With the Mets 6-5 win in Friday night’s contest with the Cleveland Indians, RHP Bartolo Colon notched his 219th career victory. He moves up the career wins list and is now tied for 77th all-time.
Another achievement took place with win number 219 however, as Colon tied fellow Dominican native, former Met, and Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez for second all-time in wins by a Dominican-born pitcher. Hall of Famer Juan Marichal owns the record for wins by a Dominican-born player with 243, which he notched in 1974 while pitching for the Red Sox.
Colon pitched well for his second start of the season, going 5 1/3 innings, allowing two runs on eight hits, striking out five, and issuing his first walk on the year. Along with Noah Syndergaard, Colon has been a steady presence on the mound so far in the early start of the season.
Friday night’s win was also special for Colon because it took place in Cleveland, the organization that signed him as an amateur free agent in 1993. Colon pitched 5 ½ years with the Tribe, before being dealt to the then Montreal Expos along with Tim Drew for what turned out to be a king’s ransom in prospects Cliff, Lee, Grady Sizemore, Brandon Phillips, and journeyman Lee Stevens.
After the game, Colon spoke about the accomplishment of tying Martinez for second all-time in wins by a Dominican-born pitcher, and posting the win in the place where it all began for him some nineteen-years ago.
“It means a lot,” Colon said through an interpreter. “Pedro Martinez back in my homeland, the Dominican Republic, is a special person. And to do it here in Cleveland is something special for me. First and foremost, I want to thank the Cleveland Indians organization for the opportunity.” (ESPN)
The Mets re-signed Colon this offseason for one-year at $7.25 million. He’s serving as the team’s fifth starter until Zack Wheeler returns in July from his rehab after his Tommy John surgery.
Colon has posted double-digit wins for the Mets in his first two seasons with the club, and understands that he will both start and relieve for the team throughout the season. Colon serves as great insurance for the clubs young arms, in case of any long-term injuries and allowing the Mets to skip some of their prized arms to keep them fresh throughout the year.
Colon has become a fan favorite during his time with the Mets. He serves as inspiration for the “every-man” that dreams of playing professional baseball. The always-jovial Colon serves as comic relief for the club, and has wowed fans and spectators over the years with his behind the back flip to first, over the shoulder catch on the infield, and his always-entertaining at-bats.
Terry Collins remembers Colon’s time with the Tribe well, having seen him pitch in his prime while managing the Anaheim Angels. Colon faced Collins’ Angels nine times from 1997-99, going 4-2 against them.
“I’ve got a lot of recollections of it and it wasn’t very fun,” Collins said of facing the then-young Colon. “He was 98-97 (miles per hour) with a dynamic breaking ball, just pure power. He threw strikes, so he was one of those guys when you faced him, you better get your ‘A’ game bats out. He was tough to face, they had a really, really good young pitching staff back then and he is still a good pitcher.”
Colon has reinvented himself into a control and finesse pitcher, no longer relying on the days where he threw in the mid to upper nineties. With the decrease in velocity, Colon has learned to locate and limit the number of walks he allows. Colon was fifth in MLB with 30 walks allowed in 2014, and first in 2015 with only 24 free passes issued.
Collins recognizes how Colon has reinvented himself later in his career. He marvels at the way in which Colon was able to do so, and with the degree of success he’s had while adjusting.
“When you reincarnate yourself as a completely different kind of guy and are satisfied with it and settle into what you have to do to get guys out, it just shows how smart he is, how sharp he is,” Collins said. “He knew after some of the injuries to his arm he had to change it and did. It’s really one of the great stories, this guy at his age is still one of the most effective pitchers in this league.” (Daily News)
Unless Colon pitches beyond the 2016 season, he won’t pass Marichal for the wins record by a Dominican-born pitcher. He can move up the career wins ladder though. If Colon wins ten more games this year, he would be tied for 64th all time with Sam Jones, Luis Tiant, and Will White for 229. That would see him pass All Stars Joe Niekro (221), Jerry Koosman (222), Tim Hudson (222), and Hall of Famers Catfish Hunter and Jim Bunning (224).
It has been great fun watching Colon pitch and be so animated during his tenure with the orange and blue. When it’s his turn on the mound, I find myself with little to no reservations or real worry, knowing that his craftiness and tremendous pitch location will often find him with great results. Congrats “Big Sexy” on your win accomplishment.
