The Crane Pool Forum

How the hell could I have been the best show in town in 2023 2022, and the disaster that cut the legs out from under 2024 2023, but all this ZiPS is predicting for me is 1.4 fWAR, same as backup catcher Omar Narváez? I don't know ... well actually I do. fWAR undervalues situational performers, and rates a shutout ninth with a one-run lead the same way it rates some Shlobotnik throwing a mopup inning in a blowout when everybody just wants to get home.

So, you know, don't listen to fWAR. And don't listen to ZiPS. Listen to your HEART! Listen to your heart, when he's calling for you. Listen to your heart — there's nothing else you can do.

And when your heart has spoken, and your ears have heard the trumpets, please, write down what you see. For me. In 2024.

I'm terrified that this guy will become 97% trumpets, 3% pitching this year. The fans are sitting ducks.

2-4, 35 saves, 5 blown saves, 2.97,
70 whiffs in 50 innings

Sports is theater with an unwritten script. What makes it better than other dramatic endeavors — you don't know how it's going to turn out — also makes it worse. Because you don't know how it's going to turn out, you can't guarantee anything. And if people see a dud, they may not want to come back.

So organizations try to find a way to wrest control of the drama through production. Baseball tends to be way behind the other major sports in this regard, but an increasing way they've done that is through choreographed closer entrances. And now the Mets have wedged themselves into a big chunk of the marketplace on choreographed closer entrances.

But reality can't be denied. Smoke and lights and music can frame the drama but they can't control it. And so, yeah, the more we commit to that sideshow, the more we are inviting it to humiliatingly blow up in our faces, as we cling to our stupid foam trumpets.

It also affects a team's strategic deployment. When the fanfare entrance is part of the product, they won't allow an official save situation pass without calling on the guy, whether it's the wise move or not. And anything less than 50 saves is somehow a failure.

Oh, yeah. He goes 4-4, 44 saves, 2.44 ERA, leads the team in strikeouts somehow. Ignites a brouhaha when exception is taken following an inside pitch to Kyle Schwarber. Or Brandon Marsh. It's unclear.

In his comeback year he'll rank 4th best reliever in MLB (statistically).

Has a monster post-season and records the last out for YOUR-WORLD-
CHAMPION New York Mets via a 6-4-3 double play!!

40 saves. 3.01 ERA. Third on the team in games pitched, behind Raley and Ottavino. Pitches in the All-Star Game.

Edgy MD wrote: ↑Wed Mar 27, 2024 11:03 pmHow the hell could I have been the best show in town in 2023, and the disaster that cut the legs out from under 2024

Pssst

5-2 2.36 34 saves Not that he'll be bad, but I don't think he will have many save opportunities.
Later

kcmets wrote: ↑Thu Mar 28, 2024 10:10 am

Edgy MD wrote: ↑Wed Mar 27, 2024 11:03 pmHow the hell could I have been the best show in town in 2023, and the disaster that cut the legs out from under 2024

Pssst

This is a bad showing.

Nah, you have a lot of WiSfT-F on your plate.

56 G, 27 SV, 2.94 ERA, 10.4 K/9

Something will happen that will make him miss some time mid-season.

No runs, no walks, one hit and three strikeouts in two rehab innings with Brooklyn.

Who can we get for him?

Hopefully, we'll get plenty from him.

Edwin activated. Danny Young optioned.