Tag: John Maine

John Maine Attempting Comeback From Injury

John Maine hasn’t pitched in a game for the Mets since August 23rd. He’s got bone spurs in his right shoulder but is trying to come back for the final week of the season and maybe the playoffs.

Maine will throw 15-20 pitches against three batters in Atlanta today. He did throw 10 pitches on Thursday in Washington and pitching coach Dan Warthen described the workout as “unimpressive”.

Warthen has downplayed the chances of Maine coming back and making a contribution this season. The plan going forward is for Maine to come off the disabled list on Monday and pitch in relief appearances of no more than one inning. Initially, he’ll be pitching in games with a run differential of five or more to keep the pressure off him.

As much as I’d like to see Maine get back and help the team this season, he’s one of the most valuable players the Mets have based on his talent and that he’s still under the Mets control for several years before he becomes arbitration eligible. They can’t take a chance on doing something this season that could hurt his chances of helping the Mets in the future.

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Mets Roster Moves- Castro, Figueroa, Cancel, and Rincon

Catcher Ramon Castro went on the 15-day disabled list with a strained quad today, and the Mets recalled Robinson Cancel from Triple-A New Orleans to replace him on the roster.

The Mets also optioned Argenis Reyes to New Orleans and purchased the contract of Nelson Figueroa. Figgy will likely replace John Maine in the rotation while he’s on the disabled list. Maine may even be lost for the season with bone spur problems in his throwing shoulder.

Figgy did a decent job in his first couple of starts for the Mets early this season. But the competition quickly caught up to him.

The Mets received pitcher Ricardo Rincon back from a loan to Mexico City. He was assigned to New Orleans.

Mets Roster Moves- Maine To DL; Castillo Activated

The Mets decided to go ahead and put John Maine on the disabled list because of the bone spurs in the back of his right shoulder. He hasn’t been the same pitcher over the last month and a half at all. There’s been some talk from Jerry Manuel that Maine’s season may be over, from NY Post:

“I think if we do rest him, I would think it would be a complete shutdown,” Manuel said in today’s Post. “I have to take in everything and make a decision because we want to do what’s best for John Maine, we want to do what’s best for the team. We’re in a pennant race.”

Maine to the disabled list eliminated any questions about who would go off the active roster when Luis Castillo came back. He’s in the starting lineup tonight against the Astros after not playing since July 2 because of a hip flexor injury. Now the Mets have three second basemen on the team and continue their curious roster decisions. For much of the season they’ve been carrying three catchers.

Mets P Maine Will Need Off-Season Surgery

John Maine will require surgery in the off-season to remove a bone spur on the back of his right shoulder according to the Daily News. He isn’t able to throw between starts now because of the pain but plans to pitch the rest of the season through the pain.

It’s been obvious for some time that Maine has a medical problem. He had soreness in his forearm and then his shoulder. His velocity has been way down and he just doesn’t look like the same type of pitcher over the last month plus.

Maine Shelled As Mets Lose To Astros 8-3

John Maine had a really bad start going 5.2 innings and giving up 8 runs. He still doesn’t have the velocity on his fastball that he had in the first half of the season.

Ryan Church looked good in his comeback going 2 for 4 with an RBI and a run scored. And Brian Schneider hit another homer tonight. He’s really finding an offensive groove right now.

The Phillies won today so the Mets are only 1.5 games up in the division with a series in Philly coming up next week.

Box score

On Deck- August 23- Astros at Mets [Game 2]

Houston Astros (64-64 Road: 30-36) at New York Mets (72-57 Home: 40-23) 7:10pm

Brandon Backe (7-12 5.62) vs. John Maine (10-7 3.82)

TV: SNY  Radio: WFAN

What to watch: The Mets go for their fifth consecutive win today with Luis Castillo back from the disabled list and starting at second base. Maine hasn’t lost a game in more than a month, since July 18th. But his velocity has been down lately which bears close watching. Backe got rocked in Houston in his last start for 11 runs over 5.2 innings. Lets’ hope he has another start like that tonight.

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