�This is my year. This is my year.�

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I'm a Mike Pelfrey fan.

I'd be happy if the mets were to consider themselves charmed for all Orlando Hernandez has brought to the club but realistic enough to consider his future vs. Pelfrey's and make a good choice.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/12/sports/baseball/12mets.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=pelfrey&st=nyt&oref=slogin

[Benjamin Grimm]

Put me on the list of those who want to see Pelfrey usurp Hernandez as the fifth starter.

I don't want to dump Hernandez; I think he can play a valuable role. But let's get on with Pelfrey's future. I don't want him to still be an unknown at this time next year.

[Guest AG/DC]

I'm sure they'll find room for him if he asserts himself. That may be the pen for now and --- while they publickly won't acknowledge that --- I'd be find with that. He seems open to that with "... I'm sure they'll find some way to use me."

I like having his like as a sixth starter. I'm not so down on Tony Armas as a seventh.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I'd think that Sosa would slot above Armas.

[Farmer Ted]

Good to know Duaner is healthy enough to play golf.

[smg58]

I'd be more comfortable putting El Duque in the pen than Pelfrey. I'm all for giving Pelfrey a spot in the rotation if he earns it, but I think he'd be better off starting in AAA than relieving up here.

Regarding the pen:
Wagner and Heilman are definitely coming north.
Sosa and Feliciano are almost definitely coming north.
Sanchez, Schoeneweis, and Matt Wise are front-runners for the remaining three spots.

Plus we still have Joe Smith, Juan Padilla, Carlos Muniz, Ruddy Lugo, Willie Collazo, and the rule V guy whose name escapes me. That's a whole lot of guys who would have to really not cut it before I would think it in the team's best interests to use Pelfrey as a reliever up here.

[soupcan]

I read that Pelfrey article this morning. Whoopee-dam-doo.

Same as every article from every spring training I've ever read about young players realizing what they did wrong and vowing to correct it.

How about last season where after every shitty outing Pelfrey said the same damn thing? What's different now?

I like the guy and wish him and the team all the success in the world but just because he's saying these things doesn't mean he can apply it.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Not for nothing but the article in fact addresses the idea of Pelfrey's vows to improve as nothing new. I just think it says *something* that he's the guy they stuck with, whether that means he had + value to the Mets or - value to the others.

I wanna say the fact that he was an Omar-era selection, and Humber & Milledge were not, has something to do with his survival. Anyhow, I like El Duque and all, but I mean, unreliable availability is a huge price to pay for excellent pitching.

Livan btw signed with the Twins.

[Gwreck]

I think that El Duque is going to get the fifth starter spot, for a variety of reasons including experience, that he's "Willie's guy" and that the Mets went 16-8 in his starts in 2007.

That being said, I think the Mets should consider keeping Pelfrey on the Major League roster this year. I don't think it's a secret that Hernandez and Martinez will miss some starts along the way. Pelfrey can slot into the long reliever spot in the 'pen.

If we do that, your pen looks like this:
Wagner/Heilman/Sanchez (if healthy)/Feliciano/Schoeneweis/Sosa/Pelfrey. While maybe not quite the '06 pen, I think it's not too shabby.

Matt Wise would take Duaner's spot if he can't go -- the Mets have an out clause in his contract that lets them pay him substantially less than they signed him for if they release him prior to opening day.

[Farmer Ted]

Do they have good trainers at the Wichita Y?

[G-Fafif]

It does feel like they've been rolling out this story every February. I guess they have -- three of them. That's right, he's only 24. I'd be surprised if he's not in the rotation by mid-year (and it's not out of desperation). Then again, I'm in pre-P&C optimism mode.

If Pelfrey's Makin' It, then this coming year's gonna be his year:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=X9-sXmnfmB4

[Guest themetfairy]

G-Fafif wrote: It does feel like they've been rolling out this story every February. I guess they have -- three of them. That's right, he's only 24. I'd be surprised if he's not in the rotation by mid-year (and it's not out of desperation). Then again, I'm in pre-P&C optimism mode. If Pelfrey's Makin' It, then this coming year's gonna be his year: http://youtube.com/watch?v=X9-sXmnfmB4

Holy post traumatic stress Greg!

[G-Fafif]

I'm a Pelfrey
He's a Pelfrey
She's a Pelfrey
We're a Pelfrey

Wouldn't you like to be a Pelfrey, too?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_4VdV5KvgU

[Guest themetfairy]

Some things are worth forgetting....

[Vic Sage]

I'd like to see Pelfrey actually succeed as a SPer at AAA before slotting him in as the 5th starter in our rotation.

I'm fine having El Duque start as the #5, with Pelfrey in AAA waiting for the inevitable call up. I don't like using the kid in the bullpen. Its not a role he's used to, nor is it likely to be where we want to end up, so what's the point? We have a number of long reliever/spot starter types available without imposing that kind of role on a kid we're hoping turns into a quality starter.

I'd much rather he get a regular start in a rotation then run the risk of him either (i) sitting doing nothing in our bullpen for long stretches (if the starters stay healthy and perform well) or (ii) have him throw on a daily basis (if the starters are going into the tank, like they did in August/Sept last season). There are, of course, other possible ways he'd be used out of the pen but neither of the scenarios I posited are farfetched, nor do they do much for his development.

[u:b9988f0dcc]Bullpen:[/u:b9988f0dcc]
-Wagner
-Heilman
-Feliciano
-schoenweis
-Sosa
-Sanchez (if healthy), and/or:
-Wise / Register / Joe Smith / Juan Padilla / Carlos Muniz / Ruddy Lugo / Willie Collazo / Vargas / Armas

[RealityChuck]

I agree that Pelfrey needs some time in AAA. His problems last year were probably due to the fact he was rushed; note he pitched better after his recall.

So keep him in Nawleans until mideseason or until Hernandez goes down.