Mets' top prospect Zack Wheeler has drive, confidence to meet big expectations

[Claymation]

Mets' top prospect Zack Wheeler has drive, confidence to meet big expectations

Lifted pickup trucks dominate the roadways here like minivans on the Meadowbrook. Fitted with specialized suspensions and custom wheels, they tower over the traffic in this wooded exurb more than an hour northwest of Atlanta.

Yet Zack Wheeler's bright red Dodge stands out. If the roar of the engine fails to capture attention, the puff of black exhaust surely will, just as it did this week as he snaked his way through a busy highway. He could spend all day just riding around in his truck, high above it all, listening to everything from '60s crooners to '90s rappers.

Evidence from a recent ride remains in the form of an empty Chick-fil-A bag wedged into his cupholders.

"I'm a simple guy," said Wheeler, who bought the ride along with a new home shortly after he was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in 2009. "That's all I need."

But in two weeks, the time will come once again for Wheeler to leave the home he shares with his older brother, the one that stands only a few blocks away from where his parents still live. He will arrive in Port St. Lucie for spring training as the top prospect in the Mets' organization, the embodiment of a franchise rebuilding plan orchestrated by general manager Sandy Alderson.

To the 22-year-old Wheeler, the main prize in the Carlos Beltran deal, that future can't come fast enough.

"I want to prove myself," Wheeler said this week. "I want to go out there, try to make the choice difficult for them, just compete. I mean, wherever they want to send me, that's fine. I want to go compete wherever that is. I'm going to try to get better wherever they send me. I don't care."

Alderson said on WFAN last week that Wheeler is unlikely to begin the season on the big-league team. His probable destination appears to be Triple-A Las Vegas, where he could be throwing the first pitch of a new season to catching prospect Travis d'Arnaud, providing a glimpse of the future.

Said Alderson: "Hopefully, the near future."



Wheeler likes his chances

Even if Wheeler begins the year in the minors, the 2013 season may be nothing more than a countdown for his arrival, just as 2012 proved to be in the case of fellow pitching prospect Matt Harvey . Still, Wheeler wants nothing more than the chance to defy the odds, even if his chances are slim.

"I just laugh because I think I've got a chance," said Wheeler, who cringes at those who question if he has enough experience to make his jump soon. "If I come out of spring training and I'm dealing . . . "

For now, that must remain a hypothetical. But what is well established is what the Mets already see in Wheeler, which is a commodity so precious that he was essentially off limits in any trade discussions this offseason. He only raised his profile by striking out 148 batters in 149 innings mostly at Double-A Binghamton .

Shortly after Wheeler capped a season in which he went 12-8 with a 3.26 ERA -- winding up the year with six starts at Triple-A Buffalo -- Mets vice president of scouting and player development Paul DePodesta raved about the tools he first spotted when Wheeler was in high school.

"He had them when he was 18 and one of the top picks in the country," DePodesta said at the time. "The difference is just consistency."

Occasional bouts with command remain an issue. Nevertheless, with a blazing fastball that touches the high 90s and a nasty curveball that can leave batters helpless, Wheeler has only validated growing hype.

Yet he insists he's put those expectations in proper context, a task made easier by watching how Harvey has handled similar pressures.

"There's really nothing to it for me," Wheeler said. "I've just got one job. That's to go out there and pitch, perform. I got drafted for a reason. That's my job for a reason. Just go out there and pitch. If the fans want to think of me highly, that's fine. If they want to have hope in me, I guess that's fine."



Preparing for next step

Wheeler has worked to justify that hope, his offseason spent enjoying the comforts of home, even as he prepares to leave it. During his down time, he spends the days playing video games in his basement, which he recently transformed into a three-screen man cave. He likes to fish in a lake down the street from his home and take in a few basketball games -- his first love.

But he remains mindful of work. He still throws three times a week at East Paulding High School, where he flourished as a senior, then promptly bought a new scoreboard with part of the $3.3 million the Giants gave him as the sixth overall draft pick. He also treks about 45 minutes for workouts at a training center frequented by the likes of Jason Heyward of the Atlanta Braves .

It is usually while in the weight room, during grueling workouts, that Wheeler allows himself to envision his future.

Just as it is from behind the wheel of his truck, the view of what lies ahead is perfectly clear.

Wheeler remembers visiting Citi Field at the end of last season for an awards ceremony. He had gone to Turner Field plenty of times as a kid, but what he saw in New York seemed different. He came away thinking about how "everything is tall and big," and how the effect was amplified when the sun went down and the lights came on.

"You've sort of got to let yourself get to that point so you can remind yourself that's where you want to be," Wheeler said. "You just don't want to be stuck in the minor leagues and be like a top prospect forever. You want to get to that point and be able to stay up there. You sort of want to envision the good part of it so you can work a little bit harder."

http://mobile.newsday.com/inf/infomo...465&nopaging=1

[eltwo]

He wants to work harder, great attitude, I hope he keeps it.

[JohnNY62]

"But he remains mindful of work. He still throws three times a week at East Paulding High School, where he flourished as a senior, then promptly bought a new scoreboard with part of the $3.3 million the Giants gave him as the sixth overall draft pick. He also treks about 45 minutes for workouts at a training center frequented by the likes of Jason Heyward of the Atlanta Braves ."

Great that he works hard .. even greater that he has this kind of character. Am looking forward to seeing him.

[Sick Of It All]

http://metsminorleagueblog.com/uncat...er-projection/

How good will Zack Wheeler be? According to Carson Cistulli, who combed through Dan Szymborski’s ZiPS projections, Wheeler owns the best projection of any pitcher with rookie eligibility.

ZiPS forecasts Wheeler at: 141.2 IP, 8.6 K/9, 4.4 BB/9, 0.7 HR/9, 1.9 WAR.

This is a fun contrast to yesterday’s Keith Law post leaving Wheeler out of his 20 top impact rookies. However, the question here is one of opportunity again. Is Wheeler likely to get as many as 141.2 innings in the big leagues? I’d doubt that. Starting pitching appears to be a strength of the 2013 Mets. But pitchers get hurt. That’s what they do. At some point, there will be a rotation opening for Wheeler. And if no one gets hurt, someone will get traded (hint: for an outfielder).

There’s also the case from last year. Matt Harvey threw 59.1 innings in the big leagues in 2012 after 110 in AAA. However, Wheeler, with six starts and 33 innings at AAA at the end of 2012, is at least a little ahead of Harvey’s progress through the system at this time last year. Also, Wheeler is coming off a 2012 in which he threw 149 innings total.

Given how cautious the Mets are about increasing the innings pitched by their young hurlers, it’s hard to see Wheeler throwing about 185 innings in 2013. He averaged 6.1 innings per start in AA last year and 5.5 in AAA. Lets split the difference and give him 5.8 innings per start over 10 AAA starts taking him to 58 innings before the Mets would call him up, at the earliest. That gives him a max of about 120 innings in the big leagues in 2013, depending of course on his own performance and health, and that of the rotation in front of him.

So that leaves Wheeler as likely to throw between 70 and 120 Major League innings in 2013, which is certainly something for Mets fans to look forward to.

[Sick Of It All]

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/met...camp-in-stride

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Roughly a week into his first major league camp, does anything stand out for Zack Wheeler?

"No, not really," Wheeler said. "Maybe just the work ethic of some of the guys. That's really about it. Everything else is the same. It opens your eyes a little bit, because they're been around a while. It probably works what they're doing."

Wheeler's locker is situated between Johan Santana and Matt Harvey, and on the same row of stalls as veteran Shaun Marcum. Wheeler said it's too early to have had in-depth conversations yet.

"You just chitchat every once in a while," Wheeler said. "I really haven't had sat down with anybody or anything like that. Just small talk and stuff. It's been good."

[Sick Of It All]

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2013/02/...r-to-triple-a/

The New York Mets don’t often give rookies and non-roster invitees lockers adjacent to the stalls of established players. Zack Wheeler is an exception.

The 22-year-old right-hander’s locker is between those of two-time Cy Young Award winner Johan Santana and Matt Harvey, who made a sparking big league debut last summer.

“We’ve talked a little bit here and there,” Wheeler said. “Nothing serious, just some chit chat.”

Barring an injury to one of the Mets projected starting pitchers, Wheeler likely will start the season at Triple-A Las Vegas. Mets manager Terry Collins said Wheeler needs more time at the highest minor league level, where he made six starts last season.

“He needs to go to Triple-A and pitch,” Collins said. “He wants to be on the staff? Go be the best pitcher in Triple-A. Force us to call him up.”

Wheeler went a combined 12-8 with a 3.26 ERA and 148 strikeouts in 149 innings last year at Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Buffalo. He was selected to play in his second All-Star Futures Game last July, joining Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout and New York Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano in the group that has appeared in that event multiple times. There are many Mets fans who hope to see the right-handed hurler make his debut at Citi Field this season.

“They’ve said they want me to start the season in Triple-A, but I’m going to make the decision hard on them,” Wheeler said. “I’m going to go out there, compete and try my hardest. My whole offseason has been getting ready for this point, spring training. I’m coming in and competing for a job at this point. In my mind, I think you’ve got to come in thinking like that. I’m coming in competition for a job. Terry said he’s going to give me the ball and let me pitch, so we’ll see what happens.”

The locker placement was intentional. Collins wants Wheeler to learn from Harvey, who had a strong spring training last year, then was sent to the minors until late July.

“It’s tough, but you can’t really think about it,” Harvey said. “It’s out of your control. It’s out of any decision you have or any decision you can make. The only thing you can do is keep your head down and keep going, and that’s what I’ve told Zack.

“You can go out there and completely dominate and get sent down to Triple-A. Or you can go out there, pitch mediocre, and you never know, you could make the team. Anything can happen. But they have a plan and they have the final say. The only thing you can control is what you can control.”

[Sick Of It All]

http://www.nj.com/mets/index.ssf/201...k_wheeler.html

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — At approximately 11:45 Wednesday morning, the main attraction took the mound on Field 7 at the Mets’ spring training complex. Fans populated the perimeter. A few coaches stood behind the batting cage. A group of the team’s most established major leaguers — David Wright and Ike Davis among them — clustered along the first-base line.

All in attendance were curious. They had heard about Zack Wheeler, the 22-year-old hard-throwing right-hander, who along with fellow starter Matt Harvey and catcher Travis d’Arnaud, will be tasked to lift the franchise from the depths of mediocrity. It was time to witness the organization’s top prospect for themselves.

On the mound, Wheeler was oblivious to the fanfare.

“I didn’t even notice who was up there hitting,” Wheeler said smiling after throwing his first live batting practice session in major-league camp. “I was in the zone.”

Wheeler threw 30 pitches, a mix of explosive fastballs, curveballs and sliders effortlessly emerging from his right hand. He left an impression in his 10 minutes of work.

“You can tell he’s a big dog,” said 11-year veteran outfielder Marlon Byrd, one of the batters to face Wheeler. “He’s going to be an ace of the staff with the type of stuff that he has.”

While he was encouraged — especially with the bite on his breaking pitches — Wheeler wasn’t satisfied. He lamented that he continues to struggle to accurately locate his fastball over the corner across his body. Sometimes it is the product of his left shoulder flying open, other times due to rotating his left leg a bit too rapidly, he diagnosed. The result, he said, often is pitches up and over the heart of the plate, usually a disastrous formula at the big-league level.

Wheeler will have ample time to rectify the issue before pitching the majors. He will surely begin the 2013 season in Triple-A for two reasons.

First, to improve. His arsenal, which includes a fastball that tops off at 98 miles per hour, isn’t in question. His command of it is. In six starts with Triple-A Buffalo, Wheeler walked 16 batters over 33 innings.

Second, pushing his major-league debut at least 20 days into the season will postpone his free agency a year, to after the 2019 season.

It is the blueprint the Mets used with Harvey last season. Harvey made his major-league debut on July 26 and posted a 2.73 ERA in 10 starts. He was limited to 170 innings, which is expected for Wheeler this season. The Mets are expecting immediate success similar to Harvey’s.

“There’s a reason why he’s one of the best prospects in baseball,” said utilityman Justin Turner, who also faced Wheeler yesterday. “His fastball got some late life on it. It explodes out of his hand. He’s pretty darn good.”

What is certain is his spring training debut Saturday against the Nationals. It will be his first game action against major-league hitters. Once again, he’ll be the center of attention.
“Nervous wouldn’t be the word,” Wheeler said of pitching Saturday. “Maybe anxious, I guess. But you can ask any pitcher in here. You’re just anxious to get there on the mound throwing. Your heart’s beating a little bit more, but I think that’s for everybody.”

[fanofclendennon]

Anyone miss John Maine?

[metswon69]

No...

[YoungStuna28]

I miss the old John Maine. That rising fastball was fun to see.

[Sick Of It All]

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?...k_nym&c_id=nym

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Zack Wheeler took the mound in the third inning Saturday for his first big league appearance, walked the first Nationals batter he faced and threw one of his next pitches to the backstop.

That was enough for catcher John Buck and third baseman David Wright to jog to the mound, seeking to calm their ace of the future.

Buck tried humor: "You a little amped up?" he asked. "Is your heart beating?"

"He kind of chuckled and was like, 'Yeah, just a little,'" Buck said. "It was kind of funny. He was a little shocked that I asked right in the middle of an intense moment."

The chat worked. Wheeler finished the third inning with consecutive strikeouts of Tyler Moore and Chad Tracy, both on fastballs clocked in the mid-90s, then generated three ground balls in a scoreless fourth. Relying heavily on his fastball and high-80s slider, Wheeler also dropped in two overhand curves in his outing.

"There wasn't really nerves," Wheeler said. "I was just a little pumped up going out there. After I got settled down, after the first couple of batters, I think everything went well."

"Yeah, he was amped up," Buck agreed. "He should be amped up."

Amped or not, Wheeler showcased the kind of pure stuff that has made him one of the top pitching prospects in all of baseball. Manager Terry Collins reiterated Saturday that Wheeler will almost certainly begin the regular season back at Triple-A, though continued success can only accelerate his timetable.

"Obviously a great arm," was Collins' evaluation. "The first inning I'm sure he was all geeked up and he settled down. The second inning he really pounded the strike zone, which was pretty impressive to see."

My two concerns with Wheeler going forward are 1. injuries, slim guys like him sometimes have a hard time pitching 200 innings consistently and 2. control, if he continues to improve his control as he has the past 2 years, then sky is the limit.

[YoungStuna28]

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?...k_nym&c_id=nym

My two concerns with Wheeler going forward are 1. injuries, slim guys like him sometimes have a hard time pitching 200 innings consistently and 2. control, if he continues to improve his control as he has the past 2 years, then sky is the limit.

Supposedly the inverted "W" is a cause of concern for injuries, but his mechanics looks smooth and effortless. As for being thin, he's not that skinny. I believe he is 6'4" 200 lbs or so. The 185 is his old weight I believe.

He's an athlete, and he hasn't had a prior arm injury as far as I know.

[Sick Of It All]

It was mention how he remind people of Benson and both had similar build and Benson had a clean smooth delivery and just never stayed healthy, am sure we can compare him to other guys with similar builds who stayed relative healthy as well, another guy that he reminds me of is a young A.J. Burnett and he was another guy that could not stay healthy when young.

He does not have the strong body type of a Familia or Harvey, but yeah he is not too skinny either, but is just a concern of mines.

[YoungStuna28]

I actually think he has the classic pitching build. Long, lanky, and explosive.

Cole Hamels is a thin pitcher with no injurys. Jered Weaver too.

[sportzkid1503]

I miss John Maine. Shoulder surgeries ruined his career.