Come Back Tony LaRussa, All is Forgiven

Yesterday, the New York Metropolitans faced the Miami Taxpayer Robbers, and the contest went into extra innings.  In the 11th inning with a runner on and two outs, Mets manager Terry Collins — with several members of an expanded September bullpen available, including the closer — allowed “pitcher” Eric O’Flaherty to face Martin Prado with a runner on.  Now, the obvious problem with this is that O’Flaherty, the one dud of Sandy Alderson’s generally brilliant string of deadline additions,  can’t pitch — he last had an FIP under 4 in 2012 and has been getting the crap beaten out of him all year. Prado promptly delivered a walk-off double.

But in this case, the specific is even worse than the general.  Here is O’Flaherty against right handed batters this year:

422/500/672 3/9 K/W

That is…amazing.  Essentially, the average right-handed batter against  O’Flaherty turns into Ted Williams in 1941.  And Prado, who is a well-above-average hitter against lefties, turns into something like Babe Ruth in 1921 or Barry Bonds in 2002.

I know, I know, small sample size, he’s not a major league pitcher at this point in his career, but he’s probably not that bad.  So let’s say he just turns a typical right hander hitter into Mike Trout or something.  Your preferable options are…anybody else with the possible exception of Bobby Parnell, who Collins also has had a fetish for putting into high-leverage situations even though it’s obvious he’s not ready to pitch yet.

Fortunately, if history teaches us anything it’s that if the Mets have a 5 game lead in September, you can take the pennant straight to the bank.