HELPING HAND: Mets reliever Bobby Parnell (above) shakes hands with Sandy Koufax (inset) at spring training yesterday in Port St. Lucie. The Hall of Fame left-hander gave the hard-throwing right-hander some tips on improving his pitching mechanics. (Getty Images; Mike Puma (inset))
PORT ST. LUCIE — The Mets went straight for their secret weapon yesterday in trying to fix Bobby Parnell.
Sandy Koufax talked mechanics, and Parnell mostly shut up and listened. Koufax had seen enough of the fireballing right-hander in recent years to know what kind of message to impart.
The Hall of Fame left-hander said Parnell has an “exceptional” arm, but could benefit from small changes.
“Where you hold [the ball], how you hold it and how you use it,” Koufax told The Post when asked to summarize his chat with Parnell. “Times have changed in what people believe, and I just believe a little differently sometimes.”
Parnell, who often clocks 100 mph with his fastball, flopped in his bid last season to claim the 2012 closer’s job. The Mets restocked their bullpen over the winter, adding Frank Francisco, Jon Rauch and Ramon Ramirez, leaving Parnell among several candidates fighting for two relief jobs.
Koufax was in camp to visit with old friends, and couldn’t say no when one of his closest friends asked him to speak with Parnell.
“Terry sent Parnell over to me, so I talked to Parnell,” Koufax said, referring to manager Terry Collins.
Koufax, who plans to return later in camp, did not work with any other pitchers, but watched prospect Zack Wheeler pitch in a minor league game and was anxious to meet Matt Harvey. He also spoke with Johan Santana, before the Mets left-hander threw a bullpen session that gave him the green light to pitch Sunday.
“I just said, ‘Hello’ and ‘stay healthy.’ It was the same thing I said two years ago,” Koufax said jokingly, referring to the fact Santana tore the anterior capsule in his left shoulder in 2010.
Is Koufax worried about Santana’s comeback prospects?
“Everybody is different,” Koufax said. “But he seems happy with where he is, and if Johan is happy, that means he’s OK.”
Parnell said he has spoken with Koufax before, but was thrilled to learn the pitching legend has taken a special interest in him. Parnell said part of yesterday’s message involved returning to basics.
“Just become more natural,” Parnell said. “I’ve been pitching the last few years and trying to get better and I just maybe have come out of my comfort zone. So he just says to get more natural and let the ball fly.”
The 27-year-old Parnell also can embrace the fact that Koufax didn’t blossom until he had pitched several seasons with the Dodgers.
“It’s definitely reassuring,” Parnell said. “I know greatness isn’t achieved overnight. To hear that and know what I’m going through is definitely enlightening.
“We more or less talked about mechanics today,” Parnell added. “He would like to see my stride be a little bit longer and stay back on my legs, to generate some velocity. We even went over some grips. Just more stay back on your legs and become natural and showed me how he grips the fastball.”
Collins said Koufax’s opinion counts, and not just because of his Hall of Fame credentials on the mound.
“He knows a lot about pitching, and I just wanted Bobby to talk to him,” Collins said. “[Koufax] was a power pitcher and Bobby’s a power pitcher. Whether it’s mechanical, mental, that’s up to those two to discuss. It can’t hurt, that’s the way I look at it.”
Koufax empathizes with Wilpon
Though Mets principal owner Fred Wilpon appeared relaxed and upbeat in his visit to camp almost two weeks ago, Koufax knows his friend is hurting inside.
Not only is Wilpon the defendant in a clawback lawsuit by the trustee for the Bernie Madoff fraud that alleges Wilpon knew or should have known Madoff was crooked, but the Mets lost $70 million last season.
Koufax, through his relationship with Wilpon, also was invested with Madoff.
“[Wilpon] is going through tough times, and he’s a good person. He always has been,” Koufax said. “We’ve been friends for 60-some-odd years and I love him. I just hate to see him go through it.”