No Nay Never No More

[Edgy MD]

Maybe I'm just over-correcting for last night's brain-breaking ninth inning, but I'm seeing as to where the Mets have a day off tomorrow followed by a Matz-Eflin matchup on Freeday, how about trying to bolster the bullpen by shortening the rotation to accommodate this day off and their last one on the 19th?



Matz has appeared twice out of the pen this year, and if they bump him to the pen, Stroman (and everybody else) would be on normal rest for the next turn, with a somewhat more accomplished option in the pen.



I hate to get all Gene Mauch, but I'm kind of advocating getting a little bit Gene Mauch. More meaningfully, I'm averse to ever seeing a ninth inning ever go that way ever again ever.

[seawolf17]

I could go either way on this. The Phillies have beaten up Matz this year, but getting guys out the first time through the order has been Matz's bugaboo also. I'd almost be tempted to skip him entirely.

[Lefty Specialist]

I'd almost be more tempted to sit Stroman. He hasn't really impressed me.

[Edgy MD]

I laid Matz out as an example. Certainly it could be Stroman or even Wheelio. They would only be skipped two times through the rotation anyhow. You can skip one this time and another the next time.



But it's not about sitting anybody. It's about (1) shaving off any delays in the arrival of Jake deGrom and the top of the rotation, and (2) augmenting the bullpen with one more established and capable pitcher, which is what teams do in the post-season anyhow.

[Johnny Lunchbucket]

That's a good idea (she said, she said)

[MFS62]

Every time we think Matz has finally got his shit together, he pulls the football away like Lucy.

I'd keep Strohman in for this turn because:

He has pitched batter in his last few starts

He is a "ground ball pitcher" and Philly is a bandbox

Even a blind dog hits an occasional fire hydrant, and he's due for a good game.



Later

[Vic Sage]

we traded many prospects to go for it this year, so now they've got to go for it. September is our playoffs; all hands on deck.



With regard to pitching:



* starters go at least 7 (regardless of pitch count) unless they completely lose it;

* Wheeler becomes a swingman with spot starts, but mostly in the pen (his stuff is best suited for the pen from among him, Mats and Stroman, and he's leaving anyway, so i'm not concerned with blowing his arm out);

* Lugo/C1, Wilson/C2; Wilson/S1, Wheeler/S2; Avilan/LOOGY, Brach/ROOGY; with Familia, Diaz, Sewald, Lockett, Zamora as mop up/low leverage guys, and Bashlor taken out and shot.



as for the lineup, Frazier and Cano platoon (with McNeil going between 3b and 2b); maybe spot Lagares for Conforto against tough LHPs, unless Stroman is pitching (Conforto has been useless against LHP and Nimmo needs to play everyday at this point).

Edited September 5, 2019 by Guest

[Centerfield]

I think this is a great idea.

[Frayed Knot]

I think we should just skip deGrom starts. We never win on his day anyway.

[Edgy MD]

Hey, if you want him in the pen, that'll work, but hopefully, adding one more established arm in the relief corps helps even on deGrom Days.

[Johnny Lunchbucket]

This is a discussion for another day perhaps but what knocks me out is how the org has failed so much at developing reliable bullpen guys. I mean, Fammy and Lugo I guess count as homegrown relievers who've been good, Gsellie and Robles okay, but you'd figure with all the opportunity they wound up getting at least 1 or more of the Bashlors, Rhameses, Sewalds, Smiths, Bautistas, Callahans, Goeddels, Nogoseks, Petersons, Hanholds, Gagnons, Oswalts etc etc etc would rise to the occasion and outperform.



Who was the last org releiver to pleasantly surprise? Smoker, maybe?



Do relievers overperform expectations less often than other groups of players?

[Edgy MD]

Lugo's your man, there.



I think that some of the best relievers you develop are going to be guys who were starters right up to the bigs, but either don't initially perform when they try to crack the rotation, or are locked out by a group that the organization is committed to. I count Lugo here, but also Mejia, Heilman, and Parnell. Part of what drives 'em is the notion that they deserve to be a starter.

[Ceetar]

Edgy MD wrote: More meaningfully, I'm averse to ever seeing a ninth inning ever go that way ever again ever.

The Mets could spend the next 50 years of having the worst bullpen in the league and you still probably wouldn't ever see that again.

[Edgy MD]

Well, I mean, if it was the worst bullpen in the league for fifty straight years, I dunno.



But I understand that. I think I suggested as much. Nonetheless, approaching crunch time by the tightening up the number of pitchers who see even medium-leverage action, by lopping a pitcher or two off the back end of your rotation to strengthen the bullpen, is hardly an exotic approach.

[Ceetar]

sure, but you're especially _not_ going to pitch them in the 9th of 6th run games.

[Gwreck]

I think Vic's plan is wise. Maybe a little too rigid with his bullpen roles but I'd roll with that over what Mickey's doing now.

[Edgy MD]

=Ceetar post_id=21033 time=1567734379 user_id=102]
sure, but you're especially _not_ going to pitch them in the 9th of 6th run games.