With Just A 1 1/2 Game Lead Are The Mets Playing With Fire?

This has been one heck of a season. It has taken me from the lowest of lows to the highest of highs. The agony and ecstasy of the 2008 season has been just that.

For now, the Mets hold on to a slim 1 1/2 game lead over last seasons defending N.L. East champs, the Philadelphia Phillies.

The Mets can ill afford to play what amounts to Russian roulette with the 32 games remaining in their season. And yet, that is exactly what they are prepared to do.

With a cloud of doubt already hanging over their rotation in the name of John Maine, the Mets have decided to tempt faith even further by limiting the few remaining starts of Mike Pelfrey in an attempt to keep him from harm’s way.

With yesterdays loss and the revelation after the game that John Maine is pitching with a bone spur in his right shoulder that will require offseason surgery, can the Mets really afford to start pulling starts away from one of their best performing pitchers of the year in Mike Pelfrey?

Mike Pelfrey will not make his August 31st start next week against the Marlins. Instead he will close out the roadtrip with a start against the Brewers on September 3rd.

This decision means that Mike Pelfrey will miss what is now the biggest and most critical series of the year against the Phillies at Shea. While the Phillies make sure that their best pitchers are lined up for that final showdown, the Mets are taking their foot off of the accelerator at a time when they should be gunning it.

The Mets better pray this strategy doesn’t backfire on them… I don’t think Mets fans can take another September heartbreak.