Mets reliever Jeurys Familia, who has been working out with teammate Dellin Betances under the training of Dave Paladino in New Jersey, is confident he and Betances will be fine during a potentially shortened 2020 season. But he's worried about other players.
"I think it'll cause a lot of injuries," Familia told Pat Ragazzo of Metsmerized. "Most guys aren't fortunate enough to have the same level of training as me and Dellin. Thank God Dave is allowing us to use his facility so we can throw every day, stretch out our arms, and get the proper physical training we need to prepare."
Betances, whose velocity was down early in spring training (as it often is at that point) said his velocity is "good right now," and Familia said the two relievers have been in touch with the Mets' trainers as they continue to prepare for the season.
"We've been in contact with the team trainer, so we come here every day to work on what they give us to do," he said. "We've been staying physically and mentally prepared. That's the key for us."
With spring training suspended for roughly two months, most pitchers have continued to throw.
And Mets pitching coach Jeremy Hefner has been telling his pitchers to prepare in a way that will enable them to jump right in when things resume.
"I think the biggest thing that Hef has told me is keep the same intent," Steven Matz recently said via the Mets about Hefner's instructions. "Everything should have a purpose while you're working out or throwing. Keep up the game speed. Act as though this is what you would be doing if the season was going on."
Within the current timeline of a second spring training beginning around June 10 and Opening Day beginning around July 1 if MLB and the union agree on the proposal for a shortened season, pitchers and position players would have roughly three weeks to get game-ready in a team setting.
Due in part to the delay, regular season rosters are expected to be 30 players or so (up from 26), with roughly 20 additional players on a taxi squad.
Familia, who struggled with ineffectiveness in 2019, has reshaped his body and reworked some of his repertoire as he looks to bounce back in 2020.
"Honestly, all the hard work is because I want to get back on track and help this team," he said in March shortly before spring training was shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic. "I'm not looking to be the closer, the set-up man ... whatever inning they have me pitch, I just want to get the job done."
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