The Poison Pen, 2011

[Benjamin Grimm]

The question mark appears to apply to Paulino, not to Bay.

[metirish]

Izzy agrees to wait in PSL an extra two weeks.....but as Rubin notes if another team approaches him in those two weeks the Mets need to call him up or let him walk.....

[Valadius]

Very gracious response there by Izzy.

[TransMonk]

Per Rubin via Metsblog, Misch has accepted a minor league assignment as well.

It looks like we may not lose any of our "too many" pieces this spring (Acosta pending).

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Whattup, Stosh?

The luggage-style Stanley tool chest, a concept brought to the Mets by the new bullpen coach Jon Debus and enthusiastically endorsed by the pitching coach Dan Warthen, contains a variety of items, like nail clippers, bug repellent and a yo-yo. The responsibility of taking the box to the bullpen each game will for now fall to the rookie Pedro Beato. A sewing kit to repair a torn jersey, superglue to fix a glove, and sunscreen will be in there. Stosh has spare sunglasses, sunglass cleaner and, of course, a bottle of Rolaids. For Debus and Warthen, who just might comprise the most humorous pitching coach staff in the majors, the chest is an essential component of the Mets� renovated bullpen. Among the most important items in it is a Magic 8 Ball, the hand-held toy that purports to predict the future. The purpose of the game depends on the user and his belief in the supernatural. It could serve as a mere diversion, or a portent, as Debus demonstrated recently by grabbing it out of the chest and asking it a question. �Debo, am I going to pitch tonight?� he asked it, pretending to be one of the Mets� seven relief pitchers. Debus shook the ball and read the response as it popped into the small window: �It is decidedly so.� He looked at it again and asked, �Am I going to get fired for this interview?� The ball�s response: �My sources say no.�

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Waldstein gets the stories that no other writer gets. That's awesome.

[metirish]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Waldstein gets the stories that no other writer gets. That's awesome.

brilliant

Among the most important items in it is a Magic 8 Ball, the hand-held toy that purports to predict the future. The purpose of the game depends on the user and his belief in the supernatural. It could serve as a mere diversion, or a portent, as Debus demonstrated recently by grabbing it out of the chest and asking it a question. �Debo, am I going to pitch tonight?� he asked it, pretending to be one of the Mets� seven relief pitchers. Debus shook the ball and read the response as it popped into the small window: �It is decidedly so.� He looked at it again and asked, �Am I going to get fired for this interview?� The ball�s response: �My sources say no.�

[TransMonk]

Acosta cleared waivers and is heading to Buffalo.

With all of our "too many guys without options" problems in March, we didn't lose anyone via waivers.

[Guest Edgy DC]

I suspect we also might end up exposing Boyer in attempting ro farm him out and activate Izzy.

[smg58]

Given the sellers market for relief pitching in the offseason, I'm flat-out shocked we didn't lose Acosta. Again, as was the case with Evans, I'm not complaining.

Boyer had a horribly unlucky 5th inning last night. I hope that whatever happens when Izzy is healthy is not unfairly influenced by that.

[Guest The Second Spitter]

Martino thinks Bobby's been unlucky

Parnell's underlying numbers suggest hope: He has struck out seven in 4-1/3 innings, and allowed a .417 batting average on balls in play. The latter statistic demonstrates that he has been unlucky this year, and the trend will not likely continue.

Long bow?

He also notes his fastball is MIA this year.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

CORRECTED: All other peripherals being unchanged, his high BABIP suggests that Parnell has been unlucky this year.

I think I prefer people using half-understood "advanced" stats to buttress their arguments, rather than dismissing them outright. But the gap is narrowing.

[Vic Sage]

well, half-smart is half-stupid.
and half-assed is a guy who ends up sliding into the toilet.
or something.
never mind.
nothing to see here.
move along.

[metirish]

Boyer has gone and cleared waivers and has chosen to make himself a FA rather than report to dull and uninspiring Buffalo.

[Ceetar]

metirish wrote: Boyer has gone and cleared waivers and has chosen to make himself a FA rather than report to dull and uninspiring Buffalo.

So will he come crawling back when no one wants him...or will he end up on the Phillies?

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

MFYs are looking for relievers now that Pedro had a setback and Ayala hit the DL.

(heh) Go apply there, Blaine.

[Gwreck]

Whattup, Stosh? The luggage-style Stanley tool chest, a concept brought to the Mets by the new bullpen coach Jon Debus and enthusiastically endorsed by the pitching coach Dan Warthen, contains a variety of items, like nail clippers, bug repellent and a yo-yo. The responsibility of taking the box to the bullpen each game will for now fall to the rookie Pedro Beato. A sewing kit to repair a torn jersey, superglue to fix a glove, and sunscreen will be in there. Stosh has spare sunglasses, sunglass cleaner and, of course, a bottle of Rolaids. For Debus and Warthen, who just might comprise the most humorous pitching coach staff in the majors, the chest is an essential component of the Mets� renovated bullpen. Among the most important items in it is a Magic 8 Ball, the hand-held toy that purports to predict the future. The purpose of the game depends on the user and his belief in the supernatural. It could serve as a mere diversion, or a portent, as Debus demonstrated recently by grabbing it out of the chest and asking it a question. �Debo, am I going to pitch tonight?� he asked it, pretending to be one of the Mets� seven relief pitchers. Debus shook the ball and read the response as it popped into the small window: �It is decidedly so.� He looked at it again and asked, �Am I going to get fired for this interview?� The ball�s response: �My sources say no.�

This toolbox was destroyed as an attempt to turn the team's fortunes around.

[ashie62]

I thought I saw Beato with a loaded Barbie bag last night.

[Guest Edgy DC]

This is pretty much how I think the depth chart looks.

[*:1090lujb]Francisco Rodriguez [/*:m:1090lujb]
[*:1090lujb]Jason Isringhausen[/*:m:1090lujb]
[*:1090lujb]Pedro Beato [/*:m:1090lujb]
[*:1090lujb]Tim Byrdak[/*:m:1090lujb]
[*:1090lujb]D.J. Carrasco[/*:m:1090lujb]
[*:1090lujb]Ryota Igarashi[/*:m:1090lujb]
[*:1090lujb]Taylor Buchholz[/*:m:1090lujb][/list:o:1090lujb]

Carrasco is probably seen as still a more effetive bet than Byrdak, but Byrdie will see higher leverage spots because of his leftie-ness. Similarly, Buchholz is probably seen as a stronger performer than Igarashi, but is viewed as the long guy. He's got a good chance to climb in the next few weeks, though.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

You don't think Buchholz is at least coequal with Carrasco? Inning-for-inning, he's been the strikeoutiest dude hiding out in right-center, behind Parnell and Rodriguez... and he's been a lot less loud-out-prone than Izzy.

[Gwreck]

Also, I thought Carrasco was seen as the long guy, not Buchholz.

[Theoldmole]

Not any more.

[Gwreck]

You don't say?

Regardless, I think the original point holds that Carrasco was seen as the long guy; and Gee has now replaced Carrasco in that long-man role.

[Guest Edgy DC]

So it's like:

[*:1bi19yk3]Francisco Rodriguez [/*:m:1bi19yk3]
[*:1bi19yk3]Jason Isringhausen[/*:m:1bi19yk3]
[*:1bi19yk3]Pedro Beato [/*:m:1bi19yk3]
[*:1bi19yk3]Tim Byrdak[/*:m:1bi19yk3]
[*:1bi19yk3]Taylor Buchholz[/*:m:1bi19yk3]
[*:1bi19yk3]Ryota Igarashi[/*:m:1bi19yk3]
[*:1bi19yk3]Dillon Gee[/*:m:1bi19yk3][/list:o:1bi19yk3]

And they're moving toward the mean in league as far as relieving. The bottom of the barrell, interestingly, are Arizona and Houston.

[Frayed Knot]

The most important thing is that Beato, as the guy with the least amount of ML time, still has to fulfill the role of carrying the snacks out to the pen in the Barbie bag.
And, really, does anything else match that in importance?

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

The fact that they murdered an innocent bullpen toolbox? I guess that ain't important to nobody.

Meanwhile, if it were a cute little white toolbox, EVERYONE would be up in arms.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

So I didn't see any baseball for the last week, but does Byrdak still suck?

[metirish]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: So I didn't see any baseball for the last week, but does Byrdak still suck?

he may be sucking someone in the pen cos he rarely sees the mound, in fact his appearance this weekend was probably his first since you left.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Terry gave a hold opportunity to Chris Capuano rather than turn to Byrdak.