New York Mets: The 2016 Season in Review
By David Hill
The Legend of Bartolo
Bartolo Colon is the gift that keeps on giving in the world of baseball. The Round Mound on the Mound, Colon is essentially a human gif waiting to happen, someone that can cause a great deal of amusement at a moment’s notice.
Yet, the Round Mound from the Mound continued to exceed expectations. Originally expected to be the New York Mets fifth starter, Colon ended up making the most starts and pitching the most innings of anyone on the staff.
Along the way, Colon made the All Star Game for the first time since 2013, and the fourth time overall. He posted a team leading 15 wins, to go along with a 3.43 ERA and a 1.210 WHiP. His command continued to be excellent, as his 1.5 walks per nine innings was the lowest amongst qualifying pitchers in the National League.
Colon was more than a threat on the mound this year. Known for his comically bad plate apperances, Colon connected for his first career home run. That home run, and the over 30 second jog around the bases, were replayed over and over on the highlight shows. It is also possible that the stigma of surrendering a home run to Colon ruined James Shields, but let’s focus on everyone’s favorite baseball jollux.
Alas, we have yet to see Bartolo Colon take off on a stolen base attempt, but maybe that will be his next trick. The 43 year old had a lot more left in the tank than many would have expected, and proved to be a savior for the Mets pitching staff.