Can the Mets actually turn to Jorge Sosa or Nelson Figueroa?
With the health of Orlando Hernandez and the poor performance from Mike Pelfrey, Sosa or Figueroa could be an option for the 5th starter spot.
Sosa, who went 7-6 with a 4.59 ERA as a starter last year, would be able to slip into that position, but they seem more content with keeping him out of the bullpen in the long relief role. Sosa went 2-2 with a 4.18 ERA coming out of the bullpen last year after shifting there due to a string of bad starts.
Figueroa, who has a 7-17 career record with a 4.65 ERA, has been pretty impressive so far this spring. He has a 2-1 record with a 3.38 ERA this spring. He has mainly appeared in minor league games lately, but after yesterday's absolute disaster, I think the Mets should take a serious look at him.
At best, Figueroa can fill in at the 5th spot, while Pelfrey and El Duque spend time at the extended minor league spring training, getting in more work and trying to stay healthy.
I can't believe it's come to this, as it's a sobering look at the Mets after all the hype of Johan Santana and the like. This is something the Mets should get used to, as the biggest issue facing them this year is injuries.
