RHP (NYM): With projected setup man Kelvim Escobar sure to start the season on the DL with shoulder weakness and concerns surrounding the shoulder of newly-signed Kiko Calero, the Mets have to at least be considering top prospect Mejia, who has recently been compared to Mariano Rivera by former Met Darryl Strawberry and by one scout who say Mejia's cutter is the best he's seen since Rivera. It might be a bit premature to talk about a guy who didn't pitch that well in 10 AA starts in '09 (0-5, 4.47 ERA, 44.1 IP, 23 BB) but crazier things have happened. If Calero and Ryota Igarashi don't pitch well this spring, the Mets could have a major question mark in the 7th and 8th inning and Mejia might be the answer. UPDATE 3:07 PM PST - Mejia threw three scoreless innings of relief today (3 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 0 BB, K). Of his 33 pitches, 27 were strikes. - link
Should there be concern about the Mets bullpen? I personally think it’s too early to panic. Kiko Calero is a huge pickup if he can stay healthy. If they wind up signing a Joe Biemel, then you might be on to something. There are some question marks, but I think these arms have upside, unlike prior years. Its funny how Manuel spoke about an “eighth inning by committee” during the winter meetings, but now is committed to establishing someone in that role. Was bullpen management in session this spring? - link
We all know how the Mets spent 2009 slipping on banana peels and suffering the resultant consequences of black eyes and bloody noses and banged-up knees and battered ankles, a relentless wave of bad luck and bad medicine and bad public perception. It was never enough that half the lineup seemed on loan from Buffalo and Binghamton all summer -- it was the slapstick that accompanied it all that turned the team into a laughingstock. - link
I probably agree with Steve Lombardi that we shouldn’t take Spring Training statistics seriously until about March 15th. Even across town, the Mets kids have done a great deal of their spring damage against players that may never sniff a big league appearance. I guess my confusion comes with the actual competition. Pitchers who are “working on pitches,” as Joe Girardi claims, usually aren’t in a competition for a position. A competition is a results oriented situation. I realize statistics in the spring can be misleading, but if process is what you are looking for, specifically with Chamberlain, that doesn’t translate either. Again, you have a kid that doesn’t repeat his mechanics, throws too many pitches and can’t sustain performance for more than a couple of innings. Sounds like a reliever to me. With Phil Hughes you have a kid on a strict innings limitation this year. If his changeup needs work wouldn’t time in Scranton be useful? I don’t know if this pitch will translate in a month when the bell rings. As for Chad Gaudin or Sergio Mitre I say look at the back of the baseball card. - link
After another Mets medical scenario had taken an odd twist, a morning conversation among the Mets' hierarchy, the club's primary physician and an agent representing Jose Reyes put the club and Reyes on the same medical page. And that page suggests Reyes' condition warrants minimal concern.Reyes' agent, Peter Greenberg, said Wednesday tests administered Monday and Tuesday in New York determined that his client may have a temporary case of hyperthyroidism or a case so mild that treatment may not be required.
"The doctor was pleased," Greenberg said. "It's a minimal case of hyperthyroidism. We're all pleased." - link
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