'THEY ARE HUNGRY'
Eager for redemption, pitchers prep with Mets’ new throwing program
A structured offseason throwing program is step one in the Mets’ rebuilding of their pitching rotation.
To that end, new pitching coach Dave Eiland is encouraged by reports he is receiving from Noah Syndergaard, Jacob deGrom, Matt Harvey, Steven Matz and Zack Wheeler, among others, with an eye toward having each throwing from a mound later this month.
The spring-training reporting date for Mets pitchers and catchers is Feb. 12 in Port St. Lucie, Fla.
“They are all working hard,” Eiland said Thursday. “They like the program, like the structure of it, they have something to work from. You can’t be with them during the winter, so the best you can do is send them a program and stay in contact with them and check in.”
New manager Mickey Callaway and Eiland implemented the throwing program — which had previously been absent from the organization — with the hope each pitcher will arrive at spring training already in pitching shape, but not overextended.
Syndergaard, Harvey, Wheeler and Seth Lugo all spent significant time on the disabled list last season, and Matz is coming off surgery to relocate the ulnar nerve in his left elbow. But Eiland indicated all have begun long tossing and are on course to start spring workouts on time.
Eiland expects each pitcher to throw from a mound “three or four times,” beginning in mid-to-late January, before arriving to spring training.
“They are hungry,” Eiland said. “The ones I have talked to, I get the sense they are a little upset. I know they are upset with the way things went last year and they are hungry and they want redemption. They are out to prove a lot of people wrong and quiet some of the critics out there, but more than that it’s for themselves and the team and the organization.”
High on Eiland’s list of priorities is resurrecting Harvey, who underwent surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome in 2016 before pitching to a 6.70 ERA in 19 appearances last season. Harvey’s dismal season included a suspension after he skipped a game in May.
“It’s a clean slate,” Eiland said. “I know all the stories and the things in the past, but it’s about what we do now. I have told some of these guys that and I’ve told Matt that and they know there is going to be accountability.”
Eiland said he met with Harvey in
New York last month and was impressed by the pitcher’s physical appearance.
“He’s in tremendous shape,” Eiland said.
And based on the video he’s seen, Eiland is convinced Harvey can rebound.
“The arm strength was there, the stamina wasn’t where he could maintain it,” Eiland said. “But a full offseason where he could train as he normally would without any restrictions, I look for him to be fine. But this thoracic outlet syndrome is a new thing and there isn’t a lot of history or data there. But I was encouraged by what I saw, the way he threw the ball in September.”
Eiland said the pitchers have reacted favorably to the new offseason throwing program because of the structure it provides.
“They know if they have any questions or concerns I am only a phone call away,” Eiland said. “I have talked to several of them multiple times, and now that we are into January I am going to be talking to them once a week or every 10 days. We are getting close now.”