Last Monday in this space we talked about how the starters were giving quality, if not necessarily quantity. Since then, we’ve seen quantity, too, with one notable exception. Here are the IP by the starters since June 1:
6/1 – Zack Wheeler, 6 IP
6/2 – Jacob deGrom – 7 IP
6/3 – Steven Matz – 7 IP
6/4 – Off day
6/5 – Jason Vargas – 5 IP
6/6 – Wheeler – 7 IP
6/7 – Off day
6/8 – deGrom – 8 IP
6/9 – Matz – 6 IP
6/10 – Seth Lugo – 6 IP
There’s been no bullpen-killing, three-inning starts. Combine that with multiple off days – after going through the 18 games in 17 days stretch – and the Mets have relievers who are getting rusty.
Tim Peterson – Last used on 6/2 and has 2.1 IP this month
Jacob Rhame – Last used on 6/5 and has 3.0 IP this month, all in minors
Hansel Robles – Last used on 6/2 and has 1.0 IP this month
Now, we don’t particularly want these guys pitching, so let’s not look at this as a bad thing. But you combine the above with the fact that the team has off here on Monday the 11th and it’s difficult not to wonder if the team is carrying too many relievers.
Currently, the Mets have 12 pitchers on the active roster, which is normal for the 21st Century game. But could they go back to 11 now? Before you answer, consider that Paul Sewald has only been used three times this month, too.
Now, there won’t be (m)any stretches the rest of the year where the team has three off days in 11 calendar days. But if the three-inning starts become blue moon occurrences, than the Mets should strongly consider adding another player to their bench and going with 11 pitchers. Just another benefit of using relievers for multiple innings rather than the matchup masturbation route.
Hpw about DFAing Reyes? That would add another bat and glove as well. It’s time to cut the sentimental ties and move on.
Great point Brian. The back end of the roster is fluid. There’s no reason to carry this many relievers in a stretch like this. When was the last time we had a blowout win – like beat the other team by 7 or more runs? Feels like forever. But those are the games where you want to give the Jacob Rhame types some work. Every game, even most of the losses, have been close though and Rhame and others of that ilk (Bautista, Peterson, et al) can’t be trusted in close games yet. Though, neither can Robles, Blevins and Ramos lately.
Remember when everyone wanted Luis Guillorme on the team as the starting 2b?
Yea, let’s ignore his .453 OPS because he’s young and continue to be all gung ho anyone born pre-1992
*post -1992
Name, you’ve broached this topic before, so as a Guillorme supporter, I feel the obligation to respond. Comparing apples to apples, really the comparison is Guillorme against “the other option”.
Yes, Guillorme is not doing well at all. But, it isn’t the only thing we see. On defense, Guillorme has saved runs and played third base well as well as a great second base, while Reyes is afraid to even play in and has cost the team several runs in all his positions.
On offense, Guillorme has a 16% soft contact rate, 55% medium, 29% hard. Reyes’ results are 27% soft, 45% medium, and 28% hard. Too, Guillorme is only striking out at a 5.6% clip, while his competition is at 12.6%.
So, while Guillorme’s results aren’t good either, he is a better option due to better results defensively and better effort offensively. Once Flores gets back, both should go: Guillorme to play more in AAA, and Reyes to give Ty Kelly the next shot. If Rosario gets injured, they can fill in for a couple of days or just bring up Guillorme immediately.
Guillorme is a human shield for Reyes. As long as we are carrying a player with no offensive talent an argument can be made for keeping Reyes.
At least Jose can still run a little, Guillorme cannot do anything that assists in scoring runs.
From today’s NY Post:
Bruce is striking out 19.6 percent of the time, his lowest figure since 2009, according to Fangraphs. He has also walked 10.3 percent of the time, which represents his highest figure since 2011.
But Bruce’s percentage of hard-hit balls has dropped to 33.3 percent. His career average is 35.3 percent, according to Fangraphs, and it spiked last year at 40.3 percent.
“I don’t know what people see from the outside, but from hitting coaches and video guys, they are, ‘You look the exact same,’” Bruce said. “There is nothing to do, but continuing to work. You have got to work, got to trust it, and at the same time be cognizant you are doing everything you can to put yourself in a position to have success.”
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I’ll tell you what it is Jay, something your coaches won’t tell you. Your focus sucks! That play with Guillorme was pathetic effort. Your swings are out of your heels. How about just hit the ball hard and let the results speak for themselves? And, since the swings are out of your heels, when you continue to not recognize the curve, you miss it by about a foot! No one is expecting speed, nor a gold glove. But, let’s start with cutting out the blunders on defense and maybe getting back in shape; Go to Barwis camp or as an athlete, tone up.
Part of why Bruce sucks is he got his contract. Last year he was a free agent to be.
I said that everyday last year. I wrote that whenever he was in his walk year, production went up, and that scared me. But, Bruce is actually trying a little because he doesn’t whiff as much, he was hitting to left field in April and last year, his walks are up. However, he swings out of his shoes, his mobility is affected by his foot – and if it is, let him rest, play Bautista for ten days and it’s not helping the team if they need Bruce to play injured because Cespedes got hurt – and Bruce’s play in RF has been the stuff baseball follies are made of.
The more they created a director of health, the more we see Wilponian Health Methods instituted.
That’s on the GM Mike. Alderson needed to decide if Bruce was going to contribute or just ride into the sunset with his new deal. Another Cespedes we don’t need. One is enough. Last I checked Milwaukee was in 1st place and Cain lead the NL in WAR
“Trading an ace would give the fans some hope, sure. Right up until the moment the team turns into the Cincinnati Reds.”
https://www.si.com/mlb/2018/06/11/new-york-mets-rebuild-jacob-degrom-noah-syndergaard?utm_campaign=sinow&xid=socialflow_twitter_si&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com
Craig Edwards from FanGraphs:
“The Mets’ farm system isn’t great, and it could certainly use a fresh infusion of talent, but that alone isn’t a proper justification for starting a rebuilding process. A look at the talent presently on the major-league roster and the team’s payroll situation in future seasons means that even if the team falls out the race this year — and they haven’t done that yet — the team should be focusing on 2019 and 2020 because there is a very good chance of contending then.”
https://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/trading-jacob-degrom-would-be-foolish/
Exactly. Rebuilding is for old teams with no system, not younger teams with no system.