Forecasts for Fifteen: Cory Mazzoni

[Edgy MD]

Yeah, you don't think about me every day. But on a lot of teams, I'd be a deal. Fighting with the likes Darin Gorski and a couple of rehabbing vets for the fourth and/or fifth slots in the rotation. But right now, I'm feeling kinda buried. The only people who notice me think I'm LJ Mazzilli and they're all "why are you here when you're supposed to be suspended and isn't it your father pissed?" GAH! But at least I'm here. Gorski didn't even get an invite!



I'm somebody, damn it. I was a second-round pick. Ranking lists put me between 16th and 23rd among Mets wannabes. I won five games down the stretch for the 51s. Maybe I'll start and maybe I'll relieve. But you WILL know my name. You WILL hear my voice.

But what do you think you'll hear from me in 2015? Big things? SAY "BIG THINGS"!

[MFS62]

IIRC, there were several articles written about him during the last Spring Training. I remember reading more articles about him than about de Grom. But he then only had fewer than 20 games and 100 innings at three levels last year. Was he hurt? Is he now recovering from an injury? Either way, I'm guessing he will stay in the minors this year until they're sure he's ok. Maybe he'll get a cup of java when the logjam ahead of him (Montero, Syndergaard in the minors and some of the starters in the majors) is resolved.

Later

[Edgy MD]

Mazzoni, you may recall, got hit in the arm by a comebacker during a spring training appearance last year. His soreness continued through the first part of the year and he didn't end up debuting until June 21.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Before our farm system got so awesome he cracked the Baseball Prospectus top 10. I remember being impressed by his motion and wingspan in a televised spring game. Terry seems to think he could be a good reliever as he's a fastball-splitter kinda guy, I dunno.

I predict he starts in Vegas but gets the call when we need some early pen tweaking. Does OK (0-1, 3.41 in 17 games, 23.2 innings, 19 K, 5 BB, a few homers) My campaign to get people to call him "Carmine Ronzonni" goes nowhere.

[Edgy MD]

Checking the record, it was March 27 when he got hurt, taking a come backer off the bat of Ryan Zimmerman. So I'm going to surmise that if he was still around with a week to go before the start of the season, and pitching against A-teamers, they must've been somewhat serious about his candidacy for the 2014 bullpen.

He had a knee injury back in 2013, so he may be in danger of getting a label. On the other hand, we've seen Mejia and Matz both return from the limbo of injury cycles so the organization seems patient enough to resist consigning a guy to history. And if he pitches his way back into the picture, they make room in the picture.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

He and Jeff Walters. What coulda been.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

For someone who's gotten so much tools-play in the scoutyrags, he's never really, y'know, struck me as good, on paper or otherwise.

As far as player development goes, well, he's 25. And he's no pitching latecomer like DeGrom. PUT UP OR SHUT UP, RONZONNI!!!1!

[batmagadanleadoff]

He will be the leader of the Mets 14th bullpen spot.

[Guest d'Kong76]

Lost in the sea of bullpen guys in 2015... traded in one of the
likely trade package of July...

[Guest themetfairy]

[Edgy MD]

Only one real prediction here and that was d'KONG. Not a bad prediction either, tagging Mazzoni as trade bait, even if he got the month wrong.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Called up today by the Padres