Mike Pelfrey

by kaisertown on May 12, 2007 1:34 PM EDT Comment 24 comments

Pelfrey had some early struggles again today. He did manage to get out of the first allowing only 1 earned run, but he gave up three hits and walked one. His numbers before today's start include a 6.39 ERA and a 1.66 WHIP. Is there any chance Mike stays in the rotation when El-Duque comes back from injury? his only competition is Jorge Sosa, but it really looks like Pelfrey could use some time in AAA even if it just to gain some confidence. The most important question is: can Mike Pelfrey really help the Mets this season? I love him long term, but he just seems not ready.

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It depends on how Omar/Willie want to handle it

Sosa has surprisingly been serviceable as a number 5 starter. That being said, given his history, he's due for a blow up start. I think he has to get some time to work on his off speed stuff as well as his location, cause he'll hear it from the fans soon enough, as they did to Milledge last year.

by sagecoll on May 12, 2007 1:38 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Sosa vs Pelfrey

I'm firmly in the camp that says Pelfrey needs some good low pressure AAA time to refine his offspeed pitches because they just aren't there. Sosa can at least do as well as Pelfrey if not better (so far, he's had two starts each better than any start Pelfrey has made this season). In an ideal world, Pelfrey gets a couple months worth of starts in AAA and comes back up in, say, August a completely revitalized pitcher.

by Lunkwill Fook on May 12, 2007 1:43 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

curious

i was at shea for plenty of mets games last year and watched the rest and i didn't hear booing or anything like that towards milledge except for the same old boos you'd hear with any costly error

maybe i missed it so correct me if i'm wrong but i don't think so

by robcast23 on May 12, 2007 11:37 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

AAA...

...is exactly what he needs...some combination of Sosa/Brian Lawrence/Jason Vargas can at least buy enough time for Pelfrey to gain his confidence/Peter to come back.

I have a feeling that Pelfrey will pitch well in AAA and will come back to the majors in the bullpen. There he wouldn't have to worry about his relatively limited repertoire and Omar will want to keep his innings down. Besides, Pelfrey really isn't an option for the postseason rotation barring injury (Peter, Glavine, Maine, Perez/El Duque)

No dude, Metsin07

by uga007 on May 12, 2007 1:46 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Pelfrey

If the take him out that would actually be the worst thing for him i believe. Right now it is clearly mental. From everything i've heard he has been great in the pen, great warming up before games, and great in all aspects other than the game. If they take him out i think it will only become more mental and hurt his development. He could have used another half year down there though at least.

by Metty5 on May 12, 2007 1:50 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

So....

you're admitting that he could use more time on the farm, but sending him down would hurt his development? That doesn't really make sense. Once Pelfrey goes down and pitches well, he will regain confidence, not lose it.

No dude, Metsin07

by uga007 on May 12, 2007 1:59 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

yea its strange

He could have used more time do develop his pitches...

But at this point because his problems have been mental i think sending him down will only hurt his mental status. It could go either way, but it happens often when a player gets sent down they just kind of fall a part. I'm not saying that it will happen just that it could. I think he is best off staying in the bigs an working it out with peterson.

by Metty5 on May 12, 2007 2:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

the risk is

what if you send him down to AAA and he doesn't pitch well? thats what could really hurt his confidence. If he goes down and has some good starts it should help him gain confidence (in theory).

by kaisertown on May 12, 2007 3:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

so I guess the question is?

has his problem been confidence or is he struggling to find his stuff? could that maybe even be the same problem somehow? Today's start was only the second time I had really sat down and watched him pitch. I thought he threw well, but that both has fastball movement and secondary pitches in general really came and went.

by kaisertown on May 12, 2007 3:10 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

time in AAA

Everyone is sayig he needs time in AAA. What he really needs is his fastball back. He's supposed to be throwing 92-95 and touching 97, right? When I've watched him, he's throwing 87-90 and touching 93. Pelfrey's slider is much improved, it's a legitimate weapon he can use. But if he doesn't have the plus-plus fastball to set it up, the point is moot.

by jeck on May 12, 2007 1:54 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

yeah

his velocity has been down all year, i think.
i believe he's supposed to work in the low to mid 90's with his 2 seamer and he can dial it up with his 4.

by god allah star on May 12, 2007 2:35 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

yes it has

But he doesn't throw a four at all really. His two seamer has hit 95 at times, but he is over throwing, gripping the ball to tight and just very nervous and tense out there.

by Metty5 on May 12, 2007 2:39 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

also

for pitchers with bb problems, peterson is a huge advocate of pulling back and sacrificing a few mph in order to regain command...watch operez and you'll see the very same thing

by robcast23 on May 12, 2007 11:42 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

nope

its completely different. I've watched them all pitch, these reclamation projects. The difference between sosa and operez and say pelfrey is they are still throwing the ball, pelfrey is slowing his arm down and aiming it.

by Metty5 on May 13, 2007 2:08 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

well

isn't that still a function of trying to throw less hard? maybe perez is just batter at adjusting and this approach doesn't work for pelfrey

by robcast23 on May 13, 2007 3:52 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

send Pelfrey down and trade Milledge for pitching

that's what they should of done, boy I bet the Mets wish they had Haren, he's been outstanding.

by Bravesin07 on May 12, 2007 5:30 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Haren?

Beane was never going to give the Mets Haren, especially straight up for Milledge. He mentioned Haren but then swapped him for Blanton which thank God Omar didn't fall for.

by Lunkwill Fook on May 12, 2007 5:56 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Blanton isn't a bad pitcher,

He's more than serviceable and will keep whichever team he pitches for in games. He's not going to shut out many teams, but he's a fearless pitcher who attacks hitters allowing his defense to make plays. He is a serviceable 3-4 starter.

Lincecum is the truth!

by JT12340 on May 12, 2007 8:55 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

actually

with the mets defense behind him, blanton could be a star. those guys are turning batted balls into outs at an unbelievable rate this year.

i like blanton a lot. doesn't beat himself, and his curveball command seems to have sharpened this year. he's a pretty good bet to put up 200 innings of 4ish ERA baseball, and that's more than just a serviceable #3 starter. most teams don't have a #2 that can do that.

by jpahk on May 12, 2007 9:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Blanton

I was real down on him after last year, too many hits. But he has been great this year. Like others have mentioned, he is not afraid to attack hitters and throws strikes. I thought he was an innings eater at best before the season(which is not bad, IMO IP is the most underrated stat for pitchers.) I would say he is a solid #3 after watching him this season.

I still wish he would control his weight a little better though.

Haren for Milledge had a 0% chance of ever happening on Oakland's end, Beane is not an idiot. He's a legit #1 starter.

by bl on May 12, 2007 10:06 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

jow blanton

will never be a "star"

by robcast23 on May 12, 2007 11:43 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

thanks rob

for chiming in. nobody said he would be a star, and i don't think he will be either. i was actually commenting about the mets' defense, not about blanton. and by the way, it's joe.

what exactly makes blanton any different from john maine, who's having a star-quality season so far (5-0, 1.79)? blanton actually has slightly better peripherals, but he's only getting decent support from his defense, as opposed to maine who is simply not allowing hits. of course i don't expect maine to keep it up the whole season, but i think at the end of the year his numbers will be pretty damn good, and i think that blanton is a similar pitcher to maine except with a lower walk rate, so why couldn't blanton do the same thing if he were playing for the mets?

by jpahk on May 13, 2007 12:19 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

ok

even though your words were "blanton could be a star" so i figured you thought he could be star, don't think it was much of a stretch on my part

though i understand your point and its not a bad one...also the point about maine, i don't disgaree, the 2 of them aren't that far apart in terms of ability...though like i've said here many times before, IMO the key to john maine's success is his rising/"exploding"/catapult/whatever you want to call it fastball which cannot be taught and isn't seen that often amongst pitchers (the only others who seem to resemble this are chris young and definitely tim lincecum)

by robcast23 on May 13, 2007 3:59 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Blanton

is pretty solid, but would you have considered trading Milledge for him? And thats not an endorsement for Milledge as much as it is a curious question. Personally, I feel like milledge is the better player especially long-term, but the Mets are a team that can win now and has a pair of excellent (albeit young) OF prospects and a sizeable budget.

by kaisertown on May 13, 2007 1:52 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs