Opinion: If This is a Crisis, Act Like It
In a loss to the Braves yesterday, 
Mike Pelfrey let up three runs and six hits, while walking three and striking out two, in six innings, before the bullpen went on to blow their 29th save of the season.
He let up one run in the first, and one in the second, then got it together, but began to run out of gas in the start of seventh, walking the lead-off hitter, and was removed from the game after having thrown 106 pitches.
The thing is, there are times when a tired Pelfrey, or a tired Johan Santana, in the seventh, at, say, 50 percent, may be a better option than a 100 percent Aaron Heilman.
Look, this is it, folks. I mean, it doesn’t get any more dire than right now. This situation with the bullpen can now be considered a ‘crisis,’ since there are just seven games left in the season.
And so, the Mets may need to consider using starting pitchers, like Pelfrey and Santana, in relief for one inning on the day they are scheduled to throw their bullpen session – either that, or it’s time for them to start on short rest.
Pedro Martinez recently told the Daily News that he is willing to pitch out of the bullpen during the playoffs.
Great, except you’re not in the playoffs yet, Pedro.
Instead, I’m thinking the Mets may need to put Martinez in the bullpen now and pitch Santana or Pelfrey on short rest, like 
the Blue Jays did last week with Roy Halladay and A.J. Burnett when facing the Red Sox.
The point is, something has to change.
I am tired of watching two teams. There is the offense, the defense and the starting pitchers, and then there is the bullpen. Frankly, they should be wearing a different hat and uniform at this point.
Yes, they need to execute, ‘make their pitches,’ etc., which is what we’ve been hearing for the last few months. Again, though, there are only seven games left. If the idea is to make better pitches, well, they’re running out of time.
There are major flaws in every solution I just outlined, no question, but, if it is truly an ‘all-hands-on-deck situation,’ like Jerry Manuel has said, then when is he going to start acting like it.
