Archive for the ‘Bobby Parnell’ Category

BY MATT ESPOSITO
STACHE WRITER

From listening to the game on the radio Wednesday night, I’m not entirely sure that I can trust that Houston radar gun. Nonetheless, I really have no other choice. I still got very excited over the fireballs that Bobby Parnell tossed over two scoreless innings against the Astros. It made me wonder.

How often will Parnell be able to throw at or over 100 miles per hour? He hit an unprecedented 103 on the radar gun in question. He struck out three in those two innings of work. It makes me wonder if he his ninth inning material. In 24 innings pitched this season, he has struck out 25 with an ERA of 3.38. He’s only walked six this year as well. His command has improved considerably since last year.

As one of the biggest standouts, the closing duties could fall into his hands, along with left-handed teammate Hisanori Takahashi. At this point however, the role should belong exclusively to Parnell, especially if his arm can continue to develop. Takahashi ,35, won’t likely last a long time on the Mets pitching staff, especially with the upcoming free agent class of relief pitchers.

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BY SCOTT ILOWITE
STACHE WRITER

What is it about “You”-ston? Every single time the Mets take a trip to the “Juice Box”, I need 3 Grande Mocha Frappuccino’s  just to make it though these extra-inning marathons. We figured to get good starting pitching with R.A. Dickey and Brett Myers on the hill. 

Both pitchers were as advertised. Myers went 7 innings and gave up 2 runs, while Dickey lasted 8.1 innings, but was yanked after serving up the game tying solo homer in the bottom of the 9th to Geoff Blum. 

Unfortunately, in the 12th inning, David Wright led off with a howitzer into centerfield, but immediately slowed up and had apparently injured himself. He almost walked to 1st base.

When he reached 1st, he immediately turned around and walked back to the dugout.  After the game, Jerry Manuel told reporters that David was just not feeling well. He said that he had a queasy stomach and felt a little light headed.

Bobby Parnell came in for the 11th and 12th innings and threw the best 2 innings of his career. 

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BY AARON YORKE
STACHE WRITER

The Mets lost to the Philadelphia Phillies 7-5 tonight. It was another bad one. Yes, all the Mets losses are bad, but we tend to perceive the ones in which the Mets are leading in the 7th inning or later as worse. It’s probably because our hopes get higher. Or maybe it’s because if they go down early we don’t waste our whole evening. Hypothetically I would probably more upset if Jon Niese had another bad start than if the Mets lost the way they did. At least with a nice bounce back start in which his curveball looked nasty, Jon Niese avoided going down the Pelfrey path… for now.

As for Bobby Parnell, I thought his slider looked really good when throwing it to Jayson Werth. He threw it when Werth was expecting heat and made him look foolish. Unfortunately, Parnell’s location was not consistent tonight and it failed him the most when he was trying to finish off Werth and Ben Francisco. Bobby got ahead of both Philly outfielders but allowed both to reach on singles.

With Manny Acosta pitching well recently, it’s a wonder Jerry Manuel didn’t hand him the ball in the 8th inning. With no one solidly earning the set-up role, you’d figure it would be a good idea to go with the hot hand. I’d like Bobby to take the role in the long run just like everyone else, but Manny has been pitching better right now. Oh well, it’s not like we haven’t grown used to humiliating losses to the Phillies.
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BY ANDREW MERLIS
STACHE WRITER

That was the final score of the Mets-Phillies game Friday night. I suppose you’ll look at that score and say, “I thought it was 7-5.” Yeah, technically that was the final score.

But I find the 111-19 score more interesting.

The 111 represents the number of pitches Jonathan Niese threw in the game. Those 111 pitches yielded 4 Phillies hits. The 19 is the number of pitches Bobby Parnell threw in the game.

Those 19 pitches yielded 4 Phillies hits. Of course Niese also recorded 21 outs, including seven strikeouts, with those 111 pitches. Parnell? No outs.

Conventional wisdom these days says you lift your starting pitcher when the 7th or 8th rolls around, especially if he’s thrown more than 100 pitches. Conventional wisdom is, well, unwise.

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Bobby Parnell has burst back onto the scene. (PHOTO BY ICON SMI)

BY SCOTT ILOWITE
STACHE WRITER

I was really fired up to see flame throwing “Baseball Jesus” Stephen Strasburg, take on my new favorite Met, R.A. “The Butterfly” Dickey. I can’t remember two more contrasting styles facing off against one another. But as the game progressed and Strasburg hit his pitch count after the 5th, then Dickey came out in the 7th, I was pleased to see that Bobby Parnell was getting ready to come into the game.

Early on last year, Parnell was lights out. He came in the game and just blew hitters away. Through June 9, Parnell had made 29 appearances to the tune of a 1.96 ERA. But buy the middle of June, the league started to see him for the 2nd and 3rd time, and started hitting him hard. So naturally, Omar and the Mets brass had a genius idea to stretch him out and make him a starter for the rest of the putrid 2009 season. Well, that didn’t work out too well and Parnell got shelled during his handful of starts.

Going into spring training, I honestly forgot that he was even in the organization. With everything that went on in the off season and the low expectations for the 2010 Mets, Parnell wasn’t even in my thoughts. Until recently, I didn’t even know where in the farm system he even was. About 3 weeks ago, I came across his stats in Buffalo and just shook my head. 24 appearances and a 4.14 ERA. How did this kid fall off so badly? Was it his confidence?
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Randy Doesnt Wanna See A Seattle Uniform On Mejia

BY RANDY SHEMANSKI
STACHE WRITER

We got what we all wanted – and what I wrote last week – on Sunday afternoon when the Mets sent 20-year-old righty Jenrry Mejia to Double-A and called up Bobby Parnell from Triple-A. Mejia will be used at Binghamton as a starter, which is what he’ll be as a future big leaguer.

But the question now is, will that future be in a New York Mets uniform?

Some beat writers speculated after the move was announced that it was made partly to increase his trade value, presumably to acquire Cliff Lee. I’m all for acquiring Lee, especially with Johan Santana’s recent struggles.

But if the Mets only get Lee for two months and then he departs via free agency in the offseason, giving up Mejia to get him would be a huge mistake.
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The Mets And Grand Slams Arent Going Well Together

BY BRYAN ROTHSTEIN
STACHE WRITER

This season should just be titled Grand Slams Galore ..

That being said…

The first successful road trip of the year has come to completion with the Mets finishing 7-2 while facing the Yankees (1-2), Orioles (3-0) and the Indians (3-0). While it is disappointing they lost the Yankees series it was still a positive road trip and our pitching continues to shine.

They come home to face the Twins in second place 2 games behind the 1st place Braves. As Met fans we must be positive right now and hope our strong pitching continues and Bay starts to get hot, I mean this can’t continue all season can it? We also need a healthy and happy Beltran back which could be sooner then later as well as a trade for a starting pitcher and a bullpen arm.

When it comes to a starter all the talk surrounding the Mets involves Cliff Lee. I think Lee is a great pitcher, big market proven, obtainable for the Mets, but in the end not worth the cost. I remember Lee saying last season that he has never been a free agent and was excited for that opportunity.
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Make Him A Starter Already!

RANDY SHEMANSKI
STACHE WRITER

If you needed any more convincing that Jenrry Mejia belongs in the minor leagues, Wednesday night should have done the trick.

Considered the organization’s top prospect by Baseball America, many believed Mejia belonged in the minors to start the season to prime himself for a mid-season promotion to help the Mets’ starting rotation.

But on Wednesday night, Mejia found himself in the eighth inning of a game the Mets led, 8-3. Hardly the type of spot that specifically requires a player with his talent. In fact, it was the type of the inning a middle or long reliever usually works, which is exactly what Mejia has become.

It was a no-win situation. If Mejia pitches a clean inning, big deal, the game wasn’t in doubt anyway. If he struggles, well, that’s not good. And he did struggle, walking the first two guys he faced, leading to a quick hook from Jerry Manuel, who called on Elmer Dessens to clean up the mess.

An outing like that does nothing but hinder Mejia’s development.
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Bobby Parnell could provide a big boost to the pen. (PHOTO BY ICON SMI)

BY KEVIN KEARNS
STACHE WRITER

This time last year Mets fans were beginning to romance with a flame throwing right hander named Bobby Parnell. Mets fans spent the majority of the first half of last season beginning wowed by Parnell’s fastball consistently leaving batters looking lost at the plate. Now, Parnell is a mere after thought as names like Elmer Dessens and Raul Valdes eat up relief innings for the Mets.

So what has happened to the “future closer” of the Mets? The consensus opinion is that there are two different reasons why Parnell has struggled to the point where he can no longer even retire triple-A opponents.

The first belief, which seems to be the Mets’ thinking, is that Parnell dominated the league his first time around yet the second time around didn’t work out as well. Parnell appeared to be able to blow hitters away by just showing his fastball early last season. When he had to face the hitters again, he failed to retire anyone by just throwing an explosive fastball.
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Bobby Parnell is just one guy who needs to step up in 2010.

BY MICHAEL GANCI
EDITOR

Recently, we have been doing a lot of bantering back and forth about what moves the Mets should or shouldn’t make, but there are some guys on this team who, if they step up and make some progress, may take this team to the next level.

Now, I am not talking about the Wright, Santana, Reyes and Beltran that everyone knows should step up, but this is more a look at some secondary guys who could make a difference if they decide to take that step to the next level.

Now let’s get started.
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