Baseball Reflections

Factor 12 Leaders: Week 7

2012-05-26T08:56:11-07:00

English: Justin Verlander with burst bubble at Dodger Stadium. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Factor12 Rating (F12) is an analytic measurement utilizing league average performance to compare the value of all MLB pitchers on 60ft6in.com.

(1) Justin Verlander retains the number one F12 Rating after nearly pitching his 3^rd career no-hitter against the Pittsburgh Pirates. The 2011 American League Cy Young Award winner currently holds a 32.413 Factor12 Rating.

(2) Aroldis Chapman continues to dazzle the National League opposition. The Cincinnati Reds left-hander has not allowed an earned run in 22.33 innings this season. Chapman trails the number one position by 1.024 points.

(3) Zack Greinke has displayed his 2009 AL Cy Young form after his first nine starts. The Milwaukee Brewers ace pitched 6.67IP/ 5H/ 1ER/ 2BB/ 6K against the Minnesota Twins in his last outing.

(4) Gio Gonzalez has dominated opposing NL batters in his last eight starts. The left-hander has pitched 51 IP/ 25H/ 8ER/ 19BB/ 63K.

(5) Brandon Beachy rounds out the Top 5 despite allowing 4 earned runs over 7IP for the first time this season against the Cincinnati Reds. The Atlanta Braves right-hander has posted an MLB best 1.77 ERA.

		PITCHERS	AGE	IP	F12
1	SP	Justin Verlander	29	67.33	32.413
2	RP	Aroldis Chapman*	24	22.33	31.389
3	SP	Zack Greinke	28	56.67	30.909
4	SP	Gio Gonzalez*	26	48.67	30.675
5	SP	Brandon Beachy	25	54.00	30.635
6	SP	Jake Peavy	31	64.00	30.420
7	SP	Stephen Strasburg	23	53.00	30.402
8	SP	Clayton Kershaw*	24	61.67	30.033
9	SP	Jered Weaver	29	61.00	29.777
10	SP	Matt Cain	27	57.33	29.574
11	SP	Roy Halladay	35	64.33	29.384
12	RP	Alexi Ogando	28	24.00	29.232

***The Factor12 Top 12 in 2012 through games on May 24th:

Factor12 (F12) Rating Leaders: Week 1 (baseballreflections.com)
Factor 12 Leaders Week 2 (baseballreflections.com)
Factor 12 Leaders: Week 3 (baseballreflections.com)
Factor 12 Leaders: Week 4 (baseballreflections.com)
Factor 12 Leaders: Week 5 (baseballreflections.com)
Factor 12 Leaders: Week 6 (baseballreflections.com)

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Book Review: Ozzie’s School of Management

2012-05-25T07:15:38-07:00

If anyone who even casually follows the game of baseball was asked to name the most controversial manager of the past decade, there is little doubt that the first name out of their mouth would be current Miami Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen.

In his new book, Ozzie’s School of Management: Lessons from the Dugout, the Clubhouse, and the Doghouse, author Rick Morrissey provides a unique look into a character who seems to always be in the spotlight. To many, Guillen may seem to be just a crazy man out to get some attention, and perhaps steal it from his team, but Morrissey finds out there is a method to most of the manager’s madness.

The author had an up close view of Guillen during his years with the White Sox as Morrissey was covering the team for the Chicago Sun Times. This gives him unique perspective on Guillen’s career from the time he was hired in 2003 through the team’s World Series win in 2005 and to his departure from Chicago after the 2011 season.

Guillen is a great example of someone whose unique and strange style is envied and considered to be the reason his team is winning when they are doing well and also the reason they are losing when they aren’t doing well.

Morrissey tells the story of a man who put players in a game on a gut feeling that it would make a difference where sometimes it worked and sometimes it didn’t. Guillen is clearly not the typical manager as can be evidenced by the fact that he once took a pitcher out of a game simply because he told one of his sons that he would be able to see him on TV that day, and he knew a trip to the mound would secure that promise.

The author outlines the Ten Commandments of Ozzie as:

All Men are Created Equal, In Theory
Protect Your Employees from the Barbarians
Promote Serenity in the Workplace
Get Rid of the Clutter in Their Heads
Be Nurturing, No Matter How Much it Hurts
Find a Mentor
Don’t Confuse Team and Family
Play the Odds
Manage Up
It’s Better to Be the Matador Than the Bull (Usually)

Morrissey points a picture of a man who probably had the most trouble adhering to commandment number seven. Guillen is presented as an extremely loyal man whose loyalties often both help and hurt him. This is evidenced in a number of cases in the book, usually winding up to help the team in the long run, when the manager had stuck with a player out of loyalty for what they had done for him in the past. This also helped him with his relationships with players as well, and will have something to show for it for some time to come. Guillen is clearly painted throughout the book as someone who outsiders either love or hate, but most on the inside who have dealt with him professionally love him. If there is a player or coach who has worked with Guillen who has ended up not liking him, it is probably because that person did something Guillen completely did not respect.

A few of the topics covered in the book include:

The true story behind Guillen’s feud with White Sox General Manager Kenny Williams.
The close relationshio he has with his three sons, and the controversial tweets from his son Oney.
His not so found views of sabermetrics, meetings and any type of scouting report.
The idea that Guillen’s outspokenness hurts the chances of others who come from a Latino background in their hopes of landing a Big League managerial job.

The book came out nationwide on May 22 in hardcover. Although the book clearly does not cover much of the manager’s time with the Marlins, it does give the reader a good understanding of where that team may be headed.

Overall rating: 2.75/5

Ozzie Guillen, “The Franchise” (baseballreflections.com)

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Peavy, Dunn back to former glory

2012-05-24T03:30:27-07:00

McDonald’s has become a dynasty because of consistency. When you walk into one of the fast-food giant’s restaurants in Seattle, it is going to be pretty much the same fare you are going to get at a drive-through in Tampa.

That same type of consistency is what the Chicago White Sox thought they were getting when the traded for Jake Peavy in 2009 and picked up free agent slugger Adam Dunn before the 2011 season. The two have given the Sox anything but that consistency – Peavy for three injury-plagued seasons, Dunn for one disastrous year.

But so far this year, the two have been the dominant performers the Sox thought they were getting all along. Peavy has been superb as a starter in the Sox rotation, posting a 5-1 record thus far, including a brilliant showing Sunday against the Chicago Cubs in Wrigley Field with the wind blowing out. Dunn has once again become the long-ball threat he had been with the Washington Nationals, clubbing 14 home runs through Sunday and helping the Sox to a sweep of the crosstown rival Cubs in the weekend City Series.

The Sox went for broke last year in signing Dunn and re-signing first baseman Paul Konerko and ringing up a hefty payroll. They wound up broken with a disappointing sub .500 record. The off-season departure of pitching ace Mark Buehrle and their high-profile manager Ozzie Guillen and the trade of outfielder Carlos Quentin gave the message that the youth movement was on for Chicago’s South Side team. But keeping stars like Konerko and catcher A.J. Pierzynski let it be know the Sox weren’t totally in rebuilding mode just yet.

With the American League Central being a very lackluster division this year and the feeling that the Sox have yet to put anything together yet is quickly raising expectations for the squad. Having just climbed back to .500, hopes are starting to emerge – thanks to the solid performances of Dunn and Peavy – and the bastion of consistency Konerko.

If the Sox can figure out how to play on the South Side of Chicago anywhere near how they did on the North Side of the city this past weekend, it could be an interesting summer. With just seven wins in 19 games at home, you have to think the Sox will flip those numbers around at home soon, as long as Peavy and Dunn and other veterans keep leading the way.

If the duo of Dunn and Peavy continue with such consistency and excellence, every Sox fan may soon be stealing the McDonald’s slogan “I’m loving it.”

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Baseball Tips On Hitting: Your Baseball Hitting Style Belongs To You Only!

2012-05-23T03:27:29-07:00

Your baseball hitting style is what you do at the plate before you swing the bat and baseball hitting mechanics are what you do when you are actually swinging the bat. If a coach wants to help you improve your baseball hitting mechanics, that’s one thing. But your very personal hitting style is an entirely different matter. It’s something that is your personal choice to do before the baseball hitting actually takes place. The smarter coaches will recognize this and leave your style totally up to you!

The point here is that basically you can do whatever you want as far as style is concerned and your style should not be altered by anyone. Sometimes fewer baseball hitting tips are better than more. Your baseball hitting style is something that you have decided gets you the best prepared to hit the baseball.

Baseball hitting styles vary tremendously from hitter to hitter and that’s the way it should be. If you’re comfortable waving the bat around, go for it. If you’re comfortable rocking back and forth, that too is absolutely fine. Styles vary, but you’ll find that after the style comes the mechanics of the swing and all the good baseball hitters are similar and have sound mechanics.

I know a baseball hitter who has the “style” of waving the barrel of the bat around in a very pronounced manner just before swinging the bat. It is definitely something you would not go out of your way to teach a player to do at the plate. But you know what? That’s his personal choice and the best way for him to prepare to hit. After all the waving of the bat, when the real moment of truth arrives and the actual baseball hitting takes place, he has outstanding mechanics. He has a very quick bat and a “short to the ball” yet violent swing and that’s why he is an extremely successful hitter! Wouldn’t it be foolish to ask him to change his style? Quite often coaches confuse mechanics with a player’s personal hitting style. Personally, I could care less if a hitter stands on his head while getting ready to hit. Who cares? The only thing that matters is that he has to be ready when the real moment of truth arrives.

Sometimes baseball players can be over managed. Occasionally, a baseball coach should forget about all the baseball tips on hitting and take a step back and let the players play. Yes, a baseball coach should by all means help you with baseball hitting mechanics or he shouldn’t be coaching. But as far as your personal style, as a baseball hitter, just do whatever you feel prepares you the best to hit the baseball and nobody involved in baseball coaching should ever try to take your personal baseball hitting style away from you!

What many coaches fail to realize is that you are in the hot seat at the plate and you have to feel comfortable when you are hitting. Not me, not your coach and not anyone else. This is a perfect example of “less being more.” A coach should deal with each hitter as an individual and taking a hitter out of his comfort zone at the plate is not productive for anyone. If your coach gives you a hard time, please have him contact me at his earliest convenience because we definitely need to have a chat!

Baseball Tips On Hitting: Focusing On Just This One Thing May Lead To Your Success! (baseballreflections.com)
Baseball Tips On Hitting: How You Stride When Hitting Is Critical! (baseballreflections.com)
Baseball Tips On Hitting: How Practice Is Mandatory For Your Success! (baseballreflections.com)

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David Freese Coming Back to Reality, or Change in Approach?

2012-05-22T07:27:22-07:00

During the offseason there was a lot of discussion about David Freese after his highly productive playoff run. 2011 was a magical year for Freese and the Cardinals. David posted career numbers both in the regular season and carried that success into the playoffs, leading St. Louis to a World Series title. However lately he has entered into a slump that some, including myself saw coming.

Some elite hitters have the ability to hit for higher BABIP rates than others due to their ability to not only create more contact, but to drive the ball when they do make contact. As a function of this, the ball finds more holes and the hitters are able to post seemingly unsustainable stats year in and year out. Players such as David Wright and Matt Kemp drive the ball with a lot of force AND make consistent amounts of contact. Then you have players such as Andrew McCutchen and Austin Jackson who not only make a lot of contact, but their speed allows them to squeeze out infield hits and force defenses to hurry and make mistakes. This is something Ichiro was famous for year in and year out until, well, he got old.

Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife

The difference with Freese is essentially all of those factors. While a prospect there was always talk that his doubles power would eventually develop into home run power. That hasn’t really happened. In 2012 Freese has actually seen an increase in his Swing% and a regression in his contact rate. David is also hitting more balls in the air this year, less on the ground. His ground ball % is currently at 45.7% in 2012, where in 2011 he posted a 52.3%. His flyball % is up to 34.3%, much higher than his 2011 average of 23.1%. His 22.2% home run per fly ball rate is a career high by a long shot.

Point being is that Freese’s batting average will drop this year. But it looks like there has been a change in his approach at the plate as well. If Freese is intentionally trying to hit for more power, forgoing his high average for more extra base production, could he in the end be actually MORE valuable to the Cardinals? 2012 ZiPS projections have Freese on pace to increase his ISO, and post 17 home runs in 2012 compared to the 10 he hit in 2011. So is this the new David Freese? It will be interesting to watch him go through the inevitable struggles. Freese has had a reputation for not handling “failure” very well, which bodes trouble for a player going through an approach change. One thing for sure is that his batting average is going to come down, but if Freese can provide 20 home-run power with a solid .275 they might be better off for it.

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Angst in the ’Pen: Why It’s Time to Reconsider the Modern Bullpen

2012-05-22T03:30:16-07:00

At a recent family meal, I became embroiled in a baseball debate with my uncle. A staunch Yankee fan like myself, he stated that Mariano Rivera was the Yankees’ best pitcher prior to his freak ACL injury, emphasizing Mo’s unparalleled success in the postseason. While I have nothing but respect for the all-time saves leader, I played devil’s advocate, arguing that a good starter like CC Sabathia is worth more to the Bombers.

How can a reliever who throws for a single inning be more valuable than a starter who hurls six, seven, or eight innings? I pointed out. It’s pretty obvious that the guy who pitches more innings will have a bigger say in a game’s decision.

Unfortunately, my logic was lost on him, as he had quickly nodded off on the couch from either close-mindedness or a full stomach. Regardless, it seems that the baseball community continues to overvalue relievers, especially closers. Even with sabermetrics now urging us to think more objectively about America’s pastime, we still fail to recognize the faulty baseball tradition of the closer.

Since the save statistic became official in 1969, teams’ best relievers have been ordered to take the ball with a slim lead in the ninth inning. But does a save situation have the greatest probability of affecting the final score? In an article in “Baseball Between the Numbers” (an excellent book that reevaluates common knowledge in baseball), Keith Woolner suggests that save opportunities have less leverage on a game’s score than other situations for relievers. He concludes that by not using closers (presumably the bullpen’s top reliever) in these higher-leverage situations, teams miss out on nearly 2 wins per season, which clearly has huge ramifications for close wild-card races.

If Woolner’s piece isn’t enough to convince you that closers and saves are flawed constructs, then take a look at the position’s turnover in 2012. As of two weeks ago, 15 teams were no longer using their primary closer in save situations due to injuries, ineffectiveness, and roster moves (ESPN). Even now, several teams continue to flip-flop on who should enter the game in save situations. The White Sox recently had Chris Sale bouncing between the rotation and the bullpen, and the Reds’ flamethrower Aroldis Chapman may have grabbed the reins from incumbent Sean Marshall after the latter nearly blew Saturday’s lead against the Yankees.

This year’s “bullpen unrest” only adds to the existing instability of the closer role. With a smaller sample size of innings pitched, relieving is a boom-or-bust endeavor, especially during “high-pressure” ninth innings. One or two mistakes can easily destroy a pitcher’s statistics and bring about his demotion. A fastball hits the dirt with the bases loaded or a curveball hangs to the cleanup hitter, and the manager immediately starts second-guessing his closer’s ability to shut the door. A few mess-ups will have a reliever sentenced to the purgatory of middle relief.

With pitchers either sustaining injuries or performing inconsistently left and right, it may be time to rethink the bullpen, starting with the closer role. The first step would be to get rid of the stigma associated with saves. A three-run lead in the ninth inning is only considered a “high-pressure” situation because we allow ourselves to believe it. In baseball and life, we frequently get swept up in mass psychology, using it as a faulty tool for valuation and analysis. Who says Facebook’s new stock should initially sell for $38 and not $37 or even $27?

Instead of arbitrarily placing importance on minutia, we should see things like the stock market and save opportunities for what they really are. Forget saves and closing, and all of the related stress would evaporate. Honestly, major-league hurlers are incredibly talented, and their ability should trump any mental angst caused by the game’s taboos concerning innings and score.

As a Yankee fan that has watched the same man finish games for 15 years straight, I cannot offer the perfect cure for the league-wide bullpen woes. However, closer volatility this season demonstrates how sorely managers need to reevaluate how and when they employ their relievers. Yes, we’re talking about reinventing the wheel here, but without bold men like Billy Beane and Joe Madden, we would be stuck in the dark ages of RBI totals and ERA. If baseball is Darwinian, then the first team to evolve its bullpen will beat MLB’s natural selection.

Check out Peter Schiller’s article about the Modern Day Use of The Bullpen in Baseball!

Are Closers Overrated? (baseballreflections.com)

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You Can Now Play Fantasy Baseball Daily on Baseball Reflections

2012-05-21T13:58:16-07:00

For those fans of daily Fantasy Baseball, you can now play here on one of our pages on Baseball Reflections thanks to our new partnership with FanSaloon.com!

Feel free to challenge me or any of our other writers. It’s free to join a 10 team game and the winner has a chance to join a monthly game with a chance of winning $250.

Part-Timers: Fantasy Baseball Players You May Have Missed (baseballreflections.com)
Fantasy Baseball Players on the Verge of a Monster Season in 2012 (baseballreflections.com)
Disaster Relief: Fantasy Baseball Closers on the Waiver Wire (baseballreflections.com)

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Factor 12 Leaders: Week 6

2012-05-19T03:30:13-07:00

The Factor12 Rating (F12) is an analytic measurement utilizing league average performance to compare the value of all MLB pitchers on 60ft6in.com.

Justin Verlander (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

(1) Justin Verlander regains the number one F12 Rating after pitching his latest masterpiece 7IP/ 2H/ 1ER/ 1BB/ 8K against the Oakland Athletics. The 2011 American League Cy Young Award winner holds a 31.009 Factor12 Rating.

(2) Gio Gonzalez has dominated opposing hitters in his last seven outings. The left-hander has pitched 45 IP/ 22H/ 8ER/ 16BB/ 54K. Gonzalez currently trails the F12 top position by only .06 points.

(3) Brandon Beachy vaults into the number three spot after pitching his first career complete game shutout against the Miami Marlins on Wednesday night. The Atlanta Braves right-hander has posted an MLB best 1.33 ERA.

(4) Zack Greinke has regained his 2009 AL Cy Young form after his first eight starts. The right-hander makes his first appearance on the Top 5 F12 ranking.

(5) Ryan Dempster is a perfect example of why pitching win totals are overrated. The veteran right-hander is winless this season despite compiling a 1.74 ERA and 0.97 WHIP after six starts.

		PITCHERS	AGE	IP	F12	F12%
1	SP	Justin Verlander	29	58.33	31.009	0.255
2	SP	Gio Gonzalez*	26	48.67	30.949	0.253
3	SP	Brandon Beachy	25	54.00	30.865	0.250
4	SP	Zack Greinke	28	50.00	30.550	0.240
5	SP	Ryan Dempster	35	41.33	30.082	0.225
6	SP	Jered Weaver	29	54.00	30.054	0.224
7	RP	Aroldis Chapman*	24	20.33	30.024	0.223
8	RP	Alexi Ogando	28	22.00	29.945	0.220
9	SP	Matt Cain	27	57.33	29.880	0.218
10	SP	Jake Peavy	31	57.67	29.837	0.217
11	SP	Stephen Strasburg	23	48.00	29.808	0.216
12	SP	Roy Halladay	35	64.33	29.688	0.212

***The Factor12 Top 12 in 2012 through games on May 17th:

Factor12 (F12) Rating Leaders: Week 1 (baseballreflections.com)
Factor 12 Leaders Week 2 (baseballreflections.com)
Factor 12 Leaders: Week 3 (baseballreflections.com)
Factor 12 Leaders: Week 4 (baseballreflections.com)
Factor 12 Leaders: Week 5 (baseballreflections.com)

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Part-Timers: Fantasy Baseball Players You May Have Missed

2012-05-18T03:19:16-07:00

When looking for players to fill your fantasy baseball roster from free agency or the waiver wire in your league, one of the first things many owners look for is performance, and rightly so.

If a player is receiving every day playing time, he is more likely to help your fantasy team, after all, right? Maybe not. Think about it… is it better to have a player who plays every day but only hits a weak .250 with no power or speed? The good news is that there are many options among players who are part-timers who may just help your team. Best of all, your fellow owners probably have overlooked these guys because of their lack of at bats.

Part-timers to consider are:

Raul Ibanez (New York Yankees)

Ibanez is a left-handed hitter who does not play when the Yankees face a left-handed

: Raul Ibanez is a part-timer worthy of a spot on a fantasy roster.

pitcher. That is perfectly OK and no reason to overlook him. Your team is better off having Ibanez on the bench than it is having an 0-4 day at the plate. He is being used in a situation he is more likely to see success and that is great news for your fantasy roster. If he does get an at bat against a lefty, don’t panic. He may have hit only .211 against LHP in 2011, but he holds a career .266 mark against southpaws, so all is not lost.

Rajai Davis (Toronto Bluejays)

Davis has become somewhat of a forgotten man in Toronto. Although he rarely gets into the starting line-up, Davis is used quite a bit off the bench in late innings as a pinch runner. This means he can be a great source of cheap steals for your fantasy squad. Your team is better off getting a chance at some steals with Davis pinch-running than it is with him going 0-4 at the plate and killing your batting average.

Mark Trumbo (Los Angeles Angels)

Due mainly to a crowded roster, the Angels had Trumbo riding the pine a lot during the opening month of the season. Even with multiple position eligibility, Trumbo had trouble gaining an everyday role with the team. Don’t let that fool you. The big man has done nothing but hit, hit and hit some more this season and will soon muscle his way into everyday status on the roster. The on-base percentage woes of his 2011 rookie campaign seem behind him as well. This is an offensive force.

Gerardo Parra (Arizona Diamondbacks)

Always seeming to have to fight for his at-bats, Parra has made the most of his chances in 2012. With an injury to Chris Young, Parra has played well and displayed some decent speed. He has bounced up and down the Diamondbacks line-up, but he is definitely worth a look.

Juan Pierre (Philadelphia Phillies)

Pierre still isn’t seeing everyday full-time duty with the Phillies, but he is making the most of his opportunities. He has hit above .300 and is stealing bases, showing that his detractors from last season may have written him off a little early at age 34. Not known for his power, Pierre is “muscling” his way into more playing time in Philadelphia than anyone thought prior to the start of the year.\

Don’t let playing time be the only thing you consider when determining options in fantasy baseball. You just might get a surprise or two from the part-time help.

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Would The Mets Consider Trading For A Reliever?

2012-05-17T03:30:26-07:00

The answer to this question seems obvious; no. However, even after Frank Francisco got credit for a “save” in the Mets 3-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers, it seems like it will be a matter of time before somebody else will be protecting 9th inning leads in Queens. Francisco gave up a run, two hits and walked a batter while finishing the game for the Mets. The obvious answer consists of candidates such as Bobby Parnell and Jon Rauch, but a distinct case could be made that the Mets may be interested in trading for another reliever.

Sandy Alderson did not hold back in putting a brunt of the blame for last season’s lousy second half on the bullpen. While Alderson had no choice but to move Francisco Rodriguez with the first chance he got, he left the team with sub par options to finish the last two innings of a game. Jason Isringhausen was ok, but struggled at times and was unavailable for the last three plus weeks of the season. Parnell was very hittable, though he may have something now with the use of the change up he has used effectively so far this season. You know there were no options when Manny Acosta got his share of save opportunities.

The Mets have some depth in the bullpen this season that they did not have last year. Ramon Ramirez has pitched ok, despite struggling at times. Rauch has pitched very well, a stark contrast from his tough season in Toronto. Parnell and Tim Byrdak have done a very good job, to this point. In my opinion, the last two spots of the bullpen are interchangeable and guys like Acosta and DJ Carrasco will either pitch well or be replaced by somebody else in the organization.

That synopsis suggests that Francisco is the only Mets reliever pitching noticeably poor. Ramirez has not pitched like he did last year for the Giants, and Acosta is probably one more shaky appearance away from being DFA’d. Francisco was the choice Alderson went with to be the 9th inning guy. You had to go back no further than last year to realize how important of a role that is. It also had to be noted that you can’t just put anybody there, and after all the research was put together, the best option was Francisco. He could have made a better case for himself, pitching terribly in spring training. Maybe all those who said “Its spring training, don’t be crazy” or “he’ll do better when it counts” have realized that this will not work out for much longer. Yes, his velocity is up from spring training, but he is all over the strike zone and based on the results, his strikes are very hittable.

So, many have suggested the Mets go to Parnell or Rauch to replace Francisco temporarily. I don’t have a problem with that, being Francisco will keep costing the team games as long as he is in the closers role. And in order for Parnell or Rauch to step into that role, it will have to be Francisco who will pitch some important 7th and 8th innings. If he is struggling to get hitters out as a closer, he will do the same in the 7th and 8th innings. He cannot and will not be released, since he is owed another $6.5 million next year after he finishes collecting his $5.5 million from this season. I suggest that he takes on the Acosta role now, usually pitching with nothing on the line but occasionally getting into a big spot out of necessity. Acosta should be DFA’d and the Mets should consider adding another reliever.

Mike MacDougal was just released by the Dodgers, it couldn’t hurt to give him a shot. Perhaps it may be time to try of LHP Josh Edgin, who is closing games for AAA Buffalo. And yes, I am going there: here are some trade possibilities that they should at least kick the tires on.

Kevin Gregg really has no spot in the Orioles bullpen. He is 0-1 4.50 ERA, 8 Ks in 10 IP. The Orioles are trying very hard to trade him, as they have pitched extremely well. The price may not be too high. Something would have to be worked out with his 2012 salary and it has to be understood that his 2013 team option will be declined.

Jordan Walden has lost his closer’s job in Los Angeles to Scott Downs. Walden saved 32 games as a 23 year old rookie last season, but it has to be understood that he is young and has a lot of promise. The Mets would have to get creative if they wanted to make a trade here. Perhaps dip into the lower levels of the minor leagues for a couple of younger prospects, such as Robbie Shields and Juan Lagares, and package that with Matt Den Dekker or Jordany Valdespin to get this done. It may seem like a lot, but you would have to give up three players to get somebody with Walden’s upside. It still may not be enough to pry him away from LA.

Sean Marshall is a pitcher I would want in my bullpen. He will not be available, being the Reds just traded for him and extended him through 2015. Though he is currently not the Reds closer, this is a pitcher the Reds want to have around for a while.

Brett Myers could fill a temporary relief role and help as a starter. He has pitched well as the Astros closer this season, but I would not expect the Mets to pick up the balance of the $11 million he is owed this season. He also has a $10 million team option with a $3 million buyout for next season, something the Mets want no part of. If the Astros get desperate, this is something worth considering towards the trading deadline. Perhaps the Mets try MacDougal and Edgin, getting themselves until June or July. Then, the Astros may just want to unload Myers and the contract is closer to what the Mets would be willing to pay.

26 year old Javy Guerra has struggled for the Dodgers this season. He was sharp last year, saving 21 games mostly in the second half of the season for LA. He lost the job to Kenley Jensen and there is no hiding the fact that LA is looking for relief help.

The middle of the Mets bullpen has, for the most part, gotten the job done this season. Francisco, at least for the time being, needs to pitch some mop up relief and get his confidence back. The Mets will be compromising the middle relief which has worked by moving Parnell or Rauch into the closers role. They should consider adding another reliever to give them depth for the 7th and 8th innings.

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