Eric Campbell recently told reporter Paul Ivice that he wants to add catching to his skill set. “I realized years ago that was going to be my ticket as a utility guy, and if another position needs to be added, I’m all for it.” (Newsday Feb 13) Campbell, 28, slashed .263/.322/.358 in 190 at bats last season. He also hit 3 home runs and drove in 16 runs, while stealing 3 bases....
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A high-ranking Mets executive told Kevin Kernan of the New York Post, that lefthanded pitching prospect Steven Matz could very easily make his big-league debut in 2015. “I think Matz will be up before the year is out,” he told Kernan. Last week, Mets Triple-A pitching coach Frank Viola, compared Matz to San Francisco ace Madison Bumgarner, in an interview with John Harper of the Daily...
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With only seven days until pitchers and catchers report to St. Lucie, Mike Vorkunov of NJ.com ranks the top five starting rotations in the National League. 1. Nationals 2. Dodgers 3. Mets – Matt Harvey is back to the top of a formidable rotation. Even if Harvey cannot be the swaggering, dominant ace he was in 2013, he should be pretty good. So will Jacob deGrom and Zack Wheeler. Jon Niese...
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Mets color commentator and pitching analyst, Ron Darling, will call seven of SNY’s sixteen televised spring training games starting next month (Newsday). Darling asked executive producer Curt Gowdy Jr. about the role, and he decided to give Darling a chance at it. “I wanted the versatility,” said Darling, an SNY analyst since 2006 and also Turner’s lead MLB analyst....
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Chris Cotillo is now reporting that LHP Joe Thatcher has signed a minor league deal with the Houston Astros. February 12 According to Chris Cotillo of MLB Daily Dish, the Mets are among 10 teams that have expressed interest in lefthanded reliever Joe Thatcher. Thatcher, 33, had a 3.86 ERA in 53 appearances for the D-Backs and Angels in 2014 and he’s held left-handed batters to a .230...
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The following is an in depth look at Travis d’Arnaud’s overall value as a catcher. The idea that he is incapable of being an everyday backstop is based on two conventional defensive metrics. The lack of credit surrounding his framing skills leaves something to be desired though. Stolen bases and passed balls rarely result in a run scored for the opposition, yet a framed pitch always produces...
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