Yes, it certainly feels like we are watching the New York Mets play baseball again. The team that started off 5-1 is now straggling along at 11-8, fighting to keep tight with their competitors in the NL East. Many at this point in the season are quick to smash the ever-alluring panic button, in hopes of signing a Dallas Keuchel or hoping for some sort of dramatic change. Hardly ever do Mets fans get the opportunity to just breathe and enjoy a ballgame. While this is largely due to the bullpen’s passion for sending viewers to cardiologists with the way they pitch at the end of ballgames, there are a lot of things that could be pointed at as to why this team has struggled recently.
The first group to get the finger pointed at them is undoubtedly, and deservedly, the bullpen. The disappointment train that is known as the Mets bullpen has so far been engineered by Jeurys Familia, and has pitched itself as a collective unit to an ERA of 5.61, which, is only second worst to the Washington Nationals. Their bullpen has established itself as the worst of the worst, with an ERA of 8.01. While not much worse, things could always be worse.
Although the bullpen has been bad for the Mets, the starters have not been so hot either. In fact, we only see how poorly the bullpen performs so often because they always need to come in and mop up the mistakes that the starter from that night made. The Mets rotation has an ERA of 5.48 so far, thanks to a bunch of factors. To sum it up in simple terms, the rotation has been one of, if not the biggest, disappointments of the entire season. Just because they are disappointing right now does not mean we should all run to smash the panic button immediately.
All that is needed is to look at the pitching splits from the 2018 season for the starters. Of course, the rotation is mostly comprised of the pieces that put it together last season. Before the All-Star break hit, the Mets as an entire staff saw their team ERA check in at 4.29, good enough for 18th in the league. After the break however, the staff bounced back and was able to lower their ERA to 3.78. This of course was in large part to Zack Wheeler and Jacob deGrom, who were tearing it up and not getting run support.
Essentially, this type of situation is one that Mets fans are used to by now. The Mets went on a solid run to open the season, and now seem to be reeling a bit. However, this team was built to survive the tough stretches. The key for this team is still to be in the thick of things in the month of July. That way, when the starters begin to find their rhythm, they will have an offense to back them up. Depth is the key to this team, and that has only helped them so far this season at the plate. Once the pitching on the team hits their stride, then, this team will be something special to watch.
It was time to push the panic button in February. The qiestions whether its rapidly approaching too late. In order to be protected, the plans need to be in place *before* things happen. You just witnessed Drew Gagnon pitch 5 admirable innings, and Chris Flexen is starting today. Vargas is now your #4 starter. There is no way to like Jake’s barking elbow even if its nothing much…its different. Matz and Wheeler are the normal “who knows who shows up” guys. Last year the staff went short early on in April, and although we won, over-leveraged the whole pen to great dismay.
Anyway, this team needs a Keuchel in the worst way imaginable.
The mayor has spoken!
Get Gio when Yanks pass and get Keuchel now….let Jacob sit a month if he has too and all will be good, if not better when he returns. Mets like to push the envelope with injuries and then get bit in the proverbial “a$$”. Let Jake’s arm rest and chill. He is the season, he is the man.
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If BV and Wilpon are truly in win now mode they are getting clear signs of the need for depth in starting pitching. Keuchel has proven he is a gamer and what is the downside of signing him to a two or three year deal? What team would not like him as a fifth starter? Wilpon in his miserly way always sabotages winning potential.
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We’re still in April and starting Chris Flexen. Unbelievable. I know there are other factors
In play like who is stretched out and who pitched in the last few days, but I thought Flexen was like 10th on the depth chart. Great that he’s lost weight but this guy has never shown for a minute that he can get out a big league hitter. Oswalt or Santiago might give us a chance at least. This feels like we’re forfeiting today’s game.
Pitching has clearly not lived up to expectations this year, but hitting has exceeded it. I’d rather have pitching underperforming at this point than the offense because I do expect the pitching to come around. After 19 games the Mets are tied for first place in a tough division and have played a pretty tough schedule so far. By the end of this weekend they will have played 16 games on the road vs 5 at home. The naysayers can point out that the Mets often play better on the road, but honestly if someone asked me before the season would you be happy with being tied for the division lead at this point, with the schedule they’ve played I’d sign up in a heartbeat. Obviously I don’t love the way the pitching has performed so far, but anyone panicking at this point is being ridiculous in my opinion. Long way to go and off to a pretty good start.
Sign Keuchel. They are losing contracts at the end of the year including Frazier and Vargas. Plus there is a good chance that Wheeler walks.
Flaxen, arggggh.
keep believing that Dalton.