Travis d'Arnaud hot, but Mets say it's too early to talk promotion
Mets catcher Travis d'Arnaud throws against the St. Louis Cardinals in an MLB baseball game at Citi Field on Tuesday, April 22, 2014. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
Demoted Mets catcher Travis d'Arnaud continues to hammer minor-league pitching, but assistant general manager John Ricco said Monday that it's "a little soon" to begin weighing a promotion.
"We like what we see," Ricco said. "But it really is a bit quick to have that conversation. We really haven't had any discussions."
The Mets sent down d'Arnaud, 25, to regain his confidence and work on his swing after his average dipped to .180. Since joining Triple-A Las Vegas on June 9, he was hitting .414 with five home runs in seven games.
If d'Arnaud isn't recalled by June 27, he will be out of options next season, which would limit the Mets' ability to send him down if he scuffles again.
Memories of Gwynn
Mets manager Terry Collins said he was "saddened" by the passing of Tony Gwynn. The two got to know each other through Gwynn's brother, Chris, whom Collins managed in the Dodgers' organization.
As manager of the Astros in the mid-1990s, Collins remembered arriving early at the ballpark to find Gwynn on the field alone. It's common for struggling hitters to take early batting practice, but Gwynn was in the middle of yet another torrid stretch at the time.
Collins asked Gwynn why he was hitting so early, and the manager said the response "changed my entire outlook on what the great hitters do." He recalled Gwynn saying, "I'm swinging good and I'm not losing it."
Gee tosses BP session
Dillon Gee threw his first bullpen session Monday since suffering a setback in his rehab from a strained lat muscle. Collins said he's scheduled to throw again Thursday.
