Matt Harvey is just the latest reminder that recovery from Tommy John surgery is a process, Barry M. Bloom of MLB.com writes. In his comeback campaign, the Mets pitcher has had flashes of brilliance but he has also struggled at times.
“It’s definitely hard,” Harvey said after Saturday’s loss to the Dodgers. “It’s like one batter to the next batter, the arm slot, staying back, just trusting that my arm will stay healthy. It’s been a lot different than I thought it was going to be.”
John Smoltz, who will be the first pitcher to have had the surgery to enter the National Baseball Hall of Fame, has talked with Mets skipper Terry Collins about the best way to manage a pitcher coming back from TJ. In time, Smoltz believes that Harvey will return to his old form. Here’s more from the East divisions..
- The Mets tried hard to pry Manny Ramirez from the Red Sox a decade ago and at one point it seemed like there was a good chance of a deal happening, as David Lennon of Newsday writes. “We weren’t able to match up and give them enough,” former Mets exec Jim Duquette said. “They were looking for more younger players in return. We wanted them to give more money. We weren’t going to take the full freight on that one. I don’t think they thought [Lastings] Milledge was the right guy. That’s why we were trying to bring in a third team.”
- Ex-Blue Jays pitcher Scott Richmond has been embroiled in a nightmare legal battle with the Lotte Giants of the Korean Baseball Organization League, as Shi Davidi of Sportsnet writes. The pitcher signed a guaranteed one-year, $700K deal with the KBO team in 2013 but he has yet to receive a dime of that money. Richmond was good to go for the start of the season after suffering a knee injury, but he was turned away without payment. RJ Hernandez, Richmond’s representative at Legacy, believes that this situation will dissuade other players from going overseas, particularly if the pitcher is unsuccessful in his suit.
- For months, there has been talk about the Red Sox’s need for an ace. Right now, Clay Buchholz looks the part and he could be a big difference maker for Boston, Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald writes.
The Mets should of gave up Floyd,Milledge,and Reyes….at the time….
Ha! Clay an ACE?? Only Aces in the AL east are archer, pineda and Tanaka.
Might want to check out Clay’s stats this year. Almost averaging 7 IP a start while striking out 8.51/9IP, walking under 2/9IP, and has a 2.55 FIP with 3.1 fWAR. Tanaka only has .9 fWAR.
Over Clay’s last three starts against BAL, TOR, and HOU he has pitched 24 IP with just 3 ER.
Player A has 3.27 ERA, 2.55 FIP, 8.5 K/9, and an American League leading 0.41 HR/9
Player B has 3.94 ERA, 3.83 FIP, 9.3 K/9, and American League 7th worst 1.52 HR/9
Player C has 3.79 ERA, 2.57 FIP. 9.5 K/9…
Player A is Buccholz, B is Tanaka, and C is Pineda… so I’m curious what your definition of “ace” is.
He is a Yankees troll…..
This is what I get from commenting less… I’ve forgotten who to ignore.
Lastings Milledge for Manny? Somebody was smoking something good.