Comments on: Series Wrap Up: Mets take 2/3 from Snakes

By: rzanca

rzanca — Mon, 05 May 2008 16:09:02 +0000

Admirable point, Anthony. And when we consider JS’s performance, including, what, 3 WPs and four walks, there’s certainly reason to say he’s scary and untrustworthy, so I cannot claim he had to go out for the seventh, but he did get big outs when needed, too. Like the others, he often was consistently behind the hitters, battling back from 2-0 and even 3-0. Not good.

In the end, yes the problem absolutely is “performance.” Mets starters need to perform better, simply put.

By: Anthony De Rosa

Anthony De Rosa — Mon, 05 May 2008 15:57:24 +0000

There has to be some understanding that its not just about pitch count. If Maine or Perez are simply awful, they’re not going to reach 100+ pitches no matter how much we want them to, heck they might reach 80-90 in the 5th as has happened recently, and Willie is even willing to give them the benefit of the doubt sometimes.

Look at Maine, who was struggling big time early on and Willie gave him the chance to bear down and push through it. He had a pretty high pitch count early on and was somehow able to manage to continue another 2 innings.

I agree that pitchers today are babied, and they should be able to go over 100 pitches but you have to realize that if they’re not performing they’re never gonna get to that point in the first place, which is the larger issue.

By: rzanca

rzanca — Mon, 05 May 2008 15:48:36 +0000

Good piece, Rob.

That one thing that actually dissatisfies me is the starting pitching. So far it has been merely adequate. I’d give ‘em a grade of C or even C-. Seems almost nobody ever makes it to the 7th, and if we cannot start to get this kind of production out of our starters, I think we could be in serious trouble before long.

My understanding was that the pitch count mania was going to take a rest. However, it’s always “OMG, he’s nearing 100 pitches.” Frankly, I wanted to see Santana come out for the seventh yesterday even though he was @, OMG, 113 pitches. If a pitcher says, “Skip, I’m spent,” then that’s fine. Of course, I don’t know if JS had any input in yesterday’s decision at that point, but if your stud feels he’s ready to throw the good stuff, why not keep him in until he puts a man on base.

In the end, of course, we won and that’s seemingly all that matters, but… Bottom line, Perez, Maine, Figueroa and Santana have got to get to seven innings. Overall, I have yet to see more than a game or so when any of our starters have just cruised, and that’s disappointing again.

I am anticipating Pedro’s return as much as anybody, but we also know that we have to win without him, too. Five and six-inning starts probably won’t give us too many W’s in the long run, unless, of course, the BP becomes outstanding. Incidentally, did you see the stat on Mets in the late innings with relievers on the hill: something like 47-8 in terms of runs for the other guys; that cannot continue to happen.