Tag: Mets

Why the pitching is so bad

Bill Madden in his column in today’s New York Daily News offers the best explanation I’ve heard for the maddening inconsistency of baseball’s bullpens:

So herein lies the crux of this pitch-count insanity: It has come down to managers entrusting the most critical innings not to the starting pitchers in whom the team has its biggest investment, but rather to (more often than not) mediocre middle relievers. Can anyone explain what sense this makes?

I can’t. This is one of the reasons that offense has been on the rise and it’s why no team has been able to establish a level of consistency this year. Perhaps it’s time to let guys like Tom Glavine (who was yanked a few minutes ago after throwing exactly 100 pitches) go a bit deeper into games.

South Brunswick Post, The Cranbury Press
The Blog of South Brunswick

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A definite upgrade at second

I really like this trade. I mean, I like Ruben Gotay but I’m not sure he’s ready for prime-time service in a pennant race. Luis Castillo remains a defensive stud at second and he can still run, though he has to pick his spots to steal. It gives the Mets the No. 2 hitter they needed and is not only an upgrade over what they have now with Jose Valentin out, but an upgrade over Valentin.

The move also takes some pressure off Lastings Millege, who should remain in the outfield mix and hit in one of the power slots in the lineup.

If the Carloses — Beltran and Delgado — can heat it up, the Mets will have plenty of offense and a nasty infield defense.

Projected lineup:
Jose Reyes, Castillo, Beltran, Wright, Delgado, Alou/Millege, Green/Millege, LoDuca, pitcher (or LoDuca in the seven with Green eighth).

Not bad.

South Brunswick Post, The Cranbury Press
The Blog of South Brunswick

E-mail me by clicking here.

Email me at grassroots at comcast dot net.