Tag Archives: Mike Pelfrey

Last night, in a win against the O’s, Mike Pelfrey allowed two runs and five hits through two outs in the sixth inning, before being removed with a runner on first.

Pelfrey set down the first 11 batters he faced.

…it was text-book pelfrey, and the type of game i always hope to see him throw… he was working his fastball inside, setting up his sinker and off speed pitches away, and getting ground balls… unfortunately, he lost command in the sixth, and struggled… but, like Jerry Manuel said after the game, every pitcher is going to have that one inning during which they lose it a bit, the question is: how does he work to limit the damage…

Pelfrey is 5–2 with a 4.56 ERA in 12 starts this season, during which the Mets are 8–4.

SNY cameras nabbed a great shot of David Wright pulling Pelfrey aside and confronting him in the dugout following the sixth inning.

“I just want to make sure he’s not satisfied with what he did tonight - that he can take it up a notch,” Wright told the Daily News.

To read more from Wright, regarding his talk with Pelfrey, read Adam Rubin’s blog for the Daily News.

Tagged Mike Pelfrey |

Yesterday, Mike Pelfrey allowed nine hits and nine runs while walking four before being pulled from the game in the fourth inning.

Pelfrey told reporters, following the game:

“That’s the worst outing I’ve ever had… We fight back and we score three runs and I gave it away.  The second four runs kind of takes the wind out of everybody.  I take full responsibility for today.  I wouldn’t look at anybody else.  It’s my fault.  I pitched absolutely terrible.  I need to be better next time out… All day I just wasn’t executing pitches.  Just a terrible, terrible outing.”

…he needs to learn to pitch without his best stuff… same goes for Oliver Perez… actually, John Maine has made big strides in this department this season… but, pelfrey still isn’t quite there… i recall hearing Tom Seaver once say in an interview that he enjoyed and was more fulfilled by the games he did well in and didn’t have his best stuff, as opposed to games when he felt great and dominated, because the former meant he needed to rise to the challenge, be more creative and use his brain as much as his arm…

…i was told by a former pitcher that this has as much to do with maturity and command of your body as anything else, and pelfrey is still young with just 59 starts in his career… but, he’s getting to that point in his career where these sorts of things need to start clicking…

“Today, for some reason, he just didn’t have it,” Jerry Manuel explained to reporters, following the game.

“I was a little discouraged at Mike being where he was today after getting a day off, and kind of knowing what we needed and just not having it.”

Tagged Mike Pelfrey |

Mike Pelfrey, who allowed just one run and truck out six over 7.2 IP – his longest outing of the season, talked with reporters after last night’s win against the Marlins, and had the following to say about:

On his preformance:

“I know if go out there and pound the strikezone  and use all my pitches to get ahead I know can go deep in the game. I try not to walk anybody and do my thing.”

On Omir Santos‘ ability behind the plate:

“He does a good job of calling a good game. He knows the hitters. He mixes it up and doesn’t get caught up and trying to throw a sinker. He wants me use my secondary stuff, which makes my fastball better.”

Since returning from the disabled list on April 25th, Pelfrey has allowed three runs or less in each of his seven starts, pitching to a 2.93 ERA.

Tagged Mike Nichols, Mike Pelfrey |

In last night’s loss to the Giants, Mike Pelfrey pitched to 25 batters, allowing just two runs and six hits in six innings pitched.

However, Pelfrey also tied a franchise record with three balks, and so he was pulled from the game having thrown just 78 pitches.

The Giants scored both of their runs in the same inning as the first two balks.

…it’s a shame, because he was pitching a good game… again, he was using his secondary pitches well, he was commanding the inning, and looked strong… it’s funny, i found myself genuinely concerned after the third one, as though he was having a total melt down… hopefully he shakes this by the next start, and it doesn’t get in his head permanently…

Pelfrey told reporters he caught his cleat on the first balk, but the other two were simply mental mistakes.

“For some reason mentally, I didn’t want to come set,” Pelfrey explained.  “It’s really, really weird.  I knew that I was doing it.  I tried to think about something else so I wouldn’t do it.  It didn’t turn out that way… I think I had the yips…  My mind kept telling me to pick the guy off… Maybe on national TV I like making a fool out of myself.”

Tagged Mike Pelfrey |

In games when a Mets starting pitcher has thrown a Quality Start, i.e., at least six innings pitched and three or less runs allowed, the Mets are 12–3; they are 5–10 in games when they do not throw a Quality Start.

The Mets starting pitchers are 6-0 with a 2.44 ERA in their last seven starts, during which the team has not lost.

To me, success will always flow from the pitcher’s mound.  The team’s starting pitchers are doing well, which is clearly taking pressure off the offense, it is letting the bullpen get proper rest, and it’s allowing the team’s relief pitchers to settle in to specific roles – and so everything is clicking, they’re winning, believing, and all playing hard and free and with focus.

That said, the minute the starting pitchers hit a bump in the road, which I hope never happens, but I know it will, we’re all going to freak out again, because then the hitters will press, the bullpen will be in disorder, and every game will again look like a pinball machine on tilt.

Tagged Mike Pelfrey |

Last night, Mike Pelfrey allowed three runs and eight hits, while walking just one and striking out nobody, in seven innings.

Following the game, David Wright joked with reporters about Pelfrey keeping his strike-out-less streak in tact.

…that’s funny… but, seriously, who cares… i worried about this for a moment too, because i feel like he’s just begging for trouble by putting so many runners on base… but, he isn’t walking any one either… yes, he is falling behind hitters, but he gets so many ground balls with that sinking two-seam fastball… he got 14 ground balls from the 28 batters he faced, including two double plays… and so, it seems like he’s commanding the inning better, and intentionally pitching to contact… eventually this season, he’ll get ahead of hitters, his off-speed pitches will return, and he’ll start being able to strike guys out… but, in the meantime, as long as there’s a game plan in place, and they’re executing it and it’s working, so be it…

“My sinker was good tonight, it was good the last start, and if I have that pitch working and I’m able to locate it down in the strike zone, I can pitch with one pitch,” Pelfrey explained to reporters following the game.

The Mets have scored 36 runs in Pelfrey’s five starts.

The Mets have scored 12 runs in six games for Johan Santana.

“He doesn’t need the run support,” Pelfrey said with a smile.

Tagged Mike Pelfrey |

The Mets have won four of their last five games, against the Braves and Phillies, and have won three in a row for the first time this season to get back to .500 at 13–13.

…and so, here we are again… it feels like a turning point… i feel like this team is about to go on a nice run, and i sense other fans agree, but, will they… will they get it going, or will they retreat…

…tonight is an important game… of course, it would complete a two-game sweep in the series over the Phillies… but, it would also close out a 12-game stretch against every team in the division, during which they could end up 8–4, and get them over .500, assuming they win…

…the two errors from tuesday aside, the team looks like they’re playing a little bit better, in terms of the little things…

Yesterday, before you the game, Jerry Manuel told reporters he will continue to treat April and May as ‘an extended spring training,’ working to correct basic fundamentals before every game.

“We have things set aside for people to do,” Manuel explained.  “If that’s your area, we’ll give you a time frame in which to address that particular issue.”

Meanwhile, John Maine, Livan Hernandez and Mike Pelfrey have a combined 3.41 ERA in their last six starts, during which the Mets are 5–1.

…the truth is, the starting pitching has just been so much better, and that’s really what it’s all about… if the team pitches well, they’re going to win… despite conversations about little things, heart, fire, RISP, the bullpen, etc., when this team is getting strong, consistent outings from their starting pitchers, they win…

To vote in this week’s Fan Confidence Rating, click here.

Tagged Mike Pelfrey |

John Maine, Oliver Perez and Mike Pelfrey have a combined 7.83 ERA in eight starts.

In fact, the entire staff, minus Johan Santana, is 3–4 with a 6.89 ERA through 51 innings, during which opponents are batting .274 against them.

Maine is looking better.  He is making good pitches, ‘they’re just missing by a hair,’ as he says, or he’s not getting the call.  The discussion about Maine has actually switched from concern over his shoulder to concern over his confidence.  In the end, I trust he’ll be fine.

Pelfrey is working through forearm tendinitis, and told reporters he intends to pitch on Saturday.  He still has the ability to be a top starter when healthy, so I prefer to see how he recovers before rushing to judgment on where he stands today.

Perez is Perez, though I do feel he suffered a major set back by how he pitched and practiced in the World Baseball Classic.

I wanted the Mets to sign Derek Lowe, but it is quite clear at this point, despite Lowe having interest in New York, and the Mets having interest in him, the team was never going to give him four years, and the Braves were never going to be outbid after losing John Smoltz to Boston.

Perez, like Pelfrey and Maine, should work back to form, but even when he does, he is still a 50–50 proposition at best.

In short, I believe in Maine and Pelfrey.  I have never been shy in my fear of Perez.  Nevertheless, I trust all three of these pitchers will turn it around before the season ends.  However, this type of pitching cannot go on forever.  I hope it ends soon, because the longer it goes on, the bigger hole this team will have to crawl out of to win this division.

Speaking of pitchers…

According to the Daily News, though Nelson Figueroa cleared waivers, he plans to refuse an assignment to Triple-A Buffalo and declare free agency.

…i like nelson, and think he’s an ideal fit to be a long-man and a relief pitcher for the Mets… but, truth is, the long-man spot has always belonged to Tim Redding, who will likely return to the Mets in May… so, i don’t blame nelson for wanting to look around the league for a new job…

Tagged Mike Pelfrey, Oliver Perez |

Mike Pelfrey threw from a mound today and told reporters he should be ready to start for the Mets on Saturday, reports Adam Rubin on his blog for the Daily News.

By the way, Ryan Church will return to the lineup tonight, starting in right field and batting sixth.

Tagged Mike Pelfrey |

The Mets announced today that Mike Pelfrey will miss his start tomorrow against the Brewers, while dealing with forearm tendinitis

Nelson Figueroa will be promoted from Triple-A to pitch in place of Pelfrey.

To make room for Figueroa, the Mets put reliever Darren O’Day on Rule 5 Waivers, meaning he must first be offered back to the Angels.

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