Category: Pitching

2010 Mets – We Believe in Comebacks!

New York Mets Omar Minaya reacts while sitting upstairs in a game against the Colorado Rockies at Citi Field in New York City on July 30, 2009. The Mets defeated the Rockies 7-0. (UPI Photo/John Angelillo) Photo via Newscom

http://view.picapp.com//JavaScripts/OTIjs.jsDo you? Because I don’t buy it at all.

You can recycle that ad campaign for next year because it doesn’t look like the Mets will be coming back this year. The season is starting to slip away fast and this will be the third year in a row that the Mets, who again have one of the highest payrolls and the some of the best talent in the league, will just choke it all away.

On my very first article for the Mets Report I predicted that the Mets were no better than a 4th place team. The Mets are now ½ game out of fourth and it looks like my prediction may come true.

Despite the fact that I didn’t predict the wonderful additions of Ike Davis and Angel Pagan as true everyday players, which should have made them wild card contenders this year, I did get the feeling that with Omar Minaya in charge the Mets would make an early run and then drop out of the race yet again. Continue reading “2010 Mets – We Believe in Comebacks!”

Video: Oliver Perez on Mets July 24, 2010 Loss

Here’s some video from ESPN talking to Oliver Perez after yesterday’s 3-2 loss to the Dodgers. Perez gave up the walk-off home run to James Loney in the 13th inning. He decided to go with the “everybody makes mistakes” argument for why he blew the game.

http://espn.go.com/videohub/player/embed.swf

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John Maine Surgery Ends 2010 Season, Mets Career

NEW YORK - MAY 09: John Maine #33 of the New ...
Image by Getty Images via @daylife

The beat reporters are all writing that John Maine had arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder yesterday and is done for the season. His career with the Mets is done as well. It’s a virtual lock that the Mets will non-tender Maine after this season. He has absolutely no value to the organization anymore, especially being arbitration eligible.

Maine’s career with the Mets started with such promise after being acquired from Baltimore in the Kris Benson deal in 2005. The highlight of his Mets career was his 2007 season going 15-10 with a 3.91 ERA.

His Mets career stats are below:

Year Age Tm Lg W L W-L% ERA G GS GF CG SHO SV IP H R ER HR BB SO WHIP
2006 25 NYM NL 6 5 .545 3.60 16 15 1 1 1 0 90.0 69 40 36 15 33 71 1.133
2007 26 NYM NL 15 10 .600 3.91 32 32 0 1 1 0 191.0 168 90 83 23 75 180 1.272
2008 27 NYM NL 10 8 .556 4.18 25 25 0 0 0 0 140.0 122 70 65 16 67 122 1.350
2009 28 NYM NL 7 6 .538 4.43 15 15 0 0 0 0 81.1 67 42 40 8 38 55 1.291
2010 29 NYM NL 1 3 .250 6.13 9 9 0 0 0 0 39.2 47 29 27 8 25 39 1.815
NYM (5 yrs) 39 32 .549 4.17 97 96 1 2 2 0 542.0 473 271 251 70 238 467 1.312
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 7/24/2010.
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Mets’ Mike Pelfrey- Too Many Foul Balls?

NEW YORK - JUNE 11: Mike Pelfrey #34 of the N...
Image by Getty Images via @daylife

I’m preparing myself for another horrible start from Mike Pelfrey today. In 2010, Pelfrey has been atrocious on the road to the tune of 4-3 with a 5.21 ERA. Opposing hitter are feasting on him for a .333 average versus .267 at home. Get ready for another nightmare on national TV this afternoon. As a matter of fact, July 2010 has been a nightmare for Pelfrey so far going 0-3 with a 15.30 ERA.

Pat Andriola of Fangraphs did an interesting analysis of Pelfrey after his last disaster of a start in Arizona. The conclusion was that Pelfrey is walking more batters recently, striking out fewer, and batters are hitting more foul balls. He’s not getting the swings and misses that he was early in the season.

Basically, Pelfrey is having a tough time putting away hitters, leading to more foul balls, which has driven his Strike% up. Although it’s only been four starts from Pelfrey, and that in and of itself can’t tell us much, we do have 367 pitches worth of data from which to glean something. Baseball information doesn’t have to be measured just in innings or at-bats; each pitch can tell us a whole lot (just ask Dave Allen or Jeremy Greenhouse).

With some players, like Pelfrey, there’s some unquantifiable element to their game that just doesn’t translate to statistical analysis. Although I like Andriola’s post, I think Pelfrey has a combination of two problems. He ran out of gas or had a “dead arm” period and he started getting down on himself when he wasn’t getting hitters our so easily. One of the things that stands out to me about top of the line pitchers is their ability to limit runs when they’re giving up hit and walks or what you’d call “fighting through” a lack of good stuff. In my mind, that’s Pelfrey’s problem. He isn’t bearing down and getting through five innings with limited damage when he doesn’t have his best stuff.

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Mets Perez Returns, Turner Out

NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 28: Starting pitcher #46...
Image by Getty Images via @daylife

In a surprising move, the Mets activated Oliver Perez and shipped out Justin Turner. Turner heads back to Triple-A Buffalo. The Mets will continue to carry three catchers plus Alex Cora, Chris Carter, and Jeff Francoeur on the bench.

Keeping three catchers on the roster seems like an unsustainable strategy. Josh Thole has earned the right to be on the Mets roster. Rod Barajas has earned a trip to the waiver wire. It’s that simple.

As far as Perez goes, we’ll see how Manuel uses him. I have a feeling he’ll be doing mop-up duty and that’s about it.

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Video: Oliver Perez in Arizona

May 09, 2010 - Queens, NEW YORK, United States - epa02150562 New York Mets starting pitcher Oliver Perez firing a pitch to home plate to the San Francisco Giants in the first inning at Citi Field, in Queens, New York, USA, 09 May 2010.

http://view.picapp.com//JavaScripts/OTIjs.jsThe day we all feared is here. It looks like Oliver Perez will be activated from the disabled list today. Likely, Josh Thole will be sent down to Triple-A Buffalo but we’ll find out for sure later this afternoon.

Perez threw in the bullpen in front of Dan Warthen and Jerry Manuel yesterday. From their comments, they didn’t sound impressed. Manuel said that Perez will be the second lefty out of the bullpen and he’ll try to find spots to use him. Not exactly a ringing endorsement for Perez’ return to the team.

I’m really disappointed to see Thole leave, if that’s what they decide to do. I understand that he has options and that’s a factor. But Rod Barajas certainly isn’t in the Mets long term plans. And there’s hardly anything left on his 1-year contract. They could easily release Barajas and go with Thole and Henry Blanco.

http://espn.go.com/videohub/player/embed.swf

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Mets Oliver Perez Bullpen Session Today

New York Mets pitcher Oliver Perez reacts after giving up a double to Florida Marlins batter Cody Ross during the third inning of their MLB National League baseball game in Miami, Florida May 14, 2010. REUTERS/Rhona Wise (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT BASEBALL)

http://view.picapp.com//JavaScripts/OTIjs.jsOliver Perez arrived in Arizona yesterday but hasn’t been activated from the disabled list yet. The plan is for him to work a bullpen session this afternoon and be evaluated by the team. Perez has the right to demand that his rehab period end but hasn’t done that yet. If the Mets don’t like what they see, they may ask him if he’ll extend his rehab.

Perez has been on the DL since June 1 with knee tendinitis. The injury and DL trip was so suspicious that MLB investigated but ultimately decided it was legitimate.

We’ve heard comments from Jerry Manuel that Perez will return to the bullpen when he comes off the DL. Hisanori Takahashi will make his next start in Los Angeles on Thursday despite his ineffectiveness.

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