GaryMrMets
09-02-2003, 12:04 AM
http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/nym/news/nym_news.jsp?ymd=20030901&content_id=507418&vkey=news_nym&fext=.jsp&c_id=nyn
09/01/2003 6:22 PM ET
Mets excited about six callups
Moreno, Garcia could see significant action
By Kevin T. Czerwinski / MLB.com
NEW YORK -- The future continued to arrive early this weekend when the Mets announced a series of callups that had Shea Stadium buzzing.
Orber Moreno, a potential closer of the future, was activated prior to Monday's 3-2 victory over Atlanta while Danny Garcia, the player tabbed by many as the team's second baseman of the future, was called up following the game.
In addition, pitchers Edwin Almonte and Jaime Cerda as well as outfielder Prentice Redman were recalled on Monday, bringing to six the number of players the Mets brought in as rosters expanded. Jeremy Griffiths was also recalled and started Monday's game.
Moreno showed this season that he has the stuff to be a closer -- at Double-A and Triple-A. Whether he will get the chance to finish off some games with the parent club at any point this month remains to be seen. One thing is certain, though. The young fireballer has created a stir within the organization.
He has had right labrum surgery and Tommy John surgery since July 2000, but has been impressive since signing with the Mets in Spring Training. He was 2-0 with a save to go along with a 1.69 ERA in four games at Double-A Binghamton before earning a promotion to Triple-A Norfolk. Moreno was 5-1 with 12 saves and a 1.90 ERA in 38 games for the Tides, including a 24 1/3-inning scoreless streak.
While the surgeries robbed him of some of his speed, Moreno's four-seam fastball can still reach 95 mph on the gun while his two-seamer regularly arrives in the low 90s. Moreno says the injuries have taught him to be a more complete pitcher. He's throwing a sharp sinker these days, a pitch that is proving to be a nice complement to his fastball.
Moreno, 26, signed with the Royals as a non-drafted free agent in 1993, eventually earning a closer of the future tag in Kansas City. He appeared in all of seven games for the Royals in 1999 before injuries shut him down. Kansas City released him after last season, so he went to Orlando and rehabbed on his own.
The Mets were the first club that came calling this spring -- on the advice of a former coach in the Royals minor league system -- and Moreno quickly accepted.
"I feel blessed to be able to come back from all these injuries," said Moreno, who donned No. 49 and warmed up at one point late in Monday's game. "Both surgeries are hard to come back from, but I'm proving I'm healthy. I feel real good now. I don't have the speed I had before, but I still throw hard.
"I don't have any hard feelings against the Royals. They are the first team to give me an opportunity. But now I am with the Mets."
Moreno passed every test the Mets gave him this summer, including pitching on back-to-back days, throwing several two-inning stints.
Garcia, 23, could be the most interesting one in the group, however. He began the year in Binghamton, hitting .333 through 32 games before earning a promotion to Norfolk. He started off hot in the International League, went through a slump and then leveled off before finishing with a .266 average in 100 games with the Tides. A fifth-round pick out of Pepperdine in 2001, Garcia had four homers, 54 RBIs and 11 steals with Norfolk. He will wear No. 12.
"We wanted to have a chance to take a look at him," general manager Jim Duquette said. "We were talking back and forth about him regularly before [Jose] Reyes got hurt. The overriding decision was whether to bring him up now as opposed to the beginning of next season at some point.
"At some point next year he'll fit into our plans and we want to get him some at-bats and get him exposed instead of waiting until next year. We'd like to get him some playing time now."
While Duquette said he doesn't expect Moreno to be thrust into save situations immediately, he indicated that Garcia could see a significant amount of playing time.
Almonte, meanwhile, will begin his third stint with the parent club. The right-hander was part of the Roberto Alomar deal and has a 12.10 ERA in nine games for the Mets this season. He went 1-1 with six saves and a 2.65 ERA in 15 games for Norfolk.
Cerda will join the Mets for a fifth time. He was on New York's Opening Day roster and has seen action in 23 games, going to Norfolk for the final time on Aug. 23. He was 1-1 with a 6.14 ERA while with the parent club, but was 3-0 with a 1.72 ERA in 21 games for the Tides.
Redman, meanwhile, joins the club for a third time. He spent five days with the Mets on their last road trip when Joe McEwing went home on paternity leave. Redman is 0-for-1 and has been used a pinch-runner after hitting .252 with 11 homers and 48 RBIs in 123 games for Norfolk.
In addition, Norfolk manager Bobby Floyd will join the Major League coaching staff after guiding the Tides to a third-place finish in the International League's South Division. A former Mets coach, Floyd has been with the organization for 17 years. Norfolk's head trainer Brian Chicklo will also be added to the staff.
Kevin Czerwinski is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
09/01/2003 6:22 PM ET
Mets excited about six callups
Moreno, Garcia could see significant action
By Kevin T. Czerwinski / MLB.com
NEW YORK -- The future continued to arrive early this weekend when the Mets announced a series of callups that had Shea Stadium buzzing.
Orber Moreno, a potential closer of the future, was activated prior to Monday's 3-2 victory over Atlanta while Danny Garcia, the player tabbed by many as the team's second baseman of the future, was called up following the game.
In addition, pitchers Edwin Almonte and Jaime Cerda as well as outfielder Prentice Redman were recalled on Monday, bringing to six the number of players the Mets brought in as rosters expanded. Jeremy Griffiths was also recalled and started Monday's game.
Moreno showed this season that he has the stuff to be a closer -- at Double-A and Triple-A. Whether he will get the chance to finish off some games with the parent club at any point this month remains to be seen. One thing is certain, though. The young fireballer has created a stir within the organization.
He has had right labrum surgery and Tommy John surgery since July 2000, but has been impressive since signing with the Mets in Spring Training. He was 2-0 with a save to go along with a 1.69 ERA in four games at Double-A Binghamton before earning a promotion to Triple-A Norfolk. Moreno was 5-1 with 12 saves and a 1.90 ERA in 38 games for the Tides, including a 24 1/3-inning scoreless streak.
While the surgeries robbed him of some of his speed, Moreno's four-seam fastball can still reach 95 mph on the gun while his two-seamer regularly arrives in the low 90s. Moreno says the injuries have taught him to be a more complete pitcher. He's throwing a sharp sinker these days, a pitch that is proving to be a nice complement to his fastball.
Moreno, 26, signed with the Royals as a non-drafted free agent in 1993, eventually earning a closer of the future tag in Kansas City. He appeared in all of seven games for the Royals in 1999 before injuries shut him down. Kansas City released him after last season, so he went to Orlando and rehabbed on his own.
The Mets were the first club that came calling this spring -- on the advice of a former coach in the Royals minor league system -- and Moreno quickly accepted.
"I feel blessed to be able to come back from all these injuries," said Moreno, who donned No. 49 and warmed up at one point late in Monday's game. "Both surgeries are hard to come back from, but I'm proving I'm healthy. I feel real good now. I don't have the speed I had before, but I still throw hard.
"I don't have any hard feelings against the Royals. They are the first team to give me an opportunity. But now I am with the Mets."
Moreno passed every test the Mets gave him this summer, including pitching on back-to-back days, throwing several two-inning stints.
Garcia, 23, could be the most interesting one in the group, however. He began the year in Binghamton, hitting .333 through 32 games before earning a promotion to Norfolk. He started off hot in the International League, went through a slump and then leveled off before finishing with a .266 average in 100 games with the Tides. A fifth-round pick out of Pepperdine in 2001, Garcia had four homers, 54 RBIs and 11 steals with Norfolk. He will wear No. 12.
"We wanted to have a chance to take a look at him," general manager Jim Duquette said. "We were talking back and forth about him regularly before [Jose] Reyes got hurt. The overriding decision was whether to bring him up now as opposed to the beginning of next season at some point.
"At some point next year he'll fit into our plans and we want to get him some at-bats and get him exposed instead of waiting until next year. We'd like to get him some playing time now."
While Duquette said he doesn't expect Moreno to be thrust into save situations immediately, he indicated that Garcia could see a significant amount of playing time.
Almonte, meanwhile, will begin his third stint with the parent club. The right-hander was part of the Roberto Alomar deal and has a 12.10 ERA in nine games for the Mets this season. He went 1-1 with six saves and a 2.65 ERA in 15 games for Norfolk.
Cerda will join the Mets for a fifth time. He was on New York's Opening Day roster and has seen action in 23 games, going to Norfolk for the final time on Aug. 23. He was 1-1 with a 6.14 ERA while with the parent club, but was 3-0 with a 1.72 ERA in 21 games for the Tides.
Redman, meanwhile, joins the club for a third time. He spent five days with the Mets on their last road trip when Joe McEwing went home on paternity leave. Redman is 0-for-1 and has been used a pinch-runner after hitting .252 with 11 homers and 48 RBIs in 123 games for Norfolk.
In addition, Norfolk manager Bobby Floyd will join the Major League coaching staff after guiding the Tides to a third-place finish in the International League's South Division. A former Mets coach, Floyd has been with the organization for 17 years. Norfolk's head trainer Brian Chicklo will also be added to the staff.
Kevin Czerwinski is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.