Tough News

I don't envy Mets management. They recently had to deliver tough news to their players.

1. My prediction for the Mets' Opening Day second basemen officially became "wrong" today as Jeff Keppinger was sent down to AAA. Consolation for me, but certainly not for Jeff, is that he actually put up the best offensive numbers of all players competing for the job this Spring, but Omar and Willie apparently feel that Anderson Hernandez provides a better balance of defense and offense. I still don't think we've heard the last of Keppinger, but it has to be a bit demoralizing for him to get demoted, even though he's done everything that could have been asked of him.

2. Aaron Heilman also got some tough news, as he was officially beat out for the 5th starter's job by Brian Bannister. Heilman was the odd man out at the end of last season even though he was "lights out" as a reliever, but seemed to have been handed the 5th starter job when Anna Benson's husband was shipped off to Baltimore. Heilman had an awesome spring, but Bannister had an even better one, so it's back to the 'pen for Heilman. I feel bad for the guy, but it's also pretty cool that a Mets rookie won out a job in the Spring Training in a year that the club is built to win now, as opposed to a say, a rebuilding year that's more about the future than the present.

On a personal note, I am liking how the rotation is shaping up for my chances of seeing Pedro pitch in D.C. on April 12th. based on what I've read, this seems to be the most likely rotation for the first ten games:

Monday, April 3rd: GLAVINE
Tuesday, April 4th: OFF
Wednesday, Apr 5: ZAMBRANO
Thurs, Apr 6: PEDRO
Fri, Apr 7: TRACHSEL
Sat, Apr 8: GLAVINE
Sun, Apr 9: BANNISTER
Mon, Apr 10: OFF
Tue, Apr 11: ZAMBRANO
Wed, Apr 12: PEDRO
Thurs, Apr 13: GLAVINE
Fri, Apr 14: TRACHSEL