The Mets today sent down starting pitcher Chris Schwinden to Triple-A Buffalo. In his place, they called up outfielder Vinny Rottino.
Schwinden, 25, has struggled so far this season in his two starts, going 0-1 with an 11.25 ERA. In his first start, Schwinden was roughed up by the Rockies, allowing five earned runs over four plus innings. In his second outing, he gave up another five earned in four innings in Houston. He also made four starts at the end of last year, in which he went 0-2 with a 4.71 ERA.
Vinny Rottino has been tearing the cover off the ball in Buffalo so far this year. The 32 year-old is hitting .317 with 14 RBI. Rottino played eight games for the Marlins last year, hitting .167.
Rottino will be available for tonight’s game against the Diamondbacks.
12 comments
Bryan
5/4/2012-4:15pm at 4:15 pm (UTC -4)
This was quite a relief to hear. Jeremy Hefner pitches tonight for Buffalo, if they keep his pitch count down it probably means he’s in line to be called up Tuesday. If not then Collin McHugh would be on regular rest for Tuesday after pitching for Binghamton last night. With the way the bullpen has been taxed recently I can’t imagine they go with Batista in that spot.
Schwinden really shouldn’t be considered a serious ML option anymore. He pitched way over his head the first half of last year and rode that all the way to a few ML starts. At this point I can’t imagine him even being able to give you 5 decent innings in the big leagues.
Stickguy
5/4/2012-4:51pm at 4:51 pm (UTC -4)
I don’t mind having rotino on hand. And wonder who gets sent back down in a couple of days when they need to add a SP? Short visit, or lnger stay?
Actually, I assume there will have to be 2 moves, with DJ coming back. so 1 pen guy, then valdespoin maybe going back down too?
srt
5/4/2012-5:46pm at 5:46 pm (UTC -4)
Here’s hoping they don’t decide to give Batista a start or two.
ConnorUAF
5/4/2012-4:56pm at 4:56 pm (UTC -4)
According to MetsBlog, Miguel Batista will make the start on Tuesday against the Phillies in place of Schwinden.
http://www.metsblog.com/2012/05/04/collins-discusses-fifth-starter-bullpen-ike-and-duda/
I hope it isn’t permanent and I don’t think it will be.
Stickguy
5/4/2012-5:04pm at 5:04 pm (UTC -4)
I just saw that, and came over to post an OMG, WTF are they thinking? this is better than giving hefner a try? Or my MIL (and she passed away 10 years ago)..
Batista stinks. so odds are he is going to get pounded, and is at best a stretch for 3 innings, with 4 being a miracle. And since the pen is now short, that pretty much guarantees 3 or so out of Acosta.
I swear, I don’t care what the odds are, but I am taking my kids entire college fund and betting all on the Phils and the Over that games. Which of course, is the only thing that could possibly give the mets a chance to win!
hopefully this is a scam, and they change their minds before Tuesday. Otherwise they are pretty much just conceding the game, right?
though maybe the plan is to punt one game, and sacrifice batista (pitch him until his arm falls off) and then drop him the next day?
but man, if he really takes the hill in the 1st next Tuesday, I am going to seriously reconsider if the FO knows what the hell they are doing, and/or really do have any intention of bothering to try and win this year. And that means, dumping DW mid-season if a good offer comes along is now IMO very much on the table.
ConnorUAF
5/4/2012-5:34pm at 5:34 pm (UTC -4)
It’ll just be a spot start. I think if Batista had been pitching well this year, they’d put him in permanently but he hasn’t pitched well enough to earn a spot. I think they just need more time to think about it, and are using him as the spot starter… or at least I hope so…
srt
5/4/2012-5:51pm at 5:51 pm (UTC -4)
He hasn’t pitched well enough to be the long man, let alone even trying him in the rotation.
This is what happens when you enter the season with very thin SP depth and your plan is to cross your fingers.
srt
5/4/2012-5:47pm at 5:47 pm (UTC -4)
Of for crying out loud……have no idea how anyone thinks this is a viable option.
Stickguy
5/4/2012-6:11pm at 6:11 pm (UTC -4)
it isn’t just that he is bad (which he is). It is also extremely unlikely that he can go more than 3 innings (regardless of quality).
so, don’t bother to call this a spot start. It is really a BP game (starting as a tag team match with him and Acosta).
and if the mets can win a game where those 2 are pitching the first 6 innings, in philly, then I am sending in my deposit for playoff tickets as soon as the game is over.
Bryan
5/4/2012-6:06pm at 6:06 pm (UTC -4)
My guess is Batista starts tuesday and Rottino is only up until Carrasco is ready and then he is the long man. But I can’t imagine Batista working in the rotation, so they’re going to need to give someone else a chance, because they can’t hold out for another month until Young is ready if they’re expecting Batista to start every fifth day.
Stickguy
5/4/2012-6:16pm at 6:16 pm (UTC -4)
one option, if I got the schedule straight, is to take advantage of next Thursday (an off day) to get Hefner lined back up. keep the other guys on 4 days rest and slot him in after gee in the rotation. actually, that would let them skip the turn entirely, so they would not need a 5th starter until the week after.
Bryan
5/4/2012-6:29pm at 6:29 pm (UTC -4)
That could certainly be the plan if you have your days right. Hefner is on the roster so he has to be next in line, but I’m not convinced he’ll have much more success than Schwinden.