At long last, Coonrod pitching pain-free

JUPITER, Fla. -- For years before each of his appearances, Sam Coonrod would slather Cramer Red Hot ointment on his right shoulder, sometimes so liberally that the orange goo would be visible through his jersey. It was the only way Coonrod could dull the discomfort he felt while pitching.

Not until last spring did Coonrod finally receive word that what he thought was a nagging bout of biceps tendinitis was actually a partially torn rotator cuff. He managed to avoid surgery, but he spent the bulk of the summer rehabbing, which allowed his shoulder to heal naturally.

Now he no longer needs the tub of Red Hot. Instead he warms up and throws like a healthy pitcher, so far to significant effect. The former Phillies and Giants reliever has struck out four batters over two scoreless innings this spring, hitting 99 mph on the radar gun.

“It’s weird. I didn’t know all those years that it was actually my rotator cuff,” Coonrod said. “Now I know what it feels like to not have that.”

The last time Coonrod pitched without pain, he said, was probably the year he was drafted (2014). He managed to fashion a successful pro career despite his balky shoulder, but the diagnosis he received last season was liberating for the right-hander, who finally had the knowledge he needed to fix his issues.

What Coonrod didn’t expect was for the Phillies to designate him for assignment late in the offseason after paying him to rehab all summer. Confident he would be claimed, Coonrod secretly hoped his next destination would allow him to pitch at one of his three favorite ballparks to visit: Fenway Park, Wrigley Field or Citi Field.

“When the Mets got me, I was so excited,” he said. “I love pitching in New York. I was happy to be there. Great mound, atmosphere.”

Coonrod is among more than a dozen pitchers vying for one of three open bullpen spots. Although he’s at a slight disadvantage because he has a Minor League option remaining, he has impressed team brass enough over the first week of games to be considered a leading candidate.

Prospect power

Mark Vientos recently ribbed fellow prospects Brett Baty and Ronny Mauricio about their early spring power surge, telling them, “You guys have some [homers]. I’ve got to get me one.”

Baty and Mauricio -- the Mets’ second- and sixth-ranked prospects, respectively, per MLB Pipeline -- had shone brightly in Grapefruit League play, hitting a combined four home runs over the first week. Not to be denied, the eighth-ranked Vientos clubbed two in New York’s 15-4 win over the Marlins on Sunday.

“We’re just helping each other out, trying to learn from each other,” Vientos said, “trying to get 1% better every day."

World stage nears

Following Sunday’s game against the Cardinals, those Mets competing in the World Baseball Classic will depart for the tournament. The American and Colombian participants -- Pete Alonso, Jeff McNeil, Adam Ottavino, Brooks Raley and José Quintana -- plan to fly together to their pool site in Phoenix. The Puerto Rican and Venezuelan contingents -- Francisco Lindor, Edwin Díaz, Eduardo Escobar, Omar Narváez and Elieser Hernandez -- have an easier drive down to Miami.

Mets manager Buck Showalter recently spoke to Team USA manager Mark DeRosa, telling him, “Make sure they come back healthy.” Showalter expects Alonso to split first-base and DH reps with one of his childhood idols, Paul Goldschmidt, while McNeil will receive the bulk of his time at second base.

One other player in Major League camp, infielder Jonathan Araúz, has already left for the Classic, flying earlier this week to Taichung, Taiwan, to join the rest of Team Panama.

Debut on tap

Kodai Senga will become the final rotation member to appear in a Grapefruit League game when he takes the mound on Sunday against the Cardinals, following multiple batting practice sessions designed to help him grow accustomed to American baseballs and mounds.

“It’s new for him, but it’s still pitching,” Showalter said. “It’s still a baseball. It’s still hitters trying to do damage. I think once he gets into the heat of pitching, he’ll be in his element.”

Quintana will follow Senga in relief.

From the trainer's room

Left-hander David Peterson drove back to Port St. Lucie ahead of the team to receive an X-ray after taking a comebacker off the outside of his left foot. The Mets will provide an update once they see results of the testing.

Quotable

Lindor had a lesson in comportment for a young fan seeking a souvenir before Saturday’s game. When the fan called down from the bleachers with his request, Lindor good-naturedly shot back, “When you start saying, ‘Please,’ I’ll give you whatever you want!”