Jun
7
2011

Capuano Has Been A Tough Luck Pitcher

An article by Jim Mancari

When looking at Chris Capuano’s stats, anyone unfamiliar with the Mets would think he’s having a pretty poor season.

However, it’s been quite the opposite for the lefty. Capuano has actually pitched well for the Mets but has been the victim of some tough luck this season.

He’s made 11 starts so far with a record of 4-6 and a 4.86 ERA. Despite these numbers, Capuano has kept his team in the game in the majority of his starts, but the Mets have had trouble scoring runs when he pitches.

In two of the three starts in which Capuano gave up more than five runs, he only really had one bad inning in each of these. In fact, in his recent start against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Capuano hung five consecutive zeroes on the board before being plagued by infield singles and errors in the sixth.

He only gave up one run in his last start on a home run to Prince Fielder, who continues to abuse the league in his contract year. Luckily, Jose Reyes bailed him out with a clutch two-run triple to give Capuano the win.

Coming off an injury year, Capuano has been a good find for the Mets. Unlike Chris Young, he’s been able to stay healthy all year and give the team a chance to win each time out.

The starting pitching overall has been good over the last few weeks. R.A. Dickey has put together a few solid starts, and Dillon Gee has been unconscious. Jon Niese has been serviceable as well, but Mike Pelfrey still needs some work.

That leaves Capuano, who quietly goes about his business each start. Once again, the stats may not be there, but he has shown he is a true competitor.

Depending on how the next two months pan out, the Mets might be able to get some value in a trade for Capuano, who is a free agent after the season. He can be a swing man or even a lefty specialist—he’s held lefties to a .229 BA—for a contender down the stretch.

Whatever becomes of Capuano, it’s nice to see gritty performances out of him. If the Mets are to make a play for the Wild Card, Capuano will need to continue these strong outings, but with one major change that he can’t control: The Mets have to score him some runs.

About the Author: Jim Mancari

Jim Mancari hails from Massapequa, N.Y. He recently earned a Master's degree in Journalism at Hofstra University. He is a devout Mets fan and takes pride in his team, despite their lack of success over the last few years. Like all Mets fans, Jim has plenty of hope. He also writes as the sports reporter for the Brooklyn Tablet newspaper and the senior editor of metroBASEBALL Magazine. Click my name to view my personal website.

10 Comments + Add Comment

Midwestern Met June 7, 2011 at 11:55 pm

Great pitching + Clutch Jose Reyes hitting = Mets win. Easy recipe, but it tastes so sweet. Read all about it at Midwestern Met: http://tiny.cc/2m3xq
alex68 June 8, 2011 at 7:45 am

Jose Reyes bailed him out with a clutch two-run triple to give Capuano the win”

now he’s also being clutch, what else can alderson ask for to “evaluate” jose reyes??
these “genious” have come up with all the lamest excuses not to sign him, and in each he’s proved them wrong, we’ll see what else they come up with..
also, has anybody check the standings?? i don’t get into it too much before july to be qwuite honest, but man, is amazing the mets are only 6.5 back and 4.5 in the wild card!!
no SP, the bullpen shaky at best, no production from our #3 hitter our LF, our bench guys, 6 or 7 guys already been to DL and 4 starters in the DL now, and to top it all, a losing record at home… wow.. with all the bad luck, press and everything that’sbeen going on with this team i am amazed how collins is holding the forth… hopefully when davis comes back and wright comes back (only if he produces and don’t strikeout million times)and reyes keeps up his MVP like season “the geniouses” maybe add some help to make a push at the playoffs…
- Dennis Ribant June 8, 2011 at 8:14 am
  
  it will be so hilarious Alderson trades Jose and all the little koolaide drinkers here come and defend the “great” roidal lovin GM for making the worst move in Met history since the Seaver trade. Can’t wait. And what a team will be left for the few who will still be willing to go to any games. He will soon make Jose an offer which of course Jose will reject since there is no way he shouldn’t test the market and then the real hate Jose pr machine will get rolling and most here will buy the company line completely……
  - alex68 June 8, 2011 at 8:38 am
    
    watch him lowball him for 5 years 65 million, with an option for a 6th, then of course, jose’s camp will reject it, then alderson will trade him, tell mets fans we did what we could, mets fans that are in love with him for some strange reason will say “he knows what he’s doing, then the team will go into a 2002-2004 like funk, then alderson will retire, and boom, mets will have to find someone else to guide this team, AGAIN… while jose is in the bronx, beantown or PA winning championships and putting MVP’s like season..
  - jessep June 8, 2011 at 9:13 am
    
    Again, this roid GM is such a farse. It honestly is just picking up a part of the story and using it to fit your blind hatred for a guy… hatred for a guy who is bound by cash issues which are not his fault.
    
    So does this mean Joe Torre or George Steinbrenner’s legacies are tarnished because of Jason Giambi or any of the other yanks? Theo Epstein because of Manny?
    - alex68 June 8, 2011 at 9:23 am
      
      keep sucking his Cohoon-es jesseP, you’re in for a big surprise. that may have worked in oakland or san diego, where NOONE cares about baseball or gives a crap about what u do, but here in Ny everything is under the microscope..
Donal June 8, 2011 at 10:20 am

Capuano also pitched a hell of a game against the Phillies two weeks ago and lost because bad run support and defense.

“Jon Niese has been serviceable as well,”

Since May 6

36 IP 12 ER 40 H 12 BB 33 K

A little more than serviceable. Imagine if he had a full time defense behind him.
Russell Zanca June 8, 2011 at 10:53 am

Cap’s #s simply don’t show what he’s done in past month. He’s a solid Big League starter. All of his “down time” didn’t make it easy for him to simply come back and fit easily into a rotation, but his groove is on.

I attended last night. Sweltering. WOnderful. Milwaukee faithful mostly very supportive of their ex-Brewer. And several remarked to me that they expected he would be very tough on his old mates; he sure was. One mistake to Fielder that was it.

Gomez’ catch to rob Beltran was insanely good.

That our Metsies took down the hottest team in MLB right now surely does prove that our bunch is motivated if nothing else.

Someone on the team is worth a whole lot of money, and his name isn’t Jason NoWay!!!
- alex68 June 8, 2011 at 11:02 am
  
  russell.
  
  jose reyes, MVP!!!!!
  - Russell Zanca June 8, 2011 at 11:10 am
    
    Reyes is an absolute force. I think you are right: he basically can carry the team on his own something like 50% of the time.
    
    Kudos to Beato, Izzy, and K-Rod–masterful performances against a good BrewCrew lineup.
    
    Let’s see if Pelf can keep us in it tonight…please!

NL East Standings

Team	W	L	Pct.	GB
Braves	24	18	.571	-
Nationals	23	20	.535	1.5
Phillies	20	23	.465	4.5
Mets	16	24	.400	7.0
Marlins	11	32	.256	13.5

Last updated: 05/18/2013

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