Consider Gee

The Mets are trying to figure out just who should be their SP5 for the remainder of the season. Seems Hisanori Takahaski is beginning to show signs of peaking, and, even though Oliver Perez is pitching well at the AAA level, he’s still only in the 84-88 range, which has been deadly for him in the pros.


No, the Mets need a new SP5.


But, here’s the good news. Every team needs an SP5. The Mets aren’t the only team that can’t seem to find five decent starting pitchers. The Phillies’ Joe Blanton, who’s a perfect example of one of the better SP5s out there, has a 6.21 ERA after 14-starts.


Jerry Manuel had a meeting with the beat reporters today and outlined the immediate future for this role. Takahashi will pitch his next turn, while Perez will be activated and placed in the pen as a LOOGY. Anything past that is open for discussion, and since everyone out in Met land seems to have an opinion about this, so do I.


Dillon Gee has been pitching… err… well, okay… at AAA-Buffalo. He went into Sunday’s game with a record of 8-5, 4.77, in 18-starts, which includes an 11-K outing July 10th against Rochester. For the season, Gee has 102-Ks in 103.2-IP, but more importantly, only 26-BB.


Here’s some stuff that I have written about him this year:


1-1-10 Forecast: No sick speed or 5- tools here. Just good ole Tom Glavine-like control. And, it works. Gee still charts out as the SP5 in 2012 and he should prove his value again in 2010 for Buffalo.


4-19-10: - Stock Up: Gee has rebounded fantastically this season after being shut down last season due to labrum problems. No one expected him back when ST started, though that’s what he told us would happen in a Q&A we did with him in the off-season. So far, in two starts, he’s 2-0, 0.00, 0.46, and 12-Ks in 13.0-IP.I don’t think Gee is an option for Queens this year, but it would be great if he can be dominant at AAA for a run at the SP5 spot next spring.


5-23-10: - The Bisons won their fourth straight game on Saturday night, 4-1 in the first game of a four-game road trip against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs at Coca-Cola Park. Dillon Gee delivered another quality start for the Herd giving up just a run on three hits over 6.2 innings. The lone run came on a Melvin Dorta solo homer in the third frame. Gee improved to 5-1 on the year. Gee figured into the game offensively as well, leading off the third inning with a walk. After advancing to third on a double by Jesus Feliciano, Gee scored the Bisons first run of the game on a Mike Jacobs groundout.


5-24-10: - Dillon Gee – SP – AAA – Obviously, the Mets are looking for some decent starters to get through the first half of the season, and Dillon Gee should be the next one called on from Buffalo. So far this season, he has put up respectable numbers (5-1, 3.86, in 9-ST) and, depending upon the healing schedule of both Jonathan Niese and John Maine, we may seen him sooner than later in


6-30-10: - Gee pitched his best AAA outing of the season Tuesday night… 7.0-IP, 1-ER, 3-H, 6-K, 1-BB. His ERA is now down to 5.00 and comes off a June 24th outing where he gave up 7-ER in three innings pitched. The Mets need as many good nights from their limited list of prospects that isn’t injured. This is trade time and Gee could easily be in a package deal. This is now his 16th outing this year in Buffalo.


Oh, he’s had his share of clunkers this season, but right now, he’s the best of who would be ready… and… did I mention that he went 8.0-IP, 3-H, 1-R, 8-K, 1-BB… yesterday?