A CALL TO ARMS – VOLUME 6 – GREG PEAVEY OR DARIN GORSKI: YOU PICK by Tom Brennan
If you are just tuning in to my “Call to Arms” series, I have stated the obvious and will do so again: when it comes to starters: the Mets' cupboards are bursting.
Seven current big league starters: Colon, Harvey, deGrom, Wheeler, Niese, Gee, and Montero.
Two uber-prospects who on many other teams could be in the starting rotation in April 2015: Thor and Matz
Three dudes who have made quite the case as to being major league ready, or nearly so: Logan Verrett, Matt Bowman, and Tyler Pill.
Then the next rung of 3: Erik Goeddel, Gabe Ynoa and Greg Peavey. This #13 - #15 category of starters comprises borderline guys, or ones showing great promise but who are a little further back from the majors in terms of youth and lower development level. Gabriel Ynoa falls into the latter promising youth category, and was the topic of my Volume 5 article.
Well – as I thought about it some more, to add Mr. Peavey and not to add Darin Gorski would be unfair.
So I’ll let them split the #15 spot, as between the two of them, I see at best one #5 spot.
You pick which one (if either) that you think will be a future major league starter. My guess would be Gorski, as he has plain just pitched better, but I could be wrong. You, the reader, therefore should weigh in.
So what about Darin Gorski?
Gorski has been around the longer of the two, having been drafted in 2009 in the 7th round. Along the way, the pitcher (who will be 27 all of next season) had a great 2011 for St Lucie (11-3, 2.08, a K per inning, and a 1.00 WHIP) and in stints in Binghamton in 2013 and 2014 (combined 131 innings, 10-3, 1.99 ERA). Shades of another lefty, Sandy Koufax?
Wait just a second there, buddy boy:
Las Vegas has proven to be a whole ‘nother thing for Gorski though: in 2013 and 2014, 61 innings, 44 runs allowed – OUCH!
Darin went down with a season-ending injury after a fine AAA outing on July 21 (5 innings, 3 unearned runs, 9 Ks). And actually, his AAA #’s in 2014 were badly tainted by just two of his 10 Vegas outings, where he surrendered 14 total runs in 6 innings. He otherwise pitched reasonably well in AAA. And he did K 51 in 47 innings there. The more I write, the more I like.
For his career, 42-30, 3.46, 647 innings, 596 Ks, 1.21 WHIP. 2.9 walks per 9 is fine too. Very commendable.
I could see him starting as a fifth starter for another team, or a LOOGY reliever, although the past 2 years he was better vs. righties.
So let’s turn now to Greg Peavey.
Well, Peavey’s #’s have been destroyed by his pitching time in Vegas. In 2013 and 2014, he has surrendered 77 earned runs, 116 hits, and 44 walks in just 92 innings. Otherwise, he has pitched fine. Kinda like saying, though, that the Titanic sailed great until it hit that piece of frozen water in the ocean. Excluding Vegas, he is 32-19, with a decent 3.82 in the other 428 innings of his minors career.
Purportedly has a low 90’s fastball. But he has to show he can handle Vegas. Until then, he is a righty Pat Misch in my books. I’m not being nasty in that comparison. Pat managed to start 24 games in the majors and relieve in 54 others.
So again, my vote is Gorski. But you pick, don’t make me do all the work!
Neither, I presume, will be on the Mets’ 40 man roster. We’ll see if either are plucked away.
That concludes my VOLUME 6 article. Two more Volumes (7 & 8) in the days to come – so keep reading!
3 comments:
The good and bad news on Mr. Gorski: he is pitching in the Venezuelan Winter League (good), but 8 runs and 13 runners in 4 innings (bad).
Interest in Messrs. Peavey and Gorski seems to be falling somewhere between "Ho" and "Hum".
Two interesting arms in the Mets arsenal. Peavey's solid mechanics and four+ pitch repertoire keep the door to MLB unlocked. Ultimately, he does have to find some success at the Triple-A, but that could mean something as simple as finding the key to his cutter, which he throws as a supplemental pitch in conjunction with his slider. His plus pitches are a just that with his two-seamer displaying movement and clocking out in the 92-94 mph range. He has nothing left to prove at the Double-A level as he was clearly a consistent and even dominant starter for the B-Mets last season. After some experimenting with the bullpen in 2013, where he did find some success, the Mets apparently decided to move Peavey back to a starter role in 2014. A hard worker and pitching academic, Peavey is on-track to make a statement at Las Vegas this season. Gorski is also a strong candidate for the 5th starter spot due to his being a lefty In case no one's noticed, the Mets system is thin when it comes to southpaws. He is a finesse pitcher with almost four+ seasons of minor league appearances. Both of these pitchers can make a statement slotting in behind Montero, Syndergaard and Matz. In fact, they are likely front-runners to kick things off in April.
@ DaMetsWatcher
Very nice recap on both pitchers, and very much appreciated.
Peavey clearly needs to show his AAA chops, and probably rues the day the Mets moved from Buffalo, but as they say, the 2014 slate is cleared off, and what have you done for me lately: everyone is 0-0, 0.00 starting 2015. Let's see him slay his AAA dragon.
Mets are thin at lefty, that's true, with the exception of a thick tree trunk named Matz. A rotation with more than 1 lefty is a luxury, and that could happen with Niese and Matz, but more likely the latter. If Gorski stays in Mets org and Niese is traded, his stock rises.
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