Yikes, this is going out a little late on Thursday.

            The New Orleans roster improved before Wednesday’s game.  In addition to adding Claudio Vargas, who will start Saturday, bumping Joselo Diaz to the Zephyrs bullpen, the Mets signed free agent 1B/OF Valentino Pascucci.  The Phillies granted Pascucci his release after he hit just .232/.370/.293 in 82 for the Lehigh Valley Ironpigs, their new triple-A affiliate.  The huge 6’6” 260lb righthanded 29-year-old slugger spent last year with the Albuquerque Isotopes, the Marlins PCL affiliate where he hit .284/.389/.577 with 34 homers and 98 RBI in 447 AB.  Pascucci played 112 games at fist last year, but his year has played more RF (18 games) than first (5 games).  I really like this signing.  I suggested in conversations with friends last fall that Pascucici would be an excellent fit for the Mets as he would provide a low cost insurance policy with power and patience from the right side at triple-A.  Pascucci won’t blow anyone away with his athleticism, but can hit.  I hope a return to the PCL reenergizes the Scooch, as his teammates call him, since he hit .313/.438/.554 against PCL lefties last year.  In a related note, Carlos Delgado has hit .220/.273/.390 against southpaws this year. 

            To make room for Pascucci, the Zephyrs sent Caleb Stewart who had hit .221/.268/.377 in 77 AB for New Orleans down to double-A Binghamton where he was an All-Star last year.  To accommodate Stewart, the Mets moved Josh Petersen who had hit .321/.387/.446 in 56 AB down to St. Lucie rather than say, Abiorix Concepcion (.235/.269/.327 in 98 AB) who hasn’t hit much.

            Ramon Castro left his rehab assignment in St. Lucie with a leg injury. 

Stars of the Day:

AAA: Tim McNab & Carlos Muniz/Michel Abreu & Anderson Hernandez

AA: Dan Murphy

A+: Ramon Castro & Ezequiel Carrera/Tobi Stoner

A: Michael Antonini/Michael Hernandez

New Orleans (AAA – Pacific Coast League)

New Orleans Zephyrs (16-10, -1.5) 7, @ Tacoma (13-12) 6

            The Zephyrs entertaining series in Tacoma saw tempers flare Wednesday night when Adam Bostick was ejected in the bottom of the first before recording an out.  Bostick was charged with three runs before being run arguing a pitch after yielding a two RBI triple to Jeremy Reed.  Every available New Orleans reliever appeared in the game with Tim McNab contributing three perfect frames in relief of Bostick.  Carlos Muniz loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the ninth before getting Matt Tuiasosopo and Jeremy Reed on strikes to close out the win. 

            New Orleans answered, and took a 6-3 lead with a five-run top of the seventh.  With the bases loaded, back-to-back doubles by Michel Abreu and newcomer Valentino Pascucci accounted for four runs.  The table setters laid a bountiful feast as leadoff man Argenis Reyes and his #2, Jesus Feliciano were a combined 6-7 with two walks. Anderson Hernandez (.213/.246/.333) was 2-4 with a double and solo homer in the eighth that provided the Zephyrs final run. 

Binghamton (AA - Eastern League)

New Britain (12-12) 11, Binghamton Mets (10-16, -7.0) 2

            Jon Niese ran into trouble in the fifth, allowing four runs in the inning to fall to 2-2, with a 1.82 ERA while the B-Mets lost their fifth straight.  Niese wasn’t sharp, walking six while striking out five in 4.1 innings.  Neither Sal Aguilar nor German Marte was sharp in relief. 

            Dan Murphy, playing 3B, was 3-3 with a walk, an RBI, and a run.  2B Jonathan Malo was 2-4 with a run. 

St. Lucie (A+ - Florida State League)

St. Lucie Mets (5-21, -13.0) 7, @ Daytona Cubs (14-12) 4

            Rehabbing Ramon Castro was 2-2 with a solo homerun in a four-run St. Lucie fourth, two runs, and two RBI, but left the game with a leg injury in the fifth.  That’s a bummer.  Ezequiel Carrera was 2-4, with a double and a triple and scored a few runs. 

            Tobi Stoner (1-1, 3.24) gave up just a run on seven hits in five innings, fanning five.  Ryan Coultas tossed a scoreless inning in relief. 

Savannah (A – South Atlantic League)

@ Savannah Sand Gnats (9-17, -11.0) 4, Hickory Crawdads (14-13) 2

            Michael Antonini (2-1, 3.26) was excellent over 6.2 innings, yielding just a run on one hit and one walk while punching out four. 

            The new guys, Michael Hernandez (3-4, 2R) and Joaquin Rodriguez (2-4, RBI) accounted for five of the Gnats eight hits.  Francisco Pena’s RBI double extended his hit streak to nine games. 

Toby Hyde has written Toby’s Mets Minor League Report since 2004.  Please pass this along to friends, family, co-workers, and Mets fans of all types.  To subscribe to the email newsletter, sign up here: http://groups.google.com/group/mets-minors?hl=en.  Archives are available at http://metsminors.metsblog.com.