Dillon Gee went on the DL yesterday with a blood clot in his right shoulder. Depending on the severity, he could be out anywhere from two weeks to over a month. So today, Terry Collins had to make an adjustment to the rotation. He had two choices: Miguel Batista or Matt Harvey.
He made the decision to plug in Miguel Batista into the rotation as opposed to Harvey, saying that he didn’t want to rush the young pitching prospect (according to MLB.com):
“I don’t want to put him in a situation where he can fail.”
This decision may not be the best one for the team in the short-term, but it is a real reminder of what this year is all about.
Matt Harvey is clearly the better pitcher. He has two killer breaking balls to go along with a plus fastball and a developing changeup. On top of that, he’s been stellar for Triple-A Buffalo, going 7-4 with a 3.39 ERA and 9.3 K/9, earning himself an All-Star selection. Meanwhile, while Miguel Batista has been a useful innings-eater in mop-up situations, he has been inconsistent and proven that he can’t be relied on in big spots.
However, this year is a development year for the New York Mets. It’s a transition year. They’ve got a very young nucleus and are waiting on a few prospects to be ready before they can make a run. Don’t you remember?
We’ve all been swept up by the excitement this season. The Mets are contending, but let’s not go crazy. You never know what could make or break a pitching prospect. I’m fine with calling up Matt Harvey in September once the Triple-A season is over for a few starts, but calling him up now would be jumping the gun, in my opinion.
It seems like Sandy Alderson has made the purpose of 2012 pretty clear. Just look at this headline from CBS Sports: “Mets officials believe they may owe it to overachieving team to bolster roster.“ I don’t know about you, but top me, that sounds like a “let’s thrown this team a bone” as opposed to “we’re for real, let’s go for it!” This move really didn’t surprise me when I thought about it. There are certain things a pitcher must master before he can be called up to the majors. If the Mets don’t think Matt Harvey has done that yet, then he should not be playing for the big league club. It’s as simple as that.
Of course playing well and winning games is a goal of every team. Even the Astros field a team each year hoping to catch lightning in a bottle and make a playoff run. However, you have to keep in mind your long-term track as a franchise before making any impulsive decisions, such as calling up your second best pitching prospect before you’re sure he’s ready. Just look at the 2011 Pirates. They could have gotten excited with their fast start last year, and traded away some of their best pitching prospects for a few veteran bats. However, the Pittsburgh brass knew that they were likely going to collapse and were a year or two away from a legitimate playoff run. It’s not quite the same situation, but the concept is the same: Don’t take unnecessary risks just because you’re excited about how the team is doing.
Hopefully, Gee won’t be out too long and Batista will only make three or four starts, but yesterday’s decision was a good indicator that the Mets brass has this season in perspective.
16 comments
NJstuckinTX
7/11/2012-9:47am at 9:47 am (UTC -4)
If it was more than a start or two, I’d certainly consider bringing Harvey up. But I am against bringing him up for 1-2 starts and then dropping him down. If Gee goes down for say a month to a month and a half, you either bring Harvey up or you need to acquire a 5th starter via trade. Heck, you can even acquire a Bartolo Colon or that type for some 40 Man Glut and stay the course with Harvey in the minors until September.
And no, I don’t think it would be wrong to bring up Harvey. I think it would be wrong to bounce him up and down. I also think it would be wrong to assume this is going to be Straussbergenstein’s Monster and he’ll come up and dominate.
Now, if people were calling for Wheeler to come up, I’d cry out “FOUL!”, because that would be jumping the gun way early. Bringing Harvey up, however, is not going crazy. Actually, it may be about the most fiscally responsible thing this team could do.
SaltyGary
7/11/2012-9:59am at 9:59 am (UTC -4)
Yea I imagine Harvey is probably pretty damn close. If they are not bringing him up I imagine they think it’s better to get some more starts. There is still half a season and plenty of time for him.
Is putting him in a spot start situation bad? Giving him a taste of what he will see and then going back down to work on things might not be bad. Both his AA and AAA transitions had a Rockey start to them, so maybe giving him that taste will help.
NJstuckinTX
7/11/2012-10:08am at 10:08 am (UTC -4)
Well, it’s not as bad as say, giving him the Mejia Treatment and bouncing him between the BP and the SP. Really, I’m not one to say that the first start should be at home against a team like SD or Houston or something, but it is rough to drop him into a spot start on the Road in DC. Granted he’d probably pitch better than Bautista. Then again, if he doesn’t have the intestinal fortitude, then wait until he has a couple of good games in the minors and package him away for Upton…
Either way, bringing Harvey up or trading for a Colon or a proven 5th starter needs to happen if Gee is down for an extended period of time. Doing either of those is not jumping the gun, nor mortgaging the future. Now, trading Harvey away for Victor Zambrano’s Ghost…. That would be mortgaging the future and then some.
SaltyGary
7/11/2012-10:28am at 10:28 am (UTC -4)
Everything that I hear is this guy has all of the testicular fortitude that he needs and it never wanes, the issue is just being ready.
NJstuckinTX
7/11/2012-10:32am at 10:32 am (UTC -4)
Is anyone really ever truly ready? My guess is that they would bring him up to stay if there was a spot for him. Until they get a better idea on Gee, no sense bouncing him around and starting that clock if you are only getting a couple starts.
Never waning testicular fortitude. Now that is a nickname!
SaltyGary
7/11/2012-9:55am at 9:55 am (UTC -4)
The voice of reason in a market of rabid wolves. I think you are spot on Connor with your assessment of the team and the approach that needs to be made.
For Harvey, everything that I read is he is where they need him to be and has developed the off-speed pitches, but this seems to be a recent revelation. So maybe they still want to get some more complete starts under his belt since I imagine some starts had a specific game-plan that focused on development rather than winning. IDK, I would love to get the minor league authors take on that assumption. TC’s comment of “I don’t want to put him in a situation where he can fail.” was poor. He should never talk about the possibility of a player failing, just say it’s not time yet.
As for trades I think there is a lot that can be done to improve the team without sacrificing the future. Getting some middle relief and a catcher shouldnt cost top tier prospects. Under no circumstance do you trade a Wheeler or Harvey unless it’s for very young major league proven talent that is locked up like CarGon or Upton, but those trades generally don’t happen so I wouldn’t hold your breath.
srt
7/11/2012-10:01am at 10:01 am (UTC -4)
Excellent perspective, Connor.
I’m fine with the scrubs for a spot start or two. But if, going into August, we’re still in this, even closer than we are now – and Gee is still out and doesn’t look likely to return anytime soon – I think they have to consider Harvey. From what I’m reading, he’s ‘almost’ ready. If he comes up and falters, no reason they can’t send him back down for some more work.
This may very well not be our year, might be a little of overachieving going on – although I hate to put it that way. But we’re looking better than we did at this time last season. And I’m not talking about W/L either. Last year this FO made the right call to be sellers. This year, I don’t want to see them pull the rug out under this team unless the next 2 weeks we go into an awful slide and/or an opportunity comes up to make a deal that will help this team considerably in the future.
Which ever way this winds up, I think the second half will be just as exciting as the first half. We might fall short but I believe we’ll contend deeper into the season.
Stickguy
7/11/2012-10:26am at 10:26 am (UTC -4)
I hated that quote from Terry. Loser mentality. And like Tex said, if he is too fragile to be able to handle his first start on the road, or survive a rough outing, trade him now.
It really sounds like he is just about ready. So, only question is, is he close enough for the last few polishing touches to be done in the majors? Sure, a few more starts might help, but by that logic, no player would ever get promoted!
IMO, right now it should be about what they need. I think the team wants him to come up to stay when he does. Not for a spot start, then back down.
plus of course, to bring him up for that spot start, he has to go on the 40 man (tick tick tick)
I also cold not understand putting batista in to start next week, pushing the real SPs back a day again. So, I would skip him next week, and plan around the 7/21 start where it becomes an issue.
By then they should have a pretty clear idea how long Gee should be out, and harvey should have 1-2 more AAA starts under his belt (depending on when he last pitched).
gategem
7/11/2012-11:17am at 11:17 am (UTC -4)
If you look at Doc Gooden’s minor league stats you will see that in 1983 he pitched at class A Lynchburg. He also pitched a game or two in the International League playoffs and the next year he pitched for the Mets at the ripe old age of 19.
If Harvey has “two killer breaking balls to go along with a plus fastball and a developing changeup” and can locate those pitches he’s ready. I haven’t seen him pitch since ST and he wasn’t particularly impressive but if he has the talent you say then I think they just don’t want the clock to start ticking on the young man.
Stickguy
7/11/2012-11:51am at 11:51 am (UTC -4)
different times.
in 1983, he also threw 191 IP, as an 18 YO in A ball. would never happen today.
and maybe those 300Ks (14.1/9!) had something to do with it. Though he did walk the world 100 (112 BBs)
man, he must have thrown a huge # of pitches.
Hazmet
7/11/2012-11:42am at 11:42 am (UTC -4)
A side factor: MILB AAA All Star Game tonight at Buffalo. Everything the Mets have done with Harvey has been to groom him for success. They are going to let him gett his final AAA spotlight moment tonight as a curtain call before he is ready to be called up. No reason to distract him thinking he’s about to be carted off to Atlanta for a spot start when they are still trying to figure out if Gee’s out for a start or two or longer. They want the kid to have his moment. After that, if they need a long term plug in it’ll be welcome to the bigs kid.
Hazmet
7/11/2012-11:53am at 11:53 am (UTC -4)
Epilogue:
http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/other/buffalo-bisons/article943140.ece
And, Val won the MILB HR Contents. woot.
Hazmet
7/11/2012-11:54am at 11:54 am (UTC -4)
*Contest
I really need to start wearing my glasses while blogging.
srt
7/11/2012-12:07pm at 12:07 pm (UTC -4)
Is this ASG on SNY tonight?
Mr North Jersey
7/11/2012-12:11pm at 12:11 pm (UTC -4)
One thing though the “Mets officials believe they may owe it to overachieving team to bolster roster.“ quote is not a quote but just the title to the article.
Right now there is too much uncertainty still. There still is no updates as to how long Gee will be out or how serious Santana’s ankle is.
We know that Backman has been quoted to say he feels Harvey can help the Mets and that time may soon be coming but before we get there we 1st need to know what can be expected from Santana and Gee.
SpencerRealDirtyMets
7/11/2012-4:12pm at 4:12 pm (UTC -4)
If Gee gets surgery then Harvey has to be the call-up, there isn’t much more for him to prove in Triple-A.
The core of this team is anything but young, Wright is 29, Johan is 33, and Dickey is 37. Of the key offensive contributors, only Tejada and Ike aren’t already at their peaks.