13
2011
We May Have a Problem: New York Mets Early Concerns
An article by 
The Mets have played just 10 games this year, but it is not too early to start to be concerned about some of the team’s issues. I am giving the disclaimer in advance that we are dealing with small sample sizes at this point of the year.
It is early, but the team is currently sitting in last place in the NL East. While the Mets won’t spend the year in the cellar, there are some issues that will certainly keep them from competition for a playoff spot.
Mike Pelfrey’s struggles are obviously the first and most salient of the team’s issues. Pelf’s first three starts can be characterized as nothing other than ugly. He has failed to deliver a quality start yet this season.
Some of Pelfrey’s struggles have been tied to the fact that he has been unlucky this season. He has a .348 BABIP, which is well above his .308 career average. In addition, his groundball rate is just 43.5%, well below his career average of 49.3%.
Pelfrey will undoubtedly right the ship, but the question is what type of pitcher will he be. He is not an ace, and he is not a number two. With a career strikeout rate of 5.10 K/9 and a walk rate of 3.34 BB/9 to go along with a 4.42 ERA, it is hard to even see Pelfrey as a number three. Pelfrey’s has a career 93 ERA+. This is below league average.
It may be time to realize that even though he has turned in a few good seasons, Pelfrey is nothing more than a number four starter. Since this may in fact be the case, the Mets need someone they can count on to act as an ace until Johan Santana returns.
The Mets bullpen also appears to be another area of concern. Because of the struggles of the rotation, they Mets bullpen has bullpen has been taxed and has one of the worst ERAs in the NL.
Part of this can be attributed to some of the same issues that Pelfrey is facing. They bullpen has a very high BABIP in addition to a low groundball rate. In addition to these issues, they have also been allowing a lot of walks.
Another pressing issue for the Mets appears to be second base. The team thought the problem had been solved when they picked up Brad Emaus in the Rule V Draft. However, it appears that is not the case.
Emaus has gotten off to a slow start to the season. He has just four hits in 28 plae appearances. He has walked three times but he has also struck out six.
Some of his issues may stem from the fact that this is his first exposure to Major League pitching. Regardless of the reason, Emaus seems to be a bit lost at the plate. We are not seeing the power that we have heard about. In addition, Emaus has been nothing more than decent defensively.
The solution here may be a simple one. The Mets have Daniel Murphy who it appears will become a platoon partner of Emaus. Murphy has already proven that he can handle hitting in the Majors. His defense at second base has appeared to improve greatly. He just may the answer to Mets issues at second base.
The final thing that is a bit worrisome about the Mets is the Jason Bay’s replacement in left field. Lucas Duda struggled mightily in his limited action and was already sent back down to the minors. Willie Harris has been on a tear to start the season.
This may not seem like a concern. However, Harris is just a career .240 hitter. His current BABIP of .438 is in no way sustainable. The question right now should be how long will Harris be able to keep up his current level of success. It likely won’t be much longer.
Left field will once again become an issue for the Mets once Harris cools down. If Jason Bay is out for an extended period of time, then Harris is not the answer for that. The Mets do have talented young players in the minors, and it may be time to give Fernando Martinez yet another shot at trying to prove he can be a Major League outfielder.
About the Author: Robert Knapel
Robert is from New Jersey. He is currently pursuing Bachelors degrees in both Finance and International Business at Washington University in St. Louis. He has been a Mets fan for as long as he can remember. Robert also serves as an MLB Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report.
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I think all these posts about troubles and concerns really hinge on your definition of a concern.
It would apepar if any player is not putting on an All Star performance it is quickly turned into a CONCERN or TROUBLE.
People just need to relax. They are NOT SUPPOSED to win every game…
They are NOT SUPPOSED to be great every time they get on the field.
They are NOT SUPPOSED to get a hit in every at bat nor every game!
No other team would be in trouble despite having the same perfromances.
When we get to August and we are 20 games out ok yes you could say they are in trouble and it might be a concern.
They are only two weeks out of Spring training and they have yet to play in any temperature above 80 degrees yet which is the temperature most ideal for baseball.
Let them play the game. If the losses worry you then look at the Red Sox and Atlanta and comfort yourself!
Red Sox were annointed world champs before the season started.
Mets were anointed cellar dwellar before a pitch was even thrown in ST!
Anything can happen, we should just watch it and stop worrying about how the season MIGHT go! Cause if I could tell you that they WILL win the WS there would really be no point in following the team at all!
The same applies if I told you the opposite.
If it is a concern that things might not be so championship around here then stop following until the season is over and spare yourself!
But if you want to watch it makes no sense worrying or being confident because at some point (and many points) all you will do is flip flop depending on what happened yesterday!
Watch and enjoy the game!
Being a fan should mean you have FUN by rooting for your team and seeing them play.
It should not be less fun on days when they lose because every team WILL LOSE a game!
We should stop worrying and trying to be Miss Cleo and just watch and enjoy whatever happens!
Now this is not a tirade at the OP here…
Just something for the masses who seem to be more interested in predicting doom or glory than they are in actually seeing a game of baseball and all the UNPREDICTABLE FUN it brings.
listen to little metsie….metsies are perfect…any writer that says otherwise is a horrible human being. leave the mets be… last place is perfection..
Metsie is about the most deluded Mets fan on the planet. He is clearly floating around in his own little world. Must be nice.
LOL I’m deluded because I said they are what they are just let it happen!
I guess because I don’t agree with you that they are the worst team in baseball I must be deluded…
But the truth is anyone who thinks they ARE the worst team in baseball is deluded and should take a look at the standings before they embrass themselves by making a public statement that testifies to their stupidity!
You should try reading before you make dumb comments.
Metsie didn’t say the Mets were perfect he said they were not and would not be perfrect so stop crying about every little hurdle they face along the way.
But you won’t know that since they took romper room off the air and 3 year olds don’t have the ability to learn to read before then!
Your replying to yourself now?
Nah me playing games with him! LOL
It is really hard to see them calling up Martinez for a short term gig. So far, he has looked like a vastly better player this year (ST on), and if it continues, they may have a decision to make. But it isn’t likely to be a couple week bench/PT starter gig.
Now, if Bay ends up out for the duration, or Beltran goes down or gets traded, and a permanent (or at least LT) job opens up, I do think it can be him filling it.
The OF situation might be a bigger problem than 2B. LF and RF could be in the bottom fourth of the league and Pagan has gotten off to a slow start. That’s 2 and possibly three positions to worry about.
I have been watching baseball for 50 years and I can tell you one thing for sure…..giving Fernando Martinez another shot is just a waste of time. This guy just does not have a major league bat and never will. In addition he must have been reading the press clippings about being a 5 tool player and figured he could coast his way through a career…..Mets made a mistake and didn’t send him packing years ago when they might have gotten a player for him.
In so far as our problems as a team….pitching is the issue no doubt! We need help and there are two viable guys but they are not here now, Dillon Gee and Jenry Mejia. Gee pitched decently last year and while he is not going to blow any one away he would be better than rushing Mejia who has “electric stuff” but may be too raw. Neither one is going to make us a playoff team but we need to get some innings till Pelfrey rights himself a bit as well as Jon Neise too. Chris Young has pitched very well so far but he may be fragile but Sandy knew that from the start.
Jason Bay will not be rushed at all but if he comes back healthy he will further solidify what is a pretty solid lineup. We need to be patient…..