Postgame: Willie, Mets are happy today’s over
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- May
- 27
A tense afternoon and evening is over for the Mets after their 7-3 loss to the Marlins. Willie Randolph admitted: “I’m happy it’s over.”
The Mets tried to put the onus on themselves after losing for the seventh time in eight games. David Wright had the most stern words:
“We’ve dug ourselves a hole. We’re going to see what we’re made of,†Wright said. “We can either continue to play mediocre baseball and just play out the rest of the season or we can man up and get the job done. We have the talent to do it. We have the personalities to do it. Now we have to stop talking about it and go out and do it.â€
One culprit tonight who must improve is Mike Pelfrey. His line (4 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 3 K, 1 HB) is abysmal. “I was terrible,” he said. That about sums it up. Of note, all six runs off Pelfrey were scored with two outs.
Randolph wouldn’t address what he spoke to the team about in the preseries meeting I mentioned earlier. However, it appears the manager addressed his uncertain situation for the first time. Jose Reyes said Randolph told them to “stay focused” amid the turmoil…I guess tomorrow’s another day for that.
Again, Johan Santana will take the mound in another must-win ballgame. My question for the overnight: I know Johan’s paid to stop slumps, but how often do they plan on leaving a slump in his lap?
That’s a lot of pressure for anyone, even for one of the best (if not the very best) in the sport.
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on Tuesday, May 27th, 2008 at 12:15 am by John Delcos.
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You can’t pin that all on Pelfrey, though.
There was a LOT of bad defense involved in that loss.
There was also the inability for anyone other than Wright/Reyes/Beltran to do anything other than a handful of cheapie non-productive singles.
Time to start throwing around the “R” word…
Rebuilding.
Mike C…True, but for how long can the Mets give Pelfrey a pass for poor pitching? The error by Reyes in the first would be an afterthought for most pitchers.
A runner on first with two outs in the top of the first should not end up as a two-run rally. You gotta get the next batter and move on with the game.
There is something wrong with Reyes. That is obvious.John, sorry but why doestnt any reporter want to comment that Reyes is on drugs? I am tired of seeing cocaine linked to this kid, when there has been no clear proof. Jose Reyes is the future of this team. so Prove it or prove it a lie.
RAY
Sure, Pelfrey wasn’t great.
But… what can you really do about it? Jerk him back down to AAA and plug in the zombie remains of some washed-up vet the Mets have been hiding in New Orleans, out of the desperate desire to reclaim an already-basically-lost season?
Eventually, the day has to come where you stick with your rookies, come hell or high water, or why have a minor league system at all?
Why draft anyone at all when you’re just gonna plug in some dude who had a good year ten years ago and is awful now when the going gets tough?
The moment young guys will start developing on the Mets is the moment when they know they can mess up a little… even mess up a lot… without fearing the hot breath of someone who Used To Be Good on their neck.
Until then, Pelfrey and any other young player is going to play tight and distracted.
The problem that I have will Pelfrey is that he only has one pitch, fastball, that’s it. Pelfrey throws a slider but it isn’t that good. This is why he will never be good. Until he develops a pitch that he can work off his fastball, like a change up he will never be good.
JD,
I’ve seen more two out with no runners on base rallies this year against the mets than I can remember in the last 5 years. It’s just not Pelfrey it’s all the met pitchers, even Santana has done it this year. I think Peterson needs to go, he is not doing a good job with the met pitchers.
I heard the drugs are coming from a guy using the name Ray Sadecki. Seriously, something is wrong with the guy so you demand proof that he isn’t on drugs. Other than from anon posters such as yourself where have you seen any evidence for such an accusation.
If anyone knows how to find out if the Mets lead the league in 2 out runs allowed and giving up runs in the next half inn after your team scores that would be a great pair of stats to know.
As for pelfrey, I think he just booked his ticket to NO. With Pedro scheduled to pitch in SF, I’d guess Pelf is out and Vargas stays. pelfrey has had plenty of opportunity. If he can’t picth b/c he thinks he might lose his job, then maybe he just can’t pitch. I just think he has no pitches to get hitters out. He was rushed up here w/o developing command of any pitches. And worse, Omar and his crew drafted him and did not idenitfy his flawed secondary picthes nor his poor makeup.
As far as rebuilding. What do they have to rebuild with? Mets are going to have to throw even more $$ at this roster in the offseason b/c there is no one on the farm that is a lock to be productive right away, if at all.
The Mets don’t have a farm sys like other teams. Never have and w/Omar I wonder if they ever will.
And b/c of the lack of a farm sys, this org is going to continue to be on a roller coaster of a couple of good yrs followed by a number of bad. Especially now more than ever as more teams lock up their young talent and the FA market dries up.
Looking at this from a projection of the expected offensive production you would not think that the Mets would have as many problems scoring runs as it seems they are (17 games 3 runs or less-35%). You have 3 players projected to drive in about 100runs. You have 4 projected to score about 100. Afterall, in 06 they had the same number of guys w/100RBIs and the same number w/100 runs scored.
Reyes
G AB R H D T HR RBI W SO SB CS BA OBP
160 677 95 187 34 17 20 78 65 95 51 17 .276 .335
These numbers are close to 06 except for BA
Castillo
151 568 87 147 16 4 4 52 87 56 36 4 .259 .361
His BA is down, but his OBP is at his career level
Wright
162 635 96 179 46 3 30 119 99 116 23 13 .281 .379
All close to career, except BA
Beltran
162 595 112 155 46 10 13 96 99 112 20 3 .261 .365
Obviously the HRs would be way down, but his 2B are up. Maybe the knee is dropping the power some.
Church
159 570 118 176 24 3 31 111 59 138 3 3 .309 .376
Obviously he is the most difficult to project. But if Church did this batting 5th, he’d make up for Delgado.
Delgado
161 607 77 131 23 0 27 84 67 138 0 0 .215 .294
The BA is bad, which reflects on the OBP. But if he is batting 6th or 7th, 27HR/84RBI is fine.
Changes the mets need to make:
send Pelfrey down to NO, and leave him there. Let him stay there until September call ups.
Promote Carp and Murphy. What will it hurt? I feel pretty confident Carp can do as much as Delgado is doing right now. Murphy is on a tear in NO, promote him, send down Chavez or someone I don’t care.
I think the problem with this team, is that when they were all in their prime, yeah this team would be nasty. However, too many key guys are either hurt or just too old, and are expectations were just too high for this team.
Delcos-you do a great job of offering your insight on this team. What changes would you make?
The Mets need to realize that as long as they keep putting Delgado out there with Chavez, they are actually almost giving up 3 outs every turn time through the line up. Delagado needs to sit a few days because his trying to work his way through his hitting issues is too costly to the team. Chavez’s bat at the moment is too much of an offensive liability to offset his defensive work. It doesn’t matter whether they lose 3-1 or 5-1 if he cannot get any hits to get them back in the game. As for Heilman, I would keep him as an innings eater and hope that he fares well so that he can be showcased to be moved. He has been unhappy the last few seasons not starting, and, the Mets should try and get something for him before he can leave on his own accord. He has lost credibility and the confidence here to be sent in to protect a lead.
they also need to call up that val casucci guy or whatever his name is. It is just sad to watch this team play right now. I feel sorry for Willie more than anger. The guy cares. The guy is hurting, and we just are not getting any breaks. How many balls do we hit hard that goes right to someone. How many big basehits do we get???? just frustrating.
The posts look as a whole, like Omar’s plan. Bring up kids, but send down a kid, bring up AAAA player because he’s hot at AAA. Everybody is doing OK, Delgado needs to sit. Delgado needs to play and bat 7. That’s the plan for real. There is none.
If you want to bring up the Binghamton bashers you don’t send Pelfrey down. You go young, you live and die with the young. And you try to dump as many vets as you can during the year.
If you want to bring up Pascucci the question is why? We already have lousy fielding, lousy clutch hitting guys on the bench now.
If you have problems with Pelfrey’s pitches then blame Peterson. Pelfrey had a slow curve ball in college and in the minors and Peterson had him ditch it. Obviously, a very bad move.
Yesterday’s game I blame on the Wilpons and the press. The team had to mentally exhausted with all the Willie crap for nothing.
Pelfrey cannot get batters out consistently at the ML level. He has one pitch. A starter cannot survive on 1 pitch. He needs to have something else to keep hitters off balance.
Send him to AAA to work on another pitch. The guy was told to drop the curve and use a slider, but was not given the innings in the minors to develop the pitch.
Leaving him in the majors to learn and get killed is not going to help his confidence. To say sending him down will hurt his confidence sompletely ignores that.
The reason you bring Pelfrey down is because he is proving he just does not have the stuff to CONSISTENTLY get hitters out. He needs to go to AAA and work on his pitches, commange, etc, and get some confidence. You bring carp and murphy up because they will bring some attitude to this club, some hunger, and put delgado and anyone else on notice. These guys are mashing in AA, you might as well see what they can do for the club. Delgado is not hacking it, but who is forcing him to do better, making him work harder? Marlon Anderson? nope. You bring up Val pascucci because the guy deserves a shot as well. Who do you want coming up to pinch hit needing a blast? Casanova? Chavez? no, pasucci hits bombs, lets see what he can do.
Casanova can hit bombs as well.
I do like the Pascucci idea more than Murphy or Carp.
though he is not good in the field.
Sorry Matt but you are wrong on so many accounts.
1. Career AAAA players aren’t brought up to help a team. There’s a reason he’s a AAAA player. You bring up Val and you axe anyone on the bench there is no change. You are deceived by a guy’s numbers in the PCL.
2. You bring up a flock from AA then you keep Pelfrey because you have given up on this year. You don’t send down one kid bring up another, etc. That’s the Omar plan. Plan for a second. If you plan for a future your plan is to play kids no matter what or only play them when you have no other choice. You want it it every way. You like the Omar plan.
Ed Yes Pelfrey doesn’t have any pitches to go with his fastball, but if you send him down and tell him to stay with the same repetoire you gain nothing. Look, I’m not saying he’s big league ready, but if you are giving up on the season NY is the place for him to figure it out. And if you aren’t giving up, you better make a trade because all you have as a sub for him are new versions of Lima time.
Guv-I see your points, but I just don’t agree. I don’t think you are giving up on this season if you call guys up from AA. Your minor league system is there for you to develop up and coming players and hope they are prepared for the big leagues. Carp and Murphy are both doing well in AA. We are struggling offensively, Delgado is doing nothing. What does it hurt to sit Delgado for a game or two and give Carp a chance? Now, I am not saying this is what they should do. I feel like calling guys up from AA straight to the majors, and you are taking a chance on rushing a guy too soon, so this may not be whats best. However, this team needs a spark we all know that. As far as your AAAA comment about Val, can’t say I agree, but I also don’t disagree. Again, just thinking that it may soon be time to give some guys a chance to give us any kid of spark. To keep depending on Chavez to find it or marlon anderson, or delgado, or relying on pedro and el duque, well, that isn’t going to get us anywhere except where we are right now.
Guv – In my post I said Pelfrey should go down and work on another pitch. His slider is “new”. He needs to focus on getting that pitch consistent.
How much longer do we need to here the players and mgmt say that they are better than their record and they just need to play better? This team is built to stink and it stinks as currently constituted. No more excuses as this has been going on for over 1 friggin year!
My recommendation is give it 2 more weeks and without a turn around, Willie, Peterson, and HoJo need to be fired. Wright needs to move to 1B. One of the youngsters needs to play 3B. Mgmt should consider DFAing Easley, Anderson, Chavez, Alou, Delgado, and El Duque. Instead of “rebuilding” let’s “re-tool!”
Matt: I’d have no problems bringing up both of them and keeping the other guy as well. But then don’t have any expectations for this year. that’s all. I myself would enjoy the three guys going thru growing pains more than I enjoy watching this club as it is now built. The only difference is I wouldn’t bring Pascucci and I’d leave Pelfrey up and let him use all his pitches again. After as many starts as he’s had in the bigs I don’t think the minors is going to help.
Ed I think everyone said the same exact words last year wehn Pelfrey was sent down. It didn’t work.