Aug
2
2012

Zack Wheeler Promoted To Triple-A, Will Not Pitch For Mets This Season

An article by Craig Lerner

Zack Wheeler’s 11K performance for Double-A Binghamton last night has earned him a promotion. He’s headed to Triple-A Buffalo, the team announced this afternoon.

Sandy Alderson also told reporters it was unlikely would pitch in the big leagues this season.

The Mets GM said Wheeler has a limit in place of around 150 innings this season, and that will allow him to only pitch through the remainder of the Bisons’ season.

Wheeler went 10-6 with a 3.26 ERA in 19 starts for Double-A Binghamton, allowing 92 hits and 43 walks while striking out 117 in 116 innings.

Original Post 7/31

After weighing whether to have Zack Wheeler make his Triple-A debut on the road, or give him one more start with Double-A Binghamton to allow Wheeler to make his Buffalo debut at home, the Mets have opted for the latter, a baseball source told ESPNNewYork.com.

Wheeler is due to pitch one last time for the B-Mets on Tuesday against Harrisburg, the Nats’ Double-A affiliate.

The top prospect then is expected to move to Buffalo, and make his Bisons debut Sunday against Washington’s Triple-A Syracuse affiliate.

ESPN New York

This was expected based on comments made by Sandy Alderson who said Wheeler was very close to a promotion two weeks ago as a guest on WFAN.

The Mets top pitching prospect has been struggling of late and in his last six starts, Wheeler has a 5.97 ERA in 37.2 innings pitched.

Overall this season, the young right-hander is 9-6 with a 3.29 ERA in 18 starts. He’s thrown 109.1 innings and allowed 88 hits and 39 walks, while striking out 106 hitters in that span.

He will be on the mound tonight as the B-Mets take on the Harrisburg Senators at 6:30 PM.

About the Author: Craig Lerner

I'm a data analyst and researcher for a leading news agency who loves life and is hooked on the Mets. I love following the Amateur Draft and have a particular fondness for the Mets Minor Leagues who I follow each day. Give me a cold beer, a summer day, and a Mets game, and I'm good to go.

9 Comments + Add Comment

julio July 31, 2012 at 4:40 am

mmmmmmmm 2013 mlb
Alex68 July 31, 2012 at 7:24 am

Good luck to him in triple A. IMO he needs to improve in his K/BB ratio, his 2.7 is nothing to laugh at, as of late he’s been struggling mightly, hope he comes back and perform well…
- Metsie July 31, 2012 at 12:25 pm
  
  I see a pattern here don’t you?
  
  If you struggle you get promoted and if you don’t struggle your not ready yet! LOL
  - Joey D. August 1, 2012 at 9:23 pm
    
    Hi Metsie,
    
    While his ERA is still a very respectable 3.26, as of June 7th it was 1.88. Since then he has given up 31 earned runs in 56.1 innings (give or take a run or inning one way or the other allowing for possible errors in addition) or an ERA of just under five.
    
    Which is why I posed the question of whether or not hitters were catching up to him and if that was important to know. For all we know, it could have been his continued experimenting with breaking pitches – and we all agree a continued emphasis on using that pitch more and more in order to master that skill is more important than winning or losing in a minor league game.
    
    But what ever the reason, is it standard procedure to promote a pitcher from double to triple-a at a predetermined time despite going through such a stretch? That I do not know.
    - Metsie August 1, 2012 at 9:34 pm
      
      Joey was just pointing out that failure seems to earn you a promotion yet Success seems to say to the GM your not ready yet!
      
      When those guys were doing well they weren’t ready but now that they had two bad starts in a row they seem ‘On Track” to the GM and ready to take the next step!
Mr North Jersey August 1, 2012 at 5:57 pm

Congrats to Wheeler on the promotion. I can’t wait to hear what Backman has to say about the kid. Wheeler at the start of the day was 10th in ERA (3.26), 4th in Whip (1.16) and 1st in strikeouts (117) in the Eastern League.
Joey D. August 1, 2012 at 8:37 pm

It surprises me only because he has been working with a coaching staff that has been helping him develop his breaking stuff and up to last night he has been struggling. Would it also be important to see what Double-A hitters would continue to do against him as they get to know him – and vice versa – and if whether or not familiarity was the cause of his recent struggles?

Don’t know if continuing a season with specific mentors along with seeing what happens once players have a chance to get to know each other is important or not. Just some questions from an observer.
Metsie August 2, 2012 at 1:37 am

If they are saying today he won’t play in the MLB this season then I expect him to be starting Teusday vs Miami!
Even Flow August 2, 2012 at 1:11 pm

“Will Not Pitch For Mets This Season”

If he shines between now and the end of the season in AAA, there’s a strong chance he’ll make the team out of ST. I’m fine with that.

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