He-So-Nasty

Sorry for the radio silence this week, team, just had a brutal week at work. We'll be back to our regularly scheduled programming this coming week, but wanted to pass along a few quick hits in the meantime.

First, Hisanori Takahashi (aka "He-So-Nasty") deserves to stay in the rotation, no question about it. He had the two tough starts, but to me, the one against the Marlins really wasn't that bad.

As I remember it, he shut them out through 4 and then gave up a solo shot and a pop-up three-run homer. On balance, that one wasn't such a bad start.

Granted he got shelled against the Padres, but every pitcher's going to get roughed up from time to time. Why should we dwell on that one outing anymore than the two masterful efforts against the Yankees, or the 6 shutout innings against the Phillies on May 26?

The question, at bottom, is this: given what we've seen from Takahashi, what has John Maine done to deserve having his spot in the rotation again? I was always a big Maine booster, but the results just haven't been there, not for a long time.

I appreciate that the bullpen is better with Takahashi in it, but maybe Maine can fill that role when he returns. If Takahashi falters or Maine dominates, then you consider making a change.

You don't consider making a change when Takahashi looks like he belongs every fifth day and Maine continues to be a reclamation project. Simple as that.

* * * * *

Before this road trip began I said that if the Mets couldn't win a series against the Orioles or Indians, then maybe it just wasn't meant to be. The Mets didn't just win those series', they stomped on lesser competition in a way they haven't done in a long time.

After winning yesterday, all that's left is to win one more against the Yankees to take the series.

And hell, if we can take the next two, that'd be pretty good by me, too.

- A.F.O.M.G.