Q&A: Mack with SP Sal Aguilar

Mack: Morning Sal, it's Mack from Mack's Mets. Thanks for joining us on this edition of "Q&A". First question: You were a 29th round draft pick by the Mets in 2005, out of Lewis-Clark State College. Tell us about the day you were drafted. Sal Aguilar February 7 at 8:07pm


Sal: That day was very nerve wrecking. I didn’t know if I was going to get drafted at all since i wasn’t drafted on the first day. I tried to keep busy by doing things around the house but also listen to the draft over the internet. Then,it happened. Draft number 869, the New York Mets took me in the 29th round. It was the best feeling i had that day.

Mack: Sal, you seem to be one of those guys that doesn't get the press, yet your lifetime stats are 30-20, 3.94, 1.39, including that impressive 2008 with the B-Mets (10-3, 3.14, 1.25). Any thoughts on that?

Sal: I was never a guy who was going to light up the gun on how hard I throw or strike out alot of guys. Alot of people tend to look for players who do that and tend to write about them a lot more. I just try to go out there and give my team a chance to win and if we do win we get a that press. That 2008 season was a great year. I worked hard all year to prove to people that my 2007 season was just a bump in the road and I was a lot better then that. It showed. I wish I would have got a shot at moving up, but the Mets had a plan for me. I wish i would have stayed healthy and got to see the plan they had for me.

Mack: Since you brought up "health", tell us about what happened to you last year?

Sal: Last year, i was rehabbing my elbow from TJS and things looked great it felt great. Once i got into games it I started to feel a bit of something in my shoulder and I got shut down for the last 3 weeks of the season. Turns out that little something in my shoulder was a big something. I had a torn rotater cuff and a little tear in my labrem. Now that everything is fixed, I hope I can get a lot stronger since they found the problem they said it has been there for a while just dont know how long it was there. I never had any pain til they end of the season.

Mack: I assume you won't open the season in either Buffalo (brrrr...) or with the B-Mets (brrrr v2.0). When will you being to toss in ST?

Sal: I’m not cleared to start throwing until April, so its going to be another year of rehab. I will get a chance to work with Frank Fultz. I got a chance to work with him last year and I real like how he talks about the game and how to approach hitters since he was with Atlanta and the big 3 were there.

Mack: Take your time Sal. Everyone in the Mets organization know you have what it takes to make it big time. Normally, I ask someone their goals, but I think we figured out what they are this year. Is there anything you want to last say to the readers of Mack's Mets?

Sal: I just want to say that I hope to come back from this injury stronger and a whole lot better then the 2008 season I had. I know a lot of them have wrote me off in there books. It’s not over yet. I’m going to come back and I want them to keep an eye out for me and for those who have not written me off in there books, thank you for the support. I won’t let you down. Maybe i can make those who have written me off into BELIEVERS that i can do it. Then maybe i can get that Press that i have always been missing.

Mack: You deserve all the success in the world. Thanks for being here on Mack’s Mets.