If you listen to Cashman’s interview with Kay yesterday (on ESPN 1050), it’s hard not to come away with the impression that it was an organizational decision based on purely baseball considerations while also taking Joba’s personal preference into account.

Does anyone else find it strange that they are transitioning Joba by having him throw again on two days rest, and about ten pitches more – 45 being the reported target?

Is this how its been done before? At what point do you move him onto a five day schedule, with bullpen sessions in between?

I notice Wang is going now on Sunday, and its being presented as wanting to test his calf with fielding drills first. But isn’t it obvious that Wang is the wrong pitcher to send out on a day that Joba is getting his extra work in, but Mussina, who is unlikely to go six complete in any circumstance, makes perfect sense going on three days rest after a short outing?

Of course, it doesn’t make perfect sense to Mussina, who needs four days rest, partly cloudy skies and a relative humidity no higher than 75% in order for him to feel “right”.

Sorry, couldn’t resist.

Maybe you solve the problem or rotation overcrowding by moving Hughes to Joba’s job, then delete someone in the pen to slide the least effective of Moose or IPK there as a true long man.

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That would make a lot of sense. Hughes could then be transitioned back into starting the same way in the future.

I would say that Joba still isn’t a starter now… but you need to allow for some transition.

You could do this a couple ways, let him stay in the pen, and gradually increase his innings (from one to multiple, then to multiple-multiple) OR you can send him away to Scranton to stretch it out.

In doing it this way, I would guess Joba’s starting by the ASB, which is interesting because that’s roughly when Rick Vaughn, er, Phil Hughes is supposed to come back from his rib and eye issues.

Maybe you solve the problem or rotation overcrowding by moving Hughes to Joba’s job, then delete someone in the pen to slide the least effective of Moose or IPK there as a true long man.

Oh, and by the way…

I know we had this debate before, YES v. SNY, but what’s up with this network? It’s like WFAN’s TV arm or something. The entire station is filled with FAN’s anonymous Mets-centric hosts. They need to cast a larger net.

Considering the plan was for him to start the moment they drafted him, yes, I would say it was a “team” decision. They had him starting in the spring, with the explicit intention to start him at some point. Since they don’t do anything with the young pitchers that isn’t planned out in the extreme, you have to believe this was the plan all along. But if it makes better press to suggest Hank “demanded” this — though there’s no evidence he has done anything but talk at this point — then, hey, why not?