This was a disappointing start by Verlander — I don’t really see how you could see it any other way. Sure, he had dazzling moments. Sure, he struck out 11. Sure, he was fun to watch. He’s always fun to watch. And anytime a pitcher in 2011 goes eight innings, you tip your cap. But when a pitcher gives up four runs in eight innings (which is what Verlander did), he usually loses. Since 2001, pitchers who go eight innings and give up four runs in the regular season are 44-86. You want the stat of the day? In the history of the postseason, before Verlander, pitchers who allowed four runs in eight innings were — get ready for it — 1-14.

What he said, pretty much.

The Mets aren’t going to fix their bullpen woes by handing out a bunch of three-year deals to top free agent relievers this offseason. That’s only going to make things worse — someone is going to pay Ryan Madson a lot of money to sit on the DL for two years, and the Mets don’t want to be that team. Bringing in two or three random dudes for the same price is the way to go. If Byrdak wants back in on a one-year deal, cool.

I advocated the return of Tim Byrdak on a one-year deal a couple of weeks ago, and yesterday the Mets re-signed him for 2012. One-year deal, as it seems.

This tongue-drooping, slobbering habit has been Pelfrey's most noticeable idiosyncrasy over the years. And it has made him an ongoing subject of ridicule from teammates, opponents, fans, bloggers and radio hosts alike.

"It's something I've always done," Pelfrey said. "I think it becomes an issue where people tell me, instead of licking my hand, it looks like I'm licking my whole arm. That's why it gets brought up. Guys have talked about, 'Ahhh, you're eating your whole hand.'"

I’m a little surprised no one has bothered to count the number of times Mike Pelfrey licks his hand in a game before this. But I recommend using your reading abilities for this article, provided you’re not disgusted by grown men discussing saliva. 

Three-and-a-half months after he burst on the scene as a potential savior of the New York Mets, hedge fund manager David Einhorn is out as a minority investor in the team.

According to a source familiar with the negotiations for Einhorn to invest $200 million and gain a 33% stake in the Mets, the owner of Greenlight Capital "overplayed his hand" with owners Fred and Jeff Wilpon and Saul Katz and will not invest in the team.

Oh well. I guess someone else will get to buy really expensive seats to Mets games.

Beginning in 1997, Jim Thome was recommissioned as a first baseman, after the Indians acquired the majestically bald Matt Williams. Even moved over to the large-animal enclosure of first base, Thome wasn’t exactly Baryshnikov in stirrups. But at least we were spared watching his throws to first. His bat was all the way grown up now. In six seasons at first in Cleveland, Thome launched 241 home runs, and raked .286/.420/.588. One of those 241 homers was a 511-foot shot off Kansas City’s immortal Don Wengert in 1999. No one has ever, ever struck a ball as hard as Thome hit that ball.

Awesome, awesome post by Pete Beatty about Jim Thome and Cleveland over at Pitchers and Poets. A longer piece, but worth the time. If you have a few minutes, check it out.

Does something have to give with Fernando Martinez? Or he does have an option for next year, so he could go back to Triple-A in 2012 if need be?

“He has another option after this year.”

Well that’s news to me. Most players get three option years, seasons in which they can be sent freely between the majors and minors. I was under the impression that Fernando Martinez had used all three (2009, 2010 and this season), and would need to be exposed to waivers if the Mets sent him to the minors next season. For example, Nick Evans has used all of his option years, and the Mets have exposed him to waivers every time they’ve sent him down this season. I thought that would be the case with Martinez next season, but I guess not. There are some hazy rules about fourth option years, and perhaps that’s what is going on here, but this was a surprise to me when I read it this morning.

Adam Rubin’s whole chat with DePodesta about the Mets farm is worth reading, by the way. But that was the part that made me say “huzzah?”

But “Glory Days” was also the source of an enduring mystery. Who was that speedball pitcher in the song?

I finally found out at a reunion we held recently for our Little League’s 60th anniversary — not from Springsteen, who did not come, but from Dick Enderly, once a fine schoolboy pitcher, who had put the question to Springsteen at their 30th high school reunion in 1997, and received the answer.

“Joe DePugh,” Enderly told me. “I got it straight from the horse’s mouth.”

So that solves that. By the way, if I had a time machine — and I don’t, but if I did — the first thing I would do is go back and force Bruce Springsteen to rerecord the Born in the USA album sans synthesizers and Phil Collins drums. Great songs, but it’s his only album with the E Street Band that sounds dated.

In his 62 games this season, Bay has 10 Defensive Runs Saved (a number which measures the ability to turn batted balls into outs and the deterrent ability of ones throwing arm), which ranks third-best among leftfielders in the majors, trailing only Brett Gardner of the Yankees (17) and Gerardo Parra of the Diamondbacks (15).

I was looking at Jason Bay’s Baseball-Reference page the other day and thinking that he really isn’t as bad defensively as advertised. I was also thinking about writing about it today, but Mark Simon beat me to it, so just go read his.

It’s worth pointing out that Bay spent more of his career in PNC Park and then Fenway, two of the weirder left fields in baseball. PNC Park has an enormous left field, while Fenway has the monster. It wouldn’t surprise me if the defensive metrics had trouble figuring out Bay’s fielding in those two parks and he wasn’t nearly as bad as the numbers say. He certainly hasn’t looked — or rated — that bad with the Mets.

Texas Rangers slugger Josh Hamilton believes that the color of his eyes — blue — are the reason for his unsightly day-night splits this season. He's hitting a dismal .122 under natural sunlight and a whopping .374 under the artificial lights of a big league ballpark.

Interesting post about Josh Hamilton, who the Mets will see this weekend, and his struggles during days games. His splits look legit: For his career, Hamilton has a .976 OPS during night games against .728 during the day, though the sample of night games is much larger. The above post quotes an ophthalmologist who suggests that this may be a real phenomenon for the light eyed, as blue and green eyes have more glare. Or something. But I guess this is good news for the Mets, who play day games against Texas on Saturday and Sunday.

If you were wondering, as a group, MLB hitters have slightly better numbers during day games this season, .716 OPS during the day to .705 at night, but slightly better numbers during night games each of the last six season.

Baseball's calculus changed with steroids. No ophthalmologist can fix the lens through which the public now views accomplishment. Success -- out-of-nowhere, what-the-hell success especially -- begets skepticism. There must be a reason, a plug-and-play, easy-to-digest, quick-and-dirty catch-all that makes way for the next question.

"Sometimes there is a reason," Bautista says. "It's just not simple."

Yahoo Sports’ Jeff Passan — who is always excellent — has a profile of Jose Bautista, covering Bautista’s early struggles and the adjustments he’s made since. Interesting stuff about the game’s best player.

Also of note from the piece: Bautista is a fan of Malcolm Gladwell. I wonder how he feels about Grantland.

Via Hardball Talk