On a Mets discussion board, Chico posted a message revealing the highlights of WFAN host Mike Francesa's recent interview with Omar Minaya.
According to Chico, Minaya said that he
- has tried to claim relievers who were placed on waivers, unsuccessfully
- tried to trade for Eric Gagne
- may call up Zephyr starters to relieve (The Zephyrs are the Mets Triple-A affiliate)
It's good to see that Minaya appreciates the fact the Mets current relievers are not pitching well enough; however, has he really looked at how the Zephyrs starters have been doing?
Here's an abbreviated log of what Zephyr Philip Humber's did in his final inning of a start that lasted just 3.2 innings:
- Single
- Walk
- Double steal
- Home run
- Home run
- Popout
- Flyout
- Walk
- Double
As soon as I looked at the log something struck me. Humber gave up two home runs after the double steal. It must have affected his pitching.
Should Minaya be calling up Humber to be a Mets reliever during a pennant race? The Mets need relievers with nerves of steel who won't flinch in the face of adversity.
Three other Zephyr pitchers didn't do any better in their last starts. Adam Bostick gave up six earned runs in five innings. Dave Williams gave up seven earned runs in 6.1 innings. Jason Vargas gave up five runs in five innings.
The only two who had decent last starts were Mike Pelfrey and Jose Santiago. Pelfrey gave up three earned runs in five innings; however, he threw 94 pitches, which indicates control problems. Only Jose Santiago had a quality start, giving up only one run in six innings, but his ERA's 5.27.
In Coors Field, a hitters' ballpark, the Rockies did and the Mets didn't. Starter Tom Glavine lost his sixth of the season as he inched closer to the .500 mark. In six innings he yielded nine hits, six runs, and five walks. Seemed like he was having trouble finding the plate. Of his 112 pitches, only 61 were strikes. On the positive side, if it weren't for one "Rockie" inning, the third, Glavine wouldn't have given up a run. And there was another positive. Joe Smith pitched the last two innings and limited the Rockies to one walk and no hits.
One level down, the Zephyrs won, 3-2, but starter David Williams didn't get the win though he gave up only only three hits and two runs in seven innings. Given the Mets current pitching problems, Williams might soon be joining the big team.
The B-Mets lost 5-3, Kevin Mulvey absorbing the loss.
And in Aberdeen land, wherever that is, the Brooklyn Cyclones scored four in the top of the tenth to finish off the Ironbirds 6-3 though no Cyclones pitcher pitched even four innings. Hittingwise, Jacob Eigsti led the Cyclones with three while playing three positions in the game: 3B, 1B, and SS. Eigsti was the Mets' 29th round pick in the 2006 draft.
