Say it with me: Looper. Looper.

[Guest old original jb]

That's for 2 blown saves in one game.
At least this wasn't a "big" game. Or maybe it was, I don't know.
It might have been "meaningful."


Once more, in stereo, with disdain.


Looper.


Looper.

(I know that it would be nice if the Mets scored more than 2 runs per nine innings, and that Benitez hasn't exactly had a stellar year, and relief pitching may be the least forgiving position in the game... but please humor me on my Looper bashing.)

[Guest cooby]

Looper is soon to be an ex Woolie.

We knew you'd be here today, jb

[Guest Edgy DC]

I think the second one was just a blown win --- a loss

I think you have to trot out to another position and then return to the mound in order to get to two blown saves.

Yeah, I'm ready to join the Heilman-for-Closer movement. Not that I'm not more frustrated with the offense. I am.

[smg58]

True, a little bit of the hitting we had for two days in Arizona would have won us most of the games this week. But everybody remembers when the closer doesn't get the job done.

Takatsu would be the one charged with the blown save for the 10th.

I wouldn't be against using Heilman or Bert as the closer the rest of the way, but Looper is officially a lame duck as it is. Besides, Heilman would have to pass Takatsu on the depth chart...

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

Looper.

He's having an awful year, but if they gave blown saves to offenses we'd have racked up 12 or 13 in this series alone. Looper.

Looper.

Looper.

[Guest Mark Healey]

IMO, the entire front office and field staff is to blame for the fact that this bullpen rotation isn't set yet. It's September for God's sake.

When did Mr. Zero become the go-to guy in big spots?

[MFS62]

Looper, Looper
Pennant pooper

Heals, I absolutely agree.

Later

[seawolf17]

The Great Looper Experiment didn't work.

However, we know (hopefully) that he's gone next year. What do they do? I don't want to see Bert around in '06, and I don't know that I trust Heilman in that spot either.

I nominate Heath Bell.

[Elster88]

Billy Wagner is a free agent. It would be a nice thumb in the eye of Philadelphia if we got our claws on him.
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[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

I'm all for guys who throw 98mph, but before we go get one with the idea he's infallible, Wagner torched the Astros' playoiff chances in Sept. 03, his absense due to injury last year may have killed the best chance for Philly and his back-to-back blown saves this week may prove to kill Philly again this year.

Looper.

[Elster88]

Johnny Dickshot wrote: I'm all for guys who throw 98mph, but before we go get one with the idea he's infallible, Wagner torched the Astros' playoiff chances in Sept. 03, his absense due to injury last year may have kkilled the best chance for Philly last year and his back-to-back blown saves this week may prove to kill Philly again this year.

I guess he sucks in big games. I never said he was infallible.

Looper.
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[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

The point was, all closers blow 'em and unfortunately you dont get to choose when. It's just that some blow more than others. Looper.

Looper.

Maybe it wasn't by design, but I'd say the fact we had Hernandez pitching in the 8th inning probably "saved" us more wins than Looper in the 9th. There's no question Hernandez has been the better pitcher this year and as things have shaken out I'd say on balance the 8ths have been hairier than the 9ths this season.

Can you imagine if their roles had been reversed?

Looper.

[Elster88]

Looper.

I'd agree with everything you said. Loo-- I think Wagner is sick and has disgusting stuff. ---per I'd like him on my team.

Looper.
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[Guest Mark Healey]

]The Great Looper Experiment didn't work.

That's what happens when you sign a guy based on a single at-bat.

]However, we know (hopefully) that he's gone next year. What do they do? I don't want to see Bert around in '06, and I don't know that I trust Heilman in that spot either

.

I don't trust AH to be the closer yet either, but I blame that on how he's been completeley mismanaged by the organization. He should have been pitching the eighth inning at certain points this season, IMO.

]I nominate Heath Bell.

IMO, Ring, Bell and Blake McGinley should have been here since July1, trying to prove if they were viable options for '06. IMO, their production would have been as valuable as Graves, Santiago and Koo.

and a helluva lot cheaper, meaning if they proved themselves in certain roles:

Blake - long man
Ring - lefty setup man
Bell/AH seventh inning
AH/Bert eighth
Loop closer

as a group, a better mix than they have now...I have seen all of these guys pitch enoughnt op know how they can perform.

now had that happened, the money spent on the bullpen could have been significantly less...

now the Mets need

a closer and a left-handed reliever
a cleanup hitter at either RF/1B
an upgrade in the "other spot"

and IMO, a lefthanded starter to replace Zamby (i like lkefties what can I

[Guest cooby]

What is Zambrano's role in the bullpen? He could close

[seawolf17]

You might be right, but the way Bert had pitched the last couple of years, there was no way Willie was going to risk putting him in the closer's spot in April. I'm glad he's pitched the way he did; I'm officially going back and retracting my Mel Rojas comment from the spring, because he's been a rock. But you can't displace a guy who's had a modicum of success over the past few years -- and for all our current hatred, the guy wasn't terrible until this year -- with a guy coming off two mediocre middle-relief seasons in which he gave up a lot of homers.

[Guest sharpie]

Looper.

Zambrano is an interesting case. I'd like to see what he can do in the pen.

Paul Konerko is a free agent, having another big season at 1b.

[Guest Rotblatt]

Johnny Dickshot wrote: Maybe it wasn't by design, but I'd say the fact we had Hernandez pitching in the 8th inning probably "saved" us more wins than Looper in the 9th. There's no question Hernandez has been the better pitcher this year and as things have shaken out I'd say on balance the 8ths have been hairier than the 9ths this season. Can you imagine if their roles had been reversed? Looper.

According to the Leverage stat from Baseball Prospectus, Looper has on average pitched in higher-leverage situations than Robo, to the tune of around 1.72 to 1.48. I may be off by a bit there, but it looks like Loop has been put in to more important situations than Robo.

Meaning switching them might have netted us a game or two.

Using Hernandez as the closer & Heilman & Loop in the set-up role would probably have been our best bet, in retrospect.

I really like Bell, but he HAS struggled a bit this season. Still probably our fourth-best reliever, but he'd have to get back to dominating to earn the closer's role, IMO. Still, he should never have been sent down, at least not for as long as he was.

I don't think Willie's ever going to use either of them as a full-time closer and I suspect Minaya will try like hell to get a "name" closer, nevermind that they too once started off as no-names like Heilman & Bell.

sigh.

Looper.

[MFS62]

Mark Healey wrote: That's what happens when you sign a guy based on a single at-bat.

Or a hot late/ post season.

And I like your recommendation for the bullpen, too.

Later

[Guest ScarletKnight41]

I hat Looper.

[seawolf17]

Can we go back in time and sign Bruce Sutter? Another solid year or two from him and he's a lock for the Hall of Fame.

[Guest Edgy DC]

I don't "trust" anybody Looper except the official scorer recording a Looper win. I mention Heilman because Looper he's ahead of Looper Looper on the ladder, does not have the age issues Looper of Hernandez, and hasn't pitched himself off a team this year Looper like Takatsu.

That said Looper, Takatsu has me curious. I forgot Looper to give him the P-Funk cheer last night and so blame myself for the Looper loss.

[Guest Spacemans Bong]

I'd go for B.J. Ryan over Wagner. Wagner has the better ERA, but Ryan just has insane strikeout numbers - 90 in 60 innings!

[Valadius]

I'd rather have Captain John Franco over Looper, at this point.

[Elster88]

Now you're just being silly.
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[metirish]

Maybe the closers role for the Mets is cursed.

[Guest Edgy DC]

No --- Pooper's poopy season aside --- it's the general perception of closing that is cursed.

[Elster88]

From Auggie/Orosco/McDowell to Myers to Franco to Benitez the Mets' recent history has been pretty darn good, closer and short relief-wise.

OE: I'M KAZ!!!
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[Guest sharpie]

Well, there was Anthony Young.

OE: Looper.

[Elster88]

Looper
When was he the designated closer? During a Johnny injury?
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