Livan Hernandez will get the start today against the Braves, but all eyes will be on Freddy Garcia in what I believe could be a make or break moment for him. Garcia is slated to follow Livan Hernandez after he finishes pitching today.
If Garcia pitches well and shows any signs of improvement from his last three efforts, than he may live to pitch another day.
However, if he fails to show any signs of life in the form of increased velocity and improved control, he could be gone as soon as the weekend.
Livan has a comfortable lead in the number five derby going into the game today.
With Oliver Perez back in camp today, and Nelson Figueroa and Pedro Feliciano expected to be back by Friday, the Mets may want to start taking a longer look at Figueroa for that fifth spot in the rotation, which may spell doom for Garcia.
On a different note, I just learned that Aaron Boone will be undergoing open heart surgery to replace an aortic valve. We offer our best wishes for a successful surgery and a speedy recovery.
