Part IV of the MPH Total System Audit

Second Base

One of two problem areas down on the farm is the second base depth, or lack thereof. While we here at MPH still hold out hope (me moreso then David) for Anderson Hernandez, and his winter performance (.345/.403/.431 in 197 ABs) bodes well, he did rip up the DWL last season, too. Ruben Gotay tore up the PWL, to the tune of a .295/.427/.448 line the regular season, and a .367/.517/.500 line in the playoffs (22 ABs), so there looks to be a healthy competition there. However, neither did much of anything during the much more important regular season stateside. Beyond these two, Veloz is a DSL prospect, and the other two are too old for their levels.

With 2 picks at 38 and 45 in the upcoming draft, hopefully Omar finds a diamond in the rough second baseman with high upside (we’d prefer a high school second baseman), to add to the farm.

1. Anderson Hernandez (AAA Norfolk .249/.285/.295, MLB Mets .152/.164/.242, Licey, DWL .310/.376/.393 (35 for 113, 17 runs, 4 2b, 3b, 10 RBI, 12 BBs, 15 Ks, 3 SB), Licey (playoffs), DWL .393/.440/.524 (33 for 84, 21 runs, 6 2b, 1 3b, 1 HR, 11 RBI, 7 BBs, 8 Ks, 2 SB)

Combined Stats as of 1/25/06: .265/.307/.327 (182 for 686, 86 runs, 22 2b, 7 3b, 2 HR, 47 RBI, 20 SB, 5 CS, 41 BBs, 106 Ks)

Anderson Hernandez was signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2001 by the Tigers, and assigned to the Gulf Coast League, where he hit .264/.303/.389 in 55 games. The next season, Ahern was jumped 3 levels to the Florida State League, where he naturally struggled, hitting .259/.310/.339. He spent the next two seasons in the Florida State League, and after opening 2004 by hitting .295/.326/.377, Detroit bumped him to the Eastern League, where he hit .274/.326/.376. During the 2004 offseason, Omar Minaya took over as GM of the Mets, and traded backup catcher Vance Wilson to the Tigers for Hernandez.

Ahern, previously known as an all glove, no bat shortstop, put together a career 2005, hitting .326/.360/.462 in Binghamton, before earning a callup to Norfolk, where he hit .303/.354/.379. 2006 didn’t get off to the start Ahern was looking for, as 22 games into his first starting job on the major league level, he suffered a back injury after making a stunning highlight reel catch. Hernandez went on the DL, and when he returned, the bat didn’t, as he struggled for most of the season in Norfolk.

However, during this winter, Ahern has again found that stroke, and is putting up some great numbers with Licey of the Dominican Winter League. With Jose Valentin here for 2007, Hernandez may be given a chance to wrest the starting job away from Jose during Spring Training, but it is more likely he will return to AAA, in New Orleans, and compete with Ruben Gotay to see who will succeed Valentin in 2008. He is a switch hitter who Jack Lind, Hernandez’ manager in

2. Ruben Gotay (AAA Omaha, Norfolk .265/.321/.407, Carolina, PWL .295/.427/.448 (31 for 105, 19 runs, 5 2b, 3b, 3 HR, 11 RBI, 23 BBs, 17 Ks)

Combined 2006 Stats as of 1/10/07: .270/.337/.414 (161 for 596, 33 2b, 4 3b, 15 HR, 75 RBI, 60 BBs, 113 Ks, 12 SB, 7 CS)

Gotay was drafted by the Royals in the 31st round of the 2000 draft, out of Indian Hills Community College, and after holding out close to a year, he signed and was sent to the Gulf Coast League, where he hit .315/.398/.457 in 52 games. The next year, he was jumped 2 levels to the Midwestern League (equal to the South Atlantic League), where he hit .285/.377/.456 in 133 games. 2003 was a down year for Gotay, as he posted a .261/.343/.384 line in the Carolina League (equal to the Florida State League). He bounced back in 2004 with a .289/.373/.440 line in the AA Texas League, before earning a 44 game promotion to the major leagues, where he put together a very respectable .270/.315/.375 line in 152 ABs.

However, Gotay began 2005 back in AA Wichita, where he struggled to a .245/.320/.400 line. Gotay was then promoted to the major leagues for 86 games, and badly struggled, hitting .227/.288/.344 in 282 ABs.

And after hitting .264./.322/.404 in 87 games for AAA Omaha, the Royals traded Gotay to the Mets for second baseman Jeff Keppinger. In 42 games for AAA Norfolk, Gotay hit .266/.317/.416. He finished up the year by going to Puerto Rico, and batted .295/.427/.448.

Gotay isn’t the defensive wizard Anderson Hernandez is, but he is a better hitter, despite never hitting over .300 anywhere in his career, save the rookie level Gulf Coast League. In 2007, you can expect Gotay, along with Hernandez, to battle it out in AAA New Orleans to see who, if either, will be succeeding Jose Valentin at second base.

3. Greg Veloz (R DSL Mets .262/.366/.398, 28/34 SBs)

Veloz was signed out of the Dominican Republic and assigned to the DSL Mets. He was one of 2005’s top 10 International prospects. In 2006, Veloz hit .262 for the DSL team with an OBP of .366. He is expected to come stateside in 2007. The Mets named Veloz as the winner of the 2006 Sterling Award as the best player with the DSL team. Veloz will most likely start 2007 with the Gulf Coast League Mets, although like Juan Lagares above, he could open in Kingsport or Brooklyn.

4. Enrique Cruz (AA Binghamton .200/.341/.286, A+ St. Lucie .278/.360/.406)

Cruz was drafted 3 times, first by the Cubs in the 49th round in 2000, then by the Reds in the 13th round in 2002, and finally by the Yankees in the 14th round of the 2003 draft. Cruz had his best season of college ball in his senior year (2003) when he batted .352/.458/.563 with 18 2b and 10 homers in 247 ABs with a 45/58 BB/K ratio.

He was sent to Staten Island of the New York Penn League, where he batted .285/.363/.385 in 32 games. In 2004, he spent the bulk of the season with Battle Creek of the Midwestern League, where he batted .231/.329/.364 in 83 games. Cruz was released after 2005, and the Mets picked him up, sending him to AA Binghamton, where he struggled, before a demotion to A+ St. Lucie, where he delivered his best offensive numbers of his pro career, outside of the Penn League, .278/.360/.406.

Cruz will be 25/26 during the season, and will need to hit his way to New Orleans, or else he’ll never be considered for the 2b job.

5. Chase Lambin (AAA Norfolk .222/.319/.300, AA Binghamton .271/.380/.526)

Lambin was drafted as a 5th year senior out of Lafayette University in Louisiana in the 34th round, where as a 23 year old, he hit .300/.368/.552. He was assigned to Brooklyn where he hit .279/316/.447 in 47 games. He spent all of 2003 in St. Lucie, where he hit .289/.366/.404 with 27 2b and 5 homers in 401 ABs.

2004 was a wasted year for Lambin, as he put up a miserable .244/.331/.390 line in 121 games, striking out 103 times in 410 ABs. Just as 2004 was a wasted year, 2005 was Lambin’s breakout year. He started in Binghamton, where he hit .331/.396/.657 in 53 games, with 17 2b and 10 homers in 181 ABs. Upon his promotion to Norfolk, Lambin continued raking, hitting .289/.350/.526 with another 16 2b and 10 homers in 61 games, 211 ABs.

However, 2006 was a completely wasted season, as Lambin regressed heavily, falling to .222/.319/.300 in Norfolk, and actually being demoted to Binghamton, where he put up better numbers, .271/.380/.526. However, Lambin will be 28 next season, and he falls into the Michel Abreu category, where he put up those numbers by outclassing the league by a good 5-7 years. If Valentin struggles this year, Lambin may get first crack at 2b, simply due to his age.