The Mets will promote infielder Gavin Cecchini prior to tonight’s game against the Giants, Adam Rubin reports (on Twitter). A corresponding move for Cecchini’s recall is not yet known. Once considered one of the top prospects in all of baseball, Cecchini’s stock has taken a step back, though he still entered the season rated as the Mets’ No. 6 prospect by both Baseball America and MLB.com. In addition to making his MLB debut last season and hitting a pair of doubles in seven plate appearances with the Mets last season, the 23-year-old turned in a solid year in Triple-A Las Vegas. In 499 plate appearances there last season, Cecchini batted .325/.390/.448. He’s off to a slower start in 2017, slashing .254/.316/.369.
More from the Senior Circuit’s Eastern Division…
- Flamethrowing reliever Mauricio Cabrera was activated from the disabled list by the Braves yesterday, though he was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett. Cabrera was one of Atlanta’s best relievers in 2016 and is touted as a potential closer, though as MLB.com’s Mark Bowman tweets, he’ll remain in Triple-A to continue to hone his control. The reasons for the Braves’ apparent concerns with his control aren’t hard to see; in six minor league innings this season (he was previously pitching on a rehab assignment), Cabrera has issued four walks, hit a batter, and thrown three wild pitches. That said, it shouldn’t be hard for Cabrera to force his way back into the mix in short order if he begins to locate his pitches more effectively. Josh Collmenter, Ian Krol and Eric O’Flaherty all have ERAs north of 5.50, and the Braves’ relief corps as a whole has pitched to a 4.99 ERA in 95 2/3 innings this year.
- The Nationals are weighing whether to keep right-hander Jacob Turner in their struggling bullpen or use him as their fifth starter, writes Jorge Castillo of the Washington Post. Turner has fired six shutout innings in the bullpen but has also impressed the team in a starting role, Castillo notes. The five-spot in the rotation comes up next on Thursday, and Washington’s other option for that outing in Baltimore is right-hander A.J. Cole. Castillo notes, however, that Cole was hit fairly hard by the Phillies this weekend despite escaping with just one run allowed. Right-hander Joe Ross, who was optioned to Triple-A last week, is slated to pitch for Syracuse tonight, so he’s seemingly not an option.
- Since surrendering back-to-back-to-back homers to blow a save against the Dodgers a bit more than a week ago, Hector Neris has once again ramped up the usage of his splitter, as Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer points out. Gelb notes that 30 of the 43 pitches Neris has thrown since that meltdown have been splitters. The Phillies have “implored” Neris to throw his splitter, which is his best pitch, with more and more frequency, Gelb adds. “The more he uses it, the more hitters have to worry about it, and they can’t sit on his fastball,” says manager Pete Mackanin. MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki notes that during Neris’ shakiest stretch this season, he was throwing 40 percent splitters against 60 percent four-seam fastballs. Neris looks to be back on track, and it doesn’t seem as if there’s any real thought in making a ninth-inning change in Philadelphia at this time. (Reminder to fantasy players: you can track all of the latest ninth-inning drama by following MLBTR’s @closernews account on Twitter.)
Yup, that simple for Neris. Keep that splitter coming. What a filthy pitch that makes his fastball even better.
Mauricio Cabrera has perhaps the most pedestrian 101 mph fastball I’ve ever seen. I mean, yeah. Radar gun pop. But the spin is pretty average and it barely moves. His secondary stuff is solid, though.
All very true statements.
He needed a little more AAA time. Glad they didnt rush him back to the bigs
Sounds like Bobby Parnell
Joe Kelly also. He’s throwing 99-101 every fastball, but there is nothing to it. Curve and slider is what is getting his outs with.
Kelly has really good movement. 12.8 MOV on his 2 seamer, which is his most used FB. His 4 seam is his most effective pitch, but he throws it less often. It also has great movement at 12.1 MOV. Kelly’s biggest problem has not been the effectiveness or movement, it’s been walks. He is walking 5 plus per 9 this season. I think if he dialed down both his 2 seam and the 4 seam FB just a notch he would have more control and he would be more effective.
He’s stopped the change for the most part this season. i think (just me) he doesn’t have command of the thing anywhere. He shows the FB and still the secondaries (slider, especially curve) to get outs.
When he was starting the FB wasn’t sitting nearly this high and it was the same old Kelly. Catcher target inside and kelly would throw high.. Outside.. etc.. Nothing personal against the guy. if the ball was really moving, he’d have more k’s to show
The ball really is moving. Unless you trust human eyes (notoriously unreliable) more than Trackman/PITCHf/x (notoriously more reliable).
It isn’t so much about hs movement, it about his control. He threw more balls than strikes with his fastball. If you can hit triple digits, and Cabrera topped out at 103.5, just put it over the plate and you will do pretty well. If you are walking 5-6 a game then any hits are going to be compounded by the free passes.
The movement on his fastball was a 10.2 MOV according to Pitch F/X or above average compared to other pitchers that have 100 mph 4 seam fastballs.
Why would anyone be surprised at the Braves’ pen? They brought back the same jobbers they had last year.
Krol has actually been much better of late. 2.35 ERA over his last 7 appearances. One thing to note about his inflated ERA, he allowed 5 runs on 1 appearance which was 0.1 IP. Honestly, when a reliever is doing that poorly, its on the manager to pull him. There are 7 relievers for a reason.
Odd the mets would call up cecchini wnose batting .274 but not there number 1 prospect Rosario whose batting .377 do they want to win there division
Not odd at all. Cecchini already has service time and will ride the bench. If Rosario is getting called up it’s to play everyday and that’s not happening right now. Plus Balderson isn’t about winning he’s about controlling the player as long as possible.