Spring Training Report - Phil Humber

Philip Humber has not seen any statistical proof, but he has heard from others in the game that a pitcher coming off Tommy John elbow surgery performs best in his second year after the surgery. From his still-limited perspective, the Mets' right-hander can believe it. "The further I get from surgery, the better I feel throwing," Humber said at the Mets camp here. "The ball comes out of my hand stronger, with more feel and control." If that is the case, Humber, bidding for a spot in the Mets' rotation, could be dynamite in 2007.


He had Tommy John surgery on July 19, 2005. Returning to the Minors on June 22 of last year, he could do little wrong the rest of the season. At Class A Advanced St. Lucie, he was 3-1 with a 2.37 earned run average, striking out 36 batters in 38 innings. At Double-A Binghamton, he went 2-2 with a 2.88 ERA, with 36 strikeouts in 34.1 innings. As a reward for his rapid recovery, the Mets then promoted him to the parent club in September. No problem. In a 27-day taste of the Majors he showed no awe of the opposition, pitching two scoreless, hitless innings.

"It was a great experience," Humber, 24, said of his Major League cameo. "I'll never forget my first time out there. My parents were in the stands, my girlfriend. It felt pretty special." He then paused, before adding, "But there is no guarantee I'll get back up there." There is no guarantee, but Humber, the third pick overall in the 2004 first year players draft, is pretty close to a lock to return. If he doesn't make the Mets' rotation out of Spring Training, chances are strong that he will be promoted at some stage of the season.

Spring Training Report - Evan Longoria

Evan Longoria (property of the Minneapolis Miller) has a different look about him than he did the last time he donned a Devil Rays uniform in St. Petersburg. The Rays had just selected and signed the slugging third baseman from Long Beach State (third overall pick of the 2006 First-Year Player Draft) and brought him to Tropicana Field to show off like a neighbor would a new Mercedes. Longoria then took batting practice and the "slugging" third baseman hardly inspired anyone with his power, or lack thereof.

Longoria smiled when asked to recall the moment. "I was just real nervous, that was my first professional baseball experience," he said. "I was nervous to come out and get to hit with all the big stars you see on TV. I just wanted to hit the ball. But to finally get out and play in the Minor Leagues was a relief."

Longoria, 21, quickly got busy on a whirlwind trip through the lower levels of the Rays' organization. At Class A Hudson Valley, he hit .424 in eight games with four home runs and 11 RBIs. Class A Visalia was his next stop and again he excelled, hitting .327 with eight home runs and 28 RBIs. By the end of the season, Longoria found himself at Double-A Montgomery, where he finally seemed to get challenged, hitting .267 with six home runs and 19 RBIs in 26 games.
"At Double-A, I was kind of blown away," Longoria said. "From what I hear, that is the hardest jump -- from A ball to Double-A, because a lot of those guys are almost ready for the big leagues. They can make that jump. It was a shock. Because you go from high A, where you see one or two really good starters a week, but in Double-A it was every day, someone throwing 92. It was a little bit different."

Other than reaching the end of his rope by the end of the season, Longoria found professional baseball to his liking. "I really liked playing every day, as opposed to practice [in college]," Longoria said. "I think it's easier to play. Games are more fun. That wasn't too much of a shock to me. That was something I was looking forward to. "A lot of travel, living out of a suitcase and jumping on planes and buses. It was different. You go through so many stages, but it was fun at the same time. I got to meet a bunch of guys in the organization."

Longoria has embraced being in his first Major League camp this spring.

Spring Training Report - John Danks

If pitching as part of the Texas Rangers' system rightfully seemed like playing at home for John Danks (property of the Vigilantes), then joining the White Sox organization this past offseason could be considered as working with a close friend of the family.

For starters, the White Sox scouted Danks during parts of the past two years, identifying the soon-to-be 22-year-old as a person of serious interest in any possible deals. But there's also a previous connection between the South Siders and the Danks family. With the 575th pick of the 2005 First-Year Player Draft, the White Sox selected Jordan Danks (property of the Spiders). The outfielder already had made it clear that he intended to attend the University of Texas, accounting for a player of his stature and talent slipping far below his value in the 19th round. But the White Sox thought they would take a chance and try to pick up a draft steal in the process. Jordan Danks kept his commitment to the Longhorns, but his family left the process with a very good feeling about the White Sox organization. Two years later, Jordan's older brother is competing for the fifth starter's spot in the club's rotation after coming over from Texas with Nick Masset and Jacob Rasner in a Christmas deal for Brandon McCarthy.

Wednesday's Cactus League opener marked Danks' first White Sox appearance, and manager Ozzie Guillen classified his two-inning effort as one of the few bright spots in a 12-4 loss. Danks yielded one run, although it was produced by a misplayed ball in the outfield, and struck out two. The talented southpaw also followed ace left-hander Mark Buehrle to the mound Wednesday. It represented a mix of the team's successful past and present, along with its very optimistic future on the mound.