Liter22
04-18-2002, 08:00 PM
Satoru Komiyamam on 15 day DL. Is a cut worse than a laseration?
04/16/2002 9:13 pm ET
Komiyama out, Yates recalled
By Kevin T. Czerwinski / MLB.com
In three appearances, Satoru Komiyama has allowed four earned runs in 7 1/3 innings pitched this season. (Mark Lennihan/AP)
NEW YORK -- Satoru Komiyama's lacerated right index finger normally wouldn't be cause for much concern. But the combination of two more games against the Braves and the recent workload placed on the bullpen necessitated a move, leaving the Mets no choice but to put the Japanese native on the disabled list.
Komiyama was placed on the 15-day DL Tuesday afternoon, retroactive to Sunday, after getting his finger caught in his garage door the previous day. While the injury did not appear serious Monday afternoon, it became apparent later that evening that Komiyama would not be able to pitch for several days, leaving the Mets without a long man for the near future.
He attempted warming up late in New York's extra-inning victory over Atlanta that evening but the cut on the palm side of his finger, just below the top knuckle, opened and began to bleed. Tyler Yates was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk of the International League to fill Komiyama's spot on the roster.
"I think I can go in three or four days, but I totally understand the situation," said Komiyama. "Right now we're short pitchers and I apologize that I can't pitch. We're playing against the Braves and we need the pitcher now. I understand it."
Though Komiyama believes he can recover quickly, the Mets can't afford to be short-handed in the bullpen, especially with how much work the relief corps has been putting in of late. Scott Strickland pitched in three consecutive games prior to Tuesday. David Weathers had a three-inning, 49-pitch effort on Saturday against Montreal and then followed that up with an appearance Monday night. Armando Benitez had a rare two-inning stint in the series-opener against Atlanta after pitching in two games against the Expos over the weekend. Grant Roberts had also pitched twice in the last three days.
As it turned out, the Mets didn't need Komiyama, Yates or any other reliever Tuesday night at Shea Stadium. Pedro Astacio went the distance, hurling New York's first complete game of the season in topping Atlanta, 3-1.
"It's a tough call because [Komiyama would] pitch with a stump if he could," manager Bobby Valentine said. "But once the blood shows up on the ball, they're not going to allow him to pitch. It's a tough tradeoff. If we had an off day, it might be different. But having the bullpen at a deficit for even one game is a bad thing."
Komiyama, who was sporting tape and a plastic brace on the digit, said the cut was actually not as bad as it looks or as bad as it's being made out to be. He insisted that he would have been able to pitch because he uses his fingertip to grip the ball and that the cut would never come in contact with the ball.
"If the team needs me, I'd throw right now, even with the bleeding," said Komiyama, whose only time out with an injury occurred in 1994 when he was in Japan. He sat out part of that season with an elbow injury though the Japanese League does not have a disabled list. "That's my way. I'm loyal and dedicated to the team. I just want things to heal. I'm very disappointed. But I can't do anything about it now.
"I'm kind of stressed out whenever I look at the finger. It looks serious, but it's not. I have to be careful now. All my American friends told me I always have to be careful with my middle finger."
In Yates, the Mets add another lively arm. The 6-foot-4 Hawaiian, who was acquired along with Mark Guthrie in the Dec. 14 trade that sent David Justice to Oakland, had an impressive Spring Training and carried that effort into the beginning of the International League season. He had two saves in five games for the Tides, striking out eight in 6 2/3 innings.
"I've had two days off so I'm pretty fresh," Yates said. "I slept the whole flight up here, too. I've been a set-up guy down there and sharing the closer role with Mark Corey. But I don't really care about my role. I don't pay attention as much to that as I do to just pitching well."
There was some consideration given to calling up Pete Walker, who also had a strong spring. Calling up Walker, though, would have meant adding him to the 40-man roster. When he gets sent back to Norfolk in two weeks he would have to then clear waivers and the Mets didn't want to risk losing him.
"Walker was considered," Valentine said. "But Yates was the most successful guy down there. He's been dominant by every report I have. He has real good stuff and the pitches I saw [him throw] were above Major League average. During the spring he threw better than average every time he threw."
04/16/2002 9:13 pm ET
Komiyama out, Yates recalled
By Kevin T. Czerwinski / MLB.com
In three appearances, Satoru Komiyama has allowed four earned runs in 7 1/3 innings pitched this season. (Mark Lennihan/AP)
NEW YORK -- Satoru Komiyama's lacerated right index finger normally wouldn't be cause for much concern. But the combination of two more games against the Braves and the recent workload placed on the bullpen necessitated a move, leaving the Mets no choice but to put the Japanese native on the disabled list.
Komiyama was placed on the 15-day DL Tuesday afternoon, retroactive to Sunday, after getting his finger caught in his garage door the previous day. While the injury did not appear serious Monday afternoon, it became apparent later that evening that Komiyama would not be able to pitch for several days, leaving the Mets without a long man for the near future.
He attempted warming up late in New York's extra-inning victory over Atlanta that evening but the cut on the palm side of his finger, just below the top knuckle, opened and began to bleed. Tyler Yates was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk of the International League to fill Komiyama's spot on the roster.
"I think I can go in three or four days, but I totally understand the situation," said Komiyama. "Right now we're short pitchers and I apologize that I can't pitch. We're playing against the Braves and we need the pitcher now. I understand it."
Though Komiyama believes he can recover quickly, the Mets can't afford to be short-handed in the bullpen, especially with how much work the relief corps has been putting in of late. Scott Strickland pitched in three consecutive games prior to Tuesday. David Weathers had a three-inning, 49-pitch effort on Saturday against Montreal and then followed that up with an appearance Monday night. Armando Benitez had a rare two-inning stint in the series-opener against Atlanta after pitching in two games against the Expos over the weekend. Grant Roberts had also pitched twice in the last three days.
As it turned out, the Mets didn't need Komiyama, Yates or any other reliever Tuesday night at Shea Stadium. Pedro Astacio went the distance, hurling New York's first complete game of the season in topping Atlanta, 3-1.
"It's a tough call because [Komiyama would] pitch with a stump if he could," manager Bobby Valentine said. "But once the blood shows up on the ball, they're not going to allow him to pitch. It's a tough tradeoff. If we had an off day, it might be different. But having the bullpen at a deficit for even one game is a bad thing."
Komiyama, who was sporting tape and a plastic brace on the digit, said the cut was actually not as bad as it looks or as bad as it's being made out to be. He insisted that he would have been able to pitch because he uses his fingertip to grip the ball and that the cut would never come in contact with the ball.
"If the team needs me, I'd throw right now, even with the bleeding," said Komiyama, whose only time out with an injury occurred in 1994 when he was in Japan. He sat out part of that season with an elbow injury though the Japanese League does not have a disabled list. "That's my way. I'm loyal and dedicated to the team. I just want things to heal. I'm very disappointed. But I can't do anything about it now.
"I'm kind of stressed out whenever I look at the finger. It looks serious, but it's not. I have to be careful now. All my American friends told me I always have to be careful with my middle finger."
In Yates, the Mets add another lively arm. The 6-foot-4 Hawaiian, who was acquired along with Mark Guthrie in the Dec. 14 trade that sent David Justice to Oakland, had an impressive Spring Training and carried that effort into the beginning of the International League season. He had two saves in five games for the Tides, striking out eight in 6 2/3 innings.
"I've had two days off so I'm pretty fresh," Yates said. "I slept the whole flight up here, too. I've been a set-up guy down there and sharing the closer role with Mark Corey. But I don't really care about my role. I don't pay attention as much to that as I do to just pitching well."
There was some consideration given to calling up Pete Walker, who also had a strong spring. Calling up Walker, though, would have meant adding him to the 40-man roster. When he gets sent back to Norfolk in two weeks he would have to then clear waivers and the Mets didn't want to risk losing him.
"Walker was considered," Valentine said. "But Yates was the most successful guy down there. He's been dominant by every report I have. He has real good stuff and the pitches I saw [him throw] were above Major League average. During the spring he threw better than average every time he threw."