Things we never thought we’d say in April: “This bullpen ain’t too bad.”

MLB: Miami Marlins at New York MetsWhen the season dawned, the Mets and their fans weren’t sure exactly how the late innings of any given game would be handled. Oh, sure, Bobby Parnell — with his electric fastball — was going to be the closer, of course. The team then decided that the best course of action would be to go the “veteran route.” Long-timers John Lannan, Jose Valverde and Kyle Farnsworth were to be counted on to provide that sturdy bridge from the middle innings to the ninth. They also had talented middle relievers Carlos Torres and Gonzalez Germen for long relief/spot-starting duties. Scott Rice would be manager Terry Collins favorite LOOGY and Jeurys Familia would give those vets a break when those late innings began to pile up. It looked like a solid plan on paper. In practice? Well…

It turned out that Parnell threw 25 pitches on opening day before he hurt himself for the year. His immediate replacement – Valverde – walked a tightrope every time he took the mound. Unable to stomach anymore, Collins replaced him with Farnsworth…which also didn’t work. Lannan, meanwhile, couldn’t seem to keep the ball in any park, including Citi Field and Rice wasn’t nearly as effective as he had been in 2013. The bullpen quickly became the favorite whipping-boy for the MSM and the fans decrying late loss after late loss – until everyone noticed the team’s lack of clutch hitting, that is. Where were Collins and Co. to go to find relief from all this horrid…uh…relief? As it turns out, they needed to look no further than right in front of them.

While the bullpen follies were being played out in Queens on a nightly basis until half-way through May, Jenrry Mejia was a struggling starter in the Bigs, Josh Edgin and Vic Black were toiling in the Las Vegas desert and Familia was languishing, unused by Collins for as long as a week at a time. With uncharacteristic swiftness, though, GM Sandy Alderson took a scythe to this weed patch in the ‘pen. Lannan and Rice each accepted an assignment back to the minors, while Valverde and Farnsworth were released, cast out into the MLB ether, available for anyone to pick (Eventually, Farnsworth signed with – and was cut by — the Astros, while Valverde remains at large). In their stead, Mejia took over as closer, Familia as the primary set-up man, Black as the set-up to the set-up man and Edgin as the LOOGY. Torres and Germen remained in their long-relief roles, but somehow proved a lot more effective once the top-heavy bullpen regained its balance. Suffice to say, the ‘pen has gone from a joke on May 15 to one of this team’ strengths as of this writing. Mejia has posted eight saves and has even taken on appearing in the eighth inning whenever Collins deems it necessary. Familia has become rock-solid reliable now that he’s not sitting around waiting for his turn to come. The heart no longer leaps to the throat when Collins or Dan Warthen waggles a finger to summon a new pitcher.

We just wish they had some more runs to work with.

Follow me on Twitter @CharlieHangley.

4 comments on “Who’d Have Thought? The Mets’ Bullpen Is Breeding Confidence

  • Brian Joura

    I was feeling good about the pen until two days ago. Then Collins started back with all of his micro-managing and chasing the platoon advantage.

    I wish I could zap him with an electric shock each time he removes a guy after a one or two-batter outing.

    • Name

      Did he ever really “stop” micro-managing or was it just part of a cycle? It seems like when he has a few pitchers who are unavailable, he is willing to give guys full innings. As soon as he has a full and rested bullpen, he goes back to his platooning ways.

      Did GKR not not call TC out on this last night?…TC used Torres for 22 pitches on just 2 days rest after he stepped in for Niese and pitched 81 pitches when both Germen and Carlyle were available? That’s should be an immediate loss of job right there.

  • since68

    As long as the Mets are losing or up by more than three runs, the pen has been great. Otherwise, not so good. Not under pressure.

    Over the passed 7 games they have blown an eighth inning lead 3 of 3 times.

    They may have potential, but the ERA looks better than reality.

  • Patrick Albanesius

    The lack of experience is probably this current bullpen’s biggest issue. Now that the young fellas are taking over, that experience should translate to better late-inning pitching as time goes by, in theory at least. Meanwhile, Collins apparently doesn’t understand how pitchers work. He doesn’t get how guys need to warm up differently, and he doesn’t get how guys need to fit into specific roles. Granted, it’s easy to say from my couch, but this is far and away his largest weakness as a manager.

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