Tag Archives: Pedro Feliciano

On Nov. 18, I wrote, “From what I can gather, the Mets are likely to make a trade for a relief pitcher, who has experience as a closer,” in addition to signing either Francisco Rodriguez, Brian Fuentes or Kerry Wood.”

In the post, I later suggested the Mets could be working to acquire Huston Street, in a deal involving Aaron Heilman.

Today, on his blog for the New York Post, Joel Sherman reports the Mets made such an offer in the days after Street was acquired by the Rockies, who then asked for Pedro Feliciano in addition to Heilman, which the Mets ultimately turned down.

…from what i can gather, having talked with people connected to the team, yes, the Mets and Rockies have been talking about a street-for-heilman deal, but i sense the Mets would prefer to trade a mid-level prospect with heilman…i have never heard feliciano’s name mentioned…or, at least to the extent that he will be included in any potential deal…nevertheless, the two sides continue to work on finding a solution…

In the report, Sherman writes, “The more I talk to Met officials the more I sense they want to use Street as the eighth-inning guy and still obtain a closer such as Brian Fuentes or Francisco Rodriguez.  The Mets recognize they do not just have a ninth-inning problem, but that their whole late-inning contingent was troublesome.”

…this is why i wrote two weeks ago that they are working to acquire a set-up man with experience as a closer, because i sense they do not want to trust the closer position to just one person, for fear of what happened to them last season…and this is wise…

Tagged Pedro Feliciano |

“Pedro Feliciano, Aaron Heilman and Scott Schoeneweis are available for the taking,” writes Ken Davidoff in Newsday.

According to Davidoff, the Mets will also ‘investigate’ free-agent set-up men LHP Joe Beimel, RHP Juan Cruz and RHP Chad Cordero.

The Rockies, Cardinals, Cubs and D’Backs have interest in Heilman, wrote Adam Rubin in the Daily News on Tuesday.

Davidoff adds the A’s, Rays and Rangers to the short-list of teams who could be interested in Heilman.

Speaking of a closer, today in the Daily News, Adam Rubin writes, “Brian Fuentes appears the clear-cut target while Francisco Rodriguez’s asking price appears to exceed the sum the Mets would find palatable.”

However, according to Joel Sherman in the New York Post, regarding the closer’s market, “Met officials departed the GM meetings confident that someone they like from the free-agent field will fall to them in this game of big-money musical chairs.”

…sherman makes an important point, in that the Brewers, Cardinals, D’Backs, Rockies, Indians and Tigers, and the Mets, are all in the market for a closer…

…however, most of those teams are unlikely to spend huge money on rodriguez or fuentes or wood, instead, they would prefer a more cost-effective option like trading for Bobby Jenks, Jose Valverde, J.J. Putz, Kevin Gregg or Huston Street…

…meaning, as sherman concludes, the Mets have a pretty clear advantage in the free-agent market…

…at any rate, i think it’s pretty clear Omar Minaya and Company are operating with a laser-like focus on upgrading the bullpen and rotation, while letting the offense sit tight for a while…

Tagged Pedro Feliciano, Scott Schoeneweis |

For those keeping score, John Maine, Ryan Church, Angel Pagan, Aaron Heilman, Duaner Sanchez and Pedro Feliciano are all eligible for salary arbitration this off-season.

According to Rotoworld.com, Church, Pagan and Maine are under contract through 2011, while Heilamn, Sanchez and Feliciano are under contract through 2010.

Tagged Pedro Feliciano, Ryan Church |

In his lead for the Associated Press, Tom Saladino says it best, writing, “Another late lead and another bullpen meltdown for the New York Mets.”

In yesterday’s loss, Mike Pelfrey handed off a two-run lead to his team’s bullpen, but Brian Stokes let up one run in the seventh, after which Scott Schoeneweis, Joe Smith, Pedro Feliciano and Aaron Heilman combined to let up four runs in the eighth inning.

Schoeneweis, speaking to reporters after the game, said:

“There’s no explanation anymore.  I just don’t know what to say…I just don’t know what to say.

“We’re not consistently making big pitches at big times.  We do it one night, we don’t do it the next night.  There’s really nothing more to say or explain or philosophize about.  We’ve just got to get it done, somehow.”

David Wright, talking to reporters after the game, said:

“It was one of the games where you could feel, as the game went on, the momentum kind of slipped away.”

…in other words, eventually, they always know that the bullpen must enter the game…ugh…we feel you, david…

“If the season ended today, we’re going to the playoffs,” Joe Smith is quoted as saying in Newsday.

…that’s the problem, though, the season doesn’t end today…

For more on the team’s bullpen, check out Howard Megdal’s column in the New York Observer.

Tagged Pedro Feliciano, Scott Schoeneweis |

Johan Santana will pitch Game 1 today against Mike Hampton.

Pedro Martinez, who had been scheduled to pitch Game 2, has been pushed back to Monday, and, instead, Jon Niese will start tonight.

In other words, expect the following rotation over the next week:

Saturday: Santana vs. Braves
Saturday: Niese vs. Braves
Sunday: Oliver Perez vs. Braves
Monday: Martinez at Nationals
Tuesday: Mike Pelfrey at Nationals
Wednesday: TBA
Thursday: Santana at Nationals

The buzz from Shea suggests Nelson Figueroa will likely get the start on Thursday, though that has yet to be determined.

Tagged Pedro Feliciano |

In the five games prior to yesterday, the bullpen had not allowed a run in its last 11 innings pitched.

However, yesterday, Aaron Heilman let up two singles in relief of Oliver Perez, with a runner on base, to bring the game even in the seventh, then Pedro Feliciano let up two home runs in the 10th to give the Astros a victory.

Jerry Manuel, regarding the bullpen, talking to reporters after the game, said:

“Well, you know, we’ve just got to find the guy that’s hot…Some of the other guys threw the ball well in the pen.”

It should be noted that Scott Schoeneweis, Joe Smith and Luis Ayala did not allow a run to score in seventh, eighth and ninth innings.

Feliciano, regarding the home run, while speaking to reporters following the loss:

“I surprise myself, because to give up a slider home run to a lefty is big for me…It’s baseball, we’re gonna struggle at times, not other times. Tonight, it was a rough time for our bullpen…It’s just one day, one game, tomorrow we’re gonna be back and do better.”

…i feel like they are running in to the same problem they ran in to last season, in that their relievers look totally spent…

In fact, of the 10 pitchers who have made the most relief appearances in the National League, the Mets have four…

…this, coupled to the team’s lack of production late in games, and i worry, again, about September…

Tagged Pedro Feliciano |

Last night, Joe Smith and Pedro Feliciano combined to pitch two scoreless innings in relief, while striking out four of the seven batters they faced, to lock down a win for the Mets and Johan Santana.

Prior to the game, Jerry Manuel told reporters that he might turn to Eddie Kunz in a save situation, but instead he stuck with Feliciano in the ninth inning – while Kunz continued to warm up in the bullpen.

Manuel, on why he stuck with Feliciano instead of using Kunz, while speaking to reporters after last night’s win:

“Willie Harris is a patient hitter and he was leading off the inning.  Feliciano has been very good for us.  He hasn’t had a lot of glitches in his appearances…I felt very comfortable with him.  He then goes to another right-handed hitter, and once you get the one guy, I feel very confident that you’ll get the other guy.  I felt (their) strength was from the left-side on the bench.  I did not want to start Eddie with (Harris), who I didn’t think was a swing-early guy.  You know, had that lineup started out in the ninth with, say, Ryan Zimmerman and that group, then Kunz would have been the guy.”

…seriously, i appreciate the honest, logical, rational thought and explanation to reporters…i really do…

Smith, regarding the bullpen, told reporters after the game:

“With the way our bullpen has been pitching, you’ve got to come ready to pitch every day.  So, you can’t really let yesterday bother today.  When we come in (Wednesday), it’s going to be, ‘Can the bullpen do it again.’  So, it’s a new day no matter what we did today.”

Manuel, specifically on Smith, who let the first batter he faced to reach base, who advanced to second on a stolen base, but then retired the following three batters he faced to end the inning:

“I think Joe checked some of his films out.  He came up before, in the dugout, right before the National Anthem and said, ‘Hey, I’m ready to go.’  So, I just wanted to send a little challenge out there, he’s had success against some of these hitters and he was very successful tonight.”

…frankly, the best part about last night’s performance is that the rest of bullpen, kunz included, should be fresh and ready to go for the rest of the series…actually, both smith and feliciano were so economical in their pitches, they’ll probably be available tonight as well, though hopefully they will not be needed…

…all this said, the Mets were facing the worst offense in baseball…of course, a win is a win, and if ‘baseball is 90 percent half mental,’ just getting through the bullpen to be successful could be a victory on its own…

Tagged Pedro Feliciano |

Yesterday, Joe Smith, Pedro Feliciano, Duaner Sanchez, Aaron Heilman and Scott Schoeneweis combined to let up six runs in three innings, blowing a four-run lead handed to them by Pedro Martinez.

Martinez, regarding the bullpen, while speaking to reporters following yesterday’s loss:

“With me, it’s OK.  Everybody out there was trying to reel in and win.  They never quit, and you have to give them credit.”

…i admire pedro’s view, but forgive me if i am unable to be so peaceful and loving today…

The Mets have 20 blown saves this season, which is fourth-worst in the National League.

The Phillies have blown just eight saves, best in the league.

…i’m officially sick…do you realize if the bullpen had blown just half of that number, the Mets would be in first place by eight games, and have the best record in the league…

…one more time, in case you missed it: if the bullpen had blown just half of that number, the Mets would be in first place by eight games, and have the best record in the league…

This season, while Billy Wagner has blown seven saves, Pedro Feliciano is 0 for 2 in save situations, Aaron Heilman is 2 for 4, Carlos Muniz is 0 for 1, Scott Schoenweiss is 1 for 4 and Joe Smith is 0 for 3.

What’s worse, During the 10–game winning streak in July, opponents hit .191 against the bullpen – but, in the 22 games since, opponents are batting .289.

Tagged Pedro Feliciano, Pedro Martinez, Scott Schoeneweis |

The Mets were up 7 to 5 in the eighth inning last night against the Cardinals, when Jerry Manuel chose to bring in Pedro Feliciano after Aaron Heilman hit the inning’s lead-off hitter.

Feliciano then let up a pinch-hit home run to Chris Duncan, which tied up the game.

In the ninth, Manuel replaced Feliciano with Carlos Muniz, who, after getting Albert Pujols and Rick Ankiel to pop out, let up a game-winning, two-out, walk-off home run to Troy Glaus.

Following the game, Manuel told reporters that Duaner Sanchez was not available to pitch.

…personally, knowing duaner could not pitch, i would have left feliciano in the game…that said, muniz did get pujols and ankiel out, who were technically the bigger threats in that inning, even though glaus had already hit a home run earlier in the night…also, muniz threw him a nice inside fastball, which glaus turned on…he didn’t leave it hanging over the plate…so, i have to give credit to glaus, who clobbered that pitch on the inside part of his bat…

…at any rate, from what i understand, duaner feels fine and could have pitched, but the team wanted to give him a night off to further recover from being hit with a ground ball on his knee the night before…he’ll be armed and ready tonight, though…

Tagged Pedro Feliciano |

As was first reported by Adam Rubin yesterday at his blog for the Daily News, Pedro Feliciano did not arrive to yesterday’s game until the seventh inning - as he was excused for personal reasons by the team.

…from what i can gather, though, the deal was that he could travel back to Puerto Rico, but had to be back with the team, on time, for Tuesday’s game…however, feliciano’s flight was delayed, he was late, and now faces possible disciplinary action from the team…

…and it hurt, too, because he was needed late in the game…in fact, i joked about issuing a Missing Person’s Report for him…turns out, that may have helped…

…on a serious note, knowing feliciano’s struggles at home over the last year, i hope all is well back in Puerto Rico…

Feliciano has not pitched since April 2, during which he tossed just one inning with an 11–0 lead against the Marlins.

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