[caption id="attachment_506" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="The Mets traded All-Star Carlos Beltran before the trading deadline. Despite losing the National League's doubles leader, the Mets believe they can still survive. (Photo Credit: Joe Robbins / Getty Images"]
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The non-waiver trading deadline has officially passed and it has been about four days since the Mets shipped their second-best player to San Francisco for a pitching prospect who MAY be ready by 2013. Despite trading Carlos Beltran, they still believe they can catch the Braves in the Wild-Card race.
Eh, I’m not so sure, but it wasn’t the Beltran trade that decreased the odds in my opinion. It was the cost-cutting trade of Francisco Rodriguez for two players who have yet to be named.
Now I admit that it was a trade GM Sandy Alderson had to make. The single-season saves leader’s $17.5 million contract option for next year would have made it impossible to resign All-Star fan favorite Jose Reyes.
[caption id="attachment_503" align="aligncenter" width="594" caption="The Mets traded single-season saves leader Francisco Rodriguez right after the All-Star game. While his departure saves money for Reyes, it exposes a lack of proven arms in the bullpen. (Photo Credit: Doug Pensinger / Getty Images)"]
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And, Rodriguez wasn’t the best teammate in Flushing either. He was known to be a hothead and unapproachable. When asked about K-Rod, some fans will remember the video of him being restrained while shouting at former Yankee Brian Bruney before a Subway Series game in 2009. Others will remember a season-ending thumb injury he suffered when he assaulted his girlfriend’s father in the Mets clubhouse.
But that doesn’t change the fact that K-Rod provided stability in the bullpen. He was 23 for 26 in save opportunities with a 3.16 ERA for the Mets in 2011. That ERA mark was the second lowest among bullpen qualifiers. His presence took the pressure off of untested and unproven relievers like Bobby Parnell and Pedro Beato.
[caption id="attachment_504" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Jason Isringhausen has been called on to close games for the Mets since K-Rod was traded. He has pitched well and is just a few saves shy of 300 for his career. (Photo Credit: Sabo / Daily News)"]
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In his absence the Mets are forced to turn to Jason Isringhausen, a proven veteran who is a handful of saves away from the 300 mark. Izzy can definitely be relied on to close games, but the bridge to him is not built on a solid foundation.
Bobby Parnell has one of the most explosive fastballs in the game. He can hit 99 mph with ease. But his secondary pitches are suspect. If his slider isn’t in the dirt, its usually is in the seats after making contact with a hitters bat. He also has a tendency to let innings unravel on him.
Pedro Beato a Mets Rule 5 pick this year, is largely untested. One of his finer moments this season came when he induced an inning ending double play off the bat of Albert Puljos to end a potentially big inning, a week after K-Rod was traded. He was also brilliant before he was placed on the DL in early May.
But usually it seems as if he comes in games and throws his pitches without knowing where they are going. He falls behind hitters plenty, which is a no-no for bullpen arms because their only responsibilities are preserving leads, and recording outs.
The rest of the arms, like Manny Acosta and DJ Carrasco, do not have the ability or consistency to compensate if Parnell and Beato falter in their post K-Rod roles. Although Ryota Igarashi has been pitching better of late, he cannot be trusted to come in games with base runners. He has allowed 5 of 10 inherited runners to score since returning to the majors on July 15.
The Beltran loss will not affect the Mets as much as K-Rod’s loss would. The Mets offense scored 28 runs in 5 games after trading their All-Star right-fielder. Daniel Murphy, David Wright, and Jason Bay have been carrying the run-producing portion of the lineup. Since the trade, these three have gone 28 for 63 with 14 runs scored while driving in 13 more.
Wright’s approach at the plate since coming off the DL has been excellent. He looks like he could hit every pitch he sees pain-free, something that can’t be said if he was still feeling the stress fracture he suffered early this season.
[caption id="attachment_505" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Daniel Murphy's career year is helping the Mets stay above water, and the Amazins should have no trouble staying afloat provided Murphy stays in the lineup. (Photo Credit: Jim McIsaac / Getty Images)"]
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Murphy is having a career year. He is third in the National League in hitting and doubles. He has taken to playing everyday extremely well. His bat was never a question, his glove and sometimes mind-boggling base running were, and despite some lapses he still has been one of the most productive Mets all season. He does not show any signs of slowing down, although being less aggressive on the bases would help him score more.
While Jason Bay cannot be counted on to hold productive stretches, he is clicking right now. We have seen what he was capable of earlier this season, when he smacked the first grand slam for the Mets in two seasons. In this particular five game stretch since Beltran’s trade, Bay has gone 9 for 21 with 4 doubles while driving in 5 RBI’s.
The Beltran-less offense will not sink the Mets in their wild-card hopes. While on paper they aren’t as potent minus Beltran, they are still as productive and maybe even more dangerous because several of these bats are underrated. In the end, the bullpen will decide whether the Mets will play October baseball.
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