Sounds like Trax has the inside route over Maine right now...
Willie Randolph said he may use John Maine in the bullpen the final week of the season, giving him some comfort level there in case the Mets need him in that role in October.
"Right now he's starting Sunday. After that we'll see where we are," the manager said. "There might come a point in time the last three or four or five days or whatever - his last start - I might put him in the bullpen. It's a possibility."
In other news, espen ran a nice memorial page on the end of the Braves' run in the NL Beast. While I'm shedding no tears, that organization deserves real credit for taking a franchise that was moribund in the '80s and putting together the longest streak of its kind in the history of MLB.
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I wonder what Los Bravos will be most remembered for: winning 14 straight division titles, or only making it to WS 5 times in that span, and only winning one WS.
If Maine is not a starter, he could be useful in pen as long relief to chew up a few innings in case someone (read: Trashel) stinks it up early in the game. Hopefully trax will step up his game and prove everyone wrong, but from what I've seen he is pretty consistenly mediocre or just below. I just don't see him coming up with any gems, especially against ChiSox, Yanks, Phils, or Cards lineups.
But Maine in the pen means either Oliver, Mota, or R. Hernandez are being left behind. Who will it be? Mota is probably throwing the best of all Mets relievers right now besides Wagner. Oliver has had a great season and it would seem to be an injustice to throw him under the bus now. And I have to think Willie will want an experienced, hard thrower out of the pen, which is exactly what Roberto is. If Trax is in the rotation, I think Maine's left home. (Although I could easily see him getting moved to the pen in future seasons--he's a guy who doesn't walk batters and seems to be extremely difficult for hitters to pick up, particularly the first time through the lineup.)
Tough call. If they do put maine in the pen, I'd say hernandez gets the boot of the three you listed. No way you're dumping oliver, and as you say mota has been on fire. It would be nice to have another hard thrower besides wagner since no one else on the staff is a fireballer, but i'd say hernandez gets dropped.
But honestly I don't see how they can bring trashel. They should have dropped him months ago.
Who woulda thunk it? Trashill may win 16 games this season and no one wants to see him on the mound in a playoff game.
I wonder when the last time this situation came up--maybe back in the 50's?
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