Tonight’s game has been postponed due to heavy rain and the threat of tornadoes in Atlanta. It has been rescheduled for May 20th.
With just the two games now on Saturday and Sunday, the Mets could choose to have Maine start Saturday and Santana on Sunday. The move will allow them to bump Mike Pelfrey who was originally scheduled to pitch Saturday against Tom Glavine.
To me it is the logical and most prudent move for the Mets. To do otherwise not only puts your worst chance of a win back into the mix in Pelfrey, but also takes your ace pitcher Johan Santana off of his normal day to work.
Some Mets fans may herald the rainout as a chance for Johan Santana to pitch the home opener. Hogwash. Santana will have plenty of starts at Shea this season. Our goal is to win games one day at a time. Each day, the Mets should field the team that gives us the best chance for a win.
Our first thought should be to sweep the remaining two games in Atlanta, and Santana and Maine give us the best chance of accomplishing that.
Let Oliver Perez pitch the home opener with the Mets at 4-1, rather than having Johan Santana pitch with the Mets at 3-2. If the Willie Randolph does let Pelfrey pitch on Saturday, it just tells me that he really learned absolutely nothing from the collapse.
A little harsh? Yeah… maybe… It’s just that the situation bares some resemblance to when Randolph gave Brian Lawrence and Phil Humber starts down the stretch, when he could have pitched Perez and Pedro on normal rest.
UPDATE 9:00 PM
Common sense prevails. Mike Pelfrey has been bumped setting up a 1-2 punch of John Maine and Johan Santana this weekend against the Braves’ Tim Hudson and Tom Glavine. (No Smoltz) Right on Willie!
