Sergio Mitre – Today And Six Years Ago
Via the Times, yesterday -
Sergio Mitre, coming back from Tommy John surgery and a drug suspension, is scheduled to make his first appearance for the Yankees on Tuesday as their starting pitcher against the Baltimore Orioles.
Manager Joe Girardi said that Mitre would fill the vacant fifth-starter slot in the rotation. Chien-Ming Wang, another starter, is on the disabled list with a shoulder injury, and Girardi said he wanted to keep Alfredo Aceves and Phil Hughes in the bullpen.
Girardi made the announcement Friday before the Yankees opened a three-game series against the Detroit Tigers.
“He’s a sinker-curveball- changeup guy,” Girardi said of Mitre, a right-hander who pitched for Girardi with the Florida Marlins in 2006. “He’s going to throw a lot of strikes, and he’s going to get a lot of ground balls. I always thought he had kind of a bulldog attitude. He’s a pretty thick guy. I never thought he shied away from contact.”
Mitre, 28, is listed as 6 feet 3 inches and 225 pounds. He did not pitch in 2008 and had surgery last July. After being released by the Marlins, he was signed on Nov. 3 by the Yankees.
O.K., next Tuesday is July 21, 2009.
Now, dig this about Mitre, from July 21, 2003:
The Chicago Cubs today placed pitcher Mark Prior on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to July 12, with a right shoulder contusion. The club has purchased the contract of right-handed pitcher Sergio Mitre (MEE-tray) from West Tenn (AA).
To make room on the major league roster for Mitre, the Cubs transferred outfielder Corey Patterson to the 60-day disabled list.
Mitre, 22, is scheduled to make his major league debut Tuesday night in a starting assignment against the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field. The right-hander was the Cubs’ 7th-round selection in the 2001 draft out of San Diego (CA) City College.
Mitre has started 18 times for West Tenn (AA) this season — and has gone 6-7 with a 3.79 ERA. Over his last 5 Double-A starts, though, he has recorded a 1.26 ERA (5 ER/35.2 IP) — allowing 23 hits and 9 walks while striking out 40 batters.
He will be seeing his first big league action after making just 60 minor league starts. During his professional career, he has gone 20-21 with a 3.17 ERA.
Wow. July 21st and July 21st. Freaky, huh?
In any event, over his big league career, Mitre has allowed left-handed batters to fashion a .312/.384/.459 BA/OBA/SLG line against him. And, it seems like most of his success, in terms of not allowing homers, has happened when he’s pitching in really big ballparks. He’s been hit pretty good in places like Great American Ballpark and Comiskey Park – homer havens like the new Yankee Stadium.
Then again, what other choices do the Yankees have right now? All they can do is hope that “Sergio Mitre 2009″ is Spanish for “Aaron Small 2005.”
Then again, what other choices do the Yankees have right now?
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I’d rather they start Aceves or Hughes.
They’re not stretched out, so all it would do would deplete the bullpen. And that tells on the team in the long run.
Cashman always tried out the intenral options before the trade deadline. it buys a little time. If it works, he is less likely to overpay; if it doesn’t, other teams can call his bluff.
Mitre will likely do poorly, but as everyone was screaming about what a blunder it was to pull Aceves from the pen, and start him vs. the Twins…
Well…now we get to see if everyone was really right.