23
2012
From Left Field: Dillon Gee’s Injury Proved Crippling
An article by 
It’s a fact: Every team experiences some sort of injuries over the course of a 162-game season.
For some reason however, it always seems the Mets are plagued with the injury bug more so than other teams.
This year was no different, as Mike Pelfrey went down early, Ruben Tejada missed time and now Johan Santana has been shut down.
But an injury that was overlooked in the big picture that has had a crippling effect has been Dillon Gee’s blood clot right before the All-Star break.
Gee was just 6-7 with a 4.10 ERA in 17 starts, so you may be asking how this injury was so detrimental. But look at his game logs, and you’ll see how vital he was to the Mets’ first half success.
In those 17 starts, Gee tallied 12 quality starts. The Mets however only won six of those games, proving the offense and bullpen were of course futile.
Throw out his first three starts of the season (even though he threw a seven-inning gem against the Braves in his second start), and Gee threw quality starts in 11 of his final 14 games.
What more can you ask of your fifth starter?
Gee’s record was not indicative of how he performed this season. It’s a shame that he went on the disabled when he did, because he was just coming off a stellar eight-inning, one-run outing against the Cubs right before the break.
While the outlandish two-out RBI stats played a role in carrying the Mets during the first half, it really was the starting pitching that kept the Mets relevant. R.A. Dickey, Johan Santana and Jon Niese did the heavy lifting, but Gee was right there being a consistent anchor.
SNY showed a stat last night that Mets’ starting pitchers’ ERA so far in the second half is 4.74. This obviously has played a role in the team’s downfall.
It’s curious that the Mets didn’t immediately give Matt Harvey the chance to fill Gee’s spot in the rotation while the team still had a fleeting chance. Harvey has looked great in the bigs so far and would have almost certainly done a better job than Miguel Batista and Jeremy Hefner.
Either way, what’s done is done, and now we all just hope for the speedy recovery of Gee. Though he won’t return this season, Gee is making good progress.
Considering that the Mets have other pressing needs (mainly the outfield and the bullpen), expect the starting rotation to look something like this: R.A. Dickey, a healthy and well-rested Johan Santana, Jon Niese, Matt Harvey and Dillon Gee. Based on track record, Santana will likely get hurt at some point, which then opens the door for Zack Wheeler.
This is actually a decent rotation when everyone is performing up to par. Now if the team can only hit a little…
About the Author: Jim Mancari
Jim Mancari hails from Massapequa, N.Y. He recently earned a Master's degree in Journalism at Hofstra University. He is a devout Mets fan and takes pride in his team, despite their lack of success over the last few years. Like all Mets fans, Jim has plenty of hope. He also writes as the sports reporter for the Brooklyn Tablet newspaper and the senior editor of metroBASEBALL Magazine. Click my name to view my personal website.
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NL East Standings
| Team | W | L | Pct. | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Braves | 42 | 28 | .600 | - |
| Nationals | 34 | 35 | .493 | 7.5 |
| Phillies | 34 | 37 | .479 | 8.5 |
| Mets | 25 | 40 | .385 | 14.5 |
| Marlins | 22 | 47 | .319 | 19.5 |
Last updated: 06/18/2013
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Even though we lost 3/5s of the opening day starting rotation, I don’t believe SP was our downfall this season. I expected it to be the biggest hole but IMO now with just a little over a month to go, it has not been.
I believe the poor defense, lack of power and god-awful BP turned out to be more of a problem then the SP.
I like Gee. I’d put him a tick better than a prototypical 5th starter. I hope and expect him to be on the starting rotation starting next year. After that, it’s anyone’s guess.
I believe the poor defense, lack of power and god-awful BP”
any conversation about why our season SUCKS starts with the bullpen first ok. The biggest culprit were those 3 sandy brought in.. you know, when he had that good day!
BP first? Fair enough.
I didn’t list them in order of ‘awfulness’……just commented that I believe the SP was the least of our problems.
Gee during the period of the season he was pitching kept his team in the game. When Dickey and Santana were hot he was our number three. He was ahead of Niese (I project Niese to be a solid #2). Niese has since pitched more like he is capable of. Gee is really a solid # 4 and is capable of winning 15 games. Our SP for 2013 is looking solid. That is if Gee is in the mix as he was before he was shut down. If we really do not need Gee, then he could be a valuable trade chip.
At the start of the season, everyone was saying the the Offense and the Defense was going to be the strength and the starting rotation was going to be the weakness.
I never understood why people thought this and i thoughts were just the opposite. Of course we had questions going into the season with the rotation, The big ones I thought were Santana and his heath and the ability of Pelf to perform. I thought that RAD was going to be good and he’s been better than what I expected and I thought the Neise and Gee would be very solid middle of the rotation guys, which they have been, Neise has even made a step towards being a solid #2 if not a very good #3.
I had serious questions about the pen. There were too many “failed” closers on the later part of their careers…Fransisco has been bad, Rauch has turned it around but was pretty bad earlier in the season. Ramirez has been a huge disappointment (who I thought was the best of the three added) Parnell is still learning how to pitch and Byrdak proves you need more than one lefty in the pen. I won’t mention the cast of guys who look good at times but always seemed to fall behind in the count and get rocked.
Sadly, we went through this year much the same as last…we have the same questions going into next season…no bullpen, health of the rotation, a under performing offense, no big FA additions, Bay, catcher, Wright’s depending Free Agency…so what progress has been made in 2012? I don’t see any.
USMF, after losing reyes AND beltran and not replacing them with anybody significant i was just amazed at how people were saying we were gonna be fine on offense. high OBP and not much slugging is always a problem, you can’t keep having to hit 3 and 4 hits just to score ONE run, it doesn’t work that way, at first it was good and dandy because pitchers kept walking mets hitters, once MLB found the solution to figure out the mets offensive strategy and strated throwing strikes, well, now we see what’s been happening.. pathetic offense and lots of hitter with 1-2 and 0-2 counts, trying to defend the plate during at bats
The problem with that is it was Duda and Davis were not supplying the power they were supposed to.
And guess what: neither of those guys were taking a lot of pitches. Even Keith pointed out repeatedly that among Ike’s problems was the fact that he was chasing every first pitch curve ball that came his way. His 0-1 counts are because he was swinging through balls off the plate, not because he was taking strikes.
Keith also points out the when Ike is hot, its because he lays off the first pitch breaking balls and crushes a fastball (along with fixing his hands and such)
” once MLB found the solution to figure out the mets offensive strategy and strated throwing strikes,”
Complete opposite of reality. The problem is they have a bunch of guys that can’t hit a curveball. Opposing pitchers have been throwing fewer first pitch fastballs, not more.
Yeah, so all those fastball right down the pipe that mets hitter were laying off from where what? imaginary too?? Bob ojeda went off because of that, everyone in baseball got a hold off what the mets hitters aproach was, which is “wait for your pitch” phylosophy install to them by the sabergooners in house and hudgens. of course once all teams around baseball knew they were gonna wait for “their pitch” they started to throw strikes right away because they knew the mets hitters were not gonna swing early in counts.
“A good hitter can hit a pitch in a good spot three times better than a great hitter can hit a ball in a questionable spot.”
“The greatest single difference between a Major League and minor-league batsman is his judgment of the strike zone. He knows better whether to swing or take a pitch.”
Silly sabergoon Ted Williams and Branch Rickey.
Slightly related to this subject of hitting but not really meant for this debate
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1142504/1/index.htm
A great piece if you have some time to read.
“Yeah, so all those fastball right down the pipe that mets hitter were laying off from where what? imaginary too?? ”
Most of them, ya.
“Bob ojeda went off because of that, everyone in baseball got a hold off what the mets hitters aproach was, which is “wait for your pitch” phylosophy install to them by the sabergooners in house and hudgens.”
Ya, he’s just plain wrong. He is empirically, factually, verifiably wrong. Reality does not agree with you and Bobby O. The Mets have been getting more first pitch breaking balls.
“of course once all teams around baseball knew they were gonna wait for “their pitch” they started to throw strikes right away because they knew the mets hitters were not gonna swing early in counts.”
Nope. Teams stopped throwing fastballs, especially on the first pitch. Do you want to go through the game logs?
The plain simple fact is most of these guys have no idea what do with a curve ball and the league knows it.
Thats not to say that they haven’t been caught looking at good pitches at times. That may be a product of being so flustered by breaking pitches.
But to imply that Hudgens wants to send up an army of Dave Magedans every game is disingenuous.
Ya, he’s just plain wrong. He is empirically, factually, verifiably wrong. Reality does not agree with you and Bobby O”
WOw.. just Wow…. I mean, i know some of you think you know it all, but just wow… Now you (a guy who NEVER play baseball just watch) is stating that a guy who played baseball and watches the game is wrong and you’re right? Wow….
You realize you are disagreeing not just with the documented facts, but with Keith Hernandez as well, right? Even he’s come around and was praising the plate discipline they were showing earlier.
I have a question, if Bobby O called RA Dickey the best left handed fireballer he’s ever seen, what would you say? Would you agree with Bobby O? Or would you realize that what Bobby O is saying is factually incorrect?
You can’t say they take too many first pitch fastballs when they simply aren’t getting them.
And this isn’t about statistics or experience as a player. This is about what actually happened in the games.
It’s not so much about 1st ball fastballs and Ike and Duda are different cases too.
Guys knew that Ike can’t hit the curve and he’ll chase them so that’s all he gets. Especially back door stuff. Ike’s swing is big and loopy…it’s part of the problems guys like like have.
Duda’s problem is much more like the rest of the team. I have no problem working the count and taking pitches. But the problem I see, which Keith and Bobby O both point out it; many times the Met’s will work themselves into hitters counts, then they get a fastball and the don’t swing. There’s a difference between working the count to get into a hitters or fastball count and trying to work out a walk.
I still remember when I was young and every time Straw got ahead 2-0 or 3-1, he was looking to hit a bomb…and it seemed like he always did.
The Met’s are not very good at making adjustments. They aren’t dong a good job and recognizing the pitchers approach. There times to be aggressive and times to take. They don’t seem to understand the difference.
Mex points this out…the Mets spend too much time on the computer and not enough time just going up and hitting.
When we are all said and done, getting on base or walking is great, but you don’t get RBI’s by walking…we need our big bats to hit like they are big hitters. I think Mex said it last night, they have a line up full of table setters, but no run producers. His OBP is nice, but when you have no speed and low SLG then runs are going to be hard to come by.
Nobody has hit for power in the 2nd half. The team SLG the past month is last in the majors at 347…that’s Luis Castillo territory.
“Mex points this out…the Mets spend too much time on the computer and not enough time just going up and hitting.”
There are people who use the word “computer” the way Glenn Beck/Michael Moore uses “liberal/conservative”. And the results are often the same.
“There’s a difference between working the count to get into a hitters or fastball count and trying to work out a walk.”
Ya, the first is what Hudgens is teaching guys. the second is…well it is nothing.
“The Met’s are not very good at making adjustments. They aren’t dong a good job and recognizing the pitchers approach. There times to be aggressive and times to take. They don’t seem to understand the difference.”
Is that due to some nebulous philosophy or due to the hitters not being very good?
“Nobody has hit for power in the 2nd half. The team SLG the past month is last in the majors at 347…that’s Luis Castillo territory.”
They didn’t hit for a lot of power in the first half. And everyone agrees the power outage is a big problem. But to say it is due to a focus on OBP is specious reasoning at best.
Please show the data that supports this claim that the mets are getting more 1st pitch breaking balls?
Its right after the data that says they are taking a lot of first pitch fastballs.
I looked nothing there regarding a lot of Breaking balls…Tell us your source and we will see what you mean.
I actually went back through the game logs. I do it every week or so when this stupid argument comes up. Or do you think MLB.com is not a trustworthy source?
So, you can either listen to the loud guy on TV who is professionally and personally invested in his point being right, or you can actually learn something.
Funny so did I yet I see a much different story than you claim!
How many first pitch breaking balls does MLB.com say were thrown in yesterday’s game?
Sure you do. That’s why you didn’t mention it until now. That’s why whenever it comes up, you just refer to what some other loud guy says. Just stop.
And I haven’t looked at yesterday’s yet. And even if they did let a bunch of 1st pitch fastballs go by yesterday, it doesn’t negate everything that has happened prior.
No i was saying this LONG BEFORE your loud guy said a word!
THATS THE POINT!
Admit it you can’t prove a thing your just throwing crap up there and hope someone believes you!
You made the whole damn thing up!
No you weren’t. You never once NOT ONCE mentioned going back to the actual game logs until just now. So stop it.
Seriously, let it go. For once, just gracefully bow out and admit you are outgunned. It is a silly little talking point and there is so much more actual stuff to criticize.
Don’t go on your usual howling, inaccurate, and often irrelevant rant. You just drag the conversation down and make yourself look foolish.
Yeah try looking back at what I said 6 months ago on the subject!
Odd that a guy who claims I didnt’t check the game logs makes a statement he calls fact and then says he didn’t check the game logs for yesterday!
Your so full of it your near the point of exploding!
I said I’ve checked the game logs each week. I haven’t done so for this week and what did I say after that? That one game does not negate all the others.
But, go ahead, keep back pedaling, keeping changing the story, keep trying to derail the conversation. Keep making grandiose claims.
I’ll just take it as an admission of defeat. I accept your concession.
So basically you talked out of your ass and had no clue what happened when the LOUD GUY made a point regarding a game that was played you needed to go look at a boxscore but didn’t to know what happened and why the point was made!
Yeah me and the LOUD GUY are wrong for knowing what happened and talking about it!
Your Right because your Donal and can say whatever you want even if it isn’t true because facts are not as important as your Agenda!
Mets just do not recognize pitches well period!
The starting pitching was the strength of the team all season. Followed by the season Wright was having. It compensated for a poor bullpen and lack of offense from certain players for most of the 1st half Once that stopped being a strength combined with Wright slumping this 2nd half that was it.
I would suggest that the Mets are still battling the same issue that has plagued them for a decade, lack of depth. This year the depth problem has reared its head in the bullpen. Edgin has been the only pen arm brought up that has proved useful. It also showed itself in the outfield. once Kirk and Duda ran into trouble and had to go down there really hasn’t been anyone to replace them. Gee was meaningful without a doubt but I will interject that the 25 man roster became the sole issue in replacing him instead of who was ready. Once Hefner and Harvey were called up the rotation was shored up and has been performing admirably.
Dillon Gee crippled us because we had no reserve pitching to take his place.
The only option we had was Young and we burned through that after the first two weeks when Pelfrey went down.
Despite the fact they knew Young wasn’t going to be immediatly available and the fact that Santana was very likely to have a relapse or need to be shut down due to coming off a surgery and missing an entire season and a half of baseball.
They begrudgingly brought up Harvey about a start too late.
If they had done it from the get go and he got us a win then that losing streak coming off the ASG maybe is not as bad and Sandy doesn’t go make things worse by waving the white flag even before we go on the road to Arizona!
What your seeing now is a team that is taking it’s cue from thier Front Office.
They gave up making an effort and so has the team especially the offense!
Everyone (including the GM) said we sufferred from a distinct lack of power yet here we are yesterday one of our HR hitters down in the Minors and another sitting on the bench against most LHPs
They have given up and I’m sad to say I think Terry has too!
By now he would have gone off on this team as he did last september but it really hasn’t happened and even if it did I don’t think it has the same affect.
The team has seen the FO’s white flag and is honoring the surrender!
and it’s showing in the statlines and scoreboard!
The Gee injury was a back-breaker. More often than not he could be relied upon for a quality start. The good news is that there’s very positive reports coming from the Mets on Gee.
I thought Gee’s loss, looking back at what Young hasn’t done, was a big loss.
He showed in past that he could pitch and was turning into reliable starter for Met, his loss was harder to take than Johan’s because a lot was not expected from him but Gee was a stalwart for staff.
As to hitting, supposedly Hudgins in an interview said that working count was suggested but told to swing at 1st hittable pitch so who is to blame; trying to work count and get into BP of other teams, most who have better ones than Mets, or lack of communication between players and new hitting philosophy stressed by SA or Hudgins or TC?
Keith also was commenting on how many fastballs down the plate Mets batters were taking and other teams saw this and Mets got beat quite a bit by teams tha pumped in first pitch fastballs putting Met hitters behind the count.
Who promoted this hitting philosophy? CYA will be in full swing soon.