[ MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL ]
Yates trying to lock up
starting spot with Mets
The challenge for Tyler Yates is to prove in spring training that he deserves a starting spot in the New York Mets rotation where the fifth berth is up for grabs.
The Mets brought the Kauai High School and Hawaii-Hilo product to their minicamp at Port St. Lucie, Fla., the second week of January and he has been throwing in the bullpen twice a week since.
"I'm really excited and confident going into spring training," said Yates, a 6-foot-4 right-hander, who the Mets switched to a starting role last year.
There are three or four other hurlers vying for that fifth starting spot.
"You can't worry about what other people do. All you can do is just go out and pitch your game," said Yates, who had Tommy John surgery in June of 2002.
He came back last year and pitched at every minor league level. In 107 innings with three teams he fanned 100 batters.
"The arm feels great. It's hard to explain how good it feels. There are no shoulder problems and the elbow is just great," Yates said.
"The Mets know that I can relieve and close. If I go as a starter, that will help me develop my other pitches, the curveball definitely and my change-up. I think I have a great change-up when I throw it the right way. It's just muscle memory, remembering how to throw the pitch."
The Mets also sent Yates to the rookie orientation seminar in Washington, D.C.
"They teach you how to handle the media, what to say, what not to say and how to deal with the media when they ask about certain situations," Yates said. "They give you financial advice about how to handle your money and how to deal with people off the field who suddenly want to be your best friend. We had dinner in the capitol building and it was suit and tie so I bought my first suit."
Yates, who is on the Mets' 40-man winter roster, said there are still two spots open in the Mets bullpen and you never know when someone will get hurt.
"There were over 300 pitchers who went on the disabled list sometime last year and that gave someone else a chance to make an impact," Yates said. "It wouldn't be a bad thing to start at Triple-A, but I don't want to go back. Beside, it would burn my last option."
In other local baseball news, Keoni DeRenne, who was a free agent, signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks.
"Kansas City and the Chicago White Sox were interested, but the Diamondbacks called and said they had an opening and their offer was better. They want me to make their Triple-A club," DeRenne said.
If the Iolani grad is successful, he will play for the Tucson Sidewinders in the Pacific Coast League. His college career was spent in Tucson playing four years for the Arizona Wildcats.
DeRenne would be reunited with Tucson manager Chip Hale, who played for the Wildcats and has known DeRenne since his freshman year at UA.
Brandon Villafuerte, a right-hander who spent time with San Diego last year, was released by the Padres last month. The Big Island-born pitcher signed with the Diamondbacks Jan. 23 and is assigned to Tucson.
Bronson Sardinha said the New York Yankees are moving him back to third base this year. The Kamehameha grad spent the last half of the 2003 season playing the outfield.
Sardinha had problems with his swing last summer and credits Lenn Sakata with correcting the problem during offseason workouts.
"Lee saw me playing high school and when he saw me out here he said I looked totally different. I was too mechanical and wasn't swinging naturally," Sardinha said. "Lenn knows so much."
Sakata, after a year of serving as a roving instructor for the San Francisco Giants, will return to managing with the San Jose Giants in the Class-A California League.
"It's a good fit because it's on the West Coast and closer to my family," said Sakata, who will have F.P. Santangelo as his hitting coach and Trevor Wilson as his pitching coach.
"They are good young guys with a lot of enthusiasm. It should be a lot of fun."
Bruce Walton returns to Toronto as the Blue Jays bullpen coach. Walton pitched for the Rainbows from 1982 to 1985.
Todd Takayoshi, in his third season with the Anaheim Angels organization, will be the hitting coach for the Arkansas Travelers in the Class-AA Texas League this year.
The former Rainbow catcher (1988-91) served in the same capacity the past two seasons for the Cedar Rapids (Iowa) Kernels in the Class-A Midwest League.
