The Mets were criticized during the offseason for not addressing what appeared to be pressing needs in both the starting rotation and the bullpen.
The early results, however, have been better than most expected. Still, one aspect of the staff’s performance sticks out to pitching coach Dan Warthen.
“I think we’re leading league in walks,” said Warthen, who was right, as the Mets have issued 95 after Mike Pelfrey had five last night in the Mets’ 1-0, five-inning win over the Braves. “That comes with youth and a lack of run support. You don’t want to give up the big hit. We haven’t had 3-4-5 runs early in a game, so that they could just let go.”
Warthen then pointed to Pelfrey as an exception.
“He realizes, ‘If I throw the ball across the plate, the guys will catch it,’ ” Warthen said before the game. “He has no fear of contact.”
That changed last night, as Pelfrey threw 61 pitches through the first two innings and was pulled after tossing 106 in five shutout innings. Pelfrey’s wildness came a day after Jon Niese required 116 pitches to get through 5 1/3. And both pitched effectively.
“When you do that, you’re laboring,” Warthen said. “If we can just get them to put the ball in play sooner, they’re going to be fine. Guys like Niese know they have to go deeper in games. If we get that, they’ll be able to compete with anybody.”
They have shown that lately: After Pelfrey’s outing, Mets starters have given up just nine earned runs in 63 1/3 innings over the past 11 games (1.28 ERA).
“We were happy with the way guys were throwing the ball coming out of spring training, even though the numbers were exceedingly ugly,” Warthen said. “We knew they were ready to go. I am surprised in some respects because we have a lot of young people and there really isn’t a lot of experience out there.”
Warthen hopes that mentality will be altered with a healthy Jose Reyes in the field. His return has certainly helped the pitching, as seen on Saturday, when he ranged into short left field to snare Brian McCann’s soft liner and end an eighth-inning threat.
“If Jose doesn’t get that, it gets messy all of a sudden,” Warthen said. “Guys know that they have the weapons behind them now to put the ball over the plate. No one we can put at short can do what Jose does.”
And that has an impact on a pitcher.
“I don’t necessarily think about who’s out there when I’m on the mound,” Niese said. “But I know my chances are better with him back there, and that makes my life easier.”
It could be even easier if the Mets ever start hitting consistently.
“Once these guys do get more experience, they’ll be more confident,” said catcher Henry Blanco, who along with Rod Barajas has gotten credit for working with the young staff. “You can see it happening already. It’s just too bad we haven’t done more for them offensively.”
For all the question marks, Niese and the rest of the staff weren’t worried.
“I knew there wasn’t gonna be an issue to begin with,” Niese said. “We’re good pitchers and it’s showing now. People talk about Johan, but when he first started, he had to get better, too. When Santana first started, he wasn’t proven, either. Everybody’s gotta start somewhere and that’s kind of the case for us.”