Mets season hinges on David Stearns acing first trade deadline test with bullpen
I’m grimacing.(Just to be clear, that’s grimacing with a lower case “g,” unrelated to the fuzzy purple character so lucky he/she has seemingly sent Mr.Met to the bench.)This should be a time for unadulterated celebration for the improving Mets.
Yet, it’s also a time for worry.I’m grimacing because I’m worried about my prediction of May 18 that the Mets are playoff bound.I’m grimacing because all the good they’ve done to get back close to playoff position may be undone by an outmanned, overtaxed, under-experienced bullpen.The Mets are in the race, though their 10-5 defeat in a seriously rain-delayed 11 innings Sunday against Houston at Citi Field dropped them a game under .500 at exactly the halfway point.
There’s a lot to like about this team.But the pen that’s blown a league-high six leads after eight innings (tied with the Rockies) despite mid-rung overall numbers is bringing serious agita now.Their lineup depth is outstanding, and maybe matched by their rotation depth, so good they currently have three viable big-league starters in Triple-A at a time many other teams are scraping for starters.
The Astros are seven-deep with starters on the injured list and had to employ a bullpen game.Good thing the Mets won’t ever need to try such a thing because the Mets can barely piece together a bullpen for three innings, much less a bullpen game.Injuries to Drew Smith, Brooks Raley (both out for the year) plus Sean Reid-Foley hurt.So does the temporary loss of Edwin Diaz, who must sit five more games after being caught with hands so sticky you wonder how he thought he’d ever be able to release the baseball.
His memorably losing defense was, that’s the way he always does it.It’s a potential plus to get Diaz back, but let’s face it, not if he pitches like he did before he was caught wet-handed.I caught up with Mets baseball president David Stearns, and he expressed faith In Diaz.“I do think Edwin is a very talented pitcher,” Stearns sa...