Note: The Parade of Relief Pitchers
Last night, according to the Daily News, ‘Jerry Manuel matched a franchise record for pitchers used in a nine-inning game with eight.’
The eighth and ninth inning looked more like a parade than a baseball game, during which Manuel used five different pitchers to get six outs against 10 batters.
In the game’s final batter, the Nationals sent up Luke Montz to pinch hit for the pitcher, so Manuel called upon Luis Ayala to pitch to Montz, who was then replaced by Roger Bernadina, who made the game’s final out.
In the end, Ayala was able to lock down his eighth save in 10 chances with a strike out to end the game.
Beltran, after the game, speaking about the bullpen, said:
“It would have been better if we had won, you know, like, with a good lead, but things happen…The most important thing is that we were able to hold the lead and win…It takes a lot out of the players, because, you know, you score two and you say, ‘Now we have the nice lead, let’s try to get 1–2–3, 1–2–3,’ and then all of a sudden they try to get back in the game and you wonder what’s going on with us. At the same time, we have to find a way to go out and shut them down…I know they’re trying, but it’s hard to believe it’s happening.”
First off, I have no idea what Beltran is really saying here. I think he’s essentially saying, ‘We’re doing our job on offense and defense, but the bullpen is leaving us no room for error,’ which I would agree with. He could also be saying, ‘It’s not their fault, they’re doing the best they can, we need to do better at the plate, and the other team is playing well, too.’ Or, maybe he is saying both. I’m not 100 percent sure.
Second, Aaron Heilman should no longer be allowed to pitch. Last night, in just his third appearance this month, he let up a leadoff double to Wil Nieves and a single to Aaron Boone to start the eighth inning. He’s a mess right now, he may be injured, and this is not Spring Training. It’s nothing against Heilman, but it’s Go Time here, this is it, and the Mets cannot afford to let him figure things out on the fly at this point. The Mets can fix his ego in the off-season, or next spring, assuming he is still on the team.
By the way, at Amazin’ Avenue, Eric Simon takes a month-by-month look at the team’s bullpen, who, oddly enough, are putting up their best ERA of the year in September.
