Mets Notes: Tejada v Turner, Izzy usage & HR

At the start of Spring Training, one of the biggest questions facing the Mets was who was going to be the club’s starting second baseman. Nearly 130 games into the season, not much has changed. Sure, Justin Turner has held down the position for the great majority of the year but his hold seems tenuous, [...]

Will Jason Isringhausen be the Mets’ closer in 2012?

One night after picking up the win, Jason Isringhausen came on Tuesday night to retire the side in order and pick up his sixth save of the season. Since taking over as the primary closer after the trade of Francisco Rodriguez, Isringhausen has appeared in 11 games with a 2-2 record, a 4.50 ERA and [...]

The overrated apprenticeship of Bobby Parnell

Although many have their doubts, the Mets' front office stated this week that journeyman reliever Jason Isringhausen will be part of the team until at least the remainder of the 2011 season. This was mostly done so Isringhausen could be Bobby Parnell’s mentor as Parnell tries to grasp what it takes to be a big-league [...]

Mets Notes: Playing without Beltran, Pagan’s splits and April 21st

Now that a trade of Carlos Beltran seems imminent, people are coming out of the woodwork to defend him and his production in his time with the Mets. But where were these people at the beginning of the year? Mets fans pledged their allegiance to Jose Reyes and now it seems likely that the club [...]

Should Bobby Parnell be Mets’ 8th-inning reliever?

Coming into the 2011 season, the Mets were counting on Bobby Parnell to be their 8th inning reliever, the main bridge to closer Francisco Rodriguez. But Parnell was terrible and soon found his way on the DL. Even after he was healthy, Parnell spent extra time in Buffalo trying to get back on track. Since [...]

Besides a Quality Bullpen, Mets Lack Presence

“Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?" A four-run lead headed to the bottom of the eighth is supposed to be safe. To paraphrase Howie Rose, I was putting this one in the books before the eighth was over. But we know the narrative these past two weeks, don’t we? This bullpen stinks [...]

Revamped Mets pen leads to 5-game win streak

One of the keys to Tuesday’s victory over the Nationals was the work of the bullpen. Mets relievers went 4.1 IP and allowed 1 ER and picked up both the win (Ryota Igarashi) and the save (Francisco Rodriguez). Considered by some to be the weak point of the team, the bullpen has been an asset [...]

Top 10 Spring Training stories for Mets

After four months without MLB, Spring Training is always a welcome sight. Even though the teams never have full lineups, the pitchers rarely throw at peak form and managers make moves they never would during the season – we can’t help but to look at the stats and look at things that jump out. There [...]

Is Bobby Parnell’s roster spot in jeopardy?

This time last year, few expected Bobby Parnell to open the year with Triple-A, figuring he had a bullpen spot locked up. But a poor Spring led to an assignment to Buffalo, where he spent the first two-and-a-half months of the year. Could it be déjà vu all over again for Parnell here in 2011? [...]

More good news in the Isringhausen comeback

"I love the competition," Jason Isringhausen said. "There's a lot of the stuff that goes along with the game I don't enjoy, all the politics, the business part of it. But I enjoy the 1-on-1 competition with a hitter, and it's hard for me to find that anywhere else. I'm just trying to compete with [...]

Isringhausen: Potential Feel Good Story of 2011 or Waste of Time?

There are many who seem to be enamored by the arrival of Jason Isringhausen to the New York Mets spring training facilities. Others have no real opinion. To me, it seems like a page right out of the Omar Minaya handbook. Before you judge, hear me out. One of the very many things people complained [...]