Mets added some guys with playoff experience, for what it’s worth

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LOS ANGELES, CA – OCTOBER 28: New York Mets pitcher Rick Porcello winning the World Series in 2018. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /

The New York Mets did a fine job of adding players with playoff experience to the roster this winter. How much does this even matter?

In sports, fans will come up with whatever reason they can to fit their personal agenda. I’m as guilty of it as anyone else. A common one we’ll hear references experience. For players, it sometimes swings back to playoff experience. If something like that matters to you, the New York Mets had a pretty solid offseason.

Brodie Van Wagenen managed to add five key players to the roster this winter. They’ll contribute in varying degrees. Some of these guys even have room to grow within the company.

For whatever it’s worth, the Mets have some new guys with playoff experience on the roster. But was that experience anything good?

Rick Porcello

Rick Porcello has 40 innings of experience in the postseason and a World Series ring won in the 2018 season as a member of the Boston Red Sox. His results haven’t been spectacular. He’s 1-3 with a 4.73 ERA in 7 starts and another 9 relief appearances.

Porcello had plenty of chances to see October baseball during his career. From his early Detroit Tigers days through his years in Boston, there was never a shortage of chances. From 2011-2018, his teams only missed the playoffs twice.

For a starting pitcher, I think there is some value to knowing a guy has been there before. With the number 22 now on his back and a history of the Mets World Series MVPs both wearing this same number, a betting man might make a phone call to his favorite bookie.

First, Porcello has to help lead the Mets to the postseason. Similar to his days with the Tigers, he’ll slot in behind some incredibly talented pitchers.

Michael Wacha

There aren’t many active pitchers who have experienced the major high and low Michael Wacha has in the postseason. His first trip to the playoffs in 2013 included a stellar start in the NLDS, a NLCS MVP after 13.2 shutout innings, and a poor performance in the World Series.

Things didn’t go well for Wacha after whenever he found himself pitching past game 162. He famously gave up a walk-off home run to the San Francisco Giants in the 2014 NLCS. A year later, he made his return to the rotation when he faced the Chicago Cubs in the NLDS. They beat him up with three home runs in 4.1 innings of work.

Unfortunately, Wacha hasn’t had his redemption song. His promising postseason career has now turned into something far more average with a 4-3 record and 4.08 ERA.

Although his specific role with the 2020 Mets is undefined and may change throughout the year, there’s an opportunity for him to turn things around on the mound this season.

Brad Brach

Mets fans are already familiar with Brad Brach from his time with the team in late 2019. He’s back and carries with him a short yet mostly successful postseason resume. In 5 innings, Brach has allowed only a single run.

I’m somewhat surprised to see Brach didn’t see more playoff action for the Baltimore Orioles. I think I may have underestimated how long they’ve been a bad baseball team and/or how often they were getting taken out in the playoffs quickly.

Brach never did allow a run in the playoffs as a member of the Orioles. The lone run he did surrender came as a member of the Atlanta Braves in 2018—his most recent trip there.

Brach doesn’t have the same playoff experience as some other guys on this list. And even if he did, relief pitchers are so hit and miss I wouldn’t know what to expect.

Dellin Betances

The new top name in the Mets bullpen for 2020, Dellin Betances, has seen his share of postseason baseball. However, it may not be as much as many of us thought.

Playing for the New York Yankees for an extended period of time practically guarantees a player postseason experience. Betances first got his in 2015 and again most recently in 2018. Totaling up all of the innings, he’s at 11 over 9 appearances.

I expected more innings from Betances. Fortunately for Mets fans hoping he can see October baseball in Citi Field from the home team’s bullpen, the results were good. Betances is 1-1 with a 3.27 ERA in the playoffs. The sample size is still a little small to call him a postseason master.

Playing in the bright lights of New York City has its perks but it also has its challenges. Betances has done it before. With the Mets, he’ll hope to go to the biggest stage: the World Series.

Jake Marisnick

Much to my surprise, maybe the best postseason numbers of all came from the bat of Jake Marisnick. And before we start crediting the banging of a trash can, it’s important to note he didn’t play at all in the 2017 postseason for the Houston Astros.

Marisnick spent most of his time in the postseason as a part-time player. Despite playing in multiple games from 2015-2018, he never really got regular at-bats.

This changed in 2019 when he combined to make 12 trips to the plate in the ALCS and World Series. Marisnick delivered, too. He batted .333 in the ALCS and an even better .375 in the World Series. Combined with his earlier career postseason at-bats, he’s a lifetime .333/.364/.381 hitter when the games count the most.

Could it be that Marisnick is actually a brilliant postseason player? We’re going to have to hope we find out this year.

Next. Which offseason addition will be a bust for the Mets?

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How much stock do you put into a player having postseason experience? Personally, I think it’s just as valid as saying a guy has never been there so he’ll be extra hungry for a championship.

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