Category: Pitching

Mets Links: Lee, Koosman, Perez, Delgado

NEW YORK - AUGUST 22: Jerry Koosman looks on ...
Image by Getty Images via @daylife

Here are some links to review as we head into the last series before the All-Star break. The Mets are currently 3 games back of the Braves so a sweep would leave the Mets in a tie for first place in the NL East. I think any of us would’ve taken this position for the Mets before the season started.

Here are the links:

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Mets and Phillies – Moves Impacting The NL East

Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cliff Lee pitches against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the 1st inning of game three of the National League Championship Series in Philadelphia on on October 18, 2009. UPI/Kevin Dietsch Photo via Newscom

http://view.picapp.com//JavaScripts/OTIjs.jsIn 2009, the Mets and Phillies made two decisions which have been debated with fervor throughout baseball. The moves have helped to shape the current state and, quite possibly, the future of the NL East. As the NL East race continues to remain tight, these transactions find themselves subject to dissection.

Move #1: Phillies decline to pair Cliff Lee with Roy Halladay

In December of 2009, frightening reports were coming in all over the baseball world. The rival Phillies were putting together the right package to acquire the the dominant  Halladay from Toronto. One of the most feared offenses in baseball would now have a rotation which would feature Doc Halladay and Lee. Lee was just off a run which included blanking the Yankees in Game 1 of the fall classic. Just as Mets fans were reaching for double shot of something strong, the final details of the deal came through. The deal was a three-way move which had the Phillies flipping Lee to Seattle to bring in their top pitching prospect in an attempt to replenish their farm system.

The deal had many Mets fans breathing a sigh of relief and likewise scratching their heads. There is no doubt that having Halladay in our division was a nightmare, but the idea that Ruben Amaro resisted the temptation to make the ’08 champs the outright favorite to grab another ring was startling. If the Phillies did not intend to sign Lee to an extension, they still had the ability to retain him through the season. They would also receive picks in the offseason for his signing elsewhere. The Phillies signed Doc to an extension and declined to keep Lee for the 2010 season. Amaro explained his reasoning for the three-way deal as not only preparing his team for 2010, but the future as well. Continue reading “Mets and Phillies – Moves Impacting The NL East”

Mets’ Beltran and Perez Recovering

St. Lucie Mets
Image via Wikipedia

Last night Carlos Beltran and Oliver Perez played a rehab game for St. Lucie. For Beltran it was the second straight game he played the full game since his knee surgery. He’s expected to return to the Mets on July 15 in San Francisco. He hasn’t played for the Mets since Oct. 4, 2009.

Perez pitched for St. Lucie going 5.2 IP for the win. He allowed 2 hits and 2 runs while getting 7 strikeouts. He’s been on the Mets’ DL since June5 with knee tendinitis. It’s unclear when he’ll be returning to the Mets and whether he’ll be headed back to the bullpen or not.

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K-Rod and the Mets 2010 Bullpen

New York Mets pitcher Francisco Rodriguez follows through on a pitch against the Washington Nationals in the ninth inning of their National League MLB baseball game in Washington, July 3, 2010. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT BASEBALL)

http://view.picapp.com//JavaScripts/OTIjs.jsForget Cliff Lee, how about solidifying the bullpen so that the anxiety levels of Mets fans throughout the Tri-State can subside late in games?

Yesterday (7/3), Francisco Rodriguez blew his fourth save of the season as he failed to protect a 5-3 Met lead in the bottom of the ninth against the Nationals. Following Ivan Rodriguez’s walk-off single to right, there was no pounding of the chest, no blowing kisses and pointing to the sky for our closer. Instead, the loss dropped the Mets to a disappointing 2-4 on the current road trip against sub-.500 NL East foes.

At this point, I am reluctant to even keep my television tuned into games when K-Rod enters in a save situation. Simply put, K-Rod is lacking as a stopper. He lacks the intimidation factor he once possessed with the Angels. He lacks good movement and location of his pitches. And he no longer is able to blow hitters away with plus velocity. His fastball is as straight as an arrow, and he often hangs his curveball. K-Rod’s control is erratic, and he has made a habit of getting behind in counts and putting runners on base. Basically, Franky has not given Mets fans a reason to feel confident in the 9th inning with a 1-3 run lead this season. With all of this said however, the one ounce of acclaim I will give him is that when his change-up is working he can be effective. Continue reading “K-Rod and the Mets 2010 Bullpen”

Mets Need Cliff Lee for the World Series?

Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Cliff Lee releases a pitch against the Los Angeles Angels in the first inning of their MLB American League baseball game in Anaheim, California, May 28, 2010. REUTERS/Alex Gallardo (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT BASEBALL)

http://view.picapp.com//JavaScripts/OTIjs.jsToday’s Water Cooler Topic: Why would the Mets even try to sign Cliff Lee when they know the Yankees will just steal him this offseason?

Ok, if you don’t already know I am a Met fan who knows entirely too many Yankee fans. Inevitably, I have to defend the Mets on a daily basis and this topic is a big one.

We’ve made it to July and are only 1.5 games out of first. This team just held it’s own against the Twins, Tigers and Yankees. Three of the top teams in the AL. The Mets are legitimate contenders.

My gut feeling is that the Mets should go all out and get Cliff Lee and not worry about losing him to free agency after the season ends. If the Mets always want to be a team that plays in the shadows of the current World Series Champions then why bother fielding a team at all? Do what it takes to win a World Series every year. That’s what that other team does. Continue reading “Mets Need Cliff Lee for the World Series?”

Johan Santana and Developing Young Pitchers

New York Mets Johan Santana (R) watches as Cleveland Indians Travis Hafner hits a pitch for a solo home run during the second inning of the Mets MLB inter-league baseball game in Cleveland, Ohio June 15, 2010. REUTERS/Aaron Josefczyk (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT BASEBALL)

http://view.picapp.com//JavaScripts/OTIjs.jsMets fans are quickly realizing that the 2010 version of Johan Santana is not the same pitcher that the team traded a proverbial “bucket of balls” for back in 2008. After Santana and the Mets agreed to a 6-year, $137.5 million extension following the trade that winter, the left-handed ace went 16-7 with an ERA of 2.53. Santana had a Cy Young caliber season that year, he could have easily had 4-5 more wins, if not for a horrendous bullpen that ultimately led to that team’s demise.

Fast-forward to the present, and it is plain to see that Santana is performing like anything but an ace. Coming off an injury shortened season in 2009, the wear and tear on Santana’s elbow is certainly showing, especially coming off surgery. The 31-year-old’s velocity is down considerably, which lessens the effect of his signature out pitch, his change-up. Combine the drop in velocity of his fastball with poor location of seemingly all of his pitches recently, and you have the make-up of a very hittable and predictable Major League pitcher.

With Santana’s 2010 campaign so far in mind, it reminds us of the importance of developing young pitchers within the organization (a big-market organization, at that), so the need for acquiring high end starting pitchers down the road isn’t as great. Continue reading “Johan Santana and Developing Young Pitchers”

Video: Cliff Lee 2010 Trade Market

Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Cliff Lee throws a pitch to the New York Yankees in the first inning of their MLB American League baseball game at Yankee Stadium in New York June 29, 2010. REUTERS/Ray Stubblebine (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT BASEBALL)

http://view.picapp.com//JavaScripts/OTIjs.jsESPN’s Buster Olney talks about the current trade market for pitcher Cliff Lee. Although there are several teams that have Lee on their radar, Olney lists the Mets and Twins as the favorites to land him. Olney also says that the Mariners are ready to make a deal now so whoever is quickest to pull the trigger should come away with a front line starter for the second half of the season.

We’ve had some differing opinions about what the Mets should do before the deadline this year. Doug Gausepohl wrote that the Mets should forget Cliff Lee and focus on Roy Oswalt. Gabe Aguilar wrote that the Mets should trade prospects not depth for Cliff Lee and there’s a big difference.

Both make good points and we all hate to see good young players go. But the Twins didn’t come away with anything great in the Johan Santana deal. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. I think we can all point to the Victor Zambrano for Scott Kazmir deal as one that got away.

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