Put it in the books & on the Shelf.

I will not torture my readers with another long evaluation of one player.  At least not right now.  But with the first four games done and a five hundred record to show for it I wanted to put up a few things I noticed about 2 of our number 2 pitchers.  (Love this problem.  Its like we finally have an ace and the rest are defined as competing for the #2 title.  Which is only a good title in baseball)

The Big Pelf gave up 4 well earned runs in the first inning.  I do not think I was alone in saying.  "I knew it.   He threw too many innings last year.  We ruined another one."   Well he settled down.  Pitched out of further trouble (give the assist to the defense.  Pelfrey will usually owe most of his game to his infield.  thats called "team." Google it)  And did not pitch himself back into any damaging trouble.  

My opinion of Pelfrey continues to rise.  The one thing you can't teach is heart.  A biological and grammatical impossibility but the truth nonetheless.  Mike Pelfrey has the heart for and of the Marines.  I can think of pitchers, too many to name, who would give up four runs in the first inning and simply mail the rest in.   Votto had his number on that jack that just landed in downtown Cleveland about 5 minutes ago.   Mike kept his head on focus and eventually his offense caught up with him.  No small task considering that they were facing the Phenom Volquez who could barely be touched the first 2/3 of last season.  Now when I say focus, I am talking about focusing on the game.  Not the mistakes he made earlier, or what the 4 runs would do to his ERA.  Pelfrey hung in there and got the team the win.    Since the term "You Da Man Mike" is , to Mets fans, permanently reserved for a certain future Hall Of Fame Catcher, I would like to say:  "Way to Put em on the Shelf Pelf."  

Next Post- John Maine