Kind of off the subject, but while looking for a link to the Bannister story I came across this amusing bit of info.

The Tides are running a poll on their Web site: Who is the most exciting player you've seen at Harbor Park this season?

One of the choices is Jose Lima.

-- MWE

One of the choices is Jose Lima

well if you are a fan of the visiting team he'd be a pretty good selection

i just voted for limatime. :)

Back to the topic at hand:

The Toledo announcers (the only on-line broadcast for some reason) seemed to think that Bannister might have been rushed back into action too soon, before the hamstring was fully ready to take the pounding. I'm wondering if (a) that is the case and (b) if so, whether it was Bannister or the Mets who tried to push it.

-- MWE

Soler should replace Lima in the rotation. Soler dominated A-ball (0.64 in 28 innings) which doesn't mean much as he's old for that league. He's continued to pitch well in AA:

19.2 IP, 15 hits, 22/3 K/BB ratio, no homers, 2.75 ERA.

Of Soler's three starts, only one - in Altoona - was against a good hitting team, and that was (probably not coincidentally) his worst start, although he did hold the Curve to 4 hits in six innings, allowing three runs, walking 1, and fanning five. The three runs he allowed were mostly due to the speed of Vic Buttler. The other two were against what is probably the worst offense in the league (New Hampshire) and against a lesser team in what is probably the best park for pitchers in the league (Connecticut). Eight of the 12 teams in the league have *team* ERAs of 3.33 or below. Seen in that context, 2.75 ain't great. I'd wait and see what happens to Soler in a month or so; no point in pushing him now.

-- MWE

I'd wait and see what happens to Soler in a month or so; no point in pushing him now.

I can think of one.

The Tides are running a poll on their Web site: Who is the most exciting player you've seen at Harbor Park this season?

One of the choices is Jose Lima.

It says exciting, it doesn't say anything about good. And it is exciting to see all the opposing players running around the bases.

I don't think the Mets have the luxury of NOT rushing Soler. Unless they put Heilman in the rotation.

I'd wait and see what happens to Soler in a month or so; no point in pushing him now.

Usually I would agree with this but when Jose Lima is starting games you need to push any decent option to the majors as quickly as possible.

I can think of one.

I understand the point, but my point is that I don't think Soler's ready to contribute on a regular basis in the majors just yet. He's not *really* dominating AA hitters to the extent that his raw stats suggest; he's been lucky enough to face a gack-awful offense and to pitch in the worst gack-awful park for hitters in the EL (if not in the minors) in three starts. Soler might be better than Lima (not that it's difficult to be that, I know), but I don't believe that he's going to be *enough* better *today* to justify yanking him to the majors.

I'd go for Evan MacLane first, honestly.

-- MWE

I'd go for Evan MacLane first, honestly.

There we go. All we needed was a name.

FREE EVAN MACLANE!!