Takahashi Belongs in the Bullpen

Takahashi has come down with the Johan Santana disease. This is where a decent pitching outing is destroyed by one horrible inning. Both Santana and Takahashi have been plagued with this problem in 2010. One inning ruins the whole game.

Such was the case last night. Takahashi gave up 6 runs in one inning thanks to a grand slam and a two run shot by Uggla and hence digging the Mets in a hole after they gave him a 3 run lead.

The amazing thing to me about last night was how after that inning Takahashi continued to get himself into trouble. On multiple occasions he had runners on second and third with less than 2 outs and was able to get out of the jam. Ultimately he only lasted 5 2/3 innings but it made me realize he's a guy that needs to be in the bullpen.

Hitters are able to make adjustments after seeing him the second time thru the lineup. He doesn't have amazing stuff, but if he were to enter a game after say Pelfrey pitched the first 6 innings, Takahashi's pitches would be a tremendous change for hitters to deal with.

With 6 wins on the season, I can't rail on Takahashi too much for being the makeshift replacement that he has been. He's done a decent job, but his starting rotation days should be numbered.

Cliff Lee's 9 inning performance against the Yanks last night should help move things along.

All Good Things Must Come to an End

Ah, it had to eventually end. The RA Dickey run of untouchable came to a screeching halt last night. Dickey gave up 5 runs in 5 innings, and it appeared the Marlins just weren't bothered by his knuckleball. He didn't seem to have the same speed on it as he did his last start, but I'm not bothered by this poor outing because Dickey has been so great since he came up from the minors.

The oddest event of the night was Jason Bay hitting two home runs. TWO! Must be that Puerto Rican air. It's a shame that Bay's two home runs came on a night when the Mets got pummeled but hopefully it's a sign he's finding his stroke again.

The last thing that stood out for me last night was the urgency for the Mets to get another top notch starter. Not because Dickey got tagged, but an extra starter allows Takahashi to move back to the bullpen where he is much needed. In addition a starter, like Cliff Lee, doesn't leave many days for the opposition to look forward to facing Mets pitching. Even with Santana's struggles, he's still an experienced picture who historically commands respect. Then you have a surging Pelfrey, a knuckleballer in Dickey and Niese as your back of the rotation guy.

Adding Cliff Lee to that mix would arguably be one of the best rotations in baseball. Of course you have to give up something to get something and who knows what that kind of move will require.