Former left-handed pitcher Darren Oliver spent 21 seasons in the big leagues playing for nine different teams from 1993-2013 (Rangers, Angels, Rockies, Marlins, Mets, Blue Jays, Astros, Red Sox, and Cardinals). Oliver began his career pitching out of the bullpen in his first three-seasons before becoming a full-time starter, which is a role he says he preferred more given its perks. Oliver...
Yes I know Opening Day is about three months away yet I found myself daydreaming during the Curtis Granderson introductory press conference yesterday. Who/what could I be daydreaming about you may ask? Was it Jennifer Love Hewitt ? No. Was it Jessica Alba in a string bikini ? Nope . Could it be about the ’71 Dodge Demon 340 that I lusted over since I was 13 ? Nuh-uh. Then what could it be...
In each of Sandy Alderson’s previous three winters with the New York Mets, he listed building the bullpen as a priority. It will be the same this winter as well. Horrendous in the first half of last season, the Mets’ bullpen stabilized into respectability in the second half of the season to finish with a 3.98 ERA. Unlike previous seasons when Alderson’s bullpen needed a complete overall, the...
It has been officially a week since the 2013 Mets campaign has ended – even though we pretty much knew that it was over just before the All Star Break. We saw some good baseball amidst the very bad . We saw Matt Harvey dominate before being banished to the disabled list . We saw Juan Lagares look like the second coming of Tommie Agee with the glove – now if only he can hit. We saw a...
“Hefner is the Anti-Harvey.” I caught that in Adam Rubin’s Morning Briefing today on ESPN New York. I guess if you go by their won-loss records you could certainly make that claim, but it’s not that simple. With all the latest reports now confirming what we’ve all been waiting for since Carlos Beltran was shipped off almost two years ago, the question now is: If...
Anyone out there remember Ray Sadecki? He was a starter/reliever for the Mets from 1970-1974 and was the kind of pitcher the Mets could actually use right now because of his effectiveness in that role. They could have also used Sadecki in 2007 or 2008, which is when I chose his name on the LoHud blog when John Delcos was running the site before Howard Megdal. Those two seasons will always be...
Though once again we will be watching two teams other than the Mets in the Fall Classic, this year’s series features several players with Met ties. I wouldn’t mind seeing the Texas Rangers win their first ever World Series, but I would more so like to see the former Mets play well. Texas has five players/personnel with Mets ties. ALCS MVP Nelson Cruz was actually a Met farmhand. Our old buddy...
Personally, I’d like him back in the same role next season, but I have to wonder. Takahashi is a free agent this winter and wants to be a starter, and those starts against the Yankees and Phillies only reinforce that thought in his mind. His numbers are superior coming out of the bullpen than as a starter. However, they are representative numbers that could improve if he worked at that role. He...
Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker reports that the New York Mets are among eight teams that have interest in Japanese reliever Takashi Saito. According to Sponichi, Takashi Saito has eight teams interested, including the White Sox, Cubs, Braves and Mets. The Braves had some interest in Saito way back in 2002 but he wound up remaining with Yokohama. Saito turns 40 in February, and had a solid season...
