Worried as I am about the Mets corner outfield positions, I don’t think Shawn Green and the huge chunk of change (almost 8 mill) he’s owed next year is the answer.  I don’t know what the answer might be, but that kind of money to that guy isn’t it. 

 

Stars of the Day:

AAA: Anderson Hernandez/Heath Bell

AA: Ambiorix Concepcion

A+: -

A: Zac Clements/Rafael Arroyo

SSA: Ivan Naccaratta

R (APP): the 14 run inning!
R (GCL): -

 

Norfolk (AAA - International League)

@ Norfolk 5, Columbus 3

 

            Anderson Hernandez had a big day.  He drove home two runs in a four run Norfolk fourth inning, and made the game saving play in the field.  Here’s the description of Hernandez’s defense from Rich Radford of the Virginian Pilot:

      In the top of the sixth inning with two out, the bases loaded and one run already in, the Clippers' J.T. Stotts hit a soft liner over second base that looked as if it would fall and possibly plate two runs. Instead, Tides shortstop Hernandez made a diving, snow-cone catch, much to the collective glee of the home crowd, to end the inning and preserve Norfolk's 4-3 lead.

            Dave Williams earned the win for six three-run innings.  Juan Perez kept the Clippers in check until the ninth, when Heath Bell struck out the side for his 10th AAA save of the year.

            Edgardo Alfonzo, who has hit safely in 12 of his last 13 games added two hits for Norfolk as well.  

            Oliver Perez starts the day game Monday for the Tides. 

 

Binghamton (AA - Eastern League)

@ Bowie 4, Binghamton 3 (10 innings)

@ Bowie 6, Binghamton 5 (7 innings)

 

            The Baysox swept the twinbill and the four game series from the B-Mets who have now lost five games in a row. 

            Ryan Hubele was the Baysox offense in game one, smacking a three run HR in the bottom of the second inning, and then the game winner in the bottom of the tenth. 

            Willie Collazo had a nice eight inning start, holding the Bay Sox to three runs on five hits.  Ivan Maldonado worked an uneventful ninth, before giving up the game winner in the 10th.  Ambiorix Concepcion’s 2 run HR in the seventh, tied the game for the Mets and sent it to extra innings.  Alhaji Turay was 2-5 in his AA debut. 

            In game 2, the teams exchanged five run frames with Bowie scoring five in the bottom of the third, and the B-Mets putting up five in return in the top of the fourth.  However, the Bay Sox completed the scoring with the winning run in the bottom of the fifth.  Bryan Edwards was touched for all six runs to drop his seventh game of the year. Concepcion drove home two the B-Mets five runs with a single to centerfield.

            The two teams are off Monday, and Tuesday, the B-Mets return the favor and hosts Bowie. 

           

 

St. Lucie (A+ - Florida State League)

St. Lucie

 

Off.  St. Lucie hosts Clearwater in a four-game set this week. 

 

Hagerstown (A – South Atlantic League)

Greensboro 1, @ Hagerstown 0

 

            The Grasshoppers scored the game’s only run when a Zac Clements wild pitch bounced off catcher Rafael Arroyo and into the Suns dugout bringing home Greensboro’s Greg Burns, who had just tripled.  Clements lasted six innings in the game allowing five hits. 

            Arroyo (.222/.349/.325) had two of the Suns’ four hits and threw out two runners. 

 

Brooklyn (SSA – New York Penn League)

Batavia 6, @ Brooklyn 1

 

            The Muckdogs scored four times in the games final three innings to pull away from the Cyclones. 

            Starter Todd Privett allowed two runs, one earned on two hits in six innings.  He struck out four and walked one, but took his first loss of the season. 

            Ivan Naccarata was 2-3, and had two of the Cyclones five hits. 

 

Kingsport Mets (R – Appalachian League)

@ Kingsport 18, Bristol 5

 

            The K-Mets scored 14 (!!!!) runs in the third inning on their way to blowing out the Sox.  The first three batters of the inning all walked, chasing the Bristol starter, and the first five batters all reached.  After two outs, the next 11 batters all reached safely. Bristol pitching walked six K-Mets and hit one in the inning.  Among batters who had to swing the bat to reach base, Alejandro Zuaznabar and Ritchie Price each had two run singles and Will Bashelor put the exclamation point on the inning with a three run triple to centerfield. 

            Julio Polanco got just enough run support for his first Appy League win. 

GCL Mets (R – Gulf Coast League)

GCL Mets

 

            Off.