The Mets put sore-shouldered John Maine on the 15-day disabled list yesterday and are preparing to replace him in the rotation with highly regarded minor-leaguer Jon Niese, according to a person familiar with the club's thinking.
The Mets will maneuver their rotation so that they don't need a fifth starter until Sept. 2 at Milwaukee. When they do, it will likely be Niese, a 21-year-old lefthander who has made six starts for Triple-A New Orleans and is 5-1 with a 3.65 ERA.
Niese, the Mets' seventh-round pick in the 2005 draft, would be making his major-league debut in the white-hot cauldron of a pennant race.
General manager Omar Minaya, in confirming that Niese was a candidate, said: "I'm very comfortable with our young prospects coming here and doing it the way Argenis Reyes has done it, the way [Daniel] Murphy has done it, the way [Nick] Evans has done it. I feel comfortable internally that we'll find a way to get it done."
Minaya also mentioned youngster Bobby Parnell, and veterans such as Brian Stokes and Nelson Figueroa have also been discussed in the team's internal discussions. But Niese, who pitched Sunday, should have one more minor-league tuneup on a pitch count before he makes his major-league debut against the Brewers.
Source: Newsday
Original Story:
http://ddmetsfanblog.blogspot.com/200...
The Mets will maneuver their rotation so that they don't need a fifth starter until Sept. 2 at Milwaukee. When they do, it will likely be Niese, a 21-year-old lefthander who has made six starts for Triple-A New Orleans and is 5-1 with a 3.65 ERA.
Niese, the Mets' seventh-round pick in the 2005 draft, would be making his major-league debut in the white-hot cauldron of a pennant race.
General manager Omar Minaya, in confirming that Niese was a candidate, said: "I'm very comfortable with our young prospects coming here and doing it the way Argenis Reyes has done it, the way [Daniel] Murphy has done it, the way [Nick] Evans has done it. I feel comfortable internally that we'll find a way to get it done."
Minaya also mentioned youngster Bobby Parnell, and veterans such as Brian Stokes and Nelson Figueroa have also been discussed in the team's internal discussions. But Niese, who pitched Sunday, should have one more minor-league tuneup on a pitch count before he makes his major-league debut against the Brewers.
Source: Newsday
Original Story:
http://ddmetsfanblog.blogspot.com/200...
