ONE THING WE ALL KNOW:
DAVID STEARNS HAS TO LOOK AHEAD
After his start on June 7, with 97 games left in the major league season, the great Clay Holmes, who has been excellent and All Star caliber at 7-3, 2.95 this season, is all the way up to 73 innings. Then 5 more fine innings yesterday.
That is more innings than in any major league season in his career, with 60% of the schedule (not to mention playoffs) left.
He started his minor league career 13 years ago.
In the minors, he hit 136 innings once, in 2016, and 100-120 innings 3 other times.
Not workhorse innings. At the rate he is going, he would hit 136 innings by the 3/4 point of the season.
For Holmes, his innings totals are quickly heading into uncharted territory.
The Mets soon MIGHT also have an extremely good starter surplus.
They already have 6 quality starters, and when Montas and Manaea return in a few weeks, they will have EIGHT. Montas has been awful, and Blackburn is not going to confuse anyone as to whether he is an ace.
Still, all these remaining pitchers - something has to give.
(Speaking of “something has to give”, it looks like, after I drafted this, that Kodai Senga’s hammy gave. He will miss 4-6 weeks with only a grade one pull).
Anyway…Let’s circle back to Clay Holmes.
As a Yankees reliever, prior to joining the Mets, Holmes was excellent:
19-15, 2.69 ERA, 74 saves.
It would seem that a mutually beneficial solution for the Mets and Holmes might be to revert him back to relief for a period of time this season to limit his innings and have him fresh for the post season, once they get past the Kodai Crumble.
Holmes’ addition to the pen would give the Mets a totally, completely, and utterly killer pen to go along with a terrific starting rotation. If a bullpen Holmes had been there last night to relieve starter Holmes, they would have won.
A pen return might not be what Holmes wanted, but it so far has turned into an unbelievable year for the Mets' starters, who have missed 2 of their planned rotation for the first 40% of the season (now 3) - and totally thrived.
In good part due to the most excellent excellence of Clay Holmes.
I was not sure what other solution there might be, if no one got injured in the next 4 weeks. You can't readily go with 8 starters, can you? But Kodai didn’t allow that scenario to unfold.
What are your thoughts as to this conundrum - and proposed solution?
On another note, I was guessing as I drafted this that in response to the Senga injury, Kranick or Dedniel gets called up, and Montas, who is due for another rehab start tomorrow and threw 76 pitches in his last rehabber, could be making his final rehab start, with his next start thereafter for these front-running NY Mets.
Then, Kranick did get called up, and got smacked around, and Montas just got demoted to the DSL so he could get some batters out. (No, not really).
ANOTHER UNSUNG 17 YEAR OLD IS RIPPING!
Tongue in cheek a bit here, but I just love it when hitters HIT!
In the DSL, Lindor’s “future successor”, SS Yorber Semprun, age 17, has been on base 8 of 15 times with 3 steals, and added 5 RBIs on Friday.
In 8 years, when he is 25, he could really be something, huh? And by then Lindor will be almost 40.
I’ll be ready to turn 80 by then, and still rooting hard for Semprun.
Kidding aside, I know nothing about Yorber, except that he is off to a great career start with the bat, and I wish him continued success!
My favorite DSL slugger so far, though?
18 year old Mets catcher Josmir Reyes, who is a stunning 11 for 19 with 5 walks, no Ks, and 9 (count ‘em, nine) RBIs. Wahoo, that’s danged good!
$5 million man Elian Peña meanwhile is 0 for 26. Let’s light some candles for the kid. Hopefully over his next 6 games, he too (like Josmir) can go 11 for 19 with 5 walks, no Ks, and 9 (count ‘em, nine) RBIs.
AS NOTED, MONTAS HAD ANOTHER ABYSMAL REHAB OUTING
8 runs in less than 2 innings? When asked at dinner if his hands were clean, he replied, “washed up.” I’m sure it was an innocent remark.
But a 13.17 rehab ERA and 2.34 WHIP? What’s up wit’ dat?
In the Mets game, meanwhile, Blackburn gave the Mets heartburn, and Kranick was Krappy, the two combining to give up 6 runs in one inning, and costing the Mets the win, after Clay Holmes was excellent for 5.
THREE FIRST ROUNDER FIREBALLS
Jett is hitting great - when he is not getting beaned.
Kevin Parada homered yet again in AA, # 8.
He has surged NINETY POINTS in a month, from .122 on May 14 to .212!
He is a Piazza-like 22 for his last 69, with 7 HRs in that span. Sweet.
Colin Houck? He had 3 hits. Surging, too. Near .240.
7 HRs, 32 RBIs for the Lucies.
And a very solid .270 in May and June, after a slow April.
That’s called progress.
HAPPY SATURDAY, AND DON’T PULL A HAMMY, PLEASE, FOLKS.
10 comments:
Just read that Senga has a lower grade 1 hammy pull, will miss 4-6 weeks.
Houck,Parada look out they’re on there way
Tom,
I was afraid Mangum would show us his good side last night. I followed his career in college and was pleased to see him drafted by the Mets. He was not a home run hitter, but seemed to always get that single with the bases loaded. My point here is that the team needs that player who can get a hit when it counts. We did not get that last night.
I was a Mangum fan. Mauricio may hit them 450 feet, but first, he has to hit. Mangum is a hit machine.
On “there” way? Maybe, maybe not. Progress? Yes.
Parada needs to more than hit occasional homers. Could work on his D too
With ramp up, that's at least a month out
Can't keep them all DJ
Good for him. Always liked Mangum, and hope he does well in Tampa. He never should have had the opportunity to get that clutch hit. Putting Kranick in after Stanek is not an ideal scenario. They are both similar pitchers, so if the opponent is hitting one, you need a different look - not another copy of the same. It's even worse when neither of them was controlling location very well.
Am I correct, then, Mangum the GW hit, and Orze the win? Fitting.
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