Setting aside for a moment what may or may not signal the resurgence of David Wright (or how the Nationals couldn’t manage to beat a team whose starter lasted all of 5 pitches), the postgame scene in DC last night was like none in recent memory, with Mets starter John Maine cursing his cautionary removal and pitching coach Dan Wathern dissing Maine as “a habitual liar”.   From the New York Daily News’ Andy Martino :

Maine shrugged when asked what he thought Manuel and pitching coach Dan Warthen saw that convinced them to pull him after one batter.

“I guess they didn’t see 95 (miles per hour),” he said, his face crunched into a tight scowl. “I mean, it was a little slower, but it was the third batter (actually first) of the game. I mean, cut me a little slack, you know? The last couple pitches, I started getting back to normal. The first couple pitches, whatever.”

In the bottom of the first, Maine threw five pitches in walking Nyjer Morgan, all between 82-25 miles per hour. Warthen and Jerry Manuel then visited the mound as Maine leaned forward with hands on his legs, and Manuel soon signaled for Raul Valdes before abruptly departing the field. Maine and Manuel, who did not speak on the field, argued in the dugout.

“When you throw your first pitch and you … see a guy warming up in the bullpen, it’s a lose-lose situation,” Maine said.

“I don’t have enough clout. I don’t have enough star power to say anything … I would like an explanation. Me throwing 85 miles an hour, I don’t think is a good explanation for me to be taken out of the game.”

Martino adds that Maine’s scheduled appointment with Mets doctors on Friday was news to the hurler prior to hearing about it from reporters.  Given the club’s history of malpractice (surely if they thought Maine had a concussion he’d have been allowed to throw 120 pitches and possibly pilot the team charter), concern for the player’s welfare while vultures are circling Manuel and staff would be admirable if the dialogue wasn’t so fractured.