The Mets Starting Roation

With the injury to Bannister, the Mets will have to scramble a bit to find a pitcher for at least a start or two, maybe more. Here's the way the rotation shakes out over the next two turns:

Thursday, April 27th: OFF
Friday, April 28th (ATL): Pedro Martinez
Saturday, April 29th (ATL): Tom Glavine
Sunday, April 20 (ATL): Steve Trachsel
Monday, May 1 (WAS): Zambrano
Tuesday, May 2 (WAS): ??
Wednesday, May 3 (PIT): Pedro
Thursday, May 4 (PIT): Glavine
Friday, May 5 (ATL): Trachsel
Saturday, May 6 (ATL): Zambrano
Sunday, May 7 (ATL): ??

So, obviously this weekend's series against Atlanta is mui importante. We send our three best pitchers to the hill, and if we can somehow sweep the Braves, that would help out a lot because putting a healthy dose of distance between New York and Atlanta would take some pressure would off the following weekend's series vs. the Braves, when we send Zambrano and whoever the Mets come up with for two of those games.

Personally, I think the Mets should give John Maine a shot at a start, if for no other reason than to maybe help save face on the Benson trade. For all of the success Jorge Julio has had in in his last few appearances, Willie obviously didn't feel comfortable bringing him into last night's tight game. John Maine threw seven innings yesterday, only giving up one run on five hits, in a win for the AAA Tides. Maine is already on the 40 man roster so no one would have to clear waivers to make the move. As I've said previously though, I don't see what the downside is of putting Jose Valentin and his .095 average on the waiver wire to see if any other suckers, I mean teams, want him. I wonder if the Mets passed over Jose Lima for the start, he would think it was Lima Time to move on to another club. Lima said during Spring Training that if he didn't make the club he would refuse an assignment to the minors. He obviously relented on that, but I don't know if he'd stick around after getting passed over for Maine. Not that it would be a great loss. He, his 6.00 ERA, and Valentin can all head to Japan for all I care.