Baseball Thread No. 17: Let's Get Dizzy, Mr. Dean

Looper was underrated as a Met. He was really good for the 1st half (IIRC), and then decent the rest of the way, even though hee was hurt.

 

I respectfully disagree. As a Mets fan, the thought of Looper entering the game in the ninth sickened me. He was 2-5 with five blown saves in 2004 and 4-7 with eight blown saves in 2005. He pretty much had a 1.4-1 K/BB ratio, and I never felt comfortable with him guarding the lead.

I forget who they were playing, but I left my house to drop off a friend at his, and I left with the bases loaded with the Mets ahead by two or three runs. When I got back -- I think they played the Padres, actually -- the Mets had lost. Looper gave up a grand slam. I wasn't surprised at all.

 

All I needed to know about Braden Looper came in the 2005 season opener in Cincinnati. Pedro struck out 12; redefined the word filthy. Mets had a lead going into the ninth and Looper gave up two bombs, including the game winner.

 

Just to pile it on Mr. Looper's 2005 year -- and he's not the only closer to do this, repeatedly: He gave up a two-run homer to Dunn and a home run to Joe Randa in a 7-6 loss on April 4; loaded the bases to set up Giambi's two-run single on June 26; Dioner Navarro's walk-off home run on Aug. 12; loaded the bases with no one out before handing the ball to Shingo Takatsu, who promptly a game-winning, two-run single to Ryan Langerhans -- right after the Mets scored a run in the 10th to take the lead from the Braves -- on Sept. 7.

I could have included more, but I'd rather not go back any further. He's not the worst closer ever. But I'd never welcome him back to the Mets. Never.

 

They're not the worst in the majors tho.

St. Louis has blown 30 saves (39 saves in 69 attempts).

And surprisingly, the Tigers have only blown 22. With Farnsworth on the team, I would have thought that number would have been a lot higher.

 

And all those guys continue to collect paychecks.

 

That's the only team the Brewers can hope to beat out for a playoff spot at this point.

 

Which was not nearly as Mickey Mouse as the performance of the home-plate umpire (same guy that called Upton out on the BS play earlier this year). I get the feeling Francona might have called Maddon between innings to commiserate.

 

Isn't it kind of pointless to gripe about the umpire when you lose 25-1, or whatever tonight's score was?

 

In theory, yes.

 

Home plate blue was a joke. There's a reason I worded it the way I did. Feel free to blather on unaware.

 

Whatever you say, chief. I'm sorry I spoke ill of your adopted favorite team.