Diary: Bullpen Solutions

jalsonmi — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 03:25:45 -0000

(moved from diaries. --eric)

The horrendous current state of the bullpen is painfully obvious to everyone, and doesn't really need rehashing--what is there to say other than that literally everyone is pitching terribly right now? Feliciano is the only one who's been remotely good, and he's not exactly lights out these days himself. The solution, though, is so obvious I can't beleive the Mets haven't thought of it.

Brian Lawrence just got sent down to make room for Endy. Philip Humber's been good in the minors recently, so he'll probably get that last non-Pedro start before rosters expand. Since they'll then not need to send him down after Pedro finally takes that spot, they should try him in a set-up role, a la Joba Chamberlain, for the rest of the season. They can give him a slot in the rotation, maybe, next year (though other than the last little bit his season's been fairly uninspiring).

Speaking of uninspiring minor league numbers, is there a better candidate for relief conversion than Pelfrey at this point? He has no secondary stuff and probably never will, but his fastball is devastating. Not only would he provide them with much needed lights out set-up (I imagine) for the rest of the year, but could (and in my mind should) stay in that role, possibly eventually succeeding Wagner in the closer role.

And with a little bit of roster shenanigans, the Mets could potentially have both relieving for them in the playoffs, even if, say, Pelfrey doesn't come up until after roster expansion. Two young fireballers who haven't gotten slagged by Randolph all season the way the rest of the pen has and, as an added bonus, aren't Showenweis or Mota (who both should be allowed nowhere near the postseason roster). Throw in Joe Smith on the postseason roster in place of, say, Jorge Sosa, and either El Duque, Maine or Perez (just being rational about who Willie is probably going to pick to start in the postseason) relieving, and we could go from a terrible regular season bullpen to a great postseason one.

Am I the only person that sees this?

*** CLICK FOR POLL ***

Poll

Which of the Mets five September starters should be used in relief in the postseason?

Pedro Martinez

13 votes

Tom Glavine

0 votes

Orlando Hernandez

9 votes

John Maine

19 votes

Oliver Perez

7 votes

48 votes | Poll has closed