Any tried and true Mets fan knows that Matt Harvey, in his breakout Dark Knight season in 2013, got near-zero run support.
Then for years, Jake deGrom got very little run support, often leaving games with 1-0 or 2-1 leads, only to have the pen squander many of those leads and his potential wins.
This year, Marcus Stroman has gotten precious little support (thankfully, he did on Sunday). Despite a superb 2.85 ERA, he is 9-12 when he should be 15-7.
But when a Cinderella kid comes up and at least temporarily saves their season, can't you please score for him? Not these Mets.
Tylor Megill is the Cinderella Kid.
With almost no minor league experience at the AA and AAA level, Megill boasts a 3.21 ERA over 56 innings. 60 Ks, too.
He has pitched better than that ERA, as a few homers allowed with multiple base runners can quickly inflate an ERA.
He also has a stellar 1.16 WHIP. Only the Dodgers and Giants have a lower team WHIP.
So how, after his first 11 starts, is he just 1-2?
Here's the sad game-by-game tale of how it has happened.
On June 23, start # 1, he makes his MLB debut. Starts out with 4.1 innings of 2 run ball, those 2 runs in the 5th. 92 pitches, my recollection is the umps were calling his pitches tight. Mets win against Braves. In this game they did score - he just could not get through 5.
On June 29, The Mets scored 0 in his 5 innings. He allowed zero in the first 4 innings, and 3 in his final inning. Mets rallied in the 7th to beat Atlanta again.
On July 5, he goes a stellar 5 innings, 2 hits, 1 run, 7 Ks. A win? Well, the Mets won because they scored late, but scored only 1 run in his 5 innings, so he remained winless.
On July 10, he had trouble missing bats, allowing a run with 7 Ks in 3.1 innings, and 85 pitches. Mets scored 3 while he was in the game and won.
On July 17, he looked for all the world to have his first win lined up. 6 shutout innings, 7 Ks, AND THEY SCORED FOR HIM! The relievers blew a 6-0 lead to the worst hitting team in baseball and lost 9-7.
On July 23, he only got 2 runs of support in his 6 shutout innings, but it was enough for his first MLB win in his 6th start.
On July 28, he is brilliant against the Braves again, but the Mets score just 1 run while he is in the game. He allows a HR in the 6th to tie it, and the Mets win after he leaves. If not for the Mets winning all 3 of his Braves starts this year, the Mets would be dead in the water.
On August 2, he surrenders a first inning grand slam on a good strike, the Mets score 3 against Miami while he is in the game, he allows 1 more run in his 5 innings, and picks up his first loss.
On August 7, he is locked in a 0-0 duel in the 5th, surrenders 4 runs in the 5th, and the Mets lose.
On August 12, against potent LAD, he allows 3 runs in 5 innings with 6 Ks. The Mets fail to score while he is pitching. The Mets rally, but lose, as Familia blows a late lead and takes the loss.
On August 18, he is brilliant for 6 against SFG, but leaves trailing 1-0. Mets rally to win.
Seems to me that on a good hitting team, he' likely be 6-2 in those 11 starts, not 1-2.
Yes, the Mets beat the Braves 3 times in his starts, without which any current chance at the Division would be long gone, and helped beat first place SFG in a must-win game.
And, most importantly, when the Mets were desperate for functional starting pitching, they are 7-4 in his starts.
Now if they could only score lots of runs early for him, he could go 7 and rack up wins. (Of course, they realize they've got gold here and are watching his season inning totals like a hawk).
Heck, he even has a double and 2 singles and a walk and 2 sac bunts already, in just 19 PAs. What else do you want him to do - sweep floors?
C'mon fellas - hit early and often for him. and get him some Ws.
PENNANT RACE: Yanks win tenth straight while Braves lose for first time in 10 games. Mets 6.5 games out. Can they make it a race?
Hey....Luis' boys: Get the Mets' fans Ws and we'll start to think about believing again.
6 comments:
It makes you wonder when guys like deGrom and now Megill come from seemingly out of nowhere after they finally hit the majors late in even Mets-brand life given their ages. Obviously arm issues can derail anyone's career (ask Tom Szapucki), but we don't know what might have been if they'd started earlier, gotten on the high draft pick fast track or realized that hitting upper 90s (or 100) is not the only formula for success.
Reese, good points.
What I will say is Megill was not impressive in college. I am not sure why. He was an 8th round pick, most likely due to possible potential.
Like you imply, he may have started late. But his slightly larger brother in the Cubs system (Trevor) has not fared well so far.
Megill just has all the good pitcher tools, if not the high 90s fastball - and that may be a longevity blessing. And hitting 96 occasionally isn't shabby, His other tools are quite good.
I just wish they'd score runs for him...for them all.
Next up another player that started pitching late in college - Cole Gordon. He's currently been lights out in Binghamton his last 3-4 starts.
Gordon has been remarkable of late, indeed.
I'm still not clear on how "run support" is calculated. Is it runs scored in the game, or only those while he's still in the game?
If a SP leaves for a PH with his team trailing, 2-1,in the 5th, butthey score 5 in the 8th for a total of 6,how is his run support calculated?
Bill, I am not sure, but one thing is for sure, the starter does not get the W.
Megill has keep the season from completely capsizing, and he has one win to show for it so far.
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