Observations from Mack -
John Curtiss, Josh Hartwig, Seth Elledge, UCL Tears, Jonathan Mayo
Morning.
This Observation From Mack postings replace The Mack Reports, that contained mostly material I cut and pasted from other sites. THIS IS ALL MY THOUGHTS That's what I was told you all wanted. So, here goes...
The early success of both Adam Ottavino and David Robinson has produced a number of articles on the resurgence of the Mets bullpen. Me? I’m keeping my eyes on the Mets John Curtiss and Syracuse Mets Grant Hartwig.
In the case of Curtiss, the Mets took a calculated risk in signing him after a shortened 2021 season for Milwaukee. Curtiss went under the knife for TJS and was eventually released by the Brewers. Which means he was under contract with the Mets for an entire season of rehabbing.
Has it paid off. Well, as of end of of game Friday night he’s 0.3-WAR, 0-0, 1.23, 6-G, 7.1-IP, 6-K, 1-ER
Hartwig is a different case. He’s an undrafted arm that had a great 2022 year last season for four Mets affiliates (39-appearances, 6-2, 1.75, 56.2-IP, 83-K (only his 24-BB were a downer). He didn’t make the opening day 26 and he’s currently pitching for Syracuse. Where, as of end of game Friday night he’s 4-G, 1-0, 0.00, 5.2-IP, 7-K
The Mets claim 26-year old, 6-2 RHP Seth Elledge from the Atlanta Braves. He was drafted in the 4th round of the 2017 draft, by Seattle, out of Dallas Baptist University.
Is this important? Well, last season’s 3.88, 33.7% K-rate and 8.6% BB-rate is a positive note.
This season, he has pitched three innings (0-0) for the Braves AAA club.
His career MLB stat line is -0.1-WAR, 1-0, 4.63
Me? Why not? The Mets are still looking for lightning to hit their bullpen.
There was an interesting article in HealthDay about baseball season and UCL tears.
Dr. Nathan Boes, an assistant professor of orthopaedic surgery at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and director of sports medicine for Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas, offered his tips to baseball players regarding avoiding UCL injuries:
"Athletes 18 and younger should not pitch more than 100 innings in games during a calendar year. And they should take four months a year with no competitive pitching."
Parents and coaches should avoid youths' yearlong specialization in only baseball,. Athletes should be encouraged to play multiple sports, to give their arms a break during the offseason (young players ages 15 to 19 now comprise almost 57% of UCL reconstruction surgeries).
There are many factors that go into rehabilitation after an elbow injury,. Therapy can be used to address deficiencies in core and lower extremity strength, motion, balance, and overall mechanics. Athletes should use this rehab time to be making gains in these areas as well, which will enhance their arm recovery."
Cut this out and give a copy to your kid’s or Grand kid’s coach. You might teach him something.
I really respect Jonathan Mayo. He actually was the the first person ever to follow me on Twitter.
Jonathan wrote an article this week for MLB.com about top prospects could be the next call-ups.
Two were Mets, including the top name in the article:
Brett Baty, 3B/OF, Mets: Yes, he missed a few days with a thumb issue, but he was back in the lineup on Sunday. He’s gone 6-for-18 (.333/.455/.722) with a pair of homers, while Eduardo Escobar is off to a 4-for-32 (.125/.152/.250) start in New York. He’d also be a better option in the outfield than Mark Canha.
Ronny Mauricio, SS, Mets: He has been more productive so far this year (.353/.405/.735) than Francisco Lindor ... I kid. But you could slide him to third (and see the above argument for Baty in left field).
I know everyone is getting impatient, especially after watching guys like Eduardo Escobar hack it up every night, but change takes time and shouldn’t be rushed. Case in point: Francisco Alvarez.
It will happen before the all-star break.
15 comments:
Baty and Mauricio held hitless by a hurler named Inclement Weathers…only guy that can rain on their parade these days.
JD Davis hitting .341, 4, 13, but we have the mighty Escobar, who needed a double off of a catcher Friday night to climb over .100.
If the Mets release Escobar and he signs with the Giants, will he hit .300?
Hartwig has been something, the Curtiss deal was shrewd.
I’ve been resting my pitching arm for 50 years, my UCL feels great.
Both Baty and Mauricio will soon be exceptional major leaguers.
Your insights are gold mack
Eddie
Thank you Eddie.
And thanks for IDing yourself.
I don't know when we will see these guys if the team continues to be 3rd in the NL in wins and still hit this bad.
Wonder if Rays fans are all in a tizzy after two straight losses.
Break em up
Mack as always great stuff. I just wonder how many starts Max, JV and Quintana will have this year and who's gonna pitch the rest of those inning's? I guess $330 million doesn't go as far as it used to.
Mack the big "get" for us is Ohtani of course but what are odds on us getting him?
Calculated risk of signing old arms.
I am writing about this next Friday.
Good
Really down to Mets or Dodgers with LAD getting home coast advantage.
Mack,
As always I appreciate your insight. I sincerely hope the GM sees the problem of signing older players as opposed to getting younger with players who will be productive and with you for several years.
Someone wrote a comment yesterday that the Mets need to trade for younger established stars.
Right. Teams are dying to trade their young talent to Uncle Steve.
Nothing is going to change until the Mets develop young starters.
Good point Mack, about trading for other team's young stars. Whatever happened to drafting your own young studs and developing them first. I guess money cannot buy you love.
Jose Butto (has ramped his fastball up to 94 mph) and Denyi Reyes (just has that look about him) had a nice weekend pitching for these Mets. Maybe the guy here who was suggesting just that awhile back knows something. Yes, I do and thank you.
My next "good chance prediction" is for both lefty starter Joey Lucchesi and later inning reliever Josh Walker to be up here by the end of the first week in May. They are two more pitchers I was predicting could be major players here soon in 2023, back in the 2023 preseason. Just like Denyi Reyes and Jose Butto are here now.
Pitching is not a problem here. It's just getting everyone enough innings to become their best. Instead, it's consistent hitting game to game. But even that is starting to come around.
Remember going forward in 2023, it isn't the start but the finish to a season that si the most importante. In other words, it is the momentum factor towards the season end. Which ties into this team going to a "six-man rotation" soon, in order to preserve Max and Justin without embalming fluid. The Mets have to keep these two outstanding veteran starters healthy all season long, and not overuse them during the season so that they can be optimal for the Playoff Run.
So the Mets now have new arms up here in Denyi Reyes, Jose Butto, Stephen Nogosek, with maybe Joey Lucchesi (L), Josh Walker (L), Jeff Yacabonis to also work into their pitching plans going forward. And maybe others more down on the FARM.
Alternatives. Nice to have.
May Want to Listen. You Decide...
I don't even want SP/OF Shohie Ohtani on the NY Mets!
Just rethink this idea out for a moment, will ya' please.
Shohie Ohtani has how many years of pitching on his arm and how many 100+ mph fastballs has he thrown too? Include here his innings in Japan with the innings here in U.S. Over ten years consecutively. He has had seven fairly serious injuries just here in the U.S. alone the past seven years. He will be 29 years old by the end of the season. His agent will want at least a five year contract, making him 34.
So maybe this instead:
Scout it out and then try to get Roki Sasaki here instead. Age 21, throws 102.5 mph. This means after Verlander and Scherzer have retired, the top two Mets starters could easily be Senga and Sasaki, with Butto in the three slot, with Lucchesi in the four quite possibly as well. Not bad.
Money cannot buy you love.
Butto? Luchessi? Why sign anybody if 4A guys are good enough?
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