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First of all, I am well aware that Mike Pelfrey’s pitching, so I didn’t mean the question so literally.

The answer? We will all find out at 7:10 p.m. tonight. Mike Pelfrey, who I look at as kind of a modern day Oliver Perez who throws right handed, will take the hill tonight against those pesky Washington Nationals, who many say may have one of the best pitching staffs in the National League.

Tonight, all eyes will be on big Pelf. Remember how he was such a highly touted prospect out of Wichita State? Well we haven’t seen much of that stardom since he’s been at the Major League level. Sure, we’ve seen flashes, so we know the talent is there. But most of us seem to correlate Mike Pelfrey with a question mark, because nobody in their wildest dreams would place a bet on him on any given day. He’s a guy that has the stuff to throw a complete game shutout, but he also has outings in which he will walk seven, strike out one and will still somehow only give up three runs. Then there’s the nightmare outings.

The bottom line? This year is put up or shut up time for Pelfrey. He needs to be the back end of the rotation guy that the Mets need. If the Mets are going to battle for a wildcard spot (insert undefeated and division leading jokes here), Pelfrey is going to be an integral part of the puzzle. If he continues to be the same old Pelfrey, he could be joining the unemployment line before the season is out.

Thoughts?

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Don’t worry. Your eyes are not deceiving you. It is I…the czar of the Daily Stache, making my triumphant return to talk about all things Metropolitans.

First of all, AFMU.com is the worst to host a website. Don’t make the same mistake we did. Anyway, back to new business.

The Mets don’t have much to lose this year…except games. We all expect plenty of that, but there are several glimmers of hope to keep an eye out for. Here’s a look.

The Return of Ike Davis — Perhaps the most promising part of the future of the Mets, Ike needs to prove his health and step up as a leader. With the fences moved in, he should be primed to have a sensational year as long as he can stay on the field. My early prediction for his line (if he plays at least 140 games) is .281, 31 HR, 109 RBI.

Daniel Murphy’s Bat in the Lineup — We all know that he can mash as well as anyone, but can he handle the position at second base? We saw that he can handle third, so that may lie in his future if David Wright is eventually traded. If he plays at least 140 games, look for a .308, 18 HR, 81 RBI line.

Will Lucas Duda Continue Improving — This is a guy I thought was nothing better than a scrub until his emergence last year. Now, we look at him as a source of power, and he is a lock to be the starting right fielder on opening day. Defensively, it will probably be an adventure, but offensively, he is capable of being a force, as he can hit the ball as far as anybody. For his line, if he stays healthy, I expect .265, 23 HR, 90 RBI.

Mike Pelfrey’s Farewell Tour — Pelfrey is my least favorite Met in recent memory, and he is going to really need to refine his game to change that perception. We all know the talent is there, just like it was with Oliver Perez, but Pelfrey has never been able to keep his head on straight. He always buckles under pressure, and I see no reason why this will be his breakout season. Don’t be surprised if he’s demoted to the bullpen at some point. Also, why is this a glimmer of hope? I think Pelfrey will either be dealt during the season or will leave after the season.

Thoughts?