Tag Archives: Edwin Diaz

March 16, 2023

Celebrate Good Times

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Mets closer Edwin Diaz needed to be carried off the field after injuring himself celebrating the Puerto Rican team victory over the Dominican Republic:

Díaz signed a $102 million, five-year deal to stay with the Mets in November, one of several moves Mets owner Steve Cohen hopes bring a championship to Queens.

Chron.com

When these freak injuries occur, it reminds us why a code of sportsmanship evolved. Not only do opponents get upset at celebrations, winners sometimes get hurt. This was a big celebration of a quarter-final win in an exhibition tournament. The appropriate level of celebration might have been shaking each others hands as they happily walk off the field.

In general, I have no problem with people celebrating. I have a big problem with people violently responding to those celebrations (fights, hit by pitches). Let’s not forget that those unwritten rules of sportsmanship came into being for a reason, and that reason, and that deep, underlying reason is to prevent injuries.

Finally, this is so the Mets. The have new, better ownership, but the same injury problems.

November 7, 2022

Diaz Stays

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Mets closer Edwin Diaz decided to take a record setting offer from the Mets rather than test free agency:

The Mets are rewarding Diaz handsomely for being a premier late-inning reliever. New York has reportedly agreed to a five-year, $102 million contract with the 28-year-old right-hander. That works out to a $20.4 million average annual value.

Also in the contract, according to Healey, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, ESPN’s Jeff Passan and The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal: a $12 million signing bonus, a $20 million club option for 2028, an opt-out after the 2025 season and a full no-trade clause.

SportingNews .com

This seems like a good deal for the Mets. Diaz pitched consistently well during his career, and still has a season left in his prime. If he puts up 7.5 WAR over the next three seasons and then opts out, the Mets will have paid about $8 million per WAR. That’s a pretty reasonable price.

The other thing this deal does is raise the price of all relievers. One reason teams build around bullpens is that that relievers tend to be cheaper than starters. As relievers become more important for team success, their price will rise. The Yankees used to bid up talent to make talent more expensive for everyone else in the game. It looks like the Steve Cohen took a page out of George Steinbrenner’s playbook and will make free agent relievers less cost effective, which gives the rich Mets an advantage in the market.

December 3, 2018

Mets Finally Make a Deal

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The Mets and Mariners made their deal official on Monday:

Robinson Cano is coming back to New York, and he’s bringing a closer with him.

The former Yankees second baseman was traded to the Mets on Monday, coming over from the Mariners with reliever Edwin Diaz in exchange for Jay Bruce and Anthony Swarzak, plus former first-round draft picks Jarred Kelenic and Justin Dunn and reliever Gerson Bautista. The Mariners also will be sending $20 million to the Mets to help pay for Cano.

While much focus has been on Cano, Diaz appears to many to be the prize:

The real gem of the trade, however, is Diaz, the 24-year-old All-Star closer who has four seasons of club control left. The righty was a coveted offseason piece, with the Yankees, Mets, Phillies and Braves among those showing interest, and for good reason. In 2018, he posted an MLB-leading 57 saves and a 1.96 ERA while averaging 15.2 K/9 while throwing a triple-digit fastball and hard slider.

I would rather not build a franchise around a closer. Closers can flash and burn. Diaz is skinny, as he is listed at 6′ 3″, 165 lb. Of course, people thought Pedro Martinez was too small to be a great pitcher. My main objection to Cano is that the Mets have tended to be old in the last few years, and Cano is just another old player that fans can watch break down. I suspect taking Cano off the Mariners hands might have been the real price for acquiring Diaz.

As for the prospects, Bautista is a high walk, high strikeout pitcher. In 2018, at seasonal age 23, he finally moved past A ball. While he struck out a ton of batters, he also allowed a ton of hits. Those two things are not supposed to go together. I suspect he can blow lots of hitters away with his fastball, but doesn’t really fool anyone. Those who can catch up to his heat hit him hard.

Dunn is similar, a high walk, high strikeout pitcher who again gives up more hits than I would imagine for someone with a strikeout rate over 10 per 9 IP. He’s a year younger than Bautista.

Kelenic played in rookie league this season as an 18-year-old and put up strong OBP and decent power numbers, although his power is related to his speed, as he hit six triples in 251 PA. If he can improve on that and be in the majors by age 20 or 21, the Mariners will walk away very happy with this deal.

The Mariners got rid of a contract they didn’t want anymore for a great prospect and potentially two good relievers. They gave up very little money and a closer, who frankly are a dime a dozen. The Mets get an old player who may still be able to hit, and if Diaz turns out to be the next Mariano Rivera, they’ll be solid at closer for a very long time.

Mostly, the Mets made a splash, and people are talking about the team again, even if it is somewhat negative.

August 12, 2018

Mariners Sweep

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The Mariners completed a four-game sweep of the first place Astros with a 4-3 extra-inning win on Sunday.. That puts Seattle back into contention for the AL West title. They now trail Houston by four games, and will be 1 1/2 games behind the Oakland Athletics if Oakland’s 8-5 lead over the Angels holds up. It was a close series, Seattle outscoring Houston 20 to 13 over the four games. The Mariners timing was good, as they faced an injury depleted Houston offense. They got five strong innings from Erasmo Ramirez today, who came into the game having allowed seven home runs in 9 2/3 innings. He allowed three hits in five shutout innings. Edwin Diaz saved all four games, striking out nine in four innings and allowing one run.

The two teams play six more times, three at Seattle later in the month and then three at Houston in September.

April 9, 2017

A Fien Mess

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The Mariners led the Angels 9-3 going into the bottom of the ninth, bringing in Casey Fien to close the game. Fien is a relief veteran, known for great control, but he has a tendency to give up home runs. Last year, he allowed 13 long balls in 39 1/3 innings. He immediately gives up a home run to Albert Pujols, then allows the next three batters to reach base as well. He gives way to Edwin Diaz, who in 54 2/3 MLB innings has struck out 92 batters. Entering with the bases loaded, he gets the next two batters, allowing one of the runners to score. The Mariners lead 9-5. He then gives up a double, two walks, and two singles and the Angels win 10-9.

I’m not sure which is worse, the Nationals first inning meltdown on Saturday, or this bullpen meltdown on Sunday. The Mariners really needed the win, especially in a game in which their offense showed some life. This was the first time in 2017 that they scored more than four runs in a game.