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Thursday, 27 January 2011 15:13 |
By Dennis Lowe (Photos: S. Grieco/NYSB)
With the arrival of pitchers and catchers in Port St. Lucie around the corner, the Mets focus on putting together a viable rotation to compete in the National League East.
 Entering the 2011 season, the Philadelphia Phillies arguably have the best stating rotation in baseball. Two-time CY Young Award winner and seven-time All-Star selection Roy Halliday leads a staff which includes former Cy Young Award winner Cliff Lee, 2008 World Series MVP Cole Hamels, three-time All-Star Roy Oswalt and Joe Blanton. The Phillies have dedicated more than $255 million in building a rotation which won 76 games in 2010. Time will tell if money can buy Philadelphia another championship. In Atlanta, the Braves will depend on veterans Tim Hudson and Derek Lowe to lead a staff which also includes Tommy Hanson and Jair Jurrjens leaving the fifth spot up for grabs. Following Tommy John surgery, Hudson enjoyed success in 2010 finishing the season with a record of 17-9 and a very respectable 2.83 ERA. Lowe struggled last season but redeemed himself with a 5-0 record and 1.17 ERA in September propelling the Braves into the playoffs. Hanson, 24, enters his third season with Atlanta following a successful season in 2010. The young righty compiled a 10-11 record with a 3.33 ERA but dealt all season with little offense support, spotty defense and numerous bullpen breakdowns. Hanson led the Braves staff in strikeouts with 173 while walking only 56 hitters. The Mets hope they have the answers in countering the staffs of their divisional rivals. With Johan Santana unavailable until June, general manager Sandy Alderson brought veteran pitchers Chris Capuano and Chris Young to Queens to bolster the rotation. Mike Pelfrey, named the ace of the staff by manager Terry Collins, hopes to lead a staff which right now includes R. A. Dickey, Jonathan Niese, Young and Capuano however others will battle to crack the starting five. In 2010, Pelfrey led the Mets staff with 15 wins in 34 starts and totaled a team-high in innings pitched with 204. The durable right-hander, will likely match up against some of the National League’s top pitchers until the return of Santana.  Dickey, 36, will look to knuckle his way through another impressive season. In 2010, the Nashville, Tennessee native compiled an 11-9 record with an outstanding 2.84 ERA. Niese enters his fourth season with the Mets following a 2010 campaign in which he compiled a 9-10 and a 4.20 ERA. The left-handed pitcher led the team in strikeouts fanning 148 hitters. Capuano compiled a record of 4-4 in nine starts last season with the Milwaukee Brewers. The former All-Star suffered an elbow injury during Spring Training in 2008 and underwent Tommy John surgery for the second time in his career. The southpaw’s best season came in 2005 when he posted an 18-12 record for the Brew Crew. Due to a strained right shoulder in 2010, Young saw limited action starting in only four games but posting a 2-0 record with a 0.90 ERA in 20.0 innings for the San Diego Padres. Young and Capuano appear to be healthy, which is good news if the Mets plan of acquiring two low risk-high return pitchers works out. Other Mets pitchers on the roster will try to earn a spot in a rotation which if definitely not set in stone at the point. Pat Misch (0-4, 3.83 ERA), Dillon Gee (2-2, 2.18 ERA), Oliver Perez and others will all make their pitch during Spring Training to make the 2011 Opening Day staff. |
