The Mets set their rotation after the All-Star break so that their three best pitchers could square off against the Nationals in both of their three-game sets. The first one didn’t work out as well as we might have hoped, as the Mets went just 1-2, but this just completed set was a thing of beauty. The big three combined to allow just five earned runs in 21.2 IP for a 2.08 ERA, leading to a sweep.
But it’s not like the Mets pitchers have just been doing well lately. Here’s the latest streak for each of the members of the rotation:
Matt Harvey – After getting roughed up in three out of four starts in late May – early June, Harvey has been dominating in his last eight games. In 53.1 IP, he has a 1.86 ERA with a 3.0 K/BB ratio. Seven of his eight games have been Quality Starts.
Noah Syndergaard – After back-to-back poor outings in the beginning of June, Syndergaard has a 1.80 ERA in his last nine starts. In 60 IP, he’s fanned 66 batters and has walked only 14. Seven of his nine games in this stretch have been Quality Starts.
Jon Niese – He was terrible for four starts in May. But in his last 10 games, Niese has a 2.94 ERA and has pitched better than that. He has nine Quality Starts in that span but in the outlier (the paternity start), Niese surrendered 6 ER in 3 IP. He’s allowed just 5 HR in 64.1 IP in this span.
Jacob deGrom – He rebounded from being knocked around three times in late April – early May to deliver a sparkling 1.47 ERA in his last 13 starts. In 91.2 IP, he has 98 Ks, 12 BB and 3 HR. He’s recorded 12 Quality Starts in those 13 games.
That’s 40 starts, 35 of which resulted in a Quality Start. And only one was of the minimum variety.
But wait, that’s only four pitchers. What’s going on with Bartolo Colon? Well, Colon has been the opposite. After a brilliant stretch to start the year, he’s been less than good for nearly three months now. In his last 14 games, Colon has a 6.01 ERA. He’s been the ultimate Jekkyl and Hyde guy. Seven of his 14 games have resulted in Quality Starts, including an 8 IP, 1 ER outing against the Dodgers on 7/23. But unlike in 2014, when Colon would rip off stretches of brilliant pitching followed by spans of lousy outings, this year we have no idea what to expect start to start.
In the two outings surrounding the Dodgers’ game, Colon allowed 13 ER in 6.2 IP.
Overall, he’s got a 4.96 ERA and is hands down the weak spot in the rotation. He’s been so bad that it might be worthwhile to cut Colon and bring Dillon Gee back to the rotation. While Gee has an unimpressive 5.44 ERA and a 1.465 WHIP in Las Vegas, he does have excellent peripherals, with a 3.4 K/BB ratio and he’s allowed just 3 HR in 43 IP in the PCL.
Here’s where the injury to Rafael Montero really hurts. Also, if he hadn’t gotten traded, it might have been worthwhile to give Michael Fulmer a shot to pitch in the majors in Colon’s place.
In three of Colon’s last seven games, he’s failed to complete five innings, including a 2.1 IP performance his last time out. Only the amazing run of the other pitchers on the staff has kept that from being a complete bullpen-killing experience.
With Colon still sprinkling in good outings with the disasters, some will say the Mets can afford to carry him, especially since he’s so good with the other pitchers on the staff. That seems like wishful thinking to me. While no one doubts Colon being a good teammate, does anyone really think that Harvey and the rest need his calming influence to flourish?
We’re trying to win games here and it’s getting harder and harder to justify Colon’s presence on the team.
Thank you!
Bartolo Colon sucks. He stinks. He’s fat. He’s atricious. He’s fat. He’s a loser. He’s costing the Mets games. He’s fat. He’s got the 4th worst ERA in the NL. He’s fat. He can’t pitch. He’s fat. He’s not worth a damn thing.
Why people aren’t so riled against this guy in the rotation i have no idea. He has always been the #1 problem since day 1 even ahead of Flores.
Release the Fatty
Colon has been terrible but are the fat comments really necessary? This isn’t Metsblog…
Yes it is absolutely necessary.
For reasons beyond logic, Colon has received nearly no hate from the Mets fan. We’ve seen tons of hate directed towards guys like Chris Young, Granderson, and Cuddyer, but nearly none towards Colon and that is just plan wrong.
I’ve been almost single-handily leading the Colon-hate club. This is a guy that fans should be booing everytime his name is announced into the lineup and everytime he is on the mound. Every. Time.
I will continue to bash this guy relentlessly using every available insult because he simply hasn’t received enough insults from the ordinary fan.
You are an idiot if you honestly think that lobbying fans to insult this man whenever he pitches is actually going to accomplish anything.
Colon blows. He’s fat. Colon’s a big fat stinking cheater. He’s fat. Colon’s as bad as Kyle Kendrick. He’s fat. Colon sucks.
Booo. Booo. Booo. Booo. Booo. Booo.
Release the Fatty
Yes Colon has been sub par of late, but thankfully he isn’t going anywhere he’s 10-10 and his game Monday night was classic Colon and if he and Neise can hold up their end of the rotation like they did last night and tonight, the Mets are in great shape with Harvey tomorrow and DeGrom Friday and Thor on Saturday and Bart again on Sunday, it could be a breakout week.
Why is it when it comes to Colon, all the stupid people have an urge to come out and start preaching shit like wins?
In any analysis of Harvey, deGrom, Noah or some other top pitcher, do you ever see any mentioning of wins? No. Because it’s the most useless piece of crap to judge a pitcher by and no rational person would ever use it.
So why the hell would you bring it up when the topic of conversation is Colon?
Our Comment Policy says to criticize ideas, not people.
Since the discussion we had about Colon during the chatter last month, Colon has been the utter disaster Name indicated. He had 9 wins that night, and still does, while watching his era swell beyond his waist size. On this case, I bow before your better judgement Name.
Never mind Gee, give the starts to Verrett since Montero is hurt.
colon has been a good Met and the name calling is inappropriate. the man has won 24 games for the Mets. that being said tonight might be his farewell. another bad start and I think he’ll be bounced from the rotation. I told you it would be a great summer!
This indeed may be Colon’s last start as a Met. Colon has eaten many innings during his stay with the Mets. His new diet of less innings and higher ERA may be fatal in a pennant drive. I am rooting for him to turn it around because the options are not very appealing. Gee failed earlier in the year and was not any better. Logan Verritt has looked good but had a tough time getting a foothold on the season. Montero and Matz are injured. That leaves he to the last option of Carlos Torres taking his place and Colon being the mop up long man. If Colon fails tonight then it would be better to excercise one of these options sooner rather than later
Don’t forget that Matz will be back before long. Harvey, deGrom, Syn, Niese, Matz. 5 men in the rotation should be good enough and then throw a spot start to some combination of Gee, Verrett, and Gilmartin should be good enough. Most teams don’t have three starters the caliber of the Mets five. Finding a spot starter 2-3 times for the stretch run shouldnt be too high a hurdle.
Colon is done. He has no value.
Unless something has happened, they still have Scott Rice and Chase Bradford in AAA.
Matz has been out for a month and hasn’t even picked up a ball yet that I’m aware of. Once he starts rehab games, it’ll take at least three weeks until he’s ready for the majors. I think counting on him for more than a start or two is wishful thinking.
Saying you have Scott Rice in the minors is the equivalent of taking food inventory and saying you have dog feces in the backyard.
I would think the primary case for keeping Colon around is that if you listen to deGrom, Syndergaard, and Harvey talk about how much they watch Colon pitch, and how much they’ve learned from talking to him, his value clearly goes beyond his actual pitching. So although he’s definitely been the least effective current member of the rotation, there are tangible benefits to his presence in the rotation.
“there are tangible benefits to his presence in the rotation.”
Colon is probably the one who taught Mejia all about PEDs and gave him his number for his supplier. Too bad he couldn’t teach him how to not get caught using it though.
On a serious note, what you described is a coach, and i would never hire Colon as a coach or want my players to look up to him as a pitcher. He’s been here 20 years and can’t even do a media interview in English. Do you really think the other non=Spanish pitchers talk to him that much?
This veteran presence bullshit as an alibi for his poor pitching has got to stop.
Editor’s Note – This post deleted for violating our Comment Policy.
I’ve been amazed for almost 2 seasons with each good outing by Colon—It does look like he’s at the end. I’m hoping he can rebound and provide 6-7 innings at 4.5 era the rest of the way.
Dylan Gee?