PORT ST. LUCIE – Freddy Garcia’s hopes of winning the Mets’ fifth-starter job are growing slimmer by the day.
The veteran right-hander, in camp on a minor league contract, was battered by the Cardinals for the second time in less than a week yesterday. The soft-tossing Garcia gave up four runs on two long homers in a 15-4 Grapefruit League loss.
METS BLOGGarcia, who is trying to come back from reconstructive shoulder surgery, lasted just two innings in his second spring appearance. That was an improvement, considering he lasted just two-thirds of an inning last Friday, but apparently it was not enough to impress manager Jerry Manuel.
“With the numbers we have in that spot and his situation of not being active for a while, [that] will probably make it very, very difficult for him to leapfrog some of those other guys that are in that spot and have pitched recently,” Manuel said of Garcia’s chances at the No. 5 role.
Garcia topped out at 87 mph with his fastball and threw off-speed pitches in the mid-60s. But he said poor command was his biggest problem.
“I can’t go out there 3-1 or 2-0 every time, because you’re going to get hit no matter how hard you’re throwing or what you do,” Garcia said. “When you’re always behind in the count, you have no chance.”
Manuel said Garcia will get more starts, but it appears Livan Hernandez and even Tim Redding – who has yet to make a start this spring due to offseason toe surgery – are ahead of Garcia.
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Even with 15 mostly prominent players no longer in camp due to the World Baseball Classic, Manuel was troubled by the 15 hits allowed and two errors he saw from his depleted club yesterday.
“We have enough pitching [still in camp] that we have to get that right,” Manuel said. “We’ve got to get our pitching right. We’ve got enough here. If we do that, then I’ll feel somewhat satisfied.”
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Fernando Tatis made his Grapefruit League debut after missing more than a week with a palm injury. He started at third base with David Wright gone to the WBC and went 0-for-2.
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Manuel said Redding’s first game as a Met this spring will be one inning Sunday against the University of Michigan.