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          New York Mets

          Farm Report: Mickey Jannis brings knuckleball back to Mets

          • Adam Rubin, ESPN Staff WriterAug 12, 2015, 03:00 PM
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              Adam Rubin has covered the Mets since 2003. He's a graduate of Mepham High School on Long Island and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He joined ESPNNewYork after spending 10 years at the New York Daily News.
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          The New York Mets traded away R.A. Dickey nearly three years ago, yet his influence is still being felt in the organization in a small way. Inspired by Dickey's success, Mickey Jannis switched from conventional to knuckleball pitcher after getting released by the Tampa Bay Rays following the 2011 season.

          After spending parts of four seasons in independent ball, capped by producing a 1.18 ERA in 83 2/3 innings with the Long Island Ducks to begin this season, Jannis signed with the Mets.

          Jannis, 27, is 2-0 with a 3.20 ERA in seven appearances (six starts) for the Florida State League club since debuting on July 5.

          "Once I got released, R.A. Dickey had a lot of success with the Mets," said Jannis, who originally was a 44th-round pick in 2010 by the Rays out of Cal State Bakersfield. "I was kind of looking at that. As a pitcher throwing 90 mph from the right side, it's kind of the average righty. So I knew it would be kind of hard to get back into affiliated [baseball] that way. So I wanted to stick out from the crowd. It's been a three- or four-year development process. It's worked out so far."

          Jannis actually began fiddling with the knuckleball at age 12. Shortly thereafter, he watched a cable show featuring Tim Wakefield's knuckleball and changed his grip from using three fingers to two fingers. He tried to throw the baseball as hard as he could with that new grip and saw instant success.

          "The guy couldn't catch it," Jannis said. "So I just kind of fooled around with it ever since then."

          He always mentioned to his coaches that he had a knuckleball, but was dissuaded from using it in games.

          After initially being used as a reliever in independent ball -- which was not ideal given he was inheriting baserunners while still perfecting the knuckleball -- Jannis was given a chance to start while playing in Brisbane, Australia, in 2013. Things started to take off.

          Depending on the day, he throws the knuckleball as little as 60 percent to as much as 80 or 90 percent of the time. Like Dickey and Steven Wright, Jannis primarily throws the harder version of the pitch, generally in the 75-80 mph range. Occasionally he will let one float in at the mid-60s mph.

          Jannis called feedback from Charlie Hough a "big influence" on his success. He texted Hough to thank him after signing with the Mets. He also has been able to speak with Phil Niekro a few times, although he has not connected with Dickey.

          Jannis carries around his own catcher's glove, which he has nicknamed "Clank."

          As for his time with the Long Island Ducks, Jannis said he appreciated being around ex-Mets Bud Harrelson and Kevin Baez.

          "I had a great time," Jannis said. "They have a really strong following. It was a lot of fun playing for them. They have a great coaching staff."

          Still, he particularly is gratified to be back in a major league organization after spending parts of four seasons in independent ball.

          "The last three or four years have been a grind," Jannis said. "It's been a lot of fun being back. That's for sure."

          ORGANIZATION LEADERS

          Average: Patrick Mazeika, Kingsport, .335; Kevin Kaczmarski, Kingsport, .328; T.J. Rivera, Binghamton, .320; Gavin Cecchini, Binghamton, .320; Ali Sanchez, GCL Mets, .314; Jeff McNeil, St. Lucie, .313; Dominic Smith, St. Lucie, .311; Luis Guillorme, Savannah, .308; Vinny Siena, Brooklyn, .301; Luis Ortega, Kingsport, .299.

          Homers: Josh Rodriguez, Binghamton, 17; Travis Taijeron, Vegas, 17; Alex Castellanos, Vegas, 16; Michael Conforto, Binghamton, 12; Brandon Allen, Vegas, 12.

          RBIs: Dominic Smith, St. Lucie, 69; Josh Rodriguez, Binghamton, 67; Brandon Allen, Vegas, 58; Matt Reynolds, Vegas, 58; Alex Castellanos, Vegas, 56.

          Steals: Wilfredo Tovar, Vegas, 30; Patrick Biondi, Savannah, 28; Champ Stuart, St. Lucie, 21; Jonathan Johnson, Savannah, 21.

          ERA: Michael Fulmer, Binghamton, 2.03; Casey Meisner, St. Lucie, 2.35; Robert Gsellman, Binghamton, 2.48; Martires Arias, Savannah, 2.50; Edwin German, GCL Mets, 2.82; Merandy Gonzalez, Kingsport, 2.82; Ronald Guedez, GCL Mets, 3.07; Tyler Badamo, Brooklyn, 3.10; Gaby Almonte, Brooklyn, 3.22; Ricky Knapp, Savannah, 3.28.

          Wins: Robert Gsellman, Binghamton, 12; Scarlyn Reyes, St. Lucie, 11; Casey Meisner, St. Lucie, 10; Corey Oswalt, Savannah, 9.

          Saves: Jon Velasquez, Binghamton, 20; Paul Sewald, Binghamton, 18; Akeel Morris, Binghamton, 13; Jimmy Duff, St. Lucie, 12; Alex Palsha, Brooklyn, 11.

          Strikeouts: Martires Arias, Savannah, 103; Seth Lugo, Binghamton, 100; Darin Gorski, Vegas, 95; Steven Matz, Vegas, 94; Michael Fulmer, Binghamton, 92.

          SHORT HOPS

          • Amed Rosario, the 19-year-old shortstop phenom with St. Lucie, returned to the lineup Sunday after missing three weeks with left wrist tendinitis. The injury required a visit to team doctors in New York. Rosario, who received a franchise-record signing bonus for an international teenager of $1.7 million back in 2012, is hitting .261/.305/.347 in 86 games in the Florida State League this season.

          • Outfielder Kyle Johnson has started a rehab assignment after severely breaking his left hand when he was hit by a pitch from Colorado Springs' Tyler Cravy while playing for Las Vegas on May 27. Doctors initially thought the break would heal on its own. But when it failed to improve, they eventually performed surgery that involved inserting a plate and six screws. Johnson was acquired from the Los Angeles Angels on June 25, 2013 for Collin Cowgill. After three appearances in the Gulf Coast League, Johnson's rehab assignment transferred to St. Lucie on Monday.

          • Binghamton's Gavin Cecchini and St. Lucie's Dominic Smith have started off August strongly. Both former first-round picks claimed their leagues' player of the month awards for July. After hitting only .208 in June, Cecchini hit .387 last month. He is hitting .375 (15-for-40) in August. Smith hit .352 in June, .305 in July and is hitting .400 (16-for-40) so far this month.

          • Second baseman Vinny Siena and right-handers Gaby Almonte and Alex Palsha will represent the Brooklyn Cyclones in the New York-Penn League All-Star Game next Tuesday at Aberdeen, Maryland. Siena was selected in the 14th round in June out of UConn, where he followed fellow Mets farmhand L.J. Mazzilli as a second baseman for the Huskies. Palsha, a 27th-round pick in 2014 out of Sacramento State, has not allowed a run in 19 2/3 innings with Brooklyn this season. He has allowed eight hits, four walks (one intentional) and hit one batter while striking out 23.

          • Right-hander Chris Flexen, who underwent Tommy John surgery last July, made his season debut with Savannah on Saturday after six tune-up appearances between the Gulf Coast League and Brooklyn. Flexen, 21, allowed one run on six hits and two walks while striking out five in six innings in a win at Charleston. Also returning after lengthy injury absences: Savannah's Josh Prevost (shoulder) and St. Lucie's Marcos Molina (elbow).