PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (AP) -Orlando Hernandez and Mike Pelfrey, the two contenders for the final spot in the New York Mets’ rotation, pitched against each other in a simulated game Tuesday.
Don’t expect their performances to sway manager Willie Randolph one way or the other.
“Like I’ve said all spring, I don’t take a lot out of simulated games,” Randolph said. “For Duque, it’s just a matter of getting him through healthy.”
Hernandez said he felt good about his outing, the latest step in a slow process of changing his delivery to compensate for a bunion on his right foot.
“I’m very happy today,” El Duque said, adding that he threw all his pitches. “I feel very comfortable. Every time I feel better and better. I’m going up.”
Hernandez’s command improved as the game went on. He walked four and hit a batter with a pitch in his first two innings, then gave up two long homers in his final inning.
“The one inning, when they were hitting (Hernandez) around a little, we were throwing all fastballs trying to work on location,” catcher Brian Schneider said. “There are times out there when he’s working on things. Today was all about working on things.”
Any questions about Hernandez’s ability to get hitters out with his new delivery and apparent lack of velocity (his fastball was clocked between 78-81 mph Tuesday) could be answered soon enough. Randolph said Hernandez will make his spring training debut Sunday against St. Louis.
Meanwhile, Pelfrey breezed through his first four innings, giving up one run and three hits, all doubles – two to minor leaguer Rene Reyes and another to Schneider.
Pelfrey walked two and was in the strike zone most of the day, at least according to his catcher, Ramon Castro, who doubled as the umpire.
“He was throwing hard today,” Castro said. “He’s throwing different pitches than last year. Last year, when he was behind hitters he threw fastballs. Now, when he’s behind hitters he can throw his changeup or his slider for a strike.”
Schneider drove one of those sliders over the left-field fence.
“Last week when he caught me, he taught me how to throw it and today he hit it out,” Pelfrey said, joking. “I felt OK. It’s hard to get your full adrenaline in a simulated game at 10 in the morning, but I felt like I built my pitch count up and I was just out there getting my work in.”
Both Mets catchers came through the simulated game well.
Schneider said his tight hamstring is ready for game action. Castro’s strained right hamstring, which doesn’t bother him when he catches, is only expected to keep him out another three or four days.
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