while striking out one in his 60-pitch outing for Single-A Port Lucie in the first game of a Florida State League doubleheader.
Maine threw 37 strikes and was the winning pitcher in a 4-3 Port St. Lucie victory.
And here’s an update from the Daily News about Oliver Perez’s rehab start:
In St. Lucie's regularly scheduled game against Charlotte on Monday night, Perez surrendered six runs on seven hits and a walk in the three innings, including a monstrous homer. Four runs were unearned because a throwing error by third baseman Hector Pellot began the second inning, and Perez subsequently allowed a two-out walk, bunt RBI single and a two-run double.
Both sound like they’re in mid-season form.
Check both links for more on the respective pitchers.
For about a week, we’ve heard that Gary Sheffield has an ailing right knee and will get an MRI on it. That MRI was always said to be today. Now, Evan Roberts on WFAN said the Mets called him up and told him that Sheffield was not getting an MRI and one was never even planned.
Huh??
Yesterday, in the three short innings Johan Santana was on the mound, everyone noticed how his velocity was way down. He was topping out around 88 mph and according to Joe Janish, letting his arm drag behind slightly.
After the game, Santana and Dan Warthen revealed the pitcher had been dealing with blisters. Santana also said he had been sore for the past month, specifically in his back.
Where was all of this…hmm…as it happened? Why is this just coming out now?
Why did it take up until Thursday, two days before John Maine’s start in the Bronx, for him to land on the DL? Where’s Angel Pagan? He left and landed on the DL with a strained groin two weeks ago. Is he ready to return? Is he actually fully healthy if he is?
The team doctors have been called into question for a while now, but it should be specifically worrying when it’s Santana they’re dealing with. The ace of the pitching staff and one of the three most important players on the team, he should be handled with the utmost care.
Better safe than sorry. But maybe not safe in the hands of the Mets doctors.
Fernando Nieve, recently called up to replace J.J. Putz, will be tabbed for the start on Saturday. Nieve will be pitching in place of John Maine, put on the DL last night with dead arm.
Nieve, a righty, has started five games with Buffalo and is 3-0 on the season. He allowed 10 earned runs in 24 1-3 innings for a 3.75 ERA and a WHIP of 1.167. Nieve has walked 10 and struck out 23, allowing 18 hits.
With Double-A Binghamton this season, Nieve made four starts and appeared in one other game. In 18 1-3 innings, he has a 5.00 ERA and 1.22 WHIP. He allowed 10 earned runs, walked six and struck out 19.
He pitched two innings of mop-up duty, ironically in a game that Maine started, back on June 26. Nieve allowed one hit over the two innings on the bump, striking out two.
To replace Maine on the roster, the Mets called up lefty Jon Switzer.
Switzer is 0-2 in 25 1-3 innings with the Bisons. He has a 2.13 ERA, allowing 10 runs, six earned. He’s walked nine and struck out 29 batters. Switzer has a 1.20 WHIP in 2009.
Previously in Boston’s minor league system last year, Switzer has pitched in the majors in four different seasons with the Tampa Bay Rays. In 68 career games, he has a 6.11 ERA and a 1.794 WHIP.
John Maine has been placed on the disabled list with what is being called “shoulder fatigue.” Omar Minaya noted there was no structural damage in the arm.
Maine was pushed back one day from his scheduled start to hopefully give him another day to recuperate and let his arm get some rest. Apparently, that wasn’t enough.
Maine was slated to start on Saturday. No replacement pitcher has been named, though Bart Hubbuch notes that Fernando Nieve, who was a starter in the minor leagues, could get a sport start.
According to Minaya, Maine had an MRI earlier in the week.
Nelson Figueroa, anyone?
Figueroa last pitched on Monday, June 8, meaning it would be four days rest if he was to pitch on Saturday against the New York Yankees.
Update - 6:37 a.m.: It's looking more and more like Nieve will make the start on Saturday.
Update – 11:15 p.m.: A source just alerted me to the fact that WFAN reported Figueroa would get the call up. I did not hear it and cannot confirm. Anyone else hear this report?
Though David Lennon chalks it up to possible post-operation issues, I’d say John Maine’s poor 
After the game, Maine told reporters his shoulder “is still tight back there.”
Maine was coming off a good May, where he went 4-1 with an ERA below three. Shoulder tightness then was never an issue.
Maine did leave his last start after cruising through six innings as the latest casualty to a stomach virus that had been sweeping the team.
I’d say that has more to do with Saturday’s poor start then a surgery that he got months ago, especially after winning five of his last seven starts, pitching into the sixth inning in all of them.
Sloppy.
The Washington Nationals (15-39) beat the New York Mets (29-25) by a score of 7-1.
John Maine allowed three in the first, one in the fourth and three in the fifth. Seven earned runs were charged to Maine. He allowed six hits in four innings, three of which left the park. All of them were no-doubters. Maine walked two and struck out one.
Ken Takahashi and Fernando Nieve each pitched two innings in relief. Neither allowed a run to score.
The Mets were shut down by John Lannan. Lannan threw a complete game, four-hitter. He walked three and struck out two. The only run came in the 8th inning on an Elijah Dukes fielding error.
Just awful.
