14
2012
It Is Time To Do Something About Mike Pelfrey
An article by 
I mentioned in my introduction post that the Mets might want to consider moving Mike Pelfrey to the bullpen. Now I am saying that it is time that they do something. It’s become increasingly difficult to rely on him in the starting rotation.
One thing the Mets may want to try is to move him to the bullpen. Give him the long-relief role, that way he can still eat innings for the Mets. In most long relief situations, he would be entering the game with a sizable lead or with the team down. That would likely take some pressure off of him and allow him to just focus on pitching.
Another idea is to send him down to the minors, if he would accept it. Hopefully, he won’t pull an Oliver Perez.
Sending a struggling pitcher down to the minors has worked before for the Mets. Remember Steve Trachsel? He did very well after returning from that minor league assignment.
It’s definitely worth a try in my opinion. Plus, even if it doesn’t work out, during the time Pelfrey is down, that gives the Mets space on the roster to have another pitcher, one who isn’t struggling.
Of course we can simply give up on him completely, but I don’t suggest that just yet. They can try to trade him and see what teams will give up for him.
I think the Mets should at least try to explore the possibility of sending Pelfrey to Buffalo to work on things. If he’s as talented as everyone says he is, he probably won’t be there long. And it could be great for his confidence.
About the Author: Tyler Moore
Tyler is a lifelong Mets fan and tries to attend a few Mets games each season. Among the most notable games he's attended are Mike Piazza's first game in 1998, Todd Pratt's postseason homer game in 1999, and Mike Piazza's last game as a Met in 2005. He's been blogging about the Mets since 2009. He also Co-Created and Co-Hosts the Mets Madness Podcast.
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Uhm, spring training? That’s not a move to make now, it’s a move to make during the season if he still hasn’t put it together.
Well, ANYONE with baseball knowledge or with 2 eyes that are able to see knew that this guy was/IS a bad pitcher, no matter what you do with him, he is what he is, he should’ve been let go or traded or something DURING the offseason, not given a raise and be part of this roster, but instead, our smart/genius of a GM gave him a raise and stood still while everyone got better in the SP and Bullpen in the NL East, ha had a good day and all is forgiven.. Funny how we are called ANTI SANDY for saying the same stuff people are NOW starting to write about.. I am glad people are taking notice on how poorly constructed this NY Mets team is.. and we all know where starts.. it’s still beyond me how this guy still with the ballclub.. i know it’s only ST, but it’s not like we have not seen him getting bombed like that before, which makes it more unbelieavable that 3 GM’s in front office can’t see what we have.. SMH
As I was saying on the other thread, there was really no harm in offering him arbitration because they can still release him with little or no money owed. So basically Pelfrey could have been a form of insurance.
I posted a comment last night to the same effect, that it made sense given all the constraints and overall situation. basically, if they had options better than scrap heap guys like Bautista (if say harvey had finished his MiL development, and had a cup of coffee in September), then they might have been willing to cut bait already.
For now, they need him in the rotation. Cold he be traded? Sure, assuming some team will offer anything worthwhile for him.
Not seeing him going down either. What exactly is he going to work on that 3-4 weeks in the minors will help?
stick, why then even bring him back then??? why pay this guy $5 million when a guy like batista will cost less and do way more?? he as a GM has done an AWFUL job at building the team and it seems with moves like the pelfrey one that he DOES NOT CARE what happens with the team… add another losing season to his great career as a GM…
Again, for insurance purposes. While you say that Bautista would do much better we have really nothing to show that he could produce an ERA under 5.00 and pitch 200 innings. You would also be reducing the amount of arms you have in depth as well.
for $5 million, we could’ve had 5 MIKE PELFREYS instead of just 1… don’t you agree??? hell, vasques is better than that bum!!!!
Vasquez was not coming to NY Alex. Try another name.
But lets follow your logic. Go find 5 pitchers who had an ERA under 5.00 and pitched 175+ innings who signed for 1M or less.
TRS, Point is, mike pelfrey shouldn’t be on the team, he showed NOTHING to grant a raised or to be with the club imo..
OK, I can understand your view but WHO did you want that would be cheaper and was coming off 175+ innings and an ERA under 5.00? Also keep in mind that you only want that pitcher for 1 year.
because the odds are high that a guy like Batista is not going to be ‘way better”. Or better at all.
what you do set yourself up for though is a revolving door of scrap heap guys, which does not often end well.
@trs86 ; you imply that Pelfry could be released with the Mets owing little of the 5 million that was awarded him in arbitration….how could that be?
I think they COULD have under the terms of the old agreement. I have no idea if it is still currently true or when the deadline was. Example when they signed Duaner Sanchez his last year with the Mets they released him in March and only owed him termination pay. It was basically explained then that arbitration eligible players don’t have guaranteed contracts.
No TRS the Mets are on the hook for all of Pelfreys 2012 contract. I would’ve non tendered Pelfrey if I could get a Maholm type signing. Their careers are close but Maholm is coming off of a better year and I’ve noticed a drop in Pelfreys velocity and a flater sinker since the allstar break 2010. I’ve never been a fan of Pelfrey’s from his inconsistency to his demeanor on the mound, so I have a biased opinion.
you do realize that his salary had nothing to do with Sandy wanting to pay him more, or him deserving more, and that it was purely a result of the arbitration system?
And trading a guy is fine in concept, but since you seem to think that it should be obvious to anyone (other than our GM) that he sucks to bad to pitch on a decent team, why would any team offer more than a used rosin bag for him?
If you are trading a guy for nothing, it is a much smarter move to give him a chance to rebound so you either get use out of him, or a better return in trade. And if he continues to suck, then you can still cut him adrift for nothing (and be in the same place).
stick, if what you say is accurate…hello Batista
Batista hasn’t pitched over 100 innings since 2008 when he hit 115.
I’ll bet Alderson didn’t even contact SF about a Cain for Pelfrey deal.
I don’t see Pelfrey moving out of it anytime soon barring an injury and a trip to the minors may be down the road but he would 1st have to struggle in the regular season for that to occur cause I doubt in my opinion that would be a course of action based on S.T. performance.
not a chance a move like that (or sending him to the pen) is made during ST, with a guy that has been in the rotation for as long as he has.
If he spends the first 2 months of the season getting rocked? Well, then something should be done.
I also wonder if he is hurt (since he has lost quite a bit of velocity, and some movement). Wasn’t it reported that he pitched last year (or was it 2010)? with some injury (shoulder pain or strain maybe?).
“Wasn’t it reported that he pitched last year (or was it 2010)? with some injury (shoulder pain or strain maybe?).”
It was 2010 stick.
“I had a strained rotator cuff and a strained posterior capsule almost the whole season”
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/mets-mike-pelfrey-chance-opening-day-prove-ace-johan-santana-article-1.114179
thanks. the years just blur together now…
anyway, not inconceivable there was something to it that sapped some of his ability (or at least velocity).
Just wait till he wins the Cy Young this season and makes all of you look foolish!
Truth be told there is probably nothing wrong with Pelfrey that a good catcher who is very good at calling a game couldn’t solve!
His issues are all decision related not his physical ability.
That said the plan as far as I can tell is to hope he does well in the first half to dump him off for something at the deadline!
And if he doesn’t do well they will muddle along until Harvey or Familia take the job from him!
He’s had veterans catch him. Paul Lo Duca, Brian Schneider, and Ramon Castro (who I consider at least decent at calling a game) all caught him. It isn’t the catchers, it is the pitcher.
Veterans yes but how many of them have the experience of calling an ACE?
When I talk of a good catcher I’m talking about a guy like Grote, Carter or Bench who was so used to calling and catching Aces pitchers that they learned from calling the best and as a result made the lesser pitchers better because of it!
Not even Piazza would qualify and the truth is I can’t name a single catcher playing today that DOES Qualify!
If we actually had a true ace or two then Maybe Thole would become one but we don’t have that!
The only guy who might benefit is whoever is catching for Philly these days and Posada!
I have been wanting him off the team for years. We should have traded him after his high of 15 wins. Insurance can be bad also. 200 bad innings is not good insurance. I would rather see someone else until Harvey or someone esle is ready to come up in late May or June.
Trade him, release him, give him away…..NO MAS.
What is this nonsense I keep eharing about him being an “innings eater”
That might be one of the stupidest things ive ever heard. What difference does it make if he eats innings if he is likely to give up 6-8 runs every time he pitches, Hell, anyone could do that. I could throw a ball 60 feet 6 inches. I bet i could eat innings too. Id prob walk the whole team and give up 600 foot home runs but I could eat those innings away like its nobodys business. I thought the point of being a general manager was to try and get your team to win as many games as possible while also building for the future. Sandy is more concerned with whose gonna “eat” these precious innings, than actually getting a guy who can effectively pitch a ballgame. I can’t stand Sandy, I felt from the beginning like he doesnt even want to b here, he acts like hes too good for it. I think he just agreed to it so it gives him a better shot of becoming commisioner when Selig retires. He’s very smug and really has no idea what hes doing. The only think i lke that he did was bring in paul depodesta and jp riciardi to help build the farm. As far his own resume is concerned its awful.
Brad Eamus
Willie Harris
DJ Carrasco
Tim Byrdak – very overated
Ronny Cedeno – really?
Pelfrey – u gave this chump arbitration?
OK so same question for Alex. Who did you want to go out make 30+ starts and give you better results than 3 runs per 6 innings at a cheaper price?
TRS8, so the only way to acquire a pitcher is only through FA?? couldn’t 3 gm’s get creative and make a trade? bring someone who can help the club? many young good oitchers were available for trade… but no, sandy had a good day n we should be happy about it..
OK fair enough, who do you want to trade for and who do you want to give up for a guy to replace Mike Pelfrey?
I love this line:
“many young good oitchers were available for trade”
Seriously? How many “good young pitchers” are available and what resources do we have to trade for such?
So wait, you’re asking me to now be GM when often when we do, we get criticize for it? and we get told to leave alderson be the GM? isn’t the GM’s job to find out what’s best for the team? do we all really think those 3 GM’s we have are doing his job? THREE GM’s and all we have come up with is a single A pitcher and 2 middle of the road relivers that we EVEN had to OVERPAY for… AMAZING!!!!
LOL, that’s what I figured. All answers until challenged to provide one.
Latos, Ubaldo, Gio and Garza got some of the best young prospects in the minors.
For us to have gotten one of them it would have taken Harvey and Familia. Not worth it in my opinion.
No one’s trading a top pitcher for any combination of Flores, Kirk, Valdespin, Den Dekker, Ceciliano, Vaughn or anyone else.
Alderson’s doing what Minaya did when he got here. Trying to survive with some of the guys he inherited. Minaya gave Kris Benson 3/22 M because with no depth he needed innings. Pelfreys the same deal.
Santana’s iffy in general for 2012 but 7 or 8 each time out? Not likely. Niese and Gee have been 6 inning guys and Dickey can’t be counted on to go 7 each time out either and Pelfrey has at least been durable with no history of any arm or shoulder problems.
Pelfrey’s 200 IP at #4 would be huge on a team with a good rotation and there is always the chance while he’s eating innings that he may just have a very good 1/2 season, he has in the past a couple of times and maybe you get something for him.
Not worth dumping him for nothing, losing something good from the farm and risk blowing out the bullpen.
Yeah but correct me if I’m wrong. Isn’t the object of baseball is to win the game?
“What difference does it make if he eats innings if he is likely to give up 6-8 runs every time he pitches”
Yes, his ERA has been right about 7 his whole career hasn’t it?
As TRS has lucidly, intelligently, and correctly pointed out, Pelf is right in the ballpark for what a 4th or 5th starter should be. He’s up and down, he is mediocre, he might be overpaid, but someone DOES in fact have to pitch, and with this team’s never-ending injury problem, being able to pitch 30+ games a year is valuable.
The Met problem is that we don’t have much of a good rotation aside from him. Dickey’s a decent 2 or 3, and who knows about the rest.
If Pelf was 4th or 5th starter on a team with 3 or 4 really good pitchers, no one would whine about him.
But Pelf’s career ERA is 4.40—mediocre to be sure, but saying he “is likely to give up 6-8 runs every time he pitches” is simply irrelevant untrue nonsense.
Yes, teams often send struggling pitchers to the minors in mid-March.
LOL!
By the way, considering for what we pay our starting pitchers, he shouldn’t be consider a #4, because everyone on the staff IS a #4!!!!!!!
What does pay have to do with where a pitcher pitches in the rotation? Should the Marlins go
Zambrano
Johnson
Nolasco
Sanchez
Buehrle
This is why people consider you to be an idiot….
Alex, no sane person considers TRS an idiot….
Why is that Alex? Is it because way too often I argue with them?
You Come across as a know it all, yet you never provide facts and ride the wave, when some of us do you criticize us, when we don’t then we’re wrong… Live and let life bro… that is not the way to engage with people..
Coming from the guy who floods the shout box with trash talk…
Really Alex? This entire discussion on Pelfrey I have provided facts. What “fact” have you provided? In fact, when was the last post you made that had an actual researched point in the post?
Now back to the topic. How in fact do I come across as a know it all by challenging you to provide substance to your fluff?
ok, Tell me WHY vasquez is not coming to NY??? explain to me, where he said that??? oswalt? we could’ve traded for gio, garza, hell, even lannan is available… there.. ball at you!!
“Most of the players play until [someone] takes their uniform off. For me, it’s not the way it should be. I love my family and I love my kids, and I want to be there with them. I want to see them growing up. And if I don’t, when I’m 50, I’m going to regret that, and I don’t want to regret that. I’ve seen it too many times.”
“There’s a time and a place where you have to just say, ‘Hey, I’ve been there, I’ve done it. I’ve done everything I’ve wanted to do in the game,’” said Marlins first baseman Gaby Sanchez. “He’s accomplished so much. It’s time to just walk away on a high note and be with his family.”
And that’s exactly what Vasquez intends to do.
“Although Vazquez said he wants to spend more time with his family in Puerto Rico, returning to the Marlins could be his most desirable destination. According to people close to Vazquez, playing for a team with a legitimate chance to contend might be enough to prompt him to reconsider his retirement plans.
The Marlins have sent signals that they will field a contender when they open their new ballpark in April. A guess here is that the Marlins might persuade him to come back for about $10 million. And if Vazquez can pitch next year like he did down the stretch this year, that will be money well spent.
Of course, Vazquez could also say no, call it a career and relax with his family. He said he’d make a final decision by December.”
Next up, you put together a package from the Mets that matches what the Nats gave for Gio?
While your at it, take a peek at what the Cubs have rumored to be demanding for Garza. Also you mentioned Lannan and the Mets did indeed take a look but he too cost 5M plus prospects.
Lannan isn’t anymore measurably better than Pelfrey, IMO.
I agree our SP depth is very thin.
But if we’re giving up any decent prospects for a SP, I’d like it to be for someone better than Pelf – someone who is not just brought in to maintain the status quo, but to actually make that rotation better.
NO, I WANT YOU TO FIND ME WHERE JAVIER VASQUEZ HIMSELF SAID HE WILL NOT COME TO NY… don’t give me that sources close to him crap… where did harang sign this year? garland is in cleveland right? wasn’t sources close to him saying he’ll only play in the west coast?? this aint NOTHING… please….
LOL, Harang signed with the Dodgers for 2 years 12M guaranteed even though before last year he was much worse than even Pelfrey.
Garland was injured last year so if he was signed then you guys would have been giving him the same treatment you do when we are even mentioned as monitoring Chris Young.
As for your point on Vasquez, who is he pitching for again? Oh yeah.
Pelfrey is just a younger version of Steve Trachsel, a guy the anti-saberist loved. If you look at their stats during their Met tenures you will be provided with about the same pitcher. The difference? Obviously run support.
Yet somehow after a 2004 of a 4.00 ERA and 1.411 WHIP in which he did worse than before he got paid more, in fact he made 6.78M in 2005 and gave us 6 starts. Man can’t imagine who would give him that type of deal.
I like the idea of moving him to the bullpen. The bullpen is in front of the stadium wall. We got him from the field to the wall, and it is only a few feet to being outside the stadium. Yes we would be closer to getting rid of him. Oh I forgot his pitching problems is the fault of Josh Thole, according to Collins. Not right-go read what Collins said about his catcher.
Tyler and I obviously think alot alike.
I don’t think anything is going to change with Pelfrey. He continues to make mistakes with his sinker, and I still believe his mentality issues are still there. He has had alot of time to try and fix those issues, and I think its time for him (and the Mets included) to move on.