BUDDY OL' PAL
With Mejia hurting, Collins relies on Plan B to close win
WASHINGTON — Josh Edgin. Zack Wheeler. Vic Black. Bobby Parnell. All four pitchers are on the disabled list for the Mets.
And nowthere is fear over the health of Jenrry Mejia.
“We’re wearing out that MRI machine,” general manager Sandy Alderson said Monday after the Mets’ 31 seasonopening victory over the Nationals.
Mejia was scheduled to fly back to New York Tuesday for an MRI on his right elbow and an examination by Mets medical director Dr. David Altchek at the Hospital for Special Surgery, the team announced late Monday.
Mejia was all set to be used as the closer to preserve Bartolo Colon’s victory but suddenly after he started warming up, he simply couldn’t go.
“I couldn’t get loose,” Mejia, who did not address the press afterwards, told the team’s media relations staff.
So manager Terry Collins quickly shifted to Plan B, as in Blevins, Jerry for one out and then Plan C, as in Carlyle, Buddy who got two outs and his first career save.
That was for Monday. Until further notice, Jeurys Familia will close for Mejia.
“He was warmed up. Threw a number of pitches and finally told Ricky [ bullpen coach Bones] his elbow was stiff,” said Collins, who related that Mejia said he experienced pain behind the elbow and problems with extension. “He couldn’t get it loose and with what we seen, he’s had elbow issues in the past andwe had to shut him down.”
And it was a total surprise for the manager. Mejia pitched in Texas two days earlier and then rested to be ready for the opener.
“We were certainly unaware of it,” said Collins who did not want to speculate on any potential roster moves but said he will move Familia into the closer role ( something that occurred last season).
“Whatever the situation is, I will just try to go out and domy job,” said Familia about closing.
Additionally, Collins said he would possibly get Rafael Montero work, maybe in the seventh inning, with Carlos Torres handling the eighth.
Got it? But first, there was a game to bewon and saved. After Torres worked the seventh and Familia breezed through the eighth, Mejia made stuff dicey. Blevins, the lefty who just came over from the Nationals in a March 30 trade, was told to get ready with two outs in the top of the ninth. He warmed up previously, came on and needed three pitches to get Bryce Harper to fly out.
“Got an out. There you go,” Blevins said. “It’s an out and we won a ball game. That’s the main goal. An out in the ninth when your team is winning so it’s huge.”
Then came Carlyle and the save that finally arrived. Carlyle, 37, is in his 20th pro season, ninth in the majors in a career that took him to Japan and has had its share of bumps.
“That’s why we’re down there to be prepared. You know T. C. has confidence in everyone down there to get outs whenever we can,” said Carlyle who needed nine pitches to dispatch Ryan Zimmerman and Wilson Ramos. “It is [ special]. It just shows you never know what’s going to happen. You keep working hard. In 2009 I thought I was a Type 1 diabetic, didn’t know what was going to happen and coming back thatwas [ why] I still played to show kids they can dowhatever they want with that disease.
“Opening Day and get my first save. It’s kind of crazy.”