The Edge of Seventeen: Addison Reed

[Edgy MD]

I mean, I can't possibly do better than last year, but I spent all of last year riding sidesaddle to another guy. You want to know how to get 50+ saves? Work with dudes like me who give you 50+ opportunities.

The psychological angle is that was the eighth inning. Less pressure. Less stress on my manhood. Whateves. I'm the man. Eighth inning. Ninth inning. Fourteenth inning. I am the man.

But I can't possibly do better than last year. Can I?

[fimg=417:21c2jghs]http://cdn.fansided.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/135/files/2016/08/9421904-addison-reed-mlb-new-york-mets-new-york-yankees-850x560.jpg[/fimg:21c2jghs] [fimg=303:21c2jghs]https://static01.nyt.com/images/2016/09/20/sports/20reedfloater/20reedfloater-master768.jpg[/fimg:21c2jghs]
[fimg=187:21c2jghs]http://cdn.newsday.com/polopoly_fs/1.11960366.1466739575!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/display_600/image.jpg[/fimg:21c2jghs] [fimg=311:21c2jghs]http://metsmerizedonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/addison-reed-spring.jpg?x22250[/fimg:21c2jghs] [fimg=222:21c2jghs]https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/638917165828153344/SUHa7ljI.jpg[/fimg:21c2jghs]

[Edgy MD]

That's a mug that's begging for a nickname like "Popeye," no?

[batmagadanleadoff]

Here's Reed's write-up from Baseball Prospectus' 2016 Annual, published just before the start of the 2016 season:

While certain others struggled in high-leverage work earned on name value alone, Reed joined the Mets at the August trade deadline, immediately took over seventh-inning duty and was lights out. For the second year in a row, Reed decided the changeup was surplus to requirements, and lefties haven't shown an ability to handle the slider (17 percent whiff rate versus 10 percent against righties in 2015). Strange then, that Reed attacks hitters like a conventional righty rather than what he is; throwing 40 percent sliders to righties and just 24 percent to lefties may be playing by the book, but it doesn't maximize his potential. If any members of the Reed family are reading this, The Annual makes a great gift!

And here's his write-up from this year's BP:

Mets pitching coach Dan Warthen has worked some miracles during his time in Flushing, but none may be bigger than turning Addison Reed into a top reliever. Previously a wildly-overrated closer for the White Sox and Diamondbacks, the Mets picked up Reed as a postseason non-tender candidate in a minor August 2015 waiver trade after falling out of favor in Arizona. Right before the trade, he made a mechanical adjustment to his leg kick, and upon arriving in Queens he was reborn with an unhittable slider and elite fastball command. An elevated release point in 2016 caused batters to have even more trouble distinguishing his pitches and kept his slider out of the air -- his 60 percent groundball rate on the pitch was easily a career high, and not a single one left the yard. Reed himself is proof that relievers can be highly volatile, but nothing about this seems unsustainable.

_____________

Edgy MD wrote: That's a mug that's begging for a nickname like "Popeye," no?

"Meet me in Poughkeepsie and we can discuss this like perfectly reasonable gentleman".
[fimg=444]https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5HzdX_TqCSc/UQiJt5I5RFI/AAAAAAAAYaA/5yTN-EzslDY/s1600/GeneHackman.jpg[/fimg]

[MFS62]

Starts out the closer, and when he begins to falter a bit, hands the role over to a returning Familia or an emerging Robles. (yes, Robles)
When all is said and done, 75 G, 71 IP, 22 sv, 18 H, 2.28 ERA.

Later

[batmagadanleadoff]

MFS62 wrote: Starts out the closer, and when he begins to falter a bit, hands the role over to a returning Familia or an emerging Robles. (yes, Robles) When all is said and done, 75 G, 71 IP, 22 sv, 18 H, 2.28 ERA.

If Reed gives up just 18 hits in 71 innings pitched, his ERA's gonna be a lot lower than the 2.28 you have him down for. Unless they're all HR's or something.

[Ceetar]

Will Terry have the guts to leave his best reliever at closer?

probably not.

I think Reed isn't as amazing as last year but still very good. Basically gives up another walk or two and an extra homer or two.

79 IP.

10.45 K/9, 1.77 BB/9, 2.3 ERA, 2.5 fWAR. I'll say 6 saves.

[MFS62]

batmagadanleadoff wrote: MFS62 wrote: Starts out the closer, and when he begins to falter a bit, hands the role over to a returning Familia or an emerging Robles. (yes, Robles) When all is said and done, 75 G, 71 IP, 22 sv, 18 H, 2.28 ERA. If Reed gives up just 18 hits in 71 innings pitched, his ERA's gonna be a lot lower than the 2.28 you have him down for. Unless they're all HR's or something.

"H" was for holds, not hits.

Later

[Guest d'Kong76]

Quality part of the 7th-9th innings, very solid.