Tom Brennan - THERE'S A NEW ACE IN TOWN

Admit it, you Negative Nellies.

We all hated him - I know I did.

Who did we all hate?  

The current ace of the Mets staff:  

JASON VARGAS.

But wait...a complete game shutout?   Huh?

I thought this guy was only good for 5 innings.

Problem has been - he has been throwing very well for his 5 inning outings, and then the horrid pen comes in.  

Wait - problem solved: 

Let Vargas, THE ACE OF THE METS STAFF, go 9.

Vargas is only 2 and 3 because the going logic was that he was only good for 5 innings.  He proved them wrong last night, BIG TIME, didn't he?   

I asked a former female Republican VP candidate, Sarah Palin, that question, and she quickly responded (in a red lipstick color) "YOU BETCHA!"

Vargas is the perfect guy to throw complete games - he's 35, and in the last year of his guaranteed contract, so if his arm could blow up from overuse, that is an acceptable risk to take.  He is not a fireballer, and a former Met, Don Cardwell, was not a flame thrower either, yet completed 72 of his 301 career starts.   Vargas has made an argument that he can complete games - so let him try if he is in a groove.  

After all, what the heck kind of solution is to bring in an 0-13 Paul Sewald type or an 0-7 Tyler Bashlor type?   Leave Vargas in when guys like that are the highly shaky alternative.

Vargas has been - well - great.  

I know, his ERA after 3 starts was 14.21.  He was awful.

Since then?  His last 7 outings, 39 IP, just 8 earned runs.  That's a 1.85 ERA.

Jake ain't doing that.  Thor?  Uhh, uhh.  Zack?  Not nearly?   Matz?  Don't even ask.

Vargas' last 2 starts?  16 innings, 1 earned run, 11 hits, 4 walks, 14 Ks.  WOW!

Repeat after me:  

ACE, ACE, ACE, ACE - JASON VARGAS IS OUR ACE!

If this version of Vargas is for real, the Mets really do have a chance to win this year.

Jake, Thor, and Zack surely can pitch better, hopefully Matz, too.

A staff that with ACE Jason Vargas could go on a roll.

P.S.

Homers from Rosario, Conforto, Hechavarria - NICE!

The team is 18th in hitting and runs scored - but, to me, things there are looking up:

Alonso, 20 HRs, 45 RBIs?  Wow.

Jeff McNeil 4 for 10 since returning and hitting .337?  Wow.

Rosario?  Gets bad press, but .251/7 HR/ 32 RBI in 58 games?  I'll take it.

Ramos?  .281/7/34?  I'll take it.

Dom Smith - .359 with 18 runs scored in about 75 plate appearances? Wow.

Conforto has 23 XBH in 52 games and 28 RBIs?  I'll take it.

Frazier and JD Davis?  10 HR and 10 doubles in 262 at bats and .253 combined?  I'll take it.

Hechavarria?  While Cano has been lousy or injured all year, Hech comes in and hits .242 with a .500 slug % and 13 RBIs in 62 at bats, with superior D?  I'll take it.

Nimmo and Lowrie ought to return before too long, I hope, and should be an offensive shot in the arm.  I'll take it.

If this team can drastically reduce its propensity to blow very winnable games, there is hope.

P.P.S.

I was starting to feel more positive about David Peterson - but in his last 2 starts, he has gone back to being very hittable:

9.1 IP, 15 hits, 4 walks, 8 earned runs, 11 Ks.

While his Ks are a very pleasant surprise this year (54 in 46 IP), his 55 hits and 20 walks in those 46 IP have been way too high.

Is his ceiling going to be that of another tall former Mets pitcher, Mike Pelfrey?  Or, possibly, even lower?

Done.  That's all I have to say today, folks.