I know what they say – you win as a team and you lose as a team. And trust me, I’m the last one to put an individual player’s statistics and milestones ahead of what’s best for the team. However, I feel that Major League Baseball needs to do something to properly reward a starting pitcher for a quality performance when he leaves with the lead after 5 plus innings and his bullpen comes in and blows it for him.
How is it that Bobby Parnell enters the game in the 8th inning last night, gives up the tying runs, and then gets the win, while John Maine gets nothing for his almost Santana-like performance?
Speaking of Santana, we saw it happen with him numerous times throughout the 2008 season. A quality start and nothing to show for it. Now I will reiterate the point that as long as the Mets get the win, what should it matter? But you can’t help but feel for someone like Maine, or Santana, in situations like this. And it makes you wonder if it doesn’t affect them mentally when they take the mound for their next start? A guy like Santana may be too professional and seasoned to let it ruin him. But a younger pitcher, not necessarily Maine, might let it get the best of them, and get disgusted after a while.
Major League Baseball should consider a stat for situations like this. And I know they have something called the “quality start”, and yes, it sounds good, but stop sugar-coating and let it be of some significance. Put it in writing for crying out loud; let’s see it in a linescore! They brought back the “hold”, and they can do this too.
