From the daily archives:
According to David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Braves have signed ree-agent OF Garrett Anderson to a one-year, $2.5 million deal.
The 36-year-old, left-handed outfielder hit .294 with 15 HR and 84 RBI last season with the Angels.
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The Mets drafted RHP Robert Parnell in the ninth round of the 2005 First-Year Player Draft.
Here is my interview today with Parnell, who talks about learning a split-finger fastball from J.J. Putz:
Here is my final question, in text, about him potentially switching from being a starting pitcher to a reliever:
Matthew Cerrone: There’s talk that you might pitch in the bullpen. Obviously, you come from being a starter. How is that different for you mentally, and what can you pick up from guys like Putz?
Robert Parnell: Well, last year coming up from the minors and going in to the bullpen, just being up here with the guys I learned a lot about myself and how to come out of the bullpen. This year I feel like I am more prepared for it. I’ll just go out there and throw an inning, if they need two I’ll throw two, if they need three I’ll throw three. I just take it an inning at time.
Matthew Cerrone: Did they have any advice for you?
Robert Parnell: (Smile), uh, just stay patient and see what happens.
Matthew Cerrone: That smile suggests that maybe there was and you’re just not gonna tell me (laughing)?
Robert Parnell: Well, uhm, not really, I mean, you get here and you’re just another pitcher that’s got to prove what he’s got – so, like I said, I’m just gonna be patient and take one inning at a time.
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Here is a clip of 36–year-old Valerio de los Santos, who is competing to be a left-handed relief pitcher for the Mets:
Santos is 9–13 with a 4.57 ERA in 235 relief appearances during his eight-year career, while playing for the Phillies, Blue Jays, Brewers, Marlins and Rockies.
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Here is Episode 8 of my video diary for SNY, during which you’ll see pitchers warming up; the top of the order working with Jerry Manuel; the left-handed corner outfielders, like Cory Sullivan, Jeremy Reed and Rob Mackowiak take BP; and K-Rod throwing a bullpen session:
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Jerry Manuel told reporters today that he is confident Daniel Murphy can hit left-handed pitching enough that he could be the team’s every day left fielder, meaning Fernando Tatis could serve as his much-needed, right-handed bat for the bench, while serving as a back-up for third, right and first base.
Last season, Murphy hit .400 against left-handed pitchers and .306 against righties.
For more, including quotes from Manuel, and other news from the day’s camp, check out the beat writer blogs for the Bergen Record, Newsday, the Daily News, and the New York Post.
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According to a team press release, on March 29 at 1:10 p.m., St. John’s will take on Georgetown for the first game played in Citi Field.
…i was initially disappointed to hear this, as it seems the Mets should be christening the ballpark… but, from what i can gather, this is like a test run for the building, before opening it up for Mets baseball, which makes sense…
Speaking of baseball games, the Mets will play intrasquad games Monday and Tuesday in Tradition Field starting at 11:30 a.m.
Tickets will be available at the door.
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Here is a quick 30–second video of J.J. Putz teaching a split-finger fastball to Robert Parnell – John Maine walks up mid-way, asks what they’re working on and then sticks around to watch:
Later in the day, I talked with Parnell, for an interview that SNY will upload later today, during which we talk about the split-finger, how long it takes to develop, as well as any advice he has been given from veteran relievers on potentially switching to the bullpen.
For more on Putz, and how his teammates are reacting to his pitches, check out Steve Popper’s blog for the Bergen Record.
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Update, 10:59 am:
Valerio de los Santos has a serious fastball, of which I’ll post video later.
He was pitching a BP to Valentin and Castillo in front of reporters, coaches, and fans, all of which were seemingly impressed.
Update, 10:55 am:
K-Rod, Elmer Dessens, Duaner Sanchez, and other relievers, were working on the back bullpens, laughing and discussing how each catcher, like Schneider, did against them in game situations.
K-Rod them stepped to the mound to pitch a session to a stationary hitter, and, I can feel my confidence in the bullpen increasing.
Original Post:
Today is basically the last day if these sort of drills, I think, since they have intrasquad games Tuesday and Wednesday.
I’m watching the top of the order take BP together, under the watchful eye and instruction of Jerry Manuel.
He was explaining something quite in depth to Delgado, Reyes and Castillo.
Manuel just cycles in and out, field to field with his bat, arms crossed, weighing in, then shifting off.
They are really supportive of Castillo, giving him situations, like, “3-2, runner on second,” etc., all encouraging along the
Also, I talked with John Maine, and sat with him watching JJ Putz teach Robert Parnell a splitter. I’ll have video up of this later today. Maine was saying, you am work on this now, and during season in side sessions, but you also have to just roll it out and demo it during regular seasons games, because there is no other way too match that moment.
I guess I just assumed that when a pitcher goes live with a new pitch that it’s 100 percent ready, but Maine makes a good point.
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Here is my interview with Brian Schnieder, during which we talk about this year’s camp, compared to last season’s; how he adjusts to catching a new pitcher; and the concept of passion and skill in baseball:
Here is the quick exchange on passion:
Matthew Cerrone: Catchers always get the expectations to be the infield leader, to be these emotional kind of guys – and fans always kind of look to emotion on the field as a way to judge passion, which I never really thought was fair, because baseball is such a skills game.
How do you intepret that, when you hear fans say, like on talk radio, “Oh, the team ins’t emotional enough?”
Brian Schneider: A lot of times I laugh at it, because, you know, if you judge by what kind oif celebtration a guy has after a home run or they pump their fist after a basehit, that’s B.S. I think. It’s what’s inside that counts.
You get a guy like Nick Evans, who doesn’t a lot of emotion even in the clubhouse, he’s just a quiet kid, and, even with us he doesn’t show a lot of emotion, so to expect him to go out in front of 50,000 people and get a hit and go crazy it’s just not gonna happen – that doesn’t mean he doesn’t like the game, or doesn’t have passion for the game.
So, I think every one is different… If you play this game, you put the time ands effort in to it for this many years, you definitely have passion for it, you love it, because there is no way you’d still be around.
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