Let the first-guessing begin.
Bobby Valentine chose experience over performance in trimming his starting rotation from six men to five before last night’s series opener against the Phillies at Shea.
For the most part, Octavio Dotel (7-2, 5.35) has been a more effective starter this season than Rick Reed (10-4, 5.05), but Reed remains in the rotation and the rookie has been demoted to emergency starter/extra reliever.
“Yeah, I’m surprised,” a shaken Dotel said. “I don’t feel very good, but I gotta take it. I’m not gonna fight with these guys. I’m just gonna take it.”
Taking advantage of idle days on both ends of the three-game series with the Phillies, Valentine deflated his rotation back to five pitchers in order to make sure staff ace Al Leiter gets a start in the three-game series at Atlanta, beginning Tuesday night.
Reed is scheduled to pitch the first game of the Braves series, Orel Hershiser the second, Leiter the third.
Valentine underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee yesterday morning and showed no ill effects from it. In fact, he proved he could still spin on it.
Valentine attempted to spin the move as a temporary one based on Dotel’s “flexibility,” but there was no getting around the obvious: It was the first step toward defining a postseason rotation the event the Mets qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 1988.
One decision down, one to go. Leiter (11-10, 4.24 going into last night’s start) and Kenny Rogers (5-0, 3.23) are assured spots in the postseason rotation and it appears Masato Yoshii (11-8, 4.75) and Hershiser (13-10, 4.49) are the leading candidates to nail down the final two spots, though Reed could force his way in with a strong finish or if either of the other two pitchers falters.
“He’ll be our wild card,” Valentine said of Dotel. “He’s the most flexible guy. He’s not set in his ways.”
By that, Valentine meant the hard-throwing righty would be least bothered by starting on irregular rest and could best adapt to working out of the bullpen.
“Maybe both,” Valentine said. “Moreso as a starter. If in fact the relief role is needed he’ll be able to do that.”
Valentine denied Dotel is out of contention for a spot in the four-man postseason rotation.
“I don’t think that’s an assumption at all,” Valentine said. “I wouldn’t make that assumption. It’s not my thinking. It very well could be that way, but it’s not the assumption I will make. He might pitch the first game of the postseason. Who knows? We might use three starters on the last day of the season.”
Having Dotel on hold gives the Mets confidence that if rainouts cause doubleheaders or a one-game playoff before the playoffs is needed, they will have a strong option available.
“I don’t think any other team can say I don’t care what happens with the weather or the standings at the end, we’re well prepared,” Valentine said.
Dotel has very little experience out of the bullpen, having appeared only three times as a reliever in the past three seasons.
“I’ve never been in the bullpen,” Dotel said. “If I’ve got to go there I’ll do the best I can there, too.”
He’d rather not go anywhere, but it’s not his call.
“Right now, I’ve just got to take it ’cause I’m not the boss,” Dotel said.
Before Dotel met with reporters to discuss his reduced role, Hershiser leaned over and whispered all the right things into his ear, urging the rookie not to blast away. As he has all season, Dotel followed Hershiser’s advice.
“Orel always stays on top of me,” Dotel said.
Even Hershiser couldn’t tame Dotel’s disappointment at not having a second crack at the Braves. Dotel made his major league debut at Turner Field in June and was rocked for six runs in 4 innings.
Asked if he was sorry he wouldn’t get another shot at the Braves, Dotel said, “Believe it.”