Comments on: Poll: Who Do You Trust in the Pen http://www.metsblog.com/2008/05/15/poll-who-do-you-trust-in-the-pen/ MetsBlog.com features the latest Mets rumors, player movement, and news circulating around the Internet, as well as Mets related insights and opinions by Matthew Cerrone and his team of guest bloggers. Sun, 08 Nov 2009 05:48:15 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: kdubs http://www.metsblog.com/2008/05/15/poll-who-do-you-trust-in-the-pen/#comment-168656 kdubs Thu, 15 May 2008 23:15:00 +0000 http://www.metsblog.com/2008/05/15/poll-who-do-you-trust-in-the-pen/#comment-168656 Sorry metsfaninvegas...I didn't see your comment before I posted mine. Sorry metsfaninvegas…I didn’t see your comment before I posted mine.

]]> By: kdubs http://www.metsblog.com/2008/05/15/poll-who-do-you-trust-in-the-pen/#comment-168648 kdubs Thu, 15 May 2008 23:11:31 +0000 http://www.metsblog.com/2008/05/15/poll-who-do-you-trust-in-the-pen/#comment-168648 Can I pick "none of the above"? Can I pick “none of the above”?

]]> By: MetsFanInVegas http://www.metsblog.com/2008/05/15/poll-who-do-you-trust-in-the-pen/#comment-168382 MetsFanInVegas Thu, 15 May 2008 20:54:18 +0000 http://www.metsblog.com/2008/05/15/poll-who-do-you-trust-in-the-pen/#comment-168382 How bout none of the above?? How bout none of the above??

]]> By: cgio07 http://www.metsblog.com/2008/05/15/poll-who-do-you-trust-in-the-pen/#comment-167526 cgio07 Thu, 15 May 2008 18:02:18 +0000 http://www.metsblog.com/2008/05/15/poll-who-do-you-trust-in-the-pen/#comment-167526 Strawberry and Reynolds...they make me feel better after a loss. Just kidding..but seriously the question was who we feel comfortable with aside from wagner. As of the first 40 some games, its smith because he's looked the best. You people that are so heated about this conversation are kinda ridiculous, because its a simple question that sparks debate, note personal attacks. As for heilman, after i settle down and the swearing is over, i think they should just try and start him to see what happens. That was his original role, why not put him back and see if hes more comfortable. Honestly the guy gets two outs then cant get it done, maybe he needs to start or just get 2 outs then get rid of him Strawberry and Reynolds…they make me feel better after a loss. Just kidding..but seriously the question was who we feel comfortable with aside from wagner. As of the first 40 some games, its smith because he’s looked the best. You people that are so heated about this conversation are kinda ridiculous, because its a simple question that sparks debate, note personal attacks.

As for heilman, after i settle down and the swearing is over, i think they should just try and start him to see what happens. That was his original role, why not put him back and see if hes more comfortable. Honestly the guy gets two outs then cant get it done, maybe he needs to start or just get 2 outs then get rid of him

]]> By: Massey http://www.metsblog.com/2008/05/15/poll-who-do-you-trust-in-the-pen/#comment-167366 Massey Thu, 15 May 2008 16:58:46 +0000 http://www.metsblog.com/2008/05/15/poll-who-do-you-trust-in-the-pen/#comment-167366 True, I knew Scho and Feliciano weren't great against righties but their L/R splits are pretty bad. Smith hasn't really been given an opportunity against a lot of lefties (only 12 ABs), but he hasn't been great against the few he's faced (5H, 2BB). For now, I'd just bring in Smith in the 8th if 2/3 are righties, Feliciano or Scho if 2/3 are lefties. Or, just use all 3 for the 7th and 8th in a tight game, mix and match. I'm not really too confident Sanchez yet, his fastball is too slow right now to really set up his change. And so he just throws mostly changeups...hitters will catch on and just sit on it. True, I knew Scho and Feliciano weren’t great against righties but their L/R splits are pretty bad.

Smith hasn’t really been given an opportunity against a lot of lefties (only 12 ABs), but he hasn’t been great against the few he’s faced (5H, 2BB).

For now, I’d just bring in Smith in the 8th if 2/3 are righties, Feliciano or Scho if 2/3 are lefties. Or, just use all 3 for the 7th and 8th in a tight game, mix and match.

I’m not really too confident Sanchez yet, his fastball is too slow right now to really set up his change. And so he just throws mostly changeups…hitters will catch on and just sit on it.

]]> By: carmine_riccardi http://www.metsblog.com/2008/05/15/poll-who-do-you-trust-in-the-pen/#comment-167342 carmine_riccardi Thu, 15 May 2008 16:50:20 +0000 http://www.metsblog.com/2008/05/15/poll-who-do-you-trust-in-the-pen/#comment-167342 I understand not being confident in Joe Smith given his second half last year, but you have to consider a rookie hitting a wall in his first season is quite common. This is a tough poll to get an accurate response on because a lot of fans take into account a pitcher's total book of work, and not just what they're doing right now; while others think the opposite way. I think our bullpen has been better than it looks on paper, the real problem they're facing is putting the right arm in the right situation and knowing when to pull someone (like heilman last night, or sosa earlier in the week). There have also been a few situations where you can see a pitcher struggling but no one is up and ready to come in and rescue him. That's been particularly frustrating for me, seeing heilman or sosa struggling and knowing that it's up to him and only him for the next batter or three. I understand not being confident in Joe Smith given his second half last year, but you have to consider a rookie hitting a wall in his first season is quite common. This is a tough poll to get an accurate response on because a lot of fans take into account a pitcher’s total book of work, and not just what they’re doing right now; while others think the opposite way. I think our bullpen has been better than it looks on paper, the real problem they’re facing is putting the right arm in the right situation and knowing when to pull someone (like heilman last night, or sosa earlier in the week). There have also been a few situations where you can see a pitcher struggling but no one is up and ready to come in and rescue him. That’s been particularly frustrating for me, seeing heilman or sosa struggling and knowing that it’s up to him and only him for the next batter or three.

]]> By: metterman http://www.metsblog.com/2008/05/15/poll-who-do-you-trust-in-the-pen/#comment-167327 metterman Thu, 15 May 2008 16:46:48 +0000 http://www.metsblog.com/2008/05/15/poll-who-do-you-trust-in-the-pen/#comment-167327 At this point i trust smith, feliciano, and shoe, the rest not so much...i think it's great to see all the trust in smith, he started similar last year and then faded as the year went on, hopefully another year older and another year of experience will prevent that melt down from last year. Honestly though I've never understood why willie doesn't use feliciano more. over the last 3 years his era is 2.54, next to wags, he has been the most consistent of the bullpen over that span. I'd like to see him get Heilmans 8th inning spot especially considering we have another lefty out in the bullpen for the situational sports. At this point i trust smith, feliciano, and shoe, the rest not so much…i think it’s great to see all the trust in smith, he started similar last year and then faded as the year went on, hopefully another year older and another year of experience will prevent that melt down from last year.
Honestly though I’ve never understood why willie doesn’t use feliciano more. over the last 3 years his era is 2.54, next to wags, he has been the most consistent of the bullpen over that span. I’d like to see him get Heilmans 8th inning spot especially considering we have another lefty out in the bullpen for the situational sports.

]]> By: Massey http://www.metsblog.com/2008/05/15/poll-who-do-you-trust-in-the-pen/#comment-167323 Massey Thu, 15 May 2008 16:45:49 +0000 http://www.metsblog.com/2008/05/15/poll-who-do-you-trust-in-the-pen/#comment-167323 Feliciano has been lucky to get out of many jams, and he has allowed a lot of baserunners. (1.68 WHIP) Smith has been excellent, with a ton of dominant performances. (0.98 WHIP) While you can't ignore career numbers, you also can't completely discount how they've performed this year, even if it's only 15 innings. Stats aside, Smith has looked great, and Feliciano has looked just ok. And while it's possible, you can't expect Smith to suddenly fall apart out of nowhere. The fact is, at this moment, Smith is clearly the better reliever. Feliciano has been lucky to get out of many jams, and he has allowed a lot of baserunners. (1.68 WHIP)

Smith has been excellent, with a ton of dominant performances. (0.98 WHIP)

While you can’t ignore career numbers, you also can’t completely discount how they’ve performed this year, even if it’s only 15 innings. Stats aside, Smith has looked great, and Feliciano has looked just ok. And while it’s possible, you can’t expect Smith to suddenly fall apart out of nowhere.

The fact is, at this moment, Smith is clearly the better reliever.

]]> By: AndrewP http://www.metsblog.com/2008/05/15/poll-who-do-you-trust-in-the-pen/#comment-167278 AndrewP Thu, 15 May 2008 16:31:46 +0000 http://www.metsblog.com/2008/05/15/poll-who-do-you-trust-in-the-pen/#comment-167278 That's been a big misstep by Minaya two years in a row now. I think the value of the long man is underrated; when we had Oliver in '06 how many games were we down big, then he holds the other team down until we get back in the game? And I still remember the year Pat Mahomes had a little while back. It seems like it's worth a handful of wins a year, or at least opportunities at wins. Minaya attempts to fill that role every year, but since Oliver he has stumbled badly with the choices of Sele and this year Sosa. He was banking on Sosa to fill the role, as evidenced by the money he gave him. I don't know what he was thinking. I thought he was right to let Oliver walk because while an effective long man is a huge advantage, those are the type of guys you don't pay. You just find the next Oliver, so to speak. But then it was very contradictory in that sense for Minaya to give that type of money to Sosa, even if he had been more effective. What exactly is the philosophy here? Is there a philosophy at all? (And I generally approve of the job Minaya has done) That’s been a big misstep by Minaya two years in a row now. I think the value of the long man is underrated; when we had Oliver in ‘06 how many games were we down big, then he holds the other team down until we get back in the game? And I still remember the year Pat Mahomes had a little while back. It seems like it’s worth a handful of wins a year, or at least opportunities at wins.

Minaya attempts to fill that role every year, but since Oliver he has stumbled badly with the choices of Sele and this year Sosa. He was banking on Sosa to fill the role, as evidenced by the money he gave him. I don’t know what he was thinking. I thought he was right to let Oliver walk because while an effective long man is a huge advantage, those are the type of guys you don’t pay. You just find the next Oliver, so to speak. But then it was very contradictory in that sense for Minaya to give that type of money to Sosa, even if he had been more effective. What exactly is the philosophy here? Is there a philosophy at all? (And I generally approve of the job Minaya has done)

]]> By: AndrewP http://www.metsblog.com/2008/05/15/poll-who-do-you-trust-in-the-pen/#comment-167254 AndrewP Thu, 15 May 2008 16:23:34 +0000 http://www.metsblog.com/2008/05/15/poll-who-do-you-trust-in-the-pen/#comment-167254 I made a post below about the idea of using situational relievers itself not being a problem, but I really agree with what you say as well. Once you get to the eighth inning, you just want to go to the bridge and then call in Wagner. You can only mix and match for so many innings, and the guys that were supposed to take over in the eighth this year once that situational portion of the game was over haven't been championship-caliber at all. I made a post below about the idea of using situational relievers itself not being a problem, but I really agree with what you say as well. Once you get to the eighth inning, you just want to go to the bridge and then call in Wagner. You can only mix and match for so many innings, and the guys that were supposed to take over in the eighth this year once that situational portion of the game was over haven’t been championship-caliber at all.

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