Hey, Nineteen: Stephen Villines

[Edgy MD]

http://metsminors.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Villines-3-e1533557179501.jpg>



Two days off and no games to watch. Why not catch up on your HEY, NINETEEN predictin'? After all, it took this long to get to me, and the season is nearly 25% done.



I'm Stephen Villines and I happen to be currently on fire. I'm a sidewinding righthander out of round 10 of the 2017 draft, and I make batters cry. In 16 2/3 2019 innings so far in Binghamton and (now) Syracuse, I've laid nothing but golden goose eggs. Not a single run allowed. That's good for a season, but my career rates are jaw dropping:

• Hits: 6.5 per nine;


• Homeruns: 0.3 per nine;


• Walks: 1.6 per nine


• Strikeouts: 12.6

Taken on their own, any one of those four figures should get your attention. Together, they're telling a story of a hell of a relief pitcher.



I'm Steven Villines. And that's my story. And if I can keep that show going now in AAA, you might find yourself calling me Stevie Headlines pretty soon.



Yeah, like many sidearmers not named "Walter Johnson" or "Henry Owens" or "Young Dennis Eckersley," I don't throw hard. My fastball rarely even reaches 90. But I got control of all my pitches and I'm sick of letting a radar gun determine my fate. I went unrecruited out of high school until a friend of a friend got me an audition at Kansas. After three stellar seasons, I went undrafted after my junior year. It's about time I got some respect, no? And it's about time you decide if you want a guy to light up the radar gun or a guy who gets outs.



I'm Stephen Villines and I get outs. I get outs against lefties and righties. I've gotten outs all through the minors, and pretty soon, you're going to see me in the majors. What will you see when I get there? You tell me, smart guy.

[nymr83]

I really want to see this guy pitch. Unusual pitching action is great

[MFS62]

Sounds like a Dan Quisenberry pitch-alike.

I'll take that.

He'll be up in September (or as soon as Seth Lugo's arm falls off) and have a 1.14 WHIP in 16 games.

Later