13
2012
Bullpen’s Folly: Last Night’s Win Against The Rays Was A Rare Delight
An article by 
Stephen Guilbert from Mack’s Mets penned an interesting post that pointed out a rare occurence in last night’s 11-2 win against the Tampa Bay Rays. Here’s a small part of it:
Last night, the Mets accomplished a feat that has proved difficult for them in 2012–they played a full nine-inning game in which the bullpen did not surrender an earned run and the defense did not commit an error.
It has only happened 15 times in 62 games in 2012. The Mets record in those games is 14-1. Here are some more records of note involving the Mets bullpen and defense:
- 37 out of 59 (63%) games the bullpen has allowed a run.
- 24 out of 59 (41%) games the bullpen has allowed two runs or more.
- 32 out of 62 (52%) games the Mets have committed an error.
- 11-26 record when the bullpen allows even just one run (4-8 in April, 5-12 in May, 2-6 in June).
- 4-20 when the bullpen allows 2 or more runs (2-6 in April, 2-10 in May, 0-4 in June).
- 2-14 when the bullpen allows 3 or more runs.
- 6-16 when the bullpen has allowed at least one run and the team has made at least one error (3-7 in April, 2-5 in May, 1-4 in June)
- 14-18 in games in which the Mets have made an error (7-8 in April. 6-6 in May. 1-4 in June)
- 3-9 when the team has committed 2 or more errors.
- 2-12 when Errors+bullpen runs allowed >3 (1-4 in April, 1-6 in May, 0-2 in June).
- 1-8 when the bullpen has allowed at least three runs and an error was committed by the Mets during the ball game.
I always enjoy reading pieces with snippets of information like this one. Stephen gives a great game by game synopsis and a complete analysis as well, so I’d urge you to check out his post in its entirety.
The sad part about this is that we may not see another game like this in weeks. Good defense and effective relief shouldn’t be a rare occurrence for a team that expended almost 100% of its resources this offseason on revamping the bullpen and bringing in defensive-minded players like Andres Torres, Omar Quintanilla and Ronny Cedeno.
About the Author: Joe DeCaro
I'm a lifelong Mets fan who loves writing and talking about the Amazins' 24/7. From the Miracle in 1969 to the magic of 1986, and even the near misses in '73 and '00, I've experienced it all - the highs and the lows. I started Mets Merized Online in 2005 to feed my addiction. Follow me on Twitter @metsmerized.
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Keep in mind where most of these errors are coming. Murphy 9, Wright 6, Davis 5, Thole 4, Nieuwenhuis 3 & Valdesin 3.
Parnell has gotten the worst of that. They pointed out last night that the Mets have made 10 errors in 27 innings for him.
And it isn’t just the recorded errors. Does anyone really think the 2 runs Young gave up last night were “earned”?
The bullpen is already ugly. You can’t make their job harder by giving the opposition more outs.
I thought they said 13 errors in 27 innings of work. But you could be right.
It’s a little erroneous sometimes how they score errors – or more to the point do not. Those 2 fly balls lost in the white dome ceiling should have been caught, period. Because neither gets a glove on it, they’re hits? Bah.
Ya, an outfielder can take a bad route and a fly ball that should have been caught becomes a run scoring triple, but if an outfielder dives for a ball going to the gap but drops it, even though the runner has to stop at first, that is an error.
“10 errors in 27 innings” ouch. True there are definitely just as many and I’d say more mental errors than those that are recoded as such. Though last night the dropped flyballs was a by product of the stadium and not being familiar with it.
The Rays announcers noted that it has been a common occurrence with visiting teams all season and went on to note that teams that come out and take BP and catch flyballs are doing so with pearl white baseballs that contrast better against the stadium dome as opposed to the actual game balls that the Umps rub dirt on them before the game.
I don’t know how much of a difference if any this makes but it was a view I don’t recall ever hearing before.
It may help them see the ball better but it will hurt the hitting and the pitching without the mud…
I guess it’s a wash though since it affects both.
MLB should really have them change the color of the roof. Or change the color of the ball.
He has three blown saves, All of them featured some sort of error or fielding misplay to set it up.
His very first Blown save May 30th also involved bad fielding but it was not recorded as an error nor happen when he was on the mound. Gee started the 7th and a bad fielding play by Baxter? and Kirk allowed a ball to drop for a double. Gee was yanked (would he have been if that ball was caught?) Parnell came in and to the very first batter, third pitch of the AB, hung a curveball that got crushed for a 2 run HR. Still on Parnell for hanging the curve but truth is if we field the ball he never gets there! Parnell leaves game tied up! We lose it later on when Ramirez and Schwinden put the game away for the Phils.
His second (June 5th) was the game where the SS made two errors and there was another bad play by Ike that was not recorded as an error as well. Ikes error cost us a DP that could have shortened the inning FC instead.
His final BS was against the Yanks (June 10th) Single by Jeter, Error on the SS gives Jeter 2nd base, Another single gets Jeter to 3rd and another one scores Jeter. Score Tied. A pop fly behind 1B no one can get to scores the last run, Down 4-3
What is significant about his first two Blown Saves is Parnell left us tied not behind and leads were regained afterwards that were subsequently blown by other relievers.
Only in the last Blown save did he give up a lead and it was tied up the next inning only to have another reliver give up the walk off HR.
He has had some bad luck and far more fielding issues have contributed than have been recorded in the books. That doesn’t excuse him from the Yankee game but considering how things have gone for him in the past when errors were made I see how he could get flustered and make mistakes in his worst BS during the Yankee game after an error puts a runner on 2nd right off the bat!
If you were to make a list of every reliever that Alderson has brought in since 2010, you would have one of the best Who’s Who In Suckitude lists ever assembled.
Right, because this bad bullpen is something completely new to the NY Mets?
Come on Maniac, really?
When was the last time we had the worst pen in the MLB?
I can’t ever remember one!
Kay’s got a point, Metsie. It’s a degree of badness at this point.
To really evaluate if this is the worst ever or in recent memory, we’d better wait till mid-September, no?
So if they manage to get into the Playoffs your prepared to go with this lot as your bullpen?
Into an LDS and WS and Dickey and a guy coming off injury on three days rest with this pen as your backup?
They have until July 31st!
Thats when the deadline hits and no trades can be made without going through Waivers!
Cause thats the last opportunity we have to fix what will likely kill us should this team make the playoffs!
As of today we are 3rd on the Wildcard list.
DESPITE the Pen costing us games!
You want to go into a playoffs with these guys your nuts!
So you have until August when the Roster’s get locked and no more moves can be made!
Not September!
Honestly Metsie, I’ll answer that question.
“So if they manage to get into the Playoffs your prepared to go with this lot as your bullpen?”
Absolutely. In that scenario if the NY Mets are in the playoffs, then the bullpen will likely have stepped up and turned things around well enough to make us all comfortable.
If the season ended today we would be in the payoffs…
Is that because they have stepped it up?
We could easily make the playoffs even if they continue to suck!
I know you want every chance to salvage the ‘Good Day” acquisitions but lets face it we would have the division lead by now if it wasn’t for them!
I understand TODAY they aren’t in the playoffs but last week they were, did anything change with the bullpen?
Your question was “If they manage to get into the Playoffs” — Which means after Game 162 you have them in
“your prepared to go with this lot as your bullpen?”
My answer is yes. If this team makes the playoffs somehow someway, I can promise you I will be fine with the bullpen.
No they are not even with the extra Wildcard? I wonder why they aren’t after they were last week?
And yes we all know you would be happy to go with these guys afterall you have much more at stake in supporting them than just a playoff run don’t you…
Metsie, I’m simply answering your scenario.
If you tell me with this bullpen the Mets after 162 games are in the playoffs, I’d be happy and comfortable with them in the post-season.
Am I happy and comfortable with them NOW? No. But if you’re presenting a scenario that says they make the playoffs with this pen, then why would I be unhappy with them? Since they aren’t making the playoffs unless the pen gets their act together
Thats an assumption your making that they will have gotten it together IF we make the playoffs.
But we could easily make the playoffs even if they do not!
Good starting pitching and good hitting has overcome their problems this far!
But that won’t work as well in a playoff situation where your facing a team with what is likely to be the best starting pitching and hitting in the league!
Truth is if we DO make the playoffs it will be because the guys we have now will be long gone!
Sorry we will have to agree to disagree.
If the 2012 Mets make the playoffs, guys like Rauch, Francisco etc are going to have to turn it around.
You’re not making it through the summer losing games with your bullpen. Johan, Niese, Gee, Young are not going to go 9 innings every start….
If this team makes the playoffs, I’ll be a pig in you know what. I won’t be mad about our bullpen
Fine with me…Just pointing out that we were in 2st place a week ago despite thier foibles and they do not have to pitch better if whatever made up for them previously holds…
Even Ike Davis hitting for average would bail them out more often than not!
And you would still be left with having to put them into a tough playoff situation where they have yet to show they can even handle the low pressure reg season situations.
I tell you that they should not wait past the deadline to solve it and if they do and the pen doesn’t get better then it WILL have (if your assumption is correct) cost us a playoff!
And how good will Sandy’s good day look to you then?
Exactly, no one finds the bad bull pen acceptable, but some seem to think this is a new thing and only tanked once SA walked in the door.
As bad our pen is (the worst statistically in the majors, ugh) bullpen help is a league wide problem. There’s only a literal handful of teams with bullpens that would be considered solid. Every team is better off developing bullpen arms than signing them, which is why I feel Mejia is best served in the pen.
Of Topic : Saw this on MLB.com
The Mets have hit a double in a franchise-record 34 straight games dating back to May 7.
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2012_06_13_nynmlb_tbamlb_1
Solution? Our SP have to pitch at least 8 innings. That’s easy, right?
There have been quite a few games where the starter could’ve easily went 8 or even 9 but Terry gets a Bullpen woody as soon as the starter lets a man reach base. Right now that’s the best solution to fixing the bullpen. Stop lifting the starter unless he needs to be lifted and not because it’s one of the assigned role guys turn to pitch or the magic 100 pitch mark has been reached.
Wow, those are demoralizing numbers, though I knew just about any time BP came in it was almost guaranteed that they would blow game but the part the lack of defense plays was surprising but when you put Muprh at 2B this was part of the deal and then he has not hit for power despite his bloop hit last night he struck out 3 times, 3 times he looked foolish and TC puts into game against a tough lefty like Price?
How much more is TC and Mets going to allow Murphy to dig a deeper hole for himself?
problem is Murphy isn’t making as many costly errors as others are…SS has been an issue and it’s kind of understandable considering we are on something like our 5th choice playing the position.
Possible if Tejada is there those errors don’t happen.
OF has made a few of the costly ones, And some other firlding plays that didn’t get recorded as an error but were clearly botched fielding plays…
Ike has two errors if I’m not mistaken but both only cost us a DP as he got at least one out on each.
Metsie — I agree that Murphy has done relatively well defensively this season. And his offense had been successful until recently. He has changed his batting stance this season, cutting down on high inside strikeouts. But he has given up all his power and I wish he’d go back to his old stance. I’m tired of seeing him batting with his arms only with his upright stance. He’ll have to figure it out, just like Ike seems to be starting to do.
Is his power really down or just his SLG?
He has 15 Doubles (how many are power hits I can’t say) and one triple (Usually not power related) No HRs but then again I never thought of Murphy as a big HR guy and considering how power weak the rest of the lineup has been I don’t see why they would give him those fastballs he can put over the fence.
I’ll take your word that he has changed his stance I hadn’t noticed but then again I haven’t really looked because he is hitting.
I wonder if Hudgens has anything to do with the change…
I sure wouldn’t have messed with a guy who hit .320 last year!
Been away for a while for reasons already stated but did want to say we could have had a more reliable bullpen had our own decisions been different.
- Takahashi wanted a two-year contract and Sandy was only willing to give one.
In his first 4.2 innings this season his ERA was 9.95. In his last 17.1 innings he has lowered it to 4.50 (an ERA of 2.00) allowing 12 hits over that scan. Last year Takahashi sported a 3.44 ERA in 68 innings with a 1.221 WHIP. What eventually became a two-year eight million dollar contract with the Angels was something Sandy decided he did not want to commit to.
- Jason Insringhausen did a fine job for the Mets but Sandy granted him free agency.
In 24 appearances (23 innings) he has a 1.96 ERA along with a 1.217 WHIP. Jason signed with the Angeles for just $650K.
If the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim make it to the playoffs, they can have us to thank for helping strengthen their bullpen….
- Of course, not retaining KRod was due to the lack of financial resources. If that wasn’t the case, it mean the Mets decided his bonus and contract for 2012 wasn’t worth it.
Now, despite sporting a 4.34 ERA this season, it was 7.20 after his first 4.1 innings and is now down to 4.34, having allowed just five earned runs in his last 17 innings (2.54 ERA) giving up 20 hits and three walks (1.34 WHIP over that same time frame)
So imagine this trio, along with less dependence upon Francisco, Ramirez, Rauch and even Parnell as set-up men – that would be a formable bullpen to go along with our formable starting.
But even without KRod the Mets still could have retainedTakahashi and Jason for little expense and even with Francisco as closer the pen would be better than it is.