6-13 from: - link - IF-OF, Travis Harrison, Tustin HS, Calif, 6'2 220 R/R, runs good underway, solid dead read FB hitter with plus power, consistency vs mediocre pitching is biggest qualm.
6-27 from: - link - Day two at TOS - LF, Travis Harrison, 6'2 220, R/R, strong upper body, arm strength and power in his bat for sure, ran 4.5 to 1b on IF grounder, called a hit? Supposedly ran sub 7.0, 60, but this kids way to the next level will be the bat. It's definitely there and he's slimmmed down a bit since last year, another good indication of progress. Now lets find him a position and see if he can keep hitting.
7-8 from: - http://perfectgame.atinfopop.com/4/OpenTopic?q=Y&a=tpc&s=114295945&f=6174069131&m=3221081702&p=3 - My son has played with Travis Harrison for the last three years. He does rake against good pitching and gets handled by mediocre and bad pitching, which leads to make up questions for me. How many aces do you see in the pros maybe one a series, you make your living on the mediocre and bad pitchers. He has a bad body that is going to get worse, doesnt throw well, the only spot for him on the diamond is at first base and then his power does not project as a top notch player. He is a great kid and his team loves him but ask them and man for man will say good player but don’t believe the hype.
7-25: - http://www.fanhouse.com/ : - Fanhouse Top 70 Prospects - 9. Travis Harrison, OF, Tustin HS (Calif.) http://diamondscapescouting.com/articles_aflacallamerican2010_10playerstowatch_08152010.html - OF/CIF, Tustin HS (Calif.) -- Harrison's stock has fallen some since last October when he squared ball after ball down in Jupiter during the WWBA World Championship. Owner of some of the best raw power at the high school ranks, Harrison has developed some leak in his swing and had a tough time barreling the ball in Long Beach last weekend. He entered the summer as a favorite to go in the 1st Round, and his upside is impossible to ignore, but the results have not sparkled over the past few months. However, a strong showing tonight against the elite arms of the high school class could assuage a lot of fears that he has stagnated offensively.
8-19-10 from: - http://www.perfectgame.org/Articles/View.aspx?article=4935 - As a high schooler, Harrison looks like a brute. There is some Matt Williams to his overall build and gait, although I don’t know if Harrison is quite that athletic. He has some pretty big hands and forearms along with a mature, somewhat barrel-chested build, and he looks somewhat like a throw-back (although that may have just been the lack of batting gloves speaking to me). The power in his swing is obvious, using his big frame and strong forearms and wrists to punish the baseball. He swung on top of a ball in the fifth inning and he was able to muscle the ball through the left side of the infield for an RBI single. For most hitters, that’s a weak groundout, and he also put on a display in the home run derby despite being out-slugged by the more diminutive Francisco Lindor.
8-27 from: - http://xmlbscout.angelfire.com/ - OF-1B Travis Harrison Tustin HS, California 6'2 220 R/R - quality power hitter with strength in his bat with very good bat speed, tends to arm swing on pitches up in zone but can hit them with authority which means he's a beast as far as strength goes, will occ chase pitches off-speed and out of zone, but will hurt your fb especially if it's down the middle. Better on the way runner, showed 6.7, 60 type speed, but 4.45 and 4.5 out of box as RHH, arm strength is there to play either corner OF or IF position, fielding mechanics are rough but playable. Eventually a 1B guy for sure. 25 HR 280 hitter with 15-20 sb's and 90 rbi's guy?! It's all there!
8-31-10 from: - http://www.prospectwire.com/pw/article.php?id=142 - Travis Harrison - OF, 6'2" 225, R/R, Tustin HS (CA) - If Harrison does not hit as a professional player, most scouts will be quite surprised. He has shown his ability with the bat since his freshman year and even when he isn't going all that well, which he wasn't in Long Beach, Harrison is still a productive hitter. He is an RBI man with plus raw power and though he might only be an average hitter at best, his hits are not soft. In many ways he reminds me of Carlos Quentin of the White Sox.
9-17-10 from: - http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/draft/chat/2010/2610683.html - Is Travis Harrison anything more than a power bat? What other tools of his grade well? Conor Glassey: Yeah, a team that's going to draft Harrison is going to be doing it for the bat only. He ran a 7.09 60 at Area Codes, so he's a 40 runner. He'll probably start out at 3B, but is likely to wind up in LF or 1B. But he's big and strong and has some of the best raw power in this year's high school class.
2009: Led Aggies in batting (.338), runs (31), stolen bases (7) and on-base average (.411)... Started 38 of 41 games... Mostly split his starts at second (19) or third (15)... Hit 50-for-148 for the season, striking out just 13 times... Improved to 33-for-87 (.379) with .517 slugging in Big West Conference games... Broke out of slow start with 4-for-4 game at San Diego State (4/4)... Enjoyed a consecutive-game hitting streak of 10 games soon after (4/10-4/24), batting 14-for-39 (.359)... Later hit safely in 12 straight contests in a 22-for-49 (.449) tear, mostly against conference opponents... Finished with 17 multi-hit games... Launched first collegiate home run in 2nd inning vs. Pacific (3/28).
2008: Played 12 games before season ended due to injury... Granted clock extension by NCAA due to medical hardship... Made six starts at third base... Batted .217 (5-for-23) with 4 runs scored and 3 doubles... Went 3-for-6 with two doubles in first two games of the season vs. Fresno State (2/22-2/23).
2007: Started 34 of 40 games played as a true freshman, mostly at shortstop... One of six Aggies to hit better than .300 (.301, 37-for-123)... Added 12 walks and 5 HBP to vault on-base average to .383... Hit 2-for-4 vs. Pepperdine in collegiate debut (2/9), then was 2-for-3 with 2 runs the following day... Had 10 multi-hit games... Batted 3-for-3 wth a double vs. Portland (3/3)... Hit 3-for-5 vs. Loyola Marymount later in the month (3/25)... Drove in 2 RBIs in 2-for-3 game vs. San Francisco (4/24).
5-13-09 from: - www.losgatosobserver.com/2009/05/13/where_are ... - With a Los Gatos contingent of at least 50 fans rooting him on, Los Gatos High School graduate Justin Schafer smashed three hits, including two doubles, Tuesday night as his UC Davis Aggies beat Santa Clara 9-1 at the Bronco’s Stephen Schott Stadium. Schafer, a redshirt sophomore, upped his team-leading batting average to .345 and team-leading on-base percentage to .415. He is currently riding an eight-game hitting streak, with multiple hits in six of those games.The infielder is coming off a medical-redshirt year and Tommy John surgery on his right elbow. He got off to a sluggish start this season while still getting back to full strength, but has been one of the conference’s hottest hitters the past four weeks. As a freshman, Schafer started 34 of 40 games, mostly at shortstop. He was one of six Aggies to hit better than .300 (.301 with 37 hits), with 10 multi-hit games. Schafer hopes to return to shortstop next season after playing mostly second and third base this year.
7-7-10 – Stock Up – Schafer is one of a handful of 2010 draft picks that are making some noise for K-Port. His stats for the short season so far are very impressive: .366/.409/.512/.921, 41-AB, .146-ISOP, .441-BABIP
8-5-10: - 2B Justin Schafer (.333/.393/.444.837 in 126-AB)has been transferred from Kingsport to Brooklyn. - this is a well earned promotion for the draft pick out of UC Davis. It should be interesting to see who gets time at second, Schafer or J.B. Brown, who is currently hitting a decent .287 for the Cyclones.
8-9-10: - stock up – Schafer was recently promoted to Brooklyn after going .333/.393/.444/.837 for Kingsport in 1256-AB. He led off yesterday for the Clones, playing shortstop, going 3-5, with two runs batted in. Just what the Cyclones needed was another bat.
9-29-10: - 2011 forecast: - Schafer had a wonderful 2010 season in Kingsport and got a taste of Brooklyn near the end of the season, going .227 in 44 at bats. There are a lot of second basemen ahead of him, including the Cyclones full time guy this past season, J.B. Brown, who hit .308. Schafer also plays SS, but Rylan Sandoval is ahead of him there. My guess is he will return to Brooklyn for a starting position in 2011.
nypost - While the Mets can certainly live minus Beltran as they play out the schedule, they had hoped he would end the year healthy. Now, those good vibes have dissipated somewhat. "To me the main thing is I don't want to feel pain in my knee," Beltran said. "I'm more concerned about that than wearing the brace." If there is a silver lining, Beltran indicated the MRI showed improvement in the bone bruise that has been at the root of his knee problems. Nevertheless, Beltran wore a brace on the knee this season and has received no indication that will change in 2011.
The End :
7traintoshea. - David Wright had a pretty decent year statistically but gained the award for the most strikeouts in his career. I can go on and on about the Manager that lost his team and the absence of power that GM Omar Minaya is omitted from the not so successful ownership of the Wilpons. Changes are coming and they will come fast and with full force. The pressure from the fans this off-season will be enormous. Roster changes, a new manager and GM will start the new regime for the 2011 season and beyond. Hopefully they will have much more success stability and maintain a winning culture for years to come
Akeel Morris:
9-28-10 from goldstein - There’s something there, and a lot of people think he would have went higher in the draft had he gotten more exposure. He’s sitting in the low 90s already and flashing considerably more at times, and the curve and change both show potential. Combine that with the ability to throw strikes and he’s an outstanding sleeper.
Justin Turner:
9-29-10 from: - bisons - 2010 Notes: - -Began the season with Triple-A Norfolk and spent time with Baltimore before being designated for assignment by the Orioles in late May. Was claimed by Mets on May 25 and activated by the Bisons on May 27. -Also made one stint with the Mets, July 16-22. -Hit .333 (104-312) in 78 games with Bisons. Added with his 23 games with Norfolk (.250, 21-84), he fi nished season with a .316 batting average that ranked 5th best in the International League. -Finished T1st on the Bisons in runs scored (58), 3rd in hits (104) and 5th in doubles (22) and extra-base hits (34). -Hit in his fi rst 10 games with the Bisons, May 28 – June 7 (.341, 14-41). Also hit in 10 straight, July 22 – August 2 (.400, 16-35). -Homered in back-to-back games twice, July 7-8 and August 31 – September 1(1). Hit 2 home runs and was a perfect 4-4 (3R, 2B, 2RBI, BB) on July 29 in Columbus. All 11 of Turner’s home runs with Bisons in 2010 were solo shots. -Hit for the cycle and recorded 6 hits on September 6 in Rochester (6-6, 4R, 2B, 3B, HR, RBI). Was fi rst Bisons player to hit for the cycle since OF Mark Little on April 26, 2004 at Rochester. Was fi rst Bisons player with 6 hits in a game in the modern era. Last 6-hit game by a Buff alo player was Howard “Butch” Meyers on June 29, 1936 in Rochester. -Was a triple shy of the cycle in 3 other games in 2010, July 29 in Columbus (4-4, 2HR), August 31 vs. Syracuse (3-3, 2R, RBI) and September 1(1) vs. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (3-4, R, 2RBI). -Hit .380 (30-79) in 19 games in July and .360 (27-85) in 21 games in August. From July 1 – August 31, his .370 average was 2nd in the International League. -Hit in 17 of 18 games, July 4 – August 2 (.408, 29-71).
Dickey on First Season:
espn - "I feel like I've learned that I can contribute in a way that may have superseded what I even thought I could," Dickey said. "I felt like I was capable of really being consistent and doing well. I feel like I can do more, like this doesn't have to be the anomaly. I feel like this can be what I have to offer consistently over the next five to six years of my career." Dickey said he embraced pitching in New York, and sensed the fans reciprocated by embracing him. "People in the stands can probably relate," Dickey said. "They probably think they can get out there and throw 75 mph and get people out. There is a connection there. They probably can relate to me. ... It's hard to throw Bobby Parnell's 102 mph, but everybody can throw a knuckleball."
nj.com - Baseball would not allow them to plan for the future. So they learned to live moment to moment, drawing vitality from lessons learned and friendships made in their 14-year journey. In the days before what should be Dickey’s final start for the Mets today, they remained unwilling to look ahead to next year. General manager Omar Minaya tabbed Dickey before the season as someone “in that pool of insurance guys.” Now he appears a key piece of the 2011 rotation. Eligible for arbitration, Dickey (11-8, 2.92 ERA) should after this season receive some compensation, a seven-figure influx to aid his family. Yet they still refuse to plan for it.
Corey Vaughn:
9-28-10 from goldstein - I want to say yes, but I can’t do it without a bit of trepidation. Look, this guy has oozed tools forever, but he never quite translated them into results during his college years, so you have to be a bit nervous, as history is littered with guys who did things in the New York-Penn League never to be heard from again. There’s still a truckload of swing and miss in his game, but the power and speed are very real and as a scout once said to me many years ago, “always bet on the tools.”
Ryan Fraser:
9-27-10 from: - amazin - Fraser possessed the most powerful arm on the entire Brooklyn staff in 2010, blowing NYPL hitters away as the Cyclones' closer. After being drafted in the 16th round this June out of Memphis, Fraser flew out of the gates, allowing just a single earned run through June & July. He slowed down in August, allowing three runs for the month but more importantly, walking batters A LOT more often (2.6 BB/9 in July vs. 7.9 BB/9 in August). Fraser's story sounds a lot like Bobby Parnell's: Big, strong righty fireballer with undeveloped secondary stuff and spotty fb command drafted in the middle rounds out of a solid college program in the South, bouncing between starting and relief in college. Fraser is already in the 'pen as a pro but there are rumblings that the Mets want to see what he can do as a starter. Like Parnell, I see Fraser moving fast once they commit to a long-term role as a high-velocity reliever.
Wilpon:
networkedblogs - The Mets do NOT need another go-along-to-get-along executive in charge, not do they need a guy who will re-arrange the entire baseball department regardless of individual merit. When Pat Gillick took over the Phillies, he kept several of Ed Wade’s people in place, including assistant GM Ruben Amaro and a core of minor league staffers who had overseen good value drafts. That’s why Pay Gillick is going to the Hall Of Fame, because winning is far more important to him than ego. Far too often, personal politics play a huge role in Mets policy, and the new GM, whoever he or she is, must stand up to ownership to prevent this continued practice. I mean, how many people reading this even know who the Phillies owners are? I’m guessing very few. The Wilpons have tried Steinbrenner Light, and got the 1980′s Yankees. Maybe they should try a new direction, hire a respected baseball man to run the baseball department, and go on safari. Like Nelson Doubleday.
Hisanori Takahashi:
metsfever - However, Hisanori Takahashi is a completely different story. Despite being two years older I would offer Takahashi a two year deal. Now if someone gives him three years or promises to make him a starter then he's all theirs. The difference is that Takahashi can be a lefty specialist, close, cross over relieve, spot start, and long relief. He has at least another year before the league figures him out but with so many pitches he has plenty to make adjustments. Japan is a shorter season and despite being a starter for most his career his inning load was much less then a major leaguer.
David Wright: http://fonzieforever.blogspot.com - David Wright going into yesterday's game had struck out 156 times. No Metsie had ever struck out more times than that. Dave Kingman and Tommy Agee had struck out 156 times as well. Them and now Wright were the current Metsies strike out leaders. But David doesn't like to be tied. He wanted to own the record! Yesterday during his 4th at bat of the night, after hitting a homer in his previous at bat Wright struck out. This bottom of the 8th striking out business has now earned him sole top honors. 157 K's! He now holds the club record for striking out in a season. And I mean he can so make this record even harder to beat for himself and all other future Metsies.
Mets Offense:
http://www.beyondtheboxscore.com/2010/9/28/1716066/btb-power-rankings-nl-offenses#storyjump - T11. New York Mets: .317 wOBA, +11 EqBRR, 645 RS, 655 eRS - The Mets are sort of like the Nationals in that it was the other players that sort of doomed this offense. They had no brilliant performances, but did have six regulars with over a .330 wOBA, including nice surprises in Angel Pagan and Ike Davis. Jason Bay, to my surprise, was in that group. But they also had (depending on your accounting) 3-4 players who received at least some regular playing time but posted wOBA's below .300! Avoiding black holes in a lineup can be just as important to an offense as getting a few superstar performances.
Sean Ratliff:
9-28-10 from http://www.metsminorleagueblog.com/2010/09/28/q-a-with-kevin-goldstein-of-baseball-prospectus - Big leaguer? I could see it. Regular? Probably not. He’s not a center fielder, so he’s going to have to fit in a corner and while I like the bat, for a corner it’s not going to be enough. He’s not going to hit .300 in the majors based on how many bad pitches he still swings at, and the power is merely pretty good, not great. The fact that he’s left-handed helps his chances as a potentially nice bench outfielder.
Yohan Almonte:
9-27-10 from: - http://www.amazinavenue.com/2010/9/27/1704156/minor-league-season-in-review-brooklyn-cyclones - Other than handedness, there are lots of similarities between Almonte and Cuan. Almonte too had a middling season with Kingsport in '09 before throwing his name into the prospect ring with an ERA around 2 in Brooklyn this year. Featuring similar low walk rates as well as low K-rates, Almonte too carved up New York-Penn League hitters to the tune of a .207 average against. Not quite as steady as Cuan (see: five runs allowed in playoff opener), Almonte did flash better velocity though less developed secondary stuff. But the long-limbed righty probably has a bit more projection in him than Cuan does, expecially considering he pitched the season as a twenty year old. Also like Cuan, Almonte certainly doesn't have a huge pitcher's build and isn't oozing with stuff so he's definitely a 'show me'-type prospect.
#1 Pick in 2011 Draft:
http://www.rotoworld.com/content/home_MLB.aspx - The Pirates have clinched the No. 1 pick in next June's First-Year Player Draft. The Pirates are 56-101 this season while the Mariners are 61-96. They can still tie for the majors' worst record, however the Pirates hold the tiebreaker advantage for the No. 1 pick since they had the worse record last season. Early buzz has Rice third baseman Anthony Rendon as the top overall talent in next year's draft class, though he is currently recovering from a major ankle injury.
Tony Curtis, a classically handsome movie star who earned an Oscar nomination as an escaped convict in Stanley Kramer’s 1958 movie “The Defiant Ones,” but whose public preferred him in comic roles in films like “Some Like It Hot” (1959) and “The Great Race” (1965), died Wednesday of a cardiac arrest in his Las Vegas area home. He was 85.
His death was confirmed by the Clark County coroner, The Associated Press reported.
As a performer, Mr. Curtis drew first and foremost on his startlingly good looks. With his dark, curly hair, worn in a sculptural style later imitated by Elvis Presley, and plucked eyebrows framing pale blue eyes and wide, full lips, Mr. Curtis embodied a new kind of feminized male beauty that came into vogue in the early 1950s. A vigorous heterosexual in his widely publicized (not least by himself) private life, he was often cast in roles that drew on a perceived ambiguity: his full-drag impersonation of a female jazz musician in “Some Like It Hot,” a slave who attracts the interest of a Roman senator (Laurence Olivier) in Stanley Kubrick’s “Spartacus” (1960), a man attracted to a mysterious blond (Debbie Reynolds) who turns out to be the reincarnation of his male best friend in Vincente Minnelli’s “Goodbye Charlie” (1964).
We Mets writers didn’t even spell his name correctly when he came to his first camp. I, and others, had his first name the same as Dylan Owen.
Specifically, I reminded his father that we had met before and he reminded me we hadn’t. Yeah, it was Owen’s Pop.
Dillon Owen… err… Dillon Gee has been the Rodney Dangerfield of Mets rotations since the day he arrived after being drafted in the 21st round of the 2007 draft. On a web site, http://www.athfbl.com/league/p6034.html , they had him as a closer and said his desire to win was “minimal”.
How do you determine that online?
According to scouting reports, he had a mediocre fastball, does not have a dominant secondary pitch. They said his high arm angle delivery did help a little, but still no dominance. The fastball only sat in the 89-91 area, with a little movement. Oh yeah, he had a “usable” slider.
He signed right after being drafted, was assigned to Brooklyn, and went to work: 3-1, 2.47, 14-G, 11-starts, 56K/9-BB.
2008 brought more of the same, with combined stats from St. Lucie and Binghamton of: 10-6, 2.92, 114-K, 24-BB.
And then, there was 2009. He was shut down on May 25th with a strained right shoulder which was initially reported that he was going under the knife to repair his labrum (see… not only can’t they spell his name right, they also send out the wrong press release…). That changed almost immediately and it was decided he would heal without surgery. The 2009 season was over at 1-3, 4.10, in nine starts for Buffalo.
Well, 2010 rolls around and guess who’s back? That Gee guy with all those reasons he wasn’t going to go anywhere. The only problem, he once again proves everybody wrong, throws all his “mediocre" stuff, with “minimal” desire… and sets a team record with 165-K’s in 161.1-IP for Buffalo (13-8).
That’s okay, the AAA season was over and hopefully, this Gee guy will go away… err… what? Injuries in Queens? Who’s next up? Err..
And all Gee does is go out and start four games for the Mets in September, producing a 2.00 ERA.
Ya see, sometimes we just all get it wrong. Sometimes, sabermetrics is worth less than zero. And sometimes, someone comes along and just throws what God gave him and produces a lifetime minor league ERA of 3.76 and a 1.18 WHIP. Oh, yeah… and 377-Ks in 426-IP.
You’re right everybody. Dillon Gee is not a prospect.
Just wanted to give you an advance on some tweeks and adjustments that will be going on here at Mack's Mets, beginning Sunday.
First of all, we're going nowhere and we'll continue to try and put out the best product we can in all areas we write about. That being said, the revenue issues at this site have never turned around and I start a new part time job come Sunday, designed to help make ends meet around here.
There will be less posting every day, but we'll try and put up at least five different posts each day. My work schedule varies each week, so I can't tell you what days will be better than others, but, rest assured, we'll get some stuff up.
I still have some logs in the fire and, hopefully, by the time spring training comes around, I will in Florida for the entire month of March.
"Cutnpaste", Q&A Weekend", "2011 Mets Roster Projections", and "2011 Draft Profile" will continue to be daily features.
Regarding the Q&A Weekend, it's fading like a baseball crowd ata Florida major league ballpark, but, thanks to a couple of you, I'm still getting enough to put together a decent positing on Saturday. Please keep the questions coming.
4-7-10 from: link - OF Jackie Bradley (South Carolina): Bradley may have set a record in his quick return from a broken hamate bone this spring, so don’t expect to see his true power this spring. He is hitting .360-2-13. He’s a high-level hitter when healthy, with just enough speed to impact the game. His throwing arm? Bradley threw 101 mph from right field at Perfect Game’s 2008 Pre-Draft Showcase.
6-12-10 from: - http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/wait-til-next-year-2011-draft-preview - Outfield - Best Player: Jackie Bradley Jr., CF, South Carolina, .367/.468/.585. Those of you that follow Aaron Fitt on the college beat at Baseball America know his affinity for Bradley Jr., who is the best combination of tools and performance in this draft class. Bradley Jr. is a very smooth baseball player that has never been out of sorts in the SEC, and has just started to tap into his power potential. The Gamecocks were simply not the same when he was out of the lineup with a broken hand earlier this season.
6-22-10 from: - http://projectprospect.com/article/2010/06/19/college-world-series-scouting-preview - The Gamecocks have one of the top position player prospects for 2011 in Jackie Bradley Jr. A strong runner with a smooth left-handed swing, Bradley has a chance to go in the first round if he can improve on a very strong 2010 campaign in which he lead team in both batting average and on-base percentage, hitting .371/.477/.587 with more walks (38) than strikeouts (31). Bradley often gets compared to Denard Span, and while that may be an easy comp based on position and skin color, Bradley and Span actually do share similar skill sets and some mechanical similarities in their swings.
6-23-10 from: - http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/college/postseason/college-world-series/2010/2610232.html - But facing elimination against top-seeded Arizona State, the Gamecocks won in big and sexy fashion Tuesday afternoon. South Carolina banged out eight hits—highlighted by a three-run homer by Jackie Bradley Jr. Bradley, a sophomore center fielder, went 3-for-4 with a career-high four RBIs and is now 5-for-8 in Omaha. He is also hitting .458/.545/.806 with six homers and 26 RBIs in his current 18-game hitting streak.
6-23 from: - http://www.sportingnews.com/blog/MLB_Draft#ixzz0rj9JFPjP - Later, in the postgame press conference, South Carolina center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. displayed a quiet, unassuming demeanor despite going 3-for-4 with three runs and four RBIs. Three of those ribbies came via home run that helped fuel an eight-run Gamecocks outburst in the second inning.
6-25 from: - http://www.deepleagues.com/?p=1878 - But according to this report, Bradley’s throws from right field during Perfect Game’s scouting showcase were clocked at 101 mph (only faster velocity I could find was something that claimed Jarred Cosart hit 103). I’m not an expert on outfield throwing velocities (how fast are Ichiro’s throws?) and how much velocity should factor into grading an outfielder’s arm, but assuming the elite arm strength is legitimate, what makes Bradley’s defense special is he combines it with excellent speed and great instincts running down fly balls in CF. As this writer says, Bradley has “the range and speed of a CF and the arm of a RF.” He can also hit. At the plate, Bradley is batting .374 this season with 13 home runs and 58 RBI’s. The strikeout/walk ratio is also impressive, as he’s leading his team with 39 bb’s as compared to 33 k’s. I have heard some reports describing him as a raw hitter, but judging from those statistics and the few at bats I have seen, plate discipline does not appear to be a serious problem. One question is whether he can hit for power. The collegiate power numbers are good, but although based upon a small sample size, he had zero hitting with wood bats in the cape league. Moreover, he is not a particularly big guy (5’10, 175), so I thought going into the CWS the reason for not ranking him high would be an inability to hit for power. But I have been really impressed with his swing and bat speed in the CWS, and it’s difficult to imagine the power will not arrive.
7-6 from: - http://web.usabaseball.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100706&content_id=12003730&vkey=news_usab&gid= - USA Baseball kicked off its Collegiate National Team (CNT) trials Tuesday afternoon at the National Training Center (NTC), which will run through July 11. - Jackie Bradley, Jr. (South Carolina) knotted the game at one in the bottom half of the frame scoring on a passed ball after collecting the first of his two base knocks on a shot to left field.
7-4 from: - http://pnrscouting.com/articles_teamusacollegiate_trialroster_07042010.html - The tools-rich outfield crop begins with College World Series star Jackie Bradley, Jr., center fielder for the National Champion South Carolina Gamecocks. Bradley is a four-tool “now” talent with the chance to grow into more power as he continues to mature. He posted a slash line of .371/.477/.587 on the Spring and had one of the best CWS performances in this year’s tournament in Omaha, slashing .345/.424/.621 while totaling 10 H, 1 2B, 2 HR, 3 BB, 6 SO and 1 HBP in 33 PA
7-10 from: - http://www.mlbbonusbaby.com/2010/7/10/1562916/all-questions-answered#comments - There isn’t anyone that compares to Jackie Bradley in recent years of the draft. He has enough polish to move quickly through the minors, and that’s a little more rare from college outfielders recently. Most of the better collegiate hitters have been in the infield or at corner spots, while Bradley projects for center field. I think he’ll be an interesting player to follow, and his left-handed hitting status makes him very, very intriguing.
7-17 from: - http://thecollegebaseballblog.com/2010/07/17/jackie-bradley-jr-continues-to-enjoy-the-ride - Jackie Bradley Jr. had a breakthrough 2010 College World Series by carrying the Gamecocks to the College World Series title. Mark Rafferty and myself attended the South Carolina batting practices where we were thoroughly impressed with Bradley’s swing and plate discipline. Once the games started, his talent would transfer over as he was a force with every at-bat being an intense challenge to get him out which led him to being named the 2010 CWS Most Outstanding Player. Bradley Jr. is spending the summer with the USA Collegiate National Team where the team is 4-0 with a victory over Coastal Plains League Fayetteville Swampdogs and defeating the Korean team three times. He is currently hitting .267 with four runs scored.
7-23-10 from: - http://pnrscouting.com/articles_teamusacollegiate_finalroster_07212010.html - USA CNT Roster Breakdown, Spring Stat Links and Trials Notes: - Jackie Bradley, Jr. - CF So. Univ. of South Carolina - Trials Notes: Jackie Bradley, Jr.'s national coming-out party was the National Championship run this May, culminating in Omaha, but his elite tool set was far from an unknown to those who follow college ball. The South Carolina center fielder is a plus runner with a 65 arm, advanced defensive actions up-the-middle and the potential for a plus hit tool at the next level. In the field, JBJ moves very well gap-to-gap, covering a large amount of real estate, and sets himself up fairly well on his throws (though he can sail the ball when he doesn't get over his front leg and on top of the ball). At the plate, he has a good understanding of the strikezone and a solid approach. His hands are quick and strong to the ball, causing the ball to jump, and his swing flows smoothly from hips to hands. While the power is still developing, he has the strong core, strong forearms and bat speed for it to become a weapon at the next level. He showed the ability to generate hard contact pole-to-pole, and should be an elite top-of-the-order threat for USA this Summer and for SC next Spring. He's a legit top-half of the 1st Round talent right now.
7-25: - http://www.fanhouse.com/ : - Fanhouse Top 70 Prospects - 6. Jackie Bradley Jr., OF, South Carolina
8-27 from: - http://xmlbscout.angelfire.com/ - OF Jackie Bradley South Carolina 5'10 175 L/R - gamer with tools, pluses are instincts and quickness, with very quick bat that generates enough power to hit 8-10 HR in pro ball and be top of lineup guy or down the ladder lineup guy to help ignite late rallies. Throws well enough to stay in CF with range to alleys and instincts to get jumps to keep runners honest rounding third. Solid runner, not a burner however but will steal occ bases.
Good morning boys and girls... Today, we're talking with one of those kiiler Clone starters this season, Mitch Houck. Morning Mitch. Did you get home safely? .
Houck:
Yes, thank you. I had a great flight home, and I'm glad to finally get to see my family for the first time in about 3 months. .
Mack:
Mitch, you were the 17th round pick for the Mets in 2008, out of Central Florida. Let's go back to draft day and relive that excitement. .
Houck:
Fortunately, I was drafted out of high school, so I had a pretty good idea about what to expect. My plan for the day was to go out and enjoy my day, so that I could take my mind off of the ongoing draft. My family was very nervous, but I was able to stay calm until I started receiving phone calls from different teams, that's when it starts to get exciting, regardless of how you plan for it. .
Mack:
Mitch, 2011 will be the fourth year with the Mets; however, over the past three seasons you have only pitched in 20 games. I figure that the best way to explain this would come from you....
Houck:
I unfortunately missed most of the 2009 season after undergoing Tommy John Surgery. I was able to make two appearances at the end of that season though, after only being 11 months out of surgery. It was a tough time in my life, but looking back on it now, I'm glad that I went through it. .
Mack:
We've all heard so many different opinions about TJS, and I always believed each healing process is different. Do you consider yourself 100% now?
Houck:
To be honest, my elbow feels much more healthy than it did prior to the surgery, so I believe that it was a major success. It's a risk that many pitchers may have to make in there careers, and fortunately it has payed off for me so far..
Mack:
Yes it has... In 2010, which really has turned out to be your first full professional season, you went 4-1, 3.73 , in 10 games, nine starts.
Your last appearance was August 3rd... were you shut down early? .
Houck:
Yes I was. Unfortunately, the downside to undergoing elbow surgery is that it makes the shoulder more prone to injuries than it normally would be. I was having some minor shoulder issues towards the end of the season, so it was in our best interest to go ahead and shut it down for the remainder of the season.
Mack:
Ade September 27 at 2:32pm Yeah, I just wrote an analysis of the current Instruction League roster (which I will post tomorrow) and I was particularly pissed your name wasn't on it.
On one hand, I'd like to see you come to Savannah, but, I hope they send you straight to Lucy for the 2011 season. I know you'll gladly take what they get, but what plans do you have in the off-season to get ready for a critical year in your baseball career? .
Houck:
Right now, the plan is to let my body recover. I've been working very hard since January to get ready to pitch again coming off of surgery, so I'm happy to have a little time to be able to recuperate. I'm really looking forward to getting back in shape for spring training though. There should be no questions about the health of my elbow next season, so, as you said, it will be a critical year for me to show what I can do, and hopefully advance in my career to where I want to be. .
Mack : Sounds like major hot tub time.
Thanks for spending some time with us and good luck in the spring. I'll see you on the back fields come March.
Houck:
Sounds good, thank you.
Some old Mitch stuff: Houck was drafted in the 17th round of the 2008 draft by the Mets.
He pitched most of the 2008 season for GCL, going 2-2, 1.08, 0.84 in 6 appearances.He was called up to Savannah for the last week of their season, where he went 0-0, 2.25 in 2 appearances.Houck had TJS in the off-season and spent the enite 2009 season on the DL. Frankly, I didn’t think he’d be back.
6-30-10: - Mitch Houck pitched his second gem in a row Sunday for the Cyclones, 7.0-IP, 2-ER, 8-K, 2-BB.
7-4-10: It’s becoming quite evident that the first starting pitcher that will graduate from Brooklyn this year will be Mitch Houck. He pitched another good one Friday night… 7.0-IP, 0-ER, 4-K… and his yearly stats are: 4-G, 2-0, 0.87, 1.11, 20-2-IP, 18-K, 8-BB, .273 BABIP, 3.00 FIP. Remember… he turned 23 this past May so don’t be surprised he isn’t fast tracked.
7-9-10: - make that three excellent outings in a row for Houck, who has easily become the ace of the Brooklyn staff. This time, the stats were: 6.2-IP, 1-ER, 8-K, 1-BB, 12-GB… yearly stats are: 3-0, 0.99, 1.06.
9-17-10: - 2011 Forecast: - Mitchell finished 2010 at 4-1, 3.73, in 10 games, 9 starts. He had 41-Ks in 50.2-IP with 17-BB. I expect him to start the 2011 season in Savannah.
9-28-10: - 2011 Forecast: - I'm confident, after the interview, that Houck is ready to get on to a full season team. He will play 2011 as a 24-year old, so he does need to get going. I have him in the Savannah rotation with Gonzalez German, Chris Hilliard, Nelson Periera, and A J Pinera, but there is an outside chance he could go straight to St. Lucie, depending upon decisions made there. The Mets will be talent heavy at the SP slot from Binghamton down to Savannah, so frustratingly for Houck, he's now down the pecking order due to his past injuries. A fast start out of the gate could change all that.
Josh Thole: north jersey - The smell of manure hung in the air, mingling with the sounds of batted baseballs and the stirring of cows below. Josh Thole makes good contact with his choked-up swing and has struck out only 23 times in 66 games. The converted hayloft-turned-batting-cage was a home away from home for Josh Thole — sitting above a working barn on a farm in rural Aviston, Ill. The barn was where he began taking hitting lessons at age 8 or 9 with his future American Legion coach, Jason Rakers. And it was the place where the Mets' catcher took his first steps toward the major leagues.
Juan Urbina:
9-28-10 from goldstein - He’s younger than most eventual 2011 high school draftees, so my thought on his progress going forward is that he should move forward. I’m guessing that he’ll pitch in Brooklyn next year after another spring in extended, but sure, there’s very real potential here. He could end up with special velocity for a lefty, and his secondary pitches at least show promise. His ceiling is sky high, but the gap between that ceiling and what he is now is the size of the Grand Canyon.
Angel Cuan:
9-27-10 from: - amazin - After an OK 2009 in Kingsport, Cuan really opened some eyes as he proved to be the Cyclones most reliable starter this season. In his fourteen starts in 2010 the 21 year old allowed more than two earned runs just twice. Cuan is a lefty cut out of the Antonini/Cohoon mold; he clearly has an idea about how to fool hitters which is really facilitated by his exceptional command from the left side. Unfortunately, he's a rather small guy (5'11") with a bit less stuff/velocity than those two so he's really going to have to prove himself at each rung of the organizational ladder.
Shoeless Joe Jackson:
haulsofshame. - As a result of Haulsofshame.com’s report last month, which found that the Baseball Hall of Fame’s alleged 1919 “Shoeless Joe” Jackson jersey was a forgery, officials at the Cooperstown Museum have removed another artifact that was originally purchased with Major League Baseball funds along with the tainted 1919 ”Black Sox” jersey. MLB funded the purchase of the jersey and glove in 1998 from New Jersey collector Barry Halper as part of an $8million deal, which included 175 choice items from the collection of the then limited partner of the New York Yankees.
Cal Baseball:
dailycal - For years, the Cal baseball team has been begging the athletic department to purchase lights for Evans Diamond. That, sadly for the Bears, isn't a problem anymore. On Tuesday afternoon, it was announced by the university that baseball, rugby, men's and women's gymnastics and lacrosse will be cut, effective the 2011-12 academic year.
9-28-10 from goldstein - I wouldn’t call him an impact defender, but he can play the position well, and that gives him a huge leg up, as you can’t say that about most minor league center fielders. What he did offensively this year was a very pleasant surprise, and did wonders for his stock. He does need to work on his approach, as he’s a bit of a pitch chaser, and he needs to work on his base running, but he can hit and I like him quite a bit.
Beltran To Boston:
bleacherreport - Beltran needs the DH spot to play 150 games going forward. He also could use a ballpark that doesn’t have the Grand Canyon in centerfield. I still think Boston is an interesting landing place as the Sox could possible lose Victor Martinez and Adrian Beltre this offseason. There is also the uncertainty of what type of production both David Ortiz and J.D. Drew could provide going forward. I have to believe offense will be a focus of Theo Epstein’s offseason. Would the Red Sox consider dealing Jacoby Ellsbury and Jonathan Papelbon to the Mets for Carlos Beltran? For the Mets they get a speedy outfielder to pair with Angel Pagan. A lineup with Pagan, Reyes, and Ellsbury could wreck havoc on the base paths. It also would allow the Mets to put Pagan in a run producing position since Ellsbury would better be suited to the top of the lineup.
Willie on Mets: metsblog - “We had one really big disappointment, but I think for the most part my staff and I were able to get the team back to a certain respectability or way of playing the game… It’s a tough town, and we raised the expectations real quick here when I was here… We were a victim of our own success… When a manager gets fired there’s always that little window where everyone sees what happened – is the new guy better or worse or whatever. And all of a sudden, after a period of time you can always look at it, ‘Was it the right thing, worth it, did it make a difference?’ But that’s the way it is in sports. In sports, managers and coaches are expendable… Omar and I will always have a certain bond together. I’m eternally grateful for him for giving me the opportunity… I know his family, and Omar’s really a solid baseball man… I’ve told him this before, I’m always rooting for him… I really root hard for them… David Wright and Jose Reyes and Carlos Beltran and those guys, they gave me an opportunity to get one game from going to a World Series. There’s really a soft spot in my heart for those guys. I really root for them to do well.”
Ike Davis:
tedquarters - Speaking of: Davis’ strong finish has pulled his OPS+ up to 116, just shy of the Major League average 120 for first basemen, and an impressive mark for a 23-year-old with only 55 games above A-ball before the season started. Factor in Davis’ Gold Glove-caliber defense, the likelihood that he’ll improve at the plate as he develops, and the fact that he’s still a couple years away from even hitting arbitration and he looks like a keeper for the Mets. Someone asked me earlier this season if I’d trade Davis in an offseason package for the Brewers’ Prince Fielder, an excellent young hitter a year away from free agency. At the time Davis was slumping badly, but even then I was uncertain — reminding the person that a trade for Fielder would be, in truth, a trade for the right to sign Fielder at market rate.
Blake Forsythe:
9-27-10 from: - amazin - Quite a disappointing pro debut for the Mets 2010 third round selection (second pick overall). Coming into the draft the big redhead was known for two things, excellent power and lots of strikeouts. Well he did a lot of one, not so much of the other; in a park where home runs were flying out this summer, Forsythe hit just three with a sub-.400 slugging percentage. Meanwhile he featured a mind-boggling 40.5% K-rate, and wayyy too many of them were looking considering he walked just eleven times. Maybe chalk this up to an Ike Davis-like unlucky debut in Brooklyn but considering the kid didn't have a great senior season this spring with Tennessee, I'm already starting to worry that this was a blown pick.
rotoworld - Lastings Milledge (oblique) has been taking swings in a batting cage and is still hopeful of playing this year. The Pirates unofficially shut him down in mid-September, but Milledge continues to work hard and could play in the final two or three games of the regular season. "The next step is to get him out there for batting practice," Bucs manager John Russell said. "If we can get it to that point, there could be a possibility he could play before the season's over."
Pedro Feliciano:
fangraphs - Without any inside knowledge about Pedro Feliciano’s personality or attitude toward New York, I have to imagine he is thrilled to be nearing free agency. That’s because over the last few seasons Feliciano has received fewer days off than the postal service. If he goes to another team, maybe he’ll be able to relax every once and a while. Drafted by the Dodgers in 1995, the 31st round pick never appeared in the majors before signing with the Reds as a minor league free agent in 2001. Almost a year later, the Reds sent Feliciano to the Mets in a trade that also saw Brady Clark and Shawn Estes moved. Feliciano made his major league debut weeks later but the Mets placed him on waivers nearly three months to the day of acquiring him. The Tigers won the claim and then released him at the three-month anniversary too.
Reese Havens:
9-28-10 from: - sickles - I like the potential in Reese Havens's bat, and I seem to remember the reports on his transition from SS to 2B to be going smoothly. He would have a shot at the number 2 spot if not for the constant injuries that he has endured as a professional, all of which have sounded seemingly minor. The latest has been an oblique strain suffered in mid June that ultimately ended his 2010 campaign, an almost unfathomably long time to recover from an oblique strain. As JD mentioned a report has just came out that he will undergo back surgery this off-season. I really do not know what to make of it just yet, and eagerly await news on the scope of the surgery and estimated recovery time. If he can find that magical elixir that allowed him to play three full seasons at South Carolina, he has the kind of bat that New York would love to pencil into the lineup everyday at second base.
Nick Adenhart:
espn - A jury convicted a construction worker of murder Monday for a drunken-driving crash that killed promising rookie Los Angeles Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart and two of his friends. It was the second DUI conviction for Andrew Gallo, 23, who held white rosary beads and occasionally looked up at jurors as they returned their verdicts. As he was led away in handcuffs, Gallo glanced over his shoulder at sobbing relatives of the victims gathered in the Orange County courtroom.
Rylan Sandoval:
9-27-10 from: - amazin - Quite a season for a 2009 non-drafted free agent. Sandoval was one of the top offensive players in the NYPL in the first half of the summer as the Cyclones shortstop and leadoff hitter. Unfortunately for Sandoval, he was hit with a pitch just before the ASG (and two days before his birthday) and missed the rest of the year with a broken wrist. Had he qualified, his numbers would have put him in the top three in average, slugging and OPS and even with the injury he finished fourth in homers and again, that's from a shortstop. Now there's a reason he went undrafted; his tools don't blow anyone away (he's 5'10" and not very fast) and defensively he needs some work (he made eight errors in under fifty games). More so than Vaughn, Sandoval may well be a case of an older player (turned 23 in August) taking advantage of greener competition so he won't find his way onto many prospect rankings, but his power is for real and there's no lack of effort in this kid.
Okay... stay with me here, because this is probably going to be a name you need to start remembering.
Mike O'Connor was the 7th round draft pick in the 2002 draft by the Montreal Expos (who are now the Washington Nationals).
The Expos converted him from a reliever out of George Washington University, to a starter and his eight year career with the Expos/Nats begun.
At times he was a very good starter and won the Nats minor league player of the year in 2005. The Nationals were very high on this guy, though his ERA/WHIPs throughout his minor league career weren't as low as desired.
He did make it to the Bigs in 2005 and posted a 3-8, 4.80 record, in 21 games, 20 starts. The real bad news was only 59-Ks in 105-IP, but also 45-BB.
After that, things got a little fuzzy. Back to the minors... 16 starts in 2006 at AAA (5-3, 2.17), back up to Washington as a reliever (13.00)... starting again at AAA in 2009... and eventually was traded to San Diego in June, 2009. Things didn't go well there, he was released in August, and signed a minor league contract with Kansas City. He finished the 2009 season starting again for the Royals' AAA franchise.
I'm not sure who cut fish first, but O'Connor was a free agent in the spring of 2010 and he was signed by the Mets and assigned to Buffalo.... as an exclusive reliever. period.
The 29-year old O'Connor, which would sound old as a starter but frankly, is young for a reliever, just went to Buffalo and did what he used to do well in high school and college... pitch flawless relief.
Forget what I said above:
6 foot three inches tall
lefty
29 years old
51 appearances in 2010 for Buffalo
5-2, 2.67, 1.16, 70-K, 70-IP, only 17-BB
Go ahead. Go back 10 years in the Mets chain. Find me these kind of relief stats at AAA.
You need to remember this name and you need to pray there is someone left in the front office next week that understands they need to resign this guy for the 2011 season.
This could easily be your long man out of the Willets Point pen next season.
