PITTSBURGH — Perhaps the Mets can be the next Pirates. Arrr!
The Pirates have turned it around this season because of some great pitching and the Mets are trying to follow suit. In 1992 the Bucs lost the NLCS in seven games to the Braves and they have been walking the plank ever since — never finishing above .500, a lost franchise.
This season however, the Pirates are 54-36, leading the wild-card race and in a tight race with the NL Central-leading Cardinals. A big reason for the Pirates’ success is their pitching; they lead the majors with a 3.09 ERA. The Mets are 14th with a 3.89 mark.
In 2006 the Mets lost the NLCS in seven games to the Cardinals and haven’t been back to the playoffs since, and the last four seasons they have finished under .500 and in fourth place.
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They are in a familiar spot in the standings, fourth place in the NL East with a 40-48 mark, but they have made some strides on the pitching front this season.
Since May 26, the Mets rank third in the majors with a 3.22 ERA. In July, their bullpen ranks second in the majors in ERA with a 1.70 mark and have allowed eight earned runs over 42 1/3 innings.
The Pirates are second overall in starters’ ERA with a 3.26 mark while the Mets are 10th with a 3.86 mark. The Mets have a long way to go to turn it around, but their pitching has improved — call it the Matt Harvey Effect.
Harvey has set the bar higher for the Mets’ starters and now that Zack Wheeler has arrived and veterans such as Dillon Gee and Jeremy Hefner have excelled, the rotation appears to have some depth.
“It’s like they are saying don’t forget about me,’’ manager Terry Collins told The Post yesterday about the other pitchers’ reactions to Harvey’s success. Harvey is 7-2 with a 2.35 ERA and is second in the majors with a 0.92 WHIP.
Harvey will not pitch until the All-Star Game Tuesday at Citi Field because the Mets want to limit his innings and because of a blister problem, but he most certainly will be the starter for Bruce Bochy’s NL squad. MLB officials want the local fan favorite to start the All-Star Game as a way to try to help lift the spirits of the Mets’ fans and as a way to highlight the team’s young pitching.
By having Harvey skip tomorrow’s scheduled start the Mets have set it up perfectly for him to start the All-Star Game.
But Hefner (4-6, 3.39 ERA), who goes tonight at PNC Park against Charlie Morton (1-2, 3.38 ERA), has been the Mets’ best pitcher recently.
He is 3-1 over his last seven starts with a magnificent 1.64 ERA, and the Mets have won seven of those games. Hefner, just 27, has turned around his career because he has added velocity by employing a more pronounced hip turn.
If the Mets want to climb out of their hole, they will need to do it with pitching. Yes, they have gotten better outfield play since the arrival of Eric Young Jr. and the production of Marlon Byrd. They also have played better defense, but it comes back to the arms.
“It always comes back to pitching.’’ Collins said. “Internally, I think the pitchers have stepped up because of Harvey and they are saying, ‘Listen, we’re good too. We have the ability to put up zeroes also.’
“And our bullpen has pitched much better lately because our starting pitching has gotten us deeper into games.’’
Collins also said the defense has made a difference for the Mets, winners of five of six on this road trip, including a sweep of the Giants in San Francisco.
Players in the organization realize there is an opportunity to be had at the major league level. Hefner is a perfect example of a player who has made the most of that opportunity.
That excellent pitching must continue for the Mets to have any shot at success.