Rotation Could Turn into Strength

One of the biggest question marks for the Mets entering the 2011 season is the rotation. It looks pretty weak now, but if everything goes right it could end up to be a major strength.

Mike Pelfrey, Jonathon Niese and R.A. Dickey are the three stalwarts of the rotation. Chris Young will be the fourth starter, and Dillon Gee and Chris Capuano will battle it out for the fifth spot. I would like to see Gee get the chance. He could be an important part of the Mets future, while Capuano is clearly just a rental. Why waste time with him?

So let’s say the starting five pitches reasonably well in the first half of the season. And let’s say Johan Santana comes back healthy and Jenrry Mejia is tearing up Triple-A (Terry Collins said on Wednesday he could envision Mejia joining the team sometime during the summer).

Suddenly the Mets could have seven solid starters

Of course, this is assuming a lot. It is assuming Dickey was not a one-year phenomenon, Niese can continue his progression, the “good” Pelfrey shows up, Young can stay healthy and Gee can pitch at the big league level. And that Santana can come back and that Mejia can tear-up Triple-A.

“The Mets” and “a strong rotation” — when was the last time those two phrases went together?