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[Frayed Knot]

No, GMs go to see prospects all the time and for all kinds of reasons.

[ashie62]

Frayed Knot wrote: No, GMs go to see prospects all the time and for all kinds of reasons.

I know, I'd be shocked if they dont bring him back though.

[Ceetar]

Frayed Knot wrote: Joel Sherman this morning's NY Post -- The Mets are sending a contingent of executives to Buffalo tomorrow to watch Matt Harvey�s Triple-A start against a horrible Toledo team. If they like what they see, Harvey could start Saturday at Citi Field against the Dodgers.

'horrible Toledo team'?

Is he implying that they can't believe anything they see because Toledo sucks?

I suspect it's a little irrelevant. They probably want to talk to people too. and interview of sorts. After all, if it was just about the box score they could watch on tv.

[metirish]

Sherman covers these horrible Mud Hens?


no, didn't think so......he sure seems to want to imply something alright and if Harvey does get that start and gets hammered Sherman will fall back on that quote.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

He might be implying something.

He also might be inferring something from the fact that they're 37-57, and have the fourth-worst team OPS in the International League.

[Edgy MD]

It's just hilarious that he can't state a simple fact without fully loaded editorializing.

The Mets start tanking and the entire press corps puts on their hack hats.

[Ceetar]

Harvey no hits through 4. three walks though. Walked first and third in the fourth, but a K, Pick off and K get him out of it unscatched.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

He's used the change-up a few times, too-- once in getting out of the man-on-third jam-- and it's looked nice. Is the issue with that pitch a consistency matter, or a comfort thing?

[Frayed Knot]

Final line:
6.2IP; 3H; 1R; 4BB; 4K
11/4 GB/FO

[Ceetar]

Frayed Knot wrote: Final line: 6.2IP; 3H; 1R; 4BB; 4K 11/4 GB/FO

just enough to keep it from being an easy decision either way.

[TransMonk]

I watched most of the Bisons game and was left unconvinced that he can thrive in the MLB. Yes, he's a warm body...but I don't think he can live up to the hype right now.

I would tend to agree with giving someone else the Saturday start and bringing him up out west if he's going to be called up at all. Give him a start or two to set his feet before throwing him to the home crowd lions.

[Ceetar]

TransMonk wrote: I watched most of the Bisons game and was left unconvinced that he can thrive in the MLB. Yes, he's a warm body...but I don't think he can live up to the hype right now. I would tend to agree with giving someone else the Saturday start and bringing him up out west if he's going to be called up at all. Give him a start or two to set his feet before throwing him to the home crowd lions.

Better than Miguel Batista without hindering development? I think that's where we're at.

[Edgy MD]

I don't know that they see either of those things as assured.

Batista's been more or less effective when working as a starter. Hasn't gotten support, so if the plan is to go to Harvey because he's got the better chance for a shutdown start that transends bad support, go crazy, I guess. Kinda desperate, though.

I wonder if we're not better off, starting Batista, working Harvey out of the pen, and thereby challenging Harvey take the spot from Batista.

[Ceetar]

Edgy DC wrote: I don't know that they see either of those things as assured. Batista's been more or less effective when working as a starter. Hasn't gotten support, so if the plan is to go to Harvey because he's got the better chance for a shutdown start that transends bad support, go crazy, I guess. Kinda desperate, though. I wonder if we're not better off, starting Batista, working Harvey out of the pen, and thereby challenging Harvey take the spot from Batista.

I don't think the starter versus reliever ERA is much more than statistical noise honestly. I wouldn't put Harvey in the pen unless it's September, we're fine with starters, and he's reaching an innings limit of sorts. Rather keep him fully stretched out and on turn.

Learning doesn't stop at the major league level. The chances of a good Harvey outing versus a good Batista inning have to be pretty close. I think it's in Matt's favor. We'll see what the Mets think. Still, with every start it likely swings more and more in his favor, no matter where those starts are.

[TransMonk]

I'd wait until the west coast trip. It gives Harvey a couple more AAA starts on regular rest. It takes away the home-town hype. And we may know a lot more about where this team stands after the 6 games with the Nats.

[Edgy MD]

Point to Monk.

I miss A Boy Named Seo and hope he's back for that trip.

[ashie62]

I guess at the moment its 6 of one half dozen of the other for the time being.

The Nats take priority.

LETS GO METS!

[Guest Swan Swan H]

What Monk said. I'm no Roger Jongewaard, but Harvey looked to me like he was barely getting past the Mud Hens last night, results notwithstanding.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Really? The only runs he let up were due to his teammates selling him out (a "wild pitch" past May that should have been blocked; an inning-ending DP bobbled by Satin; a stinky relief job from Hampson). Though the fastball command was spotty at moments (apparently an aberration-- he hasn't let up more than 2 BB in an outing for well over a month, outside of last night), it looked to me like his stuff was pretty damn good.

When he was getting hit, it seemed it was because he was falling in love with his fastball (the clusters of singles happened on sequences of 7 or 8 fastballs in a row). He left nothing upstairs (11 groundballs, with all hits coming via seeing-eye rollers), and when he did use that change... hoo boy. Both that and the curve were falling off the table.

You're concerned about the 4 walks? Batista's letting up an average of 1.7 runners per inning, and walked 4 out of 5 batters he faced last time out. As much as I like Monk's let-him-start-on-the-road point, I have little doubt Harvey's ready to contribute more than Batista right now.

Edited July 17, 2012 by Guest

[Benjamin Grimm]

I've read a few times that Harvey's pitch selection needs some maturing. Isn't the solution to not have him call his pitches? Let Thole or Warthen do it?

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

A little gunshy with the offspeed stuff, is how I've heard it. He threw the change a couple of times in the All-Star game outing, and at least 4-5 times last night... so that appears to be changing (with significant urging from Backman/Mets FO staff, no doubt).

[Ceetar]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: I've read a few times that Harvey's pitch selection needs some maturing. Isn't the solution to not have him call his pitches? Let Thole or Warthen do it?

Not that I trust Warthen for anything in this dept, but yeah. Maybe hitters actually hitting his pitches in the majors will drive home the need to work on that aspect of his game better than the minors.

[TransMonk]

Per Metsblog, TC has "suggested" that it'll be Miggy on Saturday.

[ashie62]

TransMonk wrote: Per Metsblog, TC has "suggested" that it'll be Miggy on Saturday.

Geez Monk...while I'm eating?