The Poison Pen, 2011

[HahnSolo]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: Ceetar wrote: talk is cheap. collins make comments the other day, in which he inferred that the "8th inning guy" could very well be the "game needs to be won in the 6th inning" guy. Hopefully all he's doing here is giving Bob a vote of confidence as the second best reliever. Pretty much. Take heart, kiddos-- Collins discusses pen usage. It's just words, yes... but nice ones.

I think "I truly believe" has the potential to become Collins' "You know what I'm sayin'?"

[Vic Sage]

F-Rod ® - CL
Parnell ® - setup/CL
Carrasco ® - middle/setup
Acosta ® - middle/setup
Buchholtz ® - middle/setup/spot-starter
Beato ® - rule V ROOGY
Byrdak (L)*- LOOGY

* not on 40-man roster

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Beato's got a live fastball. But Izzy's got a half-decent changeup? Between this and the praise of the last few days... interesting.

If he can impress a little as games begin, he might be much, much more than a sentimental favorite. I'd rather have someone of Isringhausen's pedigree/ability to handle both lefties and righties than, say, a straight-arrow-fastball walk machine like Acosta.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Somewhat unexpectedly cut from the Twins and Indians, respectively: formerly damn-good Chad Bradford-y Pat Neshek and 27-year-old bullpen stalwart (2.97, .215 BAA last year) Jensen Lewis.

Worth a look... or more?

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Somewhat unexpectedly cut from the Twins and Indians, respectively: formerly damn-good Chad Bradford-y Pat Neshek and 27-year-old bullpen stalwart (2.97, .215 BAA last year) Jensen Lewis. Worth a look... or more?

We bought our couch from that guy.

[seawolf17]

Neshek claimed by the Padres. Seems like a really good dude; old, though.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Fart, just saw that.

He's not old, though, less'n you think 30's old. (It's not, dammit.)

/Turns baseball hat backward, adjusts belt at mid-thigh
//Practices saying "for real" with Queensbridge-ish accent

[Frayed Knot]

2 more scoreless + hitless innings for Beato yesterday (1 K; 1 BB)
End of the game so it probably wasn't against a murderer's row of Florida Marlins ... but still.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

That plus Misch's performance probably spells curtains for our intrepid lefty long-man.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Carrasco is our new longman/emergency starter. Just did a four-innign stint to prove it.

Mischie will go down and probably go unclaimed.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Latest buzz suggests that the last bullpen slot is between Boyer and Isringhausen, which seems to imply that Acosta is out of the running.

[metirish]

Rooting a little bit for Izzy here , saw him interviewed last night and seems like a cool guy(not why I am rooting for him but it doesn't hurt) , his experience could be a good thing for some of the younger guys too.

[Frayed Knot]

They'd almost certainly lose the one they don't pick.
Izzy because he says he's retiring if he doesn't make the team; Boyer because he has an out-clause and you figure will attract the attention of some team.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I worry that Izzy's heart isn't fully into it. (A lot of talk about how he misses his wife and kids.) I have a hunch that he'll quit at the first sign of adversity. (I'm getting bit of a David Cone 2003 vibe.) As much as he's a feel-good story, both because of the medical comeback and the return to his original team, I wonder if he's worth losing a younger player for, a player that could conceivably be around for a lot longer than Isringhausen would.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I'd guess Boyer makes the club with Izzy hanging around St. Lucie for a few weeks on extended ST. Hopefully Acosta sneaks through waivers, he hasn't done anything to suggest he also wouldn't belong.

One other consideration I haven't seen yet and therefore is prolly unrealistic is to leave Capuano down until they need a 5th starter. I'm kinda iffy on him anyway, and though they say he'll be in the pen, I'd be surprised if they'd really need him.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Plenty to root for there with Iz. But choosing him over two younger, healthier guys with far more road ahead of them is quite the gamble.

I remember when Scott Erickson hurt himself during his warmups to start game two of the 2004 season, prompting Lunchbucket (then Wide BeeGee) to exclaim "Scott Erickson! What were we thinking?!"

Which I guess is my way suggesting that buyer's remorse could come fast.

[metirish]

Edgy DC wrote: Plenty to root for there with Iz. But choosing him over two younger, healthier guys with far more road ahead of them is quite the gamble. I remember when Scott Erickson hurt himself during his warmups to start game two of the 2004 season, prompting Lunchbucket (then Wide BeeGee) to exclaim "Scott Erickson! What were we thinking?!" Which I guess is my way suggesting that buyer's remorse could come fast.

and Boyer's remorse when he's not around

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Plenty to root for there with Iz. But choosing him over two younger, healthier guys with far more road ahead of them is quite the gamble. I remember when Scott Erickson hurt himself during his warmups to start game two of the 2004 season, prompting Lunchbucket (then Wide BeeGee) to exclaim "Scott Erickson! What were we thinking?!" Which I guess is my way suggesting that buyer's remorse could come fast. and Boyer's remorse when he's not around

That was pretty awesome, Irish.

Meantime, Tracky says:

Blaine Boyer is in Collins' office, door shut.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Yeah, Irish is stretching beyond his comfort zone there. Good show.

And a sweet scoop for the slumping Tracky Fedoriani.

[seawolf17]

Edgy DC wrote: Yeah, Irish is stretching beyond his comfort zone there. Good show. And a sweet scoop for the slumping Tracky Fedoriani.

Because he's in there too, disguised as a hat rack.

[Guest Edgy DC]

"Blaine, you've worked real hard and I just wanted to lay out what the situa.... Just a second. Do you hear that? It's sort of the ... sound of... synthetic pants. 'Vvvvt-vvvt-vvvvt.' Somewhere in this room."

[Benjamin Grimm]

Mets Ask Isringhausen to Remain in Florida By DAVID WALDSTEIN Published: March 28, 2011 PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. � The Mets have asked the right-handed reliever Jason Isringhausen to remain in extended spring training for a week or two to increase his arm strength and reassure them that his elbow is healthy. Isringhausen, 38, had been against the idea, but he told the Mets he would consider the possibility. He has said he will not pitch in Class AAA once the season starts. The Mets have also discussed the idea of asking another right-handed reliever, Blaine Boyer, to accept a minor league assignment. He has an opt-out in his contract that would allow him to become a free agent if the Mets do not put him on the 25-man roster. Both Isringhausen and Boyer have pitched well this spring. But the Mets are particularly intrigued by Isringhausen because of his experience as an elite closer, and because he reached 92 miles per hour on their radar gun Sunday in his last outing after experiencing soreness in his elbow last week. They also see him as someone who could provide guidance and leadership to younger relievers, especially Bobby Parnell. The Mets, who are likely to open the season with 12 pitchers, including seven relievers, are trying to figure out a way to keep Manny Acosta, too. Their goal is to keep as many pitchers as possible, and they know if they put Acosta on waivers, he will almost certainly be taken by another team.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

They also see him as someone who could provide guidance and leadership to younger relievers, especially Bobby Parnell.

Especially since his Adoptive Internet Dad was such a deadbeat.

[metirish]

Amazin Avenue

The Mets announced today that righty ground ball machine Blaine Boyer will make the Opening Day bullpen, beating out Manny Acosta for one of the last remaining roster spots. Manny Acosta, a very different pitcher from Boyer, has been designated for assignment.

We covered Boyer a bit when the Mets signed him, and Sandy Alderson mentioned the Boyer-Acosta battle during our conference call with him last week:

"[Y]ou've got a couple of guys, [blaine] Boyer, Manny Acosta, who are very, very close in terms of overall results, but they get there in different ways. Boyer is basically a ground ball pitcher. Acosta has the livelier fastball and is more of a strikeout guy, maybe a little more command, but occasionally gives up a three-run homer as he did yesterday."

Meanwhile, Jason Isringhausen has been asked to remain in Port St. Lucie for extended spring training while the Mets figure out what to do with him. There's some concern about his elbow as well as his age, and while a couple extra weeks in PSL isn't as bad as riding the bus in the minors, it's not what Izzy was hoping for.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

I guess Boyer said "no."

They both walk guys more than you'd like. Between the two, I'd rather have the strikeouts.

[smg58]

I'd have offered one to Baltimore for the full rights to Beato. That way you only lose one (assuming Izzy ultimately stays). I still think that Acosta's track record beats Boyer's though.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Parking Izzy and DFA-ing Acosta gives them a slot for Beato, for now.

[ashie62]

Bay to go on DL, Paulino too?.... Saves Evans

http://www.nj.com/mets/index.ssf/2011/03/mets_outfielder_jason_bay_side.html

[Benjamin Grimm]

Very misleading post there, Ashie.

The article says that Bay could begin the season on disabled list. He has not been assigned to the DL, it's just a possibility. (Or maybe a probability. Who knows for sure?)

[ashie62]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: Very misleading post there, Ashie. The article says that Bay could begin the season on disabled list. He has not been assigned to the DL, it's just a possibility. (Or maybe a probability. Who knows for sure?)

Thats why I put the question mark.