Year In Review: Manny Acosta

Manny Acosta had a very forgettable start to the year in 2012. It was one of those starts that players wish could be erased from existence. His season was going so poorly, that he was optioned down to triple-A on May 31. He was later recalled to the big league team, and it seemed a light bulb had gone off for Acosta, as he became the Mets most reliable reliever down the stretch. Let’s take a closer look at Acosta’s 2012 campaign.

Apr 23, 2012; New York, NY, USA; New York Mets relief pitcher Manny Acosta throws a pitch in the seventh inning against the San Francisco Giants during the second game of a double header at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-US PRESSWIRE

How He Did on the Mound

As I noted in the introduction, Acosta had a horrific start to his season. After his first 19 appearances, his ERA was a staggering 11.86. With Acosta in the game, it was almost a guarantee that the batter was going to get on base. He was sent back down to triple-A to work out his issues in late May. Upon his return to the Mets in July, we saw a completely different Manny Acosta. He ended the second half of the year with a phenomenal 1.78 ERA and held batters in check (.148 avg.). He was easily the most reliable reliever the Mets had in August and September. He ended the season with a misleading 6.46 ERA, but that was nearly a 50% reduction from where it was in May before he was sent down to Buffalo. Mets fans, as well as the Mets organization, were definitely very pleased with the way Acosta ended the season.

Areas to Improve Upon

This is going to be short and sweet. The Manny Acosta of April-May looked like he would have a better chance of getting hitters out if he tried to throw left handed. The Manny Acosta from July-September looked like an all-star, and had very little to improve on. Manny has to avoid getting off to the dreaded slow start. He could be a valuable piece of the bullpen puzzle if the Mets can get what we saw towards the end of 2012.

Projected Role in 2013/Contract Status

It’s still not certain that Acosta will be with the Mets in 2013, but the way he ended the 2012 season sure did make a case for having him in the bullpen in 2013. In 2013, Acosta is eligible for arbitration after making $875k in 2012. After his horrific start in 2012, it seemed like there would be no chance that Acosta would be back with the team in 2013. However, after a very strong second half of 2012, expect him to be brought back to the Mets in 2013. The bullpen is definitely an area that Sandy Alderson will be looking to bolster before the season begins, and Acosta proved his worth. Let’s just hope we get the second-half Acosta in 2013.