Pitching Starved Mets May Gamble on Mike Pelfrey

The good news is his 97-mph sinker. The bad news is he's just 22 with his only major league experience coming during the Mets spring camp. Mike Pelfrey did not get to play much, just one start. But he won, striking out six in seven innings with a 1.29 ERA before he was sent down, and manager Willie Randolph remembered where he stashed him. Ordinarily a pitcher like the 6-foot-7 Pelfrey would not be given much consideration this early in his career, but with the Mets starting rotation down to just three regulars, Pelfrey may get a look. The 2002 No. 9 overall pick has a 3.78 ERA at AA Binghamton, striking out 21 in 17 innings. In addition to his blazing fastball Pelfrey has a dependable changeup and a snappy curve, skills that bought him a signing bonus and four-year contract worth more than $6 million with incentives.