The Edge of Seventeen: Rafael Montero

[Edgy MD]

I'm going to repeat. I was called up on the same day Jacob deGrom. I was, in fact, the higher rated prospect (if not the guy having the better season) at the time. That, as they say, was then. Now he's a grizzled vet, and I'm still a guy on the verge.

On the verge of what? On the verge of refinding my vaunted control? On the verge of a new life as a long reliever? On the verge of a post-baseball career? I don't rightly know. And that's why I started this thread. I thought you might know.

I have a theory. I think 50-Cent cursed the number 50. We all laughed at him for his shitty pitch, and he quickly and impetuously doomed all who wear that number for the Mets to chronic wildness. No? Then what's your theory? Help me out, because my time is short to fix this thing I call a Mets career.

[fimg=333:38oh9xhu]http://mets360.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Rafael-Montero.jpg[/fimg:38oh9xhu] [fimg=387:38oh9xhu]https://cdn.fansided.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/3/files/2016/02/rafael-montero-mlb-los-angeles-dodgers-new-york-mets-590x900.jpg[/fimg:38oh9xhu]
[fimg=347:38oh9xhu]https://content.sny.tv/assets/images/7/7/6/201050776/cuts/USATSI_9538388_yeojam6d_qhkgo0e8.jpg[/fimg:38oh9xhu] [fimg=373:38oh9xhu]http://metsmerizedonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/rafael-montero-74.png[/fimg:38oh9xhu]

[MFS62]

My kid has been impressive this spring. Terry has spoken about that at length in several post game interviews.
If Montero's control has, in fact, returned, he can be an asset in long relief and an occasional start. But he has competition for a 25 man roster spot.
If he makes the big club out of ST, he'll go 5-4, 3.79 in 36 games.
Or 11-7 4.54 in the PCL as a starter, then moved in a late-year deal.

Later

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I think he might wind up in our bullpen, but only after the first 2 or 3 guys flame out or get hurt. Hope he demonstrates he can keep his shizz together when he arrives but he's been a fairly underwhelming big-leaguer so far.

19 G, 29 IP, 2 starts, 1-1, 3.81

[G-Fafif]

The John Mitchell of his generation, up a little at a time year after year, not quite dependable the minute you begin to depend on him. Will that change in 2017? I'm buying into the low-key hype that he's made an adjustment. Bullpen here he comes soon enough, taking the nebulous Erik Goeddel role and making it better.

[Edgy MD]

Worth noting that he's out of options, so I think the Mets are going to give him every chance to take Erik Goeddel's lunch.

[G-Fafif]

Edgy MD wrote: Worth noting that he's out of options, so I think the Mets are going to give him every chance to take Erik Goeddel's lunch.

This is where Bobby Parnell's mentoring might come in handy.

[Guest d'Kong76]

Traded in July (not in the big one, huge I tell ya) but traded nonetheless...

[Centerfield]

His turnaround this spring has me wondering...maybe he really was hurt all that time?

[Edgy MD]

So has Montero found himself or is he going to turn back into a Mitsubishi the next time he gets a high-leverage spot?

This season seems remarkably unfair for pitchers trying to get over a hump, what with even Kershaw on a pace for Blylevian homers-allowed numbers. Mistakes get hit in 2017. They get hit far.

[MFS62]

Edgy MD wrote: So has Montero found himself or is he going to turn back into a Mitsubishi the next time he gets a high-leverage spot?

'Splain please.
The Mitsubishi A6-M5 Zero-Sen fighter plane was one of the best combatants in the early years of the war in the Pacific. Montero should only be that effective on the mound for the Mets.

Later

[Edgy MD]

The Mitsubishi Montero was a third-rate sport SUV, that has since evolved into the more marketable Mitsubishi Pajero.

[fimg=650:15pan2hj]https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/16/80/8f/16808f4943fe92b9b71c77972f19f881.jpg[/fimg:15pan2hj]

[MFS62]

As someone who collects books on military aviation, I had a different frame of reference.

Later

[Guest d'Kong76]

d'Kong76 wrote: Traded in July (not in the big one, huge I tell ya) but traded nonetheless...

I meant Schaefer Pitcher of the Month in August. No, really!

[Edgy MD]

Odd fact about Rafael Montero from this article of odd facts:

3. There were 139 pitchers this season who generated at least 300 batted balls. The Cubs' Kyle Hendricks (3.03 ERA) posted the second-lowest average exit velocity allowed, while NL Cy Young Award runner-up Clayton Kershaw (2.31 ERA) finished with the second-lowest hard-hit rate. The same pitcher paced both of those categories -- the Mets' Rafael Montero. That's the same Montero who compiled a 5.52 ERA over 34 games (18 starts). How? The 46-point gap between his .362 wOBA allowed and his .316 expected wOBA -- based on quality of contact, strikeouts and walks -- was second largest among pitchers with 400-plus batters faced. Montero's .295 opponent average on balls hit at less than 95 mph was second highest of 135 pitchers (minimum 200 at-bats).

[Mex17]

Isn't he out of minor league options now? I can only guess because for the life of me I cannot find anything on the internet that lists players who are out of options.

[Edgy MD]

Yes, he's out of options, and therefore he seemingly has an inside track on a slot in the back end of the bullpen, except for the fact that he's done distinctly worse out of the bullpen as a big leaguer.

As a reputed control pitcher who has walked 5.1 guys per nine innings over his first 192 big league innings, he kind of stands beside Matt Harvey as Mickey Callaway and Dave Eiland's greatest challenges.

[Guest 41Forever]

He's 27 this year, so definitely not a kid. Flashes of success. My fear is that the Mets will give up on him and some other team will help him figure it out.

[Lefty Specialist]

The talent is there. If Callaway and Eiland can harness it, great. But there's got to be a short leash with this guy.

[Fman99]

This was the first season that gave me any inclination that he could be an effective big league starter. Is there room for him in the rotation to start 2018, assuming guys we think won't be hurt won't be hurt?

[seawolf17]

Fman99 wrote: Is there room for him in the rotation to start 2018, assuming guys we think won't be hurt won't be hurt?

Everybody's always hurt. There's plenty of room.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Well, if by some miracle everyone is healthy, I would say that Montero might be as low as eighth on the starting pitcher depth chart, behind deGrom, Syndergaard, Harvey, Matz, Wheeler, Gsellman, and Lugo.