Pelfrey Looking Sharp

Posted on March 20, 2009 by Joe Janish

Mike Pelfrey turned in an outstanding performance against the Astros in the most recently televised spring training game, showing exactly why many people are looking at him as the Mets’ #2 starter.

The two things that most impressed me about Pelfrey in this particular outing were his ability to change speeds and his supreme confidence. This time last year, Pelfrey was pitching scared, thinking too much, and picking around the plate. In this game, his manner and body language oozed with confidence, and he looked like he had a plan. The curveball was dropping nicely at an 11-to-5 angle and staying around the strike zone, at a 75-MPH speed — which maybe is a little too slow, but hey, he’s still shaking the dust off it. Pelf also started to hammer his sinker in on the hands of lefthanded hitters — a new concept, since he has always in the past tended to stay on the third-base side of the plate with that pitch. A number of pundits are already getting silly about the “new” pitch (the NY Times coined it a “front-door sinker”), but really it’s the same sinker he’s always thrown, but he’s now spotting it on the other side of the plate. I’m liking it.

In addition to Pelfrey’s performance, Nick Evans continues to make roster decisions difficult for manager Jerry Manuel. Evans is driving the ball with power, spraying to all fields, and showing patience at the plate. His fielding is still a bit suspect, but you can’t knock him for his effort — he’s a hustler. Taken out of the optimism of Port St. Lucie, Evans looks like he could evolve into a “mistake hitter” — the kind of guy who can jack a pitcher’s mistake over the fence. At the same time, he has some holes in his swing and will get overmatched by hard fastballs inside. I love the kid, and am rooting for him, but it’s going to be tough to carry him on a roster that includes 11-12 pitchers and at least one backup catcher. Those 3-4 bench players have to be versatile, and bring more than one tool to the table. Alex Cora and Fernando Tatis have two of those spots sewn up, and you have to figure at least one other spot goes to either one of the defensive-minded outfielders in camp, or Marlon Anderson (another guy who can play multiple positions). Evans’ glove just isn’t strong enough at either 1B or in the OF, and he doesn’t have the speed of a pinch-runner, so he either has to win a platoon job (not happening) or hope for an injury, to go north in April.

Speaking of Tatis, a strange comment by Keith Hernandez during the SNY broadcast of Thursday’s game, in regard to how Tatis’ versatility can be used to keep people fresh:

“One thing we know about Jerry Manuel, Jerry Manuel likes to REST HIS REGULARS”.

For the record, Keith, here are some of the “regulars”, and their games played in 2008:

Jose Reyes: 159
David Wright: 160
Carlos Delgado: 159
Carlos Beltran: 161
Brian Schneider: 110

Of course, the other positions — LF, RF, 2B — were originally supposed to be manned by players who ended up on the DL for extensive periods (Moises Alou, Ryan Church, and Luis Castillo). So other than Schneider, who missed games due to minor injuries eight different times during the season, the “regulars” certainly didn’t get rest. Manuel TALKED about resting the regulars when he took over the club last June, but never actually FOLLOWED THROUGH with that plan. Funny though, how some people’s words speak louder than actions.

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Mid-Spring Pickups

Posted on March 20, 2009 by Joe Janish

Cuts came quickly this March, many of them due to the current economic condition — in many cases, teams are only responsible for one-sixth of a player’s salary if he’s released by March 18th (Duaner Sanchez was cut for specifically this reason, even though the move was made a week ago).

As a result, there are at least a few interesting names wandering around out there. Let’s take a look at a few in particular.


Shawn Hill
Hill spent his entire career in the Montreal Expos / Washington Nationals organization, but the club lost patience with his perennially injured arm. When healthy, the Canadian-born righthander has great stuff – – relying mostly on a hard low-90s sinker — and can be dominating. However, he hasn’t been healthy long enough to finish a big league season. Every year, he looks great, and before long, his elbow gives out. Most recently, he suffered forearm tightness, but Dr. James Andrews saw no structural damage. Hill is only 27, certainly young enough to still make something of his career. He could be an interesting, low-cost pickup, though I see him finding his way to a smaller market team like the Cardinals. Who knows, Hill could either go the way of Paul Wilson, and finally find health, or he could be another Jeff D’Amico.

Jimmy Gobble
The Royals lefthander posted an 8.81 ERA in 39 games last season, after a very strong 2007. Again, this may have been more a financial move than anything else — how can you justify paying in excess of seven figures for a guy with an ERA near nine? However, like Hill, Gobble is only 27, but more importantly to the Mets, he held lefthanded hitters to a .200 average last season. American League lefthanded hitters. Worth a look, no?

Dave Roberts
Looking at the Mets’ current roster, they seem to need a few more singles-hitting, good fielding, lefthanded-hitting outfielders. (Not.)

Yhency Brazoban
Another oft-injured pitcher, Brazoban was the guy that convinced the Dodgers to jettison Duaner Sanchez a few years ago. A big guy with a big fastball, it’s not only multiple surgeries that have curtailed his career but also an appetite for Big Macs — he’s increased his weight from 170 to over 250 in the past five years. Soon to turn 29, his career could be over, but someone may take a chance on him — a 95 MPH fastball tends to help with that.

Josh Bard
Yet another financial move — the Red Sox could not justify paying close to two million dollars to a backup catcher who can’t catch a knuckleball. Since the Mets don’t have a knuckleballer on the staff, Bard could be someone to consider if they are interested in carrying three catchers on the 25-man roster — especially now that Brian Schneider’s health is in question. Bard is a solid defensive backstop who hits from both sides of the plate and has a little bit of pop. As a semi-regular for San Diego in 2006, he hit .285 with 5 homers and 50 RBI and a .364 OBP in 389 ABs, and hit .338 in 90 games the season before (again, those stats were in San Diego, not Fenway). And, of course, if he were around it would be fun to use corny Shakespeare references.

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Jon Niese Sent Down

Posted on March 20, 2009 by Joe Janish

The Mets have sent Jon Niese to minor league camp, effectively removing him from the competition for the fifth starter’s role.

The lefthander pitched eight innings this spring, allowing six runs on six hits — including two homeruns — and a startling seven walks. He did strike out seven.

Whether it was nerves, lack of preparation, or skillset, Jonathan Niese did little to suggest that he’s ready to pitch at the MLB level. That doesn’t mean he’s not going to help the Mets at some point this year, it simply means he needs more time to develop. Since we in the NYC area didn’t get to see much of Niese on TV, it’s hard to evaluate his performance. Looking strictly at the numbers, the walks are the biggest concern — spring training or no spring training, you can’t succeed walking more than one batter per inning.

The move will not only allow Niese to develop at his own pace, and away from the microscope, but will also give Livan Hernandez and Freddy Garcia more reps in game situations.

Some folks may ask why Niese’s poor numbers earn him a demotion, while Garcia’s equally awful stats allow him to stay with the big club. A few reasons, beginning with the fact that Garcia has succeeded in MLB before, while Niese has yet to do so. Secondly, Garcia is coming off an injury, and there is speculation (hope?) that he is not yet showing himself at 100%. Niese, on the other hand, is completely healthy, and what he shows today is pretty close to what he’ll show a month from now — at least, from a physical standpoint / velocity range. Additionally, if Niese is NOT throwing at 100% right now, the Mets may not think that velocity is what will help him reach the next level. They may believe his issue has more to do with command and consistency. In contrast, Garcia’s career is almost completely dependent on whether he can get his fastball close to 90 MPH, because he has shown good command of the rest of repertoire.

Personally, I’m glad Niese is out of the spotlight. He’s not ready for it, and needs to concentrate on honing his skills without outside pressures. With time, he’ll find his way to Flushing, eventually.

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Livan Good, Freddy Not So Good

Posted on March 20, 2009 by Joe Janish

After their most recent performances, it’s nearly a given that Livan Hernandez will go north as the Mets #5 starter, while Freddy Garcia’s future will depend on whether he’s willing to begin the season in AAA.

Hernandez was sharp in his Wednesday start, and looks to be in mid-season form. His fastball is underwhelming (low 80s), but he throws strikes, gets outs, and does everything else a pitcher needs to do to win (hit, bunt, field). The Mets don’t need Livan to be an ace, they need him to take the ball every fifth day and keep the team in the game through 6-7 innings.

You have to love Livan’s attitude, as demonstrated in an SNY interview during the sixth inning of that game. He was cool as a cucumber, completely relaxed, sounding like he just came in from a day of rum drinks on the beach rather than a five-inning stint on the mound. Of course, that same personality will drive people mad if his ERA is over 7.00 and his record is 0-6 by mid-May. But I don’t think that’s going to happen.

In contrast, Freddy Garcia is not progressing quickly enough — though there were a few positive signs in his outing against the Braves. Though Garcia was again battered — 7 hits and 5 runs in two innings — his velocity was improved and his curveball continues to have good bite. The fastball was riding around 85-86, and he touched 88 several times — a significant increase from the 83-84 range of a week ago. But it remains clear that he’s going to need more time to get ready for prime time. If the Mets don’t release him, and if he accepts a minor league assignment, I believe he can work his way back to the bigs after another month to six weeks in the minors. The guy is a battler, and it appears he’ll be able to get the velocity back around the 89-90 range. If he can get it there, he can win a few games in MLB, because his curveball is already a plus pitch, his changeup is solid, and his slider can be devastating. His problem now is that all of those pitches are around the same speed, and his fastball location is too high. Another few MPH difference between the fastball and his other pitches are key to his future success.

After his dismal performances this spring, Garcia may not have a choice — it’s not like other teams will be banging down his door.

In other news, Jonathan Niese has been sent to minor-league camp. That move plus Tim Redding’s shoulder injury and Tony Armas, Jr.’s demotion would suggest that the fifth starter competition has become a two-man race — with Livan Hernandez several strides ahead.

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Pelfrey Ditches Slider

Posted on March 16, 2009 by Joe Janish

According to Mets.com:

Pelfrey pitched for the first time since March 4. He had missed a turn of the rotation because of a strained muscle in his lower left leg. He was delighted with the effect of his curveball — he has scrapped the slider altogether — and a changeup he threw 11 times, once to a left-handed hitter.

Interesting turn of events, eh? Especially since we’ve been discussing Pelfrey’s need for an offspeed pitch right here for the last year and a half?

If you weren’t with us, or forgot, check the following tidbits from archived articles:

From “Why Change?” (4/10/2008)

Mike Pelfrey is an ideal example of a shortcut pitcher — someone who is force-fed to the bigs by focusing on his main strength, and adding the easiest pitch to develop quickly (a slider). This strategy gets batters to swing and miss over the short term, but eventually they catch on — see: Jorge Sosa. The most successful pitchers of this and every other era were those who threw at more than one speed.

From “Pelfrey’s Curveball” (3/8/2008)

To understand why it’s so important for Pelfrey to throw a curveball (or a changeup) for strikes, you need only have watched his outing today. His first time through the lineup, he pitched well, spotting the fastball all around the zone and mixing in that inconsistent breaking pitch. The second time through the lineup, however, the batters were sitting on the fastball — waiting for it, and jumping all over it. The batters knew that Pelfrey wasn’t throwing a changeup and were usually able to recognize and lay off the hard-breaking slider. So they timed his fastball and hacked at it. In other words, the batters had little to think or guess about.

If Pelfrey could have dropped a few more of those breaking pitches — the ones with the slower, downward break — into the strike zone early in counts, then the batters would have more to think about. They wouldn’t have the luxury of sitting on the fastball.

…Maybe Mike Pelfrey can “accidentally” throw more curveballs. If he did, he would not only win the fifth starter spot but likely win 10-12 games this year.

Obviously, I’m happy to hear that Big Pelf will be working harder on changing speeds by using his curveball and a changeup. After he gets at least one of those pitches going, he can probably bring back the slider and use it the way it’s supposed to be used — as a strikeout pitch, maybe 5-6 times a game. Tom Seaver was the master of this strategy, relying heavily on the fastball-change-curve repertoire, and pulling the slider out of his pocket only when absolutely necessary — such as with two on and two out in the seventh inning of a one-run game. He’d drop the pitch just off plate and below the knees, and get the batter to reach for it and miss.

I truly believe that if Pelfrey can develop EITHER the curve or the change into a consistent, plus pitch, he can be a true ace. Will that happen in ’09? Who knows? But if he focuses on building up one of those offspeed pitches throughout the season, he could be in line for the 2010 Cy Young Award.

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Padres Sign Duaner Sanchez

Posted on March 15, 2009 by Joe Janish

It didn’t take long for Duaner Sanchez to find a new home — he’s been signed to a minor-league deal by San Diego.

The pitching-starved Padres jumped on the opportunity to ink the former Mets setup man, who appeared in 66 games last year and posted a 4.32 ERA. It’s a low-risk, high-reward move for San Diego, who are relying on another former Met, Heath Bell, to be their closer after allowing all-time saves leader Trevor Hoffman to jettison.

Sanchez’s velocity was frighteningly low this spring, a good 8-10 MPH less than the 92-93 needed to be effective. However, the Mets didn’t have the patience to wait for him to come around — not while he was collecting on what would’ve been a $1.675M contract.

According to the MLB report, Padres GM Kevin Towers is optimistic about Sanchez:

Towers said Sanchez’s velocity ran about 87 mph and that he has complimentary pitches that could make him the late-inning reliever the team is looking for, possibly the eighth-inning specialist to set up former Mets teammate Heath Bell.

How ironic would it be if Sanchez were able to return to form, and eventually set up games for Heath Bell? A longshot, for sure, but eerie nonetheless.

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Mets Acquire Fernando Nieve

Posted on March 14, 2009 by Joe Janish

Hot off the heels of shutting down Tim Redding, the New York Mets have claimed Fernando Nieve off waivers.

Nieve, a 26-year-old righthander, was vying for a spot of the Houston Astros’ rotation. The hard-throwing Venezuelan has struggled in his young career with injuries, and posted an 8.44 ERA in 11 relief appearances for the Astros last year. He had been competing for one of the last two slots on the Houston staff against MLB veterans Brian Moehler, Russ Ortiz, and Jose Capellan.

In 4 2-3 innings this spring, Nieve has allowed eight hits, seven runs and walked six. Astros manager Cecil Cooper acknowledged that Nieve had been a disappointment.

“Nieve needs to step up because he hasn’t pitched the way I’d hoped,” Cooper said. “He’s lost some ground.

“It’s imperative that he pitches well,” Cooper said. “He has a great arm; right now I’m just not seeing it.”

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Tim Redding Shut Down

Posted on March 14, 2009 by Joe Janish

Tim Redding’s attempt to nail down the #5 spot in the New York Mets starting rotation has come to a screeching halt, as the team has decided to shut him down due to shoulder soreness.

Only a few days ago here at MetsToday we suggested that Redding’s struggles were due to a physical issue:

He was visibly laboring, and I’m betting that his shoulder is still barking, but he’s not going to say so. From what I understand, he’s a pretty tough character and could be pitching through pain to win a job in the rotation and to back up his early chest-pounding remarks that he was the favorite for the fifth spot.

I’m not ready to write off Redding, as he’s at least 2-3 weeks behind where he should be, and he’s likely ailing. My hope is that he doesn’t further damage his shoulder and can make a contribution of some sort in 2009.

Redding was pounded for nine runs in two innings of work against the Nationals, and couldn’t get out of his only inning against the University of Michigan. According to Mets.com:

Right-handed pitcher Tim Redding, one of the four hurlers competing for the fifth spot in the rotation, has been shut down because of weakness and aching in his throwing shoulder.

General manager Omar Minaya provided no specific prognosis on Saturday morning when he announced the club’s latest physical malady, but he said Redding probably won’t have sufficient time to prepare to be a viable pitcher — starter or reliever — by Opening Day, April 6.

There was also a strange quote from Marty Noble’s report on Mets.com:

Redding has been examined by the Mets’ doctors here, but he has been examined via MRI. Minaya indicated no plans for additional examination exist and that Redding will begin programs designed to strengthen the shoulder.

Re-read the portion in bold. Does it look to you like a word is missing? Such as, the word “not”? As in, “…but he has NOT been examined via MRI” ? This is really making me wonder, and it certainly fits. If the Mets are too cheap (or frightened) to send their franchise pitcher Johan Santana for an MRI, then it makes sense to keep their $2.2M investment away from that nasty machine. Right?

One of these days, the Mets have to enter the 21st century and begin to use the latest technology — even if it means giving them information they don’t want to hear.

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