These two things must happen for us to have even a remote chance of winning in the playoffs:
1. El Duque must be back and near 100%
2. We must stop giving up massive 2-out rallies. Once you have the 2nd out, man up on the mound, and SHUT IT DOWN.
Without El Duque we have no chance, b/c our starters stink and our bullpen is done. At this point the bullpen collapse has gone on long enough that it's not a "fluke" bad game or week; it's here permanently and going to carry through the rest of the season including playoffs. If we don't get 8 solid innings from our starters giving up no more than 3-4 R, we're done.
Furthermore, if this month-long meltdown isn't proof positive to Omar & Co that they need to acquire legitimate pitching talent in the offseason to shore up starting rotation and pen, I'm not sure what is.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
BTW, I would point out one positive from yesterday's game: pelfrey's meltdown didn't come until 4th inning, consistent with the fact that he rarely seems to give up runs before 3rd or 4th inning. So, I again say put him in the pen (at least for the rest of this season). I think though that he will need to be a guy who starts an inning fresh (or with no inherited baserunners); I'm not sure he'll be able to come in now and get out of a jam.
I think this is the only chance the Mets have:
Starters: Pedro / Duque / Glav / Perez
Pen: Feliciano / Pelfrey / Smith / Heilman / Maine / Wagner
I'd consider putting Sosa or Humber in there too, but I don't want anyone else.
I sure hope Duque is back, b/c we need him. Whether he starts and frees Maine or Perez up for bullpen duty, or goes to the pen himself, the staff surely needs the shot-in-the-arm. Then again, if he's healthy, and is going to offer 3 IP and 5 ER's before going back on the DL, that doesn't do us too much good either.
The staff is going to have catch lightning in a bottle if we're going to succeed in the postseason.
That should have said, if he's not healthy. Leh.
Post a Comment