milestones

Jason Isringhausen Recorded His 300th Save Last Night

SAN DIEGO, CA - AUGUST 15: Jason Isringhausen #45 of the New York Mets, left, is congratulated by Josh Thole #30 after getting the final out in the 10th inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on August 15, 2011 in San Diego, California. The Mets won 5-4. (Photo by Denis Poroy/Getty Images)
Jason Isringhausen celebrates his 300th career save.

Perhaps 300 saves is not the most significant milestone, but if this is indeed Jason Isringhausen’s last season, it’s a nice final chapter to his career. Yes, Generation K didn’t work out the way the Mets had hoped, but Isringhausen went on to have a solid big-league career. And it was certainly no sure thing that he’d reach the 300-save milestone as a Met: He didn’t begin the regular season on the big-league roster, and there was no guarantee that he’d become the team’s closer when they inevitably traded Francisco Rodriguez. But he pitched well enough to not only keep his spot on the roster, but to be used in post-K-Rod save situations like last night’s, when he closed out the Mets’$2 5–4 win. Isringhausen said last night that getting to 300 saves was the reason he came back this season, and now he’s reached that goal. Said Isringhausen: “I didn’t want to see [the trades] with Frankie and Carlos [Beltran] and stuff, but it put me in a position where I could achieve this.” [NYP]

Jason Isringhausen Got His 300th Save Last Night