In what’s quickly becoming an offseason of highly intellectual signings, the New York Mets have struck again inking Chris Young to a one-year deal, pending a physical.
Young, a graduate of Princeton, is probable to hold down the back-end of the rotation behind Mike Pelfrey, Jon Niese, R.A. Dickey and newcomer Chris Capuano. Giving Dillon Gee the opportunity to begin the year as a starter in Triple-A Buffalo or serve as a safety net in the bullpen with an occasional spot-start.
With ace Johan Santana out until at least July recovering from shoulder surgery, the Mets aim is to bring in as many low-risk/high-reward starters as possible, and Young is the epitome of this philosophy.
After undergoing a shoulder surgery of his own in 2009, Young has only managed 36 starts in the past three seasons, three of those coming this past September when he limited the opposition to two runs on nine hits in 14 innings with the San Diego Padres.
“C.Y. proved at the end of the season how valuable a pitcher he can be when he is healthy,” Padres skipper Bud Black told the San Diego Union-Tribune at the conclusion of last season.
And it’s that value that the Mets hope Young can bring to a team with more than enough questions marks heading into the 2011 season.
History has shown how pitchers a few years removed from surgery can make it back to the big leagues with a splash.
The Mets and their fans should remain hopeful that Chris Young will revert back to his 2005-2007 days before surgery, in which he started 30 or more games per season, achieved a 7.4/9 inning hit ratio and K’d 468 batters in that three year span.
Using the vast dimensions of Citi Field to their advantage, Mets execs are able to lure pitchers with previous arm issues to come play for them and prove they have recovered, and this seems to be the case here.
Not to mention Young’s signing reunited him with his former bosses in the Padres system, GM Sandy Alderson and Paul DePodesta, overall creating a great situation for the Mets and the Flushing Faithful.
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