Orlando Hernandez

With Pedro Martinez eyeing a late-April return, the Mets would appear set to move forward with their planned five-man rotation intact. But if New York wants to make the decision best for the team now, later in the season and even for 2009, they ought to consider a wacky idea: expanding to a six-man rotation as soon as Martinez or Orlando Hernandez is healthy enough to take the mound.

While the starting rotation has been a strength thus far, much of that success has come from the young Mike Pelfrey’s development, and from surprise success story Nelson Figueroa.  read more »

The Mets sent a pair of pitchers, Orlando Hernandez and Mike Pelfrey, to the mound on Sunday in Port St. Lucie in an attempt to settle on someone to take the fifth spot in the starting rotation. Neither provided much in the way of results—Hernandez gave up five earned runs in three innings, while Pelfrey was touched for eight earned runs in four and one-third in a 14-4 loss to the Cardinals.

But while both are, in many ways, learning how to pitch—Pelfrey due to inexperience, Hernandez with an altered delivery due to an ongoing bunion problem—only El Duque seemed to show any progress.  read more »

For much of the second half, Orlando Hernandez was the Mets’ best pitcher. He solidified the starting rotation behind Tom Glavine as John Maine struggled and Pedro Martinez labored toward a return.

But as the season enters its final days with the Mets allowing an ungodly number of runs, the possible return of El Duque could be a crucial fix for a Mets team that is backing into the postseason. Without him, either as a reliever or pushing John Maine to the bullpen, the middle innings appear to be one pitcher short.  read more »