Wednesday, August 3, 2011

How Hard is it to Stay Above .500?

That's the question I keep asking myself this morning after the Mets lost another heartbreaker to the Marlins.

Note to Terry Collins: You don't put the guy the blew the game the night before into the next game. But then again, maybe our bullpen is just that bad where we need to put Jason Isringhausen into every game.

Note to Mets offense: When your starting pitcher only allows two solo home runs to Omar Infante over six innings, you have to back him up. Pitching alone isn't going to win it every time. Unless you're the Phillies.

Another Note to Terry Collins: You don't put Jon Niese in as the pinch runner in the bottom of the ninth with nobody out unless you're positive Daniel Murphy is going to hit a home run.

That's all I'm really going to say about last night's game. I'm predicting a loss tonight because once the Mets get three or four games above .500, they tend to lose the next four or five games to fall back under .500.

Maybe I'm more aggravated because I have to listen to the Marlins feed. Go figure.

David Wright Striekout Counter: $4.90

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Why Johan Santana Should be Sidelined

It's August 2, and the news all over the Twitterverse was that Johan Santana has suffered a setback and will be visiting the doctor this Thursday to see if he would be able to pitch at all this year.

He shouldn't. It's moot.

The Mets are still (!!!) in the Wild Card chase, being one game over .500, so you would think that a pitcher like Santana would help the Mets come September. After all, Santana is statistically a second half pitcher.

But Santana should be sidelined for the year. Why?

By the time Santana rehabs and is ready to help the Mets, it remains unknown where the Mets will be in the hunt. For all we know, the Mets could lose the next 15 games, thus eliminating themselves. If we're mathematically out, then there is really no need for a pitcher of Santana's caliber. The Mets were also flirting with a six man rotation should Santana return. Sure, a longer time between starts could help some of the younger pitchers and certainly Santana, but what about Cappy and RAH Dickey? Do they suffer because of the longer time between starts?

Plus there's the giant elephant in the room. The Mets don't score runs for Santana. No really. I think their average runs per start is like 1.7 or something ridiculously low like that. If Santana lets off two runs, he loses...almost everytime.

For as many reasons there is to bring Johan back, there's just as many reasons to sideline him. I would aim for 2012 for the Johan Santana comeback.

David Wright Strikeout Counter: $4.80