"Does you pen work? Mine doesn't."
C'mon, admit it...
For much of the season, the Mets’ pen was gosh-awful.
Early on, Edwin Diaz and Seth Lugo we’re strong.
Everyone else early on? From fair to downright awful.
Everyone else early on? From fair to downright awful.
Then Edwin went into a nosedive. "Pull up, pull up!"
Justin Wilson, a key pre-season acquisition, was hurt...and hurt some more.
Luis Avilan, strong in spring training, also got hurt.
Luis Avilan, strong in spring training, also got hurt.
It seemed that EVERYONE called up from AAA to plug the gap failed.
The Mets at one point had the 28th worst major league bullpen ERA. Blown saves? About half.
I hate half 'n half in coffee - I hate it when it comes to saves, too.
I hate half 'n half in coffee - I hate it when it comes to saves, too.
You don’t win nuthin’ with that, Rocky Balboa once told me, who was once taken deep by Clubber Lang.
Then a funny thing happened:
Luis Avilan returned in early July and has not allowed a run in 16 outings.
Justin Wilson returned and in 16 innings has allowed 2 runs and fanned 15.
Lugo, except for one horror show outing recently, has been sensational.
Jeurys Familia seems to be doing much better with his shoulder issue, and in August, looks like the old Familia:
9 games, 2 runs, 4 hits, 6 BBs (still high, but declining), and 12 Ks. Very encouraging.
And, not to make too much of one game, but Edwin Diaz’s dominant 9th was followed by Mickey Callaway saying that Diaz had his best slider all year....the one that made him the killer closer of 2019.
Paul Sewald has yet to pitch, and may be 0-13 career, but more often than not, he was solid out of the Mets pen - they just never, ever seemed to score when he was in tight games, which really helps a guy lose a lot. I think he is better than all the failed AAA promoted guys of 2019.
The pen’s remarkable resurgence, and the almost incomprehensible fact that 26 of their remaining 38 games are at home, which should be GREAT for the Mets, gives them an excellent Wild Card opportunity as this season heads towards the home stretch.
And THAT to a Mets fan is a real relief. Wouldn’t you agree?
If you don’t, SAVE IT, PAL!
4 comments:
I think Flexen and Oswalt would be good in the pen. I don’t know about Ryan. Gagnon was a little overused, and Nogosek I cant say. Bashlor should be in AA. Rhame should stay in Syracuse. Zamora should stay in Syracuse unless an emergency occurs. Mazza puzzles me, but I wouldn’t trust him yet. And Sewald’s slider tends to flatten out and get killed. I wouldn’t trust him.
Good feedback, Texas Gus.
I was shocked, frankly, to see how well Nogosek has pitched in the minors this year - I had overlooked him: 0.39 ERA, 0.98 WHIP in 30 outings.
He and Oswalt are puzzles. Oswalt has allowed just 3 earned runs in his last 6 AAA starts.
Maybe both needed a few bouts of major league failure before success arrived.
It worked that way for JD Davis.
Both I can see as Sept call ups.
Flexen? Nah. 13 runs and 26 hits in his last 16 innings in AAA?
Texas -
Good hearing from ya.
Nah on both.
I was high on both of them early on in their minor league career but they have not been able to make the adjustment to MAJOR LEAGUE umps calling balls and strikes in THERE zone... to ROOKIE PITCHERS.
It's funny that we never talk about this well known fact in the clubhouse.
I wonder if something is up with Diaz's arm?
He threw a bunch of innings last year with the Mariners, right?
IF we weren't in a "playoff race", he would be shut down, I think. I
hope he figures things out.....
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