May 8, 2011

Transaction Analysis Blog

Mets Place Young on Disabled List

by R.J. Anderson

NEW YORK METS Team Audit | Player Cards | Depth Chart

New York Mets
Transfer SP Johan Santana from the 15-day disabled list to the 60-day disabled list. [5/8]
Place SP Chris Young on the 15-day disabled list. [5/8]
Purchase RP Pat Misch’s contract from Triple-A Buffalo. [5/8]/p>

For a staff that had the seven-worst earned run average in baseball entering Sunday, losing Young (and his 1.88 ERA) looks like a backbreaker. Through the prism of more nuanced metrics, like SIERA, Young’s loss is less crippling as he ranks third on the staff (behind Chris Capuano and Jon Niese). Nevertheless, the Mets would rather go to battle with Young than without, but shoulder tightness is going to sideline him for at least two weeks.

Injuries are an unfortunate aspect of life with Young. The Princeton product has missed at least two weeks in every season since 2005 and more than 90 days in each season since 2008.  The Mets would be wise to exercise caution with Young’s right shoulder, as it is the same that body part kept him out in 2009 and 2010 (with surgery and a strain respectively). The affects of those injuries are apparent whenever Young tosses his fastball that sits around 85 miles per hour on average—his barely acceptable high-80s velocity of the past is now a distant memory.

The winner here—if there is one—could be Dillon Gee. The 25-year-old righty with a fastball that averages a tick less than 90 miles per hour will slide into Young’s vacant rotation slot.  Since blowing hitters away is not an option, Gee relies on control and spotting the ball while mixing in a change and curveball.  A flyball-reliant pitcher, Gee finding success in the confines of Citi Field can foster those PETCO Park East jokes once again.

R.J. Anderson is an author of Baseball Prospectus. Follow @r_j_anderson
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