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In case you missed it, on Sunday, the Mets acquired 30–year-old RHP Luis Ayala from the Nationals in exchange for 2B Anderson Hernandez.
According to multiple reports, RHP Eddie Kunz will likely be sent back to the minor leagues when Ayala joins the Mets later today.
Kunz joined the Mets on Monday, August 3, and has since pitched in just four games, during which he let up four runs and five hits in 2.2 innings.
…i am trying real hard not to judge kunz, because he is essentially getting an introduction to the Heath Bell Treatment…hopefully, the next time he is called upon to join the team’s bullpen, he is actually used…in short, these guys are pitchers, and need to pitch…to let a kid like kunz, or bell, just sit around, while hoping he can shine when used just once every five or six days, is not fair…that’s not how he or any relief pitcher is conditioned to perform…
In Ayala’s first three seasons, he was 24-22 with a 2.75 ERA in 232 innings.
However, in 2006, he injured his right elbow during the World Baseball Classic and missed the entire season. He returned last year to post a 3.19 ERA in 42 innings.
This season, though, Ayala is 1-8 with a 5.77 ERA.
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Good. Kunz needs to be in an enviorment that he will be used. It was not fair for him to be here and sit. I hope this ayala guy works out though.
GIVE ME A BREAK….THIS GUY WAS HORRIBLE….he may be good down the road…but right now he stinks and we cant afford another realiver to be horrible….send him down for the rest of the year
Maybe a change of scenery can help. Besides would you rather someone that can actually be used in a game than our future closer sitting on his *** taking up space…
The Kunz treatment reminds me more of the Humber treatment last year than it does the Bell treatment.
On another note: oh, whatever will we do without AHern? To think that this guy once seemed exciting and promising.
lol yea until we saw him with a bat…..if only he could hit….
He made Rey Ordonez look like Albert Pujols.
Good comparison. Heath Bell was constantly shuffled back and forth to Triple-A while not pitching consistently. Kunz spending 15 days in the bigs and only pitching in four games isn’t nearly as bad as what Bell went through for 2-3 years.
honestly, i thought hernandez was already gone.
I think this shows some confidence in AReyes. He is effectively what everyone had hoped AHern would become.
Err..you mean he’s exactly the same with hopes of becoming what everyone wanted Hernandez to be?
I think it shows A. Hern is basically worthless. Really, unless Ayala has a big contract I don’t see why the nationals agreed to this deal, of course I didn’t understand the Rauch deal either.
Perhaps Manny Acta has a soft spot for A Hern.
It’s a risk worth taking.
Anderson Hernandez was raking in AAA! He was over .200! They shold put him in left!
nice
thats better than Castillo has been in his rehab.
I’d still rather see Hernandez at 2B than Castillo.
I don’t know about that. If Hernandez played every day, he’d be the worst hitting position player in the majors. No matter what he did defensively, it would never be enough to make up for his hitting.
You’re probably right, Chan Ho. But like a lot of other people, I really don’t want to see Castillo in a Mets uniform ever again. I realize it’s just a matter of time, but I admit I’m very much down on Castillo.
Here’s a question for you: who would you rather see in a Mets uniform again – Castillo or Kaz Matsui?
I’d rather see the Philly Fanatic in a Mets uniform than Castillo or Matsui.
i hope you mean on the field……
Ayala had some good numbers in 2007. Hopefully a change of scenery and coaches can recapture some of that.
We basically got Ayala for free — AReyes has taken whatever spot he ever had playing for the Mets.
As for Kunz, surely he’ll be called up when rosters expand in less than two weeks now. I’m all for sending him down for some work, and then actually using him once he returns.
“He” being AHern
How is he getting the “Heath Bell treatment”? He was called up for the first time, was barely used and is getting sent back. Heath Bell was constantly getting called up and sent back.
If anyone has gotteh the “Heath Bell treatment” it’s been Carlos Muniz.
It’s more of being called up and not getting a chance to be used before being sent back down. Kunz didn’t pitch well, but it was in a small sample size during in which he sat for numerous games. Bell experienced the same treatment, as does Muniz.
Thats not entirely true, starz….Bell had the opportunity to prove himself, but he failed each time.
In ‘05 Bell was in 42 games, with a 5.59 era in 46.2 IP.
In ‘06, with a much more stable bullpen, Bell got in 22 games, with a 5.11era over 37 IP.
He clearly wasn’t used as a full time guy, but he was in fact used.
Were you responding to me? I didn’t say anything about Heath Bell.
Nope. Just commenting on Cerrone’s comparison of Kunz to Bell in the original post. Sorry for any confusion.
What’s sad is that Anderson Hernandez was once our opening day 2B… and hit at every level except the Major Leagues. Now, he can’t even hit in AAA. Maybe a change of scenery will help him, too.
What’s the scouting report on Ayala? What does he throw?
Changes speeds and uses good command to get tons of groundball outs. His stuff is nasty against right-handed hitters, mainly because of his quirky delivery.
Unfortunately, there’s a huge drop-off in his ability to pitch effectively against left-handed hitters, who can at times hammer him.
A strong setup man when healthy.
That is, according to sportsnet.ca.
From what we saw, I’d say Kunz was just up too early. For the most part we’ve been lucky, but it’s a shame we don’t have better triple A prospects to fill in when needed. Thankfully, it just so happens that Daniel Murphy looks at water and it turns to wine.
He seems to be relying on his fastball too much like Pelfrey was in the early days. Maybe he is used to blowing it by guys in AAA, bt he needs to adjust to fool big league hitters.
Kunz’s failures are no really his own – they are Manuel’s for not making room for him to pitch. This guy was pitching like every other day in the minors, and then came up and pitched hardly ever. We had no right to expect Kunz to be successful in that kind of situation.
if you are a bullpen pitcher and can only pitch effectively if used every day (sometimes in the pen you have to wait a couple days for your turn)…then you need to go back to the minors where you belong…his failures were absolutely his own.
We had every right to expect him to not be awful, no right to expect him to be a closer, but that was never asked of him, he clearly had no business being in the majors yet…..yet
He was AA, no? That’s what I meant. Not that he wasn’t a good prospect–he is–just that we’re having to go to AA instead of AAA because we’re lacking higher-level propects.
AAA is really not used often for high level prospects any more. It’s more of a taxi squad.
Guys like Niese probably get sent there just to get a taste of seasoned competition, but it’s more and more common, for better or worse, to park your prospects at AA.
Carlos Muniz IS getting the “Heath Bell treatment”…whereby he keeps getting sent back down….
you know what other relief pitchers have gotten the “Heath Bell treatment”….every single one that pitched terribly every signle time they were given a chance…
Just because Bell went on to SD and has been good does not mean he didnt flat our suck as a Met
Also, where are all the whiners from earlier this year calling for Omar’s head because Bannister had 2 good starts?!?!?!?!?! we now have hte best rotation in baseball and Bannister has been terrible ever since…where are you 100’s of people, speak up.
Thank God someone else realizes that Carlos Muniz sucks.
Yes it is praise the lord time. And should we bow our heads while doing it?
Someone doesn’t?
Here’s the afternoon lineup as the Mets go for a perfect 7-0 trip:
A. Reyes, 2b
Evans, lf
Wright, 3b
Beltran, cf
Delgado, 1b
Tatis, rf
Easley, ss
Castro, c
Maine, rhp
***
Eddie Kunz has been optioned to Triple-A New Orleans to clear room for Luis Ayala.
nyd
Looks good. Maholm can be tough, though. Lets Go Mets!
I think I would rather have Maine lead off, his OBP may be higher.
That picture just made me think…..teaming up with Schneider again may also get Ayala back on track.
With all the b-pen troubles, where is schow?