Pedro Feliciano promises to "K" Davis
Haven't written in awhile, but the baseball season is under way and it has already been a great beginning. The Red Sox, picked by most to win the AL East this year, were swept in their opening series against the Texas Rangers, and by large gaps. My favorite team, the New York Mets, are about to be 3-1, finishing up a blow out win against the division favorite Phillies. This entry is about a small battle between the two MLB teams in the big city, the Yankees and the Mets. Over the off-season the Yankees acquired lefty-reliever Pedro Feliciano, who is now the former workhorse for the Mets. He was pretty good, but not the best. The Mets used him a ton though, 370+ innings pitched for the Metropolitans over eight seasons with the team. Feliciano was pretty consistent, he kept an ERA of 3.31, and lead the league in innings pitched for his last three years with the team. In my opinion though, he wasn't a feared, powerful reliever, just the team's most consistent pitcher. Don't get me wrong he was a very valuable player to call in from the bullpen. However, now with the Yankees, he's not such a good guy.
Yankees general manager, Brian Cashman, told media that the Mets "abused" Feliciano (who is starting the year on the disabled list) while he was with them. Okay, the Mets did use him a lot, but they needed him, and he didn't speak up in all the years with the team. Now, this is what Pedro says about the Mets ". I will show him in the Subway Series when I strike out Ike Davis, and when I jump up and down on the mound I’ll be like, ‘That’s for you.'" Really? Feliciano seems to be a little upset that the Mets didn't sign him again, and now wants to prove that he's still really good. Feliciano better not celebrate like he won the World Series when the Subway Series comes around, and perhaps he pitches a perfect 7th inning against the less-than-dominant Mets lineup, but it's no big deal, that's his job, and it's not like he's pitching in the playoffs, against the powerful Red Sox with a chance to win the game. This series will probably mean nothing by the end of the year. Ike Davis, the Mets young first basemen didn't really acknowledge the public challenge, saying "I did strike out how many times last year? It's not that tough of a feat." Davis struck out 138 times last year, so it doesn't prove much if a middle reliever can strike him out. Davis will approach the at-bat like any other, while Pedro may take it too personally and either get wild and end up walking him, or throw one right down the middle for Davis to pull. I hope Davis hits the ball hard if he faces Feliciano, and I know he'll be the one to do it with class.
Yankees general manager, Brian Cashman, told media that the Mets "abused" Feliciano (who is starting the year on the disabled list) while he was with them. Okay, the Mets did use him a lot, but they needed him, and he didn't speak up in all the years with the team. Now, this is what Pedro says about the Mets ". I will show him in the Subway Series when I strike out Ike Davis, and when I jump up and down on the mound I’ll be like, ‘That’s for you.'" Really? Feliciano seems to be a little upset that the Mets didn't sign him again, and now wants to prove that he's still really good. Feliciano better not celebrate like he won the World Series when the Subway Series comes around, and perhaps he pitches a perfect 7th inning against the less-than-dominant Mets lineup, but it's no big deal, that's his job, and it's not like he's pitching in the playoffs, against the powerful Red Sox with a chance to win the game. This series will probably mean nothing by the end of the year. Ike Davis, the Mets young first basemen didn't really acknowledge the public challenge, saying "I did strike out how many times last year? It's not that tough of a feat." Davis struck out 138 times last year, so it doesn't prove much if a middle reliever can strike him out. Davis will approach the at-bat like any other, while Pedro may take it too personally and either get wild and end up walking him, or throw one right down the middle for Davis to pull. I hope Davis hits the ball hard if he faces Feliciano, and I know he'll be the one to do it with class.
