So I’ve written a whole bunch about how I don’t think Jenrry Mejia should be in the Major League bullpen this year without having ever really seen the guy pitch.
Now that’s changed, and whoa, nelly.
Mejia just finished off 2 1/3 perfect innings in a meaningless game against the Marlins. He struck out four batters and yielded two grounders to short and a lazy fly ball to left.
By my count, Mejia threw 19 fastballs, topping out at 96 miles per hour on SNY’s gun. Most of them sat around 94 or 95, and I don’t think any were slower than 93. Of the 19 heaters, 17 were strikes — either swinging or called.
He threw two of what I think were changeups in the high 80s. One was a called strike, the other missed the inside corner.
He also threw four curveballs. They appeared to move a lot, but a couple of them missed pretty wildly. Three of them were balls, one was a called strike.
This is a tiny sample of course, and Mejia was hardly facing the Marlins’ Opening Day lineup, but, well, damn. I still obviously don’t think he should be anywhere near the Major League roster anytime soon, but when you see a 20-year-old rely mostly on one pitch to completely beguile big-league (or close to big-league) hitters, you can start to understand what all the fuss is about.
Fire up the hype machine.
Tedquarters 
We haven’t brought a kid up with this stuff since Izzy in 95.
I really hope he spends the year starting and in the minors. Did you see how great that one curve-ball was and how wild the others were? If he can master that pitch, and considering (so far) he’s been holding his velocity late in games, there’s really no reason he couldn’t be a top of the rotation pitcher.
If he’s in the ML bullpen, he won’t have the luxury to get those curve-ball repetitions he so obviously needs.
If in a couple of years, secondary stuff remains a problem or durability becomes one, you can always switch him then, right?
Yes, to everything.
Absolutely. And that’s why the Joba to the bullpen nonsense became, for me, a litmus test of one’s baseball IQ. If a pitcher can’t make it as a starter, then you move him to the pen.
And that’s also why you never draft a reliever high, i.e., Eddie Kunz. Take high-upside starters and convert them to the pen if they fail to develop.
Should I be nervous that Manuel keeps talking about Mejia actually being in the bullpen once the season starts? I’m actually hoping he doesn’t pitch lights out this spring so the mets aren’t even tempted to make such a foolish move.
Until the “Reyes batting 3rd” became more real, I would’ve said no.
It’s not that those 2 ideas are comparably awful. Batting orders are overrated while Mejia in the majors is incredibly dangerous. It’s just that I always thought Manuel only talked unconventionally but actually managed conservatively, by the book. I’m not so sure now. He says a lot and I have absolutely no idea if he means it.
It’s funny Max, I’ve never thought he managed by the book. In interviews last year, he made it clear that he had no interest in statistics and didn’t use them.
I think that’s a big key to why Manuel would be willing to bring Mejia into the bullpen at this point. He might have no concept that a starting pitcher is more valuable than a relief pitcher.
The bigger question is what does Omar think? While Omar is far from the best as GM, I have to trust from his background that he knows enough about player development not to throw a prospect of this magnitude into the pen at such a young age.
Good point. Also keep in mind the outstanding deal they supposedly have to Joe Beimel. I figure if he signs there’s no way Mejia cracks the squad. Plus it’s going to be a tough sell to convince the FO to try to pass Figueroa and/or Nieve through waivers to carry Mejia in a bullpen that could already be pretty crowded.
No way Nieve passes waivers, and I suspect Omar knows that since he snatched him from Houston last year, after Houston foolishly tried to pass him thru too early.