Mets: Three Jeurys Familia predictions for the 2020 season

Bring back Fat Familia!

Familia lost a lot of weight this offseason which tells us a few things about him. He’s motivated and capable of doing things we may not have thought he could.

While it’s admirable to see anyone take charge of their diet and life, I don’t think this is necessarily the best thing for a relief pitcher. I like my pitchers to have some power. The less their legs look like tree trunks, the less of it they may have.

Familia was fine in the past pitching as a fat man. Although it’s quite possible his weight steadily increased over the years and he’s much bigger than he was during his prime, I don’t think the scale was a reason at all for his weak 2019 season.

For the first time in his major league career, Familia is now dealing with the balance of keeping his weight down while maintaining strength. It’s not an easy thing to achieve. If it was, you better believe I’d be walking around shirtless carrying a barbell set on my shoulders.

I worry this dramatic change could lead to an injury. I’m not a doctor nor do I pretend to be one in bars when talking to women—anymore. I do think this could potentially help or hurt his recovery in one extreme or another.

This is just speculation so you’d probably want to consult with your doctor and bookie before making a bet on this prediction.

On the bright side, Familia is less likely to get gassed on the mound early. This could help turn him into a different kind of pitcher and become the asset Brodie Van Wagenen wanted him to become when he re-signed the single-season Mets saves leader.