LITTLE ROCK — Gil Meche is back in the game.
The question now is if he can stay in the game.
Meche, a right-handed starter for the Kansas City Royals, saw his first competitive action since late May on Wednesday, pitching for the Northwest Arkansas Naturals as part of a rehab assignment at Dickey-Stephens Park in North Little Rock.
Meche contributed to the Naturals’ second consecutive shutout of the Travelers, with Northwest Arkansas winning 1-0 before an announced crowd of 3,998.
The Naturals scored in the top of the first inning off a RBI triple by Clint Robinson, and that was enough to saddle Travs right-hander Tyler Chatwood with his fourth Class AA loss despite throwing 8 innings and striking out 3 while scattering 7 hits.
Meche threw 69 pitches against the Arkansas Travelers, giving up 2 hits over 4 innings with 3 walks and 3 strikeouts. The plan was for Meche to throw 40 to 60 pitches Wednesday and not throw his curveball. Meche has been on the 60-day disabled list with shoulder bursitis.
“With the feel of my body and my arm, I felt everything was pretty good,” Meche said.“But there were command issues. I’ve had command issues this year with my first nine starts with Kansas City. I don’t know exactly why I’m not locating very well, and this was another day where I was kind of bouncing around the zone.”
Meche said he believes his next action will come Monday, though he hasn’t gotten word whether that will come with the Naturals or with the Class AAA Omaha.
The Royals have been cautious with Meche and his curveball - which stresses his elbow and shoulder. Treating Meche with kid gloves is a testament to his value to the organization. Signed to a fiveyear, $55 million contract by the Seattle Mariners in 2007, Meche immediately made a return on the Royals’ hefty investment, making his first All-Star team and finishing the season with a 3.67 ERA.
Meche was almost as good in 2008, posting a 3.98 ERA as the Royals’ ace.
But things have been uneven since. Injuries contributed to a 5.09 ERA in 2009, and shoulder problems and inconsistency have dogged him since. In the meantime, he’s been supplanted by 2009 American League Cy Young winner Zack Greinke as the unquestioned ace of the Royals staff, and with Northwest Arkansas he joins two starting pitching prospects in left-hander Mike Montgomery and right-hander Aaron Crow.
Sports, Pages 19 on 07/22/2010