Give Isringhausen a Chance

Jason Isringhausen's Spring Training has been, in a word, perfect. Well...almost. He's walked two, and hit a batter, but has yet to give up a hit out of the bullpen.

Granted a good Spring Training can mean very little, just as a bad Spring Training doesn't mean much once the season starts.

But Isringhausen has been good. Real good, and he's making a pretty solid case for making the opening day roster.

In Monday's game against the Tigers, he pitched a scoreless inning, his third of the Spring, giving up one walk. He is scheduled to pitch tomorrow as well. It will be his first back-to-back outing.

He hit 89-90 MPH with his fastball in the game, and he also incorporated his curveball for the first time this Spring. Eventually he plans to work on his change-up.

Isringhausen told Anthony DiComo of Mets.com, ""Everything can end on one pitch. Everybody knows that. That's just the way baseball is. ... You just throw every day and hope for the best."

Nobody knows that better than Isringhausen, who was plagued with injuries during his first stint with the Mets. Since his first tour, he's had season-ending elbow surgery in 2008 when he was with the Cardinals, and strained his elbow again in 2009 when he was with the Rays which resulted in Tommy John surgery. 

He's gone from being a member of Generation K, to a two-time All-Star, to almost being knocked out of baseball due to injuries.

Nobody needs to tell Isringhausen that it could all be over in the blink of an eye. He also knows that this could be his final shot before entering retirement.

Much like last year was R.A. Dickey's comeback, breakthrough, year, this could be Isringhausen's.

He may be older, and he may not be hitting 96 MPH on the radar gun like he used to, but he hasn't lost his desire to play the game, nor has he apparently lost his talent on the mound.