John

Maine

Maine allowed four earned runs in 6 2/3 innings this spring. He’ll open the season alongside Denny Bautista in the Double-A Bowie rotation.

Maine will probably head back to Triple-A after his start, but since a quality outing could change that, it’s a situation worth watching.

Maine fanned six, and only an error kept him from a perfect game. The sixth-round pick in 2002 was pitching his second game since joining Frederick from lower-level Delmarva where he had a 1.53 ERA and 108/18 K/BB.

Tim Byrdak, Todd Williams and B.J. Ryan finished up the 1-0 win. Maine gave up two hits, walked three and struck out three. He’s assured himself of at least one more start. It’s possible that he’ll remain in the rotation even after Sidney Ponson returns. Still, he shouldn’t be picked up in AL-only leagues right now.

Maine will get the start Saturday against the Blue Jays.

He’s replacing the injured Sidney Ponson in the rotation. It’s not very likely that he’ll have value in AL-only leagues, but he is worth watching. Eric DuBose might be sent down.

Three times the Phillies had two runners on base with just one out against Maine, but they never could capitalize. Now that Maine has a permanent rotation spot, he shouldn’t have to worry about starting on 10 days’ rest again, like he did tonight. He’s not going to keep pitching like this, and we’d have a hard time recommending him in mixed leagues. Still, he’s a fine play in NL-only leagues right now.

Dan Johnson hit a long homer in the fourth to end Maine’s streak, and Alfonso Soriano later contributed a two-run shot. Maine was pulled with a 4-3 lead, a man on second and one out in the sixth. Pedro Feliciano allowed the inherited run to score, only to get credited with the win after the Mets scored twice in the top of the seventh. Even though the streak is over, Maine should be fine to keep using in NL-only leagues for now.

Maine has allowed one run in 11 innings during his rehab assignment. There’s some chance that the Mets will put him into their rotation next week, but they’ll probably want to see how Alay Soler does in his third start first.