Tom Brennan - MY # 5 METS PROSPECT: COREY OSWALT
2017 for a Mets fan has been awful - a dreadful, injury-filled season for the Mets and 6 of 7 minor league teams having losing records.
So it is nice to have someone do considerably BETTER than you would have expected. As in the case of Corey Oswalt.
Of course, prior to 2017, it was hard to feel that way about him. A seventh rounder out of HS in 2012, the big righty stunk in his cameo season (8.15 ERA over 35 rookie ball innings at age 18). Then, due to a series of injuries, he managed to compile only 287 innings over the next 4 seasons.
He did show some promise in 2016 in St Lucie, going 4-2, 4.06 with 71 Ks in 69 IP, but his career hits allowed were always high (344 hits in 313 innings through 2016), so I remained skeptical.
My skepticism continued in April this season. In his first 2 starts spanning 10 innings in his AA debut, he allowed 9 runs (7 earned) - see, I knew he was another Mets bum. Until his next start (7 innings, 3 hits, 1 run) began a stellar remainder of his season. In fact after those first 2 starts, Corey did this: 124 innings, 12-3, 1.96 ERA. he pitched so well he was tabbed as the Eastern League's pitcher of the year, in a pitcher's league.
He still (considering such dominance) allowed a somewhat high 118 hits in 134 innings, but walked only 40, and his career-spanning high point has been in allowing just 102 walks in 448 innings pitched.
Oswalt's 2017 has truly put himself on the radar screen as a 2018 Mets starter if the injury bug rears its head again with the Mets' starters. Otherwise, I see the just turned 24 year old targeted for Vegas Hell at season's start, with perhaps a mid-season call up as starter or reliever for the Mets.
Maybe he can be another Roy Oswalt (twice a 20 game winner with the Astros); time will tell.
Oh, and he can put bat on ball too - just 2 for 13 in his minors career, but the 2 were both homers. Give Noah Syndergaard some hitting competition from the pitcher's spot, perhaps.
How long before Warthen and Collins ruin him?
ReplyDeleteGood question, Reese. Collins probably won't be here to brutalize his arm. Oswald Time in 2018? We'll see.
ReplyDeleteWhen Oswalt eventually comes up, we have to be sure he is not Flexen 2.0. One big difference is that Oswalt has always exhibited strong control, so he should not be as walk-prone as Flexen.
ReplyDeleteI am hoping Flexen absorbs all these bumps in the road and comes back much better in 2018. His last 3 outings were scoreless, so maybe that smoothing of the bumps is already underway.
The only reason he wasn't up this year was they didn't want to start his clock....ALWAYS about the money not what's best 4 the team and also why we didn't see Bashlor, Peterson and Smith. Good article today in the Post by Vaccaro on the Wilponzies.
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