Baseball Guru
07-01-2002, 03:51 PM
NEW YORK (AP) - The New York Mets activated reliever Grant Roberts from a 5-day disabled list Sunday and optioned right-hander Satoru Komiyama to Triple-A Norfolk.
Roberts is 1-0 with a 1.42 ERA in 24 appearances this season. He worked a perfect inning in a rehabilitation assignment at Double-A Binghamton on Friday night, throwing 16 pitches.
``I felt a little rusty out there, so I'm definitely glad we did that,'' Roberts said. ``Just seeing hitters again, it was good to go out there.''
Roberts was placed on the 15-day DL on June 13 with a right rotator cuff strain. He was available to pitch Sunday night against the New York Yankees.
The 36-year-old Komiyama was a seven-time All-Star in Japan before signing with the Mets in the offseason.
``Obviously, I'm disappointed for going down,'' he said. ``But I think they think I can't contribute to the team right now. So I'll go down and get in shape to contribute.''
Komiyama will get a chance to start at Norfolk.
``By going down to start it accomplishes two things,'' Mets general manager Steve Phillips said. ``It gives him more time on the mound to get sharp again, and it stretches him out some more and gets him going longer innings.''
Komiyama was 0-3 with a 4.63 ERA in 21 games for the Mets this year. He has given up 38 hits, including five home runs, in 35 innings.
``His last few outings haven't been as sharp as he was early,'' Phillips said.
The decision to send Komiyama down instead of rookie Jaime Cerda, who pitched 2 2-3 scoreless innings over the first two games of this weekend's series against the Yankees, leaves the Mets with three left-handers in the bullpen. Mark Guthrie and Bobby Jones are the others.
Roberts is 1-0 with a 1.42 ERA in 24 appearances this season. He worked a perfect inning in a rehabilitation assignment at Double-A Binghamton on Friday night, throwing 16 pitches.
``I felt a little rusty out there, so I'm definitely glad we did that,'' Roberts said. ``Just seeing hitters again, it was good to go out there.''
Roberts was placed on the 15-day DL on June 13 with a right rotator cuff strain. He was available to pitch Sunday night against the New York Yankees.
The 36-year-old Komiyama was a seven-time All-Star in Japan before signing with the Mets in the offseason.
``Obviously, I'm disappointed for going down,'' he said. ``But I think they think I can't contribute to the team right now. So I'll go down and get in shape to contribute.''
Komiyama will get a chance to start at Norfolk.
``By going down to start it accomplishes two things,'' Mets general manager Steve Phillips said. ``It gives him more time on the mound to get sharp again, and it stretches him out some more and gets him going longer innings.''
Komiyama was 0-3 with a 4.63 ERA in 21 games for the Mets this year. He has given up 38 hits, including five home runs, in 35 innings.
``His last few outings haven't been as sharp as he was early,'' Phillips said.
The decision to send Komiyama down instead of rookie Jaime Cerda, who pitched 2 2-3 scoreless innings over the first two games of this weekend's series against the Yankees, leaves the Mets with three left-handers in the bullpen. Mark Guthrie and Bobby Jones are the others.