16
2012
Mets Need A Lefty? How Bout C.J.?
An article by 
Need For A Lefty In The Big Boy Pen? Why Not Tab The Guy You Already Have?
C.J. Nitkowski is a man among boys these days. The 39-year-old left-hander is throwing the ball extremely well at Buffalo with his version 2.0 side-arm pitching motion. As he becomes more and more comfortable with his new delivery, he feels more and more confident that he will get back to the show, despite not having pitched there since 2005.
So far in 10.0 innings split between Binghamton and Buffalo, he has a record of 0-0, with a 0.00 ERA, and one save. He has allowed just seven hits and one unearned run while striking out 13 and walking six. Most significantly though is his presence on the mound. I have watched him pitch live and on TV about a half-dozen times this year and he just doesn’t belong in the minor leagues, he’s got the big league stamp for sure.
With Josh Edgin the sole south-paw in the Mets pen, and showing signs of burning out mentally, and after what transpired with poor Tim Byrdak, there is no question that a second lefty is mandatory for ANY major league bullpen. Nitkowski may be pitching his way into the perfect storm as far as his comeback goes.
In my mind he has shown he can pitch. At this point, he can audition for a big league job while in the big leagues. I don’t need to see him beating up on minor leaguers anymore, that thrill is gone. Let’s get this guy up to Citifield pronto, Mr. Alderson… Where we so desperately need him.
LGM!
About the Author: Peter Shapiro
The first time I went to Shea was not for a Mets game, it was for the Beatles concert there in August of '66. My first Met game was '67, a guy named Salty Parker was the interim-manager then. My first pennant race was 1969. As a 12 year-old that summer and fall, I managed to get to the park for 3 games. The first was the beginning of the Miracle which actually started on Tuesday July 8, 1969 with a day game against the Cubs. I was there a lot in '73. I saw games 3 & 5 of the 1973 NL Playoffs against the "Big Red Machine", from the upper deck behind home plate. It was from there that I witnessed the fight between Bud Harrelson and Pete Rose, and the mayhem that ensued. And that sweet victory in game 5! I saw a couple of WS games at Shea that year against that legendary Oakland A's club. I was there in 1985 for every single game Dr. K pitched including his two 16 strikeout performances, and the day he one-hit the Cubs on an infield single and the Mets won 1-0. I loved being a Met fan in those days. Hopefully we are once again preparing to emerge from the darkness.
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I was wondering about CJ myself. I see he pitched another scoreless inning last night with a strikeout.
If not before, I’d have to think we’ll see him up here in Sep.
If they called him up now, who would be expendable? My vote would be Acosta.
Lmao, i mean.. Was there any other reason he was signed? I knew from the get go he was someway somehow be part of the major league roster. this guy hasn’t pitched in the Majors since 2005 and there’s a big reason for it, the last 54 games he participated he had an 6.26 ERA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But hey, sandy is looking for lightning in a bottle, so if you’re cheap you have a shot… SMH… I bet my life that some of the slurpers here will find that he’d be a good assett somehow …
He had s injury problems his last few years in the majors but he had a brand new kind of treatment recently, the same one that helped Bartolo Colon ressurect his career. Sure, it’s not the flashiest move, but why not give him a try in September?
At this point bring him up if only so we dont destroy Edgin the way they did Byrdak.
Agree 100% Brian.
A 6 man rotation is hopefully just worthless musings.
Bring CJ up now! Edgin as our sole lefty is Tim Byrdak, 2.0.
He can’t be any worse than what we have tried three times over already.
No, No No. Not going to be next year. Lets find out about Carson or some other young lefty in farm.
We can bing them both up in September. Don’t have to choose between one or the other
Edgin will be a pile of flesh and bones by Sept.
Yes, lets keep bringing up guys as old as possible, He’s only 39. Can’t wait for all the cult hypocrites to tell us Wright is too old when Sandy sends out the word to trash him before he leaves.