N.Y. Mets: Spring Training Previews and Another METSian Podcast #6

From the desk of:  HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

Spring Training 2018

I - First Word: Year Sixteen After Doubleday 

"Run for the hills, boys!" This is a frank, brutal, not-safe-for-shills-eyes look at the #Wilpons' @Mets regime of terrible baseball. Must- read, Jeff (Fredo, @greenwichmets) Wilpon.

— Young Ideas (@DickYoungsGhost) February 14, 2018

II - PITCHERS and CATCHERS

• Five Hurlers of the Metropolis 
• On the Jason Vargas Acquisition 
• Ninth Inning Closer Need Not Apply 
• Catching Hell

III - AROUND THE HORN

• Who's On First?
• Whole Lotta Second Guessing Going On 
• Todd Frazier Restores Order At Third
• Amed Rosario Has Stage All To Himself

IV - A METSIAN PODCAST with Sam, Rich, and Mike #6

• Topics of Discussion: Our brand new podcast jingle..!  The business of Spring Training; Michael Conforto; Brandon Nimmo; Rocky Mountain high; dysfunction; Juan Lagares; another potential trade/CF; Sandy Alderson; land of confusion; ownership; Rafael Montero; Pedro Martinez; injuries; Ed Randall said; one hit wonders; Negative L.I. Mike calls in; and the passing away of Ed Charles.  (Fifty-five minutes).

N.Y. Mets: Wally still trying to hit jackpot in Las Vegas

From the desk of HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET MEETS THE GREAT GAZOO

CASHMAN FIELD

LAS VEGAS

NEW YORK METS: Fans still hoping Wally Backman will one day manage in Flushing.

Long suspected by fans, and reinforced by Darryl Stawberry's recent appearances on SNY-TV, and most notably on ESPN's Doc and Darryl 30 for 30 episode, Fred Wilpon isn't necessarily the problem in so far as the organization's relationship with many former members of the 1986 Mets.

Fred Wilpon certainly pissed off Tom Seaver over the years, but his fondness for the '86 Mets is actually well known.  Instead, Mets' COO Jeff Wilpon is widely assumed to be the root cause for most strained relationships with their former players, particularly members of the 1986 era Mets, and all else for that matter.

That's why during Saturday night's game between the visiting Las Vegas 51s and host Iowa Cubs, Wally Backman perhaps reinforced why he'll likely never become manager of the New York Mets.

In the bottom of the 6th inning with the 51s leading 7-5, Las Vegas reliever Jeff Walters was called for a balk.  When Walters protested Wally Backman naturally raced out of the dugout to protect his pitcher (as well he should), but escalated matters by tapping back into his inner Peanuts days (not rated PG!) - directing some good old school vitriol at home plate ump Blade Felix and first base ump Thomas Newsome.

Of course, Wally Backman earned his 6th ejection of the season the old fashioned way - making sure to cover up home plate with dirt prior to exiting the field.

Despite the masses of Mets fans in Wally Backman's corner yearning for him to be named Mets manager, Jeff Wilpon will likely never allow that to happen.

What a shame too.  The man battles demons, but possesses a brilliant baseball mind, and whose desire to win is relentless ... like Pete Rose and Billy Martin once were.  As players, then as managers, all they (Rose, Martin, Backman) ever wanted to do was beat you - every inning, every game, every day, until the schedule tapped out.

That's a unique personality at work, a baseball lifer, a die hard, but quite often not so soft and cuddly, much less agreeable with anyone outside his locker room.

Sadly, in the age of replay challenges, diva umpiring, Joe Torre's medieval baseball council, runaway media sensationalism, social media contrarians, and the PC plague, I sense hiring Wally Backman to manage the Mets would go over like a fart in a spacesuit ... or not.

My passion for baseball was born in the 70s ... clearly a different era.


Travis Taijeron has left the building..

Fresh off homering in the AAA All-Star game, Las Vegas 51s outfielder/DH Travis Taijeron connected again Saturday against the Iowa Cubs, this time leaving the ball park.  That's right - Travis Taijeron's home run left Principal Park (home of the Iowa Cubs).

Travis, 27, is now slashing .305/.388/.566 through 86 games and 318 at-bats this season.  Here's how he ranks against the Pacific Coast League's offensive leaders:

• Doubles - #1
• Total Bases - #2
• RBI - #3
• OPS - #4
• Runs Scored - #5
• Home Runs - tied #6

Shooting Craps...

The devolving Rafael Montero was demoted to Binghamton last week.

After pitching in all of seven games in 2015 due to arm soreness, this season was supposed to be his big comeback - bigger, better, and stronger than ever.

That hasn't happened...

Instead, Montero, posted a 4-6 record, with an alarming 7.20 ERA and 1.888 WHiP over 16 starts for the Las Vegas 51s.  He allowed 111 hits and 40 walks in 80 innings pitched, with 68 strikeouts.

He has now made 50 starts over parts of four seasons with Las Vegas, in which he owns a 16-14 record with a 4.60 ERA and 1.4555 WHiP, with 233 strikeouts over 256.1 innings pitched.

Montero, 25, earned a no-decision in his first start with the BMets.  He allowed one earned run on four hits and two walks through six innings pitched, with five strikeouts.

N.Y. Mets: On pitcher Rafael Montero

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Mets Need the Real Rafael Montero to Please Stand Up

Mike

senior staff writer/Rising Apple

N.Y. Mets: Las Vegas 51s 2016 Preview

From the desk of:  HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

CASHMAN FIELD

Home of the Las Vegas 51s

LAS VEGAS 51's: Should the Mets continue rolling the dice in Sin City? They've been lucky so far...

The New York Mets' player development agreement with the Las Vegas 51s expires this season.  Options for both teams are clear - come Autumn they must mutually renew for two, or four years, or part ways.

How did the Mets end up in the Nevada desert in the first place?

Many fingers point directly at Omar Minaya's regime.  After the 2006 season, Norfolk served the Mets with divorce papers, thus ending a 38 year relationship.  The displaced Mets wound up in New Orleans for a brief two year fling with the Zephyrs (whom won a division title in 2007, which incidentally remains their last).  But, that felt like exile more than anything.

Omar Minaya then seemingly found the Empire State promised land when he and the Buffalo Bisons entered into a PDA in September 2009.  But within short two years, Buffalo grew displeased with Minaya, whom was dismissed as Mets general manager, and replaced by Sandy Alderson.  The new Mets general manager succeeded in extending their strained agreement with the Bisons for another two seasons, but not a day longer.  Buffalo moved on from the Mets with haste after 2012 (citing a lack of talent among other their gripes).

In fact, a major PDA reshuffling took place between MLB clubs and respective AAA affiliated members during the 2012 Open Period.  When the musical chairs stopped, Las Vegas and the Mets were the proverbial last clubs standing, which effectively forced them into an agreement together.

The clubs even renewed their PDA in 2014.

For the Mets, affiliating with Las Vegas has helped removed some sense of being AAA nomads.  And in truth, the logistical effects Mets fans initially feared over having the team's affiliate so far away from New York City have proved negligible for three full seasons now.

From a Las Vegas fan's point of view, I suppose it's been both good and hot times in the city.  I don't think locals would disagree.  Once affiliated with the Mets, the 51s won back-to-back division titles in 2013 and 2014, and came just a game short of capturing a third straight PCL South Division flag last season.

Prior to their agreement with the Mets, Las Vegas last won a division title back in 2002 when still affiliated with the Los Angeles Dodgers.  A long playoff drought then ensued throughout the remainder of their affiliation with the Dodgers, then continued through their four years (2009-2012) with the Toronto Blue Jays.

Other factors Sandy Alderson and the front office should consider nevertheless remain.

The 51s have been under new ownership since 2013, whom thus far have failed to escape outdated Cashman Field for typical reasons - municipalities and politics, financing, and

business enterprise usually tend to stymie any given process.  Specific to this case, a new stadium on the western edge of the city remains questionable, if not doubtful.   Proposed solutions with the city itself have similarly failed to gain traction.

At the risk of insulting local fan's whom may find Cashman Field more near and dear to them (than perhaps yours truly from Brooklyn), the near 35-year old complex is notoriously substandard for AAA-level baseball.  That's a wide circulating Baseball industry opinion (not necessarily mine, although I have visited Cashman Field and was simply happy to be there).

Moreover, many Mets fans, and even local media to a certain extent, continue making arid conditions and varying elevation levels within Pacific Coast League member locations a point of contention when ever the subject of Mets prospects playing in Las Vegas is broached.

I perhaps do not feel as strongly as others.  I would offer Mets pitching prospects are better served passing through Vegas under pitching coach Frank Viola's influence, and facing the challenge pitching in the PCL poses head on.  I believe strongly in a pitcher's ability to adapt, overcome, and learning art of alternative strategies.

My opinion aside, as an organizational executive Sandy Alderson must nevertheless attempt to optimize his minor league structure and operation, and strongly consider getting back into the International League.  Of course, the 2016 Open Period will dictate much of that.   But should an opportunity present itself, perhaps Sandy Alderson should seize it.

Even then, one must be fair.  No one can argue the mutual relationship, in any way, has been counterproductive.

Team Preview/Potential Reinforcements

Las Vegas 51s 2016 Roster

On the mound, the 51s feature Rafael Montero, whom at the moment, might represent the lone starting reinforcement the Mets can reasonably call upon.  Although being utilized as a starter by Wally Backman in Vegas, Montero was primarily used in the bullpen during his brief stint with the Mets last year.  His season ponderously ended prematurely last year due to what initially began as shoulder stiffness.  In 2013, he made eight starts for the Mets.  He did himself no favors this season during Grapefruit League play.

Starters Seth Lugo and Gabriel Ynoa are making their first respective touches at the AAA level.

As far as bullpen reinforcements, the graduates of Binghamton are led by prospect Jeff Walters and Paul Sewald.  Reliever Josh Smoker is a well-traveled 27-year old.  As a seven year minor league veteran, he's perhaps a bit more seasoned and could conceivably see time in Queens this season.  Zack Thornton is likewise 27-years old and a seven year minor league veteran, however, his chances of pitching off the Citi Field mound grow more remote by the day.

More familiar relievers Mets fans may see from time to time are Erik Goeddel, Dario Alvarez, certainly Sean Gilmartin, and perhaps even Chase Huchingson.

Behind the dish, the Mets recently signed Rene Rivera, and still retain Johnny Monell, whom started Las Vegas' opening game on Thursday.

The Las Vegas infield is potentially their ultimate strength.  Shortstop has been a point a contention for the New York Mets in recent seasons, and although addressed during the off-season, Gavin Cecchini appears a year closer to the big leagues after enjoying a breakout season last year with Binghamton.

Of course, all eyes will remain on the highly touted second baseman Dilson Herrera.  The infield will also feature Matt Reynolds, and a token mention to Danny Muno.

In the outfield, Brandon Nimmo, now 23-years old, is the player who'll be most scrutinized this season.  Sandy Alderson's very first amateur draft pick back in 2011 (13th overall), is entering his second season with Las Vegas.  In 32 games last season, he batted .264 with 3 home runs and a .393 OBP in 91 at-bats.  Many fans are beginning to doubt his ability, noting his underwhelming rise through the minor league levels.

Today For Rising Apple: 5/30 Game Recap: Chris Young's 14th Inning Gaffe Ruins Brilliant Bullpen Performance

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5/30 Game Recap: Chris Young's 14th Inning Gaffe Ruins Brilliant Bullpen Performance;

Mets Lose 6-5 To Philadelphia

Join me every Friday for the Mets Game Recap.

Mike.BTB

Senior Staff Writer/Rising Apple

Today For Rising Apple: Break Up The Las Vegas 51's

Here's Today's Article For

RisingApple.com

Break Up The Las Vegas 51's

Mike.BTB

Senior Staff Writer/Rising Apple

Today For Rising Apple: Noah Syndergaard Taking His Lumps In The Pacific Coast League

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Noah Syndergaard Taking His Lumps In The Pacific Coast League

Mike.BTB
Senior Staff Writer/Rising Apple

N.Y. Mets: Suffering Rafael Montero Anxiety

From the desk of:  HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

NEW YORK METS: Damned If They Do, Damned If They Don't - Mets Fans Just Want To Give Rafael Montero The Damned Ball.

On Thursday evening, the Las Vegas 51's kicked off their regular season at Cashman Field against the Fresno Grizzlies.  As a returning member of the 51's, the popular Mets prospect Rafael Montero was given the privilege of starting Opening Night.

Rafael Montero, 23, wound up pitching 6 full innings, allowed just 4 hits, struck out 5, and walked none.  He induced another 3 ground ball outs, and 5 fly outs, of the 21 batters faced on the night, and threw 79 pitches with 55 (70%) going for strikes - an effective outing by any measure.

In light of the Mets immediate bullpen woes, METropolis has renewed their clamor for Montero's promotion in earnest.  There are several reasons why that should not happen.

First of which, Rafael Montero is being developed as a starting pitcher.  Once Jon Niese is activated, the Mets will have a full five working in the rotation.  Even then, Daisuke Matsuzaka was signed to be the first pitcher to fill in.  Therefore, there is no room for Montero in the rotation.

Secondly, it makes little sense to start altering his mindset, game preparation, and muscle memory in a feeble attempt at converting him into a reliever now.  St. Louis may employ this kind of strategy with their burgeoning arms, but that does not mean the Mets need to.  Instead, the Mets should have learned a lesson from the way they utilized Jenrry Mejia earlier in his career.

Would Montero be called up to serve some foolhardy 7th inning role?  Would Terry Collins give him an opportunity to close games?  The latter proposition frightens me.  That entails pitching at full boar, 3 or 4 times a week.  The changes in shoulder and elbow strain should not be understated.

Third, the Mets need left-handers in the bullpen, not another right-handed pitcher, which are plentiful throughout the Mets system.

Here are two other reasons why you WON'T see him in Flushing any time soon.  Due to service time rules, by keeping him in Las Vegas through April, the Mets ensure themselves of another season of control.  Similarly, by keeping him in Vegas through June, they will evade Super-2 issues. To me, that's somewhat of a miserly way of operating, especially for a New York City team, but that's ownership's condition at the moment.

Besides, why bring these kids into a negative situation?  Next season is clearly more suited for their arrivals in Queens.  Sticking with the plan is hard.  Giving in to knee jerk reactions, is easy.




Mike.BTB

N.Y. Mets: Climbing The Hill In 2014

From the desk of:   HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

NEW YORK METS - Call To Arms; The Mets Are Loading Up.

After three full years of reconstruction, Sandy Alderson's minor league pipeline seems ready to provide for the pitching needs of Flushing.  The arrivals of Matt Harvey and Zack Wheeler are what many fans hope is just the beginning.  In the near term at least, the Mets will be shuffling up quite a number of quality arms - more so than position players.

Noah Syndergaard and Rafael Montero are just two of several starting pitchers that should be sprouting up in Flushing soon.  The club will no doubt consider Super-2 status when deciding upon their call-up dates. Then behind them, perhaps starters such as Logan Verrett, Jacob deGrom and Steven Matz are not too far off.

For now, the Mets will return with Zack Wheeler, Jonathan Niese, and Dillon Gee in the starting rotation. Bartolo Colon is the fourth man in, while the club is holding a competition for the fifth spot, consisting of John Lannan, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Jenrry Mejia, and long shot Carlos Torres.

John Lannan is a 29-year old, left-handed pitcher.  That, in itself is worth its weight in gold, but some might argue he never delivered on the promise Washington held for him earlier in his career.  I'm not one of them.  I feel he can still be a fine pitcher if he can shake the injury bug.  Last season, he was shut down due to a knee injury.

It's been a long road back for Daisuke Matsuzaka, but last season in seven appearances for the Mets, he didn't look too shabby - did he?  In fact, he was a very worthwhile late season acquisition, who showed, at age 32, there was certainly something left in the tank.  He enters this season as a 33-year old, and is a good insurance policy to have around.

Of course, spring training will decide how Lannan and Dice-K ultimately fit into the Mets plans.

Bartolo Colon is the fourth man in.  What he still has in the tank remains to be seen.  If he continues to pitch with the effectiveness he displayed last season, he will be worth every penny Sandy Alderson committed to him.  However, the fact that he'll turn 41-years old in May, and isn't in prime shape has many fearing Colon will turn into, among other things, a National League bust.  With health, he will do what he does best, which is consistently pound the strike zone with fastballs.  It will be interesting to watch him, and his pitching style play out in the senior circuit.  If Sandy Alderson indeed thinks the Mets can win 90 games this season, then Bartolo Colon will need to play a huge role in that.

In the bullpen, all eyes are on Bobby Parnell.  Will he be healthy enough to resume his role as closer?  That still remains to be seen.  The next question that begs asking then, is who would potentially take his place? There is no clear choice.  According to Coach Terry, the rest of the bullpen could include Jeurys Familia, Vic Black, Josh Edgin, and Scott Rice.  Carlos Torres will most likely join them, while Lannan and Jenrry Mejia could both realistically wind up in the bullpen as well.

What comes next concerns me.  After failing to retain LaTroy Hawkins, and watching the free agent relief market pass them by, the Mets signed Kyle Farnsworth, and Jose Valverde to minor league contracts, and invited them to camp.  I guess there is no harm in that...., yet.

Sandy Alderson really dropped the ball on this one.  This is right in line with his overall inability to build a bullpen - ever since he first commissioned Frank Francisco, Ramon Ramirez and D.J. Carrasco to be his firemen.  That said, even with continuing uncertainty, this year's bullpen might very well turn into Sandy Alderson's best yet.

Reliever Vic Black will have a full season to show his worth, and the healthy return of Jeurys Familia, possibly teaming up with Jenrry Mejia, is being eagerly anticipated.

But the real key to the Mets bullpen might very well lay in who they decide to promote from within.  The Mets have a number of quality, and very interesting candidates with varying AA and AAA experience to chose from.

Relievers Jeff Walters and Jack Leathersich are just two of a crop of relievers who have all pitched at least one season with AA Binghamton.  Overall, the bullpen depth at Binghamton last season was particularly quite deep.  John Church, Chase Huchingson, and Adam Kolarek are a few others who potentially stand ready to reinforce the bullpen by late summer if needed.

Heading into the 2014 season, pitching will no doubt be the team's primary strength.  Even minus Matt Harvey, there is a lot to like, and feel good about with regards to the Mets pitching options, and increasing depth of quality.

From top to bottom, the Mets are still somewhat organizationally light in left-handed pitching though.  Sandy Alderson can fix that, but the greater decision he eventually will face is, which pitcher, if any, would he trade in order to secure a premium position player?

There is one school of thought that says you need to give in order to get.  However, there is a large pocket of Mets fans who will have none of that, and are fiercely resistant to trading any of them.  Me?  I prefer the Mets hoard their pitchers, and explore other strategies for securing more offense.



Mike.BTB

N.Y. Mets: Getting Swept By Fish Should Be A Wake-Up Call

From the desk of:   HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

 

NEW YORK METS - Someone Tell The GM To Stop Treating Citi Field Like It's Some Kind Of Reliquary, And Get Back To Rebuilding A Baseball Team.


With a third of the regular season complete, the Mets are ten games under .500, with a 22-32 record - no surprise there.  But getting swept in Miami by the Fish should have served as a wake-up call that all is not right in Flushing - obviously.  I would feel a lot better about the general situation if only Sandy Alderson were conducting the season with greater emphasis on internal competition.  My idea this season was to empty out the toy box, see which prospects were most serviceable, which were broken, and which to donate away - not pick through some other club's garbage, and display a few pieces of junk at Citi Field like it's some kind of reliquary.


Among Team Sandy are very learned people, but sometimes I'm not sure they (all of them) get it.  Time is of the essence.  The Mets hierarchy have been afforded plenty of time and patience on our part, and are still partaking in the last few months of their grace period.  Even though 2014 is the target date for major changes with regards to baseball operations, the time to act with a strong sense of urgency towards that end is now - as should have been all season.  The trade deadline looms ahead, and there still exists too many uncertainties.  Think of it this way, the Mets are nine months away from Spring Training 2014.  This much IS certain - if the Mets entire business model does not change by next season, as promised, there will be a hellish fan backlash, unlike the Wilpons have never suffered through before.  So time is indeed of the essence.


Marlon Byrd, Rick Ankiel, LaTroy Hawkins, and Shaun Marcum should be deleted from this team post-haste.  Then, so as to prevent a bottleneck at the door, hold off on evicting Scott Rice and Scott Atchison until the exit clears.  That gives me six roster spots that I'll address shortly.


First, my plan involves collateral damage - sorry.  But I ask, what is Mike Baxter's MLB value to the Mets?  At Baxter's expense, I would promote Josh Satin to form a (less than full) platoon with Ike Davis at first base.  Satin is twenty-eight years old, hitting .312 and slugging an even .500 at Las Vegas.  Bring him up, showcase him, and attempt to trade him while his particular iron is hot.  In the mean time, if Ike Davis begins another dominant second half, so be it.  But instead of the old tired talk of sending Ike Davis down to Vegas, bring Satin to the Citi, and provide competition for Ike here.  If Josh Satin or Ike Davis, or both are not traded, it's back to Vegas for Satin....or not.  That all depends on Ike.


Truth is, the Mets couldn't promote Wilmer Flores to Flushing even if they wanted to.  They have nowhere to play him.  Or do they?  I would include Flores in any potential major trade.  However, with Ruben Tejada hurt, not to mention suffering through a horrendous season otherwise, this might be Flores' big chance to revert back to his original position of shortstop.  In Monday night's AAA game between Las Vegas and Fresno, Brandon Hicks played short, while Flores played second base.  On a side note, twenty-one year old 2B/SS Wilfredo Tovar is having his problems in Binghamton this season.  Depending how Ruben Tejada progresses this season, the Mets should open a window for Wilmer Flores at shortstop by July or August.


Acquiring Rick Ankiel and Marlon Byrd to play outfield were perhaps the most counter-productive decisions of the season.  Juan Lagares, Kirk Nieuwenhuis, Collin Cowgill, Andrew Brown, and Jamie Hoffmann, are the AAA outfielders who perhaps should be getting the lion's share of two available positions.  While in Binghamton, Cory Vaughn and Cesar Puello are blazing their own paths towards Flushing.  Of course, the idea is to secure a legitimate slugger either at the trade deadline or during the off-season.  In the mean time, Ankiel and Byrd, who lack any worth to the Mets, are wasting valuable playing time that needs to be invested elsewhere...now.


That leaves me with four roster spots left.  Shaun Marcum's slot goes to Zack Wheeler.  The last three go to the bullpen.  I know LaTroy Hawkins is a somewhat serviceable reliever for us, but he too is wasting our time.  Along with Rice and Atchison, I'd kindly ask them to find employment elsewhere as none of them project into the Mets future.  In back-filling, I wouldn't dig too heavily into Binghamton's bullpen yet, but would consider promoting Mark Cohoon to share duties with Collin McHugh as the fifth starters, as well as making them work out of the bullpen together.  I would also commence a revolving door, starting with reliever Adam Kolarek, then transition to John Church.  This leaves top relievers Jack Leathersich, Jeff Walters and Chase Huchingson behind and untouched in Binghamton to continue their stellar campaigns and battling for first place.  While I also still have hopes for Josh Edgin, Jeurys Familia gets his spot back when he returns.


NOTE:  The St. Louis Cardinals employ a system where by they place their best pitching prospects into the bullpen and let them learn on the major league level.  The best pitchers graduate into the starting rotation.  Just saying.


Starting now, and increasingly so by mid-summer, I'd like to see the overall effort around here focused our own first.  A somewhat reconfigured 25-man roster could resemble this:


C - Travis d'Arnaud - John Buck
1B - Ike Davis - Josh Satin
2B - Daniel Murphy
SS - Ruben Tejada - Wilmer Flores
3B - David Wright
OF - Lucas Duda - Juan Lagares - Kirk Nieuwenhuis
OF - Collin Cowgill - Cory Vaughn/Cesar Puello

SP - Matt Harvey - Zack Wheeler - Jonathon Niese - Dillon Gee - Rafael Montero/Jeremy Hefner
RP - Bobby Parnell - Robert Carson - Brandon Lyon - Jeurys Familia
RP - Mark Cohoon/Collin McHugh - Adam Kolarek/John Church

25th man - Justin Turner, Greg Burke, other


This is by no means a solution.  It is part of a process.  The team clearly needs more enhancements that will come via trades and maybe even free agency.  But looking at such players now, will give us better clarity into the 2014 season - better than we've been achieving so far.





Mike.BTB

Mets Promote Pitcher Rafael Montero To Las Vegas For Spot Start

From the desk of:   HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

NEW YORK METS - Promoting Rafael Montero For A Spot Start Is A Curious Move.


Mets standout pitching prospect Rafael Montero was promoted from Binghamton to Las Vegas this afternoon, in what is being described as a short visit.  Lynn Worthy, who covers Binghamton  University sports, and the Binghamton Mets for the Press And Sun-Bulletin newspaper tweeted,

@metsprospecthub @adamrubinespn #BMets manager Pedro Lopez confirmed Montero has left to join Triple-A Vegas. Verrett goes on Monday.
— Lynn Worthy (@PSBLynn) May 19, 2013

Montero's Las Vegas start looking like a spot start situation. #BMets expect to have him back in their rotation.
— Lynn Worthy (@PSBLynn) May 19, 2013

Adam Rubin confirmed Montero's move to Vegas.

Rafael Montero promoted to Las Vegas, for what that's worth.
— Adam Rubin (@AdamRubinESPN) May 19, 2013

For the moment, perhaps we should take this news at face value.  This is Rafael Montero's first season pitching at the AA level.  To his credit however, Montero has impressed.  There is no doubt he has fabulous command of the strike zone, demonstrating a high level of proficiency in Brooklyn, Savannah, St. Lucie, and again this season at Binghamton.  In eight starts so far, he has a 3.47 ERA in 46.2 innings pitched.  Rafael has allowed forty hits (7.7 H/9) and only walked six (1.2 W/9), for a 0.986 WHiP.  He has fifty-four strikeouts, good for a 10.4 K/9 average.  Prior to his arrival in Binghamton, Rafael Montero totalled thirty-seven appearances in his two previous seasons.


If AAA-Las Vegas suits him, by all means, let him stay there.  The Pacific Coast League could have different effects on different pitchers.  Zack Wheeler mentioned the difficulty he had keeping his fingers moist in the Rocky Mountain dry air, while Collin McHugh appeared to have no such troubles.  Ideally, I prefer that Rafael Montero not pitch in Flushing this season.  For me, it all goes back to polish.  This is a curious move to say the least, but Montero deserves this promotion, albeit a tentatively short one, based on his fine performance.




Mike.BTB