8/20/21

Tom Brennan - Fireballing Mets Minors Relievers (Update)

 

HOW ARE THOSE MINORS RELIEVERS DOING?


FIREBALLERS!  YEAH, BABY!

Edwin Diaz is fun for me to watch. Shaky sometimes, but fun.

Fans a whole lotta dudes.  216 in 130 Mets innings, to be precise.

Every fan of every team loves fireballing relievers - whether they'll admit it or not

Some guys in the Mets’ minors might fit that bill - here are 6:

Jared Robinson came out of the Cleveland organization after having his first decent season in 2019: just 3-7, 8 of 8 in saves but 97 Ks in 70 innings and a 3.34 ERA.

In his debut season with the Mets in AA? 71 Ks in 45 IP, a very impressive K rate.  And he has been a beast in August, with 17 Ks in 10 innings, giving up 2 runs and 6 hits.  He has allowed almost a hit an inning this season, but seems to be getting tougher as the season goes on.

Brian Metoyer got a few shaky games out of the way at the beginning of the season in Brooklyn.  Since then, in 20 innings, the former 40th round righty has given up 5 hits and fanned 30 and just 2 earned runs.  To me, he seems like at least another Akeel Morris, maybe better.  But 30 Ks in 20 innings?  Fireballing.  He has a .166 batting average against in his career, just .118 this year.

Adam Oller has been a starter and reliever in his minor league career, but many guys who start in the minors convert to relief in the majors.  He might become one of those.  As a starter in AA and AAA this year, he is 6-3, 3.70, with 108 Ks in 83 innings.  But he is smoking hot: his last 4 starts, 25 innings, 43 Ks, 9 hits, one run.  And won each of his 3 starts before that.  

Let's get ready to Holler for Oller.

Tommy Wilson - after his extended injury absence, he has come back in AA in relief and fanned 15 in 10 innings while allowing just 4 hits and 1 earned run.  Too soon to tell if that is a lasting trend, but he can do that every 10 innings and I won't complain.

Lastly, Eric Orze is 3-2, 3.43 in his first season with the Mets, with 8 walks vs. 55 Ks.  He might turn out to be the best of all of the above.

So many Ks, so few innings.  Keep fireballing, fellas.

(Bryce Montes de Oca's control kept him off this list, with nearly a walk per inning so far, but he has K'd 4 guys every 3 innings.  Harness that control and join the list).


Mets, meanwhile?  Awful, with pitiful, shameful offense.  I ain’t watching til they start hitting.

8 comments:

Reese Kaplan said...

You mean Chance Sisco isn't making you drop everything to watch him swing the bat? Imagine that!

Remember1969 said...

Since you singled out Bryce Montes de Oca, I assume the other pitchers you are talking up have at least an acceptable walk rate?

I love the fireballers, but more than that, I really detest the guys that cannot throw strikes.

Tom Brennan said...

Reese, not a chance.

Tom Brennan said...

Yes, the others have walks at either a low or moderate rate. Metoyer had big control problems when first drafted. I wonder if they are keeping him in Brooklyn for 2 reasons: 1) to let him dominate. 2) to keep him below the top 2 levels of the minors to reduce Rule 5 viability. He has been pretty dominant lately.

Mack Ade said...

Morning Tom.

I can't get excited about this year's crop of minor league pitchers.

Tom Brennan said...

Mack, compared to the days of Jake, Matt, Thor, and Zack arriving, these do not compare. It is possible none of these will be successful at the big league level. I used to think Akeel Morris would turn heads - I was very wrong on him. Big league success is what ultimately counts. But I appreciate their current success at a time when there is so little of it in Queens.

Mack Ade said...

Relief pitchers don't have to be young and come directly from the minors.

I like getting them after they they prove themselves on other teams and reach free agency.

Tom Brennan said...

Mack, you almost threw me for a Loup with that one. Kidding aside, that makes a lot of sense.