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| PC - Ed Delany |
BOOM! CRASH! POW!
Great teams win with pitching, defense and hitting.
It's still early - there are a bunch of spring games to go.
But lots of weak pitching has emerged, and the team ERA two weeks in is an unsightly 4.98.
First, in fairness - 20 of the 35 pitchers thru Thursday had pitched anywhere from reasonably well to very well.
deGrom, Thor, Vargas, Diaz, Lugo, Hector Santiago, Oswalt, Gsellman, Bashlor, Hanhold, Tim Peterson, Sewald, and Torres all are guys who are locks or have a real chance of making the team that have done well.
The bottom 15 guys, though? Not so good.
Combined, 47 innings, 53 runs allowed.
So let's get at it:
Who are guys who are locks or contenders who've not pitched well so far?
Expensive reliever acquisition Justin Wilson has tossed 3 innings and allowed 8 hits, 5 runs, and 2 HRs - but wait, good news, no walks and 4 Ks. Hopefully it is just a matter of getting out the kinks.
Rule 5 Kyle Dowdy has been quite unimpressive: 3.1 IP, 5 runs and hits, 4 walks, just 1 K. If not on the roster on opening day, he could go back to his old organization - they may not want him.
Drew Gagnon pitched relatively well in AAA Vegas in 2018 - but 4 innings, 7 hits, 6 runs is a clear indicator that Syracuse is in his future.
Two rotation essentials are struggling:
- Zack Wheeler was sensational in the 2nd half of 2018 - but a stinky 2.2 IP with 5 runs allowed so far.
- Fellow rotation man Steve Matz has gone 4.2 innings and allowed 5 runs with a 2.14 WHIP.
Pen essential "Jay Reese'"Familia is also sputtering a bit early as he gets his work in, with 3 innings and 4 runs, but just a walk with 4 Ks.
Pen hopefuls Jacob Rhame and Daniel Zamora have combined for 6.1 innings, 12 hits, 9 runs, 2 homers 5 walks and 4 Ks. Draw your own conclusions.
Moving on to those who most of us would not have considered opening day contenders:
Off season signings that are not amazing us to date:
- Walter Lockett was another off season signing who has nicely struck out 7 in 6.2 IP, but allowed 5 runs and 2 homers.
- Archie Caminero has allowed 7 runs in 3.1 innings and fanned just one. He won't be starting for the Mets on opening day.
- Sean Burnett has allowed 4 runs in 1.1 innings.
Lastly in the first round lefty draft category, David Peterson and Anthony Kay, 4 combined innings with 9 hits and 6 runs allowed clearly indicate that, at a minimum, further refinement (or at least less nerves) are necessary.
Hopefully, great pitching improvement emerges over the next 3 weeks leading up to Opening Day. So far, not so good.
9 comments:
Too soon.
Jimmy P
I think Yogi once said, "It gets late early." Never too early to pitch well,
Wheeler and Matz seem a bit rusty, so far.
IF they both rebound in time for the regular season, then that puts the team in pretty good shape (rather large IF, by the way).
I am still pipe-dreaming that BVW somehow inks Dallas Keuchel to a reasonable deal. He would also alleviate some of the concerns for the 2020 roster, when Wheeler and Vargas depart.
Mike, I am still very hopeful that Wheeler and Matz will come around in the next few spring outings and be good this season. If they struggle, Keuchel would be a guy I would be very interested in.
McNeil finally back, leads off the game with a dinger. Nice.
Wheeler great this Saturday
Kyle Dowdy smacked around again. Rule # 1 when considering a Rule 5 guy: pitch like crap, send him back
I like the Mets lineup lately and today. Pitching was overall good, hitting very good, looks like a plan.
Tom B.:
Especially the pitchers are trying out new things in ST camp, trying to add a new pitch, strengthen a pitch or two, that kind of stuff. Don't take it personally, they are getting ready for Opening Day.
Hitting is a little different. It's more just getting their swing and timing down. But pitching is a whole another thing.
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Huge fan of 41. Class, dignity, fabulous sense of humor, and oh yes a great pitcher too who followed another great pitcher...Sandy Koufax.
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