Tom Brennan - MORE ARMS THAN AN OCTOPUS
Ever see one of those sci fi movies with the giant octopus?
Will the bad guy survive those big, dangerous arms or not?
Well, the Mets have arms, lots of big, dangerous arms, and the rest of baseball may soon be getting really nervous about it as they get wrapped in crushing Mets pitching tentacles.
I think Mets fans over the years have had plenty of conditioning as far as things that appeared really right going really wrong is concerned.
Look no further than 2017, where we came into the spring where pie-eyed optimists saw a pitching staff that just might be one of baseball's finest. What we got instead was a slew of injuries, 28 pitchers during the season, and a ghastly 5.01 ERA.
So far this spring, I have heard nary a peep about Mets pitcher's injuries.
Sure, Jake had a tight back. But he'll be right back.
Sure, Anthony Swarzak has a strained calf.
Sure, Matzy has been struggling like last year...but he is self-proclaimed as healthy and strong, which is music to my ears.
Harvey? Solid. Impressive in his latest outing on Tuesday.
Thor? Cooking. Fans SEVEN STRAIGHT NATS...BANG!
Wheeler? 97 in his first outing. Nice on Wednesday, too.
Familia? Looking mighty familiar. His banker told me Jeurys loves to save. (Jerry got an F yesterday, though!)
Ramos? Breaking off vicious hooks.
And on...and on.
Healthy arms...dangerous arms. No one needing pickle brine.
Some rough outings so far, but not from pitchers likely to make the team, other than perhaps the enigmatic Rafael Montero, whom we all wish had the same level of success as Rafael Nadal.
Because the Mets arms are looking real. Hah gah gah gah.
Someone told me that Thor wants to win more games than Jack Chesbro's all time record of 41...I'm OK with that personally, how about you? I'd take 40 personally, I am not that greedy.
Last year, Mets pitchers allowed 863 runs, resulting in a negative team run production of -128, while Mickey Callaway's 2017 Indians team put up a +251.
Big difference. That 863 runs allowed works out to 5.33 runs allowed per game, which is pretty decent for a Vegas-based team but pretty horrific for a Queens-based squad.
If this team even gets down to 4 runs allowed per game in 2018, which to me is quite achievable, that would total a mere 648 runs, or 215 runs less than in 2017. Save 215 runs, win how many more games?
Answer: Lots more wins, Mr. Octopus. If so, fans will have more smiles than a whole school of killer Octopussies, right, Popeye?
"Well, blow me down...Hah gah gah gah."
5 comments:
I read that today is the first day that teams can return minor leaguers that they had invited to the Big Boy camp, back to the other side.
It's also 1/3 through March.
I expect the first 'cuts'to come after today's game and it could (my guess) include names like Conlon, Purke, Drew Smith, and Corey Taylor.
Today's pitchers:
LHP Steven Matz, RHP Corey Oswalt, RHP Paul Sewald, RHP Hansel Robles, RHP Marcos Molina, RHP Drew Smith, RHP Tyler Bashlor, RHP Corey Taylor
Matz hopefully will go 9..outs that is
Let's hope Matz gets it together. As Yogi once said, "sometimes it gets late early".
I think Conlon deserves a longer look. We don't want Blevins to be the only LHRP. And Conlon has looked good.
Bill, I like Conlon a lot. If Matz needs a stint in Vegas, his being added would be fine for me.
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