New York is the home center for resiliency.
Though they have been part of the sport-wide plague of losing players to injury, the Mets and Yankees have navigated
around the missing-in-action better than most.
The Mets went into the weekend (pre-Jason Bay’s injury) having needed 13 DL stints this year. Just five teams had more. The Yankees had lost 652 days to the DL. Just two teams had logged more. Yet both New York squads had survived — or better.
In fact, within the bad news, there has been good news for the Mets. Lack of depth has devastated the club in recent years. But in plugging holes, the Mets have received pleasant surprises from players such as Kirk Nieuwenhuis, Omar Quintanilla and Mike Baxter (on the DL himself now). In fact, one issue that has emerged is manager Terry Collins’ need to find playing time for too many viable outfielders. Considering the recent past, it is a problem Collins is overjoyed to have.
Meanwhile, the Yanks have generally done a good job weathering lost time, whether it was Alex Rodriguez missing the first month in 2009 after hip surgery, Andy Pettitte being lost for two months in 2010 with groin/back issues or Derek Jeter being absent for three weeks last year with a calf strain. Heck, the Yankees were 14-4 while Jeter was on the DL last year.
Now, some of this, obviously, is about money. No other team, for example, could lose its historic closer (Mariano Rivera) and his talented heir (David Robertson) and have a guy on a three-year, $37 million deal waiting to fill the gap, as the Yankees have with Rafael Soriano.
But the pro personnel department also has done a much better job of finding useful pieces under the radar. Just in the bullpen alone, over the past two years, the Yankees have unearthed low-cost assets such as Luis Ayala, Cory Wade, Cody Eppley and Clay Rapada.
The Yankees went into the weekend with 11 DL stints in 2012 covering 652 lost days and the Mets 13 covering 385 days. Both are greater than the sport-wide averages of roughly 10 stints per team covering 364 days. There had been 294 DL stints this year covering 10,919 days and, amazingly, none were for Eric Chavez or Nick Johnson.
What is truly amazing is these totals are in line with last year on the same date (311 stints/10,348 days). Much has been written on the need to improve injury prevention in the majors and that the franchises that best innovate will have a huge advantage.
Now lack of injuries does not guarantee success. The Marlins entered the weekend having used the DL an MLB-low three times and Emilio Bonifacio was their best player disabled. Yet they have a worse record than the Mets. Conversely, the White Sox were a surprise first-place team, in part, because they had needed to use the DL just four times for 92 days. The Blue Jays’ chances of being a contender were harmed this week when they were hammered in one area, having to put three starting pitchers on the DL.
Yet they have a worse record than the Mets. Conversely, the White Sox were supposed to be rebuilding this year, but have used the DL just four times for 92 days and are in first place.
Here is Hardball’s attempt to decipher the three teams that have been hurt most by being hurt, and the ones that have done the best job of playing through pain:
WORST
1. RED SOX: I have been surprised by how many executives spoken to recently believe Boston still is going to win the AL East. That is almost completely tied up in getting players healthy. Boston had an MLB-high-tying 17 DL stints and the most days lost at 801 before placing Josh Beckett (shoulder) on the DL yesterday. Yet, one NL executive likened the Red Sox “to the NBA team that shoots like [garbage] but looks up at the scoreboard and is only down by six points at the half. They haven’t played well, they have been hurt like crazy and they haven’t been buried. I think that is bad news for the rest of the division.”
If you believe that theory, then you believe that in a sport crying out for more offensive impact, Boston will get just that in the second half with returns by Carl Crawford and Jacoby Ellsbury. Crawford (wrist) hasn’t played at all and when he played last year — perhaps cowed by the Boston market — he was a shadow of the player he was in Tampa. Ellsbury, on the other hand, broke out last season and was among the majors’ best performers, but has played only seven games this year (dislocated shoulder).
2. PHILLIES: How do you make a big-market juggernaut a middle-market mediocrity? You put the four most expensive players making $77 million of a team-record $172 million payroll on the DL. Cliff Lee missed just 20 games. But Ryan Howard and Chase Utley — the right side of the infield and their two most-feared hitters — have yet to play this season. And Roy Halladay likely will miss about half a season with a right shoulder strain.
To get to 14 DL stints covering 555 days, the Phillies also lost Freddy Galvis (back), who was replacing Utley, and key setup man Jose Contreras (elbow) — Contreras for the season, Galvis possibly so. Now Howard and Utley seem to be getting closer to returns. But after five straight NL East titles, the Phillies have outside execs wondering if they will become sellers in July if they don’t get healthy and turn around. Looming free agents Cole Hamels and Shane Victorino are considered the biggest potential trade chips.
3. PADRES: Were not exactly seen as contenders, yet have lost the chance for even respectability with an MLB-high-tying 17 DL stints covering 661 days (second most).
BEST
1. NATIONALS: With 16 DL stints covering 626 days lost, Washington was third in both categories, yet first in the NL East. The Nationals were devastated at losing starting catcher Wilson Ramos and a backup, Sandy Leon, for the season. Closer Drew Storen has been out all year and Brad Lidge missed eight weeks. Ryan Zimmerman, Michael Morse and Jayson Werth have missed extended periods from the lineup (Werth remains out until August with a forearm fracture).
Such is the power of elite starting pitching and Bryce Harper that Washington has flourished through this devastation.
2. DODGERS: This was not viewed as a team with a ton of depth and certainly not one that could afford to lose NL MVP runner-up Matt Kemp to the DL — twice. Yet Los Angeles had endured 15 DL stints covering 453 days while holding first in the NL West since April 11.
A.J. Ellis has broken out, Bobby Abreu has been reborn, the rotation headed by Clayton Kershaw has been excellent, and Kenley Jansen (186 strikeouts in 112 career innings) is the best reliever you never have heard of. But maybe the Dodgers have navigated so well through their injuries because they got rid of their biggest pain — detrimental ex-owner Frank McCourt.
3. RAYS: Notwithstanding their recent sweep by the Mets, Tampa Bay remains the team that does the most with the least. The Rays have a limited payroll. So when they lose a player, it is not like a pricey alternative is available. And they lost their best player, Evan Longoria, on May 1 with a hamstring tear. In his absence they have used five players at third — Jeff Keppinger, Eliot Johnson, Will Rhymes, Sean Rodriguez and Drew Sutton.
Yet they remain strong contenders in the majors’ toughest division because they are resourceful even while not having resources. Nowhere is that more evident than at closer. Kyle Farnsworth has missed all season with an elbow ailment. Nevertheless, Fernando Rodney — off the scrapheap — arguably is the AL’s best closer this season and is going to become the eighth different Ray to lead the team in saves in the last eight years.
joel.sherman@nypost.com