EXPECTATIONS FOR 18: P.J. Conlon

[Edgy MD]

We got two A.J.'s in camp, so we need a P.J. I'm here to oblige.

I'm a devilish, soft-tossin', shoulder-hunchin' lefty from Falls Road in Belfast. I had a 2016 to die for but I came back to earth a little with my 2017 in Binghamton. Walks went up a tick, homers went up a tock, and that's the way things break. But I was much stronger in the second half, and I threw three shutouts, which is a dying art form.

I don't know whether folks see me starting or relieving in the bigs, but I'm looking at the Las Vegas rotation this summer and maybe a visit to the bigs at some point. What are you thinking?

[fimg=321:22vzi3fr]https://www.nysportsday.com/nysd30/wp-content/uploads/DAoBicvXgAEFn46.jpg[/fimg:22vzi3fr] [fimg=121:22vzi3fr]http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_xa-UqiKRFE/UXgPrv1faYI/AAAAAAAAS5c/06XqIBKdvyU/s1600/PJ+Conlon+2.jpg[/fimg:22vzi3fr] [fimg=258:22vzi3fr]https://static01.nyt.com/images/2017/03/04/sports/04CONLON1/04CONLON1-master768.jpg[/fimg:22vzi3fr]
[fimg=327:22vzi3fr]https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C5r9wQsVUAEA2a_.jpg[/fimg:22vzi3fr] [fimg=103:22vzi3fr]https://brooklynbaseballbanter.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/pj-conlon.jpg[/fimg:22vzi3fr] [fimg=270:22vzi3fr]http://www4.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/P+J+Conlon+NTlJEEactUEm.jpg[/fimg:22vzi3fr]

[Benjamin Grimm]

This is the first time I've seen the absurd name "Rumble Ponies" pictured on a uniform.

I can see P.J. getting five starts for the 2018 Mets.

[metirish]

I am excited to see an Irish born player on the Mets..hoping to see him at some point this season....

[smg58]

He starts off the year in the pen in Vegas, and pitches well enough to get a September call-up and figure into next season's plans.

[MFS62]

If he can pitch those three shutouts in the PCL, we'll see him a lot sooner than that.


Later

[Edgy MD]

For what it's worth, I looked those up, and all three were of the seven-inning variety.

Also, at the end of the season, he pitched out of the bullpen the last three weeks or so. I'm not sure if they were interested in auditioning him as a reliever, but I suspect he was on an innings limit and was approaching it.

[Guest d'Kong76]

Called up mid-July for a needed start and sticks as handyman out of the pen
for long relief and 'sixth starter' when needed.

[nymr83]

Rumble Ponies is so fucking lame. Why not give them a name designed to SELL jerseys?

[Guest d'Kong76]

[Edgy MD]

It's become such a latter-day universal to designate minor league teams with names that sound totally minor league and at least somewhat emasculating (New Orleans Baby Cakes, El Paso Chihuahuas, Savannah Bananas, Akron Rubber Ducks ...), that I've got to believe the market research is firmly in place to suggest that this sort of maneuver does sell more jerseys — and a big revenue producer in the minors is partnering with Little Leagues to get their kids to wear their swag.

I dunno. America apparently can't have enough irony. Why else would we elect Donald Trump as president?

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

i hate to be influenced this way but seeing him irl makes me think he's a longer shot than a guy with his track record would indicate. He is small for a pitcher with short arms like a little Irish alligator, and his stuff isn't going to light up radar guns so he really needs to be outstanding at what he does to keep on climbing and get out the Freddie Freemans out there.

I will be optimistic he hangs in there in the minors but don't forsee it in Queens. Maybe a September callup a couple of late season games.

I'm rooting for ya, PJ!

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Here's a nice article on PJ's background n' stuff: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/03/sports/baseball/mets-pj-conlon-irish.html

[Edgy MD]

P.J.'s been a frequent roomie of Corey Oswalt in the system, so the buds are apparently real proud of each other.

[metirish]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Here's a nice article on PJ's background n' stuff: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/03/sports/baseball/mets-pj-conlon-irish.html

Excellent read....can't wait to see how he does

[G-Fafif]

The other MetIrish will wear No. 60.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Wteverlvingf?

29 is available! That's his twitter handle and Las Vegas uni!

Did they retiure it for Tommy Milone

[Benjamin Grimm]

It's a long-standing tradition that all Mets players born in Ireland wear number 60.

[G-Fafif]

Oswalt's up, Conlon's down.

[Edgy MD]

P.J. hung up on his manager twice before getting the news of his promotion.

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