The Mets' Big Week

Hi again, everyone. I just finished a 13 hour shift at the Caps and had $9 worth of McDonald's, so you guys are in for a treat  of a post tonight. My computer has been on the fritz as well so I'm writing this from my phone. The topic: the New York Mets. 

Earlier this week, Mets starter Bartolo Colon collected his 2,000th career strikeout, making him the 70th pitcher in history to do so, and 69th overall in career strikeouts. I think it is safe to say that Colon won't challenge Nolan Ryan for first all time, but he can move up a few more spots. At this point in the season, he has 52 strikeouts in 10 starts, for a 7.2 K/9 - not bad for a 41-year old. Last year, Colon pitched 190 innings, which puts him on pace to get exactly 100 more strikeouts for the rest of the year, which would put him at 2,102 K's in his career, good enough for 61st all-time between Roy Halladay and Kevin Millwood (anyone else surprised that Kevin Millwood was that high on the list?). Colon's shining year came in an Angels uniform in 2005, when he won the Cy Young going 21-8 with an ERA and hurling 222.2 innings. Pretty underwhelming numbers for an MVP year considering some of the stats we have seen from pitchers in the past. Not to downgrade his success - winning a Cy Young is still no easy task. Colon is a good pitcher, but because of injuries, inconsistency, and a run-in with PEDs, I don't think he'll be a Hall of Famer. Just a handful of All Star selections and a Cy Young, though he does have 193 wins and an outside shot at 200. He may get some votes...but given the PED thing and most balloters stance on PEDs, he might not stay on the ballot. 

He's an interesting case. So much goodness at the beginning of the career, then he kinda disappeared for a bit and now he's back. When he came back with the A's last year people started to laugh...but after an 18-6 season with an All-Star selection and 6th in Cy Young voting, I think he's the one left laughing. Congrats, big fella.

Then tonight, only a few days later, equally aging Met Bobby Abreu stole his 400th base of his career, a very impressive stat given Abreu's size and how steals are becoming a commodity rather than an expectation from players. In 2004 with the Phillies, he stole 40 bases, hit .301 (.428 OBP!) with 3" home runs and 105 RBIs. He also had 11 more walks than strikeouts (gotta love that). He was an All-Star that year as well as Silver Slugger, but was only 23rd in MVP voting - but this was in the height of the Hall of Fame Era (yes I am coining a new era - big things happening at the Billpen), with Bonds, Edmonds, Beltre, Clemens, AND Pujols in the Top 10. WOW. Sorry Bobby. But congrats on tonight's big achievement! Abreu is now tied for 73rd all-time with Bill Lange at 400 even. 

What I'll remember him most for is the 2005 Home Run Derby, which was held at Comerica Park in Detroit. On his way to winning the Derby,

Abreu hit a 517 foot home run that left the entire park. I have never seen anything that monstrous again in my life, Derby or not. Though Giancarlo Stanton comes close. 

Thanks for reading, as always, and if you see Abreu or Colon or any other of the Mets, congratulate them and offer them a glass of Joint Juice - they might need it. 

Have a great weekend!