Monday, September 24, 2012
Link: The 2013 Mets: Choose your own misadventure
Tired of the 2012 season and ready to start thinking about improving the Mets for 2013? Click Here to read about my look at the 2013 Mets as of right now, a good starting point for thinking realistically about what changes need to be made and how that could be accomplished (at Mets360.com).
Thursday, August 16, 2012
2012 Mets Prospect Report: Week 19 (8/9 - 8/15)
Top Pitching Prospect of the Week
Jacob DeGrom, SP (A+) - 7.0 IP, 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 8 K
DeGrom (2010, 9th round) has come out of nowhere to put himself squarely on the Mets prospect map. Essentially found money, DeGrom had elbow issues shortly after signing for $95K and wound up having Tommy John surgery, the recovery costing him his entire 2011 season. But man has he come back strong. He went 6-3 in 15 starts for A-ball Savannah, posting a 2.51 ERA in 89.2 innings, striking out 78 against just 14 walks and 77 hits. If the hard-throwing righty's first start following his promotion to Advanced A St. Lucie is any indication, he hasn't missed a beat. He'll probably start 2013 in the St. Lucie rotation, but given his age (he turned 24 in June), they could push him to AA Binghamton. Either way, DeGrom is another name to know and an arm to watch.
Honorable Mention:
Jacob DeGrom, SP (A+) - 7.0 IP, 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 8 K
DeGrom (2010, 9th round) has come out of nowhere to put himself squarely on the Mets prospect map. Essentially found money, DeGrom had elbow issues shortly after signing for $95K and wound up having Tommy John surgery, the recovery costing him his entire 2011 season. But man has he come back strong. He went 6-3 in 15 starts for A-ball Savannah, posting a 2.51 ERA in 89.2 innings, striking out 78 against just 14 walks and 77 hits. If the hard-throwing righty's first start following his promotion to Advanced A St. Lucie is any indication, he hasn't missed a beat. He'll probably start 2013 in the St. Lucie rotation, but given his age (he turned 24 in June), they could push him to AA Binghamton. Either way, DeGrom is another name to know and an arm to watch.
Honorable Mention:
Friday, August 10, 2012
2012 Mets Prospect Report: Week 18 (8/2 - 8/8)
Top Pitching Prospect of the Week
Tyler Pill, SP (A+) - 7.2 IP, 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 10 K
Pill (2011, 4th round) has quietly put together a solid 2012 campaign. Splitting time between the Mets' two full season A-ball affiliates, Pill has struck out 105 while walking 22 and giving up 109 hits in 113 innings en route to a 2.31 ERA and a 1.159 WHIP. His strikeout rate has dipped a bit and his walk rate has risen slighty with his move up to Advanced A, but weeks like this past one will do plenty to fix that. The 22-year-old righty will finish out the year with a few more starts in the Florida State League and then start the 2013 season as a member of the starting rotation in either AA Binghamton or back in Advanced A St. Lucie.
Honorable Mention:
Tyler Pill, SP (A+) - 7.2 IP, 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 10 K
Pill (2011, 4th round) has quietly put together a solid 2012 campaign. Splitting time between the Mets' two full season A-ball affiliates, Pill has struck out 105 while walking 22 and giving up 109 hits in 113 innings en route to a 2.31 ERA and a 1.159 WHIP. His strikeout rate has dipped a bit and his walk rate has risen slighty with his move up to Advanced A, but weeks like this past one will do plenty to fix that. The 22-year-old righty will finish out the year with a few more starts in the Florida State League and then start the 2013 season as a member of the starting rotation in either AA Binghamton or back in Advanced A St. Lucie.
Honorable Mention:
Friday, August 3, 2012
2012 Mets Prospect Report: Week 17 (7/26 - 8/1)
Top Pitching Prospect of the Week
Rafael Montero, SP (A+) - 6.0 IP, 1-0, 3.00 ERA, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 14 K
A lot of people had Montero (2011, international) as a sleeper prospect coming into 2012, based on his strong showing across 4 levels of short season ball last year. Montero, who signed with the Mets out of the Dominican Republic for $80,000 in January of 2011, had been under the radar by virtue of being 3-4 years older than the typical international prospect. But having made it all the way to Advanced A ball and succeeding there in his second pro year, he's a secret no more. This week, 14 of the 18 outs he recorded came via the strikeout, and along with all those punchouts Montero issued no free passes. On the season, the 21-year-old righty has 105 Ks against just 16 walks in 114.1 innings between Savannah and St. Lucie, the Mets' two full season A-ball affiliates. He's currently tied for the organizational lead with 10 wins, and sports a sterling 2.52 ERA and 0.980 WHIP. His is a name to remember, because this winter, you'll be seeing it on a lot of Mets prospect Top 10 lists.
Honorable Mention:
Rafael Montero, SP (A+) - 6.0 IP, 1-0, 3.00 ERA, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 14 K
A lot of people had Montero (2011, international) as a sleeper prospect coming into 2012, based on his strong showing across 4 levels of short season ball last year. Montero, who signed with the Mets out of the Dominican Republic for $80,000 in January of 2011, had been under the radar by virtue of being 3-4 years older than the typical international prospect. But having made it all the way to Advanced A ball and succeeding there in his second pro year, he's a secret no more. This week, 14 of the 18 outs he recorded came via the strikeout, and along with all those punchouts Montero issued no free passes. On the season, the 21-year-old righty has 105 Ks against just 16 walks in 114.1 innings between Savannah and St. Lucie, the Mets' two full season A-ball affiliates. He's currently tied for the organizational lead with 10 wins, and sports a sterling 2.52 ERA and 0.980 WHIP. His is a name to remember, because this winter, you'll be seeing it on a lot of Mets prospect Top 10 lists.
Honorable Mention:
Friday, July 27, 2012
2012 Mets Prospect Report: Week 16 (7/19 - 7/25)
Top Pitching Prospect of the Week
Michael Fulmer, SP (A) - 11.0 IP, 1-0, 0.82 ERA, 7 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 15 K
For a franchise where prospect hype often significantly outpaces prospect performance, it's amazing that Fulmer (2011, 1st round supplemental, 44th overall) hasn't gotten more attention. I suppose the presence of more advanced top pitching prospects Zack Wheeler and Matt Harvey, coupled with the surprisingly engaging play of the big league club in the first half, has allowed Fulmer to go about his business free from the NY microscope. Regardless, the 19-year-old (who won't turn 20 until next March) is leading the South Atlantic League with a 2.51 ERA and ranks 2nd with a 1.07 WHIP. And, just like you'd hope with a prospect, he seems to get better every time he takes the hill. The Mets may be content to let Fulmer finish out his stellar debut in Savannah or they may bump him up to St. Lucie for a sample fo the Advanced A fare he'll (hoefully) be feasting on next April. Either way, this kid's a keeper, and easily one of the best stories on the Mets' farm this year.
Honorable Mention:
Michael Fulmer, SP (A) - 11.0 IP, 1-0, 0.82 ERA, 7 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 15 K
For a franchise where prospect hype often significantly outpaces prospect performance, it's amazing that Fulmer (2011, 1st round supplemental, 44th overall) hasn't gotten more attention. I suppose the presence of more advanced top pitching prospects Zack Wheeler and Matt Harvey, coupled with the surprisingly engaging play of the big league club in the first half, has allowed Fulmer to go about his business free from the NY microscope. Regardless, the 19-year-old (who won't turn 20 until next March) is leading the South Atlantic League with a 2.51 ERA and ranks 2nd with a 1.07 WHIP. And, just like you'd hope with a prospect, he seems to get better every time he takes the hill. The Mets may be content to let Fulmer finish out his stellar debut in Savannah or they may bump him up to St. Lucie for a sample fo the Advanced A fare he'll (hoefully) be feasting on next April. Either way, this kid's a keeper, and easily one of the best stories on the Mets' farm this year.
Honorable Mention:
Thursday, July 19, 2012
2012 Mets Prospect Report: Week 15 (7/12 - 7/18)
Top Pitching Prospect of the Week
Jeurys Familia, SP (AAA) - 14.1 IP, 1-0, 0.63 ERA, 8 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 15 K
Now that's more like it. After making gigantic strides as a prospect last year in Advanced A and AA, Familia (2007, international) has taken a step back in 2012, particularly with his control. In fairness, he's been one of the youngest players in AAA all year, but the 6.2 BB/9 he'd given up through 75 innings as of 2 weeks ago was (and remains) troubling nonetheless. However in his past 3 starts, including the two he made this past week, the big righthander has simply been much, much better in every aspect of his game. The optimistic take is that he spent the first 3 months of the season ironing out the kinks and now he's ready to dominate. The realistic take is that 3 good starts doesn't erase 3 lousy months. Either way, it's great to see Familia string some success together. As a member of the Mets' 40-man roster, Familia could be ticketed for a September call-up, especially if the rest of his July & August go as well as this past week did.
Honorable Mention:
Jeurys Familia, SP (AAA) - 14.1 IP, 1-0, 0.63 ERA, 8 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 15 K
Now that's more like it. After making gigantic strides as a prospect last year in Advanced A and AA, Familia (2007, international) has taken a step back in 2012, particularly with his control. In fairness, he's been one of the youngest players in AAA all year, but the 6.2 BB/9 he'd given up through 75 innings as of 2 weeks ago was (and remains) troubling nonetheless. However in his past 3 starts, including the two he made this past week, the big righthander has simply been much, much better in every aspect of his game. The optimistic take is that he spent the first 3 months of the season ironing out the kinks and now he's ready to dominate. The realistic take is that 3 good starts doesn't erase 3 lousy months. Either way, it's great to see Familia string some success together. As a member of the Mets' 40-man roster, Familia could be ticketed for a September call-up, especially if the rest of his July & August go as well as this past week did.
Honorable Mention:
Thursday, July 12, 2012
2012 Mets Prospect Report: Week 14 (7/5 - 7/11)
Top Pitching Prospect of the Week
Logan Verrett, SP (A) - 9.0 IP, 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 6 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 7 K
It was a bit of a rough beginning to his pro career for Verrett (2011, 3rd round). He didn't pitch after signing last summer, and then he missed a month and a half at the beginning of the 2012 season, sidelined with a strained throwing shoulder. But he seemingly harnessed the energy of Tuesday night's Major League All-Star game to deliver a masturful complete game shutout for the Sand Gnats. Thanks to a caught stealing and a pair of double plays, Verrett faced just 4 over the minimum. On the year, Verrett has 52 strikeouts in 9 starts covering 50.2 innings against just 9 walks, suggesting that he's probably ready for the next challenge. Were it not for the injury, it's likely the 22-year-old righty would already be in St. Lucie by now.
Honorable Mention:
Logan Verrett, SP (A) - 9.0 IP, 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 6 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 7 K
It was a bit of a rough beginning to his pro career for Verrett (2011, 3rd round). He didn't pitch after signing last summer, and then he missed a month and a half at the beginning of the 2012 season, sidelined with a strained throwing shoulder. But he seemingly harnessed the energy of Tuesday night's Major League All-Star game to deliver a masturful complete game shutout for the Sand Gnats. Thanks to a caught stealing and a pair of double plays, Verrett faced just 4 over the minimum. On the year, Verrett has 52 strikeouts in 9 starts covering 50.2 innings against just 9 walks, suggesting that he's probably ready for the next challenge. Were it not for the injury, it's likely the 22-year-old righty would already be in St. Lucie by now.
Honorable Mention:
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Mets 2012 Draft Results
Players in bold have signed. Players have until Friday, July 13th to sign.
Big hat tip to the Pro Sports Daily forum for tracking signing news. Also to @nymets945, @PSLToFlushing, and @WexlerRules who have been sniffing out Mets signings on twitter & the web. Also to @KendallRogersPG who has tweeted several of these signing bonuses.
| Rnd | Pick | Player | Pos | School (Class, if college) | BA Top 500 |
| 1 | 12 | Gavin Cecchini | SS | Barbe HS, Louisiana | 16 |
| 1s | 35 | Kevin Plawecki | C | Purdue (Junior) | 67 |
| 2 | 71 | Matt Reynolds | 3B | Arkansas (Junior) | 147 |
| 2 | 75 | Teddy Stankiewicz | RHP | Ft Worth Christian HS, Texas | 137 |
| 3 | 107 | Matt Koch | RHP | Louisville (Junior) | 61 |
| 4 | 140 | Branden Kaupe | SS | Baldwin HS, Hawaii | Not Ranked |
| 5 | 170 | Brandon Welch | RHP | Palm Beach CC, Florida | 135 |
| 6 | 200 | Jayce Boyd | 1B | Florida State (Junior) | 394 |
| 7 | 230 | Corey Oswalt | RHP | Madison HS, California | 311 |
| 8 | 260 | Tomas Nido | C | Orangewood Christian HS, Florida | 303 |
| 9 | 290 | Richie Rodriguez | 2B | Eastern Kentucky (Senior) | Not Ranked |
| 10 | 320 | Paul Sewald | RHP | San Diego (Senior) | Not Ranked |
| 11 | 350 | Logan Taylor | RHP | Eastern Oklahoma St JC, Oklahoma | 312 |
| 12 | 380 | Robert Whalen | RHP | Haines City HS, Florida | Not Ranked |
| 13 | 410 | Matthew Bowman | RHP | Princeton (Junior) | Not Ranked |
| 14 | 440 | Chris Flexen | RHP | Newark Memorial HS, California | 306 |
| 15 | 470 | Nicholas Grant | RHP | Milford HS, Delaware | Not Ranked |
| 16 | 500 | Myles Smith | RHP | Miami Dade CC, Florida | 358 |
| 17 | 530 | Stefan Sabol | C | Orange Coast CC, California | 293 |
| 18 | 560 | Paul Paez | LHP | Rio Hondo CC, California | Not Ranked |
| 19 | 590 | Tyler Vanderheiden | RHP | Samford (Senior) | Not Ranked |
| 20 | 620 | Timothy Peterson | RHP | Kentucky (Junior) | Not Ranked |
| 21 | 650 | Gary Ward | LHP | Bethel (Senior) | Not Ranked |
| 22 | 680 | Tejay Antone | RHP | Legacy HS, Texas | Not Ranked |
| 23 | 710 | Connor Baits | RHP | Point Loma HS, California | 281 |
| 24 | 740 | Andrew Massie | RHP | Dyer County HS, Tennessee | Not Ranked |
| 25 | 770 | Leon Byrd | 2B | Cypress Ranch HS, Texas | Not Ranked |
| 26 | 800 | Chris Shaw | 1B | Lexington HS, Massachusetts | Not Ranked |
| 27 | 830 | Zach Arnold | C | Franklin County HS, Kentucky | Not Ranked |
| 28 | 860 | Jacob Marks | RHP | St. Clair SS, Ontario (Canada) | Not Ranked |
| 29 | 890 | Austin Barr | C | Camas HS, Washington | 234 |
| 30 | 920 | Dustin Cook | RHP | Hargrave HS, Texas | Not Ranked |
| 31 | 950 | Vance Vizcaino | SS | Wakefield HS, North Carolina | Not Ranked |
| 32 | 980 | Jon Leroux | 1B | Northeastern (Junior) | Not Ranked |
| 33 | 1010 | Jared Price | RHP | Twin Valley HS, Pennsylvania | 232 |
| 34 | 1040 | Mikey White | SS | Spain Park HS, Alabama | 183 |
| 35 | 1070 | Brad Markey | RHP | Santa Fe CC, Florida | 465 |
| 36 | 1100 | Donovan Walton | SS | Bishop Kelley HS, Oklahoma | Not Ranked |
| 37 | 1130 | Benny Distefano | C | Lawrence E Elkins HS, Texas | Not Ranked |
| 38 | 1160 | Jeff Reynolds | 3B | Harvard (Senior) | Not Ranked |
| 39 | 1190 | Patrick Ervin | 2B | Pace HS, Florida | Not Ranked |
| 40 | 1220 | David Gonzalez | RHP | Gainesville HS, Georgia | 348 |
| Rnd | Player | Signing Bonus | Pool Allotment | Difference | Official |
| 1 | Gavin Cecchini | $2,300,000 | $2,550,000 | -$250,000 | Yes |
| 1s | Kevin Plawecki | $1,400,000 | $1,467,400 | -$67,400 | Yes |
| 2 | Matt Reynolds | $525,000 | $723,600 | -$198,600 | Yes |
| 3 | Matt Koch | $425,000 | $445,400 | -$20,400 | Yes |
| 4 | Branden Kaupe | $225,000 | $323,900 | -$98,900 | Yes |
| 5 | Brandon Welch | $200,000 | $242,600 | -$42,600 | Yes |
| 6 | Jayce Boyd | $150,000 | $181,700 | -$31,700 | Yes |
| 7 | Corey Oswalt | $475,000 | $146,600 | +$328,400 | Yes |
| 8 | Tomas Nido | $250,000 | $136,900 | +$113,100 | Yes |
| 9 | Richie Rodriguez | $10,000 | $127,900 | -$117,900 | Yes |
| 10 | Paul Sewald | $1,000 | $125,000 | -$124,000 | Yes |
| 11 | Logan Taylor | $150,000 | $100,000 | +$50,000 | Yes |
| 12 | Robert Whalen | $100,000 | $100,000 | +$0 | Yes |
| 13 | Matthew Bowman | <$100,000 | N/A | +$0 | Yes |
| 14 | Chris Flexen | $374,400 | $100,000 | +$274,400 | Yes |
| 17 | Stefan Sabol | $100,000 | $100,000 | +$0 | Yes |
| 19 | Tyler Vanderheiden | <$100,000 | N/A | +$0 | Yes |
| 20 | Timothy Peterson | <$100,000 | N/A | +$0 | Yes |
| 24 | Andrew Massie | <$100,000 | N/A | +$0 | Yes |
| 32 | Jon Leroux | <$100,000 | N/A | +$0 | Yes |
| 38 | Jeff Reynolds | <$100,000 | N/A | +$0 | Yes |
| Total | $6,685,400 | $6,871,000 | -$185,600 |
Big hat tip to the Pro Sports Daily forum for tracking signing news. Also to @nymets945, @PSLToFlushing, and @WexlerRules who have been sniffing out Mets signings on twitter & the web. Also to @KendallRogersPG who has tweeted several of these signing bonuses.
Thursday, July 5, 2012
2012 Mets Prospect Report: Week 13 (6/28 - 7/4)
Top Pitching Prospect of the Week
Matt Harvey, SP (AAA) - 13.0 IP, 1-1, 1.38 ERA, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 15 K
Harvey (2010, 1st round, 7th overall) is on quite a roll. He's gone at least 5 innings in each of his past 5 starts, going 6 twice and 7 twice. He's had at least 6 Ks and no more than 2 BB in each start, and has surrendered 8 total runs over that span. Harvey's first start this week (7 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 9 K) was dominant, whereas his second (6 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 6 K) was merely very good. Make no mistake, he has made major strides, particularly with his control, as the season has progressed. For reasons of service time, 40-man roster space, and his development, I'm sure the Mets would love to keep the 23-year-old in Buffalo as long as is feasible. But if one of the starters in the Mets' rotation were to land on the Disabled List, Harvey would have to be considered an option for the call-up.
Honorable Mention:
Matt Harvey, SP (AAA) - 13.0 IP, 1-1, 1.38 ERA, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 15 K
Harvey (2010, 1st round, 7th overall) is on quite a roll. He's gone at least 5 innings in each of his past 5 starts, going 6 twice and 7 twice. He's had at least 6 Ks and no more than 2 BB in each start, and has surrendered 8 total runs over that span. Harvey's first start this week (7 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 9 K) was dominant, whereas his second (6 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 6 K) was merely very good. Make no mistake, he has made major strides, particularly with his control, as the season has progressed. For reasons of service time, 40-man roster space, and his development, I'm sure the Mets would love to keep the 23-year-old in Buffalo as long as is feasible. But if one of the starters in the Mets' rotation were to land on the Disabled List, Harvey would have to be considered an option for the call-up.
Honorable Mention:
Thursday, June 28, 2012
2012 Mets Prospect Report: Week 12 (6/21 - 6/27)
Top Pitching Prospect of the Week
Luis Mateo, SP (A-) - 6.0 IP, 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 7 K
Mateo (2011, international) is an atypical prospect. After contracts with both the Giants and Padres fell through in prior years due to questionable physicals and age misrepresentation, the Mets landed Mateo last spring for $150K. The 22-year-old righty spent the summer of 2011 putting together a K:BB ratio of 80:5 in 63 innings in the Dominican Summer League, and so far the success has transferred stateside. Through two starts, Mateo is leading the New York-Penn League in strikeouts and is 2nd in WHIP. Mateo's is a name to remember as a strong summer will make him a very interesting prospect heading into the 2013 season.
Honorable Mention:
Luis Mateo, SP (A-) - 6.0 IP, 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 7 K
Mateo (2011, international) is an atypical prospect. After contracts with both the Giants and Padres fell through in prior years due to questionable physicals and age misrepresentation, the Mets landed Mateo last spring for $150K. The 22-year-old righty spent the summer of 2011 putting together a K:BB ratio of 80:5 in 63 innings in the Dominican Summer League, and so far the success has transferred stateside. Through two starts, Mateo is leading the New York-Penn League in strikeouts and is 2nd in WHIP. Mateo's is a name to remember as a strong summer will make him a very interesting prospect heading into the 2013 season.
Honorable Mention:
Thursday, June 21, 2012
2012 Mets Prospect Report: Week 11 (6/14 - 6/20)
Top Pitching Prospect of the Week
Matt Harvey, SP (AAA) - 13.0 IP, 1-1, 2.77 ERA, 9 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 4 BB, 17 K
Harvey (2010, 1st round, 7th overall) put together consecutive quality starts this week and appears to be making major strides at AAA. These last 2 outings he's limited the free passes and missed a ton of bats. Fortunately, the Mets' rotation is healthy and thriving at the moment, so the calls for Harvey have quieted down. That's good because the Mets' most advanced top pitching prospect still has work to do before being ready to make his big league debut. And there's no rush. After all, Harvey's still the 10th youngest pitcher to spend time in the International League this year.
Honorable Mention:
Matt Harvey, SP (AAA) - 13.0 IP, 1-1, 2.77 ERA, 9 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 4 BB, 17 K
Harvey (2010, 1st round, 7th overall) put together consecutive quality starts this week and appears to be making major strides at AAA. These last 2 outings he's limited the free passes and missed a ton of bats. Fortunately, the Mets' rotation is healthy and thriving at the moment, so the calls for Harvey have quieted down. That's good because the Mets' most advanced top pitching prospect still has work to do before being ready to make his big league debut. And there's no rush. After all, Harvey's still the 10th youngest pitcher to spend time in the International League this year.
Honorable Mention:
Thursday, June 14, 2012
2012 Mets Prospect Report: Week 10 (6/7 - 6/13)
Top Pitching Prospect of the Week
Darin Gorski, SP (AA) - 8.0 IP, 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 7 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
Gorski (2009, 7th round) turned in his longest & first walk-free outing of the year this week. After bursting onto the Mets' prospect radar last year from out of nowhere, he has struggled to find his footing in AA, posting a 4-3 record with a mediocre 3.97 ERA and pedestrian BB and K numbers (7.17 K/9, 3.97 BB/9). But this past outing, he navigated around 7 hits, including a pair of doubles, to go 8 scoreless. Hopefully Gorski can build off this successful start and get his 2012 season back on track. As of now, he still looks like the best chance the Mets have to get a Major Leaguer out of their miserable 2009 draft.
Honorable Mention:
Darin Gorski, SP (AA) - 8.0 IP, 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 7 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
Gorski (2009, 7th round) turned in his longest & first walk-free outing of the year this week. After bursting onto the Mets' prospect radar last year from out of nowhere, he has struggled to find his footing in AA, posting a 4-3 record with a mediocre 3.97 ERA and pedestrian BB and K numbers (7.17 K/9, 3.97 BB/9). But this past outing, he navigated around 7 hits, including a pair of doubles, to go 8 scoreless. Hopefully Gorski can build off this successful start and get his 2012 season back on track. As of now, he still looks like the best chance the Mets have to get a Major Leaguer out of their miserable 2009 draft.
Honorable Mention:
Thursday, June 7, 2012
2012 Mets Prospect Report: Week 9 (5/31 - 6/6)
Top Pitching Prospect of the Week
Zack Wheeler, SP (AA) - 7.0 IP, 1-0, 1.29 ERA, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 8 K
Stud. This space is in imminent danger of become the weekly Zack Wheeler report. Wheeler (2011 trade, originally 2009 1st round 6th overall) was predictably brilliant again for the B-Mets this week. The lone run he gave up in his start against the best offensive team in the Eastern League came on back-to-back one-out doubles in the 7th, after which he rebounded with a strikeout and groundout to end the inning and strand the runner. On the season, Wheeler has been falt-out dominant. Despite being one of the league's youngest pitchers at 22, his 1.88 ERA ranks 4th and his 60 strikeouts lead the league. He hasn't been giving up hits all year (opponents are batting just .169 against him), and in his past 2 starts (15 IP) he's only surrendered 2 walks. It will be interesting to see how much longer the Mets will leave Wheeler in AA.
Honorable Mention:
Zack Wheeler, SP (AA) - 7.0 IP, 1-0, 1.29 ERA, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 8 K
Stud. This space is in imminent danger of become the weekly Zack Wheeler report. Wheeler (2011 trade, originally 2009 1st round 6th overall) was predictably brilliant again for the B-Mets this week. The lone run he gave up in his start against the best offensive team in the Eastern League came on back-to-back one-out doubles in the 7th, after which he rebounded with a strikeout and groundout to end the inning and strand the runner. On the season, Wheeler has been falt-out dominant. Despite being one of the league's youngest pitchers at 22, his 1.88 ERA ranks 4th and his 60 strikeouts lead the league. He hasn't been giving up hits all year (opponents are batting just .169 against him), and in his past 2 starts (15 IP) he's only surrendered 2 walks. It will be interesting to see how much longer the Mets will leave Wheeler in AA.
Honorable Mention:
Thursday, May 31, 2012
2012 Mets Prospect Report: Week 8 (5/24 - 5/30)
Top Pitching Prospect of the Week
Elvin Ramirez, RP (AAA) - 5.2 IP, 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 9 K
What a return it's been for Ramirez (2004 international) who was drafted away from the Mets in the December 2010 Rule 5 draft, only to spend all of 2011 on the Nationals' DL and then be returned to New York last fall. The 24-year-old's sterling week is really just a microcosm of his dominance over the past 2 months. For the year, Ramirez has thrown 27.2 innings (13 in AA, 14.2 in AAA) and has surrendered just 12 hits, 2 runs, and 8 walks, while amassing 35 strikeouts. The way the Major League bullpen has struggled, Ramirez should be on the next flight to New York City. Major League roster issues are the only thing holding up a callup, but he's making it harder and harder for that to remain a viable excuse.
Honorable Mention:
Elvin Ramirez, RP (AAA) - 5.2 IP, 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 9 K
What a return it's been for Ramirez (2004 international) who was drafted away from the Mets in the December 2010 Rule 5 draft, only to spend all of 2011 on the Nationals' DL and then be returned to New York last fall. The 24-year-old's sterling week is really just a microcosm of his dominance over the past 2 months. For the year, Ramirez has thrown 27.2 innings (13 in AA, 14.2 in AAA) and has surrendered just 12 hits, 2 runs, and 8 walks, while amassing 35 strikeouts. The way the Major League bullpen has struggled, Ramirez should be on the next flight to New York City. Major League roster issues are the only thing holding up a callup, but he's making it harder and harder for that to remain a viable excuse.
Honorable Mention:
Thursday, May 24, 2012
2012 Mets Prospect Report: Week 7 (5/17 - 5/23)
Top Pitching Prospect of the Week
Zack Wheeler, SP (AA) - 15.0 IP, 2-0, 1.80 ERA, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 6 BB, 15 K
Wheeler (2011 trade, originally 2009 1st round 6th overall) has been everything the Mets had hoped he'd be when they acquired him from the Giants last summer in exchange for two months of Carlos Beltran. The walks are the biggest (and perhaps the only) black mark on his 2012 season so far, but even with them the soon-to-be-22-year-old has been dominating AA hitters. Despite skipping a start with a fingernail issue, Wheeler leads the Eastern League in strikeouts. He also ranks 3rd in WHIP and 5th in ERA among pitchers with at least 8 starts. Wheeler is Rule 5 eligible, meaning he'll need to be placed on the 40-man roster prior to this winter's draft. So at the risk of getting way ahead of ourselves, if he's promoted to AAA mid-year and performs well there, it's possible that Wheeler could even see a September call-up in 2012. And if not, it's a safe bet that we'll see him at Citi Field at some point in 2013.
Honorable Mention:
Zack Wheeler, SP (AA) - 15.0 IP, 2-0, 1.80 ERA, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 6 BB, 15 K
Wheeler (2011 trade, originally 2009 1st round 6th overall) has been everything the Mets had hoped he'd be when they acquired him from the Giants last summer in exchange for two months of Carlos Beltran. The walks are the biggest (and perhaps the only) black mark on his 2012 season so far, but even with them the soon-to-be-22-year-old has been dominating AA hitters. Despite skipping a start with a fingernail issue, Wheeler leads the Eastern League in strikeouts. He also ranks 3rd in WHIP and 5th in ERA among pitchers with at least 8 starts. Wheeler is Rule 5 eligible, meaning he'll need to be placed on the 40-man roster prior to this winter's draft. So at the risk of getting way ahead of ourselves, if he's promoted to AAA mid-year and performs well there, it's possible that Wheeler could even see a September call-up in 2012. And if not, it's a safe bet that we'll see him at Citi Field at some point in 2013.
Honorable Mention:
Thursday, May 17, 2012
2012 Mets Prospect Report: Week 6 (5/10 - 5/16)
Top Pitching Prospect of the Week
Collin McHugh, SP (AA) - 7.0 IP, 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 6 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K
McHugh (2008, 18th round) tossed 7 scoreless last night, scattering 6 singles and a walk to go with his 6 punchouts in a game the B-Mets would ultimately win 1-0 in walkoff fashion, adding yet another exhibit to his case for a promotion to AAA. Over his past 18 games in AA (17 of which were starts), McHugh is sitting at 11-2 with a 1.73 ERA. In 104.1 innings, he's surrendered 77 hits and issued 28 walks (1.01 WHIP, 2.4 BB/9) while picking up 107 strikeouts (9.2 K/9). And of the 416 batters he's faced over that stretch, he's given up just 3 homeruns. A promotion to Buffalo for McHugh could come at any time.
(McHugh also writes a fantastic blog about his experiences - A Day Older, A Day Wiser. Definitely worth checking out.)
Honorable Mention:
Collin McHugh, SP (AA) - 7.0 IP, 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 6 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K
McHugh (2008, 18th round) tossed 7 scoreless last night, scattering 6 singles and a walk to go with his 6 punchouts in a game the B-Mets would ultimately win 1-0 in walkoff fashion, adding yet another exhibit to his case for a promotion to AAA. Over his past 18 games in AA (17 of which were starts), McHugh is sitting at 11-2 with a 1.73 ERA. In 104.1 innings, he's surrendered 77 hits and issued 28 walks (1.01 WHIP, 2.4 BB/9) while picking up 107 strikeouts (9.2 K/9). And of the 416 batters he's faced over that stretch, he's given up just 3 homeruns. A promotion to Buffalo for McHugh could come at any time.
(McHugh also writes a fantastic blog about his experiences - A Day Older, A Day Wiser. Definitely worth checking out.)
Honorable Mention:
Monday, May 14, 2012
Link: How Lucky Have the Mets Been?
Click Here to read about my attempt to replace Pythagorean Expectation as the primary tool to analyze the Mets' expected record (at Mets360.com).
Thursday, May 10, 2012
2012 Mets Prospect Report: Week 5 (5/3 - 5/9)
Top Pitching Prospect of the Week
Domingo Tapia, SP (A) - 7.1 IP, 1-0, 1.23 ERA, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
There were several good pitching performances this week from Mets prospects, but the 20-year-old flamethrower who lasted into the 8th inning gets the nod. Through 7 innings of his lone start last week, Tapia (2009 international) held opposing Delmarva hitters to 4 singles and no walks. The strikeouts weren't really there this start but he did induce 12 groundouts, two of which were double plays. The lone run Tapia surrendered was a baserunner he handed off to the pen with one out in the 8th. Apart from his bizarre 1.1 inning, 8-run clunker 2 weeks ago, Tapia has been one of the brightest young prospects in the system in 2012. And this week was just another example of that.
Honorable Mention:
Domingo Tapia, SP (A) - 7.1 IP, 1-0, 1.23 ERA, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
There were several good pitching performances this week from Mets prospects, but the 20-year-old flamethrower who lasted into the 8th inning gets the nod. Through 7 innings of his lone start last week, Tapia (2009 international) held opposing Delmarva hitters to 4 singles and no walks. The strikeouts weren't really there this start but he did induce 12 groundouts, two of which were double plays. The lone run Tapia surrendered was a baserunner he handed off to the pen with one out in the 8th. Apart from his bizarre 1.1 inning, 8-run clunker 2 weeks ago, Tapia has been one of the brightest young prospects in the system in 2012. And this week was just another example of that.
Honorable Mention:
Thursday, May 3, 2012
2012 Mets Prospect Report: Week 4 (4/26 - 5/2)
Top Pitching Prospect of the Week
Erik Goeddel, SP (A+) - 9.0 IP, 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 6 BB, 10 K
It wasn't a great week for Mets pitching prospects, but Goeddel (2010 24th round, over slot) acquitted himself well in his first two starts since coming back from his second strained pitching shoulder in the past calendar year (he lost over two months to a shoulder strain last summer). The only negative in the 23-year-old righty's week was a bout of "effective wildness" yesterday morning (Goeddel walked 5 in 5 innings, but surrendered just 1 hit and didn't allow a run). All in all, encouraging results.
Honorable Mention:
Erik Goeddel, SP (A+) - 9.0 IP, 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 6 BB, 10 K
It wasn't a great week for Mets pitching prospects, but Goeddel (2010 24th round, over slot) acquitted himself well in his first two starts since coming back from his second strained pitching shoulder in the past calendar year (he lost over two months to a shoulder strain last summer). The only negative in the 23-year-old righty's week was a bout of "effective wildness" yesterday morning (Goeddel walked 5 in 5 innings, but surrendered just 1 hit and didn't allow a run). All in all, encouraging results.
Honorable Mention:
Thursday, April 26, 2012
2012 Mets Prospect Report: Week 3 (4/19 - 4/25)
Top Pitching Prospect of the Week
Matt Harvey, SP (AAA) - 13.0 IP, 2-0, 2.08 ERA, 8 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 15 K
After struggling through his first 3 starts at AAA, Harvey turned it around, putting together back-to-back high quality starts this week. Things are going so well for Harvey lately that they're even carrying over to the plate, where yesterday he hit a 2-run HR in a rout of the Phillies' AAA affiliate. With Mike Pelfrey's troubling elbow situation, there will inevitably be calls for Harvey. He looks close right now, but he's not on the 40-man roster and he's still very new to AAA. Unless these past 2 starts become standard fare, I expect the Mets to exercise patience with Harvey and wait until at least June or July before even considering a call-up.
Honorable Mention:
Matt Harvey, SP (AAA) - 13.0 IP, 2-0, 2.08 ERA, 8 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 15 K
After struggling through his first 3 starts at AAA, Harvey turned it around, putting together back-to-back high quality starts this week. Things are going so well for Harvey lately that they're even carrying over to the plate, where yesterday he hit a 2-run HR in a rout of the Phillies' AAA affiliate. With Mike Pelfrey's troubling elbow situation, there will inevitably be calls for Harvey. He looks close right now, but he's not on the 40-man roster and he's still very new to AAA. Unless these past 2 starts become standard fare, I expect the Mets to exercise patience with Harvey and wait until at least June or July before even considering a call-up.
Honorable Mention:
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Update: Layout Change
The page tabs that used to appear across the top of this blog can now be found at the top of the sidebar to the right. I made this change to make room for new pages, such as "Schedules", which will include a clickable schedule for all stateside Mets affiliates together on one page. Hopefully, this will provide for an easy way to follow Mets baseball across all levels from one convenient place.
Enjoy the season and Let's Go Mets!! (And Bisons, B-Mets, St Lucie Mets, Sand Gnats, Cyclones, and K-Mets!!)
Enjoy the season and Let's Go Mets!! (And Bisons, B-Mets, St Lucie Mets, Sand Gnats, Cyclones, and K-Mets!!)
Monday, March 19, 2012
Players still in big league camp
Updated April 4, 2012
With the Opening Day roster now established, here's a breakdown of who made the team.
Active players on the 40-Man Roster (23):
The following players were already on the 40-man roster. Players who can be optioned to the minor leagues are denoted by italics. For a full breakdown of the options status of players on the Mets' 40-man roster, check out the Options tab. Players starting the season on the DL are denoted by red text.
With the Opening Day roster now established, here's a breakdown of who made the team.
Active players on the 40-Man Roster (23):
The following players were already on the 40-man roster. Players who can be optioned to the minor leagues are denoted by italics. For a full breakdown of the options status of players on the Mets' 40-man roster, check out the Options tab. Players starting the season on the DL are denoted by red text.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Link: The Payroll Freefall From Another Perspective
Click Here to read my attempt to be optimistic (or at least less pessimistic) about the erosion of the Mets' payroll (at Mets360.com).
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