We spend our wealth obtaining youth

by Simons on Aug 16, 2007 2:21 PM EDT

So Lastings Milledge is getting the nod over Shawn Green. Finally. Keen fans like us have been singing (rapping?) Lastings' praises all year, but you know how Omar Randolph loves to stay with the veterans. Maybe the Green benching means there's hope for another young buck to win his job back from a boring, mediocre veteran. Of course, I refer to the underrated Scott Boras client, the $3.5 million bonus baby, Mike Pelfrey.

Pelfrey - remember him? You'd like to forget his games, since the Mets have lost the last nine of them, sticking him with a record of 0-7. But take a closer look and you'll see he's gotten rotten support. The Mets have only scored 2.81 runs a start for him, lower than the more famously unlucky Matt Cain, for instance. Thus, Pelfrey is the greatest pitcher in the league and should start game one of the playoffs. Q.E.D.

Oh wait, almost forgot - he sucks. Well, his ERA's pretty bad at 5.92, and that WHIP of 1.66 looks downright satanic. But remember that the Mets, not content to shirk their duty at the plate for this guy, also reward him with Keystone Kops defense. His start in Philly last month was typical. In one inning alone, David Wright threw away a tapper, Jose Reyes fell down fielding an infield "single," and Jose Valentin got in touch with his inner Gotay, flubbing an easy DP. Miraculously, Pelfrey escaped the inning allowing only two runs; Oliver Perez would have given up a five-spot and thrown away a pickoff attempt for good measure.

Funny thing is, even with the NY infield bringing their 'Z' game on the days he pitches, Pelfrey's numbers have been looking up. His ERA in July was 4.91 - not quite Brandon Webb, but not bad in a month when the rest of the league was at 4.44. Did he remember how to pitch after being sent down in May? His peripherals show a completely different pitcher: a K/BB ratio of 14/7 in July, up from a wrong-way 13/17 earlier. And how about a groundball / flyball ratio of 30/12 for the month - that's 2.50, or one infield single away from the likes of Chien-Ming Wang (2.57).

And in the other corner, we have Brian Lawrence. Who? Why? Lawrence isn't just beneath contempt, he's beneath paying attention to. Ignore him. He's never going to be on a New York postseason roster - at least not any roster that I want to see - so who cares what he shows you in August? As for his making a difference in the pennant race, he can only make nine more starts this season - three if Pedro Martinez comes back on time and uses his magic powers to keep the rest of the staff off the DL. You could start Schoeneweis three times and it wouldn't kill you.

I know, I know - Lawrence is "out of options," he "can't be sent down," and "we're stuck with seeing him and his Chipper Jones goatee for now." That's fine, if you want to get all practical on me. I'll just go back to my Santeria drawing board and see if I can open up a spot in the rotation, Jose Valentin style. (Or the bullpen - don't go walkin' under any ladders, Mr. Mota.) Then they'll have to call up Pelfrey, the groundball machine who still sports the lowest HR rate in the rotation. He'll make the decision to play the veteran Luis Castillo downright tolerable.

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Not so fast.

Your case can be summed up as, "Pelfrey's not as bad as you think he is," a low threshold indeed, and "He's better than Brian Lawrence," but who isn't? What bothers me most about Pelfrey is how quickly he unravels once 1 or 2 men reach base. In a nutshell, he pitches scared, and metrics don't necessarily reflect than. He's going to require a lot of time on the couch with Dr. Sigmund Jacket to work through those issues.

That being said, while I expect nothing from Pelfrey this year, I am not willing to give up on him yet. Something about him reminds me of Mike Scott, who finally figured out how to pitch AFTER the Mets gave up on him.

by madisonmetsfan on Aug 16, 2007 3:21 PM EDT reply actions

not understanding

the lawrence hate. the guy wasn't brought in to be an ace. he was brought in to be the #5; he's kept us in both games that he's pitched; nothing else was expected of him. yeah he won't make the post season roster, but what does that have to do with the pennant race we're currently in?

by gogomets on Aug 16, 2007 3:45 PM EDT reply actions

Agreed

And Pelfrey is only in his second year as a professional. Do we really want to start his arbitration clock as early as possible when Lawrence could do just as well until Pedro gets back?

by ams258 on Aug 16, 2007 3:51 PM EDT up reply actions

Ease up

"So Lastings Milledge is getting the nod over Shawn Green. Finally."

Finally?

It was a total of 3 games since the mets got Beltran and Alou back before Willie sat Green down to tell him his playing time was being reduced. One of those games Milledge started in CF.

No Pelfrey now. Just as in the case with Milledge its results that count and Pelfrey has not had them, Lawrence somehow has not been awful. I agreee with Madison Pelfrey's confidence looks shot. Another trip up and down the Nofolk express will not help, let him get a few more starts in AAA to work things out. Like Ron Darling says. The minors are not punishment they are an opportunity to learn. Which pelfrey needs.

By the way the only thing Mike Scott figured out after he left the Mets was how to conceal sandpaper.

by mikevail on Aug 16, 2007 4:40 PM EDT reply actions

What is the deal

with all these intelligent posters and their well-reasoned arguments? I'm taking my act over to metsblog.

I realize that pitching Pelfrey pisn't practical at this point. It doesn't stop me from wishing I could see him rather than (yawn) Lawrence. If you're reading this, Mr. Lawrence, take it as your cue to go out there and throw a perfect game. Better hurry.

by Simons on Aug 16, 2007 7:18 PM EDT reply actions