Reese Kaplan -- When Rolaids Isn't Even Enough

Last year the NY Mets’ bullpen was almost historically bad.  It seemed that no matter who was asked to support the starting pitchers (with perhaps the sole exception of Seth Lugo), they bent, cracked, imploded or self-immolated. 

One of the first orders of business for the new GM Brodie Van Wagenen was to address the pen whose fire extinguishers seemingly were filled with kerosene rather than something to halt the damage.  He certainly did well by obtaining the AL’s most prolific closer in Edwin Diaz.  Then he brought back the usually reliable former closer in Jeurys Familia who may simply be having growing pains adjusting to the non-save role in which he faltered regularly in the past.  On top of that was free agent acquisition Justin Wilson who against the odds has kept them from making good contact most of the time, but is pitching to a 1-1 record and a 3.68 ERA in the early going of the 2019 season.

After that it gets mighty ugly in a hurry.  Seth Lugo has been knocked around (though recently has shown his 2018 self once again). Robert Gsellman hasn’t been good for quite some time and walked in the tying run on Monday, though bounced back for a run-free inning after that.  Luis Avilan who was pitching to a sub 1.00 WHIP in the spring has suddenly become a very welcome sight to opposing hitters, though he too managed to wiggle out of harm's way on Monday..  Tim Peterson has already come and gone.  Ditto Corey Oswalt.  Paul Sewald who is winless in his big league career started right up where he’d left off, giving up runs in his second inning of 2019 work. 

During spring training it was almost laughable how good the Mets pen was.  Matt Blackham, Corey Taylor, Casey Coleman, Chris Flexen, Joshua Torres and the since disabled Drew Smith did not yield a single run.  Ryan O’Rourke, Zach Lee and the aforementioned Corey Oswalt all kept it under a 2.00 ERA.

My, how quickly things changed (and surely not for the better).  In AAA this year the results are not much better than what the Mets are seeing at the big league level.  Paul Sewald and Arquimedes Caminero both were pitching to perfect 0.00 ERAs but as Sewald has already demonstrated, there’s quite a big difference between getting out AAA hitters and ones who’ve made it to the show.  Drew Gagnon was in the rotation and brought up ostensibly to pitch from the pen or an insurance policy for Jason Vargas’ next batting practice exhibition.  (Little did they know Steve Matz would crap the bed before they reached Vargas' turn!)

The next phones to ring likely belong to Eric Hanhold and Daniel Zamora, both of whom are already on the 40-man roster, both pitching in traditional reliever roles and both, thus far, doing well.  Hanhold is pitching to a 1.69 ERA though walking as many as he’s striking out.  Zamora has an unbelievable 0.55 WHIP with a 2.45 ERA and has a 4:1 strikeout to walk ratio.  I think if they’ve tired of southpaw Avilan, he may get the next shot. 

Mack has advocated reaching even further down into the system for help, such as Ryley Gilliam.  His numbers have been off the chart in his young career, but we’ve already seen when the Mets did that type of move with a similarly impressive minor league stud named Akeel Morris who was on cruise control until the big club jumped him a few levels and he never rebounded.

If you don’t want to go that far down the ladder for help, you have not one but five Rumble Ponies with perfect 0.00 ERAs thus far in their weather-plagued season – Stephen Villines, Stephen Nogosek, Matt Blackham, Joe Zanghi and Harol Gonzalez.  Zanghi, Blackham and Villines all have fanned 4 batters already in less than 4 innings of work.

Then there’s some guy named Craig somebody who I understand is about to hang a "Will Pitch for Food" sign out on his front porch...