AFTER THE 2ND INNING, HOUSER PITCHED LIKE SANTA GIVING OUT PRESENTS
“Yo Adrian” Houser is earning $5.05 million this year, with no remaining options.
His ERA is a bloated 7.45 with 16 runs allowed in 19.1 innings, in which he has allowed 36 baserunners via hit, walk, and HBP. Heavy traffic.
The Mets are not getting their money’s worth…I think that is fair to say.
A closer look at Houser’s season-to-date splits suggests a potential solution.
In the first and second innings this year, he has gone 8 innings, allowing 2 hits and one run.
Sizzling.
After that, he has gone 8.1 innings, allowing 15 runs, allowing 18 hits and 10 walks.
Super ugly. Worse than fizzling.
And this after a high 1.42 WHIP over the past two seasons, even when backed by a stellar Brewers’ defense.
What to do? My initial thought…
Why not turn him into a two inning relief pitcher?
Well, one might ask, who would replace said Bowser Houser?
Ther’s no Senga, Megill or Peterson to soon ride to the rescue, after all.
Christian Scott? He is one option.
He, however, in my view, would be rushed if called up now.
Yes, sir, he has fanned an incredible 26 hitters in AAA in 14.1 innings.
But he has also allowed 5 home runs.
That’s a lot, especially when one considers that major league hitters are far more lethal in terms of hitting homers than AAA hitters.
I think another several starts in AAA are called for, to not rush his development.
Who else, then?
Why, there is this guy named Joey, of course.
You remember Joey Lucchesi?
He’s the guy who went 4-0, 2.89 in 47 innings for the Mets in 2023, right?
Well, in 4 starts in 2024 in frigid AAA, he is a fine 2-0, 2.57, 1.19 WHIP. That is a far better ERA and WHIP than his league’s averages for pitchers.
The average International League team is coughing up 5 runs per game.
And in his 2023 major league 47 innings of 2023 and his 21 innings in AAA in 2024? Just 6 HRs allowed.
That is just 6 allowed in 68 innings, compared to Scott’s 6 in 20 innings.
But, you’re the GM, not me. I’m just a humble reporter. So I need:
YOUR THOUGHTS on this please.
To me, after the Mets’ recent good play (followed by a modest losing streak) makes the idea of a Mets snatch of a wild card at least somewhat more possible, we can’t have Houser bomb as a starter every 5th day. At least, that is how the fan in me sees it.
LOTS AND LOTS OF WINS IN METSVILLE ON WEDNESDAY
Lindor explodes, 4 hits, 4 RBIs, 2 HRs. Up from .034 a few weeks ago to .206. THAT’S A LOT OF “UP”.
Nido, meanwhile, down to .167.
Reed Garrett pitches like the 1986 version of Mike Scott again, as Garrett goes to 4-0, and the win today gave the Mets a 3-3 game split on their tough west coast swing.
Terrifically Talented Tyrone Taylor had a double and HR, and is hitting .327. Sweet. Maybe he really IS the best player on the team.
In the minors, only a 1 run 5-4 loss by St Lucie marred a perfect Mets day. But even that losing game had “amazing” in it. As in, Nick Morabito is at .370/.507/.519 after Wednesday’s game. A .507 OBP, translated, means “promotion definitely overdue.”
Syracuse? Dom Hamel was awesome for 5 innings, as part of a 4-0 one hit shutout. Ignore his season 4.42 ERA. It is that high only due to a terrible first season outing, but…he has been brilliant his last 3 outings, with just 4 earned runs in 15.2 IP, and TWENTY FOUR Ks. Wow.
JD Martinez had 2 hits and 2 RBIs. He has to be in the Mets lineup this weekend.
For Brooklyn, Doug Orellana went 5 perfect innings in relief, fanning 6, to grab a “hold” in a 13-3 Cyclone slugfest. Another pitcher went a mere 1/3 of an inning just before him to close out the 3rd inning and got credited with the win….weird rules.
Friggin’ Drake Osborn got on base THREE more times (.464/.583/.679). He got, I imagine, a blood infusion from Barry Bonds. And Stan the Man Consuegra was on base a well-needed 4 times, and Ryan Clifford walked 3 more times. Sixteen walks in 17 games.
Binghamton won 7-6 on homers by Wyatt “Hercules” Young, J Jackson, and a 3 run jolt by Kevin Parada that had to feel G..O..O..D.
Junior Santos 2 perfect innings for the win. He may have found his niche in the bullpen.
That’s rhe deal.