According to the ever reliable Bart Hubbach of the NY Post, John Maine felt another pinch in his throwing shoulder today. He did throw a total of 60 pitches, the last 30 of them to real batters in a simulated game. He says that the pinch was not painful, none the less Hubbach says on his Twitter feed that Nieve will stay in the rotation for the time being. Maine had been scheduled to come off the disabled list next week.
In slightly better injury news, according to multiple reports, Ollie Perez threw 3 innings of shutout ball on 48 pitches in an extended spring training game. He allowed three hits, a walk, and struck out five while reaching the low 90′s on his fastball and most importantly feeling no pain. No word on his status to return the the Mets but he is on a normal 5 day cycle and will pitch on Tuesday but it is not decided if that will be in an extended spring training game or minor league game.






39 comments
GravediggerHebner
6/18/2009-5:23pm at 5:23 pm (UTC -4)
Meat Loaf needs to do a remake: One Out Of Two Ain’t Bad
CaseStreet
6/18/2009-5:26pm at 5:26 pm (UTC -4)
I’m sure Bart enjoyed writing the report on Maine.
trs86
6/18/2009-5:29pm at 5:29 pm (UTC -4)
Mattsblog is reporting Pedro possible to Yankee’s. He thinks it would cost around 2 million for Pedro now. Should we take a look?
GravediggerHebner
6/18/2009-5:32pm at 5:32 pm (UTC -4)
If Pedro wants to completely sever the mostly already torn bond I feel with him, this is the way to do it.
mrose
6/18/2009-5:33pm at 5:33 pm (UTC -4)
anad the Yanks are also looking at Valverde for the 8th but the Stros aren’t ready to trade
GravediggerHebner
6/18/2009-5:34pm at 5:34 pm (UTC -4)
Because the league wide successes the past few years with converting closers to the 8th inning convinced them it was the way to go?
stickguy
6/18/2009-5:38pm at 5:38 pm (UTC -4)
I think that is mostly a result of the closers geting moved after they break down from injury, or just general suckitude.
I did notice today that the Jays manager played situational with his closer. BJ ryan started the 9th, but got yeanked after he K’d Howard since it was all RH batters coming up.
mrose
6/18/2009-5:40pm at 5:40 pm (UTC -4)
BJ Ryan isn’t the closer, Scott Downs was, got put on the DL today, and Frasor is the closer
stickguy
6/18/2009-5:49pm at 5:49 pm (UTC -4)
I know Downs went out. I don’t pay attention to the AL much so I didn’t know BJ had got bumped down the food chain.
mrose
6/18/2009-6:06pm at 6:06 pm (UTC -4)
i only pay attention since I had downs on my fantasy team
GravediggerHebner
6/18/2009-5:48pm at 5:48 pm (UTC -4)
That’s fair Stick but I think the Yankees will be better served (so I don’t know why I’m not keeping this to myself) by installing an 8th inning guy in their 8th inning. They already have one on staff, the kid from Oklahoma with the weird name.
The idea that “they are the Yankees” and that “any closer would consider it a privilege to come here and set up for Mariano” sickens me. They just suck organizationally at identifying and properly utilizing pitchers IMO. Cashman’s overall record with pitchers speaks volumes about just how bad at it he is.
stickguy
6/18/2009-5:51pm at 5:51 pm (UTC -4)
well, what they have really done over th elast decade is find a guy, and then just pitch him every day until his arm falls off.
The best way to go is the wily veteran closer, with the young heir apparent setting him up (on the Yankee theme, that’s where Mariano came from). Avoids any of the psychological issues.
GravediggerHebner
6/18/2009-5:55pm at 5:55 pm (UTC -4)
They have that, with Mariano and Joba, but they’re willfully ignoring it.
stickguy
6/18/2009-5:58pm at 5:58 pm (UTC -4)
Yeah, but a SP is more valuable then a BP arm. And if they think he is giong to be a top rotation guy, keep heim there.
GravediggerHebner
6/18/2009-6:02pm at 6:02 pm (UTC -4)
Valid point, but at least from afar I have seen about as many flashes of starter brilliance from Joba as I have from Alay Soler, who to the best of my knowledge is out of organized baseball now. Joba DOMINATED as a set up guy. Their current set up crew is a wet newspaper. If they move Joba back to set up, they lock down the 8th & 9th and have their future closer being groomed nicely. Now Joba pitches 4 innings, and when other pitchers go 7, some fool blows it in the 8th.
CaseStreet
6/18/2009-5:48pm at 5:48 pm (UTC -4)
Ted Berg makes a good case for signing Pedro:
http://www.sny.tv/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090618&content_id=5395536&oid=36018&vkey=31
Basically, like Shef, Pedro has upside and won’t cost much.
GravediggerHebner
6/18/2009-5:58pm at 5:58 pm (UTC -4)
without reading Berg’s article I’m just going to say “been there, done that” with Petey. This team’s current active players are finally starting to spread their wings and assert themselves. Johan and KRod with the pitchers, and David on offense. I would hate for the old caste system of Pedro and Delgado to resurface. It was very good, but it wasn’t great and ultimately didn’t work. Time for new blood, or at least different old blood.
stickguy
6/18/2009-6:00pm at 6:00 pm (UTC -4)
I agree with you both. But, Pedro coming in for 2.5 months isn’t going to upset any apple carts.
besides, I firmly believe tht the whole clubhouse/leadership stuff is way less important than talent and production.
SO if Pedro can come in and pitch significantly better than Reding (not that hard really), then by al lmeans, get him signed.
GravediggerHebner
6/18/2009-6:04pm at 6:04 pm (UTC -4)
If I believed that Pedro would be significantly better than Redding, and healthy, I would be much more open to the idea. But he hasn’t been either of those things for 3 years.
Kingman 26
6/18/2009-6:09pm at 6:09 pm (UTC -4)
I agree with Grave.
And as I think TRS pointed out months ago, what happens if you sign him and he stinks? And if Ollie and Redding pitch well?
An unhappy Pedro in the pen or the potentially disruptive releasing of Pedro?
No Pedro please.
trs86
6/18/2009-6:30pm at 6:30 pm (UTC -4)
Really depends on Maine and Perez now Kingman. And of course Redding finding what we signed him for.
CaseStreet
6/18/2009-6:08pm at 6:08 pm (UTC -4)
I kind of feel the same way about Wagner. But I’ve been convinced that since these guys are playing for contracts, they’ll be on top of their game (if medically possible) and not trying to play top dog.
stickguy
6/18/2009-6:13pm at 6:13 pm (UTC -4)
This, I agree with you on.
Guaranteed if Wags comes back, he will be a good soldier and will find plenty of adrenalin in the 7th or 8th.
Besides, its not like he will be setting up Ayala or Heilmann!
stickguy
6/18/2009-5:36pm at 5:36 pm (UTC -4)
just send Maine for the MRI now. Might as well schedule a quick scope job too. Just send the camera in to see what’s going on.
Hey, you know it’s coming, right?
ALthough what’s a pinch? If it doesn’t impact his delivery, and it isn’t painful, it could just be normal scar tissue action. IOW, a mental block?
trs86
6/18/2009-5:42pm at 5:42 pm (UTC -4)
I thought they already did?
stickguy
6/18/2009-5:53pm at 5:53 pm (UTC -4)
not sure. I thought they just diagnosed the symptoms, but maybe they did do an MRI also. Can’t keep up with all the Met injuries.
what the hell, they must have hit the plan deductible by now, so send him for another one!
metsfan4decades
6/18/2009-7:52pm at 7:52 pm (UTC -4)
Yeah, they did. Didn’t see any structural damage. Just weakness.
That ‘pinching’….could it just be scar tissue kind of pulling? Maybe he’s just nervous…
Joe R
6/18/2009-5:55pm at 5:55 pm (UTC -4)
Let’s go mets!! Cmon guys a chance to pick up 2 games this series! This is one of those games, I know it’s very early in the year but I’m sure the players know Philly lost, that the mets want to win and need to. A little pressure? Maybe not but it would be nice to see them win a game I’m sure they really want to.
Kingman 26
6/18/2009-6:01pm at 6:01 pm (UTC -4)
I so agree….2 games back later tonight after all we have been through??
I will take that.
GravediggerHebner
6/18/2009-6:15pm at 6:15 pm (UTC -4)
Call me fool, call me jinx, but I feel in my “Jerry-gut” that the Mets hitters are just going to smoke Berken tonight. I just wish my gut would give me some clue about how Livan is going to do…
Kingman 26
6/18/2009-6:30pm at 6:30 pm (UTC -4)
I shall call you neither, but I do like your Jerry Gut prognostication….
I like Livan’s chances tonight against everyone except Markakis and maybe Huff…
Kingman 26
6/18/2009-6:03pm at 6:03 pm (UTC -4)
Costa at the Ledger just posted the same thing, that Maine will not come back next week, or anytime soon….no mention of the MRI he obviously should have….
trs86
6/18/2009-6:29pm at 6:29 pm (UTC -4)
I thought they already did??
Kingman 26
6/18/2009-6:32pm at 6:32 pm (UTC -4)
Did not see it mentioned on ESPN or the Ledger…Carlin just said on the pregame that Burkhart will have an update on Maine very soon….
Joe R
6/18/2009-6:44pm at 6:44 pm (UTC -4)
Jeez it just doesn’t stop. Please baseball gods give us a break!! I know livan has been great tonight is not the night for a stinker! I hope this just isn’t same old story and tom we are talking about another golden oppurtunity thrown out the window! Please for my mental health win this game!!
Kingman 26
6/18/2009-6:51pm at 6:51 pm (UTC -4)
Burkhart just said that Maine will throw again in 5 more days, there is “no chance” he comes off the DL next week, it might be at least 2–3 weeks, and no mention of an MRI.
Jerry’s Gut had no comment….
sabermetrician
6/18/2009-6:58pm at 6:58 pm (UTC -4)
The thing that is amazing to me is that when Maine first went on the DL the Mets say it’s nothing serious and he will only miss 2 starts. Those of us who have watched this team knew that it would be at LEAST 3 starts but weren’t optimistic it would stop there. Why does this team always issue statements making an injury sound better than it is? I am so frustrated with our medical staff and front office on this.
Kingman 26
6/18/2009-7:00pm at 7:00 pm (UTC -4)
Are they lying or are they incompetent? or both?
Inquiring minds want to know….
sabermetrician
6/18/2009-7:06pm at 7:06 pm (UTC -4)
Yeah, how many times have we seen this song and dance. I used to think they tried to downplay things so that the fanbase wouldn’t go nuts. But with the way they’ve handled the Wagner and Reyes injuries I think it may be incompetence. Both of these injuries were much more serious than they initially let on and they put the player in jeopardy by pushing them under the illusion that the injury was just a cramp or stiffness.