April 2009 Hotsheet

1. C Josh Thole L/R 10/28/86 AA Binghamton: .383/.457/.500/.957 (23 for 60, 9 runs, 7 2b, 4 RBI, 8/8 BB/K)

Yep, Thole keeps doing what Thole does, hit for a high average/high OBP, not all that much power (keep in mind it's usually cold in Binghamton in April), and murder LHP (.526/.609/.579/1.188). This year, however, he's hitting very well against RHP (.317/.383/.463/.846), hopefully that continues so he doesn't end up needing a platoon mate. Thole is 10 for his last 22, so he's especially hot as of late.

2. 1B Lucas Duda L/R 2/3/86 AA Binghamton: .292/.470/.396/.866, 14 for 48, 7 runs, 2 2b, HR, 9 RBI, 15/12 BB/K

Duda had a fantastic first month in AA, much the same as he did last year, the key is sustaining it now. Remember, he fell into a 3 month chasm off his great April last year, we don't need any repeats of that this year. Despite his great beginning to 2009, Duda still struggles mightily against LHP, he didn't record a hit against lefties in April, going 0 for 12.

3. SP Angel Calero L/L 9/25/86 A+ St. Lucie: 1-1, 1.23 era, 4 GS, 22 IP, 12 H, 3 ER, HR, 8/20 BB/K, 0.71 GO/FO, .174 BAA, 0.91 WHIP

Calero has been excellent to start off 2009, much as he was to start off 2008. The Mets limit pitch counts early, so he's alternated 5 and 6 inning starts this season, but he has pitched brilliantly. A VERY good sign going forward is that he is holding RHB to a .154 BAA (over 17.1 innings so far, 52 outs).

4. SP/RP Brant Rustich R/R 1/23/85 A+ St. Lucie: 1-0, 1.38 era, 4 G, 13 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 3/18 BB/K, 1.20 GO/FO, .160 BAA, 0.85 WHIP

Rustich hasn't made a start yet this season, but he might be ready to enter the rotation the next time through (considering his last relief outing was 5 innings in a 14 inning game). Rustich, who is healed enough from his injuries last season to be sitting in the 93-96 range, has a very good 12.46 K/9 ratio, and has walked just 3. I still say if the Mets used Rustich as a reliever exclusively, he would be ready by July 1st to be a part of the Mets bullpen, but as I've also said, six of one, half dozen of the other...Rustich is a very good SP prospect, too.

5. SP/RP Nick Carr R/R 4/19/87 A+ St. Lucie: 1-0, 1.69 era, 5 G, 16 IP, 11 H, 6/3 R/ER, 10/17 BB/K, 1.45 GO/FO, .204 BAA, 1.31 WHIP

Carr is coming off a disaster of a 2008 season (2-10, 5.70 era) in St. Lucie, but he's off to a much better start in 2009, though he has yet to start a game. In 5 relief outings (3 of them 4 innings in length), he's struck out 17, though his walk rate (.625/ip, 5.63 per 9) is still much too high. Look for Carr, like Rustich, to join the rotation at some point in May, maybe when Calero and Holt move on to Binghamton (though Holt's sporting a nifty 6+ era).

6. 1B Ike Davis L/L 3/22/87 A+ St. Lucie: .304/.375/.468/.843, 24 for 79, 8 runs, 8 2b, 3b, HR, 6 RBI, 9/20 BB/K

Davis, who started off April very slowly, came on like an out of control freight train in the second half of the month, crushing everything in sight, and becoming a doubles machine. It's very early, but so far, it seems Davis is quieting the doubters (of which I remain one). Assuming a quick May and early June, it wouldn't be shocking to see Davis be pushed to Binghamton (although Lucas Duda does stand in his way).

7. SP Jeurys Familia R/R 10/10/89 A Savannah: 2-1, 1.37 era, 4/3 G/GS, 19.2 IP, 11 H, 5/3 R/ER, 9/14 BB/K, 2.07 GO/FO, .164 BAA, 1.02 WHIP

Familia's come out and performed very well in his age 19 season, getting his first taste of full season ball, setting a good foundation for the remainder of his season.

8. 2B/SS Jordany Valdespin L/R 12/23/87 A Savannah: .385/.406/.615/1.021, 25 for 65, 15 runs, 2 2b, 2 3b, 3 HR, 15 RBI, 3/10 BB/K, 2/3 SBs

Valdespin came pretty much out of nowhere to have the best statistical month of any Met minor leaguer, at least until he was suspended for conduct determental to the team on 4/26. Up to that point, he led the Gnats in RBI, XBH, average, and SLG. Early reports from a couple of eyewitnesses (both posters on NYFS) suggest Valdespin has good hands and is a good defender at 2b. Obviously he can hit (though it's a very very small sample size). We'll see what happens when he comes back off suspension, if he's back at Savannah.

Who's Not

1. SP Jon Niese L/L 10/27/86 AAA Buffalo: 0-2, 8.44 era, 4 GS, 16 IP, 26 H, 19/15 R/ER, HR, 7/17 BB/K, 1.31 GO/AO, .361 BAA, 2.06 WHIP

Niese, after struggling in spring training, has taken it to a whole different level of struggle in Buffalo. Half of his 4 starts, he's failed to complete 4 innings. Not much to say beyond that, as the numbers speak for themselves.

2. 1B/3B/LF/RF Nick Evans R/R 1/30/86 AAA Buffalo (hope you're sitting down): .102/.243/.271/.514 (6 for 59, 5 runs, 2b, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 11/20 BB/K)

Yikes. What's really alarming about those numbers (more alarming...I'm not sure what to say here), he's 1 for 11 against LHP. Keep in mind Mike Carp went through a similiar long slump in Binghamton last season, but he was batting .363 when he did it (37 for 185, .200). Evans, who ripped up the majority of spring training, is unfortunately going through a terrible slump to start the season, hence the absolutely putrid numbers right now. As we saw in the spring, and last season when he massacred the EL, Evans is simply too good of a hitter to be mired like this for long, he will figure it out and bounce back. Keep in mind, though, that even if he hits .300 from here on (135 for 450), his god awful April will depress his overall season line (if he hits .300 from here on, his overall season average would be .277 in 509 ABs).

3. 2B/DH Hector Pellot R/R 2/8/87 A+ St. Lucie: .159/.191/.205/.396, 7 for 44, 2 2b, 4 RBI, 1/13 BB/K, 2 SBs)

Not much to say beyond the numbers. He's still only 22, and in the FSL after hitting a decent .274/.344/.381/.725 in the Sally League at age 20, so there's some talent there, but time (and more importantly, other prospects) are passing him by in both lanes, so this might be a make or break season for Pellot, despite his age.