from Newsday:
METS NOTEBOOK
Bacsik to Start Tonight in Trachsel's Absence
David Lennon
July 5, 2002
Miami - The Mets, needing their first spot starter after
84 games, have selected lefthander Mike Bacsik to
replace the injured Steve Trachsel tonight against the
Marlins. Tyler Walker was called up from Triple-A
Norfolk when Trachsel was placed on the 15-day
disabled list Monday, but Bacsik will get his first
major-league start instead. Bacsik was 5-4 with a 3.39
ERA at Norfolk, and tonight was his scheduled turn in
the rotation.
Bacsik, 24, was acquired last December in the Roberto
Alomar deal with Cleveland. He was 12-5 with a 3.26
ERA for Triple-A Buffalo last year and made three
appearances with the Indians, allowing 13 hits and nine
earned runs in a total of nine innings.
Komi Coming Back Soon?
The Mets were impressed with Satoru Komiyama's four
scoreless innings Wednesday for Triple-A Norfolk.
Komiyama, demoted Sunday when Grant Roberts was
activated, allowed two hits and struck out three in his
50-pitch performance. The Mets sent Komiyama to the minors to stretch him out
as a backup starter, and manager Bobby Valentine estimated that he could be
rotation-ready after one more start, including a possible turn with Double-A
Binghamton on Monday.
"His reports were outstanding," Valentine said. "They hit one ball semi-solid and
the other was a bloop. He probably should have thrown more [pitches]. He could
have thrown more."
.............................................................
Rookie Bacsik Gets to Start
In Place of Trachsel
By T.J. QUINN
Daily News Sports Writer
MIAMI
here was a time this season when the most disappointing
acquisition in the Roberto Alomar deal was not Alomar.
Lefthander Mike Bacsik, a career minor league starter who the
Mets got in the deal, went to Norfolk as a reliever and was a bust.
He couldn't throw strikes. Then when he could, he couldn't throw
any that hitters didn't pound.
But despite Bacsik's struggles, the Mets took an unusual step:
They put him in the Tides' rotation.
After a 5-0 run that improved his record to 5-4 and lowered his
ERA to 3.39 from 7.52, Bacsik got the call yesterday to join the
Mets. The southpaw will start tonight's game, taking a spot that
opened when Steve Trachsel went on the disabled list. To make
room for Bacsik, Tyler Walker was optioned back to Norfolk.
............................................................
from NY Post:
METS CALL UP BACSIK TO
PITCH IN FOR TRACH
By MICHAEL MORRISSEY
July 5, 2002 -- MET NOTES
MIAMI - Left-hander Mike Bacsik will be recalled from
Triple-A Norfolk in order to make tonight's start against the
Marlins. Bacsik, 5-4 with a 3.39 ERA for the Tides, is
replacing the injured Steve Trachsel.
It will be the first time this season a Met starter has missed
his turn in the rotation. Trachsel is on the disabled list with a
strained muscle in his back. Each starter took the ball for
his first 17 turns, a remarkable feat of durability. Pedro
Astacio and Shawn Estes each had one start rained out, but
the Mets were the last team in the majors to need a sixth
starter.
Tyler Walker was optioned to Norfolk and will start tonight
for the Tides.
Bacsik's story is interesting. The son of a former major
league pitcher by the same name who pitched for the
Rangers, Bacsik said he met Bobby Valentine in the Texas
clubhouse when he was an adolescent.
Bacsik was acquired in the Roberto Alomar deal in the
offseason, and he hung in major-league camp late into the
spring before being sent to Norfolk for Opening Day. The
Mets were disappointed by Bacsik's results in relief,
although they wanted to see if he could handle the role.
They moved him into a starting slot and have been pleased
with the results.
*
The Mets held a pitching meeting before the game to
address the subject of shaking off pitches. Jeff D'Amico
shook off signs for two curveballs to Bobby Abreu and Pat
Burrell in the sixth inning on Wednesday, and both Phillies
hammered fastballs for home runs. Valentine sent the
message that it's OK to shake off, but any pitch thrown
must be thrown with conviction.
METS NOTEBOOK
Bacsik to Start Tonight in Trachsel's Absence
David Lennon
July 5, 2002
Miami - The Mets, needing their first spot starter after
84 games, have selected lefthander Mike Bacsik to
replace the injured Steve Trachsel tonight against the
Marlins. Tyler Walker was called up from Triple-A
Norfolk when Trachsel was placed on the 15-day
disabled list Monday, but Bacsik will get his first
major-league start instead. Bacsik was 5-4 with a 3.39
ERA at Norfolk, and tonight was his scheduled turn in
the rotation.
Bacsik, 24, was acquired last December in the Roberto
Alomar deal with Cleveland. He was 12-5 with a 3.26
ERA for Triple-A Buffalo last year and made three
appearances with the Indians, allowing 13 hits and nine
earned runs in a total of nine innings.
Komi Coming Back Soon?
The Mets were impressed with Satoru Komiyama's four
scoreless innings Wednesday for Triple-A Norfolk.
Komiyama, demoted Sunday when Grant Roberts was
activated, allowed two hits and struck out three in his
50-pitch performance. The Mets sent Komiyama to the minors to stretch him out
as a backup starter, and manager Bobby Valentine estimated that he could be
rotation-ready after one more start, including a possible turn with Double-A
Binghamton on Monday.
"His reports were outstanding," Valentine said. "They hit one ball semi-solid and
the other was a bloop. He probably should have thrown more [pitches]. He could
have thrown more."
.............................................................
Rookie Bacsik Gets to Start
In Place of Trachsel
By T.J. QUINN
Daily News Sports Writer
MIAMI
here was a time this season when the most disappointing
acquisition in the Roberto Alomar deal was not Alomar.
Lefthander Mike Bacsik, a career minor league starter who the
Mets got in the deal, went to Norfolk as a reliever and was a bust.
He couldn't throw strikes. Then when he could, he couldn't throw
any that hitters didn't pound.
But despite Bacsik's struggles, the Mets took an unusual step:
They put him in the Tides' rotation.
After a 5-0 run that improved his record to 5-4 and lowered his
ERA to 3.39 from 7.52, Bacsik got the call yesterday to join the
Mets. The southpaw will start tonight's game, taking a spot that
opened when Steve Trachsel went on the disabled list. To make
room for Bacsik, Tyler Walker was optioned back to Norfolk.
............................................................
from NY Post:
METS CALL UP BACSIK TO
PITCH IN FOR TRACH
By MICHAEL MORRISSEY
July 5, 2002 -- MET NOTES
MIAMI - Left-hander Mike Bacsik will be recalled from
Triple-A Norfolk in order to make tonight's start against the
Marlins. Bacsik, 5-4 with a 3.39 ERA for the Tides, is
replacing the injured Steve Trachsel.
It will be the first time this season a Met starter has missed
his turn in the rotation. Trachsel is on the disabled list with a
strained muscle in his back. Each starter took the ball for
his first 17 turns, a remarkable feat of durability. Pedro
Astacio and Shawn Estes each had one start rained out, but
the Mets were the last team in the majors to need a sixth
starter.
Tyler Walker was optioned to Norfolk and will start tonight
for the Tides.
Bacsik's story is interesting. The son of a former major
league pitcher by the same name who pitched for the
Rangers, Bacsik said he met Bobby Valentine in the Texas
clubhouse when he was an adolescent.
Bacsik was acquired in the Roberto Alomar deal in the
offseason, and he hung in major-league camp late into the
spring before being sent to Norfolk for Opening Day. The
Mets were disappointed by Bacsik's results in relief,
although they wanted to see if he could handle the role.
They moved him into a starting slot and have been pleased
with the results.
*
The Mets held a pitching meeting before the game to
address the subject of shaking off pitches. Jeff D'Amico
shook off signs for two curveballs to Bobby Abreu and Pat
Burrell in the sixth inning on Wednesday, and both Phillies
hammered fastballs for home runs. Valentine sent the
message that it's OK to shake off, but any pitch thrown
must be thrown with conviction.
