Before last night’s 5-4 loss at Citi Field, Terry Collins announced that with Chris Schwinden heading back to Buffalo, Miguel Batista will enter the rotation, making his first start on Tuesday against Philadelphia.
“One of the things we brought Miguel Batista in for was not just to be a bullpen guy, but if we needed a spot starter at any time, he was the one to do it,” Collins said. “We saw last year how effective he can be in that role. As we wait to see how Chris Young comes along, this guy, we brought him here so if we needed a starter he was here. We’ve got to give him a look in that spot.”
-Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com
What Terry Collins and Sandy Alderson are doing with this is just wrong. What’s the point of putting a 41 year-old, washed up veteran into the rotation? Does he even give you the best chance to win? Absolutely not. The only thing keeping Batista in the rotation is the four starts he made at the end of last season. He had a 2.42 ERA in 26 innings, including a shutout on the last day of the season. However, since then, Batista has been awful. In 10 games (13 innings) ha has a 6.92 ERA. He has given up at least one run in half of his appearances this season.
Why the Mets didn’t call up Jeremy Hefner really puzzles me. He is 26, certainly old enough and 
experienced enough to earn a big league job. Also, he has actually pitched well this year, unlike Batista. In Buffalo, he has a 1.64 ERA and a 0.970 WHIP in five starts. On top of that, he lines up well with Tuesday. He would only have three days of rest if he were to go on Tuesday, but adjustments could have been made. Even if Terry Collins thinks they are about the same skill level, why not start the younger guy with more potential?
I don’t know. It just doesn’t make sense.
Also published on Up Along First.
19 comments
NJstuckinTX
5/5/2012-4:16pm at 4:16 pm (UTC -4)
They only thing that comes to mind is the slow and steady, let’s not throw the kids to the wolves mentality. That said, he’s 26!!! He isn’t a kid. I’m with you, he should have been brought up.
jerseymet
5/5/2012-4:35pm at 4:35 pm (UTC -4)
Agreed. He has pitched 150 or more innings in 4 years of the minors. He should be ready. This is by far his best year. I wonder if he picked up a new pitch.
Collins is a man of his word did he promise a chance to Batista?
Stickguy
5/5/2012-6:27pm at 6:27 pm (UTC -4)
he is far from a kid, he is as “done” developing as he is ever going to be, and he really isn’t some top prospect you have to be worried about protecting.
he was the logical choice.
and Batista had his change in this role, and it was not good. Nor has his longer outings.
screw him!
but this really has to be his last shot. if he can’t come close to a good 5minimum, but more like 6, innings he is worthless as a spot starter.
also, this is not a spot start (those you get when say a rain out make up DH squeezes the rotation, and you need a 1 time start). They are talking about actually putting him in the rotation.
Hazmet
5/5/2012-5:20pm at 5:20 pm (UTC -4)
I’d rather have a minor leaguer pitching in the bigs than a washed up big leaguer pitching like a minor leaguer in the bigs.
Batista is at best a mop up guy for blow outs at this stage. The sooner they accept reality the better.
SpencerRealDirtyMets
5/5/2012-7:24pm at 7:24 pm (UTC -4)
I don’t think Hefner is a much better option, they’re both replacement level, but Batista starting gives us a chance to maybe call up Edgin or keep another bench player.
Schwinden had good stats at Triple-A as well, so those aren’t reliable. Overall although Batista is terrible, he’s the better option until Young or Carrasco is healthy IMO.
Hazmet
5/5/2012-8:36pm at 8:36 pm (UTC -4)
If it meant getting Edgin up here than that’s a scenario I could get behind. The down side is they’ll need him if Batista is starting.
SpencerRealDirtyMets
5/5/2012-9:22pm at 9:22 pm (UTC -4)
Yeah thats for sure..
I think it may be because Carrasco is gonna take the spot, in which case I have no issue with that as he is on a ML contract.
srt
5/5/2012-8:51pm at 8:51 pm (UTC -4)
You’ll get no argument from me on Batista, Connor. Everything you said is spot on and makes complete sense to me.
More and more this just proves their decision was to spend what little money they had for the BP and cross their fingers for the SP. We needed both, WIlpons-being-broke be damned.
I see they sent down Valdespin and called up DJ. Oh goody….possibly two swing man who can’t pitch.
trs86
5/5/2012-9:10pm at 9:10 pm (UTC -4)
I think the problem was more along the lines of finding someone willing to go to AAA and wait for an injury OR finding someone better than Gee and sending him down to AAA. I guess they did not want to send Gee down and no one wanted to go pitch in Buffalo.
srt
5/5/2012-9:31pm at 9:31 pm (UTC -4)
I can understand about Gee but how much better would this pitching staff look right now with Capuano and Gee as the long man? Think Cappy has 4 wins now.
I still think it was about the money and nothing but the money.
trs86
5/5/2012-10:22pm at 10:22 pm (UTC -4)
Are you willing to give Cap the multi year deal and make Gee a long man? I just think they were in a tough spot in terms of the rotation.
gategem
5/5/2012-10:41pm at 10:41 pm (UTC -4)
If the Mets were a contender the answer to that question would be yes. It would have given the Mets depth and flexibility, both needed in a long season. But since the Mets are not a contender it really doesn’t matter and it does save old Freddy some gelt. It could also yield some financial flexibility in the future when perhaps the Mets are a contender.
Stickguy
5/5/2012-10:51pm at 10:51 pm (UTC -4)
so far this year, they are a contender. Actually holding down a playoff spot as of today. Have some faith man!
kingman 26
5/5/2012-9:23pm at 9:23 pm (UTC -4)
Hefner is a 26 year old terrible, awful pitcher with a career’s worth of terrible stats all over the minors.
He’s Schwinden, and everyone will be slamming him after 2 starts.
Sometimes there ARE no good decisions. Like right now for the Mets’ 5th spot.
NJstuckinTX
5/5/2012-9:28pm at 9:28 pm (UTC -4)
I want to yell at you and say you are stupid and wrong and all that. But… You aren’t. You are smart and the statement you made make sense. Can’t you babble nonsense and make me feel better?
SpencerRealDirtyMets
5/5/2012-9:36pm at 9:36 pm (UTC -4)
Here’s some material for you to yell at me for:
WRONGZ IS UNCLUTCH
OLDERSON SUX NO RINGZ YET???!!?!?!111?!!?1?!?!!11
Stickguy
5/5/2012-10:39pm at 10:39 pm (UTC -4)
well, maybe his head hurts, his feet stink, and he doesn’t love Jesus.
now that is an obscure reference.
Hazmet
5/6/2012-11:57am at 11:57 am (UTC -4)
All true but on some level I like to see journeymen milb guys get a taste of the bigs even if it’s for a couple of games. Yes, he’ll most likely suck but I like to see a shot at reward for toiling in obscurity while getting some service time in the bigs to count towards something as qualifying for MLB players pension.
I’m not that familar with the rules but if a couple of games in the bigs gets him a players benefit for his family down the road then it’s a good story to me. Obviously, he’s not going to stick but it gets us a couple of more starts towards either C. Young or one of the upside youngsters being ready.
Joe Gomez
5/6/2012-11:24am at 11:24 am (UTC -4)
It is the usual garbage mentality from the Mets. I absolutely agree that Hefner should be starting, not Batista.
The only reason that I can think of starting Batista is that he is being given one last shot of being on this team and if he fails, he will be DFA with Hefner coming up.
By the way, Ike should be send down until he learns how to hit again.