Category: Pitching

Mike Pelfrey’s Mets Career Ends with Surgery

PORT ST. LUCIE, FL - FEBRUARY 24: RY 24: Mik...

Mets starting pitcher Mike Pelfrey underwent Tommy John surgery today in Alabama by Dr. James Andrews. The surgery will force Pelfrey to miss the rest of the 2012 season and, in all likelihood, end his disappointing Mets career.

Pelfrey was a non-tender candidate coming into 2012. So it’s impossible to imagine him coming back to the team following a major injury. If he doesn’t come back, he’ll be remembered by Mets fans as a big disappointment after being the 9th overall draft pick in 2005. Hopes were high for Pelfrey to continue the Mets tradition of drafting and developing great starting pitchers that goes back to the 1960’s. Continue reading “Mike Pelfrey’s Mets Career Ends with Surgery”

Mets Sign Contract Extension with Jon Niese

PORT ST. LUCIE, FL - FEBRUARY 24: Jon Niese #...

The Mets finally locked in Jon Niese to a contract extension after days of speculation that this was coming. The contract is similarly structured to the deal that Derek Holland recently signed with the Rangers. The deal is 5-years/$25 million plus two option years that could max out the contract at $52 million.

It’s a good deal for Niese. He lost four arbitration years and gave up only one free agent year if the options aren’t exercised. Niese in 22-23 with a 4.39 ERA for his career but he is left handed. I’ve always like Niese but never thought he was worthy of a significant contract extension.

Sadly, this is the biggest contract Sandy Alderson has signed since becoming GM of the Mets more than two seasons ago. That goes to show you the sad state of financial affairs of the Mets.

Mets Johan Santana to Start Opening Day 2012

Johan Santana
Johan Santana (Photo credit: Keith Allison)

Mets manager Terry Collins announced the 2012 rotation this morning. I have to say that I’m happily surprised that Johan Santana will start opening day on Thursday at Citi Field. I know there are no expectations for this team. But having Santana out there on opening day is huge.

Santana will be followed in the rotation by R.A. Dickey, Jon Niese, Mike Pelfrey, and Dillon Gee.

I’m still not expecting much this season but Santana pitching every five days makes this team much more interesting to me. Does this news give you any hope for the 2012 season?

Video: Mets Johan Santana on Fifth 2012 Spring Start

Johan Santana
Johan Santana (Photo credit: Keith Allison)

Johan Santana didn’t start well for the Mets yesterday but his line didn’t end up looking too bad. He started the game by walking three of the first four batters he faced and giving up a hit. But he regained control and ended up pitching 5 complete innings and giving up 2 runs. More importantly, he threw 88 pitches.

Yesterday was Santana’s fifth start of the spring and he’s been throwing regular bullpen sessions in between. And there haven’t been any reports of pain or stiffness in his surgically repaired left shoulder.

Barring a setback, I would think that Santana will on the Mets opening day roster next week. He certainly appears ready for game action if he’s been stretched out to 88 pitches. Maybe the Mets will want to be extra careful and have him make a start or two at Buffalo. But the cold weather in April in Buffalo might not be the best place for him to be.

Video: Johan Santana On Facing Live Hitters

Johan Santana
Johan Santana (Photo credit: Keith Allison)

Yesterday Mets ace Johan Santana faced live hitters in batting practice for the first time this spring. He pitched two simulated innings and looked pretty good. Several of the hitters remarked that his stuff looked excellent. The plan from here is for Santana to start on Tuesday against Carlos Beltran’s Cardinals and continue to monitor how he’s doing to see how he feels.

If he continues to progress and feel good on the day after he pitches, it would be great to see him start building strength and stamina in his arm with an eye towards pitching early in the regular season.

I continue to believe that the Mets season is highly dependent on how quickly Santana can return from shoulder surgery. I don’t think they’re a playoff team even with Santana. But the season could become a complete disaster without him including the possibility of 100 losses which we haven’t seen here since ’93.

2012 Mets Pitchers and Catchers Reporting Date

Johan Santana
Johan Santana (Photo credit: Keith Allison)

The Mets pitchers and catchers have to report to Port St. Lucie by tomorrow and have their physicals on Tuesday. There isn’t a lot of intrigue this year given the team’s dire financial situation. But the one pitcher that everyone will be keeping an eye on is Johan Santana. He missed all of last season recovering from surgery on his left shoulder and there are still major questions about when he can come back. And there are even bigger questions about how effective he’ll be when he does come back. The good news is that Santana only has two years left on his deal with the Mets plus a team option for 2014. I never thought that I’d be counting down the days until Santana’s contract ended.

There are some new faces in the bullpen this year. Jon Rauch, Ramon Ramirez, and Frank Francisco will be the newly acquired back of the bullpen. Tim Byrdak will be back as the lefty specialist. D.J. Carrasco might find himself back in the minors again if he can’t keep it together.  Carrasco might be pitching along side Pedro Beato at Buffalo this season. Beato started hot last season but ended dreadfully. He’s available to send back to the minors now that the Mets got past his Rule 5 season. Continue reading “2012 Mets Pitchers and Catchers Reporting Date”

Mets Johan Santana’s Shoulder Recovering in PSL

PORT ST. LUCIE, FL - FEBRUARY 24: Johan Santa...
Image by Getty Images via @daylife

There have been quite a few reports about Johan Santana recovering in Port St. Lucie this month. The Mets are hoping to get 25 starts out of him this season while he’s recovering from surgery on his left shoulder capsule. It’s the same surgery that Mark Prior and Chien-Ming Wang had that kept them out for years and were never the same when they came back.

Dan Warthen has been in PSL and talked to Dan Martin of the Post about it:

I’ve been looking at video from when he’s been down here recently and comparing it to video from 2008, before he got hurt. It’s no different. Not even one percent. That’s extremely important.

Personally, I don’t think Santana is going to be able to make a significant impact on the 2012 Mets. He may be able to come back in June and work toward pitching every five days. But I’m concerned that he’ll never be the pitcher that the Mets expected to live up to his $25 million salary this season.

The rest of the team isn’t even close to strong enough to support the team without Santana running at full strength.