|
|
|
According to David Lennon, in a post to his blog for Newsday, J.J. Putz was already in the bullpen around 3 pm, working on his delivery with pitching coach Dan Warthen prior to today’s game.
…good, because he’s been shaky at best over the last week…
Yesterday, Putz walked one batter, allowed two hits and one run and got just one out before being removed from the game.
Prior to yesterday, though he had not allowed a hit or run in his previous five innings, he did walk five batters.
…that has been the problem, the walks… he’s still getting swings and misses, but he’s all over the zone and looks totally inconsistent… i wondered yesterday if he’s still feeling pain in his elbow…
Last week, on WFAN, Putz said he is having a difficult time finding adrenaline pitching in the eighth inning, instead of the ninth, he then missed two games with a bone spur in his right elbow, which he told reporters has not been an issue since receiving an anti-inflammatory shot the day before.
I find the Mets have an issue of putting people where they can do their best work. Batting Wright 5th, not leaving Murphy at 1st consistently and trading for a closer and putting him as the 8th inning guy.
Putz was cool and said all the right things but it’s become clear its not working, much like Cameron not playing CF. I don’t get why the Mets continue to do this sort of thing (see Todd Zeile or moving Hundley to OF).
Anyway I think you trade him to get the starter we need and let Parnell handle the 8th until Wagner gets back and use him too.
Be patient with Putz. He started out the season very steady and this season he will be essential to the Mets run at a championship.
Parnell will struggle at some point this season and that is when we will need Putz to stand up.
Wright is not the best hitter on the team this year, Beltran is, your best hitter bats third
Putz is an established closer that had one of the best years ever for a closer 2 years ago, until he completely blows up or is hurt there is no reason to take that role away from him for a guy who while has great stuff, has been in the big leagues for less than a year
Trading Putz right now takes away everything we did this offseason, if Wagner was back in July id say consider it then, but we will need JJ, trust me on that
So Wagner is ok to use in the 8th and Putz isn’t? You think Billy is going to waltz right into the setup role with a smile? C’mon, Putz is a team guy who’s actually trying to get back on track instead of whining about his role like Heilman and Schoenweiss did. That’s beside the fact that he did an awesome job the first month of the season and has struggled this hard only recently. And all this while giving the ball to Parnell to be a set up guy the whole year without having a backup….NOT smart. Omar spent the offseason rebuilding this bullpen, why would you ever blow it up?
the most important part of rebuilding the bullpen was not to have a strong bullpen just the first half of the year…but having a strong bullpen the ENTIRE year, especially in September. Trading Putz in july puts too much riding on a pitcher coming off Tommy John surgery and also on a rookie SP who is still getting acclimated to the bullpen (Parnell).
We are stronger with Parnell and Putz and Wagner. Who knows what happens without Putz, and I’d rather not find out.
In many of those cases, the players were moved in deference to a better player. With Hundley, it was b/c of Piazza, and with Cameron it was for Beltran. Putz was brought in not just as an 8th inning guy, but as insurance for K-Rod, and in his one appearance in that role he succeeded.
Furthermore, Wright seems to be having more success this season batting 5th. As for Murph, I would like to see more of him too, but remember, coming into ST, he was looked at as a platoon player (his success vs. lefties covers less than 50 ab’s)
Back to Putz, Parnell is steadily making him trade bait, but Omar would be foolish to move him now, and when his value is low. The Mets would be better served to wating until the trade deadline, and move Putz to a contending team with bullpen issues. If they can build his value (by giving reps in the 9th inning) then they can get a good return. If he builds his value by excelling in the 8th inning, then the Mets would be better off keeping him, and using his to shorten the game, unless he can be packaged for premium, ML ready talent.
You blow up this bullpen and all of a sudden you’re back to 2007. You don’t fix what isn’t broke. Moving any of those guys without a viable replacement is foolish, imo.
If he is pitching well come the deadline, is say KEEP him. The whole wet dream of the two closers was to create a very good bullpen down the stretch. Trading Putz would ruin the whole idea.
I HAD A DREAM…Putz,F-Mart and Murph for Victor Martinez and Mark Derosa not sure if was a good dream or bad dream
Great to hear that Putz is working and trying to fix whatever’s broken. The bullpen last year would’ve just shrugged it off…
I’m tired of this “adrenaline” excuse. You’re a professional. You get paid to get outs regardless of when you pitch, so get outs. This “I can’t get pumped up in the 8th inning” excuse is ridiculous.
Does that make Pedro Feliciano and Bobby Parnell better pitchers than Putz because they can pitch in whatever inning Jerry asks them to pitch?
I mean I don’t work any less hard because I’m not the top boss at my job. I have a job. I get paid for it. I do my job. Enough said.
It’s the same as fans and sports radio DJs assuming that Johan would be peeved by the lack of run support. Why should he be? He’s not pitching for a contract. He gets paid regardless.
That said, I’m not convinced that Putz is not hurt or hampered by the fear that he may reinjure his elbow if he cuts it loose.
Yea, I’m not sure where adrenaline fits in with finding control. Hell, if I was on the mound, my adrenaline would be sky-high, and as a result, I probably couldn’t even find the catcher with a throw.
I understand your “paid” argument, but in regards to Johan, the guy could easily get peeved and no one would blame him. Johan is a competitor, a very good one, and I would get peeved if everytime I pitched a gem to help my team win, my team does not win. Its like, what else do I need to do to win. Not a W for him, but a W for the team. Although W’s for him, probably would increase his pay if it helps him hit incentives, I know Cy young voting is in his contract.
I think it’s more simple psychology if when you aren’t happy but are burying it inside. If he says “I prefer closing, it’s what I want to do as a professional baseball player and I proved it last year, so no I don’t want to pitch the 8th” he’s a whiner. He could just be someone who knows what he does best. Remember most pitchers start out as starters then evolve into some other position. To go through that and then have to change is hard for many people. Pitchers do not look it as getting outs it’s their role.
Anyway I think it’s as simple as not being happy in his role but not being able to express it without being crucified by the NY Media and rabid Mets fans.
I say trade him now while everyone thinks he’s miscast and his value is still high, this keeps going on and he gets labeled “broken” you won’t get squat for him.
This may be hard for you to grasp, but for most of these guys, baseball is more than just a job that they get paid to do. It’s about winning and setting records and being the best of the best. Athletes have competitive spirits that feed off adrenaline. I wouldn’t discount it that easily….
It is a complex issue though in regards to Putz. I agree with your points about winning. We just wont know until after this season how he really feels about the 8th inning role. He could love the role now, and may be hurt, or may be just in a slump…we have no idea.
Money as an argument can be used. He gets paid the same in 2009 as a closer or a set-up man, that doesnt matter. But for 2010, he may have been able to get more if he had been closing in 2009. so who knows…we all really dont know.
I think he should consider changing his name to J. J. Nutz if he thinks that NY fans are going to hear this lame adrenaline excuse and have the smallest bit of sympathy for him.
He is on a team where he is currently the second best closer, hence he does not close. If he does not get himself straightened out and Wags comes back strong he may well find himself the third best closer on the team.
At that point what will he do….. he will have to start downing adrenaline smoothies if he gets asked to pitch the seventh….
If/when Wagner comes back, Putz would already be the 3rd best closer. Problem is, there’s only one guy closing.
You cannot have in inconsistent setup man. I’m a big believer in talent over intangibles, but intimidation plays a big part in closing games out. Consistency from the 8th and 9th guy gives the opponents the feeling that they’ve got 7 innings to beat you. Putz may be that guy, and should be that guy, but he can’t be right now. You’ve got to start going Parnell -> KRod until Putz gets his confidence and/or accepts the set up role
I think Putz is hurt and being a guy who always wants the ball he isn’t complaining. It’s great that he’s trying to fix himself – we’ll see if that works. He comes off as a professional – I like that and hope we can keep him around for a while.
I agree. He seems to be avoiding throwing the splitter and is loading up on the fastball, which he may then be trying to overthrow and not being consistent in the strike zone. If there’s an injury, Parnell seems to be a good bridge until Putz gets healthy but let’s get him healthy. Trading him now is crazy.
We need the depth in the bullpen. What’s killed us in the past, besides talent, is that the bullpen has been overworked and had nothing left for the stretch run. We need as many solid arms as possible. Come on back Billy.
Honestly, I think we need to get Putz pitching to a much higher level. Sorry to say, but I do not see a solid pitcher aquired in trade, maybe someone to just fill Ollies spot if he doesn’t get better or if Livan fails miserably in the next few months. We would then need some strong bullpen because with our staff, we will have some short outtings and to have Parnell, Putz and K-rod all at their best makes for a short 6 inning game on the mound.
I have no doubt that Putz can still be a huge part of this bullpen, but I’d be lying if I said I’ve been super-confident when he enters a game in the 8th recently. My main concern is that the bone spur is what necessitated the need to address his delivery and not a purely mechanical inconsistency.