Mets Putz Out 8-10 Weeks

NEW YORK - JUNE 01:  Carlos Delgado #21 and Ry...
Image by Getty Images via Daylife

J.J. Putz is having surgery on a bone spur in his right elbow according to a report by Fox Sports Ken Rosenthal. This was the elbow that the brilliant Mets medical team injected with cortisone and allowed him to continue to pitch with. And now Putz is having the surgery done by Mets medical director David Altchek.

Flying Ryan Church around the country with a concussion, Carlos Delgado with a bad hip that required surgery, and who knows what else. Frankly, the Mets medical team has earned some criticism around the Internet that may not be undeserved.

Mets Pitcher Putz May Need Elbow Surgery

Flickr photo courtesy of ajagendorf25
Flickr photo courtesy of ajagendorf25

Mets reliever J.J. Putz is leaving the team in Washington today for New York to have his elbow examined. He told reporters after another awful appearance that he has sharp pain in his elbow now. He had a cortisone shot in the elbow a couple of weeks ago to address a bone spur and it sounds like that might have become worse. His ERA is up to 5.22 with a 1.636 WHIP.

Putz isn’t helping the Mets right now anyway. He can’t get anybody out. So he might as well leave to get this situation addressed. I would assume that if he needs elbow surgery that he’ll be done for the season.

I’ll be curious to see what the doctors have to say about this injury. I’m wondering if Putz is making more of it than it is because he’s pitching so poorly. Either way, it can only help the Mets for him to leave for a while.

Pirates 8 – Mets 5 June 1, 2009

The story of this game is that the Mets were hitting and scoring early, but the bullpen blew the game in the eighth inning. It was reminiscent of a 2008 game. Livan Hernandez was back to his average self again going 5.2 innings and giving up 3 runs to raise his ERA to 4.33.

The Mets put up 5 runs in the first three inings and looked like they were on their way to a beat down of the Pirates. But they only got one hit after the third inning. We should’ve know it was a sign of trouble when the offense was led by Jeremy Reed and Wilson Valdez with 2 hits apiece.

J.J. Putz was awful again giving up 4 runs without getting an out on four straight hits. He was out early before the game working with Dan Warthen but it didn’t help at all. Supposedly, they’re trying to get him to stop tipping his pitches. They need to work on finding the velocity that he’s lost before the pitch tipping issue. He’s just been terrible.

The Pirates scrapped their way back from being down 5-0 in the third inning. This was a really ugly loss.

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Mets K-Rod In Boston Hospital

Francisco RodriguezBefore last night’s game Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez was taken by ambulance to a Boston hospital. According to several media reports, he was running before the game when his back tightened up. He was worked on by a chiropractor in the visitors locker room and the situation became worse.

Several beat reporters wrote that K-Rod collapsed in the locker room and started crying. He was shielded from reporters and an ambulance was called.

J.J. Putz closed out the game against the Red Sox. We haven’t heard what the long-term situation is yet. But it doesn’t look good.

The only good news is that the Mets have Putz, an experienced closer. Unlike last season when Billy Wagner was lost for the season with an elbow injury, the Mets do have some good arms in the bullpen. The season isn’t totally lost because the closer is unavailable for some period of time.

Mets 3 – Red Sox 2 May 23, 2009

The Mets pulled out a dramatic win in the ninth inning capped by a 2-run homer by Omir Santos off Jonathan Papelbon for the win. The home run was reviewed on video by the umpires. It just barely made it over the line at the top of the Green Monster, but it was a home run.

Mike Pelfrey went toe-to-toe with Josh Beckett for 7 innings giving up only 2 runs on 6 hits and 1 walk. He looked very good all night, both runs for the Sox were scored in the first inning and Pelfrey shut them out for the next six.

J.J. Putz closed the game because Francisco Rodriguez suffered serious back spasms before the game. He was taken to the hospital in Boston for an examination.

It was a great win in several respects for the Mets. Not the least important is that it was just a dramatic win of a great game in itself. But it also was the fifth win for the Mets on this ten game road trip, which solidifies this as a successful trip. If you can go on the road (and the west coast) and not lose any ground in the standings then you’re doing pretty well.

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Mets Putz Out Two Days

NEW YORK - APRIL 08:  General manager Omar Min...
Image by Getty Images via Daylife

Mets GM Omar Minaya had a conference call with reporters this afternoon prior to the Mets game with the Giants. When there’s a last minute press conference on the west coast, I start thinking that the manager is getting fired. Isn’t that Minaya’s MO?

In this case Minaya told reporters that reliever J.J. Putz had an MRI on his right elbow that revealed inflammation and a bone spur. The bone spur has been there for a couple of years. Putz had a coritsone shot and won’t be able to pitch for a couple of days. That’s probably a good thing for the Mets right now. Putz has been bringing back bad memories of Aaron Heilman lately.

Minaya also gave an update on Carlos Delgado that didn’t help clear the air about his health. Basically, they’re waiting a few days to see if he starts to feel better after having some soreness in his hip.

Braves 8 – Mets 7 May 13, 2009

The Mets lost to the Braves in 12 innings to lose the home series 2 games to 1. Jonathan Niese was terrible today unable to get out of the fifth inning after giving up five runs. Seven Met relievers combined to pitch the rest of the game. J.J. Putz gave up another run in the eighth inning to raise his ERA to 4.05. Ken Takahashi gave up the game winning home run to Martin Prado of all people in the twelfth.

I would guess this is Niese’s last game with the Mets. The word is that Tim Redding is about ready to come back from the disabled list.

The Mets offense was pretty solid with the highlights being Fernando Tatis hitting a grand slam in the fourth inning to take a 6-4 lead. Gary Sheffield hit a solo homer in the eighth to tie the game. Jose Reyes was 3 for 5 with 3 doubles including one off the top of the left field wall in the twelfth inning.

The Mets are off to San Francisco to begin a 10 game road trip.

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