Archive for Meet the Schwindens

Mountains of Geese

September 4, 2022 Meet the Schwindens, Meet the Schwindens, Who Is This Guy No comments

Here we go again.

The Schwinden-of-the-Moment is Bryce Montes de Oca, a name even more distinctive than the guy he succeeded numerically, Rob Zastryzny. Translated, the name Montes de Oca means “Mountains of Goose” which if you’re feeling optimistic could suggest Bryce could be a bigger version of Rich “Goose” Gossage, a Hall of Fame reliever who like Montes de Oca, throws hard.

Bryce as you may have seen is a giant of a guy, listed at 6-foot-7, 265, and he fired a few 100-mph pitches last night. He’s also not just any brute but the valedictorian of his Kansas high school and a U of Missouri product who at one time was rated a top-100 draft guy but whom the Mets got in the 9th round of the 2018 draft because he’d had a ton of injuries including a Tommy John so he was something of a Powerball lottery pick.

Montes de Oca, whose father was born in Cuba, is the third guy to wear 63 this year, after the Polish duo of Zastryzny and Thomas Szapucki were spit out. He’s been more walkable than hittable over his minor league career and everything but his uni number looks promising if he improve his control. Were it up to me I’d issue Montes de Oca a more intimidating number, like 98 or something, so as to avoid the Fate of Schwindens.

Montes de Oca got the call when Trevor May caught COVID. The other September call-ups are Deven Marrero (again) and Adonis Medina (again). Medina didn’t have much last night. Let’s hope Max Scherzer is OK.

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Frewsberg’s Finest

August 23, 2022 Meet the Schwindens, Who Is This Guy One comment

I have no idea who Connor Grey is.

My trusty assistant Google then revealed: Frewsberg Native Connor Grey Called Up to the New York Mets, only then I didn’t know where Frewsberg was and had to look THAT up. It’s way out in Western New York; the nearest big city is Erie, Pa. The article was actually quite informative and kudos to author Matt Spielman on a nice piece of small-paper breaking news journalism. Here’s the nut graf.

Grey, who was issued uniform No. 72 by the Mets, was drafted in the 20th round, 599th overall, by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2016 MLB draft after a four-year career at St. Bonaventure University. In six seasons in the minor leagues, he went 34-27 with a 4.24 ERA and 461 strikeouts in 516 innings pitched. If he appears in a game, Grey would become the 11th Bonnies alum to appear in the majors and first since Danny McDevitt, who played for the Kansas City A’s in 1962.

New York thought highly enough of Grey to grant him one of their eight coveted spots in the Arizona Fall League where he went 1-2 in six appearances, including three starts, for the Salt River Rafters.

So Grey is definitely a Schwinden and could see action tonight especially in Taijuan Walker‘s recent back spasms necessitate long relief. He’d be the first 72 since Jake Reed was lost in a DFA move to Los Angeles in July, and the 7th 72 overall. The first, Carlos Torres, made my day when he “liked” my Tweet back in 2015. (Phillip Evans now holds the title with 10 hits).

Grey’s ascension came as the Mets activated Tomas Nido from the COVID list and DFA’ed fellow Schwindens Rob Zastryzny and Nate Fisher.

Let’s try not to linger on that disappointing loss to the Yankees last night. Mets were flat.

 

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