As he has been the only lefty in the Mets pen until recently (Robert Carson was recalled from Binghamton last week), Tim Byrdak is currently on a pace to appear in 95 games. He’s also on pace to appear in only 43.2 innings. A look at his recent appearances will tell you why. In his last ten outings, he’s pitched one-third of an inning apiece (pardon my screen cap):
In that time, he’s thrown no more than 6 pitches per appearance.
So, can the 38 year-old Byrdak keep up this pace all year? Can a major league pitcher throw 6 pitches a day, almost every day, and not get worn out? It’s probably best not to find out the hard way. Carson needs to get more chances to keep Byrdak fresh. Tim’s been a mainstay of an otherwise shaky bullpen, and the Mets should endeavor to keep him healthy all year.
Or they could just continue to overuse him, squeeze everything they can out of him…then trade him to the Yankees.
6 comments
srt
5/21/2012-1:49pm at 1:49 pm (UTC -4)
‘Or they could just continue to overuse him, squeeze everything they can out of him…then trade him to the Yankees.’
Oh, Burn……
He’s 38. Does scare me a little. Really should have had 2 lefties in the pen all along. Hope Robert Carson is the answer to the second lefty but it’s hard to imagine he’ll be as effective as Byrdak as been – which has almost been money in the bank. Goes without saying I’d like to be wrong on that.
Stickguy
5/21/2012-2:24pm at 2:24 pm (UTC -4)
guess the other options in ST didn’t make a case to beat out the other RH guys, plus (paul may have mentioned this) Ramon was supposed to be one of those reverse split guys that was effective vs. LH batters too.
Paul Festa
5/21/2012-3:43pm at 3:43 pm (UTC -4)
Good point. Ramirez has good numbers against LHBs (something like a.611 OPS against), so they planned on using him against lefties as well. But he hasn’t been good against righties or lefties so far.
Stickguy
5/21/2012-2:26pm at 2:26 pm (UTC -4)
man, in one stretch, he pitched 5 out of 6 days? He must have a rubber arm!
interesting usage though.
I still am not a big fan of OOGYing though.
srt
5/21/2012-3:00pm at 3:00 pm (UTC -4)
OT: Rottino up, Schwinden down.
Not sue I get the Schwinden down. Now we have no long man in the BP and you can’t recall Schwinden for almost 2 weeks, unless someone gets hurt.
Acosta and Ramirez better step it up, in that BP.
Stick
5/21/2012-3:17pm at 3:17 pm (UTC -4)
yeah, acosta has to be on life support. Must be that they still hope he can find what he had in the 2nd half last year. I doubt it, but there seems to be a little bit of rope left.
and the long man becomes acosta, Carson and hope for no really early exits.
Hopefully (well, assuming Manny doesn’t have some miraculous rebound) he leaves soon, with his spot being taken by one of the RHPs in the minors (Elvin, Eggbert) that is actually doing well.
Ramon will be getting a lot longer look., but he has also (I think) been doing a lot better recently after a truly brutal start to the season.