Minors Stuff

The Herd:

BUFFALO (AAA) OF THE INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE: Figueroa was the Pitcher of the Month at Buffalo going 0-1 with a 2.40 ERA in three starts…In 16.0 innings, he allowed eight hits, four runs, earned, with three walks and eight strikeouts...Outfielder Fernando Martinez was the Player of the Month, hitting .233 (17-73) with five runs scored, with eight doubles, one triple, one home run, and eight RBI.
http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/mets/2009/05/mets-sign-valentin-the-brother.html#ixzz0FV3J805w&A

Thursday's game between the Buffalo Bisons and the Gwinnett Braves at Coca-Cola Field has been postponed due to rain/high winds. The teams will make up the game as part of a doubleheader on Friday, May 15. The teams will play two, seven-inning games on Friday with the first game starting at 5:35 p.m.

Friday's game will remain a fridaynightbash!®, sponsored by Seneca Gaming Corporation with a pre-game plaza party at 5:00 p.m. (Live music by the All Jack'd Up) and post game fireworks. Gates to the park with also open at 5:00 p.m.

Fans holding tickets to Thursday's game can exchange them for a comparable ticket to any future 2009 Bisons games (excluding special events). All ticket exchanges must be made at the Coca-Cola Field box office. Please note that these exchanges do not have to be made on Thursday, May 14. Fans with tickets can exchange them throughout the remainder of the 2009 season.

For more information regarding the exchange policy, fans can contact the Bisons at THE-HERD (843-4373


B-Mets:

It was a victory, and a rally, that the Binghamton Mets desperately needed.
The B-Mets scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning for an 8-7 come-from-behind victory over the Trenton Thunder on Thursday night in the opener of a five-game Eastern League series at NYSEG Stadium.

Josh Petersen hit a two-run game-tying home run, and D.J. Wabick scored the game-winning run with two outs after Trenton second baseman Justin Snyder misplayed a ground ball hit by Ruben Tejada.

The B-Mets (15-17) entered the game 0-12 this season when trailing after eight innings. The B-Mets had also lost five of their previous six.

"We needed this big time," said catcher Josh Thole, who went 5-for-5 with an RBI and became the first B-Mets player with five hits in a game since Josh Pressley in 2004
. "We went on the road and got beat - these guys beat us on a walk-off at their place, so we owed them, big time."

The Thunder (15-16) jumped all over B-Mets starter Dylan Owen early. Eduardo Nunez hit the second pitch of the game over the wall in left field for a solo home run. Nunez and Seth Fortenberry each drove in three runs, as Trenton built a 7-4 lead by the third.

But Eric Brown (3-2) relieved Owen and stopped the bleeding with his best outing of the season. Brown pitched 6 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing just two hits, a walk and a hit batter. He retired 10 of the final 11 batters he faced.

http://www.pressconnects.com/article/20090515/SPORTS02/905150341/1118/sports/B-Mets+rally+past+Trenton+with+3-run+ninth+inning

Friday, May 15 Trenton 7:05 pm RHP Jose Sanchez (1-3, 6.23) vs. RHP Zach McAllister (1-1, 267)

Saturday, May 16 Trenton G1 5:05 pm RHP Ryan Coultas (2-1, 2.67) vs. RHP Ivan Nova (2-2, 4.13)

Saturday, May 16 Trenton G2 TBD RHP Tobi Stoner (1-0, 0.00) vs. LHP Wilkins Arias (0-1, 2.95)

Sunday, May 17 Trenton 1:05 pm RHP Fernando Nieve (0-1, 4.91) vs. RHP Alan Horne (0-2, 7.71)


BINGHAMTON (AA) OF THE EASTERN LEAGUE: LHP Roy Merritt was the Pitcher of the Month with the B-Mets, after posting a 0-1 mark with nine saves and a 1.98 ERA in 10 games…In 13.2 innings, he’ surrender seven hits, three runs, earned, with seven walks and 12 strikeouts…Catcher Josh Thole was the Player of the Month, batting .383 (23-60) with nine runs scored, seven doubles, and four RBI in 14 games.

http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/mets/2009/05/mets-sign-valentin-the-brother.html#ixzz0FV3J805w&A


Lucy:


ST. LUCIE (A) OF THE FLORIDA STATE LEAGUE: LHP Angel Calero was the Pitcher of the Month with St. Lucie, recording a 1-1 mark, with a 1.23 ERA in four starts…In 22.0 innings, he permitted 12 hits, three runs, earned, with eight walks and 20 strikeouts…Shortstop Reese Havens was the Player of the Month, hitting .275 (22-80) with 11 runs scored, six double, one triple, four home runs, and 11 RBI.

http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/mets/2009/05/mets-sign-valentin-the-brother.html#ixzz0FV3J805w&A


Gnats:


THURSDAY'S SCORE: Savannah 8, Bowling Green 1

FOR THE RECORD: Savannah 18-15; Bowling Green 17-17

SEEING STARS: Savannah Sand Gnats Jeurys Familia took a no-hitter into the seventh inning, but with two outs Henry Wrigley not only broke up the potential no-hitter, but also the shutout with a home run. Familia, a 19-year-old right-hander from the Dominican Republic, pitched 6 2/3 innings, striking out seven, walking two and allowing the one hit and run while lowering his earned run average to 1.24. Offensively, Sean Ratliff had four hits, including two triples, and drove in three runs. Ratliff raised his batting average to .360. It's his fourth four-hit game of the season.

ON DECK: The Sand Gnats will travel to Lexington, Ky., to begin a four-game set with the Lexington Legends, an affiliate of the Houston Astros. Game time tonight is 7:05.
http://www.savannahnow.com/node/723035


SAVANNAH (A) OF THE SOUTH ATLANTIC LEAGUE: RHP Jeurys Familia was the Pitcher of the Month at Savannah, going 2-1 with a 1.37 ERA in four games, three starts…In 19.2 innings, he yielded 11 hits, five runs, three earned, with nine walks, and 14 strikeouts…Second baseman Josh Satin was the Player of the Month, batting .362 (25-69) with 10 runs scored, four doubles, and six RBI in 20 games
http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/mets/2009/05/mets-sign-valentin-the-brother.html#ixzz0FV3J805w&A


Queens:

Carlos Delgado (15 DXL)
The Mets' medical staff is working hard in front of a Friday deadline. Delgado's hip is once again the issue, with the discomfort keeping him off of the field until at least then, and likely longer. His most recent problem is the result of a cascade; after being hit on the knee by a pitch, it threw his gait off just enough that it triggered the pain/spasm cycle, and worse, it began to swell. Delgado has had extensive imaging done and there's no truth to the rumor that he's headed for the same type of hip surgery as Chase Utley and Alex Rodriguez had. The Mets may wish that it was that simple and correctable, but instead they're dealing with a chronic change in the joint that's not unlike arthritis. At this stage, given the state both of Delgado's hip and of the Mets, I think he'll end up on the DL with this issue, in hopes that the doctors will be able to use the rest to stay ahead of the problem.

http://baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=8866

Let's take a look at the 2010 options facing the Mets.

• Billy Wagner - $8MM club option with a $1MM buyout. Wagner had Tommy John surgery in September of last year. According to former teammate Scott Schoeneweis via Adam Rubin, the Mets told Wagner that month the option won't be picked up. Wagner reportedly wants to close in 2010 anyway. He may get a few innings in September '09 for the Mets as an audition for his next team.

• J.J. Putz - $8.6MM club option with a $1MM buyout. Based on the contract details at Cot's, it seems that it might be an $8.9MM option for '10 because Putz finished 65 games in 2007. For Putz to be worth $7.6MM+ net next year, he'd have to be one of the game's top setup men. That has not been the case so far, as his K/9 is down to 5.7 and his BB/9 still high at 4.7. His average fastball velocity is down a full 2 mph from last year.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com