For pitchers, I would definitely tab two interesting left-handers for bullpen auditions in Justin Hampson and Rob Carson. I would also take a couple of starting/bullpen options in Jenrry Mejia, and Collin McHugh. McHugh has to be added to the 40-man this year to avoid losing him anyway, so he might as well get his chance to break in during the month of September.

The only other pitcher I could imagine we might see before the year is out is 39-year-old, former big-leaguer, left-hander C.J. Nitkowski. The last time C.J. pitched in the bigs was in 2006. Since then, he has pitched all over the world during which time he has learned to throw exclusively side-arm.

I met him in New Britain, CT two weeks ago when he was pitching with the B-Mets. We talked for quite a while and during a lull in the conversation I said, “so, C.J., what’s the game plan?”

He knew just what I meant and answered immediately. He said he didn’t want to have any regrets someday. So he was going to try to fire it up one more time and see what happens.

He is getting much closer because he’s already made a few appearances for the Bisons. And you know what? The guy is throwing the ball well, keeping the ball down, and getting outs.

So he might actually get the call sooner rather than later.

One notable player from somewhere back then was “Jose Martinez.” He had amazing low minors stats as I watched his progression. Eventually I heard rumblings that he was a command pitcher that didn’t have great stuff (much like another farmhand named Nelson F). It wasn’t until he was part of a trade somewhere down the line, that I started to question stats & temper my enthusiasm for players who are successful down low.

Your insight is helping me to put these guys in perspective, so I hope you could answer a couple of questions.
#1) Is Kingsport struggling so bad because they just don’t have a lot of talent? To have many of the recent draft choices there and probably near the highest roster number, it seems that concentration of “prospects” would help them be be more successful. I’m thinking that the numbers question, and the fact that you mentioned the heavy, inappropriate use of the “DL,” may have something to do with their lack of success.

#2) The Mets signed the fewest amount of their draft choices. THey also closed their GCL facility leading to what I consider overcrowding at Kingsport. Do you sense that they are also cutting back in developing players in an effort to save even more money? I wonder how the Mets’ F.O. can allow this when they keep asserting that they’re aiming to build from within.

Thank you for this column and for helping me to better understand one of my favorite parts of baseball.