Lethal, and don't you forget it.
Edwin "Sugar" Diaz had just saved an incredible 57 games with Seattle in 2018 with absolutely electric stuff, and the Mets traded for him, giving up Jared Kelenic, a highly hyped prospect, and took back a lot of net salary in the trade, dumping two costly veterans to Seattle, but still taking on a lot more of Cano Dough. But while also getting what appeared to be an elite closer with 4 years of team control (2019-22), a true bargain.
People tend to be short-sighted, quick-tempered, and non-analytical. They forget that in that first season, through May 28, he had a dazzling 1.64 ERA. People loved Edwin up to that point.
Then, he struggled, sometimes very badly, something you are not allowed to do in Queens. By season's end, his ERA ballooned to 5.59. How did it jump so much? Several very bad outings. Let's go thru them:
He badly blew a late May save opportunity against very tough LAD, allowing 4 runs on 5 hits in 1/3 of an inning.
Two weeks later, another bad one against the tough Cardinals, 4 hits and 3 runs in 2 innings.
Two weeks after that, a brutal outing against good hitting Philly, in which he allowed 5 runs in 1/3 of an inning.
A week later in early July, Philly again, 1/3 of an inning, 4 runs.
Then a bad stretch of 6 games in late July and early August, where in 5 of them he allowed 7 runs over 4.2 innings.
Finally, back to back bad outings in early September against tough Atlanta and Philly, allowing 4 earned runs in a total of 1 inning.
Sounds awful - lots of runs - but he did save 26 of 33 while (yes) going 2-7.
The 2018 version of Diaz instead of the 2019 version probably wins them the pennant, but they missed the playoffs altogether. Missed the division by 11 games, missed a wild card by 3 games. It hurt.
But he had 66 outings, and was successful in the large majority of them, and fanned 99 in 58 innings.
Sometimes, it just doesn't go well overall in a season.
In the individual games I mention above, he allowed 27 earned runs in. Awful. But almost entirely against potent hitting opponents. Seaver was 12-20 lifetime vs. the Reds...tough opponents can make you look bad sometimes.
The 27 runs were surrendered in just 11 of his 66 outings. In the other 55 games, he allowed just 9 runs.
So, yes, it was painful for him, and for Mets fans. He had the pressure of closing for a playoff contender, during great years for deGrom, McNeil, and Alonso, and he failed. But he was excellent 80% of the time.
It was not time to give up on him. I'm glad the Mets didn't listen to the "crucify him, send him packing" fans, and knew that what they had was a guy who struggled in perhaps the toughest role in baseball against very good hitting teams. But was elite in 2018 and likely to be elite again.
Patience was rewarded. Sound the trumpets!
Edwin is indeed elite. As a Met.
If he was traded, the Mets would be in 3rd place.
7 comments:
I just said on Twitter that I can't see Diaz leaving New York, especially after all the narco fanfare, but I have said this so many times before about those that departed over moolah.
Hopefully $$ is no object for keeping Diaz. 3 straight reliever of month awards? If you had a mediocre closer, Mets would be 8 games out.
The difference between then and now was that in 2019 he could not get his slider to work. That late break was not happening, so the ball stayed in the zone and hitters teed off. That was the year of the 'slippery' ball that had an unusual number of HRs across the board.
This year the slider breaks hard and late. When you are mentally geared to hit a 100+ fastball, you initiate the swing early, only to discover at mid-swing that the ball is diving down and away from you. Devastating pitch.
Paul, great points.
Sometimes just a tweak here,just a tweak there, patience Grasshopper,patience.
This grasshopper has great patience. I just have no patience for not winning the World Series this years. 36 years is long enough.
I really have trouble envisioning a WS title this year. It'll be Braves or Stros.
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