With Brian Bannister starting on the same day in Toledo, the innings Jose Lima pitches Thursday afternoon in St. Louis probably will be the final segments of Lima Time -- for now. And after that, who can say?

All a manager wants from his starting pitcher these days is five or six innings and a chance to win. Lima hasn't provided that in either of his performances as a replace-Met. He allowed five runs in five innings against the Braves on May 7 and five in 4 2/3 against the Brewers five days later.

His fastball no longer has the zip to make his changeup effective.

Once Bannister and John Maine are healthy, Lima probably will be the No. 8 pitcher in a five-man rotation, with top prospect Mike Pelfrey closing on him.

Pitching matchup
STL: RHP Jason Marquis (4-4, 5.33 ERA)
He has a 6.30 ERA in his five starts at home. But he won his most recent start -- it was in St. Louis -- after losing four straight starts.

NYM: RHP Jose Lima (0-2, 9.31 ERA)
Lima has faced Albert Pujols 17 times. The results: a walk, four singles, a home run, no strikeouts and a .375 average.

Player to watch
What better time to start Ramon Castro? A nooner after a night game, and Castro has five hits, including two home runs and a double, in nine career at-bats against Marquis.

On the Internet
MLB.TV
Gameday Audio
• Gameday
• Official game notes

On television
• SNY

On radio
• WFAN 660 AM, WADO 1280 AM (Español)

Up next
• Friday: Yankees (LHP Randy Johnson, 5-4, 5.13 ERA) at Mets (RHP Jeremi Gonzalez, 0-0, 5.40 ERA), 7:10 p.m. ET
• Saturday: Yankees (RHP Mike Mussina, 6-1, 2.56 ERA) at Mets (RHP Pedro Martinez, 5-0, 3.19 ERA), 1:20 p.m. ET
• Sunday: Yankees (RHP Shawn Chacon, 4-1, 5.21 ERA) at Mets (LHP Tom Glavine, 6-2, 2.43 ERA), 8:05 p.m. ET