Hot Stove Report: Pelfrey, Nathan, Shields, Darvish Updates

32 Comments + Add Comment

• Matt October 26, 2011 at 2:48 pm

  Mediocre…I wish Pelfrey was good enough to be mediocre.
• Donal October 26, 2011 at 3:33 pm

  I wouldn’t mind taking a flier on guys like Nathan or Lidge, provided they sign for deals like we gave Cap and Young last season.

  Throw one of them in with Beato, Parnell and Stinson and let them fight for the closer role.
  • any October 26, 2011 at 3:39 pm

    I’m pulling for a dark horse that isn’t on the radar yet.
  • Joe Diaz October 26, 2011 at 9:01 pm

    I would definitely try and sign both.Nathan is 2 years removed from TJ surgery and thats when those guys get their arm strength back after the 2nd year.Lidge has already said he would have no problem in a setup role and would be instant insurance and can even give Nathan a night off.

    Having 2 Closers is usually gold when it’s been done in the past.Except these are the Mets where nothing works out IE K-Rod an Putz.We sign a Masher in Bay for big bucks and he’s looked washed up.The Cards sign a washed up looking Berkman cheap and he starts mashing again.Oh the pain!
    • Vinny B October 26, 2011 at 9:17 pm

      I would stay away from those guys. Lidge is going to be 35, and Nathan would be 37, and both have spent alot of time on the DL the last few years – I think it would be very risky for the Mets to count on those guys for next year.

      And I don’t think it’s worth taking that risk with Lidge and Nathan because there’s plenty of other safer options the Mets could sign, like Capps, Madson, papelbon, and Bell.
      • Donal October 27, 2011 at 10:39 am

        No relief pitcher is safe. They are very inconsistent. Otherwise, they’d be starters.

        Papplebon and Bell are going to get way more money and years than a 3 inning a week pitcher should make.

        Closer really isn’t that high on the list on concerns for next year. Or at least, it shouldn’t be.

        I’d rather roll the dice on some guys looking to prove themselves for one reason or another.
        • Vinny B October 27, 2011 at 12:58 pm

          The pitchers I listed have been very consistent, and reliable for their entire careers.

          and closers should be high on the list on concerns for next year because we don’t have anybody.
          • Donal October 27, 2011 at 1:04 pm

            No, they aren’t consistent.That is why they don’t start.

            And there’s no point in worrying about whose theme music to play in the 9th inning if you aren’t going to have that many leads to protect.
            • Vinny B October 27, 2011 at 1:42 pm

              Yes they are, look it up.
  • steve October 27, 2011 at 7:55 am

    I think Beato will be starting the year in Buffalo’s rotation. But i’d rather the Mets go after Broxton and Capps.
• Des October 26, 2011 at 3:42 pm

  Regarding Mike Pelfrey, Joe said:
  I thought we were all about bang for the buck . . . .

  We are. The BANG comes when the batter swings!!! Mike gave up 220 hits, with 21 homers, 7 triples, and 37 doubles. Wait ’til they move the Citi fences in.
  • USMF October 26, 2011 at 5:30 pm

    Leave Pelfrey alone. He can’t help it he’s a mediocre, 5 inning pitching, hand licking, ball balking, one pitch, 90mpr throwing, fly balling, Home Run giving of a sinker ball pitcher.

    I’m sure Bore-ass can turn that into three year, $30mil deal.

    I’d rather sign Cappy for half the price and get similar results. Cappy waits until the 5th inning to give up a bunch of runs…Pelf can’t seem to get out of the first before blowing the game.

    But give Mike a trophy, he tried hard and almost got to 200innings…sure it took him over 30 starts…but hey, half the time he ate up a couple of innings after giving the other team a 5 run head start.

    At least Cappy can blame his problems on past injuries, what’s Mike’s excuse?…Peterson isn’t around to baby him?
• Metstheory22 October 26, 2011 at 3:54 pm

  Let the Pelfrey go.
• Nester October 26, 2011 at 5:20 pm

  Pelfrey still has value. You keep harping on the Mets non-tendering him, why would they do that?
  • Metstheory22 October 26, 2011 at 5:23 pm

    I imagine they will pay and trade him for a bad contract.
    • USMF October 26, 2011 at 5:34 pm

      Why pay and trade him for a bad contract?

      I thought we wanted to avoid bad contracts?

      Let Mike walk. I’m sorry, but he’s not worth the money. Sandy can easily find someone cheaper that can give you similar numbers.

      (same goes for Angel “if I only had a brain” Pagan.)
      • Metstheory22 October 26, 2011 at 5:57 pm

        My “bad” contract would be trade for Carlos Zambrano for a year. I would think if Cubs were going to trade him they would want minimal contract as they would have to pay at least difference. At end of year they are both free agents. I would rather have wacky Zambrano who could turn it around than Pelfrey.
  • LA Mets Fan October 26, 2011 at 5:40 pm

    Maybe because paying Pelfrey $6 mil for a 4.80 era in citifield is a totally bad idea???
• Tommy2cat October 26, 2011 at 7:54 pm

  Met fans attitude toward Big Pelf was quite different after the first half of 2010, when we all felt slighted that he did not receive an All Star nod.

  I think Pelfrey’s difficulties lie mostly in his wind-up, which was modified to give him better command within the strike zone. The straight knee-up and stride delivery provides absolutely no deception and likely deprives him of the additional available velocity that he needs to get more swings and misses.

  In other words, Pelf needs a higher leg lift and needs to keep closed more to increase his velocity. He also needs to get a higher release point to obtain better downward movement on his pitches.

  Its easy to criticize a player when he’s down. Just don’t be so apt to praise him when he does well if you did not support him when he was down.

  Are you true orange & blue?
  • tlagee October 26, 2011 at 9:08 pm

    Just a bit blue lately.
    • Tommy2cat October 26, 2011 at 10:21 pm

      Well, I’m feeling a bit orange, being Halloween time and all.
  • Joe Diaz October 26, 2011 at 9:12 pm

    Pelfrey doesn’t have a swing and miss pitch.He’s always had trouble putting hitters away.He lacks the mental toughness it takes to be a top pitcher.He belongs in a setting like KC with no pressure and no expectations.
    • Tommy2cat October 26, 2011 at 10:19 pm

      Joe – You’re correct about Pelfrey’s current inability to put hitters away. When he threw from a higher arm slot, he had more down & in sink on his 2-seamer, which produced alot of ground balls. It’s a “heavy” pitch.

      He needs a cutter thrown from the same higher arm angle that breaks away from righties and he needs to vary the speed on both pitches, the 2-seamer and the cutter, if he wants to get swings & misses. There’s no doubt in my mind that he can accomplish this task.

      As for holding on runners, etc…, he’s a really, really big guy & its something that he can work on, but will never be a strength.

      I had the benefit of watching Pelfrey’s gem against the Angels this year. He’s a really good pitcher with a good mound presence. How soon we forget.

      I don’t know what the heck Dan Warthen is doing. Pelfrey could be in another eschelon entirely – he should be, but his mechanics have been so stripped down we’re seeing a facsimile of Mike Pelfrey & not the dominant righty we expect him to be.
      • any October 26, 2011 at 11:48 pm

        warthen is worthless. The acid test to that theory will be if they dump Pelf, and he goes someplace where there is a PC that knows what they are doing (St. Louis?) and they make changes like this to revitilize him.
  • Des October 26, 2011 at 9:18 pm

    “Pelf needs a higher leg lift….”

    When Pelf was pitching in 2011, there were 31 attempts to steal. Only two runners were caught, resulting in a 6$ CS rate. A higher leg lift usually means less time for the catcher to throw the guy out. making it even more problematical. But a lot rests on the catchers and pitching coach

    In 2010, when Pelf was on the mound, 34% were CS. We really miss Barajas and Blanco behind the plate.
    • Des October 26, 2011 at 9:19 pm

      That’s a 6% CS rate in 2011.
    • any October 26, 2011 at 11:49 pm

      I’ll gladly give up a few SBs in trade for a boatload fewer base runners.
  • USMF October 26, 2011 at 11:33 pm

    The thing is, that while Pelf’s win/loss record took a hit this year, the rest of his numbers this year are right at his career totals. (W/L is not a great measure of a pitchers effectiveness)

    Sure, Pelf has had a increase in HRs this year from last, but he gave up 18 in 09, so it’s not like 21 this year is that surprising.

    I really can’t see Pelf ever turning it around.

    http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=5203&position=P
• Tommy2cat October 26, 2011 at 7:57 pm

  Joe Nathan would be an excellent addition to the 2012 NY Met bullpen.
• LongTimeFan October 27, 2011 at 12:20 am

  Forget Nathan. Joe D omitted one very important fact – that both the Twins and Nathan said they want to sign another deal after his option was declined.
  • any October 27, 2011 at 10:09 am

    He also said that he wants to be a closer. Not up on the Twins situation, but would he be a set up guy there or “the man”?
• Russell Zanca October 27, 2011 at 10:35 am

  It’s like getting a raise for showing up to work and sucking at what you do. Nice.