Purgatory
So why the lack of recent posts, you ask?Well, much like a confused Anthony Soprano in Costa Mesa, I have found myself in Baseball Purgatory since the Mets clinched the division some 10 days ago. Caught between a raucous regular season and the excitement and promise of the first post-season in 6 years, I've probably watched no more than 7 innings of the last 8 games combined. Of course, it didn't help that (last night aside) the Mets had been playing absolutely putrid baseball. Nor did it help that they were not just losing games, but getting smushed. Finally, I just got tired of hearing endless blathering guessing-games about Pedro Martinez. Will he? Won't he? Can he? Should he? I just couldn't take it any longer.
Luckily, that's all over now. The answer to each of the above questions is now officially: No, yes, no, and no. Petey is done, finished, kaput. But are the Mets done as well?
Two schools of thought here: For a good month now, all I've heard is that the Mets need a healthy Pedro to win in the postseason. There is some credence to that. Even with Pedro, their starting pitching is razor-thin. And in the playoffs, they won't get to feast against the Colorados, Arizonas, Cincinnatis, and Pittsburghs (um, ok, bad example there) of the world. So, yes, this is a big blow.
But please consider the other school of thought:
(1) The Mets have 94 wins. Pedro has 9. The Mets are 11-12 in his starts. What does all of this mean? Do the math, hotshot. The Mets have won without him.
(2) At this point it looks like the Dodgers are a likely first round opponent. Pedro gave up 6 ER in 5 innings against them in a loss back in June. In fact, that was the Mets' only loss in their historic 9-1 road trip. By the way, throw out that game and the Mets went 4-2 against LA this year.
(3) Potential NLCS opponents? He didn't face Houston or St. Louis this year, yet the Mets somehow managed to go 4-2 and 4-2 against them, respectively. He did beat San Diego twice, but if that's the only lineup that stands between us and the World Series, I don't think Pedro will be needed.
(4) Philly looks just about dead, but just for fun, Petey lost to Philly twice, including an absurd 1-inning outing back on August 14, in which he gave up 6 ER. Throw out those two losses and the Mets went 11-6 against Philly this year.
(5) Pedro v. the Yankees? Shudder. Enough said.
Thus, I refuse to start sobbing here. No Pedro is much better than ineffective, gimpy Pedro. Let's all take a deep breath and move forward.
And if the bats could start to wake the fuck up, that would be nice, too.
See ya next week!
posted by Toasty Joe at 10:36 AM
9 Comments:
I am surprisingly okay with the whole Pedro thing. I agree that at this point, it's better to know he's out than to live with the whole soap opera that has gone on these past couple of weeks. My only frustration is that our big free agent signing is not working out like we'd hoped. Instead, we must now measure Pedro's contributions to the team in psychological capital (respectability, new winning attitude, fun in the clubhouse, coaxing other free agents to come here). Based on all that, the signing was still worth it, and I would do it again in a heartbeat, but by an objective measure, it's tough to bring in a high-priced future hall of famer for a 4-year deal and get basically one year and two months of quality out of him.
BTW, I thought the Mets lost 2 games to the Dodgers here in NY (for a total of 3 losses to LA this year). Didn't the Mets get completely baffled in back-to-back SUCK ME performances by that Korean lefty and the other young lefty guy during the Saturday/Sunday portion of the 4-game series in August? That being said, I still welcome the chance to play the Dodgers. Brad Penny's record and ERA at Shea is something like 2-10 and 7.75 and I am not scared of Lowe or Maddux. Just please keep those SUCK ME guys away from our bats...
11:34 AM
You are right about that. They went 4-3 against LA, not 4-2. I will correct that. BTW, the other lefty was Eric Stults (Stoltz?).
11:46 AM
Yay, Toasty Joe is back!
I blame you for the bad stretch. You go away because the games don't matter, and they figure, heck, if Toasty can do it, so can I.
I agree on Pedro. I posted something about it today.
12:23 PM
I think everyone is ok with Petey being officially out, and he clearly has not pitched well, but I also think everyone had in the back of their mind for the last few months that this was some kind of "ploy", and that he would be able to come back, guns aslingin' in October. And it's upsetting to find out we were wrong.
As far as next year, he should pull a Clemens and sit out until June or July.
2:04 PM
Interesting idea, but the only reason Clemens did that was because of a steroids suspension. You better believe it.
2:08 PM
Emotional lull...nothing more. After the 100-win mark became unattainable, they have even less motivation to play hard, for fear of getting hurt for the playoffs.
Starting Julio Franco at third, after 24 years of him not playing the position, doesn't exactly show that they're worried about these games. Beltran tied Hundley last night, and probably will play tonight just to try and eclipse the mark, but I doubt we see him much either until the DS.
Just a thought. New here, love the site.
2:23 PM
Count, I thought about the same thing man. Just let him start his baseball routines on opening day and go from there.
Of course, that will never happen, but it certainly merrits some thought.
As for Clemens' situation, I still think he got nabbed for roids or HGH or something.
Yes, the Pedro situation is fine because he wasn't healthy. However, like Liriano being hurt for the Twins and Pedro being hurt for the Mets, it could cost each team the playoffs.....Sucks that the Mets are finally here and they have to do it Pedro-less.
4:04 PM
It will be somewhat less exciting without Petey firing away in the playoffs; at least those are my feelings. Has a favorite to get to the World Series ever had a worse looking pitching rotation than the 2006 Mets? The 2004 Cardinals were better.
4:23 PM
I was thinking about that Count and I don't think so. This rotation is not that strong.
Decent? Of course, but without one dominant pitcher you have to be concerned.
They are going to be heavily relying on The Duque. Maybe even three times in a seven game series. That just doesn't sit right and I do like The Duque. Imagine the Mets didn't have him? Holy shit.
4:56 PM
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