The Morning Report 2.23.2015 | Is Harvey Ready?, Stinkin' Dynamite, SS Competition, Jon Velasquez, Issues for Collins, The Leather Rocket.

Anthony DiComo | MLB.com - "Matt Harvey climbed atop a mound on Sunday to throw his first official bullpen session of spring. In zipped a fastball as cameras beeped and clicked. In came a slider. In came a fastball, and so on and so forth. Then off walked a satisfied Harvey. Though the former All-Star began throwing bullpens shortly before the start of camp, this was his first session since organized workouts began. "The elbow feels great," Harvey said. "Picking up the ball, it's like I never left. I honestly forget that something happened."

(Chris Soto: It's fantastic to hear that Harvey's first official bullpen session went extremely well. We'll see how his arm feels in the morning though. Word out of camp is that he is scheduled to throw to live batters for the 1st time this Thursday.)

Mike Vorkunov | NJ Advance Media - "Harvey took another step by throwing his first bullpen session since pitchers and catchers reported. Throwing more than just fastballs, Harvey unleashed a curveball so destructive that Collins simply described it as "stinkin" dynamite. "It's all there," Collins said. "Now it's just a matter of tightening up and making sure his arm strength is back when he gets back on the mound when he's in competition."

(Chris Soto: You can never get enough Matt Harvey news. A healthy Matt Harvey is a organizational changing player. Now...generally when a player comes back from an arm injury, his breaking pitches are the last things that come back to him. Based on TC's comments though, it sounds like Harvey's breaking stuff is already back. This led him to say that Harvey may even make a short 5 inning start before the Mets come to New York for the home opener. The team could use a 6 man rotation during the 1st road trip then drop down to 5 afterwards. This would put Harvey in line for the season opener AND the home opener.)

Kristie Ackert | Daily News - "The shortstop issue never seems to die with the Mets. After being unable to trade for or sign a shortstop this winter and repeatedly saying they are comfortable coming into spring training with Wilmer Flores there, Terry Collins said Sunday that it is still an open competition with Ruben Tejada."

(Chris Soto: Be sure to read the whole story on this one. TC does acknowledge that Flores will most likely be the opening day SS, but, also states that it would be unfair to not give Tejada, at least, an opportunity to win the job. I'm ok with that, competition breeds better results and personal advancement. In the same article, Flores even agrees that Tejada should at least be given the chance to compete.......He won't win though.)

Adam Rubin | ESPN New York - "When right-hander Jon Velasquez’s cell phone rang as he roamed a mall in Puerto Rico during the offseason, he did not recognize the number and let it go to voicemail. It turned out to be Dickie Scott, the Mets’ director of player development, offering him an invitation to big-league camp. “It’s a blessing to me honestly,” Velasquez said. “I heard the voicemail. As soon as I heard what it was, I almost dropped my phone and I started jumping in the air. I was like, ‘I can’t believe this.’ I was with a couple of my teammates and I was just yelling in the mall. Just to get this opportunity, I’m definitely grateful and thankful to be here.”

(Chris Soto: There is always at least one great effort story every year and Velasquez may be the owner of this year's. He is an interesting arm though. After 4 years of Indy ball, Velasquez spent the 2014 season in Binghamton and threw extremely well. His success careered over to the winter leagues too where he produced a 1.93 ERA and 10 SV in 18 appearances. With a 93-95 mph fastball, a cutter, and a change-up, Velasquez carved up AA hitters K'ing over 8 per 9 innings. Too bad he was born right handed.)



 TIM ROHAN | NY Times.com “The issues facing the Mets entering spring training, Collins’s fifth with the team, are relatively simple. Collins has to choose a leadoff hitter between Curtis Granderson and Juan Lagares. Collins said Gee would go to the bullpen if he or one of the other starters is not traded, so Collins would have to make sure that transition goes smoothly. And he has to anoint a closer. He indicated Saturday that Bobby Parnell, who is also returning after Tommy John surgery, would have to re-earn his job. Yes, Collins thinks the Mets are a playoff team — especially with a healthy Harvey returning. “I say, ‘Hey, it’s time,’ ” Collins said. “We’ve been sitting around for four years, asking everybody to be patient, even the players. ‘Hey, it’s not going to happen overnight.’ Well, it’s time.”

Herb G. You have to like Collins joining the chorus and singing the post season song. Often, Collins has put his foot in his mouth when speaking off the cuff, but he seems to have identified some real issues here. Despite performing poorly last year as a leadoff batter, Curtis Granderson has hit in the leadoff spot more than any other place in the lineup over his career, and done pretty well at it. Lagares had a very good year when leading off last year, showing that he can use his speed to advantage on the base paths during the second half. Selecting a leadoff batter is a legitimate question for Terry. Also, I think he is right to point out that Parnell will have to earn the closer’s job. Mejia did very well in the role last year, Familia showed he has what it takes to close effectively, and Black cannot be discounted.

　
Adam Rubin | ESPN New York “Triple-A pitching coach Frank Viola offered a 1980s-era Met as a comparison when discussing 24-year-old lefty reliever Jack Leathersich. “You remember Sid Fernandez? He’s very much like Sid,” Viola said Saturday. “The ball comes out of his hand, it looks like it’s coming 100 mph. And you look at the radar gun, it’s 92. But it just sneaks up on you because of the angle of the arm slot.” The area for improvement, though, is control. Las Vegas manager Wally Backman recently compared Leathersich to former reliever Mitch Williams, whose nickname happened to be “Wild Thing.” Leathersich has walked 36 in 37 1/3 career Triple-A innings. “All he’s got to do is slow down, take a deep breath and slow the pace of the game down, he’s going to be fine,” Viola said.”

 (Herb G. The Leather Rocket has impressed since the first day he donned a Brooklyn Cyclones uniform in 2011, striking out 26 batters and walking only 3, while compiling a 0.71 ERA and 0.711 WHIP, in 12.2 innings of relief, thus serving notice that he was a prospect to be reckoned with. Since that time, however, control has been an issue, perhaps because he tries to be too precise. If Leathersich can learn to relax this spring, and trust his naturally deceptive motion, he could be a force in the Mets’ bull pen for years to come.)