Tim Byrdak’s splits, Ike Davis’ slump, Chris Young’s LD%

Tim Byrdak has appeared in an MLB-high 33 games this year. Amazingly, 18 of those appearances have been for a single batter. We can debate the wisdom of carrying a pitcher for such an incredibly limited role. What is crystal clear is how efficient Byrdak has been in those one-batter outings and how horrible he has been in other outings. Here are his splits based on batters faced:

1 BF – 2 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 7 Ks, 1.69 ERA, 0.375 WHIP
2+BF- 6 H, 6 ER, 7 BB, 14 Ks, 5.06 ERA, 1.219 WHIP

The important thing to remember is that Byrdak’s season high in batters faced in a game is six. He’s been extremely good when asked to face only one batter. When asked to do more than that – his ERA is worse than either Jon Rauch or Ramon Ramirez.

DUDA DELIVERS – After beginning the year just 3-23, Duda has posted a .283/.375/.464 line over his last 192 PA. In his last eight games, Buffalo Head has 5 HR in 28 ABs and a 1.353 OPS in 33 PA. It should come as no surprise that this recent hot streak has come about as Duda has cut way back on his strikeouts. He has fanned just six times in his last eight games for an 18.2 K%. In his dreadful start to the year, Duda notched a 32.1 K%.

Last year, Duda supplied much of his power in road games. Eight of his 10 HR came away from Citi Field and he had a .239 ISO in road parks compared to a 134 ISO at home. But here in 2012, Duda has hit seven of his 10 HR in Citi Field, where he has a .232 ISO. In road games, his ISO checks in at 141.

DAVIS DOESN’T – While Duda has been the middle-of-the-order hitter the Mets hoped he would be, Ike Davis has been a huge disappointment. Perhaps only by necessity, Terry Collins has displayed incredible patience by continuing to write Davis’ name into the lineup card. But with Jason Bay’s return imminent, changes could (and should) be in the air.

How awful has Davis been? His 43 OPS+ is the 11th-worst mark all-time for the Mets among players with 150 or more ABs in a season. Backup catchers and reserve middle infielders known for lousy hitting, like Chris Cannizzaro and Joe McEwing, have been better than Davis. Only twice in Mets history has a player had this many ABs and performed worse than Davis in a year when the team had a winning record.

Rey Ordonez posted an OPS+ of 36 for the 1997 Mets, who went 88-74 despite those contributions from their starting SS. And the 1973 Mets managed 82 wins when the great Duffy Dyer recorded a 37 OPS+ as the team’s backup catcher. The worst mark in team history for a player with at least 150 ABs is the 22 OPS+ by Doug Flynn in 282 ABs for the 1977 Mets. Flynn joined the team in the Tom Seaver deal and the Mets were 32-49 (.395) in games he started.

LET’S BE FRANK – With the exception of a handful of closers, most fanbases are leery of the guy called upon to get the final three outs in tight games. There’s no better example of this than Armando Benitez, who had a fantastic save percentage but who was trusted by Mets fans about as far as they could throw his large frame.

Many fans compare Benitez to the team’s current closer, Frank Francisco and trust him just about as much. Francisco has had some rocky moments here early in his career with the Mets but in his last nine games, he has 6 Saves, a 0.93 ERA and has held opposing batters to a .488 OPS. In 9.2 IP, he’s allowed 2 BB and has 12 Ks.

OH, TO BE YOUNG AGAIN – Chris Young made his 2012 debut recently and pitched solidly in his return from shoulder problems, as he allowed 2 ER in 5 IP and came away with a no-decision. Young was very good in his brief time with the Mets last year and fans are hoping that he can give the team that same production over 15 or so starts.

Young lives on the edge being a fly ball pitcher with a low HR rate. He helped himself last year by allowing just 9 Line Drives in 24 IP, a LD% of 15.3%. But he gave up 5 LD in 5 IP and has a 27.8 LD%. Of course it’s a small sample, but it’s unlikely Young will match last year’s success if he continues to allow nearly twice as many line drives as a year ago.

OUR COMPETITIVE DISADVANTAGE – The Mets are set to begin the first of their yearly home-and-home series with the Yankees. The Mets play a tougher Interleague schedule than any team in baseball on a yearly basis. It hasn’t meant much the past few years but if they remain in the Wild Card chase throughout the year it will make a difference in 2012. While the Mets play six games against the Yankees (who have won 10 of their last 14 games) the Giants, who are currently a game ahead in the Wild Card standings, get six games against the Athletics, who recently lost nine straight games.