John Maine’s MRI showed that he suffered a mild strain of the rotator cuff last night in his start versus the Marlins. It is unknown whether he will miss a start.

Ugh, I don’t like any injury to the rotator cuff. Let’s hope Johnny doesn’t miss any significant amount of time..

John Maine was pulled after 4 and a third innings for apparent shoulder stiffness. There is no further information on his possible injury at this time, though it appeared to be primarily as a precautionary measure. For those who weren’t watching the game, Maine was visibly upset when Manuel pulled him, and continued to look quite unhappy about being pulled in the dugout.

While Maine was at the time in line for the win, having given up just one run to that point, being that he already experienced some swelling problems this month its probably safer to have him take a seat and be angry then keep pitching and hurt himself. When push comes to shove, we need Maine and its better to risk Muniz losing us a game tonight then a AAA starter lose us multiple games while Maine sits on the DL.

While the Mets lineup didn’t score 10 runs a game against a Phillies’ pitching trio that was at least two-thirds questionable, the team’s starting pitching carried the team to a series win.

Johan Santana pitched one of his best games as a Met on Tuesday, going eight strong innings and gave up only two earned runs. There was a ton of controversy over whether he should have pitched in the ninth inning, and he probably should have. While he has only six complete games in his career (including one at Shea Stadium against the Mets in 2007), he only threw 105 pitches. He had a comfortable three-run lead at the time, and he should have at least gotten the shot to begin the inning.

Chances are, Jerry Manuel was turned off because Santana didn’t complete his last few innings in a squeaky clean manner, giving up a solo home run in the 7th and a stand-up double in the eighth. Even so, as has been discussed to death, the Mets bullpen should have gotten the job done. What Tuesday ended up was a heart-wrenching loss that he could have easily crushed the resolve of the Mets for this series right there. But it didn’t.

John Maine, the “main” question mark among this series’ starters, went seven strong innings, his longest outing since May 7. He battled and produced that “quality start” in his vintage manner, hopefully getting right against a team he’s historically been good against.

But the real star turned out to be Oliver Perez on Thursday, who pitched about as well as I’ve ever seen him pitch. He was absolutely dominant, striking out twelve and only allowing one run through seven and two-thirds innings. When Eric Bruntlett becomes the offensive standout for the Phillies, the starting pitcher is most likely doing something right against this lineup. The only infuriating thing about the game was that Perez had Ryan Howard, a man with a batting average below .100 against Perez, dead to rights. Howard took two ugly swings to start the count 0-2 and then coaxed a walk to pull Perez from the game.

SNY’s Gary Cohen mentioned on Thursday’s telecast that this was the first time the Mets starters had pitched at least seven innings in four consecutive games since 2005. Doesn’t that stat sound similar to the stats rang off during the Mets winning streak during their last homestand? Maybe getting out of Great American Ballpark was just the ticket after all.

Not knowing how Mets’ pitching coach Dan Warthen has exactly worked differently with the Mets’ pitchers, it seems that, on the whole, Mets’ pitching has produced strong results in the wake of the change. There was no obvious reason for the firing of Rick Peterson, but perhaps, in the long run, Warthen will produce positive results out of some Mets’ pitchers who have struggled.

SNY and Mets fans alike have praised the recent performance of Michael Pelfrey. Admittedly, when the performance is succinctly summed up as “he’s won his last five starts,” his recent performance sounds more than adequate. Since Warthen was guiding Pelfrey during four of those starts, it seems reasonable that he should get some credit. Not to be overtly negative, but new expectations around Pelfrey should be tempered just a little.

There’s no arguing that Pelfrey’s last two starts have been optimum. In both starts, he pitched seven solid innings. Against the Cardinals on July 3, Pelfrey gave up one run on six hits and two walks. On July 8 against the Giants, Pelfrey had an even better start, giving up no runs on three hits and zero walks.

However, the previous three starts weren’t quite as good. He battled against the Yankees on June 27, giving up a lot of baserunners — eight hits and four walks in five innings. While he didn’t give up any earned runs against the Rockies on June 22, he had five walks, a season high, in that game. Pelfrey also struggled mightily in the seventh inning of his win on June 16 against the Angels. Pedro Feliciano ended up allowing two inherited runners to score, ballooning Pelfrey’s line to six earned runs after six innings that night.

Long story short, Pelfrey’s two “battling” starts look to serve as the bridge to his recent dominance, but not all five of the wins in his streak were dominant starts. Therefore, raising expectations exponentially might be a bit unfair to Pelfrey just yet, potentially setting him up for future failure.

Similarly, Oliver Perez was another Met starter who had been struggling at the end of Peterson’s tenure. In his first two starts under Warthen, against the Angels and Mariners, Perez continued to struggle, giving up nine earned runs in 14 innings. However, his last three starts have translated to just two earned runs in 19 innings.

But while Perez pitched well early on Friday, a Met fan cannot be completely satisfied with his last performance. He gave up six walks, the second-highest total he has this season. (His highest total was eight at Colorado on May 23. Gary Cohen said on Friday’s telecast that the Rockies’ lineup was a team that did well against Perez. Perhaps the team is specifically more patient with him.) Regardless, Perez walked the bases loaded in the 6th inning on Friday and then gave up a walk and a single in the 7th inning. While Perez got out of it himself in the 6th, Aaron Heilman really bailed him out in a big jam in the 7th.

Speaking of Heilman, he’s another man who has become more successful as of late. During Friday’s telecast, Ron Darling said Heilman was using his slider more during the last month and a half, as well as locating his pitches down more. The reliever has been excellent over the last month and a half, a period mostly under new coach Warthen.

Another pitcher who may be benefitting from the change is Duaner Sanchez, though his reaction to the change has largely not been speculated upon. Since the managerial changes on June 17, Sanchez has only allowed one earned run. This could be credited not only to new Warthen philosophies but also Jerry Manuel’s decision to finally define bullpen roles. Perhaps, the stability of always knowing he has the eighth inning has steadied Sanchez. Since June 10, he’s lowered his ERA from 5.26 to 3.57.

The only Met pitcher who has visibly taken a downturn since Warthen came on has been John Maine. While Maine still “limits the damage,” three earned runs given up in his last three starts, he has pitched even less innings than usual. The Cardinals just kept hitting Maine early on June 30. He gave up seven hits in just four innings and afterwards complained of lack of movement on his pitches. Maine gave up five walks, amidst eight strikeouts, against the Giants on July 10. This caused him to not be able to go five innings for the second time in his last three starts. Since these problems are the same as before Warthen came on and since Maine had struggles in the second half of the season last year, it would suggest that the pitching coach change might not be it. One shouldn’t completely shut the door on the possibility, though.

What has been said most often of Warthen during his early tenure with the Mets, both by Met pitchers and commentators, is that he allows the pitchers to do “what brought them to The Show.” Peterson supposedly tried to mold pitchers to his vision, whereas Warthen is the type to “accentuate the positives.” This certainly seems like a more positive approach on the whole. Then again, I could swear that Peterson’s philosophy of molding pitchers was held as a positive during the initial success of Perez.

Via Adam Rubin , John Maine on how to avoid further arm issues:

Who knows? Eat more bananas.

I guess if he gets tired of baseball, there’s always medicine.

Pitcher John Maine had to leave his start after 5.2 innings of work tonight after injuring his left arm following a pitch to 1B Ryan Howard. SNY’s Ron Darling thought that it might have been a stinger or cramp, but grew worrisome as Maine continued to hold his arm in pain.

We CANNOT afford to lose Johnny. This would hurt much more than a loss.

Update 8:53: SNY’s Gary Cohen is reporting that Maine merely has a cramp and should be ok for his next start.

When discussing John Maine this season, the issue of length has come up, as if this season’s statistics are a drastic departure from the Maine of 2007.

And part of it is true. At this time last season, Maine was 7-4 with a 2.90 ERA, nearly a full run lower than his ERA now. He had pitched at least seven innings six times, including going into the eighth inning twice. This season, he’s only finished off the seventh inning once, a game which he nearly completed on May 7 against the Dodgers.

But Maine remains one of the Mets’ most consistent starters, perhaps second only to Johan Santana. Out of his 15 starts, he’s only failed to finish six innings four times, and in none of those games did he give up more than four earned runs. That’s the very definition of “controlling the damage.” Maine also still maintains an ERA that hasn’t been over 4.00 since April 10.

But questions of Maine’s length shouldn’t suddenly arise like they have. There was evidence of Maine’s problems with pitch counts last year. Even in the midst of his stellar first-half, Maine’s May 2007 had five starts where he pitched five innings twice and six innings three times. In all those starts, Maine threw at least 95 pitches.

Moving into Maine’s problematic second-half last year, some of Maine’s August 2007 starts brought up the discussion the first time. Maine had his worst full month in the majors that month, going 2-3 with a 6.32 ERA. But more glaringly, he had three starts in a row (Aug. 15 at Pittsburgh, Aug. 21 vs. San Diego and Aug. 26 vs. Los Angeles) where he gave up only three earned runs but failed to pitch six innings. In those games, he had horrendous pitch counts of 117, 118 and 111. In that Aug. 15 start, Maine had 34 foul balls off him.

Is Maine really doing more poorly than last season? Joe Janish mentioned in a recent post to Mets Blog the following statistic:

Last season, Maine averaged 4.04 pitches per plates appearance and 17.1 pitches per inning, as compared to 4.17 and 18.0 this season, respectively.

But this is skewed because this is comparing Maine’s entire 2007 season to a little less than one half of his 2008 season. Now, taking into account his stellar 2007 first-half, Maine is doing worse with pitch counts than at this point last year. He averaged 4.04 pitches per plate appearance and 16.8 pitches per inning at this point last year.

How about looking at his last two months of baseball before this season, though? In August and September 2007, Maine averaged 4.16 pitches per plate appearance and 19.1 pitches per inning. Those are actually worse stats than his 2008 campaign.

Outside of Santana, who has pitched seven innings nine times this season, no one has been more consistent in the Mets’ starting rotation than Maine. Quality of innings pitched always takes a backseat to length, especially considering any accomplished bullpen should be able to pitch three innings with a lead and finish out the win. In this day and age, where fewer and fewer pitches are going seven innings, let alone farther, going more than six is gravy.

I am normally a glass half-full person, but after yesterday’s loss and the Mets pathetic showing in their series at Shea against the Washington Nationals, I’ve had it. I’m dumping the glass.

This team has no heart. Yup, I said it… NO heart.

Wags, DWright, Moises, Johan, Mainer, Ryan Church and Brian Schneider are the only ones on this team who have shown they are gamers; so let’s get that out of the way. I’d even put Nelson Figueroa in there.

However, guys like Carlos Beltran, Carlos Delgado, Jose Reyes, and Oliver Perez aren’t getting it done. Reyes has become a shell of his former self and has reverted to that pre-2006 player than hacks at everything. He had a week and a half where he appeared to be getting on track, but now he’s off again.

We all know that Delgado has been hit or miss; it’s been mostly miss this year. I can’t say I’m too surprised after last year’s swoon. He told everyone that would listen in the spring that he broke down everything this off-season and re-taught himself how to hit. Unfortunately, his re-teaching has made Carlos Delgado into Wilson Delgado.

The most disappointing person, to me, is Carlos Beltran. He was very boastful in the spring, telling reporters that the Mets were this year’s team to beat. They sure are (as my Phillies fan brother keeps telling me); teams just keep beating them and beating them.

Beltran has done absolutely nothing this year, aside from his spring declaration. I especially enjoyed watching him yesterday; he swings at the first pitch with runners and first and third and two outs. Perfect opportunity to hit in the clutch and work the count; of course, that didn’t happen.

I’ll keep it short on Perez. I have zero confidence in him when he’s on the mound. Someone, anyone want to tell me where the passion is? Where is the hard work that this team was built on when Willie Randolph took over as manager in 2005?

I know Gary Grund has called for an overhaul of the coaching staff, but I can’t put all of the blame on Willie and Co. Is he the one that hits a wall in the 4th inning? Is he the one that can’t play fundamental baseball? The answers are no.

Sure Willie will take the fall, but you can blame Reyes, Beltran, Delgado, et al, for his ouster.

There will be some that believe that since it’s May 16 that there is plenty of time. It’s an excuse. This team is running out of time… and fast. Losing two of three, or getting swept by the Yankees, and

Billy Wagner said it best after Thursday’s game:

“We’re not earning our money.”

That is an understatement.

I know it was a tough night but it was a tougher day for Scott Schoeneweis. Late last night on his Mets Blog for the NY Post Bart Hubbach reported that Schoeneweis who is a testicular cancer survivor, was rushed to the hospital by ambulance yesterday morning and was hospitalized for seven hours. Adam Rubin of the Daily News has more on Schoeneweis who took some over the counter medication because he felt flu like symptoms that are going around in the Mets clubhouse:

Schoeneweis thought that medication might have been spoiled and complicated matters since it “tasted like moldy towels.”

At one point, he said, his arms turned blue and his hands were numb. He called an ambulance at 7 a.m.

“I thought I was going to die,” he said.

Doctors thought at one point he had appendicitis, but ruled that out when they pressed the area and Schoeneweis wasn’t in intolerable pain. Turns out Joe Smith had the same symptoms, only far less severe, in L.A. during the most recent road trip. “Joe’s the carrier,” Schoeneweis good-naturedly said.

So, Willie Randolph basher’s be aware that he had few options coming out of the bullpen last night. Plus, Rubin points out that Aaron Heilman over his previous six appearances, he had allowed one run and four hits in 7 1/3 innings.

Check out the rest of Adam’s blog where you’ll find notes on Mike Pelfrey, Fernando Tatis, and Jose Reyes who was summoned into Randolph’s office for a chat with the skipper before batting practice Wednesday.

Johan Santana has a policy of not speaking to the media between starts and because of the many places I’ve read about this in the past and now recently here and here. I personally think it’s in his best interest to shelf this policy. It’s just making unnecessary enemies in the media.

Joe D from Dugout Central, like me, was very impressed with John Maine sticking up for his fellow teammates, calling John “Rambo” in his latest post. Check it out.

Well, obviously the Mets have to score some more runs. You can go elsewhere to read about how terrible Aaron Heilman is/was I’m so sick of the topic. So lets hope they get the split today with the “Bush League” Nats and then beat up on our crosstown rivals this weekend. Lets Go Mets!!