In yesterday’s loss to the Marlins, Mike Pelfrey let up six runs and seven hits, while walking three, in just four and two-thirds innings pitched, raising his ERA from 3.85 to 4.11.
Pelfrey is 0-3 with a 10.67 ERA against the Marlins this season, yet 10-5 with a 3.45 ERA against everyone else.
Pelfrey, speaking to reporters after yesterday’s game, said:
“Numbers don’t lie, the last few starts I’ve struggled against them. You can’t dispute that…I think that I executed some bad pitches, made some bad pitches, and I threw some stupid pitches. I made some stupid pitches that I shouldn’t have thrown.”
…ok, then…tell us how you really feel, mike…
…today’s narrative in print and on radio seems to be that pelfrey is burned out, since he’s on the verge of throwing the most pitches in a season for his career…
He has thrown 138 innings this year, second-most on the team.
Pelfrey threw 152.2 innings last season, and is on pace to throw 191 this season.
As Ken Davidoff points out in Newsday today, “The conventional wisdom calls for a young pitcher to exceed his previous season’s total by no more than 30 innings.”
Maunel, speaking to reporters about Pelfrey, following yesterday’s loss to the Marlins:
“This is actually his first full major-league year, so that could be an issue, but we’ll do everything we can to try and keep him fresh.”
Pelfrey is on pace to next start against the Pirates, then the Braves, then the Astros, after which he’ll face the Marlins in Miami late in August.
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Are minor league innings not taken into account? Cause he’s thrown a crapload of innings the last few years if you count the minors and majors. But regardless I hope there as careful as possible with his arm, I’d really rather not have 3 rotation spots needing filling next year.
Last year’s #s include minors. He only had 72 innings in MLB last year.
Well in that case I am a little bit worried. Especially with nearly 2 months left in the season, and possibly the post season.
The Mets have an off day before that next series in FL and could (should?) skip Pelfrey back into the next series instead of facing the Marlins again.
It depends on who they are skipping him in favor of. If Maine can’t come back, and we are talking about another guy getting the call from AAA, I would start Pelfrey. He is obviously one of our best.
it would be one of the other main rotation guys.
After an off day you can give every starter 5 days rest. or you can give some guys 4 and others 6. Pelf should get the extra day while someone else flip flops in front.
The one positive thing to take away from pelfrey’s inning # is that he has really matured and is able to pitch deep into games (yesterday not with standing). I feel very confident when he pitches that he will usually go 6 or 7 innings at a clip.
All good things for the mets to come, now lets get a couple games up on the Philths!!
Lets go Mets!!!
its for this exact reason that I think we will see Pelfrey pitch a few more than 40 more innings than last year. He isnt throwing that many more pitches to get there. Way too many times last year he would throw 100 pitches in 5 IP in AAA. This year he is getting 7 IP on the same number of pitches. Thats about 50-60 more IP for a season without throwing more pitches. Plus he is a beast and can handle the workload.
Seems like Pelfrey learned from Ian Kennedy’s mistakes. Good to see. Even after a shelling at the hands of the fish, I still have faith in Pelfrey getting the job done.
I would like to be careful with him, but there are no guarantees he will ever be this close to a post season berth in his career. You don’t want to hamper a young pitcher’s development, but the only way to start extending yourself, is to well – extend yourself. Marathon runners don’t train by running the 100m. You train your body to run a marathon by pushing it a little further each time. Only way to become a 200 inning pitcher, is to creep closer to that number.
damn I dont know about IP half the time. same thing happened with Maine last year, look what happened to him. Edinson Volquez is making his first full season in the majors and he’s been brilliant (has had a couple of bad starts; lately has been getting knocked around)
what will it have to take to go over your season high in your first major league season as a SP? or is it that some pitchers are just built better physically?
I think some pitchers’ bodies are built for the long haul. Pelfrey’s size and strength definitely help him out. He is theoretically less “arm” and more “body” when he throws, which is always a good thing for a pitcher.
But there also needs to be a happy medium between how you handle a guy like him, with a fragile Pedro, and injured Maine in the rotation. Especially with a beleaguered bullpen.
Volquez hasn’t just had a few bad starts. It’s more like he’s had a few good starts and a lot of bad ones the last 2 months.
Also I think what happened with Maine is that he overperformed the first half and the terrible second half was just a correction. I’d say his final line was more indicative of the kind of pitcher he really is. But regardless I do think young pitchers hit some sort of wall, regardless of innings pitched, there first full season.
Is there really a mystery to why the Marlins give Pelfrey so much trouble? we’ve seen the Marlins 12 times now. All the Marlins are is a bunch of young hitters who sit on fastballs and punish them. Pelfrey has been successful by relying on his fastball. Sure location factors into it, but they are looking fastball all the time and punishing when they come.
Are we surprised until his last outing Jamie Moyer had these guys stifled?
It’s amazing teams haven’t figured out the Marlins…or Pelfrey the way only the Marlins have. Honestly if you say “Marlins” to me I immediately get an image of Cody freaking Ross drilling a fat fastball. Or Mike Jacobs. Or (insert Marlin under 30 here).
Point is, doesn’t make me overly concerned about Pelfrey, but he needs to alter his approach against this team…as they all say baseball is a game of adjustments. The Marlins have adjusted to Pelfrey. Other teams are going to follow suit. It’s going to be Pelf’s move again.
I think your right, but dont forget that the Reds hit him hard to on this most recent string of bad outings.
Not that Pelfrey was the only one…. but Mets have to learn not to throw Mike Jacobs anything down!
What is so hard about that.
When Stokes did it I screamed. That 2-run jack should never have happened. Jacobs is a free swinger. He should be striking out, not hitting extra-base hit after extra-base hit.
Come-on guys!
So the target is for him to basically throw 182IP
He’s on pace for 191
Eh….shouldn’t be an issue down the stretch especially if he can’t make it out of the 4th…
something to keep in mind…
Jon Niese has already pitched 9 more innings in the minors than last year. Anyone expecting help from him in Sept is probably badly misreading the Mets plans with him. Looks like about 4-5 more AAA starts and he will be done until the spring.
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