Postseason Musings

[Benjamin Grimm]

I'm not trying to count any chickens, and I want to keep the cart behind the horse, but there are a few things I've been wondering about regarding the Mets possible participation in the postseason.

I'll start with two: Barton Colon and Kevin Plawecki.

Bartolo Colon
Unless Bartolo comes on strong over the next six weeks, I have a hard time seeing him getting any postseason starts. If it was up to me (and it's not) I'd rather give those starts to Harvey, deGrom, Syndergaard, Niese, and Matz, assuming that all are available and healthy and aren't innings-limited. Recent reports have said that innings limits aren't expected to apply to deGrom. Matz should be well below any limit, and Niese is a veteran. Is there any room for Colon in that rotation? And would he have any value in the pen? Is there a chance he could be left off the postseason roster?

Kevin Plawecki
I think I'd rather have Plawecki on the postseason roster than Recker. For that to happen, does Plawecki need to be recalled by August 31? (I don't remember the rules regarding that, and even if I did remember the rules, they may very well have changed recently.) It's strange that they sent him down so that he can get more playing time, when at the same time, the Mets were saying that they wouldn't concern themselves about such things during what remains of August. That's why they kept Conforto in the big leagues.

[Ceetar]

Different with Plawecki is catcher AB seem to be more important because he's got so many other things to learn/perfect too as a catcher. Plus it's easier to get an outfielder games with 2 spots to play.

I hadn't thought about Colon. Nobody uses 5 starters in the postseason. He's not going start over anybody else the Mets have. you have the same roster size so you could theoretically carry him, but you'd probably use Carlos Torres or even Verrett as the long reliever type. It's hard to see the Mets being all "thanks but get lost now" though. He probably takes a spot and just isn't used much.

[Edgy MD]

I'm guessing that they'll go with a four man rotation, and probably have a mind to give Matz some September starts but then launch him as bullpen lefty in the post-season. That still leaves one odd guy out. Got to be Bart, even if he is likely to have the least relief versatility.

But life often tends to make these decisions for you.

Plawecki is post-season eligible as he appeared before September 1, even if he wasn't on the roster on September 1.

[Frayed Knot]

I think the first question, assuming Matz returns at some point, is how much time Colon gets [u:255hqi75]in September[/u:255hqi75].
They're probably talking about going back to a six-man staff if/when Matz makes it back, but if the race comes down to an every game matters situation exactly how often to you want to put off deGrom / Harvey / Syndergaard / Matz / Niese starts in favor of Bartolo getting his turn?

[Benjamin Grimm]

Edgy MD wrote: But life often tends to make these decisions for you.

That's definitely true. The picture may very well look a lot more clear (or more muddled) in early October.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Frayed Knot wrote: If the race comes down to an every game matters situation exactly how often to you want to put off deGrom / Harvey / Syndergaard / Matz / Niese starts in favor of Bartolo getting his turn?

The impression that I'm currently getting is that deGrom and Niese would be on regular rotation, but there may be extra days of rest for Harvey and Syndergaard. This will be a lot easier to figure out if Matz returns in September and stays healthy for the rest of the season/postseason. But I'm not at all sure how likely that is.

I think they're going to need Colon for his innings, as long as they're good innings. If he pitches poorly, and the division race tightens, the Mets may have to make some kind of decision. Could we be seeing Dillon Gee again? It should be interesting.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Feelings aside-- and I couldn't feel any more for Colon if I were an overzealous proctologist-- given the way Terry uses the pen when he gets nervous, they would have to be brain-damaged to take Bartolo instead of, say, Matz-out-of-the-pen or Verrett or an extra bat.

Or... Gee?

Edited August 14, 2015 by Guest

[Edgy MD]

Gee and Verrett, also available for September acci�n.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Andy Martino wrote: * Bartolo Colon will spend the next few weeks basically auditioning for a spot on the postseason roster. The team has not ruled out using him in a late-inning relief role, but is leaving open the possibility of excluding him entirely. * There is active debate, and nowhere near agreement, on whether to move Noah Syndergaard to the bullpen. In internal discussions, some Mets people salivate over the notion of Syndergaard blowing 100 mph in the seventh inning. Others worry about his lack of experience in that role, and are hesitant to move him from the rotation in September. With both Syndergaard and Matz, the Mets would want to do it soon, so they could gain experience pitching in relief. * Hoping that Matz will start for them in October, the Mets are closely watching several lefties in their system, including Scott Rice, Dario Alvarez and Josh Smoker.

[Lefty Specialist]

Boy, there just isn't a place for Colon. He won't start and can't pitch relief. Cheerleader? Good luck charm?

Comes down to him or Matz, sentiment goes out the window.

[Gwreck]

I like the idea of a postseason bullpen of Familia, Clippard, Gilmartin, C. Torres, Verrett and Matz.

Given what happened in 2006 we can't have too many starters but I think it would take quite a bit to alter the expected playoff rotation of deGrom/Harvey/Niese/Syndergaard.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Mitch Abramson, N.Y. Daily News wrote: Terry Collins said he doesn�t envision using either Steven Matz or Noah Syndergaard in relief in the postseason if the Mets get that far. �You�re talking about a guy who�s had injury issues,� Collins said of Matz. �To ask him to do something he hasn�t done before � to try to go warm up fast, get ready in a hurry � I�m not sure it�s fair to him.� As for Syndergaard, Collins said, �All that�s been said about how good our starting pitching is � I think his name is a part of that. And if we are fortunate to get into (the playoffs), I think you have to go with your best pitchers in the spots they�re best at.�

[Edgy MD]

The drowning of Colon has been judged to have been premature.

[nymr83]

Edgy MD wrote: The drowning of Colon has been judged to have been premature.

I dont know, he still feels more like the 5th string running back in the 4th quarter of a pre-season NFL game. no matter how good he looks, the spots ahead of him are already locked down. What he might be doing is making sure that he, and not Matz, is next in line for a start if anything happens to deGrom/Harvey/Niese/Syndergaard, but those guys are the post season starters right now and Colon just doesnt seem like a good bullpen piece

[Zvon]

Nymr83 wrote: Edgy MD wrote: The drowning of Colon has been judged to have been premature. I dont know, he still feels more like the 5th string running back in the 4th quarter of a pre-season NFL game. no matter how good he looks, the spots ahead of him are already locked down. What he might be doing is making sure that he, and not Matz, is next in line for a start if anything happens to deGrom/Harvey/Niese/Syndergaard, but those guys are the post season starters right now and Colon just doesnt seem like a good bullpen piece

I agree about the rotation. But I think Colon would make a fine bullpen piece and I don't think it would faze him (or phase him) in the least.
Imagine him coming in for Thor in the 7th, slowing down the game (in velocity, not time) and next thing you know you're facing Familia.

[Edgy MD]

Nymr83 wrote: Edgy MD wrote: The drowning of Colon has been judged to have been premature. I dont know, he still feels more like the 5th string running back in the 4th quarter of a pre-season NFL game. no matter how good he looks, the spots ahead of him are already locked down. What he might be doing is making sure that he, and not Matz, is next in line for a start if anything happens to deGrom/Harvey/Niese/Syndergaard, but those guys are the post season starters right now and Colon just doesnt seem like a good bullpen piece

Nothing is locked down. The future is very un-written.

And I'd say the last day of August in the middle of a pennant race, pitching shutout ball for the first damn eight innings is pretty damn far from the fourth quarter of a pre-season NFL game, except perhaps that they both take damn place around the same time per damn year. Damn.

Stop watching the NFL, man. It's a horror show. Baseball, baseball, baseball!

[Edgy MD]

Which pre-season quarter is Niese pitching in?

[ashie62]

Too early to speculate and assume the Mets win the east. We saw this in 2007-2008.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I don't think we're assuming anything. Read the very first sentence of this thread.

[Zvon]

I'm not counting my chickens yet, but I got all my ducks in a row.

[ashie62]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: I don't think we're assuming anything. Read the very first sentence of this thread.

I did and still believe it is speculation.

[Edgy MD]

Of course it's speculation.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Well yeah, geez. Any discussion of the future is speculation.

[Gwreck]

Ashie62 wrote: Too early to speculate and assume the Mets win the east. We saw this in 2007-2008.

Because it's better to wait until the very end and then somehow be unprepared if they don't clinch until the final day?

I guess I can accept the superstition angle but let's not be naive and pretend the Mets' braintrust isn't considering these very items too. They have at least a 5.5 game lead. They're selling playoff tickets already.

[TransMonk]

Postseason or not, I feel the Mets are exceeding expectations this season, so I am going to enjoy every minute that they are in first place and not worry about superstition or a possible meltdown in September.

They have been a mostly bad team for several years now. If we can't muse about the playoffs now, when can we?

[MFS62]

Edgy MD wrote: Which pre-season quarter is Niese pitching in?

Any pre-season quarter he wants to. But I don't want to see him in the post season.

Later

[seawolf17]

We were talking about this at the bus stop this morning. I think you have to go Harvey-deGrom-Thor-Colon in the rotation, consider Matz your fifth starter/long guy, and use the Familia/Clippard/Gilmartin/Torres/Verrett/Robles as your pen. Start Colon and Syndergaard at Citi Field in whatever combination you want.

The question mark is Niese.

[Ceetar]

MFS62 wrote: Edgy MD wrote: Which pre-season quarter is Niese pitching in? Any pre-season quarter he wants to. But I don't want to see him in the post season. Later

I figure he'll turn it back around again before then, but the Mets have a decent amount of ego-crushing difficult decisions mounting in regards to playoff rosters and who's gonna be left out. "Thanks for the two years Bartolo! We'll send you a ring if we win" seem so callous, but also perhaps the right move. I can't see it happening to Niese with his contract, but if he struggles?

What if Parnell straightens it out again? Do you leave him off? What if most of his success feels defense-oriented and he hasn't refined his control yet? if he walks 10, Ks 8, but only allows 1 run in 15 innings in September?

Great problems to have certainly.

[TransMonk]

After Harvey and deGrom, it seems as if everyone else is a question mark (not necessarily in ability, but in their postseason role).

I would imagine (hope) that most of the rest gets shaken out based on how Colon, Niese and Matz pitch down the stretch. My gut tells me Thor will get moved to the pen in any postseason configuration and that if Matz blows folks away in his remaining few starts that he could join Harvey, deGrom and Colon in a starting rotation.

[MFS62]

Ceetar wrote: I figure he'll turn it back around again before then,

Oh, he'll probably pitch a great game once (knocking on wood) the Mets clinch a post season spot.
But IMO there's no way too much testosterone will ever show up in his next drug test. I don't trust his composure in a key spot.

Later