More Stuff

The Herd:

No. 6 FERNANDO MARTINEZ, RF - Team: Triple-A Buffalo (International)
Age: 20 - Why He's Here: .458/.480/.917 (11-for-24), 2 HR, 3 2B, 1 3B, 6 RBIs, 6 R, 1 BB, 2 SO
The Scoop: Martinez earned not-so hot honors last week for going 1-for-18, but even then we noted that he was just as likely to crack the Hot Sheet on the positive side of the ledger the next time around. Mission accomplished. While the Bisons remain mired in last place in the Northern Division at 5-20, they have won three of their last six games, which amounts to a hot streak for them. Martinez has been a big part of their renaissance, chipping in four multi-hit games on the week, while homering twice. He now leads the IL with 11 doubles and 16 extra-base hits, but most encouragingly, he's slashed his strikeout rate from one every 3.8 at-bats in April to one every 12 so far in May.

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/prospect-hot-sheet/2009/268075.html


First baseman Wily Mo Pena was a late scratch Saturday due to a strained calf and probably won’t play for the Buffalo Bisons today against Norfolk.

“It cramped up, tightened up on him,” manager Ken Oberkfell said after Saturday’s 5-1 loss. “He’s probably I would think [going to be out] at least a couple days.”

Pena is just 5 for 27 since joining the Bisons as a minor league free agent but his presence in the cleanup spot has allowed top prospect Fernando Martinez to see better pitches in the No. 3 hole.
Martinez was 13 for 31 in May and had pushed his average to .300 until going 0 for 4 Saturday with Pena not in the lineup.

The Bisons are 4-5 with Pena on the roster, a far cry from their 2-16 record before he arrived.
“He’s valuable,” Oberkfell said. “He’s a veteran leader kind of guy, makes players better around him. We need his offensive threat.”

http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/bisons/story/666860.html


B-Mets:

This season is one of mixed emotions for Shawn Bowman.

He's having, in his own words, a mediocre season hitting the ball for a Binghamton Mets team that's hovering around .500. He's not playing as well as he wants to be or thinks he should be.
On the other hand, he is playing. Pain free, too.

That is something. Actually, it's everything for the 24-year-old third baseman. Four years ago, Bowman was considered one of the top prospects in the Mets' organization, ranked in the system's top-10 by Baseball America. But chronic back problems forced him to miss parts of four seasons and made him as fluent in describing the structure of his spinal cord as in describing his swing.

It also gave him a new appreciation for playing the game. "You don't like to be sitting on the bench or in the trainer's room," Bowman said. "It's given me a new perspective."
Nearly two years after back surgery, he's in his second stint as the B-Mets' third baseman. This season, he has a team-best four home runs and 19 RBIs, including a solo home run Saturday at Trenton.

He's also a dazzling defender, making leaping catches of line drives and diving stops of grounders. He's committed just two errors in 22 starts at third base. Baseball America ranked his right arm as the best infield arm in the Mets' organization.

"There's no doubt in my mind that he can play third base in the major leagues," B-Mets manager Mako Oliveras said.
http://www.pressconnects.com/article/20090510/SPORTS02/905100313/1118/Sports


Lucy:

KIRK NIEUWENHUIS, CF Team: high Class A St. Lucie (Florida State)
Age: 21 - Why He's Here: .296/.387/.778 (8-for-27), 3 HR, 2 2B, 1 3B, 7 RBIs, 6 R, 3 BB, 9 SO
The Scoop: Because Nieuwenhuis plays on the same St. Lucie squad as the Mets' top three picks from last year's draft—Ike Davis, Reese Havens and Brad Holt—he tends to blend into the background. But the 6-foot-3, 210-pound Nieuwenhuis first caught the Mets' attention last year when VP of scouting Sandy Johnson fell for the center fielder's physicality and strong lefthanded swing. Though he played for NAIA Azusa Pacific (Calif.), the Mets nevertheless invested a third-round pick in him last year, after which he batted a solid .277/.348/.396 with six doubles and five homers in 285 at-bats for short-season Brooklyn. A solid center field defender with a strong arm, Nieuwenhuis struggled with the speed of high Class A in April (.231/.310/.359), but he's off to the fine start in May (see above).

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/prospect-hot-sheet/2009/268075.html


Gnats:

Historic Grayson presents unique challenges

Jason Freier took time out from heading the ownership group of the Savannah Sand Gnats to play tour guide this week at Grayson Stadium.

Perhaps the role didn't fit under Freier's usual responsibilities, but the CEO of Hardball Capital discussed changes at the baseball facility since the Atlanta-based group officially took control in November.

"Our goal is to make what we think are pretty significant improvements for the fan experience," Freier said.

Challenges include cost factors as well as to seamlessly add modern amenities without disturbing the "historic character" and aesthetics of a ballpark originally built in 1926 and reconstructed in 1941.

"I've been to over 70 ballparks. We're dealing with logistical challenges you don't see anywhere else," Freier said. "There are larger issues we absolutely can't deal with in this round."
So, addressing ballplayer-related needs - such as a bigger clubhouse that doesn't leak when it rains - will have to wait. Also on the backburner is the construction of a permanent building for the front-office staff. The fans, Freier said, have first priority.

Here are major changes, either complete or in progress, for the 2009 season:

http://www.savannahnow.com/know/sports