Minors Stuff

The Herd:

I get the press releases regarding player movement, but I must have missed the promotion of C Rafael Arroyo from the B-Mets to Bufalo. Arroyo isone step above a bullpen catcher, but they did start him last night.

I got an idea how to break 1B Nick Evans out of his slump. Let him start over. In Queens. The word is, now that the Mets are winning, that Carlos Delgado will go 15-day DL to heal some aching bones. No problem… call up Evans and team him with Fernando Tatis on the bag. Maybe that’ll work, and hopefully raise his trading bait value for a Peavey deal.

Seriously, people don’t get out of a slump by riding the bench. Sure, Michel Abreu had two hits on Monday… big deal… so now he’s batting over .210. Let Evans play his way out of it. And by the way… bat him 3rd, 4th, or 5th, not in the eight slot.
SP Tim Redding had another fine rehab… he should be ready next week. Then, the Bisons will be down to three starters and something has to give.


B-Mets:

So what’s going on down there in Extended Camp? I mean, Tobi Stoner goes on the DL on ‘photo day’ in ST and he gets activated today and pitches a 2-hit shutout for seven innings… maybe the B-Mets should follow this up with a ‘Ruckle Shuffle’ promotion…

With Stoner back, Fernando Nieve is out of the rotation and I’m surprised he wasn’t bumped up to Buffalo this week. Well, there’s always tomorrow…

CL Roy Merritt got his 10th save; however, he did give up a run, and his ERA is now at a season high 4.08. What I don’t understand is Binghamton’s continuing to pitch him more than one inning. Real closers don’t do that and, as long as they start using him in the eight inning, and expect him to finish the game… around 5 games a week… the ERA will continue to stay up.

Tuesday, May 12 at N. Hampshire 6:35 pm LHP Mike Antonini (4-1, 4.88) vs. RHP Casey Janssen (0-0, 0.00)

Wednesday, May 13 at N. Hampshire 6:35 pm RHP Dylan Owen (0-3, 5.34) vs. LHP Ricky Romero (0-0, 0.00)

Thursday, May 14 Trenton 6:35 pm RHP Jose Sanchez (1-3, 6.53) vs. RHP Zach McAllister (1-1, 2.67)

Friday, May 15 Trenton 7:05 pm RHP Ryan Coultas (2-1, 2.67) vs. LHP Wilkins Arias (0-1, 2.95)


Tobi Stoner:

2008: Opened season with St. Lucie (High-A) making nine starts with a 1-5 record and 2.60 ERA in 52 innings...He debuted with Binghamton June 13, 2008 and finished out the season in the rotation going 4-6 with a 4.33 ERA in 79 innings...Pitched for the Peoria Saguaros of the Arizona Fall League, making 11 relief appearances covering 19.2 innings with a 2-0 record and 3.66 ERA...Also pitched for Los Indios de Mayaguez in the Puerto Rico Winter League where he made five appearances, four starts, with a 1.50 ERA in 24 innings.

2007: Lost five of his first seven starts with Savannah (Low-A) and finished with 11 starts, a 3-5 record and an ERA of 3.61 in 57.1 innings before being promoted to St. Lucie (High-A) at the beginning of June...Made 16 starts with St. Lucie (High-A) clocking a 4.90 ERA in 82.2 innings.

2006: Spent rookie season with Brooklyn (SS-A) where he finished third in the New York-Penn League in innings pitched (83.2), fourth in ERA (2.15) and first in complete games (1)...In his final start of the season, 9/4/06, he threw a complete-game against Lowell for a win.

Personal: Drafted in the 16th-round out of Davis and Elkins College in West Virginia. Born in Landstuhl, Germany in the Rhineland


Lucy:

Add IF – Jake Eigsti to St. Lucie Temporarily Inactive list

Remove IF - Luis Nieves from roster

Reinstate IF – Jake Eigsti from Temporarily Inactive list


A rare 2-run scoring single in the first inning by C Francesco Pena. Pena went into the game hitting .224, and looking over his shoulder at Doc Doyle, who’s hitting 1.000 and Ralph Henrique, who’s belting .556 since they both were called up.

SP Eric Niesen had another great outing… 7.0 IP, 0ER, 7K… 1.85. Niesen’s a great control pitcher that forcasts out as a reliever or end-of-the-rotation guy for a small market team.

RP Emary Frederick seems to be moving into the closer role… he got his 3rd save of the year, in 11 appearances and lowered his ERA to 1.76. Frederick’s K/IP ration is down a little, but he’s pitching his best ball since becoming a Met.


Gnats:

3B Jenry Marte 14th error this young season started a 4-inning attack that should have never happened… Marte isn’t beating up the league and a rest in Extended Camp, with some infield practive, before Brooklyn starts, might be a great idea. My suggestion is to send him down, play Jordany Valdespin there, or call up either Tyler Vaughn or Zach Lutz. The kid’s only 17… give him a break and let’s not create another Juan Legares, Hector Pellot, or Francesco Pena.

RP Michael Powers got in the game Monday night… this is a good pitcher who got on my prospect list a couple of times last year… went 2-2, 2.88 last year in 18 appearances with K-Port, and Savannah… a 31st round find in 2008.



Mets Alumni:

Deolis Guerra

Guerra, still just 20 years old, has been pitching for a Twins’ Advanced A League affiliate, the Fort Myers Miracle. The Miracle play in the Florida State League along with the St. Lucie Mets.

In 2008, Guerra started 25 games and had an 11-9 record with a 5.47 ERA. This year, Guerra is 2-2 with a 5.40 ERA (6 games, 5 starts). Again, Guerra is just 20 and was considered the best pitching prospect sent to the Twins. He is still very rough. One scout compared him to a “less funky” Bronson Arroyo?
www.hotfootblog.com


Pacific Coast League Player of the Week - Brett Harper, Las Vegas

.419 (13-31), 7 R, 4 2B, 0 3B, 5 HR, 10 RBI, 2 BB, 5 SO, 0 SB, 1.032 SLG
Blue Jays prospect Brett Harper launched himself onto the Pacific Coast League's home run leaderboard with an impressive streak of five long balls in four games between May 6 and May 9. Having tied Salt Lake's Sean Rodriguez for third place with nine, Harper's homerless game on Sunday was hardly a failure -- he doubled twice, collected two RBIs and scored once during a 3-for-5 performance. He finished strong as seven of his 10 RBIs for the week came between Friday and Sunday.
www.MiLB.com