30
2012
Delcos: Pelfrey arguably most important Met.
An article by 
Yes, I know it was only one game after so many bad ones, but it was encouraging to watch Mike Pelfrey last night against Houston. One run on three hits in 6.1 innings. I’ll take that every time.
PELFREY: Tired of seeing this perplexed look.
By his own admission, Pelfrey said this could be a make-or-break season for him. If he has another one like last year, he could see the Mets cutting ties with him. They’ve already bounced that around in passing this spring, but realistically had no other choice but to keep him.
He had a bum ankle earlier in camp, but his arm seems fine. He has experience. He’s been successful at times. He has a reasonable salary ($5.68 million). He’s young enough to turn it around. There have been a lot of late bloomers in the sport (Nolan Ryan and Sandy Koufax come to mind). While not saying he has the potential of either, two summers ago he had months of dominance worthy of the hope of seeing it again.
Because of his inconsistency, Pelfrey’s value to the Mets is greater with the hope of him turning it around. And, with pitching their biggest concern – and no guarantees with Johan Santana – if the Mets are to have any semblance of a competitive team they need Pelfrey to start cashing his potential chips.
A lot of things must happen for the Mets to avoid the season everyone is projecting for them, and it begins with Pelfrey to quit licking his fingers and start pitching to his expectations. Beginning now.
About the Author: John Delcos
I am an active member of the BBWAA and have covered Major League Baseball in several capacities for over 20 years, including ten in New York working the Mets' and Yankees' beat. I covered the Baltimore Orioles for eight years and the Cleveland Indians before that. I currently serve as an editor and senior staff writer for Mets Merized Online. Follow me on Twitter @jdelcos.
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NL East Standings
| Team | W | L | Pct. | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Braves | 25 | 18 | .581 | - |
| Nationals | 23 | 21 | .523 | 2.5 |
| Phillies | 21 | 23 | .477 | 4.5 |
| Mets | 17 | 24 | .415 | 7.0 |
| Marlins | 12 | 32 | .273 | 13.5 |
Last updated: 05/19/2013
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Lets not all get crazy on “BIG PELF”! I was at that game. I bet I could have come out of the crowd, taken 8 warm up pitches and shut down that broken down Astro team also.
Does it even count as a win if you beat the Astros? I am really going to miss them when they go to the American league next year.
Met fans need to get a petition going to keep the Astros in the NL, after all who are we going to use as a measuring stick to compare ourselves against for the next two years.
I appreciate the thought but I disagree with Pelf being the most important Met. I’d have to say success by guys like Bay, Tejada, Wright, Duda, and healthy Ike mean more to the Mets than if Pelf can figure out how to win 12 games.
‘start pitching to his expectations’?
It’s long past time to have these expectations just because he was a #1 draft pick.
There is enough data now. Expectations are that he can keep the ball down a little more than last year, post a low 4 ERA. pitch 200 innings. Keep a good offense in the game most days. That’s it. It’s valuable, but it’s not _that_ valuable.
Well actually the point I think is being made here is depending on Pelf’s fortunes so will go the fortunes of the team and you can’t deny that being true in actuality!
Yes there are more questions about Santana than there are about Pelfrey but only because people have already given up on Pelf (and rightly so it can be argued!).
But even a Shadow of Santana can be a good starter in the league and with run support win some games!
Dickey seems to be the most consistent pitcher we have so no worries there…
Niese is still young but has shown to be solid and if he takes a major step could even start looking like a #2 or Ace!
Gee may not look like he’s a great pitcher but his record tends to speak for itself doesn’t it?
We all agree GOOD pitching wins championships and if by some miracle Pelfrey has a great season that would be the main factor is us having a REALLY GOOD season!
He would be the difference maker on this team!
So what he does IS important to our end fate…
If he sucks then we will suck!
If he is good then we have a chance!
None of us expect to be playing for a championship and even more no one expects Pelfrey to lead us there!
But if we want to play for one it is MOST important for Pelfrey to do well!
I just don’t believe he will but that doesn’t mean what he does isn’t important!
Beause truth be told this team will do what it does based as much on what kind of season Pelfrey has as it does on what anyone else does!
Agree totally Metsie,
Pelfrey having a big year would transform a weakness into a strength and produce more benefit than adding one good bat (Bay) or getting unexpected plus defense out of Duda and Murph.
Not saying it’s likely and I recognize that your not either but it’s probably more likely than Duda, Murph or Bay going from poor to good at their respective weaknesses and Pelfrey has done it for periods of half a year 3 times in the past so it’s not completely out of the realm of possibilities although one ST start against a hybrid of Astro major and minor leaguers doesn’t do anything to change my level of hope though the GB ratio does but it was the opposite the last time out.
Even if Pelf was just a solid average #3 starting pitcher that would give us an above average rotation (marginally and with the fingers crossed) but still Johan 150 IP 3.25, Dickey 200 IP 3.50, Niese 175 IP 4.00, Pelfrey 200 IP 4.00 and Gee 150 IP 4.50 isn’t too bad and will keep you in most games which gives us a chance and lessens wear and tear on the pen and keeps Batista, Schwinden ect in AAA and allows Young to maybe give you a shot in the arm in August.
Th best thing that could happen to this team this year is both pelfrey and Santana have great years!
Not because that will be enough to win a World Series takes more than just that…
But even if there is ZERO run support and both their efforts end in losses the key thing will be trading both of them for something, opening up spots for Harvey and Familia and purging 30 Mil off the payroll!
And any success from Santana and Pelfrey that is precisely what will happen!
They get Sent, Wright lives on as a Met and Harvey and Famila start Generation K2 sometime in late July or August!
I wouldn’t get too excited. This is just the Ollie effect again. A couple of bad starts, a mediocre one and just when your reaching for the trap door release he pitches well. Then the cycle starts over again. I’ve gotten to the point where I’d rather see anybody but Pelfrey out there. I keep waiting for the springs to come out of his head as he unravels. Too much agita for me!
The majority of “late bloomers” never do at all.
I think Santana’s health is more important than Pelfrey. Santana is supposed to lead rotation, Pelfrey can be the 2-5 pitcher or not on team, depending on how he throws.
AS I SAT CONTEMPLATING WHAT ADVANTAGE CUTTING PELF WITHOUT AN ALTERNATIVE SP IN CAMP & WITH AN ALREADY DIMUINUTIZED PAYROLL WOULD BE, THAN I REMEMBERED BILL PARCELLS WAS THERE CHATTING UP TC AMONG OTHERS, MOST LIKELY. EXPLORING MEANS OF WAKING PLAYERS OUT OF PERFORMANCE COMAS.
IT’S OBVIOUS THIS “PLOY” WAS TO BE A SHATTERINGLY LOUD WAKEUP DEMAND INSTEAD OF THE TIMID DOOR KNOCKS PREVIOUSLY USED
PELF IS GOING NOWHERE QUICKLY AS THE METS PLANTED ONE WITH THE YOUNG INBED REPORTER WHO DELIGHTS SO MUCH IN THAT “INSIDE” DOG PADELING IN CIRCLES SINCE MOVING OVER TO FLUSHING AFTER COVERING PHL SO ENTHUSIASTICLY @ NYM EXPENSE.
COULD JEFF BE SETTING HIM UP TO BE THE NEXT ADAM RUBIN?
’62, the exact same thing occurred to me but I didn’t connect Parcells to it.
As soon as I read your comment it rang a bell and reminded me of so many challenges issued through the press during those exhilarating days of 1984-1991.
I can see it now. “Pelfrey didn’t get a whiff of the strike zone all last month.” “Pelfrey had his lunch handed to him last time we played those guys.” “If Pelfrey’s going to pitch like that we have no shot.”
Good call ’62.
T, UNFORTUNATELY AS SOON AS BORAS STOPS LAUGHING AT PELF’S QUIVERING VOICE THE EFFECT WILL BE CHANGED TO MEANINGLESS.
Well maybe Pelf has to be backed up against the ropes cause he can’t handle the middle of the ring. Anythings worth a try.
I still say it would surprise me more if he went somewhere else and stayed the same than it would if he turned it a round even for just a few years.
He was known for his mound presence and hammer curve back in college and both have been taken away. The guy he most reminds me of is Joe Black left asking Pee Wee “how did I do it before?”
It was shocking to see him get so many GB’s the other day even against the Astros minor leaguers and with no real credible alternatives or healthy options a good resign at 5 M but it’s really now or never or he’ll wind up somewhere on a minor league deal next year.
Well if ast History is any guide here we know how Pelf responds when he is backed up against the ropes and if I had to guess the only reaction Terry actually got was pelfrey licking his fingers the entire time he was in Collins’ office!
T, AS TO, PELF, NEXT YEAR DON’T EVER SELL THE EVIL ONE SHORT, MORE THAN LIKELY A SALES PITCH GETS CREATED DEPICTING PELF AS SIMILAR TO PAST NYM PITCHING “DISAPPOINTMENTS” DEPICTING A MT. RUSHMORE COMPILATION FEATURING THE LIKES OF RYAN, SCOTT BRACKETING PELF’S IMAGE. AS BORAS PITCHES HIM AS ANOTHER NYM FAILURE NEEDING PROFESSIONAL RECLAIMATION. A BINDER OF PAGES & PAGES OF PROJECTED RESULTS HAD PETERSON NOT TAKEN HIS CURVE AWAY OR INSISTED ON PITCHES THAT COMPROMISED HIS SINKER GRIP. HE MAY EVEN GET A SALARY INCREASE FROM ELSEWHERE, I NEVER DOUBT THE POWER OF THE DARKSIDE & NEITHER SHOULD U.
I’VE MARVELED AT BORAS’ CONTENTMENT WITH NYM OFFERS THE PAST 2 CONTRACTS JUST KNOWING HE WAS BIDING HIS TIME FOR A “BIG ONE”
Oh I don’t doubt it one bit ’62.
I am relishing seeing the evil squirm a little though. Even he knows that some of the things MLB are doing will affect him and teams are actively attempting to deal away his clients before it comes time to negotiate with them…..any little crack though, any hint of desperation, lack of any other options, irrational exuberance, delusions of grandeur, whatever will again make people that want to believe,believe. People who want to be conned, conned and people who dance with the devil, ripped of and regretting it…….until next time.
He is a cruel merchant ’62, never leaves behind a receipt, never issues a refund.
Buyer beware.
you don’t even have to go that far back 62 to cite an example!
What did the Jets just do to Sanchez with the Arrival of Tebow?
Gave him $40 million?
You forget it is a football contract and hardly any of that is guaranteed!
And they did it before they got Tebow!
So as I said they are telling Sanchez hey better earn that money or sayonara!
Hardly any? You should review the terms before pontificating.
did!
only SB is guaranteed in any football deal!
They could cut him tomorrow and not pay a cent of that deal except for any signing bonus he got for extending and usually there is no signing bonus attached to an extention because he has already been signed!
That’s not even a little bit true.
The prove it dummy and stop just making statements you can’t back up!
the NFL can terminate a contract at anytime they want to!
It’s not like the MLB where the contract is guaranteed!
Only the SB which is guaranteed money up front and years the player actually plays is paid to the player!
They can terminate the contract at anytime!
How do you think Denver got Manning if the Colts could not just terminate the contract when they did?
But just to make you look foolish here is a link discussing what is guaranteed and what is not!
http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_15718872
The years aren’t guaranteed, a certain amount of money is. Stop moving the goalposts. Heh, that actually applies here.
Yes the money guaranteed is his Signing bonus (which I said Plus the remainder of the contract he was already signed to!
NONE of that extention is guaranteed!
All they did was take some of his base salary from his CURRENT contract, Turn it into an SB (lowering their cap numbers for this year and next and guaranteeing the lowered Base Salary from the original deal for the next two years!
None of that 40 Million is guaranteed only 20 Mil from the already EXISTING rookie contract is, 8 Mil in signing bonus plus two years at 6 Mil per!
So guess what the guy who you say is always wrong isn’t wrong here you are!
Now try and change the subject to something else since you are the one who seems to put wheels on all his goalpoats so he can move them whenever he gets caught acting like a know it all but is proved to be wrong 99% of the time!
And needs to wheel the conversation all over the field to extricate himself!
You said 40 Million I said NOT gusranteed! You claimed I didn’t know what I was talking about!
I just showed you two links who showed NONE of that 40 Million extention is guaranteed!
Only some money from the deal that is existed has been guaranteed!
Not the Extention….
I suggest you go to Alderson Avenue to lick your wounds now and don’yt come back until you actually have a point that isn’t so easily dispatched!
In case you can’t find it in the dozens of articles on the subject, or purposelfully ignore it like usual, the extension was for $40.5 million, $20.5 of which is guaranteed. A little more than half. Not “hardly any” like you incorrectly and ignorantly guessed. And thanks for calling me a dummy. Should I BOOKMARK it and cry to Joe like you always do?
20.5 mil is from the contract he was already under!
Guess you missed that in all your excellent readiing ability!
The took 4 Mil from each year of his already existing 10 mil per year rookie contract!
Turned that 8 Mil into SB and guaranteed the remainder of his ROOKIE contract…
The Extention and 40 Mil is for the ADDED years which they can cut and not pay a dime of that 40 Mil!
Only the 20 Mil he was already signed up for if they kept him!
Oh, so now he IS guaranteed $20.5 million?
Metsie March 31, 2012 at 11:45 am .
You forget it is a football contract and hardly any of that is guaranteed!
Metsie March 31, 2012 at 1:52 pm .
20.5 mil is from the contract he was already under!
In two hours, he went from “hardly any” to being guaranteed to $20.5. All that’s changed is his story, as usual. This contract, that contract, a signing bonus.
To review, Sanchez was extended $40.5 million, which brings his total contract value to $58+ million. $20.5 million is guaranteed, but that’s hardly anything to Metsie. This is irrefutable fact from numerous legit football sources, not Bleacher Report, which my cousin’s 19-year-old son writes a blog for.
Yawn is his EXTENTION guaranteed?
NOPE!
YOU LOSE!
And here when the tears stop burning you can read this one too…
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1098998-new-york-jets-breaking-down-what-mark-sanchezs-contract-extension-really-means
“However, should the quarterback and the Jets continue to struggle the team can cut bait on Sanchez after the 2013 season without suffering any ill effects “
Nice caveat, but poor try. The $20.5 million is owed before then, but it’s still GUARANTEED and it’s still significantly more than “hardly any”.
the 20 mil is from his previous/existing contract not the extention!
Nice try at trying to haze your way out of it though!
None of the extention is owed until he plays game one in 2014 and beyond!
A point you keep trying to hide!
But then again you always were the soreest of losers on this site!
In about 5 more posts I expect you will go back to the I must be nuts no sense in arguing with me tact you usually take when I don’t back down from your nonsense!