There are a lot of things which the David Stearns-Carlos Mendoza regime has bungled so far in their brief tenure in Queens. Signing Harrison Bader with the thought of making him a full-time player is the first thing that jumps to mind, although there are others. The handling of Jose Butto, the construction of a bench without a single half-decent hitter, not being more aggressive stealing bases and so on.
But one thing they’ve gotten right is the choice Monday night not to pitch Edwin Diaz for the fourth time in five games.
Diaz is the club’s best reliever and it’s understandable why fans wanted him on the mound against the Braves last night. But the simple fact is that you can’t manage the 10th game of the season like it’s Game 7 of the World Series. The expression, “Penny wise and pound foolish” comes to mind.
One of the best things that Buck Showalter did as Mets manager was in how he managed rest for his relievers. Showalter bent over backwards to avoid using his relievers three times in four days and without looking it up, I’d wager that in his two years guiding the club that you could count on the fingers of one hand how many times he used a reliever four times in five days and have fingers left over. And it’s very possible you’d have five fingers remaining.
Days off for a position player are a good thing. And they’re essential for relievers. Plus, how many guys do you think miss an entire year of pitching and then come back with that kind of work load in April?
Finally, there’s the thought none of us want to consider. What if Diaz pitched in the game without his best stuff and the Braves lit him up? What would that do both for his confidence and that of the entire team?
If this same situation presents itself in September, when the Mets play the Phillies and Braves six straight games, and a Wild Card berth is on the line, maybe – and please stress the word maybe – you manage differently. But it certainly wasn’t the right time to go to the whip in Game 10.
Understood the decision not to use Diaz last night. Bigger problem is that knowing Diaz wouldn’t be available, they still used both Ottavino and Raley the night before as well. What Showalter did as well as anyone was to make sure he had at least 1 of his top late inning guys available each game for the exact scenario that came up yesterday. There’s no reason Drew Smith couldn’t have pitched the 8th on Sunday leaving at least Ottavino available yesterday, or had Diekman or Lopez go for the save on Sunday leaving Diaz available last night. Mendoza will get better at this, but it’s happened twice now in 10 games.
Last night it worked out – and now Diaz should be available to close at least 2 of the next 3 if he gets the opportunity. It didn’t work out in Cincy when Ramirez blew the 5 run lead and my chance to have had my prophetic 5-5 record prediction after the 0-5 start come to fruition!
I agree with BoomBoom on this overall management issue.
Consider the double header last week where the Mets burned every reliever but Reed Garret and Yohan Ramirez. In my mind you want to hold one of your setup men for the 9th if your closer is not going to be available and maybe Mendoza’s depth chart is different than we imagine but we aren’t being efficient in using our arms.
I agree that you can’t burn out the pen, but it is necessary for the manager and above to assess the use for more than the game being played. The players only need to focus on the field at the moment, the management cannot. So I believe they must be looking ahead at the implications of each on field move for what that means tomorrow or the next series or the next stretch if there are no days off for day 3 weeks. Managing the pen is more than the days experience.
I agree that Diaz should not used.
The Mets bullpen are in need quality multi- innings relievers because their starting pitchers doesn’t give them length. Using one of these relievers in a game for the 5th – 7th inning would be a bridge to Ottavino or Raley and Diaz. Butto and Lucchesi are in the minors and could fill this much needed role. It would save the bullpen.
The Mets just DFA Teheran!!!
Preposterous
What was the point of signing him?
Its a good question. But let’s see how this plays out: I didn’t realize until today that Teheran actually has a split contract that pays him only $150 thousand in the minors. It seems very odd that Teheran would make that concession given that, technically, his $2.5 mil is guaranteed since his major league service time gives him the right to refuse any minor league assignment and still get paid.
No one [else] offered Teheran a major league contract either in the off season, nor in his three weeks after leaving the Orioles. Teheran now has to decide what is more important to him: that $2.5 million, or the opportunity to keep pitching and possibly get called up again later. I’m guessing that this was all discussed before the deal was offered and signed, and there was an understanding that Teheran would get his one crack in the majors, and would then cooperate with the Mets thereafter.
If he doesn’t make that concession he doesn’t get signed by the Mets, and his next contract will have that same provision because no team wants him at this point, he’s just a warm body who might be able to cobble together a few innings to save bullets from a pitching staff.
And the $2.5 mil is not guaranteed, he will only get a prorated portion when he is released (he isn’t sticking around for 150k)
I didn’t realize that Diaz had pitched 3 of the last 4 games
With all due respect, Brian, but what was the more likely outcome, the Mets losing the game with whomever was out there last night, or the Mets losing with Diaz? Who among you were
not
just waiting for (or even expecting) the hammer to drop last night in the bottom of the ninth inning?
Diaz is incredibly cool – I mean in the calm sense
The other day he kicked a ground ball, walked someone, then Lindor tried to do too much to get the DP and ended up putting runners on 2nd and 3rd (tying runs) with one out. A SF brought the Reds within one, and then Diaz turned the lights off
Maybe I have a vivid imagination, but Diaz gave off an attitude of “Whatever”. He’s the closest thing to a lights out closer in BB right now, and losing yesterday with those other semi-warm bodies would have been painful and demoralizing, especially after the way in which the battled so fiercely
You’re a math guy – why don’t you run numbers?
How many times have the Braves scored three runs in an inning versus the Mets?
How many times have the Mets allowed three runs in an inning this year?
How many times has a Mets reliever allowed three runs in an inning this year?
All of those things have happened. But the odds of it happening in any one inning is not very great. So, yes, I didn’t see it as very likely that they couldn’t get the job done.
But you wouldn’t have used Diaz with a one run lead for the reasons you stated.