[caption id="attachment_684" align="alignright" width="300" caption="K-Rod and his payroll paralyzing option were traded to the Brewers, but without the single-season saves leader the Mets bullpen is currently posting baseballs worst ERA mark. (Photo Credit: Jim McIsaac / Getty Images)"]
[/caption]
The Mets traded their single-season saves leading closer right after the All-Star game strictly to cut costs. Francisco Rodriguez had a $17.5 million option for 2012 that would automatically kick in if he finished a certain amount of games in 2011.
The Brewers acquired him from the Mets to boost their playoff-bound bullpen. He arrived in Milwaukee to serve as a set-up man for their All-Star closer John Axford. The role would avoid K-Rod’s payroll paralyzing option, and would make games shorter for the Brew-Crew.
But the Mets could not possibly miss their former closer anymore than they do now. Without K-Rod, the Mets ‘pen is posting an MLB worst 5.96 ERA in the month of August; and that is not taking into account the four runs in two innings they yielded to the Brewers in Sunday afternoon’s 6-2 loss.
Saying that the Mets, with K-Rod, could have had a better result in their three-game weekend series with the Brewers is certainly an understatement.
The “Amazin’s” were swept out of their Citi by the Brewers, and two of their three losses quite possibly could have been prevented if the Mets had the depth in their ‘pen that K-Rod provides.
Although K-Rod registered a blown save against his old team, the Brewers still managed to win because the Mets relievers pitched so much worse.
Jason Isringhausen, who just recently picked up his 300th save, walked three and allowed four runs to score; all without recording a single out. Two of those four were go-ahead runs and the Brewers ‘pen held on to win in Saturday’s wild 11-9 ballgame.
The Mets ‘pen did not fare much better on Sunday. They allowed the pressure of a tight ballgame to explode on them.
R.A. Dickey had the game under control despite allowing two Brewers to score. He did last seven innings en route to his team leading 16th quality start of the season. His two-run deficit was also erased when Lucas Duda drove a two-run homer into the Mets bullpen.
While quality starts are nice, the Mets need wins, and for that the bullpen needs to be effective. Today they were far from it. The unit allowed four runs in two innings of work, and allowed the Brewers to pull away for their 6-2 win this afternoon.
It appears as if things are only going to get worse for the Mets ‘pen. The team will travel to Philadelphia to start a series with the NL East leading Phillies. Tomorrow night’s opener will feature a match up of two southpaws with Jon Niese toeing the rubber for the Mets against Cliff Lee.
Back to the New York Mets Newsfeed