The Armando Junior

The good news is that after Game #2, we've used up our quota.

What am I talking about?

I'm referring to the 1-inning, 30-pitch save the Mets got from Francisco Rodriguez on Wednesday.

That rather torturous exercise is the sort of thing that happens about once a year, according to data found on Baseball-Reference.

It happened once in 2006 (31 Billy Wagner pitches to dispense the Blue Jays)

It happened once in 2007 ("The Chip Ambres Game" necessitated 30 Wagner pitches in the 10th to stall the Dodgers.

And it happened once in 2008 (32 pitches, and 2 runs from Luis Ayala to dispatch the Marlins).

I'm referring to such a save as the "Armando Junior," named in honor of the former Mets closer, who, since 1990, is the only Mets pitcher to record 2 such saves in a season (2001). John Franco has the most of any Mets pitcher since 1990, with 5.

True Metriguezs know...The most pitches Francisco Rodriguez has ever needed for a 1-inning save is 37, against the Royals in 2006. And yes, he got through that one without allowing a run as well.

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