Mets win, but Maine exits after five pitches

WASHINGTON - John Maine threw five pitches before he was removed from last night's game against the Nationals, and that may have included his final one for the Mets, who survived the early drama for a wild 10-7 victory.

Of all the crazy events of the past eight days, which included the loss of two starting pitchers, an unsettling visit by Jeff Wilpon and Wednesday's triple play, the war of words that erupted at the end of the 2-6 road trip was the most shocking.

Jerry Manuel and pitching coach Dan Warthen believe Maine is hiding an injury, and the Mets already have scheduled him to see a doctor Friday in New York. Maine strongly disagreed and was visibly upset afterward.

"I would like an explanation," Maine said. "Me throwing 85 mph I don't think is a good explanation to be taken out . . . I'm in no position, I don't have enough clout. I don't have enough star power to say anything. So what happens happens."

Warthen was suspicious of Maine as he watched him in the bullpen warming up but still decided to let him start the game. Knowing his history, Warthen was concerned about his lack of velocity - for Maine himself and the well-being of the team.

"It's 24 other guys out there playing their hearts out, all of us around here," Warthen said. "I just didn't think John had enough to compete tonight.

"If he's throwing that way, then there's got to be something incorrect in that arm," Warthen said. "John's a habitual liar in a lot of ways as far as his own health. He's a competitor and a warrior. He wants to go out there and pitch. But we have to be smart enough to realize this guy isn't right."

Before the game, Warthen told Manuel that Maine wasn't even throwing 80 mph in the bullpen. Once Maine did get to the mound, he began bouncing his warmup pitches.

That's when Manuel got Raul Valdes up in the bullpen and went out to remove Maine after the five-pitch walk to Nyjer Morgan. Maine's first two fastballs to Morgan were 82 mph and the last three were clocked at 85.

"I told him I just didn't want to take a chance on him," Manuel said. "He wanted to pitch. We got into a little exchange about that and I told him we were trying to protect his best interests."

Manuel left the mound without Maine in calling for Valdes, and once Maine got back to the dugout, the two argued about the decision. After the game, Maine said he had not been told of the doctor's appointment after being pulled without a question about how he felt.

"I didn't get asked, and I think that's what I'm most upset about," he said. "They said they saw something so they're taking me out; I'm a little hurt by that. It wasn't 100 mph the first pitch. I never got asked to really see how I was or anything like that.''

As angry as Manuel was with Maine, the Mets' offense helped brighten Manuel's mood somewhat. David Wright, fresh off Wednesday's benching, had four RBIs, including a three-run double, as the Mets equaled their highest run total of the season. "I'm glad it turned out the way that it did," Wright said. "But hopefully the days off don't become a habit."

Rod Barajas added a two-run homer, his team-leading 10th, and Ike Davis had three hits to help wrap up the trip on a positive note. It was closer than it had to be. The Mets led 10-1 in the sixth, but the Nats rallied to within 10-6 and had the bases loaded in the eighth when Pedro Feliciano retired Adam Dunn on a weak fly ball to left.

So the Mets return home for the Subway Series with a victory, but plenty of questions, too. Mostly involving the rotation, where they are likely to need a replacement for Maine.

"We'll have some decisions to make," Manuel said. "We'll have to get our heads together and determine which direction we're going to go."