Farewell Farnsworth

[Benjamin Grimm]

I like the idea of closer by committee, if it means you have several good choices. I like the idea a lot less if it means you only have a variety of bad choices.

[Frayed Knot]

[YOUCAN'TDOTHATIT'LLNEVERWORK]I like the idea of closer by committee...[/EVERYBODYEVERCONNECTEDTOBASEBALL]

[Ceetar]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: I like the idea of closer by committee, if it means you have several good choices. I like the idea a lot less if it means you only have a variety of bad choices.

Well, we cut one of the bad choices. The lack of adherence to one guy though allows a good one to rise from the ashes. There's some talent floating around out there.

[TransMonk]

Metsblog wrote: "I am very bitter right now,� Farnsworth said after being told the news. �Hopefully I�ll find a team where I can play against this one,� he added (Knobler, May 14).

Fuck off, Farnsworth. Really.

[Ceetar]

TransMonk wrote: Metsblog wrote: "I am very bitter right now,� Farnsworth said after being told the news. �Hopefully I�ll find a team where I can play against this one,� he added (Knobler, May 14). Fuck off, Farnsworth. Really.

Yes Kyle, we all hope you get to pitch against the Mets too.

[Frayed Knot]

I wouldn't expect him to be happy about it, but jeez Kyle, you're 38 y/o, in your 16th ML seasons and your 5th team since 2010; you were picked up via a minor league deal, were cut once already then got back in through an injury and pitched up and down in the meantime - so this really couldn't have come as a total shock.
I understand that you're probably pissed at the timing/money part of things but the fact that you were in that situation to begin with was due to your lack of options at the outset.

[Edgy MD]

What and I missing here? Montero and deGrom replace Gee and Germen, so who is replacing Specs?

[nymr83]

I also hope he gets a chance to pitch against the Mets so we can pound the shit out of him

[Ceetar]

Edgy MD wrote: What and I missing here? Montero and deGrom replace Gee and Germen, so who is replacing Specs?

Edgin likely. Reported to be on the Taxi Squad.

[Edgy MD]

Ah, the "second lefty." In previous years, it had been Jerry's answer to Jerry's "eighth-inning guy" --- his white whale, his b�te noire. Haven't heard the cry for a second lefty much of late.

[Ceetar]

Edgy MD wrote: Ah, the "second lefty." In previous years, it had been Jerry's answer to Jerry's "eighth-inning guy" --- his white whale, his b�te noire. Haven't heard the cry for a second lefty much of late.

I think that's because they've all more or less sucked, but I'd have to look it up.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I sort of like the idea of the Mets finding a bullpen by stashing their worst pitcher in the closer role. It's led to a poor rate of conversion (we have more blown saves - 8 - than saves as a team - 7 - but we're not far off the leaguewide mark (64%) and the influx of arms and competition I think will eventually hit upon the combo that can produce that league average. If they don't there's always the trade market.

[Edgy MD]

What must Valverde be thinking? "How did I wake up this morning with a job? What's that on the back of my neck? Smells uncannily like the breath of Vic Black."

Did the Mets really pull a salary dodge on Farnsworth twice?

[RealityChuck]

Since everyone seems to agree that the closer's role is overrated, why do people obsess about closers?

[Edgy MD]

Is it possible that everyone can agree that something is over-rated? Isn't this a paradox?

[Edgy MD]

Josh Edgin is official. Mets bulk up on lefties just in time for... the Nats, who are pretty righthanded-heavy with Harper on the DL.

[smg58]

Not that I've been particularly impressed with Farnsworth, but I don't see how swapping him out in favor of a guy with a 2.13 WHIP (not ERA, WHIP) in AAA benefits the team.

[MFS62]

smg58 wrote: Not that I've been particularly impressed with Farnsworth, but I don't see how swapping him out in favor of a guy with a 2.13 WHIP (not ERA, WHIP) in AAA benefits the team.

Because he's a lefty?
(Ducking)

Later

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Edgy MD wrote: What must Valverde be thinking? "How did I wake up this morning with a job? What's that on the back of my neck? Smells uncannily like the breath of Vic Black." Did the Mets really pull a salary dodge on Farnsworth twice?

A nasty little part of me wants them to float him a minor-league contract offer again and record the phone call.

[Frayed Knot]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: Edgy MD wrote: What must Valverde be thinking? "How did I wake up this morning with a job? What's that on the back of my neck? Smells uncannily like the breath of Vic Black." Did the Mets really pull a salary dodge on Farnsworth twice? A nasty little part of me wants them to float him a minor-league contract offer again and record the phone call.

And then leak the contents to TMZ ... cuz that's just what folks do these days apparently.

[Guest d'Kong76]

Or Heyman! I can't believe the attention this is getting...
national attention. I'm too lazy, but I gotta read the Farnie
predictions thread when I get a chance.

[Frayed Knot]

I never particularly liked the guy, mainly because he just struck me as a big, dumb, jock, meathead. Of course if I were to eliminate guys based solely on that criteria I'd probably have to put half the league on my shit list, but he just seemed like a particularly prime example.

I heard Francesa referring to him as "a failed reliever" the other day, "even back when he still could throw 100", but that's obnoxiously harsh. No one last 16 years in the majors as "a failure".
His biggest crime in Mikey's eyes was undoubtedly that he wasn't very good during his two years in the Bronx and always seemed better out of the closers role* rather than in it: you can't compare to Rivera and you weren't good for my team therefore you're a failure.

But while nobody likes to see he career come towards the end, I'd really have a hard time getting all worked up over a story of a guy originally signed to a minor league deal who gets a ML job due to an injury but then fails to last the entire season even if I didn't pre-dislike him. If this is becoming anything resembling a national story it's because nobody's got anything else to talk about right now -- at least until Michael Sam and Johnny Football are spotted somewhere sharing a milkshake and a rom-com movie together over at Donald Sterling's house.




* Only real season as a full-time closer (25 saves) was with Tampa in 2011

[Benjamin Grimm]

Of course, this story won't really be over until the Mets leak nasty comments about him.

[Edgy MD]

Don't quote me by name, but I heard he spit on Duda's burger.

[smg58]

MFS62 wrote: smg58 wrote: Not that I've been particularly impressed with Farnsworth, but I don't see how swapping him out in favor of a guy with a 2.13 WHIP (not ERA, WHIP) in AAA benefits the team. Because he's a lefty? (Ducking) Later

Lefties are even more overrated than closers. Especially if they have reverse platoon splits and, well, a 2.13 WHIP in AAA.

[Guest Mets Guy in Michigan]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: Of course, this story won't really be over until the Mets leak nasty comments about him.

Correction: Until reporters quote the mysterious and unaccountable "someone close to the Mets" making nasty comments about him.

[Frayed Knot]

Farnsworth picked up by Houston and will be in uniform for Saturday's game.
So it looks like he'll have to wait until the final series of the season to get his revenge.

[Edgy MD]

White Sox coming back on Houston this afternoon as Farnie gives up two runs on two hits and two walks in two thirds of an inning.

[Frayed Knot]

Farnsworth enters 8th w/3 run lead:
Walk
Double
Sac Fly
Pop Out
Walk
RBI-Single
-- Yanked ... relief gets the first guy to foul out w/runners on 1st & 2nd, thus bailing Farnie's stats out of more ugliness

[Edgy MD]

The Fansworth Flop: I think that was the technique that revolutionized the high jump event.