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New York Mets: Five Most Expendable Players for 2017

By Steve Contursi

Sep 27, 2015; Cincinnati, OH, USA; A cap and glove sits in the New York Mets dugout during a game against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. The Mets won 8-1. Mandatory Credit: David Kohl-USA TODAY Sport
Sep 27, 2015; Cincinnati, OH, USA; A cap and glove sits in the New York Mets dugout during a game against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. The Mets won 8-1. Mandatory Credit: David Kohl-USA TODAY Sport /
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#5 Jeurys Familia

Aug 7, 2015; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; New York Mets manager Terry Collins (10) congratulates relief pitcher Jeurys Familia (27) after they beat the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. New York Mets defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 4-3. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /

To earn a spot on the list of Mets expendable, Jeurys Familia has done nothing wrong. In fact, it’s questionable whether the Mets would be where they are now without him.

Instead, it’s more about the way he has been used and overused by the Mets, and in particular Terry Collins and pitching coach Dan Warthen. For the third straight year, Familia is on a pace that would place him in half the games the Mets have played (74 appearances and counting in 2016).

How long can this go on before his production, and more importantly his reliability, begins to decline? In fact, one can make the argument that his effectiveness is already declining.

For instance, in his last seven games he has only three saves. In his last 30 games, he only has 17 saves. This is not what you want to see from a closer.

Compare this to Mariano Rivera as an example of where a closer should be. Rivera generally saved two-thirds of the games he appeared in. Over the course of his career, Familia barely touches the 40 percent mark.

Simply put, he’s used in way too many games and for one reason or another doesn’t close out a high enough portion of the games he appears in.

Therefore, the Mets would be wise to move in another direction while they can and before it all comes crashing down.

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