What To Do With Jenrry Mejia

Over the course of the last few days, there have been articles and discussions on sports talk radio and TV networks to whether Mets 2010 Spring Training stud, Jenrry Mejia , should be permitted to remain with the big club when the Mets break camp in a couple of weeks.

Some believe that Mejia is lightning in a bottle, while others believe he, at 20, needs more seasoning in AAA before being promoted.

Mejia has pitched well, and I can see both sides of the argument. People romanticize of the Dwight Gooden Juggernaut in 1984 where he won the Rookie Of The Year Award while blowing batters away, only to win the Cy Young award the following season. Rookie of the year and Cy Young awards at the ages of 19 and 20. Having been a teenager through those miraculous years, it was truly incomprehensibly amazing. That being said, it was the only time in almost 40 years of watching this team where it ever happened.

I was thinking of other Mets phenoms, and their stellar Mets careers. Remember Generation K? Tim Leary? There are more, but I will limit my argument to these four pitchers. I won't even mention Gregg Jefferies.

Generation K

Paul Wilson: After being hyped, and rated the #1 prospect of 1996, he was promoted to the Mets. In 1996 at the age of 23, Wilson was a remarkable 5-12 with a 5.38 ERA. In 26 games he pitched 149 innings, struck out 109 batters, and walked 71. Certainly not Hall Of Fame material.
In 1997, 98, and 99 he battled injuries and was relegated to the Minors. He did not pitch at the pro level (for the Mets) again.

Jason Isringhausen: Izzy came up to the Mets at the end of the 1995 season as a 22 year old stud. He went a respectable 9-2 wutge a 2.81 ERA in 14 games. He threw 93 innings, walking 31 and striking out 55.
Then reality set in. In 1996 he was 6-14, 4.77 ERA, 171.2 innings pitched, 114 strike outs, and 73 walks in 27 games.In 1997, at the ripe old age of 24, Izzy was 2-2 with a 7.58 ERA. He only pitched in 6 games, hurling 29.2 innings, striking out 25 and walking 22. He was switched to the bull pen, and also experienced shoulder problems. Although he has had a respectable career, it isn't what the experts had predicted.

Bill Pulsipher: Like Izzy, Pulse came up in the 1995 season as an experienced 21 year old. In 17 games, he went 5-7 with a 3.98 ERA. He struck out 81 and walked 45 in 126.2 innings pitched. He missed the 1996 season due to injury. He spent the 1997 season in the minors.Pulse finally returned to the Mets in 1998. At 24, he only pitched in 15 games, had a record of 0-0 and an inflated ERA of 6.91. He struck out 13 and walked five in 14.1 innings. He battled anxiety, and never approached the promise he had as the #30 rated prospect in 1996.

Before Generation K, the Mets had another hot prospect in Tim Leary:

Tim Leary: Leary made it to the Mets at 23 in 1981. It was at the end of the season, and he got to pitch in one game. He threw 2 innings, struck out three, and walked one. The Mets had high hopes for Leary in 1982, but suffered an injury to a nerve in his arm, and didn't pitch. In 1983, at 25, Leary only pitched in two games, throwing 10.2 innings, striking out 9 and walking 4 with a 3.38 ERA.
Finally, in 1984 Leary pitched a little more. He was in 20 games, pitching 53.2 innings, fanning 29 and walking 18. He was 3-3 with a 4.02 ERA. It was his final season with the Mets.My opinion? Easy. I think Mejia should start the season at AAA, and if the Mets need set-up help later in the season, call him up. The Mets have been a team that tends to rush some players. The Mets young prospects are just that...young. Give him a little time to mature. There haven't been that many Dwight Gooden's in Mets history. There have been many Bill Pulsipher's, Paul Wilson's and Tim Leary's. Remember Calvin Schiraldi? He helped the Mets by pitching for the BoSox in the '86 series.

Remember Julio Valera ?

The list is a long one. Let the kid grow and mature. He is only 20. If he is that good, he will make the club...at a later date. If the rush him, they could destroy him. Spring Training is just that: Spring TRAINING. Butch Huskey was awesome in Spring, but not when it counted.

I know it's difficult, but Mets fans must be patient. The future can be very bright with the likes of Ike Davis, Josh Thole, Jenrry Mejia, Tobi Stoner, etc. on the horizon. We must give them time to develop, and if done properly, the Mets team can be a strong contender for the next five years or so.

Thanks to Baseball Reference.com for the stats.