Woeful Mets seek spark in Wheeler
Zack Wheeler is no savior. The New York Mets right-hander acknowledged as much Monday in Atlanta on the eve of his major league debut, which will come today against the Braves at Turner Field.
The Mets, who own the thirdworst record in baseball, have plenty of problems, and pitching certainly is one. Other than ace righty Matt Harvey, no Mets pitcher has an ERA in the top 30 of the National League. The organization finally called up Wheeler this week to help remedy the situation and perhaps salvage the rest of a disappointing season. But the rookie isn’t making any promises.
Today, weather permitting, Harvey and Wheeler will team up to start both ends of a day-night doubleheader. Wheeler, 23, is wise enough to know the occasion will do little to cure what ails the Mets.
“I don’t think I’m the savior at all,” Wheeler said. “We’ve got great arms here, and we’ve got great players. We might not be doing too well right now, but I know the talent of these guys. Hopefully we can turn it around here soon.”
Wheeler meant “we” in a general sense, but it’s generally acknowledged he and Harvey will be at the forefront of any Mets renaissance.
In his second year in the big leagues, Harvey has established himself as one of the game’s best pitchers with a 2.04 ERA, 5.10 strikeout-towalk ratio and 0.91 WHIP. His debut last July against the Arizona Diamondbacks wasn’t too shabby, either. The righty blew away expectations by allowing three hits and striking out 11 in 51⁄3 scoreless innings, a line Wheeler doesn’t expect to replicate.
“That’s the thing, he set the bar so high because he just took off once he came up here,” Wheeler said of Harvey, 24.
Mets manager Terry Collins has shied away from comparing the two. He explained starting Wheeler in the nightcap would help the rookie execute his normal routines, but the pressure will be immense no matter when or where he debuts.
“You can pitch him in a boneyard, you’re not going to take the pressure off this guy,” Collins said. “It’s a bigleague game, his first start. There’s going to be a lot of heat on him.”
Rated the 11th-best prospect by Baseball America this spring, Wheeler was selected by the San Francisco Giants with the sixth overall pick in 2009, then was traded to the Mets for Carlos Beltran in 2011. His arsenal is easy to compare to Harvey’s, keyed by an upper-90s fastball.