Sunday, September 30, 2007

9/29 HWL Report, 9/30 HWL Link

Waikiki 7, Honolulu 0

Hector Pellot (2b) 2 for 4, 2 RBI, BB, K
Dan Murphy (3b) 2 for 3, run, 2 RBI, BB
Brant Rustich IP, K, 0.00 era, W (1-0), 9:6:3, 2:0:1

Waikiki @ 630 HST, 930 PST, 1230 EST (Dedicated practically an entire thread on NYFS to figure out Hawaii is GMT -10, but NY is GMT -4 right now, lol)

EVERYONE BETTER BE FUCKING GLUED TO YOUR TV SETS IN 18 MINUTES! LETS GO METS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Saturday, September 29, 2007

9/29 Minor League Link

Um, welcome back. Not too much to say. Just...I'm still in stunned disbelief (as I'm sure all of you are). The HWL begins tonight, if anyone has the intestinal fortitude for more baseball right now. Our prospects are on the Waikiki Beachboys this year. Check back a couple days for a list of who will be representing us in Hawaii.

Waikiki (6pm Hawaii Time, which I believe is -5 hours from the east coast, -4 from central, -3 mountain, and -2 from the west coast, meaning the game is on at 11pm eastern, and 8pm western)

Saturday, September 22, 2007

MPH Mailbag Volume 3: Minor League Pitching

1.Are the Mets just simply waiting to trade Philip Humber? They are basically avoiding him at all cost, maybe trying not to get him hurt and ruin his trade value.

Tejesh: I don't know if they're "waiting to trade Philip Humber". That to me implies that they'll trade him for anything they can get. As if Omar would get a call that would be "We want Humber for..." and Minaya says "YES!" before the other GM can say "Nook Logan", you know?

I don't know why he's not pitching in September. But I have to think it's on Willie, who as we know, dislikes inexperienced players a ton.

2.Kevin Mulvey a chance to start for the Mets next year? or traded this off-season?

Tejesh: Neither. In AAA next year and 2nd in line for a callup, assuming Humber's down there. I think Humber should make the team as a setup man next season, though, but you know the Mets will sign some bum who sucks and he'll get a spot start ahead of Mulvey.

3.Over/Under 3.5 ERA in St.Lucie for Dylan Owen?

Tejesh: Over first half, even second half. I think he'll end up with an ERA between 3.8 and 4.2, but his second half should get him to Binghamton, I'd think, in 2009.

4.Where does Guerra go next season back to A+ or AA?

Tejesh: AA

Friday, September 21, 2007

Carlos Muniz on his way to Miami...

But that won't matter, because Willie won't pitch him.

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Mets Announce AFL Roster

Courtesy 'sluger11787' on NYFS

C Mike Nickeas
1B Mike Carp
OF Caleb Stewart
RHP Carlos Muniz
RHP Eddie Kunz
LHP Adam Bostick
LHP Eddie Camacho

The only big surprise there is Eddie Kunz. With Brant Rustich in Hawaii, it seems the Mets would like one, or both, to open next season in Binghamton. Mike Carp - the AFL and then the 08 season is going to be 'put up or shut up' time for him. Carlos Muniz may get a look next spring, but it's likely he's being showcased as trade bait. Mike Nickeas is nothing special at all, neither is Caleb Stewart. Adam Bostick may be an intriguing guy to look at as a lefty specialist, same with Eddie Camacho.

At any rate, it takes your mind off the disaster occuring with the big club for a few minutes, right?

MPH Mailbag Volume 2: The Big Three OF Prospects...

After another year of development, how do you rate the the big three outfield prospects (Milledge, Gomez, Martinez)? Is now an ideal time to move one of them in the right offseason trade? Has Milledge regained all the trade value he lost during the on and off the field issues that plagued him previously?

I have not seen F-Mart play, so I can't speak to his talent. I have seen all the big league games of Gomez and Milledge. I am still not sold on Milledge. He has great bat speed, but is very rough around the edges (no pun intended). He does not have great plate discipline, and his pitch recognition seems pretty poor. When Reyes first came up he also struggled with his discipline. However, there seem to be certain pitches Milledge cannot hit at this point in his career (slider off the plate). That was never the case with Reyes. There was no one way to pitch him. Milledge's defense is pretty poor. He has a reputation as a pretty good fielder, but that seems mainly due to a few highlight reel catches. He gets very poor reads and consistently misses his cut off man on his throws. Likewise, he often seems to have poor instincts on the basepaths. I do think he will develop into a solid ballplayer, but I don't see him as a budding superstar. More like a Jay Payton like player.

On the otherhand, I am very high on Gomez. He is very raw and will likely need several years to develop into a truly great hitter. However, he has unreal atheletic talent. He can make up for a lot of mistakes with that natural ability. He reminds me a lot of Reyes.

Andy

Tejesh:

Andy, first of all, thanks for the question.

Secondly, you could not be more off base about Milledge. What else did you expect from a prospect, aside from being rough around the edges? He played exclusively CF throughout his minor league career, until his first callup in 2006. His defense needs work, and he has gotten better throughout the season. Also, regarding pitch recognition, you obviously do not remember the book on Jose Reyes. Throw a hard curve/slider at his feet, and he'd screw himself into the ground swinging at it. That was the book from 2003 to mid 2006. Lets not pretend Reyes came up here with a good eye, he didn't. He flailed at his fair share of sliders, over and over and over and over. Patience worked then, and patience will work now. Take it for what it's worth, but I see Milledge as of a David Wright type. High average, medium/high strikeout rate, decent eye (Wright's improved his walk rate this year a ton), medium/high power (25-30 isn't elite by any stretch), and good SBs.

Carlos Gomez, on the other hand, there is no ceiling there. He could be ... amazing. Captivating. Use whatever adjective you want, Gomez fits it. He wowed me so much during his time up here, I'm very high on Gomez. Gomez is Reyes to Milledge's Wright. I would not complain one iota about either, some fans get way too caught up in how a prospect does the first time out. Yeah, it'd be nice to have a Hunter Pence or Ryan Braun on our hands, but those guys were truly ready when they came up. Neither Milledge, nor Gomez, were ready, at all. That's the rawness/mistakes you see.

I think giving up on any prospect, much less one which was ranked #9 on BAs list in 2006, is just a recipe for disaster. Milledge will be a star. So will Gomez. Hopefully, both do it in Met uniforms.

PS: You asked for a ranking, I'd do it the way you asked. Milledge first, Gomez second, Martinez third.

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Saturday, September 15, 2007

Things to expect from now to April 2008

Yes, the 2007 Minor League Season has come to a close. However, there are still several things to look forward to between now and the start of the 2008 season.

Obviously, first and foremost is the big club as they march towards a World Series title. To that end, there need not be much coverage here.

Secondly, the winter leagues are about a month or so away. Arizona Fall League, Hawaii Winter League, Dominican Winter League, etc, and several of our prospects should be at each. Expect full coverage of those leagues here.

Thirdly, a few more editorial type articles on various topics, such as draft philosophy, aggressive promotion, determining how a prospect is 'ready' for the majors, and more.

And lastly, the second annual MPH System Audit, which should be out sometime in late January 2008.

So just because the regular season is over in the minors, doesn't mean this place is going to go dark. It won't, it'll just be a little quiet around here for the next 3 weeks.

But keep sending in your questions to metsprospecthub@yahoo.com, and we'll keep answering them throughout the winter.

Friday, September 14, 2007

9/14 Minor League Report!

New Orleans 3, Sacramento 4

Anderson Hernandez (ss) 1 for 4, run, K, .241
Fernando Tatis (3b) 1 for 3, run, HR, 3 RBI, BB, K, .267
Jason Vargas 6 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 2 BBs, 3 Ks, 3.00 era, L (1-1)
Joe Smith IP, BB, 3 Ks, 4.91 era, 17:9:8

Brooklyn 1, Auburn 4, Brooklyn loses the series 0-2

Micah Schilling (2b) 1 for 4, run, HR, RBI, 2 Ks, .125
Jason Jacobs (1b) 1 for 3, 2b, .083
Raul Reyes (cf) 2 for 3, K, .429
Michael Antonini 6 IP, 4 H, 4 ER, BB, 7 Ks, 2 HR, 7.20 era, L (0-1)
Brant Rustich 2 IP, H, BB, 2 Ks, 0.00 era
Eddie Kunz IP, BB, 2 Ks, 0.00 era

With the losses tonight by Brooklyn and New Orleans, the 2007 Minor League Season has come to a close for all Met affiliates.

9/14 Links

Sacramento @ New Orleans, New Orleans 0-2 (Best of 5)
Auburn @ Brooklyn, Brooklyn trails 0-1 (Best of 3)

Thursday, September 13, 2007

9/13 Minor League Report! Gee!

Brooklyn 1, Auburn 7, Brooklyn trails 1-0, Best of 3

Ezequiel Carrera (lf) 1 for 4, BB, K, .182
Micah Schilling (2b) 0 for 5, K, .083
Cesar Cordido (c) 0 for 3, RBI, K, .000
Dillon Gee 5 IP, 4 H, BB, 8 Ks, 0.00 era, (struck out last 6 BFs)
Stephen Clyne IP, 3 H, 3 ER, BB, 2 Ks, HR, 9 era, BS (1), L (1-1)
Will Morgan 1.1 IP, H, 4 ER, 3 BBs, K, 10.80 era
Edgar Ramirez 0.2 IP, H, BB, K, 0.00 era

9/13 Links

Brooklyn @ Auburn - Game 1 NYPL Championship Series Best of 3

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

9/12 Minor League Report.

New Orleans 2, Sacratomato 3, New Orleans trails 0-2

Anderson Hernandez (ss) 1 for 4, run, .240
Fernando Tatis (3b) 1 for 4, run, 2b, RBI, 2 Ks, .259
Andy Tracy (1b) 1 for 4, RBI, K, .167
Dave Williams 7.2 IP, 3 H, ER, BB, 7 Ks, HR, 1.29 era
Carlos Muniz IP, 2 H, 2 ER, K, HR, 4.50 era, BS (1), L (0-1)

9/12 Link

Sacratomato @ New Orleans - Game 2, New Orleans trails 1-0

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

9/11 Minor League Report!

New Orleans 3, Sacratomato 5, New Orleans trails 1-0

Anderson Hernandez (ss) 0 for 3, BB, .238, made key error which led to the winning 2 runs
David Newhan (2b) 3 for 4, 2 runs, 2 HR, 2 RBI, .636
Jesus Feliciano (rf) 2 for 3, .615
Adam Bostick 6 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 3 BBs, 9 Ks, 3.00 era
Ryan Cullen 0.2 IP, H, R, K, 3.00 era, L (0-2)
Joe Smith IP, 2 H, ER, BB, 6.75 era

9/11 Links

Sacratomato @ New Orleans - Game 1 of 5

9/10 Minor League Report! Owen!

And no Tosche Station, either.

Brooklyn 3, Staten Island 1, Brooklyn sweeps the series 2-0

Ezequiel Carrera (rf, lf) 1 for 3, RBI, BB, K, .143
Micah Schilling (2b) 1 for 4, run, K, .143
Lucas Duda (lf) 2 for 4, RBI, .444
Raul Reyes (cf) 1 for 3, run, 2b, RBI, K, .571
Dylan Owen 5 IP, 4 H, 7 Ks, 0.00 era, W (1-0)
Brant Rustich 2 IP, 2 H, BB, 3 Ks, 0.00 era
Eddie Kunz IP, H, R, 0.00 era, SV (1)

Monday, September 10, 2007

9/10 Link

Staten Island @ Brooklyn, Game 2 - Brooklyn leads 1-0 in the best of 3

And I know this is not a football blog, but please spare a prayer/thought/well wish for Buffalo Bills TE Kevin Everett, who suffered a horrific injury yesterday, and may not be able to walk again.

Sunday, September 09, 2007

MPH Mailbag - 9/9/07

David and Tejesh,

Well, I figured I would take you up on the e-mail request. With the minor league season winding down, it seems like it is time to review the state of the farm system. After such a promising year last year, it seems like we took a step back this year. I can't help but think the aggressive stance we took on our best prospects back fired on us. F-Mart, Guerra, Carp, Pelfrey, Fransicio Pena, Veloz, and Lagares all struggled mightily at the levels they were placed to open the season. Do you guys think the Mets hurt the longterm development of these players by being so aggressive this year? How do they repair the damage done to the bruised confidences of their star prospects?

Andy

Tejesh: Well, Andy, I'd say the aggresive promotions did not hurt anyone, in fact, they helped immensely. Take Greg Veloz, for example. He hit around .174 in his first stint with Savannah as an 18 year old, then was transferred to Kingsport, where he hit a robust .271/.344/.450 in 258 ABs. I'd chalk that up to seeing far more advanced pitching in the Sally League as opposed to the Appy League, learning that advanced pitching, then bringing that advanced approach to a weaker league. In the long run, it'll make him a much better player.

And a little correction, Fernando Martinez did not struggle in AA, he got hurt. Before contusing (is that a word?) his hand, he was hitting right around .300, which for an 18 year old was ridiculous. Hell, even his final line of .271/.336/.371 is great for his age at his level. Where did you want Mike Carp to go? He hit .287/.379/.450 as a 20/21 year old in the FSL last season, with 27 2b and 17 HR in 491 ABs. Having him repeat would've been a big mistake. Now that he's scuffled, you let him repeat AA. Even still, he hit .285/.387/.466 vs RHP this season in 249 ABs. The only thing holding Carp back is his inability to hit lefties (.173/.209/.209 in 110 ABs). Deolis Guerra was also injured for a good portion of this season, and when he was healthy, he was also dominating.

I'd say the only leg you have to stand on is Francisco Pena, and he'll be repeating A ball, anyway.

Thanks for your question, Andy.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Could you tell me more about Kevin Mulvey?
--alib20

Tejesh: Kevin Mulvey (Villanova 3-8, 3.61 era, 14 GS, 92.1 IP, 91 H, 23 BBs, 88 Ks, 1.23 WHIP, GCL Mets 2 IP, H, K, 0.50 WHIP, AA Binghamton 0-1, 1.35 era, 13.1 IP, 10 H, 5 BBs, 10 Ks, 1.13 WHIP, AFL Mesa 0-2, 6.00 era, 5 GS, 15 IP, 17 H, 8 BBs, 7 Ks, 1.67 WHIP)

Total 2006 Stats: 3-11, 3.60 era, 23 GS, 122.2 IP, 118 H, 36 BBs, 106 Ks, 1.26 WHIP

2007: AA Binghamton 11-10, 3.32 era, 26 GS, 151.2 IP, 145 H, 43 BBs, 110 Ks, 1.24 WHIP, AAA New Orleans 2-0, 0.00 era, 2 GS, 13 IP, 6 H, 0 BBs, 11 Ks, 0.46 WHIP

Originally selected by St. Louis Cardinals in 34th Round of the 2003 draft, Mulvey opted to go to college at Villanova, instead. Mulvey was 3-8 with a 3.61 ERA as a junior at Villanova. He logged 92.1 innings, and compiled 88 Ks against just 23 walks, prompting the Mets to draft him with their 2nd round pick, 62nd overall. Mulvey was expected to go in the top 30 picks, so the Mets felt they moved up a whole round with the drafting of Mulvey. His 3 seasons at Villanova produced a 14-16 record with a 4.46 era, in 244 innings, he allowed 248 hits while walking 96 and striking out 242.

Before the draft, he was considered by Baseball America to be the `best arm in the Northeast" and a "pitcher who always works around the zone and isn't afraid to attack hitters." Mulvey features a dominating fastball that has been clocked as high as 94-96 and consistently is in a range between 89-92. He sets that up with a slider to right-handed hitters and an improved curveball and changeup (82-84 mph) that he uses to get lefties out. The change-up comes out of his hand the same way as his fastball. That's 4 quality pitchers. Mulvey is well known to consistently throw strikes and go after hitters. Baseball America, after the draft, tagged Mulvey with the best fastball of all Mets 2006 draftees.

The one thing that separates Mulvey from Humber or Pelfrey is that one dominant pitch, which Mulvey lacks. He has 4 solid to above average offerings, but no true plus pitches, ala Pelfrey's fastball or Humber's curveball. During the AFL, Mulvey was experimenting with a cut fastball, trying to augment his already solid fastball/slider/changeup/curveball repertoire.

Strengths: Mulvey came to pro ball with a feel for four pitches. His fastball sits at 90-93 mph and touches 96. He has good leverage in his delivery, which allows him to maintain his velocity and might give him more as he matures physically. His 82-84 mph slider has short, late break. He's effective at changing batter's eye level with his mid-70s curveball. His changeup should at least provide a weapon against lefthanders. He throws from a high three-quarters arm slot with a fluid arm action and little effort.

Weaknesses: Though he can throw all four of his pitches for strikes, Mulvey's command within the zone needs work. His changeup is still a below-average pitch at this point, and he lacks a true putaway pitch.

The Future: The Mets believe Mulvey has a chance to have four above-average pitches and could join their rotation in 2008. He may start his first full season in St. Lucie to avoid the cold April climate in Binghamton.

-taken from our First Annual System Audit in late January 2007.

Thanks for the question, alib20.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

1.Do you feel that Nick Evans has over taken Mike Carp in the depth chart at 1B? Both of them will be in AA next year who is the 1B and who is the DH.

Tejesh: I think it's much much closer then it was last year, but I still believe Carp is higher on the depth charts for 1b. We don't exactly know if both will be in AA, but it's a very good bet. They'll probably switch off between 1b and DH next season.

2.Guerra has been up and down this year, do you feel that he'll be in A+ again or AA?

Tejesh: Guerra will be in AA next season.

3.Kevin Mulvey had great numbers in AA making both the all-star game and Future's game, he has 4 pitches working on 5 but none are above average what do you think of his future?

Tejesh: Well, since getting this question, all Mulvey's done is absoultely dominate in his 2 AAA starts, going 13 innings while only allowing 6 hits, walking none and striking out 11. At this point, he's making a very very strong case for being included alongside Pelfrey and Humber in our top tier of starting pitching prospects.

4.Mike Pelfrey has been very inconsistant this year, do you still think as high of him as say his first major league start to now?

Tejesh: I've seen tremendous improvement in Mike Pelfrey this year, and still think he can be a #1 starter. His slider has more depth and bite to it now then earlier this season, and his changeup has improved, as well. Combine that with his 2 and 4 seamers, he's all of a sudden got 4 pitches.

5.Philip Humber had a good year in New Orleans this year, how come the Mets keep giving Pelfrey chances but yet Humber is rotting out in the pen?

Tejesh: Well, I wouldn't be surprised to see Humber working out of the pen next season, and then taking over for Duque in the rotation in 2009.

6.Who is Willie Collazo, and can he help this team down the stretch?

Tejesh: Willie Collazo is a lefty, about 5'8, doesn't throw hard. Kind of a Pedro Feliciano clone, and I don't know about him helping this team either this year or next. We're (unfortunatly) locked into Mota and Show for next year. He could replace Sele, though.

7.What about Lastings Milledge? now that you've seen him play what do you think of his potential? and seriously does Willie have something against this kid that Shawn Green is starting over him?

Tejesh: I've never wavered on Milledge, and have always predicted stardom for him. Nothing he's done this year has changed that opinion, and given a full season next season, I see no reason he couldn't hit at least .290 with 20 homers and good defense in left field. Omar feels Carlos Gomez is ready, so he should be in right (since Gomez is the much better defender of the two).

8.Jon Neise is a finesse pitcher, so it'll take him longer to develop though tonight he threw an amazing game in Game 1 of the playoffs (6 IP 1 hit 9 k's) what do you think of his potential?

Tejesh: Jon Niese has always been an intriguing prospect for me, because he throws 88-92, not exactly finesse, but he's no Kazmir, at least yet. I'd say he can still add a couple of ticks on his fastball, and he's got a plus curveball, so I'd say his ceiling is a 3/borderline 2 starter. He sacrificed everything else this season for control, and in fact, did cut his walk rate in half. His final 6 or so starts this season were very promising, and he, too, should be in Binghamton, next year.

9.Dyan Owen is just destroying the NYPL is it just because he is pitching in such a bad league or do you think he is a good pitcher? What is his potential?

Tejesh: Dylan Owen is a beast. Straight up beast. He'll be 22 in St. Lucie next year, and it will be interesting to see how he responds. I think he is a good pitcher, however, it's too early to tell what his ceiling is.

10.Eddie Kunz numbers are inflated in Brooklyn how long until he is pitching in NY for the Mets?

Tejesh: I'd be shocked if he pulled a Joe Smith next year. I think he'll open in Binghamton, along with Brant Rustich, and most likely will stay there all season. Really, who is he replacing? Wagner, Heilman, Feliciano are your top 3 relievers. Hopefully you throw Smith into that mix, then you have Mota and Show, and whoever the long man is (Collazo?) - that's 7, and you're not going to carry more then that.

11.Whats your top 10 prospect list looking like now?

Tejesh: Right now - including Gomez and Pelfrey, mine would look like this: Humber, Gomez, Pelfrey, Fernando, Guerra, Mulvey, Carp, Evans, Parnell, Kunz

If you took Gomez and Pelfrey out, then I would consider putting Dylan Owen and Daniel Murphy/Anderson Hernandez on the list.

12.Why should we be excited for Bobby Parnell?

Tejesh: He added 4-6 MPH on his fastball this season, and now throws between 94 and 96 with outstanding sink. He also features an outstanding slider, and he also features a changeup with down bite to it, almost a splitter-esque pitch. He has been up and down in Binghamton this season, and should be there to begin next year, forming one of the best 1-2-3 combo's in AA, along with Guerra and Niese.

And, if Parnell doesn't make it in the rotation, he could be a devastating setup man in the majors.

---------------------

Watch for this post to be edited with David's answers.

9/9 Minor League Report! Duda!

Brooklyn 8, Staten Island 4

Ezequiel Carrera (rf, lf) 0 for 4, run, BB
Micah Schilling (dh) 0 for 3, RBI, BB
**Ramon Castro (c)** 2 for 3, run, BB
Lucas Duda (lf) 2 for 5, run, HR, 4 RBI, K
Raul Reyes (cf) 3 for 4, run, RBI, K
Jacob Elgsti (3b) 1 for 3, run, RBI, K
Michael Antonini 4 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 3 Ks, HR, 9 era
Will Morgan 2 IP, 2 Ks, 0.00 era
Stephen Clyne 2 IP, K, 0.00 era, W (1-0)
Eddie Kunz IP, BB, K, 0.00 era

9/9 Links

Brooklyn @ Staten Island - Game 1 of 3 (now)

Also, those of you who sent in questions for the MPH Mailbag, they should be posted late tonight, I just need to talk to David first (tough when you're on opposite coasts.)

9/8 Minor League Report! MULVEY!

New Orleans 6, Nashville 0

Anderson Hernandez (ss) 1 for 5, 2b, K, .278
Fernando Tatis (3b) 2 for 5, run, 2b, RBI, .316
**Ramon Castro** (c) 2 for 4, run, RBI, BB, K, .500
Jesus Feliciano (rf) 3 for 4, run, 2b, HR, 3 RBI, .600
Kevin Mulvey 7 IP, 4 H, 8 Ks, 0.00 era, W (1-0), 88:57:31, 9:4:8
Carlos Muniz 2 IP, 2 Ks, 0.00 era

Saturday, September 08, 2007

9/8 Link

New Orleans @ Nashville (7pm) - Game 4, New Orleans leads 2

Friday, September 07, 2007

9/7 Minor League Report

New Orleans 5, Nashville 6 in 11 innings

Anderson Hernandez (ss) 1 for 5, run, K, .308
Fernando Tatis (3b) 2 for 5, 2b, RBI, K, .286
Chip Ambres (lf) 1 for 5, run, HR, 3 RBI, 2 Ks, .300
Robinson Cancel (c) 2 for 5, RBI, .250
Brian Lawrence 6 IP, 9 H, 3 ER, K, HR, 4.50 era
Joe Smith IP, H, ER, K, 5.40 era, BS (1), 17:10:7, 0:2:1
Ivan Maldonado IP, H, ER, K, HR, 5.40 era, BS (1)
Ryan Cullen 0.2 IP, 2 H, ER, 2 BBs, 3.86 era, L (0-1)

Brooklyn 5, Lowell 4

Ezequiel Carrera (cf) 1 for 3, run, .300
Jason Jacobs (dh) 1 for 4, run, HR, 2 RBI, 3 Ks, .273
Joaquin Rodriguez (ss) 2 for 4, run, 2b, K, .293
Jose Jiminez (3b, 1b) 0 for 2, RBI, BB (A- debut)
Nick Waechter 2 IP, 3 H, ER, 3 Ks, 3.89 era
Michael Olmsted 2 IP, 4 Ks, 7.71 era
Tim Stronach 2 IP, 4 H, BB, 2 Ks, 3.41 era, W (4-2)
Dan McDonald IP, H, 2 BBs, 2 Ks, 3.16 era
Edgar Ramirez IP, H, 3.07 era, SV (1)

9/7 Links

New Orleans @ Nashville - Game 3, New Orleans leads 2-0 in the best of 5 series
Brooklyn

Thursday, September 06, 2007

9/6 Minor League Report! Vargas!

New Orleans 5, Nashville, leads best of 5 series, 2-0

Anderson Hernandez (ss) 2 for 5, run, 2b, .375
Carlos Gomez (cf) 0 for 3, K, .167
Andy Tracy (1b) 1 for 4, run, HR, 2 RBI, 2 Ks, .143
Jason Vargas 6 IP, 3 H, ER, 4 Ks, 1.50 era, W (1-0)
Eddie Camacho IP, H, K
Carlos Muniz IP, BB, K
Ryan Cullen IP

St. Lucie 2, Brevard County 13, St. Lucie loses the series 2-1 (and will be haunted by Game 2 all offseason long)

Emmanuel Garcia (ss) 3 for 4, K, .231
Hector Pellot (2b) 0 for 4, run, K, .214
Ambi Concepcion (cf) 1 for 4, K, .333
Nick Evans (1b) 1 for 3, run, 2b, RBI, BB, .500
Dan Murphy (3b) 1 for 4, RBI, .400
Eric Brown 2.1 IP, 5 H, 6 R, 4 ER, 2 BBs, HR, 15.43 era, L (0-1)

Brooklyn 3, Lowell 2 in 11 innings - Brooklyn wins their division.

Ezequiel Carrera (rf, lf) 0 for 5, .299
Micah Schilling (dh) 0 for 4, run, BB, 2 Ks, .284 (scored winning run on balk)
Jason Jacobs (1b) 1 for 3, run, HR, RBI, 2 BBs, K, .274
Lucas Duda (lf) 1 for 3, 3b, BB, K, .302
Raul Reyes (cf) 1 for 4, 3 Ks, .233
Dillon Gee 6 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 6 Ks, 2.47 era
Stephen Clyne 2 IP, 2 H, BB, K, 2.05 era
Eddie Kunz 2 IP, K, 6.75 era
Brant Rustich IP, 2.13 era, W (2-0)

9/6 Links

Nashville @ New Orleans @ 2pm - leads 1-0 in the best of 5
St. Lucie @ Brevard County @ 7pm - series tied at 1, winner take all game 3
Brooklyn (on SNY)

Wednesday, September 05, 2007

9/5 Minor League Report! Owen!

New Orleans 3, Nashville 2, New Orleans leads the best of 5, 1-0

Anderson Hernandez (ss) 1 for 3, run, BB, K, .333
Carlos Gomez (cf) 1 for 3, run, RBI, BB, .333
Robinson Cancel (c) 1 for 4, walkoff RBI 1b, .250
Dave Williams 6.1 IP, 3 H, ER, BB, 6 Ks, 1.42 era
Joe Smith 0.2 IP, 0.00 era
Jon Adkins 0.2 IP, 2 H, ER, 13.50 era, BS (1)
Ryan Cullen 0.2 IP, H, BB, K, 0.00 era
Ivan Maldonado 0.2 IP, H, K, 0.00 era, W (1-0)

St. Lucie 6, Brevard County 7, series tied at 1

Emmanuel Garcia (ss) 0 for 4, BB, K, .000
Hector Pellot (2b) 1 for 5, run, K, .300
Ambi Concepcion (cf) 1 for 4, run, BB, K, .375
Nick Evans (1b) 3 for 5, run, 3 2b, RBI, K, .556
Dan Murphy (3b) 2 for 2, 2 runs, 2 RBI, 3 BBs, .500
Sean McCraw (c) 1 for 5, run, 2b, RBI, 2 Ks, .333
Deolis Guerra 5 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 2 ER, BB, 2 Ks, 3.60 era
Kevin Tomasiewicz 2 IP, H, 2 ER, BB, 2 Ks, HR, 9 era
Joe Hietpas 1.1 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, BB, 7.71 era, BS (1), L (0-1)

Brooklyn 3, Lowell 1

Ezequiel Carrera (rf) 0 for 4, K, .323
Lucas Duda (lf) 1 for 4, run, 2 Ks, .301
Matt Bouchard (ss) 1 for 4, run, 2 out 2 run walkoff HR, 2 RBI, 3 Ks, .267,
Dylan Owen 7 IP, 3 H, 11 Ks, 1.49 era
Will Morgan 2 IP, H, ER, K, 2.02 era, W (3-0)

9/5 Links

Nashville @ New Orleans Game 1 of the Best of 5 @ 8pm
St. Lucie @ Brevard County Game 2 of the Best of 3, St. Lucie leads 1 game to 0
Brooklyn

Tuesday, September 04, 2007

9/4 Minor League Report! Niese!

St. Lucie 8, Brevard County 0, St. Lucie leads the best of 3, 1-0.

Emmanuel Garcia (ss) 0 for 5, run, 3 Ks
Hector Pellot (2b) 2 for 5, run, RBI
Carlos Gomez (cf) 0 for 4, RBI, 2 Ks
Nick Evans (1b) 2 for 4, 2 runs, 2 2b, RBI, K
Dan Murphy (3b) 1 for 4, run
Ambi Concepcion (rf) 2 for 4, run, RBI
Sean McCraw (c) 2 for 4
Jon Niese 6 IP, H, 2 BBs, 9 Ks, 0.00 era, W (1-0)
German Marte IP, 2 H, BB, K

Brooklyn 4, Staten Island 5

Ezequiel Carrera (rf, lf) 2 for 5, run, RBI, .345
Micah Schilling (dh) 2 for 4, 2b, RBI, BB, .289
Jason Jacobs (1b) 1 for 3, 2b, 2 RBI, BB, K, .273
Lucas Duda (lf, 1b) 1 for 4, BB, K, .302
Raul Reyes (cf) 1 for 3, K, .231
Tim Stronach 2.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, ER, 3 BBs, K, 3.64 era
Steven Cheney 0.1 IP, H, 2.70 era
Stephen Clyne 1.2 IP, 2 H, BB, 2 Ks, 2.22 era
Brant Rustich 2 IP, H, ER, 3 Ks, HR, 2.31 era
Eddie Kunz 0.2 IP, H, ER, 2 BBs, 8.10 era, L (0-1)

9/4 Links

Brevard County @ St. Lucie - Game 1
Brooklyn

Here is a preview of the St. Lucie playoff series:

Link

St. Lucie vs. Brevard County
St. Lucie Mets (68-71) vs. Brevard County Manatees (74-62)
(Best-of-3 series begins Tuesday, Sept. 4)

The Mets won it all in 2006, marking the second time in the past four seasons that they had done so. Last year's club was piloted by rookie manager (and Hall of Fame catcher) Gary Carter, who did not return for 2007. Now, it's time for skipper Frank Cacciatore to lead St. Lucie to back-to-back championships. They'll meet a formidable Brevard County squad that won the East Division's first-half championship en route to putting together the best overall record in the division.

REGULAR-SEASON SERIES
This one belonged to the Manatees, who thoroughly outclassed the Mets in both batting average (.314 vs. .258) and ERA (3.44 vs. 5.32). Brevard County won 11 of the 17 games played between the two clubs.

Head-to-Head Stats
Brevard County: OF Cole Gillespie is the man that the Mets fear the most, as the 23-year-old hit a ridiculous .472 over 15 games spanning 53 at-bats. Gillespie went yard twice, scored 14 runs and drove in nine. 2B Mike Bell batted .310 over 15 games, with a team-leading three home runs and 15 RBIs...Speedy OF Lorenzo Cain (24 stolen bases overall) hit .350 over 60 at-bats but was successful in just one of four steal opportunities...3B Mat Gamel, one of the club's greatest offensive threats, compiled a measly .621 OPS against the Mets...LHP Rafael Lluberes made a team-high four starts against St. Lucie and went 2-1 with a solid 3.15 ERA over 20 innings...RHP Ben Stanczyk went 2-0 and did not allow a run over five appearances spanning 9 2/3 innings...RHP Joshua Wahpepah yielded just one run over 15 1/3 innings pitched.

St. Lucie: 1B Nick Evans has more home runs (15) than any other player currently on the Mets' roster, but none of them came against Brevard County. Still, the 21-year-old hit .353 and got on base at a .452 clip over 10 games...3B Daniel Murphy played 17 games and collected 61 at-bats against the Manatees, but hit just .246 and mustered only two extra-base hits...OF Victor Mendez, who first appeared with the Mets on Aug. 18, went 5-for-12 with a home run and six RBIs over three contests...RHP Eric Brown went 2-0 with a 3.22 ERA over four starts totaling 22 1/3 innings pitched...RHP Jose De La Torre did not fare nearly as well, as the native of Puerto Rico compiled a 9.24 ERA over four appearances (two starts), and allowed 23 hits over just 12 2/3 innings pitched...On Aug. 22, RHP Tobi Stoner struck out 10 over eight shutout innings.

PROBABLES

Game 1: Brevard County at St. Lucie
LHP David Welch (6-7, 3.40) vs. LHP Jonathan Niese (11-7, 4.29)
Game 2: St. Lucie at Brevard County
RHP Eric Brown (10-8, 4.13) vs. RHP Mike McClendon (5-6, 4.23)
Game 3: St. Lucie at Brevard County (if necessary)
RHP Deolis Guerra (2-6, 4.01) vs. LHP Brae Wright (0-2, 2.84)

ON THE MOUND
Brevard County:
Only two of Josh Wahpepah's 41 appearances were starts, but the right-hander has more victories (9) than any other player on the team...LHP Brae Wright has been a solid addition to the pitching staff since making his debut with the Manatees on July 30. Although 0-2 over seven appearances (six starts), the 23-year-old has compiled a 2.84 ERA and help opponents to a .194 average against him...RHP Ryan Patrick has a 1.75 ERA and 0.99 WHIP over 33 relief appearances.

St. Lucie:
LHP Jonathan Niese has more starts (27), innings pitched (110) and wins (11) than any other hurler currently on the roster...The Mets have employed a closer-by-committee strategy this season, as six players on the roster have at least one save. Jose De La Torre leads with eight...Groundball specialist Nick Abel has recorded seven saves over eight opportunities and has a stellar 2.37 ERA over 42 appearances.

AT THE PLATE
Brevard County
The Manatees' lineup is stocked with speedsters. OF Darren Ford stole 36 bases in just 72 ballgames, while OF Lorenzo Cain swiped 24 bases, OF Cole Gillespie 16 and 3B Mat Gamel 14...Speed is just part of what Gamel brings to the table, as the Florida native hit .300, scored 78 runs, and drove in 60...2B Mike Bell blasted 13 homers and drove in 71 runs.

St. Lucie
IF Emmanuel Garcia has stolen 33 bases over 46 chances...OF Victor Mendez compiled a mighty 1.113 OPS over 13 games with the Mets...3B Daniel Murphy led St. Lucie in runs (67), hits (143), doubles (34), and RBIs (78).

HISTORY LESSONS
Brevard County has been a member of the Florida State League since 1994, and in that time has been unable to secure a stand-alone championship. The Manatees lost in the finals in their inaugural season and in 2001 were declared "co-champions" (along with the Tampa Yankees) after that year's terrorist attacks prematurely ended the season. The Mets, meanwhile, won it all in 1988, 1996, 1998, 2003 and, of course, 2006.

SERIES COULD TURN ON
The Mets' ability to keep the Manatees off of the basepaths. Brevard County hit .314 against St. Lucie in the season series, which led to an average of 5.4 runs per game. If St. Lucie can minimize the influence of Ford, Gamel and (especially) Gillespie, then their chance of victory will greatly increase.

PREDICTION
The Mets have history on their side, but the Manatees are a stronger team from top to bottom. Look for them to sweep their way into the finals. Brevard County in two.

Monday, September 03, 2007

9/3 Minor League Report!

New Orleans 6, Round Rock 2

Jesus Feliciano (cf) 2 for 5, run, 2b, HR, RBI, .315
Mark Kiger (2b) 0 for 4, run, BB, 4 Ks, .121
Chip Ambres (lf) 1 for 2, 2 runs, 2b, 2 RBI, 2 BBs, K, .274
Jason Vargas 2 IP, 3 H, ER, K, HR, 4.97 era
Jose Santiago 4 IP, 5 H, ER, 3 Ks, 5.64 era
Carlos Muniz 2 IP, H, K, 0.00 era

Binghamton 9, Akron 8

Miguel Negron (cf) 1 for 3, 2 runs, 2b, 2 BBs, K, .262
Luis Rivera (ss) 3 for 4, 2 runs, .316
Mike Carp (1b) 1 for 4, 2 runs, RBI, BB, 2 Ks, .251
Edwards Guzman (ph, dh) 2 for 2, 2 2b, 5 RBI, .226 (walkoff 2 run 2b)
Caleb Stewart (rf) 2 for 4, 2 runs, HR, 2 RBI, .252
Bobby Parnell 3 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 3 Ks, HR, 4.77 era, 1:5:3
Jeramy Simmons 3 IP, 2 H, BB, 0.00 era
Lino Urdaneta IP, H, BB, 4.76 era, W (1-1)

Brooklyn 5, Staten Island 0

Ezequiel Carrera (rf) 1 for 5, 2b, K, .340
Lucas Duda (lf) 1 for 4, 2b, 3 Ks, .303
JR Voyles (2b) 2 for 4, run, .271
Raul Reyes (cf) 2 for 3, 2 runs, RBI, .230
Nick Carr 7 IP, 3 H, 3 BBs, 4 Ks, 3.80 era, W (5-2)
Will Morgan 2 IP, H, 1.87 era

To those who want more "analysis"

We keep getting complaints by way of comments that we don't do enough "analysis" on Mets Prospects, but theres something that those people have missed/are missing. A while back we created an email (MetsProspectHub@yahoo.com) and made a post saying we were gonna start a little MPH mailbag and answer questions once a week, about any prospect or anything. Well guess what, we got no emails. Folks, if you want to know about a prospect, or want analysis on a player, ASK US! Thats what we have the e-mail addy for! You ask the questions, and we post them on here with our responses. It is really quite simple, and should tone down the kicking and screaming for more analysis. Seriously, e-mail us with any questions you have, and we'll gather them all to create a weekly mailbag and answer all of your questions on this site.

Thanks.

--MPH

9/3 Links

New Orleans @ 8pm
Binghamton @ 1pm
Brooklyn @ 7pm

New Orleans and St. Lucie have clinched their divisional titles, the Cyclones are in the playoffs, and lead their division by 1.5 games with 4 to play.

Sunday, September 02, 2007

9/2 Minor League Report! Ahern, Mulvey!

New Orleans 10, Round Rock 2

Anderson Hernandez (ss) 4 for 6, 2 runs, .301
Kevin Mulvey 2 for 3, run, K; 6 IP, 2 H, 3 Ks, AAA debut, 79:52:27; 7:8:3
Joe Smith IP, H, R, 2 era, 15:9:6
Ivan Maldonado iP, H, ER, HR, 3.80 era, 9:8:1

Binghamton 3, Akron 6

Miguel Negron (cf) 1 for 5, RBI, .262
Luis Rivera (ss) 2 for 4, 2b, RBI, K, .283
MIke Carp (1b) 0 for 4, .251
Brett Harper (lf) 1 for 4, .299
Caleb Stewart (rf) 2 for 2, 2 runs, 2 BBs, .249
Michael Devaney 5 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 3 ER, 2 BBs, 4 Ks, HR, 4.85 era, L (6-9)

St. Lucie 2, Vero Beach 3, Suspended Game from 9/1

Hector Pellot (2b) 0 for 4, 2 Ks, .200
Carlos Gomez (cf) 1 for 4, 2 Ks, .182
Nick Evans (1b) 0 for 4, 3 Ks, .286
Dan Murphy (dh) 0 for 3, run, BB, .287
Jonathan Malo (3b) 1 for 3, run, HR, 2 RBI, K, .258
Eric Niesen 3 IP, 3 H, BB, 3 Ks, (A+ debut)
Jonathan Castillo 3.1 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 5 BBs, 2 Ks, 8.10 era, L (0-1; A+ debut)

St. Lucie 1, Vero Beach 2, regularly scheduled game

Emmanuel Garcia (ss) 0 for 2, run, BB, .256
Hector Pellot 3 for 3, 3b, .304
Carlos Gomez (rf) 0 for 2, .154
Dan Murphy 0 for 3, .285
Sean McCraw (c) 0 for 2, .261
Tobi Stoner 5 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 Ks, HR, 4.90 era, L (4-5)
Joe Hietpas IP, H, K, 2.47 era

Brooklyn 3, Staten Island 0, Game 1

Ezequiel Carrera (rf) 1 for 4, K, .333
Micah Schilling (dh) 2 for 4, 2 runs, 2 2b, K, .291
Jason Jacobs (1b) 1 for 2, 2 BBs, .277
Lucas Duda (lf) 1 for 3, 2b, RBI, BB, K, .308
Michael Antonini 4.1 IP, 3 H, BB, K, 0.46 era
Brant Rustich 1.2 IP, 2 Ks, 1.86 era
Eddie Kunz IP, K, 7.71 era, SV (5)

Brooklyn 0, Staten Island 6, Game 2

Ezequiel Carrera (lf) 2 for 3, .354, SB (4)
Jason Jacobs (c) 0 for 1, 2 BBs, .276
Raul Reyes (cf) 0 for 3, K, .224
Nick Waechter 4 IP, 8 H, 5 ER, BB, 4 Ks, 3.88 era, L (5-4)

9/2 Links

New Orleans @ 8pm
Binghamton @ 7pm
St. Lucie Suspended Game (now)
St. Lucie regular game (directly following ending of suspended game)
Savannah Game 1 @ 5pm
Savannah Game 2
Brooklyn Game 1 @ 2pm
Brooklyn Game 2 @ 7pm

Saturday, September 01, 2007

9/1 Minor League Report!

New Orleans 3, Round Rock 4, in 10 innings

Anderson Hernandez (ss) 2 for 5, .297
Brian Lawrence 6 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 5 Ks, 4.73 era
Carlos Muniz 2 IP, H, BB, 2 Ks, 0.00 era
Steve Schmoll 0.2 IP, H, ER, 3.76 era
Jon Adkins IP, 4 H, ER, 2 Ks, 4.06 era, BS (3), L (2-4)

Binghamton 1, Akron 2, Game 1

Mike Carp (1b) 1 for 3, run, HR, RBI, .253
Salvador Aguilar 7 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 2 BBs, 4 Ks, 5.81 era, L (7-9)

Binghamton 3, Akron 6, Game 2

Miguel Negron (cf) 2 for 4, run, 2 Ks, .263
Mike Carp (1b) 1 for 3, run, BB, K, .254
Brett Harper (lf) 1 for 3, 2b, RBI, .299
Tim McNab 3 IP, 10 H, 6 ER, K, 2.92 era, L (7-5)

Brooklyn 2, Staten Island 4

Ezequiel Carrera (rf) 0 for 4, 2 Ks, .341
Micah Schilling (dh) 1 for 4, run, HR, RBI, K, .287
Lucas Duda (1b) 2 for 3, BB, .308
Raul Reyes (cf) 1 for 4, run, 2b, K, .230
Jacob Elgsti (3b) 1 for 3, 2b, RBI, K, .280
Dillon Gee 5 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 3 BBs, 4 Ks, 2.41 era, 2:8:4
Steven Cheney 2 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 2 BBs, K, 2.72 era, L (4-4)

9/1 Links

New Orleans
Binghamton Game 1 @ 6pm
Binghamton Game 2
St. Lucie
Brooklyn