Ahh The Bullpen

People kind of just brush aside bullpens. It's only natural. Bullpen arms don't play every day and they don't have the chance to go nine every 5th day.

Yet it seems that every trade deadline it's bullpen arms that are the big story.

Why?

Three reasons.

1. Bullpen arms come cheaper than any other position. You can get a good middle reliever for a lot less than you can get a good starter or position player.

2. Their are more bullpen arms available. Each team has 6-8 guys coming out of the pen. That's 200 relief pitchers. Team's assume they can restock the pen via their farm system so they are quicker to move some of their major league ready guys.

3. Bullpen matters a lot more than we think.


Say what you want about Beltran or Delgado or even Tom Glavine. The main difference between the '07 Mets and the '06 Mets is its middle relief.

Think back to '06. Heilman and Sanchez(replaced by Mota) were as lights out as it got in the 7th and 8th innings. If the Mets held the lead after 6 innings, the game was essentially over.

If we needed to go lefty/lefty or righty/right, we went to Feliciano and Bradford, respectively, who as the season went along, became more and more dominant.

If we needed 4 solid innings, we went to Darren Oliver (RIP), who was awesome.

This year we have no Sanchez, a bad Mota, an incosistent Heilman, A weaker version of Bradford (Joe Smith, RIP)and a weaker version of Oliver (Aaron Sele). If not for the emergence of Pedro Feliciano, we would be in serious trouble.

Last night pretty much sums up the difference between 2007 and 2006.

In '06, Tommy Glavine leaves a game up 2-1 and you're feeling good.

In '07, not so much. Our three big guns in the pen, Heilman, Feliciano and Mota couldn't get the job done. As a result, Tommy is still sitting at 299.

Think about this season. The Mets currently 59-47 sit three games ahead of the Phillies in the NL East. Now ask yourself:

Has the bullpen cost the Mets between 3-5 games more this season than it did in '06.

I would say without question.

It is for these reasons that the Red Sox got the steal of the deadline in Eric Gagne. Assuming he can acclomate to his 8th inning role, games at Fenway will be essentially over come the 7th inning when the Sox can turn the ball over to their three all-stars, Hideki Okajima, Eric Gagne and Jonathan Papelbon.

It is for these reasons that a lot of us are shaking your heads at the Yankees decision to trade Scott Proctor.

Not Sip.

You all know how much I question Joe Torre's in game decision making, especially the way he uses his bullpen. Proctor was Joe's whipping boy. Torre used Proctor in what seemed like every game for the last couple of seasons. I think Torre even tried to get him to throw batting practice.

Brian Cashman might make questionable decisions when it comes to the money he spends, but he is a smart guy when it comes to the decisions he makes regarding players already on the field.

The Yankees don't trade Proctor, when middle relief is a weakness, unless they know something more than we do. Maybe that Proctor's arm is dead. That Torre has actually ruined a relief pitcher in a little less than three seasons.

I don't buy the idea that the Yanks moved Proctor because they knew they would get Gagne. They just didn't have the parts.

I think the Yankees are more comfortable with Joba Chamberlin and Ross Ohlendorf pitching the 6th and 7th innings than they would be with Proctor.

Anyone want to bet that Proctor has a major surgery in the next 12 months?

So here we are, 3 up with about 55 games to go. At the same time, the Yankees are 3 down of the wild card. The question now, is which makes you more nervous.

If you were a Mets fan in the 80's and 90's, then this should be a no-brainer.


Vaya,
Sip