For whom does the bell toll?

[Edgy MD]

With the expected promotion of their top pitching prospect appearing to be weeks away, the Mets, suddenly, but perhaps not-so-surpsingly, have run into a spurt of mostly successful starting pitching.

Things can change between now and then, certainly. I include all five current rotation members even though the only two real candidates to find themselves pushed aside are those with options --- Gee and Hefner. But I suppose if he starts spitting the bit again, Marcum could get pushed to the pen or get a rehab assignment for a few weeks until a job opens up, after getting diagnosed with an inflamed scabular flugger. Or Niese could be traded in the coming Carlos Gonzalez blockbuster.

Today, by the way, is Zack Wheeler's 23rd birthday.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

It's Gee unless or until Marcum goes down with another injury.

[MFS62]

Heard an interview recently in which Heffner said he'd be ok with moving to the bullpen to be a "long man", as long as it would help the club. It may be cliche-speak, but he sounded like he meant it.
Also, its been a while since Gee has pitched out of the pen, and I'm not sure if he would be comfortable in that role.

Of course, my opinion is subject to change on a game-by-game basis.

Later

[Lefty Specialist]

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

"All right, fellas. Everyone who's shown some semblance of pitching goodness lasting at least one whole start, at some point this year... take the towel out of your mouth."

[Edgy MD]

Hefner's got the hot hand this morning, but Gee could change all that by tomorrow.

As a righty pitching with a 165-foot fence in right field and prevailing winds blowing out there as a rule, it's a tough assignment.

[Ceetar]

I could see Wheeler getting the call June 7th at home against the Marlins before settling into the rotation and facing major league teams.

Everyone should probably get 2 starts by then, maybe 3 for Gee to really iron it out. If Gee rights himself I feel like the Mets are most comfortable with Hefner as a long man than anyone else but I could see them messing around with a 6-man rotation for a bit too.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I don't give rolling doughnut if Gee is "more comfortable" being a starter at least while he's one of the worst starting pitchers in the league. There's mounting evidence his junk is better suited for the bullpen anyhow.

[Ceetar]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: I don't give rolling doughnut if Gee is "more comfortable" being a starter at least while he's one of the worst starting pitchers in the league. There's mounting evidence his junk is better suited for the bullpen anyhow.

He was good last year. It's about maximizing his and Hefner's value (it's not going to be any of the other three) and if they're more comfortable, that probably swings it.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: I don't give rolling doughnut if Gee is "more comfortable" being a starter at least while he's one of the worst starting pitchers in the league. There's mounting evidence his junk is better suited for the bullpen anyhow.

First-time-through-the-order vs. third-time-through-the-order, ya mean?

[Edgy MD]

You only get one pick, but don't believe there are necessarily only two valid selections. I'm telling you, the Mets are entertaining offers for Jon Niese at this very hour!

[Ceetar]

Edgy MD wrote: You only get one pick, but don't believe there are necessarily only two valid selections. I'm telling you, the Mets are entertaining offers for Jon Niese at this very hour!

Johnny for Carlos Gonzalez.

[Edgy MD]

No H, but yeah, the Mets are totally working that angle.

[Ceetar]

Edgy MD wrote: No H, but yeah, the Mets are totally working that angle.

hmm. Does he favor Jonny over Johnny? that just looks wrong. He's got an H in his name, just later.

hell, I'll just call him Jon Joseph Jingleheimer Niese. (I know that's not right either. whatever)

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Ceetar wrote: John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: I don't give rolling doughnut if Gee is "more comfortable" being a starter at least while he's one of the worst starting pitchers in the league. There's mounting evidence his junk is better suited for the bullpen anyhow. He was good last year. It's about maximizing his and Hefner's value (it's not going to be any of the other three) and if they're more comfortable, that probably swings it.

It is not and it does not. It's about giving the team its best chance to win. Gee's success last year means dick when we're 2 months into the season and he's had maybe 1 and a half good outings. If Hefner were as bad as Gee this year it'd be a more difficult decision but that's objectively not the case.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I voted Hefner, because I'm trying to predict what I think will happen. But if it was my decision, I'd go with Gee.

[Fman99]

Should be Gee. Will end up being Hefner, at least at first.

[Edgy MD]

Gee's making a comeback. Initially, eight of the first nine voters said Gee was on his way out. But latecomers and subsequent re-votes have swung this the other way, and now only six are voting G-spot off the island, while five are in favor of keeping Hef in the mansion.

[seawolf17]

Fman99 wrote: Should be Gee. Will end up being Hefner, at least at first.

This.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Fman99 wrote: Should be Gee. Will end up being Hefner, at least at first.

What other than some nebulous "comfort" argument could we have for this? If it were a matter of degrees of difference in suck it would be one thing but Gee is an an entirely different level. The league is OPSing .900 against him. That's not the kind of guy whose comfort ought to be considered when ejected from the rotation. I mean, only if he twirls an absolute gem and demonstrates an ability to make a sustainable improvement in his next few starts does he even stand a chance from where I'm sitting.

[A Boy Named Seo]

I think it'll be Hefner, too, and that's probably the right call. Gee was a perfectly adequate back-of-the-ro guy last year and he's not light years away from that again. His fly balls are up 4% from (and so, too, went the HR's), his groundballs are down the same 4%, and the league's hitting .365 against him. If he can start getting a few more ground balls, he should start sucking a little less and be fine at the back w/ Marcum.

[Edgy MD]

Thank you for using the word "twirl" to describe the craft of pitching. Damon Runyon did not die in vain.

[A Boy Named Seo]

Let me say Gee offers me zero comfort, nebulous or otherwise. I just think he's probably slightly the better pitcher, but hasn't done it yet this year. That said, i think he could be perfectly mediocre again without notice.

[batmagadanleadoff]

To me, this year's pitching staff is Matt Harvey and the seven dwarfs. After Harvelous, they're all mediocrities who might surprise me once a month with a quality start. So who goes down? I couldn't care less.

[Ceetar]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Fman99 wrote: Should be Gee. Will end up being Hefner, at least at first. What other than some nebulous "comfort" argument could we have for this? If it were a matter of degrees of difference in suck it would be one thing but Gee is an an entirely different level. The league is OPSing .900 against him. That's not the kind of guy whose comfort ought to be considered when ejected from the rotation. I mean, only if he twirls an absolute gem and demonstrates an ability to make a sustainable improvement in his next few starts does he even stand a chance from where I'm sitting.

Maybe it's the .69 difference in their career ERAs. a 4.39 ERA over 350 innings is a pretty good 5th starter for sure, and an indication of some ability at least. Yes, Gee has to get it together, but he's probably got 2-3 starts to do so still.

Gee's velocity was nearly 2 mph down early on, but there are indications he's regained it, and presumably that speaks to arm strength (I'm by no means an expert on this stuff) but his best year was last year with his highest velocity, and if he's got the velocity back and built back up after the 9 month layoff, well, I have hope he can shake off the bad start.

Collin McHugh is almost definitely going to be the guy that actually gets demoted, and there IS a difference in preparation in the bullpen, and while I'm not saying it's a huge thing, Hefner has done it before and at least initially it seems simplest to let him do it again.

[A Boy Named Seo]

The difference is the merkin. Gee needs to glue that horrible thing back on his face and watch his ERA drop drop drop....

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Career, schmareer. If Gee excels in a relief role, or there's an injyry, or Hef starts to suck also, he can always come back to the rotation.

Doesn't anyone here want to help this team win? Gee ain't doing it.

[A Boy Named Seo]

Hef 6.63 K/9, 3.16 BB/9, 1.58 HR/9, .268 BABIP, 5.08 FIP
Gee 6.70 K/9, 3.08 BB/9, 1.45 HR/9, .365 BABIP, 4.93 FIP

Heads Heffner, tails Gee.

Tails.

[Vic Sage]

Q: Hefner or Gee?
A: McHugh.

[Edgy MD]

Well, McMaybe, but McHugh isn't in the McRotation.

I imagine there's a good chance that McHugh goes down, if he's still here at all by the time Wheeler gets a call, but we're inquiring about who loses his staring slot.