If you ask me, the worst thing the Mets could have done this year… would have been to thrust Matt Harvey into the big-league team from the start of the season.  They didn’t, but could you imagine what that might have done to Matt Harvey’s career prospects?  Actually, we all can.  Because the Mets were good enough to give us an example… his name is Jenrry Mejia.

The Mets, Omar Minaya and Jerry Manuel were all so desperate to win that they threw Mejia into the bullpen before he was ready.  They kept him in the majors in a strange, low pressure, mop-up role and stunted his development by more than one full year.  Then… a new regime comes in… and they do it again!  Switching Mejia to the bullpen a second time and slowing his development once more.

At least Harvey was spared this treatment and HOPEFULLY, the Mets have learned their lesson about Mejia and moving him to relief.  Still… who in the minors is bound for a relief role?

Jeurys Familia Call me a hypocrite but I think 100% Mejia is a starter… and 100% that Familia is a reliever.  I know that Familia has a large frame and that his control issues aren’t going to be aided by shorter outings, but Familia strikes me as a guy who could become an elite closer… or a solid #4 pitcher.  Given those options, I’m taking the closer.

Robert Carson I think this is the final year for the Mets, Hulkamania and Tim Byrdak.  So the lefties of the future are coming into view.  Most fans will rightly look at Josh Edgin, but I’ll point back to Carson.  WHY?  Well… Edgin is good, really good.  So good that I think he will compete for the closer role and wind up as a setup man.  This leaves the Mets with Carson as the LOOGY closest to the majors.

Elvin Ramirez The guy has a live arm but I think he is not yet a major-league pitcher.  He needs more movement and more control before he becomes anything useful for the long-haul.  His extremely powerful arm will make him attractive but I question if the Mets will hold the roster space.

Pedro Beato If things had worked out and Beato had not gotten hurt he might be starting for the Mets right now instead of Jeremy Hefner.  As it stands, Met fans are annoyed with his production in the majors this year.  I’m not sure anymore what future Beato has with the team but I’m betting that Alderson still likes him.

Armando Rodriguez He’s on the 40-Man roster… He’s BEEN on the 40-Man roster… it’s time that he started doing something for the MLB club.  He’s a solid all-around pitcher and could be a steady long-man but he needs to audition against MLB bats.

Adrian Rosario Rosario was a buzzy name from earlier in the season where he blew away the hitters in Port St. Lucie.  He has fared less well once he got promoted to AA things went less well.  Rosario is really not on my radar for 2013.

Adam Kolarek Kolarek replaced Rosario as the closer in Port St. Lucie and picked up his torch of domination.  The lefty has recently been promoted and he’s still pitching pretty well.  He profiles as a LOOGY and might be ready at some point next season.

Jack Leathersich He officially makes no sense.  He’s not big, he doesn’t have a lot of “giddy-up” on his pitches but he strikes tons of hitters out.  Leathesich is not ready so don’t expect him to start anywhere higher than Port St. Lucie and don’t look for him in Queens before 2014.

11 comments on “People not named Jenrry Mejia: The future of the Mets’ pen

  • Brian Joura

    I was excited last year when the Mets got Beato. I loved the storyline about the local kid who got away coming back home and succeeding. Unfortunately, reality does not fit the storyline.

    At best he’s a 7th-inning guy and there’s no way his stuff will play as a SP. I’m not sure how big of a 40-man roster crunch the Mets will have this year, but I will not lose any sleep if the Mets lose him in the offseason.

    • Name

      Rauch,Ramon,Byrdak most likely won’t be back. Acosta is headed to arbitration so he might not be tendered a contract. Beato isn’t eligible for arbitration until 14. I think he’ll be back.

      • David Groveman

        I would like to have Acosta come back but I think the Mets will have some crunching to do with the Met minor-leagues becoming eligible for Rule V.

  • Chris F

    and news about Frank Frank’s return clearly have Sandy chapped:
    Asked if Francisco’s health remained a concern, Sandy Alderson quipped: “Who knows? It’s been an ongoing saga — ‘I’m OK to pitch, but … fill in the blank.’ I think you’ve got to make the [DL activation] decision based on how the player is feeling, and whether he feels he’s ready to pitch. In this case, he thinks he’s ready. So we’re ready to roll him out.”
    courtesy, Adam Rubin Mets Blog

  • jerseymet

    Not even a mention for Egbert, Hampson or Herrera?

    • Name

      They’re probably too old/fringe players. Not really part of the future.

      • David Groveman

        Of them I see Egbert as the only real possibility but he’s not likely to be an impact reliever.

  • Metsense

    Hopefully the future of the Mets middle relief bullpen will be the plethora of minor league starters that can’t crack the ML rotation. The ability to go 2-3 innings, young and inexpensive, and so many that if one struggles there is another to take the place and succeed. This group should produce a back end reliever or two also. This is the minor league system that the Mets seem to have.
    David, I would always prefer a young pitcher to be a starter over reliever (Familia & Mejia) because of the increased value of the player. I also prefer a complete pitcher over a LOOGY. LOOGY’s just add workload to the bullpen. If Edgin came on fast, I wouldn’t be surprised if Leathersich, a strike out machine, could duplicate him if he can correct his high St Lucie walk rate.

    • David Groveman

      SP > RP > LOOGY = True

      Let us look at the crowded prospects of 2013.

      Rotation: MLB
      1. Johan Santana
      2. R.A. Dickey
      3. Jon Niese
      4. Matt Harvey
      5. Dillon Gee

      Rotation: AAA
      1. Zack Wheeler
      2. Jeurys Familia
      3. Jenrry Mejia
      4. Collin McHugh
      5. Chris Schwinden (Or low-end FA safety pitcher)

      Rotation: AA
      1. Cory Mazzoni
      2. Greg Peavey
      3. Darin Gorski
      4. Tyler Pill
      5. Chase Huchingson/Eric Goeddel

      Rotation: A+
      1. Rafael Montero
      2. Michael Fulmer
      3. Domingo Tapia
      4. Logan Verrett
      5. Luis Mateo
      6. Jacob DeGrom

      Rotation: A
      1. Rainy Lara
      2. Alex Panteliodis
      3. Steven Matz
      4. Hansel Robles
      5. Luis Cessa
      6. Akeel Morris

      The ranks of pitchers is pretty stocked and a number of guys who COULD start… will end up shifting to relief.

  • Chris F

    Well Byrdak has a torn anterior capsule, so he’s out now. Good thing Edgin came MLB ready.

    • Name

      Well, my wish of Byrdak being gone has come true, although not in the way I wanted. I’m sure sure why they are bringing Olsen up. I doubt Collins will use him once a week (see Hampson and Egbert) because he has no trust in those kind of guys (even though he “claims” he wants them for LH matchups), and probably will be sent down soon when Johan comes off the DL… why not just bring Beato back up? I don’t get Terry Collins right now. He’s terrible at managing the bullpen.

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