Comments on: Pelfrey Pitches Much Better With A Veteran Backstop

By: Clayton Collier

Clayton Collier — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 15:40:00 +0000

Well he was great to begin the season with Barajas in April, then Manuel used Blanco and he was just dominant. Maybe he was used to Blanco and how closely he’d work with him?

It is a good point and I don’t know how you explain his struggles with Barajas. Maybe he wasn’t good at coming out to the mound and talking with him?

By: vtmet

vtmet — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 14:27:27 +0000

quote: Pelfrey was so dominant with a veteran catcher that Jerry Manuel basically gave him his own personal catcher in that of Blanco for the rest of the season after Barajas was traded.

…umm, you might want to check Pelf’s stats when Barajas was his catcher…Pelf was as horrible with Barajas catching as he was with Thole…it isn’t a “veteran” catcher thing as much as having a catcher that calls a good game and thinks like he’s playing chess…Without a Blanco, Paulino, Nickeas type of catcher, Pelfrey pitches with a “checkers” mentality, whereas a smart catcher helps him to elevate his game with more of a “chess” mentality…

I do agree wholeheartedly with the message that you were trying to convey, just that Barajas was not a good example of success with a veteran catcher…

Pelf’s splits the past 2 seasons by catcher (success with Nickeas, Paulino, Blanco…disaster with Barajas and Thole):

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/split.cgi?id=pelfrmi01&year=2010&t=p#catch

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/split.cgi?id=pelfrmi01&year=2011&t=p#catch

By: jdon

jdon — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 14:21:30 +0000

I think we should wait and see. I used to defend this guy. But he always falls back into the deep hole after some good showings. I did not see any licking last night. And I saw a ton of strikes. But I saw this the first third of 2010. I say reserve judgment. Everyone has a bad game or two every so often. Maybe some guys have a good game or two every so often.

By: metsaddict77

metsaddict77 — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 14:20:17 +0000

i’ll believe he’s turned the corner when he does that against the nl east.

By: MetFan Lou

MetFan Lou — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 14:00:50 +0000

I’ve had a lot of harsh words for this guy’s pitching screw-ups in the past. I have to eat my words after this performance, but the more important questuion is: Has this great pitching performance, a complete game and four hits dismiss all the doubts about him and has he finally turned the corner to live up to his full potential?