D.J. Down, Paulino Stays Put

In case you missed it in yesterday’s post-game notes, D.J. Carrasco has been sent down to AAA Buffalo. This means that Dillon Gee stays up with the big club.

According to reports, Carrasco will be inserted into the Bisons’ starting rotation, presumably to take Gee’s spot in the rotation. I imagine that by getting a regular turn to throw multiple innings every five days, he will have a chance to work out his issues.

Meantime, Gee will head to the bullpen — for now. He has pitched all of 3 games out of the ‘pen as a professional, and all three in his initial season as a 21-year-old in Brooklyn in 2007. Though he has done well as a starter for the Mets thus far, it’s questionable whether he can be effective as a reliever. But, we can’t be too quick to count on Chris Young, who will pitch for the first time tomorrow after suffering biceps tendinitis (a precursor for a shoulder injury). My guess is we’ll see Gee back in the rotation sooner rather than later.

In other news, catcher Ronny Paulino will remain with Buffalo as he recovers from a pulled rib cage muscle. According to Adam Rubin, Paulino will play against the Rochester Red Wings on Tuesday, so he won’t return to the Mets until at least Wednesday, if not later in the week.

OK, how many other people are questioning whether this Paulino person actually exsists? Second, what’s the possibility that the Mets are holding back Paulino to give more reps to Mike Nickeas, who is hitting well recently and doing a good job of handling pitchers and calling games?