Update: Dan Warthen discussed why Montero was sent down and told ESPN this: “He missed almost a whole year, It’s going to take at least a couple of months for him to get back into throwing, get his arm in full shape, get himself going. We’re going to use a sixth starter during the course of the year. So he has to get down there and get some innings in, start to get the velocity back, start to see hitters again, start to do the things that we were so high on him about before.”
The Mets announced that they have trimmed the amount of players in major league camp by optioning pitchers Rafael Montero, Akeel Morris, and Dario Alvarez. They have also reassigned catcher Raywilly Gomez, reliever Paul Sewald, and reliever Chasen Bradford to minor league camp.
The name that jumps out is Montero who was once thought of as one of the Mets future rotation pieces but after an injury filled 2015 season and a bad start this spring he will head to minor league camp. The move makes sense with the Mets top starters now needing the innings to get ready for the regular season and Montero seemingly headed for the Triple-A Las Vegas 51’s rotation.
Alvarez always had a tough hill to climb to make the team with the likes of lefties Antonio Bastardo and Jerry Blevins locks for the big league bullpen. He is also behind Sean Gilmartin and Josh Smoker who have pitched well this spring as well as Josh Edgin who threw live batting practice for the first time recently.
Morris was another long shot to make the Mets pen out of spring and will likely head to Las Vegas after dominating Double-A in the second half last year. Sewald and Bradford should both join Morris in the 51’s opening day bullpen while Gomez will be ticketed for the Binghamton Mets to split time with Xorge Carrillo.
Sending Raywilly to work with the pitchers he will see this year makes sense. May see him again before March is over during those split squad games
Ya I think we will still see him but why not have him work with the younger guys. Carrillo is leaving to play (assuming healthy) to play in WBC so they need another vet in minor league camp. He has looked better defensively to me than Ashley, granted we are talking extremely small sample sizes.
Hello Mr Mayer! I’d love an update on the Matt Bowman situation – there have been no public reports of his chances of making the Cards opening day roster. I saw that he got hit in the eye with a ‘ragball’, which forced him to miss a couple of days, but I haven’t seen anything since, and I’d like your insight about the chances of us getting him back. I like the kid. I think he’ll have a period of success in the “show” at one point in his career – kind of a Bannister-like feeling I get from him! Thanks for any thoughts you can spare on the subject.
He has pitched since getting hit in the eye, allowed two runs on four hits in two innings of work. Cards rotation is stacked as well as their bullpen. I don’t see him making their roster without a few injuries. Right now I would say there is a 75% chance the Mets get him back.
Just FYI – http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-cardinals/post/_/id/347/marco-gonzales-aims-to-win-a-bullpen-spot-in-a-tight-field Not even a mention of Bowman, so it looks like he’ll be in Vegas. I hope he puts it together, I like smart pitchers.