A FEW OPEN THREAD QUESTIONS!
He recently had this exchange with Mike Lupica:
“Yes,” Stroman said, without hesitation. Then he smiled and said, “Is that gonna be a headline?”
- Do you agree or disagree with Stroman? How so?
Next:
Jeurys Familia recently said this about the Mets’ bullpen to Alex Smith of SNY:
"Our bullpen is the best bullpen right now in the big leagues," said Familia.
"If everybody's healthy, I think we're going to do something special this year, to win a lot of games."
"If everybody's healthy, I think we're going to do something special this year, to win a lot of games."
- Do you agree or disagree with Familia? How so?
Of course, I think they're the best. I have no doubts about that. None whatsoever. No, really!
ReplyDeleteI don't.
ReplyDeleteStill too many questions.
Syndergaard still needs to dominate.
Stroman and Matz need to return to form.
Porcello needs to at least put up decent SP5 numbers.
Starters and relievers both have the *potential* to be the best units in the league. Of course that doesn't mean they will.
ReplyDeleteBasically, if you project the best-case scenarios for the top three starters and the top four relievers, you get a World Series champion. That's a prrojection that could be made for 10 other teams in the league though.
I think 1-3 they are indeed among the best in the league when it comes to starters. Then you have Matz and Wacha who have, when healthy, shown the ability to dominate. To me the huge question mark was signing Rick Porcello to big money when he hasn't done anything to deserve it. Had he remained on the FA market he might be getting a minor league deal to go to another team's camp. His pitching the past few years has been downright awful, but we know salary dictates playing time.
ReplyDeleteI'm actually more confident in the bullpen. I don't count on Betances for the first month or so, but once he's on board, should you get bounceback years from the Dual Duds of 2019, then your bullpen is downright nasty.
Reese, are you hearing that Betances won't be ready for OD? I believe he should not be pressed into pitching in cold weather, but I'd love to have him for the Nats and Phils.
ReplyDeletePorcello is a guy whose numbers were impacted by the DH, the Yankees, and Fenway. I think his ERA will be in the 4.00 - 4.50 range. Maybe they should have proceeded more slowly on him, but he still somehow won 14. Hopefully a more forgiving home park and an occasional pitcher hitting against him will be his fountain of youth.
Jack, you are correct there. I thought the 2019 pen would be very good - until Reese's Dual Duds and a few early injuries made it one of baseball's worst. Starters, though? I have high confidence that they will be no worse than top 5.
ReplyDeleteIt’s spring, so let’s debate about how great they all will be. My question is how will they handle the Wacha/Matz/Porcello roles. Wacha signs as a starter, but has reliever performance bonuses. Porcello signs the very next day, without any reliever performance bonuses for three times Wacha’s salary. If I’m Wacha, I’m pissed. If I’m Matz, I just hope they don’t realize how combustible I can be because the bullpen isn’t for me. If I’m Porcello, I think that I have a spot secure. If I’m Lugo, I’m pissed because I want to start.
ReplyDeleteTexas Gus, as always the intrigue will have to sort itself out. Some will be pissed for sure. But well-paid pissed. If you gotta be pissed, well paid is a nice consolation prize.
ReplyDelete