By JUSTIN TERRANOVA
Posted: 1:47 pm
July 23, 2008
The Mets will turn to John Maine to put last night's debacle behind them. At one time that would have sounded like a great idea, but not anymore.
A win tonight against the Phillies (7:10, SNY, WFAN) and the Mets would be tied on top of the NL East; a loss could put them in third place behind Philadelphia and the Marlins (if they beat the Braves).
Maine is 0-2 with a 6.63 ERA in his previous four starts. More disturbing than that is the high pitch counts he accumulates, which forces him out of games early. Not a good sign for interim manager Jerry Manuel, who saw his group of relievers tattooed for six runs in one inning in last night's 8-6 loss.
In Maine's 20 starts, he has averaged 5 2/3 innings and 104 pitchers. He has made it past the seventh inning once this season, in a 12-1 win over the Dodgers back on May 7.
"I don't know what it is," Maine said. "I work hard between starts. I go out there, and the little things here and the little things there are hurting me.
"I'm just struggling right now. I can't throw strikes. I walk too many people. They're just getting timely hits against me."
On July 5, Maine started against the Phillies and gave up one hit, but it was a three-run homer to Ryan Howard. He left that game with an arm cramp, but has not had that problem since.
The good news for the Amazin's is Maine looks like an ace compared to Brett Myers this season, who returns from a Triple-A demotion to start in Shea tonight.
Myers was 3-9 with a 5.84 ERA this season, a year removed from his temporary role as a closer.
"Command his fastball. Use his fastball. Pitch inside," Phillies pitching coach Rich Dubee said.
"I think he's ready. He thinks he's ready. I think he's got some of his confidence back."
Manager Charlie Manuel does not sound as positive.
"I'm kind of anxious to see how he does," Manuel said. "I think he's going to be fine."
That is a lot of "I thinks" from the Phillies coaching staff, which could be a troubling sign heading into a start of this magnitude. But the Mets cannot be sure about their starter, either.
Myers is looking forward to facing the Phillies' nemesis.
"I can't think of a better team for me to come back against," Myers said. "I don't like them. We're not supposed to like them. Nothing against the guys on the team -- they're our rivals. We like beating them; they like beating us."
With Mets.com and Phillies.com
