FanHouse JorgeSosa

If you're new to these proceedings, click here and here to catch up on what you've missed.

If you're not into the extended catch-up, you've missed a six-run Mets fourth and a two-run Josh Willingham home run and some entertaining fat men dancing. Johan Santana's on his way to his first Mets win, we'll see if he can get it after the jump.

On Deck is FanHouse's look at the day's most intriguing matchups

Chicago Cubs (47-43) vs. San Francisco Giants (38-51)-ESPN 7:05PM Est.

There hasn't been a better team in baseball the last few weeks than the Chicago Cubs. How often do they get to say that? They're fresh off their first sweep of the Astros at Wrigley Field since 1984, and have won 15 of their last 19 games to get within 3.5 of the Milwaukee Brewers. Rich Hill gets the start for the Cubs tonight, if he can pull himself away from those online babes, and he's struggling. Hill is 1-5 with a 5.20 ERA in his last eleven starts. Luckily for him, he's facing Barry Bonds at the right time. Bonds doesn't have a hit in his last 20 at bats, let alone a home run, and the frustration is starting to get to him. Barry did hit two home runs at Wrigley Field last season, so maybe a game there will help relieve some of that stress. Tim Lincecum goes for the Giants.

On Deck is The Fanhouse's look at the day's most intriguing baseball matchups

New York Mets (41-32) vs. St. Louis Cardinals (33-39)-ESPN2 7:05PM Est.

The last time the Cardinals visited Shea Stadium they were dogpiling on the pitcher's mound and preparing themselves to go win a World Series. This time around they're just trying to get back to .500. Mike Maroth will be making his first start for the Redbirds after they acquired him from the Tigers last week. He'll be facing a Mets team that's won three in a row, and looks like it might be coming out of it's June swoon. Jorge Sosa starts for the Metropolitans, and I'm sure he's hoping Paul Lo Duca doesn't throw his catchers equipment at him.

Going into Tuesday night's game with the Marlins, Mike Pelfrey was under an optical microscope. With each of Pelfrey's previous three starts getting progressively worse, Omar Minaya indicated that his "blue chip prospect" status wouldn't keep Pelfrey from being sent back down to the minors:

"You got to perform up here at some point or time," Minaya said bluntly. "You got to perform or else we'll go down for other options in the minor leagues."

With Orlando Hernandez on the shelf with bursitis, it seemed that Pelfrey's spot would have been a little safer. But the Mets have options in New Orleans with Jorge Sosa, Phil Humber, and Jason Vargas having good seasons in AAA. (Sosa had pitched on Sunday, but why the Mets brought up Chan Ho Park on Monday instead of Humber or Vargas is beyond me.)

Pelfrey pitched better on Tuesday against Florida so his job, which seemingly is up for debate from start to start, is safe for another start. But the Mets still lost the game, and his tenuous hold on that fifth spot may point the Mets elsewhere if he doesn't continue to improve.

Jorge Sosa appears to be the candidate du jour, especially given that the 29-year-old right-hander has major-league experience, a live arm and a sparkling 4-0 record and 1.13 ERA at the team's Triple-A affiliate in New Orleans. Another possibility includes left-hander Jason Vargas (2-2, 4.55). Right now, it doesn't look like the Mets plan to call up rookie right-hander Philip Humber (2-2, 4.15), who was the team's No. 1 pick in 2004. Minaya also said the Mets may be looking to add another arm via a trade, saying that the team is "always looking."

Said (Tom) Glavine: "It adds a little bit of craziness to the mix. You'd love nothing better than to come in here everyday and know whose pitching. ...That's not the case. If the guy you bring in here has a bad game, or a bad couple of games, yeah, there's a little bit of 'Who's pitching tonight?'"

Glavine should know ... he pitched on a team in 2006 that endured 13 starting pitchers, a list which included Jose Lima and Geremi Gonzalez. Now that was craziness.

This was the reason that the Mets even signed Chan Ho Park. Orlando Hernandez took his inevitable trip to the disabled list with bursitis in his shoulder, and Park was lying in wait at AAA New Orleans. Unfortunately, Park was also lying with a 7.29 ERA in the minors, making Met fans hold their breath as Park, and not Jorge Sosa who was pitching brilliantly for the Zephyrs but had already thrown six innings on Sunday, made Monday night's start in place of El Duque.

The results were not good, as Park gave up a two out single in the third inning to Scott Olsen of all people, which opened the floodgates for two innings full of bloop hits, home runs by small middle infielders (Alfredo Amezaga), and lots and lots of pitches that missed the strike zone. Despite that ...

"I really didn't think he threw as bad as it looked," catcher Paul Lo Duca said.

Maybe not, and maybe the Mets defense contributed with some sloppy play by Damion Easley in their 9-6 loss (Easley now starts in place of Jose Valentin who is lost to the Mets with a partial tear of his right ACL). But the circumstantial evidence is not good. Park's high AAA ERA, along with giving up a home run to a guy who hadn't hit one since last August 31st tells a different story.

And that's not even mentioning giving up the hit to Olsen which started it all ... but in fairness to Park, Olsen has been hitting everyone equally. The Marlins hurler has a batting average of .545 in his brief eleven at-bat season. The secret of his success?

"Luck," Olsen said. "Obviously, this ain't going to keep up."

Unless he faces Chan Ho Park again.

Chan Ho Park battled for a job this spring training and now he's got one. However, it's not the one he really wanted. Mets brass came up with the decision on Friday night, but failed to tell Park about it until after his performance on Saturday. It was a performance, by the way, that Park had expected would go five innings, but instead he was pulled after three to start to get him used to relief work. Park's surprise turned to disappointment:

"I came here looking for a job as a starter, that's for sure," said Park, who agreed to a $600,000, one-year contract with the Mets in the offseason. "They asked me to be a reliever, and obviously I'm unhappy. I have to figure out what's best for the team."

It's simple, really. What's best for the team is to have right handed relievers that aren't complete dog meat. And right now Park, who pitched effectively in relief at the 2006 World Baseball Classic, is a better bet to come out of the pen from the right side than say, Ambiorix Burgos (an 8.76 ERA in the spring), Jon Adkins (8.10 ERA) or Jorge Sosa (who's one good season came with Leo Mazzone as his pitching coach). Park is needed in the pen until guys like Duaner Sanchez and Guillermo Mota return from injury and suspension.

And also what's best for the team is Park (and Aaron Sele, who has also won a job with the Mets ... most likely in the bullpen) to be around as insurance for Tom Glavine (age 41) and Orlando Hernandez (age 37 or 41 depending on who you believe). El Duque has torn a calf while running, cramped up while running, and developed arthritis in his neck ... all in the last six months. Mike Pelfrey will most likely already be in the rotation, and nobody knows when/if Philip Humber will be ready this season. So Park is needed to be on the same page with the Mets' line of thinking. Hopefully after the surprise wears off, he will be.

Previously on The Fanhouse:
El Duque is old
Mike Pelfrey is young
Duaner Sanchez's suspension begins
Duaner Sanchez's suspension ends