The Future Of: SPs

SP: GS W-L ERA WHIP IP K

AAA:

Nelson Figueroa 17 7-5 2.25 1.03 112.0 94
Adam Pettyjohn 14 4-11 4.09 1.51 105.2 57
Jon Niese 16 5-6 3.82 1.28 94.1 82
Lance Broadway 17 5-9 6.17 1.56 100.2 56
Brandon Knight 14 4-9 5.06 1.46 89.0 80
Dillon Gee 9 1-3 4.10 1.30 48.1 42
Tobi Stoner 23 9-9 3.55 ---- 144.2 92 AA/AAA
Chris Mason 12 5-7 5.45 ---- 100.2 65 AAA/AA/A+
Jose Sanchez 16 1-8 5.95 ---- 81.2 54 GCL/A+/AA/AAA
Fernando Nieve 8 3-1 4.22 ---- 42.2 42 AA/AAA

AA:

Eric Brown 15 7-14 5.83 1.53 117.1 77
Dylan Owen 25 5-11 5.36 ---- 141.0 97 A+/AA
Mike Antonini 22 7-6 5.74 ---- 122.1 92
Eric Niesen 27 7-11 4.09 ---- 140.2 134 A+/AA
Ryan Coultas 11 4-3 2.78 1.22 64.2 33
Brad Holt 20 7-7 4.88 ---- 101.1 99 A+/AA
Jenry Mejia 19 4-6 3.14 ---- 94.2 91 A+/AA

A+:

Scott Shaw 26 8-8 3.73 1.32 149.2 118
Angel Calero 22 3-11 4.61 1.54 107.1 93
Jeff Kaplan 18 7-7 2.45 ---- 114.0 94 A+/A
Scott Moviel 13 4-5 3.92 1.32 64.1 46
Sal Aguilar 9 1-3 6.19 ---- 32.0 22

A:

Jeurys Familia 23 10-6 2.69 1.16 134.0 109
Robert Carson 25 8-10 3.21 1.40 131.2 90
Kyle Allen 19 9-6 3.45 1.28 125.1 111
Chris Schwinden 19 10-6 3.34 ---- 126.2 92 A+/A
Eric Beaulac 19 7-7 2.95 1.30 116.0 133
Elvin Ramirez 15 3-7 4.09 1.54 72.2 48
Eduardo Aldama 13 5-2 4.59 ---- 64.2 60 KP/A
Armondo Rodriquez 12 5-2 2.74 ---- 62.1 60 KP/A
Zach Von Tersch 7 3-0 4.00 ---- 45.0 37 KP/A

Low-A

Mark Cohoon 14 9-2 2.15 0.97 92.0 70
Brandon Moore 13 6-3 2.09 0.95 82.0 71
James Fuller 11 3-6 2.86 1.16 63.0 67
Collin McHugh 14 8-2 2.76 1.09 75.0 79
Angel Cuan 13 1-5 5.50 ---- 67.2 54 KP/low-A
Darin Gorski 11 3-4 4.91 1.24 62.1 50
Wesley Wrenn 7 2-1 4.15 1.34 47.2 41
Chris Hilliard 6 4-4 2.36 ---- 53.1 34 KP/low-A

K-Port:

Yohan Almonte 13 4-1 3.45 ---- 62.2 57 GCL/KP
Jhonathan Torres 12 6-4 3.45 ---- 62.2 55 GCL/KP

GCL:

Orlando Tovar 9 1-5 4.31 1.16 54.1 40
Brian Valenzuela 4 0-5 6.33 1.61 27.0 28
Lachlan Hodge 11 4-2 3.35 1.32 53.2 56
Gabriel Zavala 6 2-3 3.38 1.38 40.0 25 27-BB
Michael Hebert 5 1-3 3.73 1.34 31.1 23

DSL:

Marcos Camarena 12 7-2 1.74 0.92 67.1 57
Erigson Sanchez 8 1-1 2.53 1.19 57.0 39
Hansel Robles 9 5-4 2.91 1.07 58.2 60
Fran De Los Santos 7 3-2 3.50 1.39 36.0 19
Gonzales Germen 8 5-0 1.80 0.76 45.0 54

VSL:

Ernesto Yanez 14 7-1 2.34 1.15 69.1 42
Andres E. Perez 13 2-6 3.95 1.40 57.0 39
Edioglis Villasmil 7 1-6 4.27 1.07 59.0 54
Victor Peralta 7 1-3 4.17 1.53 36.2 34
Carlos Avellones 8 1-3 3.09 1.57 35.0 14
Rickys Ramirez 8 3-5 4.76 1.38 56.2 40

First thing, the good news may some day be the bad news.

If you have followed the minor league teams each year, and read these recaps, you will notice we seem to always be saying wonderful things about the quality of starting pitching in the lower levels.

This year especially, the Savannah Sand Gnats staff led the league with the lowest team ERA (3.23), and Brooklyn came in fourth with a sparkling 3.05.

But, we’ve seen this before, haven’t we?

Two years ago, we were applauding the jobs done by people like Dyan Owen, Mike Antonini, Dillon, Gee, Jack Ruckle, etc. and most of these guys have struggled at the higher levels.

This is minor league baseball, folks, and it’s one of the reasons most people in the know don’t overact, like some of the posters out their on minor league blogs, every time someone has an ERA under four, or strikes eight batters out in one game.

Yes, the 2009 Mets minor league starters had a wonderful year, especially Savannah, who will most probably bump the entire 5-man rotation to Lucy. You will see at least four of the guys from Brooklyn replace them next year, and we’ll all hold our breath in hopes of one or two making the next step.

That’s the math of minor league pitching.

Others to keep an eye on… Eric Niesen seemed to have turned around a rocky start… Scott Shaw, who pitched great on a horrible team… Scott Moviel, who needs to step up…

Lost To Free Agency: Figueroa,

Heading to Queens: Niese, Stoner (as a relief pitcher)

Heading To Pen: Knight

Heading Home: Sanchez, Brown, Calero, Pettyjohn, Broadway, Aguilar

In Limbo: Owen, Antonini, Ramirez, Aldama, Von Tersch, Cuan, Gorski, Wrenn
Tovar, Valenzuela, Zavala

Current 2010 Projection:

AAA: Nieve, Mason, Coultas, Gee

AA: Shaw, Moviel, Kaplan, Niesen, Mejia, Holt

A+: Carson, Familia, Allen, Schwinden, Beaulac

A: Rodriquez, Cohoon, Moore, Fuller, McHugh

Low-A: Hodge, Torres, Almonte, Cuan

K-Port: Germen, Camerena, Hebert, Tovar

GCL: Yanez

Summary:

The Mets’ broken down season caused a bunch of pitchers to get sent to Queens that should have stayed in the minors last season, but, if you look at the projections above, which only cover the guys that did well in 2009, there are only eight openings on the top seven teams, five of which are in rookie ball.

Assuming those five will be filled in with draft picks, which leaves one slot on the four highest teams for the 11 guys I placed in limbo.