Spring Training Game 6
Freddy Garica
No doubt the NY tabloids tomorrow will say that Freddy’s slipping out of the starting rotation race. Don’t believe it. Garcia’s stats are terrible, and he gave up a couple bombs, but his stuff looked pretty good compared to his previous outing. I’m still not liking his velocity — he’s in the 82-84 range on his fastball — and he may need a few extra weeks to get strong enough to pitch at the big league level. However, his curveball still has excellent bite, and he had more command of it in this game compared to the last. He also pulled the string on several nasty changeups with good down movement (in fact, one of his changeups was mistakenly reported by Kevin Burkhardt as a curveball).
For some pitchers — particularly older ones and those coming off injury — it can take a few outings before they start to “get in the groove”. I think it’s premature to pass judgment on Garcia. If his ERA is in double digits in late March, that’s another story.
Jon Switzer
This guy is a prime example of why a lefthanded young man should consider learning how to throw a baseball. Switzer reminds me of a poor man’s Tony Fossas, which isn’t saying much. It will be nice to have an extra LOOGY stashed in AAA, if only to use in one or two series against the Phillies. He’ll provide a different, probably unscouted look, which in itself can be enough to get past many batters once or twice.
Dillon Gee
Poor kid had a tough debut. Unlike Garcia, there wasn’t anything positive to take away from Gee’s performance. His fastball was below average in velocity and he had zero command of it. He reminded me of Steve Trachsel — picking around the corners, falling behind, and then having to come into the batter’s wheelhouse. Also like Garcia, however, it may take Gee some time to get going, and I’m guessing he had some jitters. It can be unnerving for a kid to face the likes of Albert Pujols, even in a meaningless spring training game. I hope he sticks around another week or two so we can see him at his best.
Jose Valentin
I’m just thrilled to see him on the field and swinging a bat. The #99 on his back is mildly comical. It looks to me like he’s closing up a little too much from the left side, turning his hips just a bit too much during his stride, which is causing him to fly open a little too much. When he hit well in 2006, he stayed more square to the pitcher. Regardless, the odds are against him.
Marlon Anderson
Starting at first base in place of WBC-bound Carlos Delgado, Marlon was one of the few bright spots for the Mets, clubbing two doubles. OK, one of them was a routine fly ball that got caught up in the wind, but I’m pulling hard for Marlon to make this team.
Carlos Muniz
Like most of the Mets pitchers on this day, Muniz did little to help his case as far as the stat line goes. I did like some of the low, hard heaters he threw after giving up a bomb to Joe Thurston.
I’d also chalk DIllon Gee’s poor outing up to poor defense behind him, namingly Jose Coronado. A bad throw on a routine play to begin the inning, and then taking a feed from the pitcher on the start of a double play attempt 5 feet off the bag. The umpires won’t give that much leeway, even if it’s just a spring training game. I’m surprised Coronado got the start, as well, while Alex Cora saw no game action. What if Jose Reyes goes down (god forbid) for a few weeks? Is this to tell us that Jose Coronado gets first crack as a replacement? Let’s put the $2-mil we gave to Cora to good use and see what he can do for 9 innings at SS.
Yeah, you could blame the inning on Coronado, but I didn’t like Gee’s approach. He was picking around like he didn’t have confidence in his stuff, like he was trying to not fail.
In the first two weeks of games, the management likes to take a good long look at the youngins’ and also let the veterans have it easy and go play golf. Cora’s guaranteed contract — remember, he makes almost as much as Orlando Hudson — means the Mets don’t need to see him, because they know what he can do and are confident in his skills. He’ll get his reps soon enough.
silly mistake …. if you’re Met, chances are good you’re on someone’s WBC team ….
NY Mets IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA
Gee (H, 1) 2.0 1 0 0 0 2 0 0.00
Actually watched both games on MLBtv, and the kid definately doesnt nibble, maybe even goes after hitters to much (only walked 24 in 157 innings through AA last year i think). Most counts were 0-2/1-2, 2 went to 3-0 resulting in a HBP and groudout. I’d say for a 22 year old in his first BLST and working with bases loaded after 2 infield errors, A bloop broken bat single over 2nd base, and an infield single to SS, and Pujols at the plate when he should have been out of the inning, he held up pretty well.
As far as velocity, it does appear to be down from what I have seen earlier, usually sits 89-92 reaching 93-94 occasionaly, These three guys were really pushed this year to get their 200 innings in (Gee,Antonini, Stoner) and only had a little less than 1 month rest from Puerto Rico to here. Stoner is down with shoulder problems, Atonini I havent seen yet in ST. and Gee’s velocity appears down. Hopefully he just needs to catch his secound wind and it comes back.
I really like following these three kids especially Gee and hope they all keep impressing.
I saw Gee’s stats which was why I attributed the nibbling to first-time jitters. It’s not uncommon for young pitchers known for their control to suddenly have issues when facing MLB All-Stars and a smaller strike zone (technically, it’s not supposed to be smaller, but I think umpires might have slightly wider zones at lower levels).
The “rest” between ST and Puerto Rico is intriguing … do they shut down and actually rest for that month or do they continue with a maintenance-type throwing program? I’m not sure and would like to pose that question to a Mets official.
Where have you gone, Warren Morris…..a nation turns its lonely eyes to you.
2 outs, 3 hits, 3 runs, 2 walks, 1 strikeout, blown save, loss.
Looks like the more things change, the more they stay the same.
This game’s about skills, not size. Give me Warren Morris, Freddie Patek, Dustin Pedroia, Dave Eckstein, any day of the week.
Let’s just hope Putz is a slow starter. And don’t expect him to be “lights out” until his velocity raises.