I’ve got two interviews to transcribe, and I’ll post them shortly.
1. Baseball
2. Kunz/Carp AFL Video Interview
3. AFL
4. HWB
5. VWL
6. DWL
1. Baseball America’s Mets Top 10:
1. Fernando Martinez
2. Deolis Guerra
3. Carlos Gomez
4. Kevin Mulvey
5. Eddie Kunz
6. Brant Rustich
7. Philip Humber
8. Jon Niese
9. Nathan Vineyard
10. Robert Parnell
Friday,
Baseball
The most interesting thing for me, beyond the analysis of specific players I haven’t seen with my own eyes, is Omar Minaya’s comments about a potential change in the Mets draft philosophy. In the last two years, the Mets have stayed within the commissioner’s recommended slot, but will now “review” that policy. The Mets have the ability and should spend money to sign above slot deals if the available talent dictates that strategy.
The one thing that I really disagreed with Manuel on in his chat was his suggestion that the Mets should trade Milledge, because of his “baggage” and keep the “dynamic” Gomez. Lets keep it simple: Milledge 2007 MLB OPS .787, Gomez: .592. Milledge is a mere eight months older and ready to contribute now. Gomez, I believe, needs more triple-A seasoning. “Dynamic” doesn’t make consistent contact yet.
Friday, I did an interview with Brant Rustich, so watch for that as soon as I transcribe it.
2. Jonathan Mayo at minorleaguebaseball.com has quick interviews with Mike Carp and Eddie Kunz from the AFL. Thanks to the flash media wall, I can’t link directly to it, but find it on minorleaguebaseball.com.
3.
Scottsdale Scorpions
Friday: Eddie Kunz tossed a perfect ninth with two strikeouts. After struggling early in the AFL, perhaps Kunz has figured it out a little. In his last four innings, he’s allowed just two hits and a walk while striking out six. Eddie Camacho stuck out three batters in two hitless frames. Caleb Stewart doubled home two runs.
4.
Waikiki Beach Boys
Thursday: Hector Pellot was 1-4 with a home run, he tomahawked down the leftfield line on a 3-1 offering. Lucas Duda was 1-3 with a line drive home run to centerfield.
Friday: Brant Rustich gave up a run on two hits and a walk, while striking out two in an inning. Among fastballs that produced clear radar gun readings (that is, weren’t fouled off or put in play), 10 were 91 or 92, while he threw two at 93, one at 94 and one at 95. He threw a few sliders and a changeup or two. Rustich hadn’t thrown in almost two weeks while fighting a flu-type bug, so I don’t think I’ve been seeing him at his best.
Saturday: Lucas Duda had a big night offensively, going 3-4 with a double, homer and two RBI. The big lefty lined the double a foot inside the chalk along the leftfield line. The home run was a lined shot that just kept on carrying to the left of centerfield. Sharks’ centerfielder Austin Jackson, the league’s best defensive CF pursued the ball like he had a chance to make a play on it, but it just kept on carrying and carrying. Duda’s hitting .368/.405/.737 with three homers and five doubles in 11 games. Nick Carr struggled in his first inning, walking two batters, but worked a 1-2-3 second frame, blowing two batters away. He was throwing many more offspeed pitches Saturday than in his last appearance. This is progress. Hector Pellot had a pretty bunt basehit.
5. Venezuelan Winter League
Thursday, in his second start, Willie Collazo dealt seven shutout innings, allowing just two hits. He struck out three.
6. Dominican Winter
League
Carlos Gomez – hasn’t played since November 2
Miguel Negron – hasn’t played since Wednesday, 11/7
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