As odd as it sounds to complain about one of the few good starts we’ve gotten this season, Park really threw a monkey wrench into the works with his last start.  It seemed like it was falling nicely into place for Happ and we’d at least get some consistency from the 5 spot.  Now that’s on hold for probably at least two more starts. 

It’s not that I want Park to fail.  Not at all.  It’s that we simply must have consistency from 4 of the 5 spots in the rotation (if we plan on making the playoffs that is) and, as of right now, we are not getting it from any one of them.  If Happ can give us that out of the 5 spot, that’s one down.  Gotta figure that Hamels will get himself together, which takes care of the 1 spot.  And then there’s the other 3…………

So how do we get Happ into the rotation now?  Neither Myers nor Blanton (who seems to be coming around) are going anywhere anytime soon—remember, we went a long time with both Myers and Eaton last year.  The bullpen is not an option for either of them and trade talk, which would most likely involve Myers,  is two months away—too long to wait.

I too was against giving Moyer a 2-year contract.  It smacked of the mistakes we made in giving Dykstra and Daulton new deals after our last world series run in 1993.  Moyer is not a candidiate for the bullpen either.  I’d love it if he would swap roles with Happ but after a 20+ year career spent entirely as a starter I can’t see him going for it, no matter how much of a team guy he is.

Moyer is interesting though.  He is two sides of a razor thin coin.  While it doesn’t take much—–poor location, tight strike zone, patient veteran hitters—–for him to get pounded like he did last night, it doesn’t take much—–good location, wider strike zone, impatient young hitters—-for him to be successful either.  Moyer has been at this a long time.  He knows his mechanics and how to self-correct.  Also, he has been pitching the same way for quite a while, so he knows what to do.  It’s not like he just lost his fastball and has to learn to pitch an entirely new way.  Chances are pretty good he’ll be able to right the ship and contibute. 

The best we can hope for is that Moyer can hang in there and give us something this year.   Then we need to part ways with him.  By all appearances he’s on the way out and we can’t go with him for another year.

I don’t know how it will all shake out, but however it does it had better happen soon.  Our bullpen is covering now, but at this rate guys will be at 70 appearances in early August and will be fried coming down the stretch.  If we don’t get innings from our starters ASAP, it will most certainly hurt us later on when we usually make our patented late-season run.

jurnee16, that was a fantastic play by Howard, wasn’t it?  Too bad that instead of being replayed and remembered, it will be forgotten since Park couldn’t finish it off.  Also, Werth hesitated TWICE before finally throwing home on his 3rd windup.  Too bad again because, watching the replay, you could see that Delgado was just jogging around the bases because of his hip and he didn’t pick it up after he rounded 3rd either.  Throw the ball the first time and Werth would have him by 10 feet.

BTW, Pelfrey pitched against us last FRIDAY, not Saturday.  Sorry for the mixup.  Regardless, we got to him for 7 hits and 4 walks in 5 1/3 innings but couldn’t make him pay, scoring only 3 runs off of him.  Got to do better tonight.

We’ve got to get to Pelfrey tomorrow.  He didn’t pitch well against us last Saturday and we didn’t really make him pay for it.

Great start by Chan Ho.   It’s hard to imagine how the Mets starters can have as bad ERAs as they do in that ball park.  Utley’s drive to the warning track was crushed. 

K-Rod is officially welcomed to the rivalry.  He looks like a guy we can give a few blown saves to this season.