In an article by Adam Rubin of ESPN New York, Mets top prospect Noah Syndergaard talked in depth about his struggles last season at Triple-A Las Vegas where he posted a 4.60 ERA and 1.48 WHIP in 133 innings pitched. The number one prospect in the Mets system told Rubin his performance was not good enough to earn a call-up to the majors.
“I was a little disappointed in myself,” Syndergaard said. “Quite frankly, I didn’t think I deserved it.
“I had innings left,” he added about a potential September call-up that never materialized. “I wasn’t at my innings mark. But I didn’t feel like I pitched to the best of my abilities. Therefore, I didn’t deserve a chance to pitch in the big leagues. There were still some things I needed to work on. I’m working on those this offseason right now, and I’m going to camp fighting for a job.”
Despite having a disappointing season, Syndergaard believes he has made some progress on the mound.
“I feel like I really matured,” Syndergaard said. “My stuff got a little better as the season went on because I started using it more, started trusting it. For example, I was having a little bit of trouble with my curveball last year, mainly at the beginning of games. Then, somehow, in the third or fourth inning it started to really work for me.
“Frank Viola worked with me. He was like, ‘I want you to throw a curveball the first pitch of the game.’ Sure enough, I did that. The hitter kind of looked at me funny, like, ‘What the hell was that?’ I actually threw it for a strike, and I had it from pitch No. 1.”
Syndergaard thinks he can compete for a spot on the Mets Opening Day roster, but realizes it will be a challenge given the team’s deep rotation.
“I understand that,” Syndergaard said. “I know we have a very solid starting rotation. I can only do what’s in my control, and that’s train my body in the offseason, get off the mound as soon as possible, and start working on my craft and go into camp being the best that I can be.”
On Friday, Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports spoke to some rival scouts and executives who expressed concerns about Syndergaard, saying that “his fastball lacks movement and that he ultimately might project as a power reliever.”
However, Rosenthal talked to another scout who said that moving him to the bullpen would be the easy way out.
“He’s still young and has aptitude and work ethic,” the scout said. “Because his numbers weren’t great in the Pacific Coast League, people want to come off him some. But I think he has a chance to be a No. 2 and at worst a good No. 3.”
It’s strange to hear scouts questioning his stuff since most analysts often praise his ability. Additionally, rival teams (and rival scouts?) continue to ask for Syndergaard as the centerpiece to any major deal with the Mets.
Thoughts from Joe D.
That a couple of scouts who talked to Rosenthal view Syndergaard as a reliever is absolutely preposterous. No scout worth his salt would look at Thor’s fastball velocity, advanced secondary pitches, delivery and build, and then make such a ridiculous claim like that about a 21-year old pitching in Triple-A. Quite frankly, I’m disappointed that Rosenthal would give such an ignorant and baseless assessment as that any credence.
The concern about Syndergaard’s fastball movement seems overblown to me as well, especially given the fact that altitude can greatly affect trajectory and movement. Any coach or scout who has logged significant time in the PCL will tell you that.
There have been many great pitchers in the game who have struggled with command at 21-years old, and let’s also not forget that Syndergaard was six years younger than the average player in the league.
Amazing what some people will do for attention, and meanwhile a day doesn’t go by this Winter where we don’t hear teams want Syndergaard as the headliner to any deal. I guess I didn’t realize they were all so hard up for a reliever.
