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Mets’ Next Closer Acquisition Should Be… No One


By Howard Megdal ~ September 1st, 2010. Filed under: Howard Megdal, New York Mets.

Next year’s closer acquisition should clearly be… no one.

Let’s take a look at the needs of the 2011 Mets. They need to acquire a reasonable choice to start at second base. Sure, they can hope Daniel Murphy can be that player, and muscle his way into the starting lineup, but the team can’t count on that.

The team needs to be certain it has three starting outfielders. Angel Pagan is someone to rely on. Carlos Beltran, given his performance and injury, and Jason Bay, given his performance and injury, will each need a fallback plan. (This is predicated on the idea that the Mets won’t be able to trade either contract.) Maybe they can fill these positions internally with Lucas Duda, Nick Evans, and the three weeks Fernando Martinez is healthy next year. Incredibly, the Mets wasted months of at-bats those three could have received on Jeff Francoeur.

But no matter; these are needs. These are positions that the team’s current candidates to fill are either candidates for a bounce back season, or rookies.

Contrast that with the back end of the bullpen, assuming Francisco Rodriguez doesn’t return. Bobby Parnell, in his time with the Mets, has a walk rate of 1.9/9 and a K rate of 9.2/9 to go with his 2.86 ERA. Hisanori Takahashi, in his bullpen work, has a walk rate of 3.7/9 and a K rate of 10.0/9 to go with his 2.40 ERA.

Both of these are solid comparatively to most MLB closers. And they positively blow away the free agent alternatives this winter.

As to the objection- but Parnell hasn’t done the job yet!- all I can say is, Jerry Manuel’s refusal to let him try almost seems like a spiteful move toward a team, the 2011 Mets, that he is highly unlikely to be managing.

Over the next month, Parnell needs to get more opportunities to close. The team could easily get by with Parnell and Takahashi as two-headed closer. If you think otherwise, consult the 1986 Mets.

And with a finite amount of money to spend, the Mets should concentrate instead on their other needs.

Howard Megdal is the Editor-in-Chief of The Perpetual Post. He covers baseball, basketball and soccer for Capital New York, MLBTradeRumors.com, New York Baseball Digest and has written for ESPN.com as well as numerous other publications. He is the Poet Laureate for SBNation New York. His book about Jewish baseball players, “The Baseball Talmud,” is available for purchase on Amazon.com and wherever books are sold. His next book, "Taking The Field", is available for pre-order on Amazon.com and will publish in May 2011.
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3 Responses to Mets’ Next Closer Acquisition Should Be… No One

  1. bayman
    September 2nd, 2010 at 1:49 pm

    Manuel gave Parnell a chance and he flubbed it. Parnell always seems to pitch well when nothing’s on the line, but in a tie game or protecting a lead, he falls apart.

  2. Joe
    September 2nd, 2010 at 2:14 pm

    The only problem is Takahashi may want to be a starter and has an out in his contract allowing him to become a free agent. Given his record, I can’t see the Mets guaranteeing him a starting slot, especiallywit Mejia coming on.

  3. ART
    September 2nd, 2010 at 3:15 pm

    1 flubbed chance at the [relative] beginning of a closer’s career does not mean the guy can’t get the job done. True Parnell’s stats show he has but 1 save in 7 SOpp.s, but if a guy comes into the game in the 8th inning or 9th inning, allows 0 runs, and is replaced by another pitcher, while it’s not a “Blown Save”, it’s a save opportunity that wasn’t converted, hence the ridiculous .143 closing percentage. Parnell hasn’t allowed an earned run in his last 9 2/3rds innings, has 8 K’s and 0 BB’s during that time. Now, I’ll grant you the Mets haven’t been able to score run in the last few months, so for the most part, when Parnell has been pitching, there hasn’t been much on the line, but the guy throws the ball faster than J.R. Richard used to, and that’s saying something! I honestly can’t remember a time, EVER!, the Mets have had a guy who could hit triple digits on the speed gun with regularity. Now, if he was reaching triple digits and walking people like crazy, I’d be right there with you as the last thing I want to see my closer do is walk people, but Parnell’s control has REALLY! come down over the last few years. Takahashi, of course, has also been stellar coming out of the pen, and at worst that gives us a solid 8th inning guy. Whatever the case, I’m just kind of peeved the Mets didn’t keep Billy Wagner and trade KO my wife… oops… K-Rod, but since I can’t change that, I’ll agree with Megdal in that Parnell and Takahashi would make a nice 1-2 punch at the end of the game, especially now that Parnell is able to get ground balls (2.5/1 GB/AO ratio), AND avoid giving away the free pass.

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