Is Losing Fun?

With nothing very positive to take from an uninspiring 4-0 shutout loss, the 5th loss in 6 games for the Mets, (another spin on the merry-go-round of losing) it is time to examine Mike Pelfrey's growing proximity to Anthony Young.


Is this the inner soul of Michael Alan Pelfrey, the 2001 Kansas Gatorade Player of the Year?

You might consider it absurd to compare Pelfrey's "slow start" to Young's fantastic journey down the motorway of 27 consecutive losses, an infamous mark of descent into the depths of sleazy inferiority.

To whit:

"Young made five starts in June. He lost all of them. (During one start, he burst into tears on the mound -- a problem that Young attributed to an allergic reaction.)"

Following his 1-16 performance in 1993, Young was eventually delivered to the Chicago Cubs for a slap hitter by the name of Jose Vizcaino. Vizcaino went on to become the Mets Player of the Year in 1995.

Vizcaino also went on to stab the Mets in the heart with a game-winning 12th inning single in Game One of the 2000 World Series.

What does all this have to do with Pelfrey? Sweet feck all but at least for a few seconds anyway I was able to forget an ugly and disappointing loss.

And the truth is, despite his remarkable streak of losing, Young's ERA was 3.77 in 1993, his 1-16 season. Pelfrey on the other hand, lumbers along with a flatulent ERA of 6.11 and whilst he is still perhaps years from Young's record, let's face it, 0-7 after 8 starts is pretty goddamned ugly, no matter how you dress it:



On the other hand, Cy Young pitcher of pitchers, the most celebrated moundsman of All-Time, lost 316 games in his career.

Hey, Mike. Look on the bright side. Even counting last season you're still 308 behind Cy.