What would you grade Mike Pelfrey's season/development for 2009?

Big Pelf has been pretty inconsistent so far this year, so I was just wondering what everyone thinks of his season so far in terms of his development moving fowards. I think he has shown flashes of being a solid number two starter, but again, he's been very inconsistent. I'm as big of a Pelfrey supporter as anyone, so I'm not trying to criticize him. What do y'all think?

over 2 years ago He'sGotPotential 16 comments 0 recs |

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Considering the Verducci effect was supposed to break him

Mike is having a great season. However, I never believed the Verducci Effect but I would say I’m pretty happy with Mike’s season, if an arbitrary grade is needed, I’d give it an A for Atta Boy.

Pelfrey did not have enough time to development, mostly because Omar relied on the Jose Limas of the world to provide depth. Therefore, during his rookie year, Mike had just 96 innings in the minors (8 innings in AAA) while making his debut in the majors. The next season he had 74 innings in AAA (4.04 FIP) and threw 73 innings in the majors (5.06 FIP.) The guy clearly needed more time in the minors, yet, in 08, after a rough opening to the season, Big Pelf went on to have a monster season with 200 innings pitched and a 3.96 FIP, good for 3 WAR. Still, you figure with such a huge jump in performance as well as batters making adjustments, Mike would see regression.

This year, with help from that improved slider, Pelf has increased his Ks while increasing his GB%, although his BBs have also gone up a bit. His FIP stands at 4.12, a slight increase, while his LOB% of 66.3 and BABIP of .321 indicate his luck has been kind of bad. The reason his ERA is so high, and fans are disappointed, has more to do with this equation: Pelfrey is a groundball pitcher +
Wright: -9.8 UZR/150
Castillo: -6.8
Cora: -6.1
Cora at 2nd: -7.8
Reyes: -7.7
Etc. Though Murphy and Tatis have player well at 1st which should be expected by 3rd basemen

by Sokojoe on Aug 11, 2009 8:06 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs

I agree do some degree with that

The defense has definitely not helped him out at all, and I think its possible that it has had a greater effect than just giving up some more hits.

Pelfrey was thrust into a role as the number 2 guy a bit prematurely this year, and when the offense struggled+bad defense I think he’s tried to be something he isn’t at times. That is when he gets in his own head with the balks, or nibbling to try and get a K when he just needs to make his pitches.

The increase is walks is a little alarming though, and probably they largest “worry” out of this year. I like how he’s getting back to using the curveball, and his slider has shown some definite improvement.

Overall I give him a B-, for showing improvement that hasn’t necessarily translated into giving up fewer runs.

by Balagast on Aug 11, 2009 9:47 AM EDT up reply actions

Umm, Joe?

I think the storyline is now “Big Pelf sucks, let’s just throw him away.” Your analysis is getting in the way of this.

"He's definitely mixing it into his repertoire. That's French for 'repertoire' " - Keith Hernandez

by Catsmeat Potter-Pirbright on Aug 11, 2009 11:19 AM EDT up reply actions

Shit, good point

Pelfrey is the suck. Grade? I give him a G because that’s lower than F. Maybe he should spend more time learning to pitch and less time making babies.

by Sokojoe on Aug 11, 2009 11:40 AM EDT up reply actions

Ha

Very good play, sir. Very good indeed. You and CPP must take that show on the road. I would pay money to listen to snark about these chumps before I would actually pay to go see a game right now.

“Just when I thought I was out, [the humor provided here on a daily basis] pulls me back in.”

by TBlz on Aug 11, 2009 12:23 PM EDT up reply actions

yeah he's been unlucky

"We're investigating the investigative procedure of the investigation of Tony Bernazard"---Omar Minaya (he really didn't say it but he would"

by firejerrynow on Aug 11, 2009 11:24 AM EDT up reply actions

Psha

Stats. Who cares about Stats? All we need to see is ERA and we know the story. Its all Pelf’s fault. If it was the defense’s fault, why wouldn’t defenders have ERAs?

"All energy flows according to the whims of the great magnet

What a fool I was to defy him"

-HST

by Mark Himmelstein on Aug 11, 2009 2:01 PM EDT up reply actions

He should be fielding groundballs to 2B and SS after pitching. Or he could improve his hitting, to get him more Winz. Everyone knows how Winz are important to evaluate pitchers

by Michkin on Aug 11, 2009 3:46 PM EDT up reply actions

Happy with his overall development

and looking forward to modest improvements next season when he will be a bona fide mid rotation starter.

by deadspy3 on Aug 11, 2009 11:40 AM EDT reply actions

His slider now

is a legitimate weapon unlike any prior season breaking pitch. When he overcomes the yips, he’ll be a star.

by TheBigStapler on Aug 11, 2009 11:47 AM EDT reply actions

I think the fact that he is using his 4-seamer more is going to make him much better.

It should induce more swings at sinkers out of the zone.

"If I ever decide to do a book, I've already got the title...The bases were loaded and so was I."

-Jim Fregosi

by Stephen Schmidt on Aug 11, 2009 4:31 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah, the yips.

No metrics for these yet—and when one is created it should be measured in Ankiel Units—but what if he doesn’t overcome them? He’s not Mackey Sasser on the mound (yet), but in the event the Mets return to contention some day, how confident would you be that Pelfrey would step up in a pressure game?

by madisonmetsfan on Aug 12, 2009 9:04 AM EDT up reply actions

I would be confident.

It’s not like he gets them in pressure games.

"I dunno. I never smoked any Astroturf"
-Tug McGraw

by squid92 on Aug 12, 2009 12:46 PM EDT up reply actions

How do we know that?

How many pressure games has he pitched?

Maybe it’s all in the definition of “pressure.” I’d say it’s at least any postseason game plus any game after September 15 or so when your team is within, say, 3 games either way of a playoff spot. There may be other games earlier in the season that qualify, but those may be subject to argument. So really, all we have to look at are his last few starts in ’08, which precede his little problem with balks, and which I recall being underwhelming, but not disastrous.

by madisonmetsfan on Aug 12, 2009 2:19 PM EDT up reply actions

I give him a C+/B-

He’s added pitches, and his GB/LD/FB ratio’s are pretty good. if you’re talking about his progress towards being a #3 pitcher, i’d say not so bad. He just needs to get through this one inning wall he always hits.

by KeithsMoustache on Aug 12, 2009 11:35 AM EDT reply actions

I'd give him a B

his trials not being entirely his fault, he’s hampered not only by bad defense but also by a lack of offense and some bullpen fail. In 5 of his last ten starts he got 2 or fewer runs to work with. I know its a small sample size, but when your working with our current lineup, I expect his improvement to not translate into more wins. That said, he still needs to work on not psyching himself out.

"I reject your reality and substitute my own"
-Adam Savage

by blueandorange4life on Aug 12, 2009 12:04 PM EDT reply actions