I was pleasantly surprised by the flurry of Mets roster moves on Tuesday. 

            First, the Mets designated Nelson Figueroa and Jorge Sosa for assignment.  Every team now has a chance to sign either player.  If they clear waivers, Sosa will have the option of declining a minor league assignment, which Marty Noble thinks he’ll do.  Noble also claims that the Mets believe Figueroa “might” return if he clears.  I didn’t think he had a choice.  A player only has the option of refusing a minor league assignment if he’s been designated before.  On April 3, 2002, the Brewers claimed him off waivers from the Phillies, but I don’t think he was out of options at that point so I didn’t think that counted as a DFA.  This minutiae probably won’t matter.

            Anyway, bringing replacing Figueroa with Claudio Vargas is an upgrade in the starting rotation and replacing Sosa with Matt Wise is the same for the bullpen.  The other way this helps the ‘pen is that Joe Smith, the Mets best non-Wagner reliever gets to stick around.  Vargas was a better choice than say, Adam Bostick. 

            The Mets also placed Angel Pagan on the DL and brought up the veteran Fernando Tatis from New Orleans.  Tatis who was leading the PCL with 12 HR wasn’t doing much else (.242/.345/.592) but will provide a little pop and some versatility off the bench.  Fun fact: Anderson Hernandez is still on the Mets 40-man roster. 

            Also, Tuesday two of the Mets best righthanded pitching prospects, Bobby Parnell and Scott Moviel each threw very well. 

 

Stars of the Day:

AAA: Willie Collazo/Anderson Hernandez

AA: Bobby Parnell

A+: Dillon Gee

A: Scott Moviel/Michael Parker

 

New Orleans (AAA – Pacific Coast League)

Sacramento River Cats (23-16) 4, @ New Orleans Zephyrs (20-19, -2.5) 3

 

            Sacramento used two bloops and an infield single to break a 3-3 tie against Carlos Muniz in the top of the ninth.  The Zephyrs did all of their scoring on one swing of the bat: an Anderson Hernandez three run homer in the fifth.  It was Hernandez’s (.199/.252/.318 in 151 AB) second longball of the year.  Both 2B Argenis Reyes and C Mike Nickeas had two hits. 

            Willie Collazo did a nice job in a spot start yielding three runs on six hits in seven innings.  Collazo, starting for the first time since last July in Iowa, struck out three and didn’t walk a batter.

            New Orleans was an impressive 1-11 with runners in scoring postion. 

 

Binghamton (AA - Eastern League)

@ Binghamton Mets (16-21, -7.5) 4, New Britain Rock Cats (20-17) 2

 

            Bobby Parnell offered Binghamton his best start of the season, and his first seven-inning outing of the year, his third in double-A.  Parnell (3-2, 5.27) allowed two runs on five hits, fanned three and didn’t walk a batter.  Eddie Kunz loaded the bases in the ninth, with an error, a walk and a single, but escaped with a strikeout and ground out to preserve the win. 

            The Mets broke a 2-2 tie with a two-run seventh in which Fernando Martinez ground a single through the right side to bring home the go-ahead run. 

            Dustin Martin, who the Mets sent to the Twins along with C Drew Butera for Luis Castillo was 1-4 with an RBI and is now hitting .325/.386/.463 in 123 AB for New Britain.  He’s hit two homers and has stolen 10 bases in 12 tries. 

 

 

St. Lucie (A+ - Florida State League)

@ Vero Beach Devil Rays (18-20) 1, St. Lucie Mets (8-30, -15.0) 0

 

            Dillon Gee was fantastic, but the Mets offense, which mustered just two hits, wasn’t.  In seven innings, Gee (2-4, 4.03) struck out eight and walked one.  He allowed a run in the third on a pair of singles and a sacrifice fly.  Nick Abel, who came off the DL on Tuesday, struck out a batter in the eighth.  To make room for Abel, Tim Stronach was moved to the Brooklyn roster. 

            The only Mets hits were singles by LF DJ Wabick and C Tim McCraw. 

            St. Lucie has lost six straight games and is 1-9 in its last 10 games.

 

Savannah (A – South Atlantic League)

@ Savannah Sand Gnats (16-22, -10.5)  6, Asheville Tourists (27-12) 2

 

            Scott Moviel was the story for the Gnats Tuesday as the giant hurler, struck out seven batters over six innings.  Moviel gave up two runs on six hits.  The six innings he threw tied a season and career high, while the seven punch-outs are one off a career best set last July 30th against the GCL Dodgers.  Moviel was not involved in the decision, leaving the game with the Gnats down. 

            Savannah took advantage of five Tourists’ errors to overcome a 2-0 hole.  (Most tourists would be stoked to only make five errors on any vacation.)  LF Michael Parker put the Gnats ahead with a two-run single in the eighth which was followed by a Richard Lucas homer as Lucas snapped a personal 1-23 skid.  Francisco Pena (.282/.309/.393 in 117 AB at age 18) was 2-4, making him the only Gnat with more than one hit. 

            John Holdzkom snagged the win in relief of Moviel for two innings of work.

            Wednesday first pitch will be at 10:30 AM in that minor league baseball treat, Education Day. 

 

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.