Closer Elbows, Matt Harvey, Juan Urbina, Cory Mazzoni, Brandon Webb

There does now seem to be some trepidation about signing Brian Wilson. I’m sure Sandy Alderson’s first concern is whether or not his surgically repaired elbow (2^nd TJS) is 100% and will stand up over the length of his contract. Let’s face it, Alderson’s record on this issue is 0-1 what with Frank Francisco still mending after a piss-pour season. Francisco won’t be back until earliest May and wouldn’t it just be wonderful if the Mets signed the Beard and he was sitting in the stands next to him for at least a month? No, I’d hold off here and make sure I felt he was fully healed, but I would also deal with the whole image thing before a pen hit the paper. I’m pretty big on team unity and clubhouse acceptance and, from the looks of it, Wilson needs at least a barber to make my team.

I got a glimpse of RHSP Matt Harvey on SNY and read about him on a story written by Peter Botte . At first, it was hard to read the first paragraph:  “Matt Harvey stands at the forefront of the Mets’ future alongside fellow starting pitcher Zack Wheeler and catcher Travis d’Arnaud, the key prospect acquired in the R.A. Dickey trade earlier this winter.” When was the last time you read a paragraph about the Mets future that didn’t have either David Wright or Jose Reyes in it? He’s reporting to camp around a week early which is great. What isn’t was the undefined fact that he may also be shut down early in 2013 due to innings pitched. For whatever reasons I can’t seem to understand, baby arms aren’t like the ones I grew up with and last year’s benching of Stephen Strasburg has proven this game is being played different these days. The future of this team is the ‘on paper’ 2015 rotation of Harvey, Zack Wheeler, Noah Syndergaard, Jon Niese, and Dillon Gee. That’s where this team’s heading and it will take that long to get there.

Today’s twit with P Juan Urbina:

Mack Ade ‏@JohnMackinAde - @JuanUrbina51 - Juan, good morning... it's Mack in Savannah... how's the arm and welcome home to your Dad

Juan Urbina‏ @JuanUrbina51 - @JohnMackinAde everthing good Mack . My arm is healthy thanks god and I keep working in get my arm stronger and my body too .

Mack Ade‏ @JohnMackinAde - @JuanUrbina51 - just hang in there... family is first, then comes baseball.... hopefully we can have lunch in Savannah this year

          Good stuff from Toby Hyde yesterday, especially what he said about P Cory Mazzoni:

Mazzoni, pitching the way he did in 2012, does not miss enough bats to be a Major League starting pitcher. He’s not real big – listed at 6’1″ and 190lbs, and has not shown an ability to hold his stuff in a starting role. Generally speaking, in 2012, he would work 91-92 with his fastball most of his start. He might show better velocity earlier, or in a big spot, crank it up to 94 or 95. (I heard he reached 96 against a rehabbing big leaguer.) In short outings out of the bullpen, he should be able to find that plus velocity more consistently. His secondary pitches – a slider and a changeup that mimics a split-finger – are fine if unexceptional. Mazzoni could well be in the Mets’ bullpen as soon as mid-late 2013

                

            All of these great, young arms are not going to have a starting slot in Queens and some need to look to the pen as their road to the majors. It’s either that or become part of a package for a right hand hitting outfielder.

          Latest Mets target:

                P Brandon Webb:

          Position: Pitcher
Bats: Right, Throws: Right
Height: 6' 3", Weight: 230 lb.

         Born: May 9, 1979 in Ashland, KY (Age 33)
High School: Ashland HS (Ashland, KY)
School: University of Kentucky (Lexington, KY)
Drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 8th round of the 2000 amateur draft.
Signed June 6, 2000. (All Transactions)
Debut: April 22, 2003
Team: Diamondbacks 2003-2009
Agents: Jonathan Maurer [*]
Final Game: April 6, 2009