For years, the great Tom Seaver pitched many a time on the 4th day.
Jake threw a mere 85 pitches on Wednesday, but could not start (or even pitch) on 3 days rest. No sirree, Bobby.
After all, this is 2021. Pitchers only go every 5th day (OK, sometimes, maybe on the 6th day). That’s written in stone. In Granite.
And it looked good early on yesterday.
Five QUICK Mets Sunday afternoon runs. 5-0 lead.
But then, the man who should be Alonso’s All Star game HR Derby pitcher, Jerad Eickhoff, came in. He came into today’s action with 15 HRs allowed in 57 minor and major league innings. He left with 59 innings and 17 HRs allowed. That is SOME ratio, especially when most of those HRs arose from pitching to AAA hitters.
Anyway, a tired Edwin Diaz came in to bail out Castro in the 8th, and he did, but it took him a lot of pitches. Then in the 9th, he really tired and lost it. Gave up two runs, including the eventual game winner. He wasn't "Sugar", he was a sugar substitute.
We got saccharine while the Mets’ secret weapon, Jake, sat and watched.
Tom Seaver hardly ever relieved for the Mets. But in his first 9 seasons, he did come out of the pen 6 times. Even picked up a save in 1968.
Jake’s career? 198 games…198 starts. Not one single relief outing. He probably pitched in relief in an All Star game, though.
I liked the old time game better. How about you?
One where roles were not cast in so much stinking stone. Heck, look at how many games reliever Tug McGraw started in 1969…4 of his 42 outings. Guys multi-tasked when they had to.
Wouldn’t it have been cool to see Jake come out for the 9th? And the Mets hit the break with a very valuable W?
AWM, folks. I'd hate to think we missed the playoffs by one game.
One fan posted on Facebook, and I think it was very succinct so I share it here:
"I love deGrom, but the Mets win today if he wasn't a porcelain doll."
Oh, well…at least we got the great Kumar Rocker. Someday, we’ll see him pitch every fifth day, perhaps in 2022.
But see him on 3 days’ rest? Don’t hold your breath. This is TWENTY FIRST CENTURY BASEBALL we’re talking about. Boring in its being over-strategized. Granite everywhere.
On another topic:
Nice to see Francisco Alvarez homer in the Future game. Maybe by this time next season, he’ll be catching Mets’ games. You don't think so? Well, some people were actually surprised when Tylor Megill showed up “early.” Take it from Tylor...“Early” happens. When you are ready and there is a need.
I'm ready when Francisco is. How about you?
12 comments:
Alvarez will be the 2023 OD catcher
A subtle point about JDG, and worthy, but I don’t think necessary. The plan sucked, and the offense put it on autopilot and took a nap. Castro pitched when Drew Smith was fresher and should have. We all know that since the crackdown on sticky stuff Castro hasn’t been the same. Rojas should know also. Loup for two, Eickoff for two plus wasn’t long enough, then you need five innings out of Familia, Castro, and E. Diaz? No May, no Lugo, no Y. Diaz?
No one area or person deserves this loss, but everyone deserves it. The Front Office, the Manager, the hitters and the pitchers. Everyone contributed to taking a team that was playing well coming in for granted and underestimating their willingness to fight back. Hope they can’t sleep for four days.
Gus, I agree…but I would have asked Jake to not do his side work until Monday, even if at home. You never know when you might have a 5-4 Ning inning leader and your closer gassed. Jake could have gotten his work in end of game (late in game) somewhere. I sure would hate Jake to miss out on the 2021 playoffs by one game.
I sort of agree with you on JDG, Tom. The Mets have the greatest pitcher on the planet and have to be afraid to use him for more than six innings every fifth or sixth day.
It's like owning a Ferrari and keeping it under a cover in your garage all week. Then, you take it out and drive it around the neighborhood at 30 MPH on Sunday.
I thought it was a bad more bringing in Castro, but even worse to expect a second good inning from him. Not my choice to protect a one run lead.
Tom- agreed about the Franchise, & he surely would have been hocking the manager to get in there!!! Different times, my friend… With his recent state of impingements, no use risking Jacob’s health. Let’s hope he comes back from the break well rested and in great health and ready to go 7+ innings every start from here until we clinch the pennant!!
Just some musing about the random points above:
- Luis Rojas mentions from time to time how he checks with JDG on how he is feeling. The early yanks and sitting yesterday were probably 90% deGrom, 10% Mets.
- When Castro started his second inning, it was still 5-2. Even the lead the Pirates took, came on three straight two out hits in the ninth. Diaz is not a pitcher that can get by with lesser or diminished stuff.
- If the hitters weren’t so satisfied with their first inning work, they’d put up a few more runs especially after either two spot the Pirates put up. But, they sat on their laurels. Smith and Alonso back to back is not a good combo in 3/4 spot. I want to see McNeil moved up and Smith down by Conforto. Even Villar is a better hitter than Smith or Alonso…. I just don’t like all or nothing hitters. I feel like I’m the anti-Alderson.
It seemed odd that yesterday was the game they tried to get extra innings out of their relievers. Everybody has 4 days off - it should have been all hands on deck. As Gus noted, why did May or Smith not pitch the eighth? Castro did his job in the seventh. This wasn't the right day to ask Diaz to get a 5 out save, especially when he wasn't showing his elite strikeout form.
David, good to hear from you, and yes, I believe Seaver would have insisted on getting in there if he wasn't going to start again until perhaps Saturday.
So, we often hear the lament: we need to get Jake into the post season again while he is at his peak. But...he could have helped that yesterday with one inning. The 9th. He likely chose not to. So, I will not lament for him if we miss by a game.
Gus, the hitters were truly disappointing after inning one. It seemed only Lindor and McNeil were honed in.
Pete? I wish the home run derby started for him yesterday - I care not a whit about the All Star HR Derby. Hope he has fun.
Bill, Diaz was gassed. I know he is your 9th inning guy - normally - but like I wrote in the article, some things are set in granite.
Look at 1969 and 1986 and look at the distribution of saves between McGraw and Taylor and between Orosco and McDowell. No granite in those years.
It's interesting to know what Tom Brennan would have told Jake de Grom to do. Fascinating.
The reality is that Jake was pulled from 3 games, and sat out 1, with various ailments. He went to the edge and looking into the abyss.
We lose Jake, we're toast. It's over. You get that, right?
But Tom would have told him to pitch anyway. Good to know.
We've been through this before. The constant, endless comparisons to Seaver -- and to a game that no longer exists.
When you compare Jake to Seaver, it is exactly like -- in terms of years and the evolution of the game -- comparing Seaver to Walter Johnson. In 1919, Johnson had 27 CG out of 29 starts. The year before, 29 CG out of 29 starts. He threw 290 innings (a down year for him) and gave up . . . 0.1 HR/9. His strikeouts were at 147 (out of 290 IP). Went 23-13 (because of 10 relief appearances).
It was a different time. It would be silly and pointless you look at Seaver and hold him to what Walter Johnson did 50 years before.
Yet you do that with Jake, constantly.
The plan on Sunday was terrible, Gus is right. Bullpen games are terrible. Hate them. I don't think they had much of a choice. A shame that Szupucki looked so bad, and so scared, in his other outing.
Mets need Carrasco back, badly.
Would be nice if Megill can get out of the 4th inning.
I think they need another quality reliever and, maybe, a league-average type 6th starter arm. The way things go, seems like we might need one.
Hopefully Peterson become usable in 6 weeks or less.
Jimmy
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