4
2011
Igarashi Has Been Lights Out…Callup Soon?
An article by 
With a Mets bullpen that has been consistently inconsistent since late May, blowing countless leads, letting close games get out of hand and collapsing when it counts most, the Amazin’s need some change in the pen. So when a veteran pitcher that was sent down to work on his stuff is dominating, you may want to consider making said change sooner than later.
That veteran is Ryota Igarashi. The 32-year old Japanese native after a disappointing 2010 and beginning of 2011, was sent to Triple-A to regain his former glory from the Japan Central League that earned him his 2-year $3 million deal that he signed in the winter of 2009 with the Mets.
Finally, after one and one half seasons of being called up and sent down, Igarashi seems to have pulled it all together, absolutely shutting down opposing batters in Triple-A. The hurler once known as “Rocket Boy” in Japan, has an incredible 0.93 ERA in 20 relief outings for the Bisons. He has walked only 8 batters while punching out 31 and has not allowed a run in his last ten outings. With Igarashi being so dominant in Buffalo, a callup has to be on the horizon, especially the way some other guys in the pen on the major league level are performing.
For instance, Manny Acosta, who has an 8.38 ERA in ten outings since getting his call to the show in 2011. Another example is DJ Carrasco, who hasn’t been much better since being recalled from Buffalo, pitching to a 4.91 ERA since his return. If Igarashi replaced either of these two, it would be a significant improvement to the bullpen, a bullpen in dire need of some change for the better.
With the next few weeks before the trade deadline to have a major impact on the future of the franchise for the next five years or so, the best need to throw their best team out there and play to the best of their ability every day. Given the weakest spot of the Mets roster is their bullpen, a perfect way to fill that hole, or at least put a small band-aid over it, is to give Igarashi another shot.
With the way some of the Amazin’s relievers have been pitching, at the very least, Igarashi cannot be much worse.
About the Author: Clayton Collier
Clayton, a Long Island native and die-hard Mets fan, started writing online about three years ago. He is currently a Journalism major with a minor in Broadcasting at Seton Hall University. Although very disappointed with the current state of the team, Clayton remains hopeful that the young prospects in the farm system will bring the Mets back to a respected franchise in baseball once again. Besides writing for MMO, Clayton is also a staff member at 89.5 WSOU, Seton Hall's modern active rock radio station. You can contact Clayton by following him on Twitter: @Clayton_Collier or E-mailing him at MaybeNextYearMets@yahoo.com
7 Comments + Add Comment
Recent Comments
- Rich from Lake Como: on Mets Will Need To Overpay To Attract Quality Players, But Will They?: .... and remember, for every overpaid free...
- Jimmy Pernil: on Rafael Montero To Make Spot Start For Las Vegas: has not*
- Jimmy Pernil: on Rafael Montero To Make Spot Start For Las Vegas: You guys are so lost, it's frightening....
- Coach Mike: on Mets Will Need To Overpay To Attract Quality Players, But Will They?: That would be a terrible trade. Stud...
- Connor O'Brien: on Lutz Is The Easy Choice To Replace Davis, But Satin Is The Right Choice: Byrnes is in charge of Baseball Ops.
Need Tickets To The Mets Game?
Check Out These Great MLB Links!
Photographs From Gordon Donovan
5393 Fans Follow Us On Twitter!
1269 Fans Like Us On Facebook!
2341 Fans Read Our Feed!
1702 Fans Subscribe via Daily Email!
This ship has sailed, He’s a AAAA player. He’s had too many chances in the bigs and has not gotten the job done.
I believe, you’ve missed the rather obvious by ignoring his Nipponese record/usage; perhaps like most/many closers Iggy needs that “adrenelin rush” to be his best. If true, we may never get our moneey’s worth until Frankie departs as Iggy likely audutions in a callup, we may ALL be suprised! Perhaps Bisons should alter his role to simulate how he’d be used in Flushing so he may ‘prove’ his value for that particular role as a Supporting cast mate; not as a co-star. Seems we have a dilemma to resolve, Parnell flourishes in non adrenilin roles; Iggy flounders in them. I believe the organization needs to reboot their considerations for both individuals Bobby has long been thought of as “the future closer”; but his demeanor speaks otherwise. Iggy was/is considered a middler/setup; but needs much more pressure to excel, apparently.
from the little I can perceive about theuir respective usage/assignments by Tuffel/Bones in Buffalo I gasther that Parnell was NOT ‘pressurized’ in a closer role as his 9G, 8IP, 1SV line indicates which doesn’t properly prepare him to substantually uptick his “laidback” Southern(Shelby, NC) boy performance Iggy, on the other hand seems to be assigned to a role(closer) for which he’s more suited; but is already occupied in Flushing which has not expended his need to be competitively dominant sans addrenal glands high potency output as his line of 20G,29IP,5SV would indicate. unfortunately the MiLB stats do not reflect BS or SVO to get a more clearly defined view of their respecxtive AAA assignments.
For as long a I can recall; it’s typically been an “MLB CAUTION” to alter a successful closer’s assignment to a less stressful one why should a Japanese closer’s issues be any differentt; but then again, these are “THE METS” (lol).
Acosta is crap and Iggy is doing well in the minors, but is no better. He’s had his chances and is crap.
And veteran pitcher? This is only his second year, and most of it has been in the minors because he sucks.
I agree that he should replace Acosta. I have yet to see why Acosta is in the majors. Iggy had some good stuff uuntil that leg injury and if he’s put it back together than I say give him a shot.
I agree,
Iggy may not have the best numbers up here but he has shown the ability to make big pitches in big spots on more than one occasion. Maybe he’s turned it around? We’ll see but I would bring him back up too.
Iggy pitched well for us last year until he got hurt. He has not been able to get back there yet, maybe now?
Not an Acosta fan.
If Sandy does trade K-Rod, it had better be for 2 solid relief prospects. The bullpen is the weakest area on the Mets and also a very weak area in the farm system.