The first thing that popped into my head when Petey grabbed the back of his left leg was the “D†word. The word that a certain choking left handed pitcher who used to play here and is now in Atlanta refused to use after he choked in the clutch. Yes, DEVISTATED was the word that came right to mind. Not DEVESTATED in the way I’d be if a family member died or was very sick but DEVISTATED in a baseball fan way as I see the air excitement of the regular season snuffed out from us.
This my friends in Blue and Orange is not an overreaction, Petey is done. I don’t need an MRI or CAT Scan or some Doctor to tell me the diagnosis on Petey he’ D-O-N-E If he pitches by September it would be a miracle.
At first I wondered if it was conditioning that caused it but then I realized the answer is as plain as the date on a birth certificate it’s age. When you have the oldest team in baseball this is what happens. Guys have bunion problems and old muscles that just aren’t as fleiable as they used to be and when these muscles get pulled or popped, they take a long time to get back to normal, whatever normal is for a 35 year old man.
Think about it, best case scenario is the hammy is not pulled, it will take about 4 weeks to heal. Then the rehab starts that’s what another 3 weeks then there is the Minor League starts that’s what two starts so that’s 2 more weeks, so that brings you to June now remember this is best case scenario. We all know this injury will be worse than first thought so add another 4 weeks for Mets luck which is the worst luck of all. So by calculations the earliest we will see Petey again in a big league uni is July. I hope you had your breakfast before you read this and if you did I’m sorry for ruining your lunch.
Before the injury, I didn’t think Petey pitched all that badly. Yes he struggle mightily with his command as he had a difficult time hitting the target that Brian Schneider was setting for him for his breaking ball and he did get jammed up for the long ball as those off speed pitches just sailed right down the heart of the plate but I thought his fastball had some nice movement on it as some of them had a nice little tail at the end especially on right handed hitters as they looked to be right over the plate and then sail inside jamming the batter. But hitting the outside of the plate was a big problem. If it weren’t for the injury, I would have chalked this one up to first time out and figuring Petey, Professor Rick and Brian Schneider would look at the tape and tweak the mechanics. But after the 4th inning it all went to shit.
So now what? Well it looks like Nelson Figueroa will get the call and join the team I guess in the rotation. Jorge Sosa is an option but I think Willie feels he’s more of an asset in the pen and what a job he did last night. Tony Armas Jr. is also an option but he got to camp late and needs work. El Duque is still two weeks away from activation off the DL. Jon Neise and Bobby Parnell are too green to be picked. Woody Williams is out their and may be a mercy signing and Claudio Vargas as well and Gary Cohen even brought up the name Chan Ho Park and then added that Mets fans are screaming at their TV sets right now. I’m glad Gary can joke at a time like this. Who said Lima Time? I’d say we will see Omar sign Vargas as soon as he gets the doctors report on Petey.
Lost in this game was that fact that the bullpen did a great job until the bot of the 10th. Matt Wise got the first two batters he faced to K and then left and big fat the size of Louie Anderson change up over the plate for Robert Adino to hit his first ML HR.
Game 3 tonight with Oliver Perez in the rubber game of the three game series wow am I over stating things that this is a must win? You can not lose two of three to the Fish I don’t care if Jack Fisher or Denis Ribant has to come out of retirement to pitch you can not start the season losing two of three to a Triple A team. Oh and to make matters worse today is the 36 anniversary of the death of Gil Hodges. Pass the Maalox!
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This post was written by kranepool on April 2, 2008
Kranepool, i totally agree. I know I am going to get flamed but besides costing the mets lots of money, what exactly did Pedro do? Pitch the first mets no-no? Pitch a complete game in the World Series? Oh wait, no he was injured in 2006 and didn’t even play in the playoffs. I’m done with Pedro. Nice knowin ya, but you never came through for us when we needed you to.
We all knew this was going to happen but I’m sure we were all expecting at least 10 starts before the wheels came off. If Perez does not pitch like he did last year, we don’t even make a wild card. I expect Pelfry to get hammered as usual, and God knows what dreg of MLB we will sign to fill the spot. Personally, I would move Sosa into the rotation and bring up whichever reliever looked the best that got sent back down. And yes, tonight is a MUST win, no doubt about it. I’m sure the team is upset over Pedro’s loss and they need this win tonight.
BTW, if i’m batting against Wise, I would look for nothing other than his meatball changeup especially since he throws it about 75% of the time. Yes it has nice movement but if you are looking for it, it’s batting practice.
I can’t believe I’m this depressed after game 2 of 162.
I don’t think it’s as devastating as you’re making it out to be. Maybe devastating like your kids were in a car accident but they are ok devastating, not dead or in a coma devastating. Let’s be clear about that word to avoid confusion.
Yes, we were all excited about Pedro maybe being healthy for a full season. Yes, in contrast with the Santana win on opening day it is a huge downer. But let’s face it, Pedro is not the Pedro of old and I think deep down most Met fans knew this. The season is not over. We’ve still got Santana, and Maine and Perez who are arguably more deserving of the #2 spot than Pedro. Would you say losing your #4 starter was devastating? I know he represents more than just a starting pitcher, but yes you are overstating that tonight is a must-win. It is not. I’m disappointed too, but let’s not call it a day on ‘08 just yet.
I’m down too, but I was half expecting something like this. Too much was being made of Martinez and too little was made of the fact that he’s hardly pitched in 18 months and he’s (at least) 36.
If there’s an upside, the other teams in the division are not much better off. Atlanta’s pitching staff is older and more injury prone. Philadelphia has the dual problem of a makeshift staff and a stadium that caused mental trouble for pitchers. We just have to hope that Washington doesn’t run away with it in the first month.
I have to admit that when I first read your reference to Nelson Figueroa above I thought you’d written Nino Espinosa. And, given Omar’s ‘form’ (as they say in English soccer circles) I half figured you were right. Maybe Pedro Astacio is available? Uggh.
Coop
I can understand your frustration with Pedro, but he came through for the Mets when he signed with the club. Made them respectable again. That can be over-stated, but there’s something to it. Changed the tone of the club.
By the way, Steve, I started my own Mets blog the other day. I haven’t got comments added yet and I’m still not convinced I have enough to say, but we’ll see.
It’s called Mets on the Wireless.
Eagle, welcome to the Mets blogsphre I’ve added you to the links. Tell me what do you think of Wayne Hagin? I’ve got to listen to a few innings of him to get a feel
Chris, By no means am I packing it in due to Petey’s injury but this organization is very thin in the starting pitching department as it is Johan is a given and even Maine is close to that. OP is inconsistant and Big Pelf and Bunions Hernandez are ?
If this division becomes a tight race this team has not shown the onions to close the deal.
Coop, I have to agree with Eagle on Petey but I just luv ya ;>)
Kranepool,
I figure I’ve gotta give Haygin to the end of the month before I feel like I can say much about him. He’s still settling in. So far, he seems proficient, but maybe lacking a good sense of humor. One of the great features of the Rose & McCarthy partnership was that I always had the idea that these guys liked to make each other laugh. This is of great benefit when there are delays or when the Mets are down a dozen runs in Colorado.
Over the past few years McCarthy grew on me, but he still had the ability to annoy me at times. Rose, however, is simply fantastic. You know he cares – a lot – about the Mets, but he doesn’t shy away from telling it like it is.
I agree with Eagle in that Petey changed the culture here, and no doubt was the primary reason Beltran signed, which led to Delgado, etc. The guy has heart and will do anything to compete, which is something some guys on this team need to develop. I don’t see doom and gloom here. Petey will be back by Memorial Day with a fresh arm. As long as the Mets are in the race, and we certainly have reason to believe they will be, we’ll be ok and get a nice boost going into the hot summer.
Visit my blog this weekend on more Pedro thoughts
I do agree that he brought legitimacy back to the club but at what expense? Sure he cost money – but he’s never been there when we’ve needed him most. And he’ll do anything to compete? Yes that was evident in 2005 when we needed him to beat the Phils in order to stay in the wild card race in September – oh yeah, then he disappeared to the DR after saying – well, I don’t feel like making the last start of the season which went to ZimZam. Whatever. Anyway, and didn’t he start game 1 of the NLDS in 2006? Oh wait, he was broke then too. Oh I guess I Started my own rant on Pedro. That’s all though, seriously I mean it! Visit My Summer Family this weekend. I’m sure I’ll get chased out of my own blog with pitchforks and torches.
Eagle, i’ll link to you, man!
Check out Coops site My Summer Family it on the links side bar.
http://www.mysummerfamily.blogspot.com
Getting injured is not the issue. He did not want to tear his labrum. Coming back, like he did in September, months before most with that surgery would, WHEN WE NEEDED HIM MOST, is what I mean. Name another 35 year-old man who would push to come back 11 months after that surgery.