With opening day just over three weeks away, multiple story lines have taken place in Bradenton. Through 10 Grapefruit League games, many Pirate roster hopefuls have emerged, and bounce back candidates have taken center stage for the Bucs. One person seems to be forgotten this spring, and that is the forgotten All-Star, Evan Meek.
It feels like a long time ago that Meek was the Pirates’ representative in the Summer Classic, but only a year and a half ago, Meek was representing the National League with the best of the best. Meek finished 2010 with a 2.14 ERA, including a 1.11 ERA in 40 games prior to the All-Star game. The All-Star selection came just two years after Meek made his debut for the Pirates, and three years after being selected in the Rule 5 draft from the Tampa Bay Rays.
Last year however, Meek appeared in just 24 games for the Pirates, posting a 3.48 ERA after battling shoulder tendinitis for the majority of the season. Going into last season, the Pirates were thought to have one of the best eighth-ninth inning duos in the league with Meek and Joel Hanrahan. Meek and the Pirates plan on solidifying their spot towards the top of that category again this year.
Noticeably this spring, Meek’s velocity has dropped to the low 90’s. In 2010, Meek would touch 96-97 regularly on the gun; even hitting 98 at times. According the Pirates’ General Manager Neal Huntington, they expect the velocity to come back.
“The injury should be in his past,” Huntington said. “He battled and it wasn’t the quickest, or easiest rehab for him. But there’s no reason physically that the velocity won’t come back. We expect it will and that’s what we’re working to build up now.”
So far this spring, Meek has struggled to regain the form that made him an All-Star. He has allowed five hits and four runs in just 1 2/3 innings. The question is, if Meek can’t return to his “Evan Almighty” form, who will take over the eighth inning duties? Non-roster invitee Juan Cruz and Jason Grilli are both possibilities, but the Pirates hope is that Meek is able to fill that void. With Meek in bullpen, it also gives the Pirates a left-handed specialist who isn’t left-handed. Let me make sense of that for you.
Meek was especially effective in 2010 against left-handed batters, holding them to a .168 average and a .200 SLG. With it looking like a possiblity that only one left-handed pitcher will make the bullpen, the Pirates need Meek to improve against lefties. In the teams B game against Minnesota, Meek faced four consecutive left-handed batters without retiring a single one.
While Meek has all of the tools to return to his old self, let’s remember that he was a Rule 5 pick, and there is always the possibility that 2010 was a one-hit wonder year for the 28-year old Meek. With watching him pitch, I’m confident that Meek can return to form, and regain his velocity on his 4-seam and cutter this season. With a plethora of young talent on the team, and with last year’s All-Stars in Andrew McCutchen, Joel Hanrahan and Kevin Correia, let’s not forget about the importance of the forgotten All-Star.
Photo Credit: pghsports.com
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