Mets Pitching is a Mess

Starting pitching was supposed to be a strength — perhaps the only strength — for the Mets this season. But now the starting pitching, in addition to the bullpen, is just a mess.

Think about it; the rotation was supposed to be Johan Santana, R.A. Dickey, Jonathon Niese, Dillon Gee and Matt Harvey. Pretty solid. But of course, Dickey was traded. He was replaced by Shaun Marcum, who got beaten up in his first Spring Training start, then asked to be held out of game action. He finally returned to the mound on Tuesday, pitching two scoreless innings in a “B” game. But by all accounts he is not close to being ready.

Nor is Santana, who looks more and more likely to begin the season on the disabled list rather than on the mound at Citi Field. Jeremy Hefner is expected to hold his place in the rotation until Santana is in “pitching shape,” as Sandy Alderson might put it.

Jenrry Mejia, who could have been a contender for Santana’s spot, was scratched from his start on Tuesday and sent to New York for an undisclosed issue that cropped up in his physical.

To the bullpen now, where closer Frank Francisco is still injured and hasn’t pitched in a game. It would be a shock if he goes North with the Mets

Pedro Feliciano finally appeared in a game on Tuesday. He was wearing a heart monitor, to keep an eye on a recently diagnosed heart condition. He allowed a home run in his one inning of work. LaTroy Hawkins also made his debut on Tuesday, allowing a run and committing an error in two innings.

So overall things are not looking so rosy for the Mets pitching corps, which actually fits in with the rest of the team.