Sep 08 2013 12:13 PM
Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Sep 09 2013 12:12 AM
Mets have another pitching weapon in minors
| Noah Syndergaard knows the Dark Knight of Gotham already calls Citi Field home. Sports Illustrated bestowed that nickname on New York Mets ace Matt Harvey this season, and the big right-hander looked almost superhuman in pitching himself into National League Cy Young Award consideration until his season ended with an elbow injury last week. Fellow Mets starter Zack Wheeler "has lightning in his arm," says Syndergaard, who paints quite a picture of the current youthful pitching staff in Queens. So how will Syndergaard fit in when he, as expected by many, lands in New York next summer, giving the Mets a scintillating trio of starters the likes of which they haven't had since the days of Dwight Gooden, Ron Darling and Sid Fernandez? Syndergaard, 21, has a creative opinion as to how he compares to Wheeler, 23, and Harvey, 24. "I try to stay away from it (the attention)," he said in a recent interview. "You watch Wheeler and Harvey, though, and they are different types of pitchers. Harvey is a bulldog. His fastball is devastating. The ball comes out of their hands the same and the velocity is the same, but Wheeler is like a lightning bolt. "Mine (fastball) is Thor, the God of Thunder, that's me. Harvey's already the Dark Knight; we just come from different comics." Syndergaard's fastball pushes into the high 90s. The 6-6, 240-pounder has been dominant for Class AA Binghamton (N.Y.) since making the jump up from high-Class A St. Lucie (Port St. Lucie, Fla.) in late June. He was 6-1 with a 3.00 ERA through 11 starts for the Binghamton Mets, striking out 69 and walking 12 in 54innings. Syndergaard also started for the U.S. team in the Futures Game in July at Citi Field, though he began his second half in shaky fashion, allowing three runs on seven hits (two homers) in five innings in his first post-All-Star start against Richmond (Va.). He went 4-0 in in five starts after that, allowing three earned runs in 26 innings (1.04 ERA) and striking out 33. Last week against Bowie (Md.), a Baltimore Orioles affiliate, he was pounded for nine earned runs and nine hits in three innings. If you remove that start from his numbers, however, he would be 6-0 with a 1.59 ERA for Binghamton. "I'm getting the results I want to get," said Syndergaard, who was 3-3 with a 3.11 ERA in 12 starts for St. Lucie. "I'm improving on the little things like holding on runners and improving my change and my curve." Working on off-speed pitches While Syndergaard still might be unsure of his off-speed stuff, which he has tinkered with at Binghamton, scouts who have seen him aren't. He has received universal praise and reviews for his ability on the mound and did nothing to change anyone's opinion of his ability in the Futures Game. Syndergaard pitched a scoreless inning at Citi Field (fellow Mets prospect Rafael Montero also pitched a scoreless inning in starting for the World Team) and handled the spotlight in Gotham with aplomb. Binghamton pitching coach Glenn Abbott has been working with Syndergaard on refining his off-speed stuff. He knows it would be simple for Syndergaard to simply blow away Eastern League hitters with his fastball, but he also knows that relying solely on the heat won't do him any good once he takes up permanent residence at Citi Field. "We're just trying to develop his changeup, and it has been pretty good," says Abbott, who won 62games over an 11-year big-league career that included stops with the Oakland Athletics, Seattle Mariners and Detroit Tigers. "He's changed his grip a little and is throwing it in the low 80s. Noah will do whatever you ask him to do, though. He's not afraid. "He's a great talent, but he's not afraid to try what you ask him to try, and that's a beautiful thing. Some guys will get stubborn, but not Noah. He looks at what's better for the welfare of the pitcher." The Mets have been keeping a close eye on Syndergaard's workload, looking to limit his innings. He has thrown a career high in innings this year and was being held to five per start of late. Still, he was on track to pitch for Binghamton in the playoffs, which begin this week. Syndergaard has been remarkably efficient at times, throwing 59, 66 and 56 pitches over six, five and five innings, respectively, during one stretch. Of those 181 pitches, 137 went for strikes. "I don't even think he broke a sweat," Abbott said of Harvey's five innings of scoreless ball against Erie (Pa.) on Aug. 10. "He's been very good. I haven't seen anything to make me think anything different. It's just like him going to the Futures Game and getting caught up in that. It hasn't bothered him in the least. He's been very professional about things. "He works hard, he's focused and he's been very impressive. He's just 20 years old and doesn't act like a 20-year-old. (Syndergaard turned 21 Aug. 29.) He's been a beautiful thing to watch. He's been doing better than OK. He's been impressive." So impressive that he has become the centerpiece of the trade that sent Cy Young Award winner R.A. Dickey to the Toronto Blue Jays last winter. Catcher Travis d'Arnaud had been the big name in the deal from a Mets standpoint when the trade was made. but he had trouble living up to expectations because of injuries until improving of late and earning a promotion to the major leagues. "I didn't expect to have the kind of season I am having," said Syndergaard, who was the 38th overall pick in the 2010 draft by the Blue Jays. "I've exceeded my own expectations. "I had goals of ending the season in Double-A and pitching in the Futures Game. But I wouldn't put myself ahead of d'Arnaud as the centerpiece of the trade. I saw him when we were in Harrisburg (Pa.), and he was awesome. "I would just love to finish the season here and give the team a chance to win an Eastern League championship. I'd love to come to spring training with a ring on my finger next year." Then head to Queens and take his place beside the Dark Knight and the man with lightning in his arm. |
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ml ... p/2782243/