Post subject: Re: Byrdak needs surgery, to start season on DL
Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2012 11:28 am
Legend of NYFS
Joined: Fri Feb 01, 2008 3:56 pm Posts: 41178
nmigliore wrote:
Not great news, but this loss can be mitigated very quickly by bringing in Mike Gonzalez, who is actually better than Tim Byrdak.
2011 vs LHP: 24.6 K%, 5.5 BB%, 2.78 FIP, 2.65 FIP Career vs LHP: 29.3 K%, 8.0 BB%, 2.78 FIP, 2.82 xFIP
Byrdak posted a sexier overall FIP and xFIP last season but that was strictly because of how each of them was used; TC limited Byrdak's usage vs righties while Ron Washington had Gonzalez face more righties than lefties (lol):
Byrdak's percentage of total LHB faced: 65.4% Gonzalez's percentage of total LHB faced: 47.8%
Byrdak's percentage of total RHB faced: 34.5% Gonzalez's percentage of total RHB faced: 52.2%
Gonzalez also has much better splits vs righties for his career, so while the matching up against them is still not very ideal anymore, he is still a better matchup against them compared to Byrdak.
Totally with you. I've made 2 separate calls for Gonzalez in threads already this morning.
One note though, and it goes back to an old discussion: 52% vs RHB is not bad, as far as what the norm is, in playing matchups. TC's Byrdak usage was exceptional, but usually its tough to do that, with pinch hitting and switch hitters and all that. I tracked the usage of the top LOOGy's in 2010 around this time last year and most were over 50% to RHB.
Sorry, I should correct that, brain fart by me - Buck Showalter was the one who skewed Gonzalez's usage, not Washington. He was dealt to Texas late August but barely pitched with them.
Metro2007 wrote:
If we want Gonzalez it will have to be an MLB deal. Turned down a minor league deal from TX last week.
That would be fine by me. He's better than Byrdak anyway. And when Byrdak returns, having Gonzalez is better than carrying Carrasco or Batista or some other slop too.
Post subject: Re: Byrdak needs surgery, to start season on DL
Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2012 11:34 am
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Joined: Fri Feb 01, 2008 3:56 pm Posts: 41178
Quote:
Edgin -- who is now on the board in the manager's office with other left-handed relievers -- is not even in major league camp. He has not appeared above Class A in the minors. Collins also identified major league veteran Garrett Olson as a possibility, or Chuck James. Daniel Herrera also has major league experience, including in September with the Mets.
Now, TC doesn't make these decisions and he's prone to speaking too much for his own good, but sounds like he didn't even mention Herrera as a candidate. Of James, Olson and Edgin (who sounds like TC is going to push for more and more), two guys have meh stuff and no history of getting lefites out at a specialist-type rate. Edgin has no experience above A ball. Thats what you call a conundrum.
I should add: I get the unfortunate feeling they opt for someone in the Carson, Herrera, or Edgin trio. Or dare I say non-LOOGY-but-lets-call-them-that-since-they-are-left handed types like James or Olson. Or maybe the Raul Valdes-like wildcard known as C.J. Nitkowski.
Post subject: Re: Byrdak needs surgery, to start season on DL
Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2012 11:52 am
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Joined: Fri Feb 01, 2008 3:56 pm Posts: 41178
Josh Edgin officially on the Game Notes as a pitcher for today. Herrera and Carson also scheduled today, and Olson tomorrow. Chuck James, oddly enough, does not show up on any lists thru Friday, although after tomorrow's game they become a bit scant.
Odd note: Harvey starts Wednesday's game vs. Detroit, while Gee throws 75 pitches in a minor league game. I assume this is simply a "you dont have to make the bus trip" bone being thrown to Gee, but odd that he would have that kind of clout, whereas apparently Jon Niese (making the same trip today) and Dickey (scheduled to travel to Jupiter thursday) do not.
Post subject: Re: Byrdak needs surgery, to start season on DL
Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2012 12:01 pm
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Joined: Tue Sep 19, 2006 2:57 pm Posts: 57716 Location: New York, NY
MarkJohnson>You wrote:
Josh Edgin officially on the Game Notes as a pitcher for today. Herrera and Carson also scheduled today, and Olson tomorrow. Chuck James, oddly enough, does not show up on any lists thru Friday, although after tomorrow's game they become a bit scant.
Odd note: Harvey starts Wednesday's game vs. Detroit, while Gee throws 75 pitches in a minor league game. I assume this is simply a "you dont have to make the bus trip" bone being thrown to Gee, but odd that he would have that kind of clout, whereas apparently Jon Niese (making the same trip today) and Dickey (scheduled to travel to Jupiter thursday) do not.
Clearly it's not a question of clout if Niese and Dickey are making the trips. I highly doubt Gee has earned anything those 2 haven't. Maybe Gee is working on something specific etc.
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One thing to consider: an outsider will cause even more 40-man roster implications. As of now, you're already looking at 2 cuts to open room for the bench players if Hairston opens on the DL. Carrasco's spot is basically just for the 7th spot, so he wouldn't count as one of those cuts. If you bring in someone like Gonzalez (or any other non-40-man player for that matter), you're left with making 3 cuts. I think that could give Robert Carson, who is already on the 40-man, a leg up in this competition.
Post subject: Re: Byrdak needs surgery, to start season on DL
Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2012 12:20 pm
Legend of NYFS
Joined: Fri Feb 01, 2008 3:56 pm Posts: 41178
Andy Martino @SurfingTheMets Reply Retweet Favorite · Open Collins likes Olsen for that lefty job if no Byrdak.
Thankfully, Collins also liked Hernandez for that 2B job and that didn't work out either.
Olson and James can be carried in that hybrid long relief, 2nd lefty to get guys who can't hit lefties at all out role if you want them, or go to them earlier in the game in a less big moment for a matchup. Not as primary LOOGy's, because you know TC is going to pull a superior pitcher to bring in his LOOGy against a big lefty and if its one of those guys, he's likely not any more likely to get said lefty out than the RHP he took out for him, and then you probably also lost a good option against the next guy or 2.
If the Mets really are just going to carry a non-40-man player like Olson, they are way better off signing Gonzalez since they'll still be left with the same 40-man roster conundrum.
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