Baseball Guru
05-25-2004, 09:56 PM
May 25, 2004
NEW YORK (AP) -- The New York Mets on Tuesday sent right-hander Tyler Yates to Triple-A Norfolk, where he will begin the transition from starter to reliever.
Yates earned a spot in the rotation during spring training but was sent to Norfolk on May 9 after going 1-4 in six starts. He was recalled Friday to start in place of the injured Al Leiter, and gave up four runs in just 4 1-3 innings against Colorado.
The Mets noticed that the velocity of Yates' pitches dropped off considerably during games and felt that he would be better able to take advantage of his 94-95 mph fastball coming out of the bullpen.
``He got an opportunity to see how it was to start,'' New York manager Art Howe said. ``Now he knows what we have to focus on and he agrees. ... There is a real upside to the bullpen for him.''
While Yates gets used to the rhythms of pitching on consecutive days out of the bullpen in Norfolk, the Mets purchased the contract of right-handed reliever Pedro Feliciano from their top minor league club, where he was 2-2 with a 6.30 ERA in 15 appearances.
Because the Mets have two days off this week, they will not need a fifth starter until Monday.
In other minor league news, Mets second baseman Jose Reyes was scratched from his rehabilitation start for Class A St. Lucie with a sore lower back.
Reyes has been out since spring training with a strained right hamstring and just returned to action Friday. The Mets said his hamstring is fine, and his back will be reevaluated on Wednesday. He's listed as day-to-day.
Ricky Gutierrez, meanwhile, has cleared waivers and opted for free agency. Gutierrez was designated for assignment on May 13 after batting .175 in 24 games.
He started 14 games at second base, but Danny Garcia took over that job on April 29. The Mets acquired Gutierrez from Cleveland on March 28 for a player to be named.
NEW YORK (AP) -- The New York Mets on Tuesday sent right-hander Tyler Yates to Triple-A Norfolk, where he will begin the transition from starter to reliever.
Yates earned a spot in the rotation during spring training but was sent to Norfolk on May 9 after going 1-4 in six starts. He was recalled Friday to start in place of the injured Al Leiter, and gave up four runs in just 4 1-3 innings against Colorado.
The Mets noticed that the velocity of Yates' pitches dropped off considerably during games and felt that he would be better able to take advantage of his 94-95 mph fastball coming out of the bullpen.
``He got an opportunity to see how it was to start,'' New York manager Art Howe said. ``Now he knows what we have to focus on and he agrees. ... There is a real upside to the bullpen for him.''
While Yates gets used to the rhythms of pitching on consecutive days out of the bullpen in Norfolk, the Mets purchased the contract of right-handed reliever Pedro Feliciano from their top minor league club, where he was 2-2 with a 6.30 ERA in 15 appearances.
Because the Mets have two days off this week, they will not need a fifth starter until Monday.
In other minor league news, Mets second baseman Jose Reyes was scratched from his rehabilitation start for Class A St. Lucie with a sore lower back.
Reyes has been out since spring training with a strained right hamstring and just returned to action Friday. The Mets said his hamstring is fine, and his back will be reevaluated on Wednesday. He's listed as day-to-day.
Ricky Gutierrez, meanwhile, has cleared waivers and opted for free agency. Gutierrez was designated for assignment on May 13 after batting .175 in 24 games.
He started 14 games at second base, but Danny Garcia took over that job on April 29. The Mets acquired Gutierrez from Cleveland on March 28 for a player to be named.