Mets Minor League Report

Onwards and Upwards

Toby Hyde — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 08:29:00 -0400

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http://www.metsminorleagueblog.com/.

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Mets Minor League Report 6-4-08

Toby Hyde — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 04:33:00 -0400

I thought Pedro looked even better than a Mets fan could reasonably have hoped on Tuesday night.

Meanwhile, down in Georgia, the Gnats went deep five times in the first inning.

Stars of the Day:
AAA: Chris Aguila/Willie Collazo & Brandon Knight
AA: Mike Carp & Ambiorix Concepcion
A+: Emary Frederick/J.R. Voyles
A: Greg Veloz & Michael Parker & Jared Abruzzo & Francisco Pena & Matt Bouchard

Mets Minor League Report 6-3-08

Toby Hyde — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 09:03:00 -0400

The South Atlantic League named DH Jared Abruzzo and C Francisco Pena to its All-Star team on Monday.

Stars of the Day:
AAA: Chris Aguila & Michel Abreu
AA: Off
A+: eh
A: Maikel Cleto/Matt Bouchard

Mets Minor League Report 6-2-08 Weekend Wrap

Toby Hyde — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 05:38:00 -0400

Saturday, the FSL released its All-Star selections for the All-Star game at Space Coast Stadium on June 14th. Congratulations to C Josh Thole and RHP Dillon Gee, the Mets two representatives. Thole, the Mets 13th round pick in 2005 is hitting .275/.370/.417 after the weekend’s action. The 21 year old’s two homers are two more than he hit all of last year with Savannah. Gee (3-5, 4.28) has tossed 61 innings and given up 63 hits. He’s struck out 48 and walked 13. Gee has been the best of the St. Lucie pitchers who have been in the rotation all season long.

Stars of the Weekend:
AAA: Chris Aguila…Chris Aguila…Chris Aguila
AA: Jon Niese…Mike Carp…Eddie Kunz
A+: Dillon Gee…Jose Valentin…Joe Holden/Eric Niesen
A: Elvin Ramirez/Jose Jimenez…Angel Calero & Brant Rustich…Joaquin Rodriguez

Mets Minor League Report 5-30-08

Toby Hyde — Fri, 30 May 2008 11:36:00 -0400

Stars of the Day:
AAA: Valentino Pascucci
AA: Bobby Parnell/Dan Murphy
A+: Dylan Owen/Lucas Duda
A: Brant Rustich/Greg Veloz

Mets Minor League Report 5-29-08

Toby Hyde — Thu, 29 May 2008 03:33:00 -0400

Amazing win Wednesday for the Mets.

Pedro described his rehab start Wednesday in Florida as being “perfect.” On the numbers alone, it’s hard to quibble with six innings, two runs, four hits, no walks and six strikeouts. Even better, he threw 63 of 82 pitches for strikes working mostly off his fastball which was 87-89, with a few 91 mph heaters tossed in. And he’s happy, and healthy. By the way, Pedro made three starts for St. Lucie last year and this was significantly better than any of those three.

It’s no secret that Mike Pelfrey has struggled this year. It’s no secret he could be headed to the minors. It’s no secret why: his command has been lousy. However, I really liked his quote here about himself: "I know I can be a winning pitcher, that's what irritates me. If I thought I wasn't any good, I could accept it a little easier. But I know I can be, and I can help us win." Like Pelfrey, I think he can be a winning pitcher. Like Pelfrey, I think he could help the Mets. (Actually, I think he must help the Mets for the team to be successful this year and in the future.) However, remember how much more frustrating it is for him than for the fans. This is his life and his career. It’s our passion.

Stars of the Day:
AAA: Tony Armas
AA: Josh Petersen
A+: PEDRO/Lucas Duda
A: Off

Mets Minor League Report 5-28-08

Toby Hyde — Wed, 28 May 2008 03:09:00 -0400
On Wednesday, not that it should matter to him, Pedro will take on Rays #1 pick David Price.
At Baseball Prospectus, Joe Sheehan, in discussing the Mets, suggests that they sign Barry Bonds.
“Not to put too fine a point on this, but a team with a hole in left field, desperate for lefty power (the Mets are 11th in homers and 12th in slugging), that has already committed itself to below-average defense and occasional unavailability from the regular in that spot, that has a win-now bent, and whose season is already the subject of crushing media coverage… I mean, how hard is this to figure out? Sign him already. Barry Bonds is Alou, but with better offense, defense, speed, and health.”
I’d thought about Bonds before, and I like the idea though I doubt it will happen. From a baseball perspective, it makes a lot of sense. Bonds hit .276/.480/.565 with 28 bombs last year for a lousy San Francisco team. PECOTA’s weighted mean projection for Bonds for 2008 was for a .248/.420/.494 equivalent line, with slightly below average defense in left. I’d bet adding a .420 OBP and .494 SLG to the lineup and extra wins in the standings would do wonders for clubhouse chemistry.
Stars of the Day:
AAA: Nelson Figueroa/Argenis Reyes
AA: Eric Reed
A+: *Tobi Stoner*
A: Jose Jimenez

Mets Minor League Report 5-27-08

Toby Hyde — Tue, 27 May 2008 05:02:00 -0400
Stars of the Day:
AAA: Valentino Pascucci & Michel Abreu & Anderson Machado/Brian Stokes
AA: **Dan Murphy** & Caleb Stewart
A+: Off
A: *Michael Antonini*/Casey Craig & Richard Pena & Greg Veloz

Mets Minor League Report 5-26-08

Toby Hyde — Mon, 26 May 2008 05:07:00 -0400
Stars of the Weekend:
AAA: Valentino Pascucci/Willie Collazo … Anderson Hernandez/Ruddy Lugo
AA: Ambio Concepcion & Caleb Stewart & Mike Carp/Bobby Parnell … Manny Garcia & Mike Carp
A+: JR Voyles & DJ Wabick…DJ Wabick/Emary Frederick
A: Elvin Ramirez… Greg Veloz & Casey Craig & Matt Bouchard

Mets Minor League Report 5-24-08

Toby Hyde — Sat, 24 May 2008 04:39:00 -0400
The Mets will officially promote Nick Evans straight from double-A Binghamton to the big leagues on Saturday. Evans, as Brian Moritz writes in the Press & Sun Bulletin, was told during ninth inning of Friday night’s game against Reading. Evans initially thought he was being yanked from the game as a reprimand for a lapse in attention and lack of hustle in which he tossed a fair ball into the stands because he thought it had landed foul, costing his team a run. Regarding his promotion, an excited Evans told Moritz, "I did not have a clue, a hunch or a hint that this was coming …It's just the most out of the blue feeling." Like Evans, I’m surprised, too. Like Evans, I’m pleased. The right-handed hitting 22-year-old was batting.292/.356/.538 with eight doubles, five triples and eight homers and was ninth in the Eastern League with a .894 OPS. Notably, alongside strong power production, Evans was doing a fine job controlling the strike zone, walking 17 times and striking out 32 times in 171 AB. Evans’ EQA (a Baseball Prospectus stat that measures total offensive production normalized to make .260 MLB average) was 8th in the EL at .273.
Evans crushed lefties at a .349/.414/.683 pace in 63 AB this year. This is not a fluke of small sample sizes; he banged out a .354/.440/.596 line against lefties in St. Lucie in 99 AB last year. Carlos Delgado has hit .200/.238/.333 against lefties in 60 AB in 2008. I’d like to see Evans play first against nearly all southpaws. Conveniently, the Mets will see two lefties in the final two games in Denver – Jeff Francis and Jorge De La Rosa.
A high school third baseman, Evans played 21 games at third for the Mets rookie ball affiliate in 2004, but in the subsequent three seasons, 05-07, he played first exclusively. This year, Evans has played at first base roughly two thirds of the time, in leftfield one third and mixed in a few games in at third. Baseball America had Evans ranked as the Mets 20th best prospect entering the season.
By the way, the stories about Friday’s game at Coors should not be about a manager. They should be about the players, particularly the stars, who did not play well let alone approach star level. Wright: 1-6, 3 K. Wagner: blown save. Beltran: 0-5. Reyes: 1-5, RBI and an inexcusable baserunning mistake getting picked off second after a heady athletic play to get there in the first place. Oliver Perez: 8 walks.
Happy Birthday Dad.
Stars of the Day:
AAA: Valentino Pascucci
AA: Nick Evans & Mike Carp & Salomon Manriquez
A+: Lucas Duda & Josh Thole/Stephen Clyne
A: Greg Veloz/Scott Moviel

Mets Minor League Report 5-23-08

Toby Hyde — Fri, 23 May 2008 12:00:00 -0400
A disappointing Thursday for the Mets was echoed in losses by the top three farm teams. However, down in the South Atlantic League, Maikel Cleto’s beautiful pitching performance provided a big welcome bright spot.
Stars of the Day:
AAA: Nelson Figueroa/Abraham Nunez
AA: Dan Murphy & Salomon Manriquez & Manny Garcia
A+: None
A: *Maikel Cleto*

Mets Minor League Report 5-22-08

Toby Hyde — Thu, 22 May 2008 05:34:00 -0400
Three nice pitching performances from Michael Antonin, Tobi Stoner and Jon Niese yielded just one win Wednesday.
Over at Baseball Prospectus, Kevin Goldstein talked to a scout who said nice things about Mike Carp, but showed some serious love for Fernando Martinez: "I know he doesn't have much of a number history, but I think when it's all done, he's the Mets' No. 3 hitter…His body is filling out, his plate discipline is better, he's showing more usable power in-game, his maturity instincts and awareness is highly advanced, his throwing and defense is better to where I think he's a right fielder and not a left fielder–-I see him as a future All-Star and I think it's going to happen pretty fast. He's friggin' sick."
Stars of the Day:
AAA: Off
AA: Dan Murphy & Nick Evans/Jon Niese
A+: Tobi Stoner
A: Michael Antonini

Mets Minor League Report 5-21-08

Toby Hyde — Wed, 21 May 2008 05:36:00 -0400
I was relieved on Tuesday night when I checked the box scores, not from the big leagues but from the Florida State League. In Dunedin, the St. Lucie Mets beat the Blue Jays snapping their 12-game losing streak.
Stepping back a bit, I’d encourage all Mets fans to use Mike Piazza’s retirement as a prompt to celebrate the career of the best offensive catcher of all-time. Piazza wasn’t my first favorite Mets catcher, Todd Hundley was. Sportscenter identified Piazza as “former Dodger, Mike Piazza.” While that’s correct too, he’ll always be a Met to me, and one of my favorites at that.
Brady Clark is done for the season after undergoing micro fracture surgery, the New Orleans Zephyrs announced Tuesday.
Stars of the Day:
AAA: Argenis Reyes
AA: Rain
A+: Christopher Fournier & Salvador Paniagua/Eric Niesen
A: Angel Calero/Francisco Pena

Mets Minor League Report 5-20-08

Toby Hyde — Tue, 20 May 2008 03:56:00 -0400
Stars of the Day:
AAA: Anderson Machado
AA: Sal Aguilar/Dan Murphy & Mike Carp & Caleb Stewart
A+: Salvador Paniagua & BJ Hubbert
A: Jared Abruzzo & Jose Jimenez

Mets Minor League Report 5-19-08 (Weekend Wrap)

Toby Hyde — Mon, 19 May 2008 06:07:00 -0400
Wouldn’t baseball do well to adopt instant replay for plays involving home runs or potential homers?
Fernando Martinez was placed on the disabled list at double-A Binghamton on Saturday and will miss at least a few weeks say reports out of Binghamton. Martinez will do his rehab in sunny St. Lucie rather than with the B-Mets.
To help the Binghamton outfield, the Mets signed OF Eric Reed and sent him upstate. The Marlins released Reed after he started the year 2-17 for their triple-A affiliate in Albuquerque. Despite playing his home games in the hitter friendly desert last year, Reed hit .285/.323/.397 for the Isotopes a year ago and was 2-for-20 for the Marlins. The defensive specialist is 6-for-61 (.098) overall in the big leagues in two stints with the Fish in 06 and 07. Also, to add depth to the Binghamton outfield, the Mets promoted OF Josh Petersen from St. Lucie before Sunday’s games and sent C/1B Miguel Paniagua the other way.
The B-Mets had their winning streak snapped over the weekend, while the A ball teams continued to struggle.
Stars of the Weekend:
AAA: Raul Casanova…Tony Armas Jr./Chris Aguila & Valentino Pascucci…Victor Mendez
AA: Jose Sanchez/Caleb Stewart…Jose Coronado… Nick Evans & Caleb Stewart
A+: Tobi Stoner…Ruben Tejada
A: Greg Veloz…Casey Craig & Michael Parker …Carlos Guzman

Mets Minor League REport 5-16-08

Toby Hyde — Fri, 16 May 2008 10:38:00 -0400
Fernando Martinez will see doctors in NYC on Friday.
Stars of the Day:
AAA: Brian Stokes
AA: Dan Murphy & Nick Murphy/Eude Brito
A+: Ezequiel Carrera & Luis Rivera
A: Angel Calero & Jose Bierd/Jared Abruzzo

Mets Minor League Report 5-15-08

Toby Hyde — Thu, 15 May 2008 11:34:00 -0400
Fernando Martinez felt a pop in his hamstring Wednesday while Elvin Ramirez dealt in Savannah.
Stars of the Day:
AAA: Off
AA: Eddie Kunz/Dan Murphy
A+: Ruben Tejada
A: Elvin Ramirez

Mets Minor League Report 5-14-08

Toby Hyde — Wed, 14 May 2008 04:52:00 -0400
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

Mets Minor League Report 5-13-08

Toby Hyde — Tue, 13 May 2008 03:32:00 -0400
Stars of the Day:
AAA: Chris Aguila
AA: Off
A+: Dylan Owen & Matt Wise & Stephen Clyne & Edgar Alfonzo
A: Maikel Cleto/Matt Bouchard

Mets Minor League Report 5-12-08 (Weekend Wrap)

Toby Hyde — Mon, 12 May 2008 05:33:00 -0400
In recognition of Francisco Martinez’s powerful week last week, Baseball America slotted him in at #6 in Friday’s Hot Sheet. Here are the money lines in the comment: “He's the youngest player in Double-A—heck, if he were in high Class A, he would still be the second-youngest player at that level. Teenagers in Double-A shouldn't be hitting for power, a skill that normally blossoms later in a player's career….but his ability to drive the ball against much older competition is encouraging as he starts to take advantage of his prodigious tools in game situations.”
Stars of the Weekend:
AAA: Fernando Tatis/Brian Stokes…Valentino Pascucci/Jose Santiago…Tim McNab/Jesus Feliciano
AA: Jon Niese/Fernando Martinez … Jose Sanchez & Eude Brito & Eddie Kunz
A+: Nick Carr/Jamar Hill … Ruben Tejada & DJ Wabick
A: *Angel Calero*/Casey Craig…Joaquin Rodriguez/Michael Antonini

Mets Minor League Report 5-9-08

Toby Hyde — Fri, 09 May 2008 10:25:00 -0400
Stars of the Day:
AAA: Valentino Pascucci/*Claudio Vargas*
AA: *Fernando Martinez*/Sal Aguilar
A+: Lucas Duda & Luis Rivera
A: Jose Bierd

Mets Minor League Report 5-8-08

Toby Hyde — Thu, 08 May 2008 04:15:00 -0400
All three Mets affiliates in action on Wednesday won behind big offensive performances. On the hill, both Bobby Parnell and Scott Moviel, two of the Mets best pitching prospects earned wins for Binghamton and Savannah respectively, although neither was dominant.
Stars of the Day:
AAA: Fernando Tatis/Willie Collazo & Carlos Muniz
AA: Fernando Martinez & Jose Coronado & Mike Carp
A+: Off
A: Francisco Pena & Jared Abruzzo & Richard Pena

Mets Minor League Report 5-7-08

Toby Hyde — Wed, 07 May 2008 14:00:00 -0400
Rehabbers Ramon Castro and Matt Wise helped St. Lucie to its eighth win of the season on Tuesday.
I’m in LA, and have been in to the Mets two losses against the Dodgers Monday and Tuesday. Please, gang, just win Wednesday, before I leave town. I don’t want to have to feel like a jinx if I see each game of a sweep.
Stars of the Day:
AAA: Jesus Felciano
AA: Caleb Stewart & Nick Evans/The Bullpen
A+: Jamar Hill & Ezequiel Carrera/Dylan Owen
A: Matt Bouchard & Greg Veloz & Francisco Pena & Jose Jimenez

Mets Minor League Report 5-6-08

Toby Hyde — Tue, 06 May 2008 08:39:00 -0400
While hanging out in the Dodger Stadium parking lot Monday night my buddy Ben and I ran into Carlos Muniz’s childhood crew celebrating Cinco de Mayo. Monday, Muniz pitched two scoreless innings in the Zephyrs 5-4 loss extending his scoreless innings streak to 14.1 shutout between the Mets and Zephyrs to start the year.
In case you missed it, here’s the New Orleans Zephyrs press release announcing that the Mets released Ben Johnson Monday. Johnson had spent this season where he ended 2007: on the disabled list trying to heal his ankle. His release closes the Mets book on the very ill-fated Ben Johnson and Jon Adkins for Heath Bell and Royce Ring trade with the Padres, consummated on November 15, 2006. Since that time, if you’re keeping score at home, Bell has blossomed into a premier reliever, while the other three gentlemen struggled to stay healthy (Johnson) or be effective (Ring and Adkins). In 2007 and 2008, since the trade, Heath Bell has appeared in 97 games for San Diego, thrown 111.1 innings, yielded 75 hits, 26 runs, 3 HR, walked 35, and struck out a ridiculous 113 batters for an ERA of 2.10. In July of last year, the Padres traded Royce Ring, who had been completely unremarkable (1-0, 3.60, 15 IP) to the Braves for Wilfredo Ledezma and Will Startup. Jon Adkins is hard at work for the Cincinnati Reds triple-A affiliate, the Louisville Bats, where he is 0-1 with a 0.95 ERA in 19 IP this year. He’s fanned only nine, walking two and giving up 12 hits. With that relatively low K/IP rate, expect his ERA to rise.

Stars of the Day:
AAA: Valentino Pascucci/Carlos Muniz
AA: -
A+: Ramon Castro/Tobi Stoner
A: Michael Antonini/Michael Parker

Mets Minor League Report 5-5-08

Toby Hyde — Mon, 05 May 2008 07:15:00 -0400
Stars of the Weekend:
AAA: Ruddy Lugo/Argenis Reyes…Ivan Maldonado…Fernando Tatis
AA: Bobby Parnell & Nick Evans…Dan Murphy& Caleb Stewart/Eddie Camacho… Fernando Martinez
A+: DJ Wabick & Lucas Duda…Nick Carr … Ezequiel Carrera
A: Richard Pena …Casey Craig & Jared Abruzzo… Francsico Pena/Angel Calero

Mets Minor League Report 5-2-08

Toby Hyde — Fri, 02 May 2008 13:40:00 -0400
Rehabbing in St. Lucie, Ramon Castro was 1-3 with a double, walk, RBI and run scored. He left Wednesday’s game early, but Thursday night caught seven innings.
Stars of the Day:
AAA: Jesus Feliciano/Tony Armas
AA: Mike Carp & Nick Evans
A+: Ezequiel Carrera/Dylan Owen
A: Jared Abruzzo & Greg Veloz

Mets Minor League Report 5-1-08

Toby Hyde — Thu, 01 May 2008 16:26:00 -0400
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

Mets Minor League Report 4-30-08

Toby Hyde — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 04:27:00 -0400
Claudio Vargas is now officially a Zephyr, slightly later than originally anticipated.
Stars of the Day:
AAA: Willie Collazo/Victor Mendez & Jesus Feliciano
AA: Manny Garcia & Salomon Manriquez
A+: Off
A: Matt Bouchard & Daniel Stegall

Mets Minor League Report 4-29-08

Toby Hyde — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 05:10:00 -0400
In triple-A Chris Aguila had a monster night, while thousands of miles away in Florida, Ramon Castro and Claudio Vargas suited up for St. Lucie and performed well.
Stars of the Day:
AAA: Chris Aguila & Michel Abreu
AA: Off
A+: Claudio Vargas/Ramon Castro
A: Off

Mets Minor League Repor 4-28-08

Toby Hyde — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 04:45:00 -0400
Stars of the Weekend:
AAA: Ruddy Lugo
AA: Nick Evans…Eric Brown
A+: Dillon Gee/Jason Jacobs…*Brahiam Maldonado*/Tim Stronach
A: Darren Clark…Elvin Ramirez/Greg Veloz