Noah Syndergaard had another dominating start at Double-A Binghamton Friday night. In related news, the sun rises in the east. It’s hard to come up with new words to show how overpowering he’s been. Remember this is a kid who pitched in Lo-A last year and who began 2013 in the Florida State League. His rise has been meteoritic and no doubt the Blue Jays are kicking themselves for giving up a player who has become one of the best pitching prospects in baseball.
The Mets have decided to cut his pitch/innings total. In his last four starts, Syndergaard has not gone past either six innings or 71 pitches. Last night he had this line: 5 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB and 10 Ks. Under this workload restriction, Syndergaard has produced the following numbers:
3-0, 0.43 ERA, 21 IP, 8 H, 2 BB, 26 Ks and a .329 opponents OPS
For the year, Syndergaard is 9-3 with a 2.43 ERA and he’s pitched better in Double-A than at Single-A. At the advanced level, he’s 6-0 with a 1.59 ERA with 64 Ks in 51 IP.
Syndergaard joined Binghamton on June 23rd, which is 11 days after teammate Darin Gorski was activated from the disabled list and sent to Double-A. It’s hard to imagine two guys with more different profiles.
The righty Syndergaard was a supplemental first-round pick out of high school while the lefty Gorski was a seventh-round pick out of Kutztown University. Syndergaard has mid-90s heat and is stingy with the HR ball while Gorski relies on a more balanced pitch repertoire and generally succeeds when he limits the gopher balls. Finally, Syndergaard was promoted mid-season to Binghamton while Gorski landed there more as a “demotion,” as he started the year in Triple-A before hitting the DL with a shoulder injury.
While everyone raves – justly so – about Syndergaard’s numbers, few mention how dominating Gorski has been at the same time. Here are his numbers in Binghamton:
4-1 with a 2.05 ERA, a 0.930 WHIP and with 52 Ks in 57 IP.
If offered the above line for Syndergaard on the day of his promotion to Double-A, most people would have signed on the dotted line with no questions asked and have been really, really happy. So, if this would have been outstanding production for one of the game’s top prospects at Double-A, why does it not elicit more joy, more excitement and more buzz for Gorski?
Just to make it crystal clear – Syndergaard has been better at Double-A and is clearly the superior prospect in every way imaginable, especially given the age difference between the two. But the fact we can put Gorski’s numbers against Syndergaard’s – at the same level and close to the same number of IP – and not be embarrassed has to mean something.
At age 25, time is working against Gorski. Also the glut of pitching ahead of him in New York makes it unlikely that he’ll get 30 starts in a season for the Mets. But maybe the club deals two starting pitchers to bring in a big bat and Gorski goes to Spring Training with a chance to win the fifth starter’s job. Or maybe Gorski himself is part of a package to land a coveted outfielder or shortstop.
Either way, when rattling off the list of pitching prospects in the Mets’ system, be sure to include the guy with a 2.05 ERA and a 0.930 WHIP at Double-A. Because Gorski’s earned the right to be included with Syndergaard and Rafael Montero this season.
I really hope the Mets give Noah a shot in Spring Training. It sure looks like he is ready.
Something has to give this winter with all this pitching in the system, and that includes Gorski.
There are also young relief arms that will slot in during 2014.(Familia, Leathersich, Walters, Edgin, etc)
Sandy should finally be able to do something with the money coming off the books and value to trade.
Playing over .500 ball over the last 2 months is also very encouraging and a nice foundation to build upon. LGM
I agree with Metsense and Brian that Sandy does have some chips to trade. My question is with “money coming off the books” as Metsense points out, will the Wilpons give Sandy the go ahead to spend on free agent? Also, will be Sandy be allowed to trade for a SS or outfielder with a hefty contract?
I know that Sandy is very cautious about spending, but I do believe he would spend judiciously if the Wilpons let him. It should be obvious that I have greater faith in Sandy than in ownership.
I wouldn’t want to see Syndergaard start the year with the team. We could wait until the end of April to get an additional year of control. For a guy like that, it only makes sense to trade 5 rookie starts for 33 starts in his prime.
Interesting take on this. If that is the rule, which I believe it is, then Montero d’arnaud and any other top 100 prospect should always be held back. If that is the case, then the Union could file a grievance and show a collusion in holding down salaries of members and I believe a arbitrator would rule in favor of the union. Quite frankly, I can’t believe the union hasn’t grieved the shenanigans of the Super 2 promotions.
I realize that you have to give to get…BUT…a rotation of Harvey, Wheeler, Syndegard, Niece, Mejia makes me salivate.
then throw in Gee Montero Hefner Gorkie in the mix….wow….!
I’m really excited for Syndagaard..The rotation could be the best in the league, if he continues this dominance into majors the same way Harvey and Wheeler have
The truly hope-inspiring thing is that Harvey and Wheeler didn’t come CLOSE to dominating the minors like Noah has so far.
Darin Gorski is basically Pat Misch. His fastball is in the high 80s. If he could get another 2 mph on his FB, he would get a lot more love.
A lefty who throws 90 is nothing to sneeze at. Niese’s average fastball velocity is 89.9. When I saw Gorski in a Spring Training game this year, he was at 92.
Pat Misch was already being groomed as a reliever in the minors. In 2007, he appeared in 34 games and made just three starts. Gorski has been viewed and used as a starter throughout the vast majority of his career.
I don’t think this is a good comparison.
But even if it was, Misch has logged time in the majors in six seasons and may add a seventh this year if he gets a late call from the Tigers. That’s not too shabby from a 7th-round pick.
I agree with Brian,for a lefty his velocity is adequate.