Tom Glavine, John Maine and Julio Franco participated in a charity event for disabled children yesterday. While speaking to reporters, Tom Glavine had some positive things to say about the state of the Mets starting rotation going into Spring Training.
"Those guys give you reason to be excited about what our rotation is going to be," Glavine said, mentioning Perez, Pelfrey, Humber and Maine by name. "There’s going to be competition . . . but I think we’re in a much better position than we were a year ago. "Last year we came to spring training with quantity, maybe not as much quality, and we pieced it together and did a good job."
Glavine also had this to say…
"I think our organization was smart in not spending the money on Barry Zito," Glavine said, referring to the seven-year, $126-million deal that the Giants gave Zito. "I think that we were smart in not pursuing some of the rumored trades and giving up some of the guys that we were rumored to be giving up. In the end, they did all of the right things, and we’re going to go into spring training in a situation where there’s going to be a lot of competition. And that’s not a bad thing."
After Glavine and Orlando Hernandez, the Mets will probably turn to John Maine at #3 and then choose a #4 and #5 starter from among Oliver Perez, Mike Pelfrey, Philip Humber, Jorge Sosa and Dave Williams. They will be expected to hold down the fort until Pedro Martinez returns from the disabled list sometime after the All-star break.
As most of you know, Tom Glavine is just 10 wins short of 300 for his career and should easily make his way into the Hall of Fame after he finally hangs them up. I believe Tom Glavine will easily win 15-17 games this season and will be the one constant in a rotation that has yet to be sorted out.
In other rumblings… Jimmy Rollins has been flapping his mouth off that the Philadelphia Phillies are the team to beat in 2007. He bragged about the high-powered offense and Philadelphia’s new revamped rotation which he says is the best on paper. When told about his comments, David Wright was visibly ticked off and had this to say.
“I read in the paper that Jimmy Rollins thinks nobody else has a chance…When you read that, it irks you a bit and makes you wanna go out there and beat them that much more.”
Well David, I wouldn’t mind seeing you and the team back that up by winning about 12 of your scheduled contests this season. There’s nothing I hate more than a no-good, cheesesteak-eating, scrapple-sucking infielder from Philadelphia shooting his mouth off in January. And besides… everyone on this side of the Jersey Turnpike knows that nothing beats a New York strip steak.
