15
2011
Weighing The Options Of A 2012 Rotation Without Santana
An article by 
Yesterday we learned of the possibility that ailing ace Johan Santana might not be ready for Opening Day. If that is the case, then what are the Mets to do as far as that fifth spot in the rotation? They have next-to-nothing left to spend and lack a bonafide 6th starter. With a rotation in flux even with a healthy Santana, this only makes things worse for the Amazin’s. If Santana is not good to go for 2012, here is what I see as the Mets only options:
Keep Jon Niese: If Santana is not ready, one would have to believe Niese is off the market. At 25 years of age and a devastating curve, he should be a player that is off limits regardless. But now facing another year of their ace on the shelf, Niese needs to be in Flushing for 2012.
Trade Daniel Murphy: I personally would not do this as I see Murphy as an asset to this team, but it is a viable option for Sandy Alderson and the Mets. Odds are they would not get a top-tier pitcher in return for Murph, but someone like Kyle Loshe or Clayton Richard could be a realistic return.
Use Chris Schwinden: After a great year in Triple-A, Schwinden did not exactly dazzle in his September call-up, –going 0-2 with a 4.71 ERA– but should worse come to worse, he could fit nicely as a fifth starter that is both cheap and can be optioned should Santana finally return.
Call-Up Harvey Or Familia: I would hate this move, but if it comes down to this, Harvey and Familia are likely to start the year in Triple-A. So if Schwinden of Pelfrey stumble out of the gate to start 2012, Alderson could give one of them the call to take over. This of course could have damaging effects on their development, but in an emergency situation, the call might have to be made.
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With two years and $55 million left, the idea of Santana possibly not being ready for Opening Day is unnerving. Especially after coming back from such a major surgery, I would not expect much from Santana in 2012. These above possibilities may be the Mets only options. Not “sexy” in any way, but it will have to do.
About the Author: Clayton Collier
Clayton, a Long Island native and die-hard Mets fan, started writing online about three years ago. He is currently a Journalism major with a minor in Broadcasting at Seton Hall University. Although very disappointed with the current state of the team, Clayton remains hopeful that the young prospects in the farm system will bring the Mets back to a respected franchise in baseball once again. Besides writing for MMO, Clayton is also a staff member at 89.5 WSOU, Seton Hall's modern active rock radio station. You can contact Clayton by following him on Twitter: @Clayton_Collier or E-mailing him at MaybeNextYearMets@yahoo.com
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NL East Standings
| Team | W | L | Pct. | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Braves | 26 | 18 | .591 | - |
| Nationals | 23 | 22 | .511 | 3.5 |
| Phillies | 21 | 24 | .467 | 5.5 |
| Mets | 17 | 25 | .405 | 8.0 |
| Marlins | 13 | 32 | .289 | 13.5 |
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Santana will not be ready. The Mets played that card last year to sell a few more tickets. Pelfrey is looking more valuable every day. In a year that we’re not going to compete for any ring, having Pelfrey soak up 14%-15% — that’s 200 innings — of the season is a plus.
Sorry, but if he pitches like last year he is not a plus. 200 or not, pitching like last year will get us a 20 game loser. He should be over .500 by now in his career.
But haven’t you heard? Winning is not our objective. On a team of such low calibre and aspirations, the best we can do is just hope to get the required innings pitched to be albe to finish the season without forfeiting.
I realize it is not as fun to be rational but lets try. Thinking of Pelfrey at this point as a top of the rotation or even mid rotation starter is foolish… I agree. However, taking Pelfrey as just a #5 starter? 200 innings of yuck is actually above average for a #5 starter, so he does have value to the Mets because regardless of their situation they still need someone to pitch those innings.
Well if we go by the current ‘RATIONAL” regarding cost then pelfrey is way too expensive for the contribution you are proposing.
You can’t pay your 5th Starter 5+ Mil under the new rational mindset Sandy has been operating under!
Gee is the ideal guy for that spot then.
As OMM said we have been operating under the RATIONAL contention that anyone who is good is nothing more than Eyewash on a losing season and if thats the thinking then pelfrey is way too expensive to consider as a 5th starter since he isn’t going to change that “FACT”
And besides I don’t see where having a guy who isn’t good enough to be a 3rd starter is acceptable as a 5th Starter!
He’s still going to pitch every 5th day regardless of how many days after opening day he starts his rotation.
Because they do not have an option on the team or in FA that can give them 200 innings and an under 5.00 ERA for a cheaper price?
Wouldn’t that constitute “EYEWASH”?
Why do we need that if we aren’t going to win anything?
If Reyes wasn’t enough to make us a winner what good is a 200 Inning 5th Starter?
Throw anyone who is league minimum in there until the eyes don’t need washing!
I agree, why even field a team? Might as well just open the stadium for all the Mets detractors to just sit around and complain and whine about the team. There is no reason to play baseball anymore, Jose Reyes has left and the sky has fallen.
if you wanted to field a good team you should have thought about that before you let your best player go.
now you want to try?
Why bother?
Just hire cheap bodies instead!
Why buy Eye Wash?
You still don’t get they could not afford Reyes.
And you still don’t get if you use that as an excuse the BEST way to get rid of that limitation is to not spend at all even on a 5th Starter!
Especially at Pelfrey Prices!
If you can’t afford to win no point in spending on 5 Mil EyeWash!
If you really wanted to spend to avoid being a laghuingstock then better to spend on a Reyes and not spend 5 Mil on a 5th Starter!
No point in saving money on Reyes if your going to waste it on something that doesn’t make up for losing Reyes!
It’s your excuses and you still seem to have a problem realizing how FLAWED that logic was now that you DO want to spend!
We who oppose the letting Reyes go have said from the get go spend it on what is good and dave the money by not paying a lot for the CRAP we are using to fill in!
Play league minimum kids and cheap guys AROUND Reyes instead of just letting him go and spreading his money of crap that isn’t worth in total what it would have been if given to Reyes!
Sorry but your own arguments for reyes apply just as well to 5th Starters as they did to him!
Injury Prone yet!?!?
This is why I was hoping he’d get a start in September. To put this stuff to rest.
Do the Mets collect insurance against his salary if Santana doesn’t play ?
Find the answer to that question and you’ll know if he’ll be ready for Opening Day or not.
Who needs johan santana, METS JUST SIGN LHP CHUCK JAMES!!!!!
The King of Queens ?
I hear Oliver Perez is still looking for work…………………………..LOL
It was never a question that Santana was not a question, LOL. Anyone with any common sense knew that he would be a question mark to start the season. This is not saying he has had a set back or anything is different than it was in August or September. This is only the fact that while they anticipate things will be fine, they have NO idea how his shoulder will respond once he starts warming up for the season. Just because your 64 1/2 Mustang fired up in September on all cylinders does not mean that it will fire up in February after sitting in the garage all winter.
this injury is a bear. question: what did anybody expect from Santana this year coming off an arm injury like this one? my point is-he can be replaced. if he were coming back in good form and a threat to win 19, that is another story, of course. in our present reality, it is not, unless you are one of those met fans who always hopes against hope.
Well they should not trade Murphy until they make a decision on Wright.
My guess is that decision is already made and he is a goner just that Sandy knows it would be suicide if he traded him in the same “WINTER” as the one Reyes flew South in!
I have never been one to trash Wright or agree with many of the bitches levied against him but I have to admit without Reyes there really is no reason not to cash out on him and try to get a frontline pitcher for him. Not talking Kid or prospect here I mean a real deal pitcher!
Someone who can be here next season when an appearance by Harvey or Familia is more likely and prudent!
We would then be more like the Giants, Little bat more Pitching with a lineup of:
Harvey
Familia
Niese
Dickey
And whoever we get for Wright.
Santana could always be made the closer at that point if durability not Stuff is his problem.
That puts Murphy at 3rd, Turner at 2B (if Havens or some other kid doesn’t steal it from him) and Davis and Duda as the two big bats!
By then Bay’s situation will be clear and more dumpable and we can take things from there hoping Wheeler comes around before that Vet we traded Wright for starts to lose it!
I would like to see the Mets make run for Joe Saunders I think he would do good with the Mets and at Citi field. It would give us some depth incase Santana can not get started or finds out that he is not going to start again. This would add a lefty to the rotation who can eat innings which helps the pen. So if we can have a rotation that eat about 200 inning each help the Pen for the end of the season. we should also try to sign Ryan Theriot for the inn field 2nd and SS.
Also need to look at moving bay over to Right field and Duda to Left as talked about before. If we could get Calos Beltron for a 1 year with option 2nd I would sign him
I think Saunders would be good for fans in the OF seats that like HR balls as souvenirs. That may be a draw.
Kyle Lohse for Daniel Murphy is not a move for a rebuilding team. Maybe Kyle Lohse for Jamie Moyer would be.
If all you could get for Murphy is Lohse or Richard DO NOT TRADE him. THey are horrible we are better with what we have