Pitching Progress – Mack Ade

Here’s where we sit right now.

The Mets have basically thrown their hands up on developing Jeurys Familia into a major league starter. Yes, he has two + pitches, but he can’t seem to get his slider above the minimum of the zone. Opposing batters now know that and his ‘go-to” pitch with three balls results in too many walks. On the surface, he looks “wild”, but it’s literally a matter of inches. Past that, his third pitch (curve) just isn’t developing. Look for him to remain in the Buffalo rotation through September if, for no other reason, he will get more pitches. There’s a chance you will see him in the Queens pen in September, but nothing more.

Jenrry Mejia is also all over the place, but he actually seems to pitch better in Flushing than Buffalo. He’s also closer than Familia. Don’t debate this: Mejia is a future member of the Mets pen, period. I think he’s be there before the Buffalo season ends, but, at worse, you will see him next to the chop shops in September.

Matt Harvey and Zack Wheeler are kewl. Wheeler is currently one of the top five pitchers in minor league baseball and Harvey had his best AAA outing ever last night. You will see Harvey start a game in Queens before the season ends unless Chris Young and Dillon Gee go lights out. Even then, he’s get a few spot starts in September at worse. Wheeler won’t be pushed and may finish the season in Binghamton. Then again, he seems ready for Buffalo. He too could be called up in September, but he’s lower in the pecking order.

Beyond that, it’s all steak knives.

My ‘short list’ of potential major league starters are Harvey, Wheeler, Michael Fulmer, Marcos Camarena, Domingo Tapia, Luis Mateo, Rainy Lara, Juan Urbina, and Akeel Morris.

My ‘short list’ of potential major league relief pitchers are Josh Edgin, Pedro Beato, Elvin Ramirez, Jack Leathersich, Adrian Rosario, and Adam Kolarek.

Everone else is either trade bait, in development, AAAA pitcher, orassistant coaches in some college.

But, that’s just me.

Mack