FINAL update on Former Prospects...

Prospects traded away in the last year - Part IIII

1. Dustin Martin (traded for Luis Castillo) OF, L/L, 24, AA

4/14/08: .520/.517/.720/1.237, 13 for 25, 5 runs, 5 2b, 8 RBI, 2/3 BB/K, 3/3 SBs

5/5/08: .352/.398/.495/.893, 32 for 91, 19 runs, 6 2b, 2 3b, HR, 19 RBI, 8/22 BB/K, 8/9 SBs

5/29/08: .316/.381/.433/.814, 54 for 171, 29 runs, 10 2b, 2 3b, 2 HR, 33 RBI, 17/40 BB/K, 13/18 SBs

7/29/08: .289/.360/.433/.793, 108 for 374, 50 runs, 23 2b, 5 3b, 7 HR, 53 RBI, 39/88 BB/K, 18/27 SBs

9/4/08: .290/.355/.447/.802, 148 for 510, 69 runs, 34 2b, 8 3b, 10 HR, 72 RBI, 49/125 BB/K, 22/33 SBs

The fact he ended up with the same number of RBI as Mike Carp is stunning, not to mention he ended up with 5 more doubles. From the getgo, Martin hit much much better against lefties (.343/.403/.434/.836) then righties (.270/.337/.452/.789), though with more pop against RHP. Martin played this season at age 24, roughly 1.5 years older then you'd like a prospect to be in AA. Still, he's got a chance to be a decent/good player if he handles AAA well next season.

Bottom line: No regrets on trading away Dustin Martin. Many regrets on who we got for him.

2. Drew Butera (traded for Luis Castillo) C, R/R, 24 3/4, AA

4/14/08: .300/.364/.300/.664, 6 for 20, 4 runs, RBI, 2/3 BB/K

5/5/08: .177/.257/.194/.451, 11 for 62, 8 runs, 2b, 2 RBI, 7/14 BB/K

5/29/08: .196/.298/.295/.592, 22 for 112, 19 runs, 5 2b, 2 HR, 12 RBI, 17/21 BB/K

7/29/08: .219/.317/.344/.661, 54 for 247, 36 runs, 13 2b, 6 HR, 31 RBI, 32/44 BB/K

9/4/08: .219/.308/.354/.663, 66 for 302, 39 runs, 18 2b, 3b, 7 HR, 39 RBI, 35/55 BB/K

He had a great June with a .308/.378/.477/.855 line, but has regressed back to major suckitude in July, hitting a paltry .167/.286/.292/.577. About the only good thing you can say about Butera is that he has a good eye at the plate, but what good is it if he's hitting .219? A 98 IsoD isn't useful when it carries you to .317 for an OBP. And he turns 25 in a couple of weeks. Ouch.

Well, he had a "better" August, hitting .235/.286/.431/.717. Yeah. Not a good year at all for Butera. He played the majority of it at age 24, and performed very badly.

Bottom line: No regrets on trading away Dustin Martin. Many regrets on who we got for him.

3. Jose Castro (traded for Jeff Conine) SS, S/R, 21 1/2, AA

4/14/08: .280/.280/.440/.720, 7 for 25, 2 runs, 4 2b, 2 RBI, K

5/5/08: .250/.304/.344/.648, 16 for 64, 6 runs, 4 2b, 3b, 7 RBI, 4/4 BB/K

5/29/08: .231/.259/.282/.541, 18 for 78, 5 runs, 2 2b, 3b, 5 RBI, 2/2 BB/K, 1/2 SBs

Total 2008 Stats: (AA/A+): .234/.275/.303/.578, 34 for 145, 11 runs, 6 2b, 2 3b, 12 RBI, 6/6 BB/K, 1/3 SBs

7/29/08 (A+) .240/.274/.303/.578, 61 for 254, 23 runs, 7 2b, 3 3b, HR, 15 RBI, 7/18 BB/K, 2/5 SBs

Total 2008 Stats: (AA/A+/AA/A+) .239/.277/.307/.585, 77 for 322, 29 runs, 11 2b, 4 3b, HR, 22 RBI, 11/22 BB/K, 2/6 SBs

9/4/08 (A+) .238/.273/.297/.570, 85 for 357, 31 runs, 12 2b, 3 3b, HR, 15 RBI, 9/31 BB/K, 2/5 SBs

Total 2008 Stats: (AA/A+/AA/A+) .238/.275/.301/.576, 101 for 425, 37 runs, 16 2b, 4 3b, HR, 22 RBI, 13/35 BB/K, 2/6 SBs

He's proving that last year was a big fluke as far as his hitting went (.318/.363/.383/.746 in the FSL for the Mets), but we really didn't get a big return for him, and the next guy on this list turns this trade into one I regret wholeheartedly. Castro is no big loss.

4. Sean Henry (traded for Jeff Conine) OF, R/R, 22 3/4, A+, AA

4/14/08: 293/.370/.415/.784, 12 for 41, 6 runs, 3 2b, 3b, 7 RBI, 3/7 BB/K, 4/4 SBs

5/5/08: AA Chattanooga: .340/.404/.640/1.044, 17 for 50, 12 runs, 2 2b, 2 3b, 3 HR, 14 RBI, 5/12 BB/K, 3/4 SBs

Total 2008 Stats: .319/.388/.538/.927, 29 for 91, 18 runs, 5 2b, 3 3b, 3 HR, 21 RBI, 8/19 BB/K, 7/8 SBs

5/29/08: .301/.394/.504/.898, 34 for 113, 21 runs, 5 2b, 3 3b, 4 HR, 21 RBI, 16/26 BB/K, 6/8 SBs

Total 2008 Stats: .299/.388/.481/.868, 46 for 154, 27 runs, 8 2b, 4 3b, 4 HR, 28 RBI, 19/33 BB/K, 10/12 SBs

7/29/08: .319/.392/.514/.906, 91 for 286, 54 runs, 19 2b, 5 3b, 9 HR, 53 RBI, 30/56 BB/K, 13/18 SBs

Total 2008 Stats: .315/.389/.502/.891, 103 for 327, 60 runs, 22 2b, 6 3b, 9 HR, 60 RBI, 33/63 BB/K, 17/22 SBs

9/4/08 (AA): .285/.361/.455/.816, 113 for 396, 66 runs, 22 2b, 6 3b, 11 HR, 62 RBI, 42/75 BB/K, 16/23 SBs

Total 2008 Stats: (A+/AA).286/.362/.451/.813, 125 for 437, 72 runs, 25 2b, 7 3b, 11 HR, 69 RBI, 45/82 BB/K, 20/27 SBs

We could use a toolsy OF prospect, especially after trading away Milledge and Gomez, and with Nando's brittleness. Henry turns 23 in 2 1/2 weeks or so, but he's been doing the vast majority of his damage in the AA Southern League as a 22 year old, right in line for a prospect. After a down month power wise in June, he's tearing shit up in July with a .367/.452/.646/1.097 line in 79 ABs, with an 11/12 BB/K ratio. Of the 4 prospects traded for Castillo/Conine, this is the only one I regret now, although I was against both deals, for different reasons (Gotay, Castro could've been our RH power bat off the bench if we'd gone to 3 catchers, Conine was as useful a RH bat as I would've been).

Bottom Line: Useless trade for a useless pile of junk (Conine).
5. Deolis Guerra (traded for Johan) SP, R/R, 19, A+

4/14/08: 0-0, 0.90 era, 2 GS, 10 IP, 6 H, ER, HR, 6/8 BB/K

5/5/08: 2-1, 4.61 era, 6 G, 5 GS, 27.1 IP, 29 H, 16 R, 14 ER, 2 HR, 12/20 BB/K, 1.50 WHIP

5/29/08: 6-1, 4.23 era, 11 G, 10 GS, 55.1 IP, 52 H, 29 R, 26 ER, 4 HR, 26/32 BB/K, 0.64 GO/FO, .244 BAA, 1.41 WHIP

7/29/08: 10-5, 4.56 era, 20 G, 19 GS, CG, 104.2 IP, 102 H, 58/53 R/ER, 9 HR, 47/56 BB/K, 0.61 GO/FO, .253 BAA, 1.42 WHIP

9/4/08: 11-9, 5.47 era, 26 G, 25 GS, CGSO, 130 IP, 138 H, 85/79 R/ER, 12 HR, 71/71 BB/K, 0.61 GO/FO, .272 BAA, 1.68 WHIP

Guerra's repeating a level, and is having a nightmarish time of it. He had as bad an August as you could have (1-3, 8.44 era, 5 GS, 21.1 ip, 27 h, 20 er, 20/14 bb/k). He still has age on his side, but it is highly disconcerting to see him struggle so mightily in a repeat of a pitcher's league.

6. Kevin Mulvey (traded for Johan) SP, 23 1/6, R/R, AAA

4/14/08: 1-1, 0.84 era, 2 GS, 10.2 IP, 9 H, ER, 3/11 BB/K

5/5/08: 2-3, 3.82 era, 6 GS, 33 IP, 37 H, 15 R, 14 ER, 4 HR, 12/34 BB/K, 1.48 WHIP

5/29/08: 3-6, 4.07 era, 11 GS, 55.1 IP, 62 H, 32 R, 25 ER, 6 HR, 22/50 BB/K, 0.90 GO/FO, .279 BAA, 1.52 WHIP

7/29/08: 4-8, 3.87 era, 20 GS, CG, 104.2 IP, 107 H, 60/45 R/ER, 12 HR, 34/84 BB/K, 0.80 GO/FO, .261 BAA, 1.35 WHIP

9/4/08: 7-9, 3.77 era, 27 GS, CG, 148 IP, 152 H, 80/62 R/ER, 16 HR, 48/121 BB/K, 0.79 GO.FO, .265 BAA, 1.35 WHIP

Mulvey's having a very good July, except that he's still not pitching deep into games, averaging just about 5.5 IP/GS, he's walked just 4 in 29 innings, allowing 25 hits. He's exhibit A why W-L means nothing.

7. Philip Humber (traded for Johan) SP, 25 1/3, R/R, AAA

4/14/08: 0-2, 5 era, 2 GS, 9 IP, 12 H, 7 R, 5 ER, 1/5 BB/K

5/5/08: 1-3, 5.40 era, 8 G, 5 GS, 25 IP, 33 H, 20 R, 15 ER, 2 HR, 11/14 BB/K, 1.76 WHIP

5/29/08: 2-5, 5.19 era, 13 G, 10 GS, 50.1 IP, 60 H, 35 R, 29 ER, 5 HR, 27/29 BB/K, 1.02 GO/FO, .299 BAA, 1.73 WHIP

7/29/08: 6-7, 5.38 era, 25 G, 17 GS, 93.2 IP, 107 H, 63/56 R/ER, 16 HR, 42/70 BB/K, 0.69 GO/FO, .288 BAA, 1.59 WHIP

9/4/08: 10-8, 4.56 era, 31 G, 23 GS, 2 CG, 136.1 IP, 145 H, 76/69 R/ER, 21 HR, 49/106 BB/K, 0.73 GO/FO, .273 BAA, 1.42 WHIP

Humber was once again demoted to the bullpen for a brief period this year in July, making 5 relief appearances in between starts, and at least for now, the short term gains seem to be apparent, his last 2 GS, he's gone 12.2 innings, allowing 10 hits and striking out 15, going 2-0 with a 2.13 era. However, overall his season has been nothing short of a disaster, and 2 GS isn't going to change anything there. On the bright side, at least his K rate has been rising, 43 Ks in 43.1 innings in his last 2 months, after just 29 in his first 50.1 innings, and his walk rate is coming down. Still, he is 25 in AAA, on the verge of becoming irrelevant.

And he turned it around big time in August, earning a September callup to the Twins. Humber had a great month of August, going 4-1, 2.74 (6 GS, 2 CG, 42.2 IP, 38 H, 13 ER, 7/36 BB/K), bringing his numbers down to respectability. It appears, from his K rate, that his fastball's come back the last couple months (59 Ks in 67 IP July, August), after just 47 in 69.1 IP April-June.

8. Carlos Gomez (traded for Johan) OF, 22, R/R, MLB

4/14/08: .269/.296/.385/.681, 14 for 52, 4 2b, 3b, 4 RBI, 2/12 BB/K, 5/6 SBs

5/5/08: .271/.297/.374/.671, 29 for 107, 6 2b, 3b, HR, 8 RBI, 3/26 BB/K, 13/14 SBs

5/29/08: .293/.327/.429/.756, 58 for 198, 31 runs, 9 2b, 3 3b, 4 HR, 22 RBI, 8/51 BB/K, 17/22 SBs

7/29/08: .250/.284/.349/.633, 101 for 404, 54 runs, 17 2b, 4 3b, 5 HR, 33 RBI, 15/99 BB/K, 21/30 SBs

9/4/08: .252/.289/.341/.630, 125 for 496, 68 runs, 18 2b, 4 3b, 6 HR, 39 RBI, 21/124 BB/K, 28/38 SBs

Ouch. he's on pace to K 146 times this year, not good at all for a leadoff hitter. Even when Jose Reyes struggled with his walks, he didn't K nearly as much as Gomez is. Still, I'll stubbornly hold onto my Gomez 2008 = Reyes 2005 prediction, and we'll see where things end up (hopefully with a few more BBs, less Ks and more SBs for Gomez).