Everyone knows about how well Zack Wheeler pitched this year. What maybe you don’t know is that he was one of the better hitting pitchers around, too. The Mets had seven pitchers amass at least 10 PA and Wheeler’s .425 OPS was the top mark on the staff, as he edged out Steven Matz by .001 for the mythical crown. He also led the team’s pitchers with 4 R and his 4 RBIs were one behind Jacob deGrom for the lead.
Among all MLB pitchers with at least 40 PA, Wheeler ranked 11th in OPS.
4 entries this morning (can’t sleep):
In August 1987, the Detroit Tigers traded 20-year-old prospect John Smoltz to the Atlanta Braves for Doyle Alexander. Smoltz walked 92 and fanned 91 in 146 minor league innings that year. His ERA was 5.73.
On August 12, 1987, the Atlanta Braves dealt pitcher Doyle Alexander to the Detroit Tigers for minor league pitcher John Smoltz.
Before the trade the Tigers had been very upfront about their desire to acquire Alexander. After an initial list of four players for the Braves to choose from was shot down, scout John Hagemann suggested Smoltz, who he had seen while scouting the other players on the list with the Glens Falls Tigers. Further discussions between the two clubs front offices lead to the talks centering around the Braves getting either Smoltz or Steve Searcy. Detroit’s front office was divided, as a part of long conflict between GM Bill Lajoie and team president Jim Campbell, between who to send. Finally the decision was made by Campbell to send Smoltz because Searcy was closer to being major league ready.
In the short-term, Alexander was a stud. In 11 starts for the Tigers, Alexander went 9-0 with a 1.53 ERA. His pitching helped the Tigers win the AL East in 1987 but the Tigers lost the ALCS to the Twins.
On the other hand, Smoltz was just a year out of high school and was sent to Richmond for more seasoning while Alexander helped the Tigers to the division crown. In 1988, Smoltz debuted with the Braves and twenty seasons later, he has more than 200 wins, 150 saves, a Cy Young Award, and eight All-Star appearances.
Overall, this trade is remembered as one sided but Alexander did help the Tigers to win the division title and was named an All-Star the following season.
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I saw this news blurb last year. This seems very shrewd and far seeing. Don’t forget, kids today don’t leave their room.
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/overwatch-e-sports-league-boasts-team-owners-nfl-mlb-nba-1020107
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For those who are impatient with Rosario, check out this comp:
https://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=12161&position=SS
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Could we really have gotten Mookie Betts for Matt Harvey in 2013? Wow. Bet Alderson would have done it if Betts was a .240 40HR hitter…
https://www.theodysseyonline.com/trade-matt-harvey-mookie-betts
Doyle Alexander was The Greatest Trade Acquisition Ever!!!!—Until he wasn’t !!!!
So that pathetic OPS for a pitcher rank 11th. I’m a lifelong Met fan and National leaguer and despised the designated hitter. I may be old but I keep an open mind and I have realized that it would be more favorable for the Mets to have the designated hitter rule in the National League. Their starters could stay in the game longer especially when the Mets offense falters.
Now Metsense, bite your tongue there. Stand firm with your dedication to real baseball as this is not an old vs. young issue, it is a real vs. fake issue. I’ve got your back in this moment of weakness. All kidding aside, as a collective group of “hitters”, I take it the Mets actually have an advantage over most opponents whose pitchers are much worse offensively.
Sherman kills it https://nypost.com/2018/10/15/empty-vows-alderson-back-stab-inside-mets-gm-search-mess/
Sherman doesn’t say anything most of us haven’t heard either by rumors in Twitter or facts added up over the years. I can’t blame GMs for avoiding the situation, but if Jeff Wilpon is Chief Operating Officer, by definition his job is to oversee the GM and everything else. Complaining about him doing his job seems head scratching.
He’s not overseeing he’s meddling
Podcast version of the Sunday column:
[audio src="http://cast.rocks/hosting/13288/October-Week-2.mp3" /]
No more long podcasts? I enjoyed those.
I’ll definitely do another long one before too long. The last few people I’ve asked have begged off.