How the Rotation Sets Up -- 2008

[Gwreck]

The off days on either side of the Houston series will allow Maine's next projected start to fall on August 9 against Florida.

at FLA
Wed Jul 30 - Pelfrey v. Josh Johnson

at HOU
Fri Aug 1 - Pedro v. Brandon Backe
Sat Aug 2 - Santana v. Roy Oswalt
Sun Aug 3 - Perez v. Randy Wolf

vs SD
Tue Aug 5 - Pelfrey v. Cha Seung Baek
Wed Aug 6 - Pedro v. Jake Peavy
Thu Aug 7 - Santana v. Greg Maddux

vs FLA
Fri Aug 8 - Perez v. Ricky Nolasco
Sat Aug 9 - Maine v. Scott Olsen
Sun Aug 10 - Pelfrey v. Josh Johnson

[bmfc1]

I like these Gwreck. Thank you.

[Guest sharpie]

Means that the Mets and Marlins will each see the same 3 pitchers, though the Marlins not in the same order.

[Gwreck]

Rotation shake-ups are a-comin,' what with Maine's DL trip, etc.
Adam Rubin reports that the Mets will again try to split up Santana and Perez, meaning that the spot starter will go on Friday.

Additionally, San Diego rotation shakeup means we miss Peavy.

vs SD
Tue Aug 5 - Pelfrey v. Chris Young
Wed Aug 6 - Pedro v. Cha Seung Baek
Thu Aug 7 - Santana v. Josh Banks

vs FLA
Fri Aug 8 - TBA (Claudio Vargas?) v. Ricky Nolasco
Sat Aug 9 - Perez v. Scott Olsen
Sun Aug 10 - Pelfrey v. Josh Johnson

v PIT
Mon Aug 11 - Pedro v. Zach Duke

at WAS
Tue Aug 12 - Santana v. Jason Bergmann
Wed Aug 13 - Maine returns? v. Colin Balester
Thu Aug 14 - Perez v. Tim Redding

[Guest AG/DC]

We need a lot of payback blood from San Diego and Florida.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

The TBA Friday may well be Bobby Parnell.

Neise is unlikely given he started last nite and the Marlins' righty-heavy lineup.

We should be able to guarantee whoever it is, he will wear No. 39. That was Vargas' uni and the number Parnell has worn most often. Parnell last pitched on Friday so he'd have plenty of rest. Vargas pitched on Sunday, so I guess Friday would be his "normal" day.

Vargas has had a recent pattern of good/shit outings and is due for shit.

[Gwreck]

Apparently Perez will go Friday and the TBA starter (which then could be Niese) will go Saturday.

[Vic Sage]

Ruddy Lugo, c'mon down! or up, rather.

[Gwreck]

Maine is scheduled to be activated off the DL for Wednesday's start -- with either Stokes or Eddie Kunz getting sent down.

The Braves projections are early but as of now they set up for some interesting matchups against ex-Mets...

v PIT
Mon Aug 11 - Martinez v. Zach Duke

at WAS
Tue Aug 12 - Santana v. Odalis Perez
Wed Aug 13 - Maine v. Jason Bergmann
Thu Aug 14 - Perez v. Colin Balester

at PIT
Fri Aug 15 - Pelfrey v. Jason Davis
Sat Aug 16 - Martinez v. Zach Duke (redux)
Sun Aug 17 - Santana v. Jeff Karstens
Mon Aug 18 - Maine v. Paul Maholm

vs. ATL
Tue Aug 19 - Perez v. Tom Glavine
Wed Aug 20 - Pelfrey v. Jair Jurrjens
Thu Aug 21 - Martinez v. Mike Hampton

[Gwreck]

We'll get the same 3 Houston pitchers we saw earlier this month (plus one more) when the Astros come to Shea, although only Perez-Wolf is a straight rematch.

I saw a note posted elsewhere that the rotation currently lines up for the Brewers so that the Mets will miss Sabathia when the Mets go to Milwaukee on September 1-3, but that's a little far out for even me to be projecting.

at PIT
Fri Aug 15 - Pelfrey v. Jason Davis
Sat Aug 16 - Martinez v. Zach Duke (redux)
Sun Aug 17 - Santana v. Jeff Karstens
Mon Aug 18 - Maine v. Paul Maholm

vs. ATL
Tue Aug 19 - Perez v. Tom Glavine
Wed Aug 20 - Pelfrey v. Jair Jurrjens
Thu Aug 21 - Martinez v. Mike Hampton

vs. HOU
Fri Aug 22 - Santana v. Brandon Backe
Sat Aug 23 - Maine v. Roy Oswalt
Sun Aug 24 - Perez v. Randy Wolf (redux)
Mon Aug 25 - Pelfrey v. Brian Moehler

[Guest AG/DC]

Hampton and Glavine returning in one three-game set.

[Gwreck]

Not anymore. Glavine back to the DL.

[soupcan]

Boo-hoo-hoo.

[TransMonk]

MLB and ESPN have Oswalt and Backe flipped.

Santana vs. Oswalt on Friday looks to be a great match-up as both of them are coming off of nearly flawless performances last Sunday.

[Gwreck]

Indeed, Houston seems to have flipped them.

vs. ATL
Wed Aug 20 - Pelfrey v. Jair Jurrjens
Thu Aug 21 - Martinez v. Mike Hampton

vs. HOU
Fri Aug 22 - Santana v. Roy Oswalt
Sat Aug 23 - Maine v. Brandon Backe
Sun Aug 24 - Perez v. Randy Wolf
Mon Aug 25 - Pelfrey v. Brian Moehler

at PHI
Tue Aug 26 - Martinez v. Jamie Moyer
Wed Aug 27 - Santana v. Kyle Kendrick

at FLA
Fri Aug 29 - Maine v. Chris Volstad
Sat Aug 30 - Perez v. Ricky Nolasco
Sun Aug 31 - Pelfrey v. Scott Olsen

[TransMonk]

Adam Rubin wrote: With Mike Pelfrey already having exceeded his innings count for any pro season at 154 innings, pitching coach Dan Warthen intends to use Brian Stokes as a spot starter Aug. 31 at Florida to give Pelfrey nearly a full turn of rest.

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/2008/08/22/2008-08-22_luis_castillo_set_to_return-3.html

[Elster88]

Maine out *sniffle*. Mets confirmed Pelfrey moves up with the off day Thursday. ESPN.com has everyone else bumping up after that. I'd love to see Niese on Tuesday. With a few off-days in September the four-man rotation could work for a while after that.

[Guest AG/DC]

Perez has to be available to go tonight.

So say I.

[Frayed Knot]

Several sources were saying today that Niese will get the Sept 2nd start in Milwaukee - although none of those sources appeared to be the Mets themselves.

[Gwreck]

More good news ahead: No Josh Johnson, no Sabathia, no Hamels.

at PHI
Wed Aug 27 - Santana v. Kyle Kendrick

at FLA
Fri Aug 29 - Perez v. Chris Volstad
Sat Aug 30 - Pelfrey v. Ricky Nolasco
Sun Aug 31 - Martinez v. Scott Olsen

at MIL
Mon Sep 1 - Santana v. Ben Sheets
Tue Sep 2 - Jon Niese (?)/Brian Stokes (?) v. Jose Parra
Wed Sep 3 - Perez v. Dave Bush

vs. PHI
Fri Sep 5 - Pelfrey v. Brett Myers
Sat Sep 6 - Martinez v. Jamie Moyer
Sun Sep 7 - Santana v. Kyle Kendrick

[TransMonk]

="Gwreck"] at MIL Mon Sep 1 - Santana v. Ben Sheets Tue Sep 2 - Jon Niese (?)/Brian Stokes (?) v. Jose Parra Wed Sep 3 - Perez v. Dave Bush

I have tickets to the 9/3 game that Perez is slated to start. The Monday game is sold out, but I think I'm going to either buy standing room tickets or try to see what the scalpers have to offer. That pitching matchup is too tempting to miss since I have the day off anyways.

[Gwreck]

Phils are likely to start Hamels on Sunday (skipping Kyle Kendrick). Hamels pitched tonight, so he'd be on regular rest.

Lots of off days coming up gives the Mets the ability to basically do whatever they want with the rotation for the time being.

1. They could simply go to the 4-man rotation for a while;
2. They could also use the extra off days to get some extra rest for the starters -- either game against the Nationals could be another Niese start -- or a Figueroa/Knight game if they were so inclined;
3. They could do some combination of both. There was talk of completely skipping Pelfrey one turn of the rotation a while back, and that could be done too.


at MIL
Wed Sep 3 - Perez v. Dave Bush

vs. PHI
Fri Sep 5 - Pelfrey v. Brett Myers
Sat Sep 6 - Martinez v. Jamie Moyer
Sun Sep 7 - Santana v. Cole Hamels

vs. WAS
Tue Sep 9 - Perez v. Odalis Perez
Wed Sep 10 - TBA v. Jason Bergmann

vs. ATL
Fri Sep 12 - TBA v. Mike Hampton
Sat Sep 13 - TBA v. Charlie Morton
Sun Sep 14 - TBA v. Jorge Campillo

[Gwreck]

Updated for the coming two weeks:

vs. WAS
Tue Sep 9 - Perez v. John Lannan
Wed Sep 10 - Pelfrey v. Odalis Perez

vs. ATL
Fri Sep 12 - Martinez v. Mike Hampton
Sat Sep 13 - Santana v. Jo-Jo Reyes
Sun Sep 14 - Perez v. Jorge Campillo

at WAS
Mon Sep 15 - Pelfrey v. John Lannan
Tue Sep 16 - TBA v. Odalis Perez
Wed Sep 17 - Martinez v. Jason Bergmann
Thu Sep 18 - Santana v. Tim Redding

at ATL
Fri Sep 19 - Perez v. Jo-Jo Reyes
Sat Sep 20 - Pelfrey v. Jorge Campillo
Sun Sep 21 - TBA v. James Parr/TBA

[Benjamin Grimm]

Is Niese a contender for those two TBA starts? I'm not sure who the alternatives are. Much of it will depend on the condition of the standings on September 16 and 21.

[Frayed Knot]

vs. ATL
Fri Sep 12 - Martinez v. Mike Hampton
Sat Sep 13 - Santana v. Jo-Jo Reyes
Sun Sep 14 - Perez v. Jorge Campillo


Santana and Pedro now flipped to keep Johan on his regular day.
So it's Johan on Friday and Pedro Saturday

[Gwreck]

May as well just do it out for the rest of the year. There are no remaining off days for the Mets, so it's likely that Jon Niese (or somebody else) will get 3 starts in the 5th starter slot.

Note that teams out of the race (Washington and Atlanta particularly) are subject to change of course.

vs. ATL
Fri Sep 12 - Santana v. Mike Hampton
Sat Sep 13 - Martnez v. Jo-Jo Reyes
Sun Sep 14 - Perez v. Jorge Campillo

at WAS
Mon Sep 15 - Pelfrey v. John Lannan
Tue Sep 16 - Niese/TBA v. Odalis Perez
Wed Sep 17 - Santana v. Shairon Martis
Thu Sep 18 - Martinez v. Tim Redding

at ATL
Fri Sep 19 - Perez v. Jo-Jo Reyes
Sat Sep 20 - Pelfrey v. Jorge Campillo
Sun Sep 21 - Niese/TBA v. James Parr/TBA

vs CHC
Mon Sep 22 - Santana v. Rich Harden
Tue Sep 23 - Martinez v. Jason Marquis
Wed Sep 24 - Perez v. Carlos Zambrano
Thu Sep 25 - Pelfrey v. Ryan Dempster

vs. FLA
Fri Sep 26 - Niese/TBA v. Chris Volstad
Sat Sep 27 - Santana v. Ricky Nolasco
Sun Sep 28 - Martinez v. Scott Olsen

[duan]

that cubs series looms very large doesn't it

[Frayed Knot]

Yes it does, as does the health questions of Zambrano & Harden.
Also, the Cub rotation also could be changed depending on how, if, and when their games with Houston are re-scheduled.

[Centerfield]

No for real, where is Claudio Vargas?

[Gwreck]

Centerfield wrote: No for real, where is Claudio Vargas?

Injured, I think.