Tom Brennan - Is Edwin Diaz a Moron?

Ozuna HR of Diaz mistaken for a comet

In 2019, Edwin Diaz set a painful MLB record for 15 homers allowed in the 9th innings of games.  They tell me it was a record, so I assume it is. "Not so sweet 15".  

Man, did many of those hurt like daggers.

He was 2019’s most damaging player...the MDP of the Mets, perhaps of all MLB.  Or surely a lead contender for the MLB.

Something that awful should tell a pitcher, “I need to change something drastically, because there are blaring neon lights are screaming that I am doing something very wrong.”

In the 2020 opener, Diaz pitched a scoreless ninth for a save...but gave up a foul blast to Freddie Freeman that Howie Rose noted (as I was driving) he was just a tad out in front of or it would have tied the game. 

Game 1, got lucky, dodged a bullet.

In the 2020 season’s game # 2, Diaz notched 2 quick outs in inning number nine while trying to protect a 2-1 lead. He got to 3-2 to Marcel Ozuna, throwing nothing but pitches mid high in the strike zone either on the outside half, or outside off the plate.  

On 3-2, he threw a fastball to the same exact place, mid high strike over the outside half of the plate, and yes, gave up a game-tying homer to the muscular M-O. 

Over the fence.  Utter disbelief.  Poltergeist 16.  

The demons are back.

A 2-1 lead evaporated, and a 2-0 team season start against a key division rival also went up in smoke.  No two game lead.  Even Steven instead.  A season-changer in game # 2.

Which leads me to ask a question, where I, long an advocate of Diaz, hasn't wanted to go: 

Is Edwin Diaz a moron?

Why not bust a pitch inside on 3-2, after every single pitch before it was thrown on the outside half of the plate or outside? Why not throw a breaking ball that drops out of the strike zone?   Get him to chase, or walk him.  How can you keep giving up so many darned homers in key situations, unless you’re (dare I suggest it) a moron?

Diaz sure has excellent stuff, but through poor location and poor judgment, he seems to think that throwing ultra high speed batting practice is OK.  The evidence says it is not.

Diaz really was a key culprit in the Mets not making the playoffs in 2019. I figured the 10 months since, to eliminate the negatives, would show us improvement.  Unless this inane pitch selection/location stops, this team will do nothing this year either.

John Franco knew how to pitch in relief. He was a thinking man’s pitcher. You had to earn things against Franco. He gave up plenty of runners, and he’d bend, but he’d rarely break, because he was a smart pitcher. And not a moron.  He allowed a HR every 65 batters he faced in the 9th inning.  Not one every 13, like Edwin.

I don’t know what to say but Edwin Diaz needs to do something a lot differently. 

And (to quote Bill O'Reilly)  that’s my memo.  

Except for one thing.  How SHOULD Diaz be used?

Last year, in the 9th, Diaz had a 7.34 ERA and his 15 homers allowed resulted in a .600+ slug % against 198 batters.

In the 8th, though, no homers allowed to 27 batters, 1 run allowed, 4 hits, a walk, and 13 Ks.  He may, contrary to 2018's stellar Seattle results, just not be a 9th inning guy.  

We could use a stellar 8th inning guy like Diaz on the Mets, and let Lugo and Familia do the 9th.

In fact, in the 7th, 8th, and 10th in 2019, Diaz was sensationally incredible: combined, he faced 56 batters, allowed a mere 6 hits, 4 walks, fanned 28, and (wait for it, drum roll) NO HOMERS.   

So maybe he is not a moron at all, but is just not cut out for the 9th inning.

Maybe he relaxes more in the non-9th inning outings, and his true incredible ability comes out.  

But the 9th inning experiment?  If not over, it should be darned close to being over.