Uh-Oh

St. Louis Cardinals? Lucky.

Which means that now, not only are John Maine and Oliver Perez regulars in the Mets' playoff rotation, but there's a chance that the Mets would have to bring Darren Oliver out of the bullpen to start Game 5. That, or use Game 1 starter Tom Glavine on three days' rest instead of his regular four.

Mr. Graziano brings up a valid, valid point, but I do think that this decision should be solely based on what the situation is. If the game is a must win game, you have go with Tom Glavine. If the Mets are looking for one game to close it out, give Darren Oliver a go and try and win one of the last three with your two best pitchers on more rest. You can look at the disturbing fact of how beat up the Mets rotation is, but at least they have four starters. Given what they went through, it is hard to believe they even have four serviceable starters to run with.

Is Oliver Perez or Darren Oliver ideal? Fuck no, but they have the ability to do it. Darren wouldn't be asked to go seven innings and throw a shut-out and neither is Perez. The road will certainly not be easy for the Mets and at this point it seems that Anderson Hernandez being included on the roster instead of Dave Williams looks like a regrettable move, but it is what it is. A stretch of games in which a rookie is pitcher, Steve Trachsel is pitching, Oliver Perez is pitching, and possibly Darren Oliver, this bullpen is going to be in for a workout. Hopefully Chris Woodward hurts himself tying his shoe or something because another arm would help.

Inexplicably though, it seems as though the Cardinals are sticking to their regular rotation.

Still, La Russa said last night that he was inclined to keep his rotation as it is, with Jeff Weaver and Jeff Suppan pitching at Shea in Games 1 and 2, and Carpenter pitching at home in Game 3.

"I don't think there's a benefit to changing with Chris," La Russa said.

Of course, anything can change, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed. The Mets are in dire need of taking the first two with how their rotation is shaping up in the following three games. Sure, Carpenter will still only get two games in the series no matter how you shake things out, but having him on the bench as they get eliminated in game six would certainly make LaRussa's decision a colossal blunder. The other thing lost in all of this and you hate to look forward, but with the way the Tigers are playing, the Mets might have to face a well rested team with sparkling pitching in the World Series should they move on past the Cardinals. The Mets pitching will most likely be beleaguered after this series with the Cardinals so going forward it is going to be a true test for this team.

* * *

I don't value anyone's life over anyone else's and I'm not going mention how small the game of baseball is because we all know it's a game. Everyone gets it. It is horrible when anyone dies regardless if they are a ballplayer, actor, Brazilian hooker, or an accountant. I feel horrible for everyone that was connected to everyone who died and this type of stuff happens. However, the news sickens me. Especially the local news. I get the fact that tragedy is much more interesting to report than happy news, but here is an example of one news tease:

"A Yankee pitcher dies in a plane crash, news at 11:00."

Cory Lidle is a name that 90% of the public won't know so if they say his actual name in the tease, it's a non-story for a lot of people because most people do not care when non-famous/uninteresting people die. Jon Hooker was a minor league ball player that died and it went largely unnoticed. I had two people ask me yesterday that are not baseball fans ask me if he is good as if that makes a difference. If it was Derek Jeter, the news would have JFK Jr.-like coverage with millions in mourning. But it was Lidle, so they had to keep it vague in hopes more people tune in. In reality, the coverage was excessive. It was a tragic death and hearing how his wife was flying back to LA and had to be met by Homeland Security to get news was disheartening. However, Local News has lost perspective and is totally irrelevant in the world at this point. Overall, news is now based on fear mongering and sensationalism and throws integrity out the window. Who needs integrity anyway?

On my way to work, some guy had this one his car:

IF YOUR CHILD DOES NOT HAVE THEIR SEATBELT ON YOU ARE AN ASSHOLE.

Asshole was in large letters in case you were wondering while the other words were in lettering rather small, so you had to tailgate to read it. I'm perplexed as to what would drive a person to actually put that on their car.

Cliff is a solid citizen.

"This is a huge time and you just want to be a part of it to help this team win," Floyd said. "It might be my last season playing with the Mets, so I don't want to go out that way."

I hope people don't remember his as the oft-injured player he is, but the tremendous teammate he has been and the effect he has had on this current Met team, especially David Wright.

Pedro is feeling good and looks to be recovering nicely.

"I'm very, very optimistic and very happy about the results," Martinez said. "Right now, the doctor just told me today that I looked like a month after surgery - and it's only been a week - because of the way everything is moving around and the way that I'm feeling and the way my flexibility is reacting to the surgery. That's more than good news."

Secondary pitches be damned, Mike Pelfrey was named as the #3 prospect in the Eastern League by Baseball America.

3. Mike Pelfrey, rhp, Binghamton (Mets)
B-T: R-R Ht: 6-7 Wt: 210 Age: 22 Drafted: Mets '05 (1)
Like Garza, a fellow college righthander drafted in 2005, Pelfrey made a quick ascent to the big leagues in his first full pro season. The last first-rounder to sign, accepting a $5.25 million big league contract in January, he was starting at Shea Stadium six months later.

Pelfrey's command is not as good as Garza's, in part because he rotates his lower half too much in his delivery, but he too pitches off his fastball. It's a 70 pitch on the 20-80 scouting scale and one of the best fastballs in the minors, more for its late life than its velocity. It has heavy sink when it's down in the zone and comes in at 93-95 mph, touching 97.

Pelfrey needs to improve the consistency of his secondary stuff and have more conviction in it. His changeup is his second-best pitch and has the potential to be an above-average offering. His curveball remains slurvy, though he throws it at 82-86 mph.

I still believe, but I believe in Phil Humber a bit more at this point.

8. Carlos Gomez, of, Binghamton (Mets)
B-T: R-R Ht: 6-4 Wt: 190 Age: 20 Signed: Mets FA '02
Gomez is the youngest position player on this list as well as the toolsiest. He skipped high Class A at age 20 and got better as the season wore on, coming back strong after missing three weeks with a back injury near midseason.

Gomez has pop in his bat, plus speed, a well above-average arm and good defensive ability. His approach is too aggressive and he needs to improve his situational hitting, but he recognizes pitches well and drives the ball to all parts of the field. He already is an accomplished basestealer, swiping 41 bags in 50 tries.

"He swings out of his ass. He really takes a hellacious cut," a scout said. "But he has a natural swing path and maybe the best bat speed in the league, well above and beyond Lind and Casto. This guy excites me."

I thought Gomez would be high and he really opened some eyes this season. That quote was a curious one, but I think I'll take it.

As for the International League, Milledge stopped in at #2.

2. Lastings Milledge, of, Norfolk (Mets)
B-T: R-R Ht: 6-1 Wt: 185 Age: 21 Drafted: Mets '03 (1)
Milledge's improved plate discipline with Norfolk earned him his first major league promotion when Xavier Nady went to the disabled list in late May. While he didn't set the world on fire as a rookie, Milledge showed flashes of what he can do. Scouts agree that it will take him time to apply all his talents.

Milledge's bat just rips through the zone and will allow him to produce for both average and power. A plus runner, he should improve as a basestealer (13-for-23) once he learns to pick his spots better. He has slightly above-average range and a solid arm, and while he's capable in center field he'll probably play on the corner with Carlos Beltran on the Mets.

I still believe in Lastings, but it seems the ability is not going to be his biggest obstacle but him understanding his place in the world of baseball and on the Mets. How much is overblown by the media and is true? Who knows, but it seems clear there is at the very least a little something going on with him.