The Mack Report – December 2, 2010

The Mack Report – December 2, 2010

The Mets Instruction camp in the DR complex breaks up this week and everyone goes home until spring. Word out of there is that OF Cesar Puello kicked ass throughout the camp and even stayed behind when everyone left each day to work out in the cages more. It’s obvious that Puello has staked his claim to centerfield in St. Lucie.



The Mets did sign another highly regarded International free agent, 17-year old shortstop Alfredo Reyes. http://www.dplbaseball.com/ said, about Reyes: Reyes, 17, played behind former DPL All-Star Christopher Tamarez (NYY signee) for most of DPL Season 1. The New York Mets signed Reyes after watching him develop into an athletic shortstop who can make the difficult plays on defense look routine. Reyes showed gap power and an ability to control the strike zone at the plate. His wiry-athletic frame allows him to project well at the SS position. The Mets signed Reyes for $200,000.



My system of slotting into etched into stone. Please send me any suggestions you have on placing these guys elsewhere.



Continuing our prospect slotting…

96. P Eric Niesen - 25/yrs. old - Niesen has been a Mets pitcher for four seasons, all of which were primarily as a starter. Frankly, he has always had some trouble keeping his ERA low… his lowest was 3.28 for St. Lucie in 2009… but his strikeouts have been impressive, with a high of 134 in 140.2 combined innings for Lucy/B-Mets in 2009. Eric struggled at the AA level, bothin 2009 and last season, and eventually was dropped from the rotation and placed in the B-Met pen. Frankly his pen ERA (5.40) was worse than his overall (5.14). The Mets are in a great need for future relievers in Queens and I expect Eric to be sent to Buffalo to continue the conversion to a reliever. That looks like the only Mets future he has at this point.

2011: Buffalo bullpen

2012: Mets bullpen or out of the system

97. SP A.J. Pinera – 23/yrs. old - Pinera started out the 2010 season as a relief pitcher for Brooklyn, but, after five appearances, he got his first start on July 13th. It’s hard to find fault in his first season either way: 2.61 as a starter and 2.42 as a reliever. However, we’ve been to this lower level success movie so many times before and we’re just going to have to keep tracking his progress through AA to see if the Mets got something here. Look for him in Savannah in 2011.

2011: Savannah rotation

2012: Binghamton pen

98. RP Brandon Sage – 24/yrs. old - Nobody expects much from a 37th rounder, but Sage is proving the pundits wrong. He put together an excellent 2010 season for Savannah: 3-6, 3.07, 49-K, only 12-BB, 58.2-IP, 1.07 WHIP. Like Pinera above, he’s far from a prospect status and we wish him well in his next stop.

2011: St. Lucie bullpen

2012: Binghamton pen

99. C Juan Centeno – 21/yrs. old - A great story here.Centeno was a 32nd round draft pick in 2007 that knocked around the system, mainly as a 3rd string catcher. The most at bats he had gotten was in 2009, with Brooklyn, and he hit only .164. I had him as a casualty in 2010, but he wound up back in Brooklyn, getting himself 89 at bats and hitting… are you ready… .371/.417/.517/.934. Forecast: - nothing but blue sky for Juan. Centeno actually turned prospect Blake Forsythe into a DH during his streak. I expect the Mets to hold him back in Savannah so he gets more play time.

2011: Savannah

2012: St. Lucie or backup in Binghamton

100. OF D.J. Wabick – 26/yrs. old - Wabick was a 25th rounder in 2005, who has always hit the ball well… 2008 for Lucy: .289/.333/.403… 2009 for Binghamton: .296/.324/.401/725… 2010 for Bing/Buffalo: .306/.342/.428/.770. But, here’s the rub… 1/HR and 26/RBIs… looks to be the next Jesus Feliciano.

2011 Buffalo

2012: Buffalo






So… here’s what our rosters look like so far for the 2011 season, based on 2012 need:



Buffalo (20):

Rotation: (4) - SP Jenrry Mejia, Josh Stinson, Mike Antonini, Dylan Owen

Relievers: (5) – Manny Alvarez, Jose De La Torre, Roy Merritt, Michael O’Connor, Eric Niesen

Catchers: (1) – Mike Nickeas

Infielders: (5) – 1B/3B Eric Campbell, 1B/2B Josh Satin, 2B/SS Reese Havens, 2B/SS Jordany Valdespin, 3B Zach Lutz

Outfielders: (3) – Fernando Martinez, Kirk Nieuwenhuis, Lucas Duda, D.J. Wabick



Binghamton (23):

Rotation: (6) – Jeurys Familia, Robert Carson, Eric Beaulac, Mark Cohoon, Brandon Moore, Chris Schwinden

Relievers: (7) – Nick Carr, Brant Rustich, Brad Holt, Scott Moviel, Eric Turgeon, Rhiner Cruz, Ryan Coultas

Catchers: (2) – Kai Gronauer, Francesco Pena

Infielders (4) – 1B Michael Fisher, SS Rylan Sandoval, 3B Wilmer Flores, UT Matt Bouchard

Outfielders (4) – Sean Ratliff, Pedro Zapata, Rafael Fernandez, Carlos Guzman



St. Lucie (20):
Rotation (5) – Matt Harvey, Kyle Allen, Yohan Almonte, Collin McHugh, Jimmy Fuller
Relievers (6) – Eric Goeddel, Ryan Fraser, Michael Powers, Gabriel Zabala, Daniel Carela, Brandon Sage

Catchers (1) – Blake Forsythe

Infielders (2) – 1B Stefan Welsh, 2B Alonzo Harris, SS Robbie Shields, 3B Joe Bonfe

Outfielders (4) – Cesar Puello, Cory Vaughn, Matt den Dekker, Juan Lagares



Savannah (17):
Rotation: (5) – Greg Peavey, Chris Hilliard, Angel Cuan, John Church, A.J. Pinera
Closer: (1) – Ryan Fraser

Relievers: (3) – T.J. Chism, Samuel Tavares, Nelson Pereira

Catchers: (2) – Albert Cordero, Juan Centeno

Infielders: (3) – 2B J.B. Brown, SS Wilfredo Tovar, 3B Aderlin Rodriquez

Outfielders: (3) – Darrell Ceciliani, Javier Rodriguez, Jenry Marte