The Pen in Ten

[metirish]

Are you saying that this was a procedural mess up by the Mets?(can't view link)

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

In the wake of discovering Green's [crossout:3tkt1z07]vaginal[/crossout:3tkt1z07] ribcage tear, the options were:

-- Bring up somebody already on the 40-man (Parnell, Stoner, Dessens... or, hell, Everts) to replace him.

-- Push Escobar back to the 60-day DL (retroactive to the season's start), giving him more time to rehab at a relaxed rate (by all reports, he's nowhere near ready to go), and clearing a 40-man space until midseason (when, if he's healthy and rarin' to throw, you might be comfortable releasing a Jacobs, Matthews, or bullpen detritus that's proven to be useless).

-- Do it the way they did it, and lose Everts, Stoner or some other guy from the 40-man, before they see what he/she/it can do in the majors.

Like I said, it's likely a relatively minor mistake... but there seem to be at least two better ways to have handled it (and that's just off the top of my amateur, non-baseball-man head).

[ashie62]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: In the wake of discovering Green's [crossout]vaginal[/crossout] ribcage tear, the options were: -- Bring up somebody already on the 40-man (Parnell, Stoner, Dessens... or, hell, Everts) to replace him. -- Push Escobar back to the 60-day DL (retroactive to the season's start), giving him more time to rehab at a relaxed rate (by all reports, he's nowhere near ready to go), and clearing a 40-man space until midseason (when, if he's healthy and rarin' to throw, you might be comfortable releasing a Jacobs, Matthews, or bullpen detritus that's proven to be useless). -- Do it the way they did it, and lose Everts, Stoner or some other guy from the 40-man, before they see what he/she/it can do in the majors. Like I said, it's likely a relatively minor mistake... but there seem to be at least two better ways to have handled it (and that's just off the top of my amateur, non-baseball-man head).

I doubt Minaya gave it as much thought as you did. You're hired.

[Ceetar]

Sometimes I wonder what's going on behind the scenes. It was obvious Jerry wanted Mejia and Omar started out saying he'd go to AA. I've heard Jerry's the one that wanted Matthews.

We definitely heard that Jerry liked Valdes. Is Omar being circumvented on roster moves? I didn't really have a problem with jettisoning Figgy, but a 25 year old pitcher is a different thing. It's probably no big deal, he probably sucks and won't make it because most don't, but it's the little things that are signs that there are bigger problems.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Ashie62 wrote: In the wake of discovering Green's [crossout]vaginal[/crossout] ribcage tear, the options were: -- Bring up somebody already on the 40-man (Parnell, Stoner, Dessens... or, hell, Everts) to replace him. -- Push Escobar back to the 60-day DL (retroactive to the season's start), giving him more time to rehab at a relaxed rate (by all reports, he's nowhere near ready to go), and clearing a 40-man space until midseason (when, if he's healthy and rarin' to throw, you might be comfortable releasing a Jacobs, Matthews, or bullpen detritus that's proven to be useless). -- Do it the way they did it, and lose Everts, Stoner or some other guy from the 40-man, before they see what he/she/it can do in the majors. Like I said, it's likely a relatively minor mistake... but there seem to be at least two better ways to have handled it (and that's just off the top of my amateur, non-baseball-man head). I doubt Minaya gave it as much thought as you did. You're hired.

Everts cleared waivers and was reassigned to Class AA. I guess we're lucky to have a GM not too scared to try that?

[seawolf17]

That's a brilliant move by Omar, waiving a guy like Everts who nobody wanted. I knew he had that kind of move in him. Nice job.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Hell, I'm just proud to live in the same city, really.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Flameballin' 32-year-old reliever Juan Cruz unceremonially-- and nonsensically?-- released by the Royals.

Hmm.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Ever notice that it's easier to assume a guy is a huge jerk when he's less multi-dimensional --- a flame-throwing, high-strikeout/high-walk reliever or a big statue with shocking power or speedburner who piles up the steals but still doesn't walk that much?

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

In this Fangraphs piece about oddities in the numbers of various NL bullpens, they point up the fact that the Mets have logged the second-most bullpen innings in the league, behind the Pirates.

That amounts to more than 3.2 innings per game, a rate that the unit probably cannot sustain. Even the 2009 Dodgers, the only NL playoff team with a bullpen that threw more than 500 innings, averaged under 3.2 innings per appearance. As expected, the bullpen FIP, 3.78, is a bit higher than the ERA, 2.60. Of all the NL teams with a bullpen ERA under 4, only Atlanta�s FIP outpaces its ERA. Of the other five, only one, San Diego, comes within even 1.00 of its bullpen ERA. The Mets and the Pirates bullpens actually have a connection. They both boast high strikeout rates and low walk rates. The Mets relievers have struck out 22.2 percent of batters faced and have walked 13 percent, while the Pirates have struck out 21.2 percent of opposing hitters and have walked 11.3 percent. Pittsburgh actually has a better bullpen K/BB ratio. Difference, though, comes on the long ball. The Mets bullpen has allowed six home runs, while the Pirates unit has allowed double that. The Pirates bullpen has also allow far more hits and sport a .331 BABIP, almost .060 points higher than the Mets.

Basically, keep walks down (which they're doing) and keep the ball in the park (which they're doing so far, last night notwithstanding) and boom-- instant classic bullpen.

[TransMonk]

...an instant classic bullpen that will fall apart in August because our starters can't go more than five innings.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Our starters certainly can go more than five innings. The issue is the manager who is reluctant to permit them to go more than six.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Courtesy of Howard Medgal, Appearances by Met Bullpenners on Zero Days Rest:

2005	74
2006	118
2007	121
2008	167
2009	137
2010 (projected)	190

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Courtesy of Howard Medgal, Appearances by Met Bullpenners on Zero Days Rest: 2005 74 2006 118 2007 121 2008 167 2009 137 2010 (projected) 190

They're at 41 such appearances now, which more than doubles the league average (19) and is 10 beyond the next-nearest team in the NL (Pittsburgh).

[metirish]

It would be hilarious except it's our team....

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Lost in the shuffle yesterday: Kiko Calero released.

[batmagadanleadoff]

Mejia stays.

Mets to keep Mejia in 'pen -- for now

Excerpt:

The guessing game concerning Jenrry Mejia is over. For now, at least. Manager Jerry Manuel said last night Mejia would stay in the bullpen as the seventh inning pitcher. Manager Jerry Manuel said that discussions regarding his role have ended after the Mets optioned Manny Acosta and activated Ryota Igarashi. "We've discussed him at length many times, as far as what's right for him, what's right for the team," Manuel said before the Mets' 6-4 victory in the Subway Series finale at Citi Field.

http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/mets/mejia_to_stay_in_pen_for_now_ShuJsQR1scT9JOc3B10lfM

[Guest Frankenstein]

BAAAD!

[MFS62]

Frankenstein wrote: BAAAD!

Been meaning to ask ya'.
How tough was it getting Elsa Lanchester away from Charles Loughton?

Later

[batmagadanleadoff]

Frankie Says:

Frankenstein wrote: BAAAD!

*I contrived this post, mainly so I could post an old Mad magazine cover. Potrzebie!

[MFS62]

Alfred E. Newman has become an American icon since the early days of Mad.
But, when ever happened to Melvin Kosnowski?
He has become the Rootie Kazootie to Alfred's Howdy Doodie.

Later

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Mejia stays. Mets to keep Mejia in 'pen -- for now Excerpt: The guessing game concerning Jenrry Mejia is over. For now, at least. Manager Jerry Manuel said last night Mejia would stay in the bullpen as the seventh inning pitcher. Manager Jerry Manuel said that discussions regarding his role have ended after the Mets optioned Manny Acosta and activated Ryota Igarashi. "We've discussed him at length many times, as far as what's right for him, what's right for the team," Manuel said before the Mets' 6-4 victory in the Subway Series finale at Citi Field. http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/mets/mejia_to_stay_in_pen_for_now_ShuJsQR1scT9JOc3B10lfM

If only two wrongs-- Mejia's bullpenning vs. starting in the minors, emphasizing keeping a tidy bullpen while the rotation is operating at 40%-- actually made a right.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Criminy.

That "zoo" won championships. This one just burns out arms and makes September crowds disappear.

... the team�s closer, Francisco Rodriguez, and its bullpen coach, Randy Niemann, had to be separated by other relievers in the bullpen on Sunday night during an apparent dispute over how Rodriguez is being used. The confrontation occurred in full view of some of the fans sitting in right field. ... Afterward, Francisco Rodriguez said the tussle in the bullpen was just an instance of Mets relievers engaging in some roughhousing. �We were just fooling around,� he said. �We were just kidding with each other.� But two people in the Mets organization confirmed that the confrontation between Rodriguez and Niemann was indeed a heated one and might have escalated if other pitchers had not intervened. A third member of the organization said that Rodriguez and Niemann met after the game and apparently patched things up. ... On the night of the confrontation between Maine and Manuel, for example, Rodriguez was summoned to pitch the ninth inning even though the Mets had a 10-6 lead and it was a nonsave situation. But just as in the 20-inning game against St. Louis in April, when Rodriguez warmed up 10 times before finally entering in the 19th inning, the Mets, and particularly Manuel, were in desperate need of a victory.

[Guest Edgy DC]

It seems something of a forced comparison.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

A depressing-- and not at all surprising, to anyone who's pay attention-- graph from Beyond the Box Score. Monday night will increase the lead, since the Dodgers and Pirates got nice pitching performances today, and the Brewers only used three in getting roughed up by the Marlins.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Presuming he stops sucking long enough to stick at the major-league level, this should make the midgame bullpen tea parties a little more tense.

David Lennon wrote: #Mets sign K-Rod's pal, Brian Bruney, to minor-league deal. Reporting to Buffalo. about 13 hours ago via TweetDeck

[Guest Edgy DC]

Omar is feeding Jerry's habit.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

So... Nieve DFAed. Acosta up, and down for whatever.

Here's the thing: I look at a stat sheet/scouting report, and they're near-identical.

Occasionally disastrous walk rate, absurd home run rates, and a decent amount of Ks out of a fastball with some kick and an okay slider.

Your thoughts requested.

[Guest Rockin' Doc]

This move is more window dressing than anything else in my view. I see this as simply making a change for the sake of change. Should have no significant impact on the teams's performance, unless Acosta can hit.

If Acosta pitches well, Manuel will trot him out there virtually every game until he is no longer effective and Manuel eventaully loses faith in him and then lets him sit in the bullpen to be used only in mop up duty. The names and arms may change, but the mismanagement and resultant story line is far too familiar.

[TransMonk]