CHICAGO — Zack Wheeler is a generous tipper, and the Mets want it to stop.
According to manager Terry Collins, the rookie fireballer’s habit of tipping his pitches will be addressed today during Wheeler’s pregame throwing session at Coors Field. On Tuesday, Collins and pitching coach Dan Warthen noticed Wheeler tipping pitches, but didn’t want to address it during the game so not to give the right-hander too much to think about.
“[Wheeler] actually did a little bit of it in Atlanta,” Collins said before the Mets’ 3-0 victory over the White Sox last night. “It was just that he made better pitches with his fastball in Atlanta.
“This is going to get out as a scouting report, but he’s been tipping his offspeed stuff more than his fastball, so we’ve got to fix it. It will get fixed [today].”
Wheeler allowed four earned runs on four hits and three walks over 5 1/3 innings against the White Sox. It came after he pitched six shutout innings against the Braves in his major league debut.
How will Wheeler prevent himself from pitch tipping?
“I haven’t seen a video or anything of [Tuesday] night, so I really don’t know what I was doing,” Wheeler said.
Collins said pitch tipping may have been a factor in Wheeler walking three batters.
“When you start getting deep in counts and they have a hint what’s coming they are going to lay off some close stuff,” Collins said. “It might have been one of the reasons that they fouled so many pitches off.”
* According to a club source, there is no chance Ike Davis will be recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas today, when the Mets play a makeup game in Colorado.
Earlier in the week Collins had suggested Davis might be a candidate for recall when the Mets finished these two games against the White Sox. With the Mets set to face a steady dose of left-handed starting pitching on the next homestand there is a strong chance Davis will remain in Las Vegas for at least another week.
* Fans can meet Dwight Gooden at an exclusive Q&A session and get an autographed copy of his new autobiography and then watch tomorrow’s game against the Nationals from the Modell’s Clubhouse at Citi Field.
Tickets are $99 apiece. The Q&A with Gooden will begin at 5:45 p.m.