Jon Niese's debut
In my live chat last week, Jeff asked me for a scouting report on Jon Niese, who, as you know, will make his big-league debut tonight for the Mets in Milwaukee. And I realized I didn't have one. So here it is, courtesy of a scout from an American League team who saw Niese pitch earlier this season:
"The big thing, is he grows on you and really competes. He won't be 22 until October, so when you think about it, he should have just been in this past draft. Pretty impressive. His delivery is a 'non-classic,' as he does a bunch of things 'technically wrong,' but that obviously adds to his deception.
"Likes to pitch inside and can really locate. The fastball has cut action, and looks like he means to do it. It may be just a smaller, breaking slider...but to me it was a cutter. The curveball plays higher with his ability to locate. It's not a power pitch, but when it's located, it can get hitters out.
"Again to me he can 'just pitch.' There's nothing outstanding, except the sum of all things. If he pitches to contact and does what he did in the minors - if he doesn't try to be a power pitcher - he should fare fine."
Looking forward to watching it. And tomorrow, I expect a full report from our two pitching experts, Tufts and baileywalk.
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Comments (15)
I'd vote for McNamee, Coleman and Kaat, but I don't want to encourage any further HOF entrants.
Holy Cow.
If you ever got behind a mike, you're on the ballot.
Chris Wheeler, Larry Andersen, please.
It's about the equivalent putting the Mets' bullpen (minus Wagner) on the players' ballot.
Al Downing, Bobby Murcer and Bill White.
I never heard Downing do a game, but anyone who gave up the HR to Hank Aaron deserves a vote for something.
Of note guys....
When you are completing the ballot they ask you to vote for your favorite Hall of Famer.
Get your votes in for Burger King.
;)
(I voted for The Mick)
Sorry Ken I voted for Tom Cheek, Ken Coleman and Ned Martin. I thought about voting for Joe Morgan, John Sterling and Lorn Brown, but I decided against it, maybe next year for them.
The Mets have a pitcher named Niese while the Yanks have a hurler named Giese.
I must need a new prescription...2 of the last 3 photos look like they were taken by a photographer going over a speed bump.
Just to show that reporters and lists are odd....Merle Harmon, a 30 year broadcaster, received the Graham McNamee Award in 1993. But McNamee is on the same 2009 Frick list list as Harmon..
Wouldn't it make sense that McNamee should be inducted BEFORE Harmon, who won a (supposedly) prestigious award named after another potential inductee?
Who makes up these lists?
I see on the front sports page that Brian Cashman says Joba won't be a starter at the beginning of next season (The New Joba Rules) so I guess the Yankees are opening up the wallet for someone for certain.
first impression of Niese - he reminds me a littel of New Hyde Park's Ricky Horton in the way that his arm sometimes looks like it's dipping on his fastball. Not a Zito type yet - but since he's geared up it's tough to judge his curveball so far.
Cashman was on WFAN with Francesa today. Francesa ask Cashman why the Yanks don't shut down Joba now, and Cashman said basically said that he wants Joba to pitch. Joba will pitch out the pen the rest of the way. And it looks like Joba might start the season next year in the pen. Ken, the Yanks will be in the same boat with Joba next year as they were this year. To me, I'm starting to think the Yanks can't figure out what Joba's role will be. Your thoughts.
Dennis, it goes back to the innings limit. However many innings Joba finishes the year with - let's say 100 - he's not going to exceed that by more than 30 next year. So if you've got Joba penciled in for 130 IP next year, then you can't make him a starting pitcher at the beginning of the season. Ideally, Joba stays healthy for the entire season next year, and then he gets his 130, and 160 the year after that, and so on. There's no doubt that the Yankees eventually want Joba to be a starter.
What was that I heard in the first inning on SNY? A comment attributed by the broadcasters that Manuel was not going to take any responsibility for the effort by Niese if he failed because the organization told him that Niese was ready?
Niese couldn't get out of the 4th ininng tonight with a 5-1 lead. So the bullpen has to win it for the Mets tonight.
Teams are obess with 2 things with young pitchers. One is the pitch count and Two is the limiting of the number of innings pitch a young pitcher can throw. All of this is to protect young pitchers from getting hurt. The Mets were about to limit the number of innings that Mike Pelfrey can pitch this year. But then John Maine gets hurt and now the Mets will need Pelfrey, disregarding the number of ininngs he has pitch up to this point because they are in a pennant race.
How about some love for the Mets bullpen? Five-plus innings of no-run ball against a pretty good lineup is reason to smile, no? Considering that a Mets division title would likely pit them against the Brewers, I am particularly pleased with the outcome.
I have been agreeing with Dennis in recent days, which is somewhat worrisome! ;-) Yes, I concur on much of what he has said about pitch counts. For all of Joba's babying, he still managed to screw up his arm.
Judge Roughneck has some good points on the subject too: http://productiveouts.blogspot.com/2008/08/on-restricting-pitcher-workloads.html
However, I do agree with Ken's thought that a team with a seven-run lead in the ninth inning need not have its pitcher throw 120 pitches in order to chalk up a complete game for the stat book. Why chance it?
Niese couldn't get out of the 4th inning...he was tagged hard 4 times in a row.
Too reliant on his change/sweeping curve.
Ken - Niese won't grow on anyone except the opposition if this is all he's got...