28
2012
Mets Could Learn A Lot From Watching The Giants
An article by 
When covering an event, I pull for good storylines and fast games. I don’t cheer for the teams I have covered. Never have; never will. Instead, I want good things to happen to good people. When you are around a group for nearly nine months, you get a feel for how hard these guys work and how much they care.
Even so, there are those who feel differently. When covering the Orioles, a nationally known columnist stood up in the pressbox and railed at third base coach Cal Ripken Sr., when a Baltimore runner was thrown out at the plate.
I can’t tell you how many times when covering the Yankees or Mets when I saw radio reporters and those from the smaller papers wearing team colors or caps.But, that’s just me. What about you guys with October again without the Mets? I know most relished the Yankees getting swept. Lot’s of people root for the underdogs, hence there was a following for the Orioles and Athletics.
What about this World Series?
I’d like to see the Giants because I respect how they play the game. They hustle, play good defense and pitch. Boy, do they ever pitch. The Giants are proof positive a team can succeed without power if they play the game the right way. Conversely, the Tigers also pitch, but they have mashers in the middle of their line-up, and we all know power is the great eraser. In that respect, the Tigers are much like the Yankees.
Only this time great pitching shut down their offense.
I’ve always been a great fan of pitching and defense. It makes for tighter, more intense games. To me, 2-0 is far more compelling than 9-6. It just is. Every once in awhile an 11-10 game can be interesting, but it isn’t a clean game.
That’s why this series, despite the Giants now up 3-0 and on the verge of their second title in three years, is so interesting. With limited scoring every opportunity is important. The Tigers keep waiting for the three-run homer that hasn’t come. Yesterday’s moment of decision came when Miguel Cabrera popped out with the bases load midway through the game. The Tigers still had three more at-bats but there was a sense the game might be over.
When Citi Field opened, pitching and speed were how they Mets wanted to build their team. Then they signed Jason Bay despite a myriad of holes in their rotation. Now, they have a semblance of a good rotation, but limited speed, spotty defense and erratic performance hitting in the clutch.
The Mets didn’t hit with tremendous power in the first half and were 46-40 at the break. Then they stopped hitting at all, and coupled with a porous bullpen, went into a tailspin in the second half. It wasn’t just about power, it was about working the count and advancing runners with productive outs. It was about timely hitting of singles and not swinging for the fences.
The Mets don’t need a lot of power as long as they get length from their starters, relief from the pen and play solid defense. The wins will come.
With that being said, it is interesting to see how the Giants have used Tim Lincecum in the postseason. After a miserable season, they’ve picked their spots with him in the postseason. I wonder if the Mets are watching and thinking about Mike Pelfrey.
By all accounts, Pelfrey has not lived up to expectations as a starter and how the Mets must make a decision on tendering him a contract. Indications are they won’t, but maybe there is spot for him in the pen. Pelfrey has good enough stuff and a sinker that could make him a success in relief. Too often, he gets into trouble the third time around the batting order.
With a gaping hole in their bullpen and closer Frank Francisco gone after this year, it might be worth the gamble to sign him as a reliever for 2013 with the idea of letting him close in 2014. He’s still young and could have a good career in another role.
Others have done it, why not him?
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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Maybe I read it to quickly but the Mets need speed in addition to pitching and defense.
I don’t know/think that Pelfrey will give up on starting just yet, especially since he has had some success in the past and an agent who will want to chase the cash. The starters generally make the most.
Now, perhaps the mets could sell him on a slow transition back into a starting role that starts him in the pen in 2013. Maybe by Aug/Sept the team is ready for him to start some games. He’s definately intriguing and always had a great arm.
Also, I’m not sure his mentality is that of a closer. How often has he had that scared flustered look on the mound while he gnaws off his hand in between pitches? He never struck me as a guy with a killer instinct. Who knows, for the right price, anythings possible for both sides.
in his situation, he will just be signing a 1 year deal (probably incentive based) so he has some income, and a complex and trainers to rehab with. With the goal of getting healthy enough to set up his next contract.
so, likely might pick the mets, since he is already in the rehab program with them.
Pelf won’t get tendered a contract. That is a given (and I thought the team already came out and said so?)
now, bringing him back on a small deal to see what he can offer? Sure. Pen? interesting (though he does have a 100% save ratio!)
but no real point in considering grooming him for 2014. He will be a FA after this season, so if he does have success in the pen (and closing is hard to imagine, with his yips issues), Boras is going to shop him hard all over MLB. And not likely Boras signs more than a 1 year deal now (and no way would I risk that, unless it was really cheap)
I don’t think Pelfrey is in the Mets’ plans. If we don’t trade a starter we have the possibility of one of the best staffs in the majors. R.A, Harvey, Niese, Gee, Santana, and Young. I could see Pelf as a long reliever and occassional starter but if this staff has an excellent year it could turn into a year where we win a lot of one and two run low scoring games. A lot has to happen to have this plan work but the building blocks and talent is there. I bet a lot of teams would like to have the starting staff we have.
Actually if we had speed and just a defensive outfielders plus a reliable closer we could compete for wild cards. Again pitching, defense and speed. Timely hitting goes a long way, no I do not mean the 3 run homerun.
With the Mets’ limited budget you may have stumbled into Alderson’s off season game plan. Way to go.
You must be drunk,from the Sandy koolaid? One of the best rotations in Baseball? You have Young in the rotation and no Harvey? Common sweet Lou
I do have Harvey in the rotation, after R.A. and yes I am not the only one that said we may have a POSSIBILITIY of one of the best rotations. I have read this on other sites. I would rather have an ice cold Bud!
Haven’t we heard this the last 2 years? The rotation needs a facelift. End of story.
Lesson #1 – Winning teams put winning 1st, marketing 2nd
The Giants in 2010 benched their 2 most expensive players in Rowand and Zito…
In 2011, they ate Rowand’s contract….went and got not 1…not 2…but 3 OF’s in 2012…( Pagan, Cabrera, Pence )
they took Pence’s contract
then they allowed bochy to put their co-ace tim lincecum in the pen.
They didnt care about image
they cared about winning
Lesson #2 – People come to see winning teams…that have winning players…
TEAM comes first…
Fact is…if u go position by position, David Wright has seen a downgrade at every position except the starting rotation
Bullpen – Wagner >>> K-Rod >>>> Francisco
1B – Delgado >>> Ike
2B – Valentin >>> Castillo >>>> Murphy
SS – Reyes >>> Tejada
C – Piazza >>> Loduca >>> Schneider >>> Barajas >>> Thole
CF – Beltran >>> Pagan >>> Torres
LF – Floyd >>> Alou >>> Bay
David Wright has seen this team decay…while Fred Wilpon and his son cash out on 237 million dollars in SNY dividends….
tell me again why David should stay here ?
Unfortunately Marketing here first, excuse me its second, Survival of Ownership first, and Marketing second, winning is on the back burner this hot stove season.
Pence was acquired then 2 weeks later Melky was suspended. So getting the third outfielder was because they were losing the 3rd. I do appreciate their pro-active stance. Mets had a guy that was suspended (Moto) and in turn he gets a contract extension.
Too soon to say that 1b is a downgrade from Delgado to Ike. Ike shows signs of being just as powerful bat and his defense is already better.
I think Ike’s ceiling is Mark Texiera level..
but strictly on production, David Wright has seen 1B go from
Delgado 2006-2008 …to Ike 2010-2012
no way on earth u can tell me thats not a downgrade…
From DW’s perspective…there is NO WAY IN HELL the Wilpons are going to put a contender on the team…
so why one earth would HE SIGN HERE???
Only Wright,Davis and Tejada are worth keeping.