While I guess I could agree, I just find way too many people ending up on the DL for my liking this year. I don't mean to be a conspiritorist theorist, but everyone hitting that "aging" period just doesn't sit well with me as a suitable answer.

There are several players who have been injured in the past though...

 

Mark Prior and Chipper Jones have both been on the DL before. Schilling's not really a surprise, esp. considering last year's postseason.

Were the Red Sox wise in letting Pedro go? It was a tough call since both Schilling and Pedro were unsure health-wise, but in retrospect, Pedro has been so good that it's starting to look like a mistake on Boston's part.

Were the Red Sox wise in letting Pedro go? It was a tough call since both Schilling and Pedro were unsure health-wise, but in retrospect, Pedro has been so good that it's starting to look like a mistake on Boston's part.

Probably. I was higher on Pedro Martinez than many others, but it was a four year contract the Mets offered, and we are not even through the first year yet. The Sox can still spend that money on a free agent pitcher in the future.

Hi, I'm new here.

 

Al, as you know, I'm a Mets fan, and I'm happy with the young core they have to build on the future - i.e. wright, reyes, beltran, diaz. I came into the season optimistic at 85 wins, but with the way this division is going it looks like its anybodys at the moment. Is there a trade you think the Mets could or should make in order to help the inconsistant offense and bolster that scary bullpen?

also - we havent seen the full capabilities of Carlos Beltran just yet. As my calculations go, he's due for a hot streak. What's wrong with Beltran?

Hi, I'm new here.

 

Al, as you know, I'm a Mets fan, and I'm happy with the young core they have to build on the future - i.e. wright, reyes, beltran, diaz. I came into the season optimistic at 85 wins, but with the way this division is going it looks like its anybodys at the moment. Is there a trade you think the Mets could or should make in order to help the inconsistant offense and bolster that scary bullpen?

Good to see you here Steve.

 

The Mets are in a tough spot. They can not afford to risk their farm system for a potentially futile run at a title, especially when their young prospects give them hope for the future. Their only reasonable trading chip right now is Mike Cameron. Beyond that, the best the Mets can consider right now is giving some of their AAA relievers a shot, and considering Jeff Keppinger as their second baseman over Kazuo Matsui. Overall, I think patience is the key at Shea.

also - we havent seen the full capabilities of Carlos Beltran just yet. As my calculations go, he's due for a hot streak. What's wrong with Beltran?

He will get better. Remember he had the benefit of good hitters' parks in Kansas City and Houston. Expect numbers closer to his career level in the near future.

Don't forget he's battled that quad injury, which has made his normally exquisite running game almost non-existent. He's only got one this season, which is a stark contrast from the rest of his career. Beltran's base-stealing ability was one of his most underrated qualities in years past.

If the Yankees don't make the playoffs this year, this will be the first time in how many years since there was a postseason without them in it?

 

Also, how and why has Dontrell Willis been playing more like the rookie version we saw instead of the subpar season he had last year?

Beyond that, the best the Mets can consider right now is giving some of their AAA relievers a shot, and considering Jeff Keppinger as their second baseman over Kazuo Matsui.

Keppinger is hitting .337/.376/.447 at AAA Norfolk and yet will probably not get a sniff at the majors. Apparently he's not a favorite of Willie/Omar and of course matsui's contract is keeping him in the lineup. I've been screaming about calling Keppinger up but I'm not getting my hopes up.

Technically it was the 1994 season, but then again, no one made it. So, it'd be 1993. To put their run into perspective, Miracle Fielding Boy has never missed the playoffs in his career.

 

Also, how and why has Dontrell Willis been playing more like the rookie version we saw instead of the subpar season he had last year?

I don't think he's out of the woods yet, since he's always been amazing the first half. If he can keep it together in the second half, you can probably attribute it to better conditioning (he trained with Juan Pierre, one of the best conditioned players in the game, during the off-season) and growth as a major-leaguer. Last season was his first full year, so now it's less likely he'll run out of gas before the season's over.

Jack McKeon is going to burn those arms out.

I would too if I had that bullpen.

Speaking of their pen, what's up with Mota? I was going to pose the question as to why Todd god damn Jones had taken over as closer, before seeing Mota's numbers for the season. He had the injury, but he's been awful this season.

i understand he's lost some velocity, but Jones seems to be doing okay. How about the Mets and Danny Graves? Some Mets players told him that he had been tipping pitches. Maybe this will help him and guru Rick "Gimme Ten Minutes With Him" Peterson can turn him into the go-to guy they need?

Jack McKeon is going to burn those arms out.

Sorry. I mean this in the nicest possible way, but this is just ignorant. The pitch counts are LOW. They almost never pitch more than 110-115 per start. Don't take the Around the Horn way out and look at the situation without really looking at it. I've never once this season seen Jack leave a pitcher in too long and I would be the first to admit it if he did.

 

As for Mota... the injury kind of killed him. It didn't help when McKeon went crazy on him about two weeks ago after he yanked him from the game. He just totally berated him right there on the mound. Bet Mota loved that.

Right, very ignorant considering that Beckett and Burnett are injury machines. Oh, and Leiter throws about 250 pitches in 4 innings. That's what I meant. don't take it personally

Ok, I was trying to be nice. But you have no idea what you're talking about.

 

Neither Beckett or Burnett has had a start in which they have thrown more than 130 pitches. Add Willis on to that as well.

 

And let's hope McKeon doesn't burn out the arm of that promising youngster Al Leiter.

 

It's easy to resort to being rude when you haven't got a clue in the world but are trying to sound smart about something. You probably COULD be a panelist on Around the Horn.

I did not say anything about pitchcount, i did not say anything about willis. i did not try to act like i'm some kind of expert on anything. i made one statement. don't act like i'm trying to attack your legendary, storied team. boo hoo, pull the stick out of your ass dude and get off my back.

 

as a matter of fact, i dont believe that what i said was ignorant at all, considering that i didn't immediately back it up with any kind of false information. and of course, thank god that you came forward with that ever-so-overrated pitch count information. i believe that i did not express ignorance, just made a simple bland empty statement. so sorry that i hurt your feelings. it wont happen again mr. marlin.

 

Jesus christ one day here and someone picks a fight with me.

 

Jump on my back when I say something stupid that actually has some substance. I'm here to talk baseball, not bicker with you. the end.

 

If healthy, mind you, I think the Marlins' rotation is obviously one of the best in baseball and deserves nothing but praise, as long as they deliver. Which for the most part they have been certainly doing.

I picked a fight? I was trying to have an intelligent discussion about how the media incorrectly talks about the "overworked Marlins" and maybe make you see that what you see on TV is wrong and you told me to kiss your ass.

 

It's ignorant if you don't know. Hey, I'm ignorant about nuclear physics. It doesn't always have to be a negative term.

 

I'm sorry that's what you think, but you're not very mature. The entire post above this one sounds like a child when their candy is taken away. Glad we've got some of that on this forum now!

I did not say anything about pitchcount, i did not say anything about willis. i did not try to act like i'm some kind of expert on anything. i made one statement. don't act like i'm trying to attack your legendary, storied team. boo hoo, pull the stick out of your ass dude and get off my back.

 

as a matter of fact, i dont believe that what i said was ignorant at all, considering that i didn't immediately back it up with any kind of false information. and of course, thank god that you came forward with that ever-so-overrated pitch count information. i believe that i did not express ignorance, just made a simple bland empty statement. so sorry that i hurt your feelings. it wont happen again mr. marlin.

 

Jesus christ one day here and someone picks a fight with me.

 

Jump on my back when I say something stupid that actually has some substance. I'm here to talk baseball, not bicker with you. the end.

 

If healthy, mind you, I think the Marlins' rotation is obviously one of the best in baseball and deserves nothing but praise, as long as they deliver. Which for the most part they have been certainly doing.

Dude, read that last post again, and please, grow up. I'm done.

Willis has really been something. Nobody's talking about the great job that Brian Moehler has done though.

A.J. Burnett and Josh Beckett have had injury problems, but Jack McKeon was not the cause of them. Burnett suffered an arm injury in 2002, while the team was under the watch of John Boles and Tony Perez. Josh Beckett has missed time with blisters and such, but overuse is not the cause of those injuries. The one pitcher who developed almost entirely under McKeon's watch, Dontrelle Willis, has yet to suffer any serious injuries. The Florida Marlins score low overall on Baseball Prospectus' Pitcher Abuse Points Statistic.

 

To answer Flyboy's question regarding Dontrelle, Willis' 2004 season was the result of bad luck more than anything else. This year, he has made real improvements, and is a better pitcher so far than even his rookie campaign.

Probably a tough one, but how can you explain Braden Looper clearly having great stuff but having such a mundane K rate? The guy throws real hard and has great movement, but everyone makes contact against him and he pitches in bad luck a lot of the time. It's frustrating as hell to watch as a fan. It just doesn't seem to make sense with the stuff he has.

Probably a tough one, but how can you explain Braden Looper clearly having great stuff but having such a mundane K rate?  The guy throws real hard and has great movement, but everyone makes contact against him and he pitches in bad luck a lot of the time.  It's frustrating as hell to watch as a fan.  It just doesn't seem to make sense with the stuff he has.

A plus fastball is great, but I think Looper lacks a great second pitch that will completely baffle hitters and keep them guessing. Most closers are great not because of their fastball, but because they possess a dominating second pitch. Trevor Hoffman and Eric Gagne have outstanding change-ups, and when the hitter sits on the fastball, the pitcher can completely fool them.