1/14/11

Mets Release Six Players

Mets release minor leaguers:


RP Samuel Martinez


OF-IF Richard Pena


P Scott Shaw

Shaw was drafted by the New York Mets in the 13th round of the 2008 draft.


www.cstv.com: Illinois junior right-handed pitcher Scott Shaw (Gurnee, Ill.) was selected by the New York Mets in the 13th round of the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft on Friday, becoming the second Illini player drafted in 2008 along with Kyle Hudson, who went to the Baltimore Orioles in the fourth round. In addition, incoming freshman Willie Argo (Davenport, Iowa / Assumption HS) was picked by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 49th round with the 1,473rd overall selection. "It's been a dream all my life and I couldn't be happier," Shaw said. "The Mets are a great organization and I couldn't ask for a better club to be with." Shaw, a 6-foot-5, 230-pound starting pitcher, went 4-4 with a 7.83 ERA in 2007, making 11 starts and tossing two complete games. He struck out 48 batters in 56 1/3 innings and walked only 24 batters, which ranked seventh in the Big Ten. In conference games, he gave up only 38 hits, which ranked third. Shaw has been pitching for the Waterloo Bucks of the Northwoods League this summer, where he ranks second in the league with 18 strikeouts. He has been solid in 13 innings over two starts, allowing just seven hits and four runs while walking three for an opponent batting average of .156.


September 2008: Brooklyn pitching coach Hector Berrios on: Scott Shaw and Chris Schwinden: “These guys are both tacticians on the mound and they rely on spotting the ball. Their game is being able to locate their pitches and change speeds. They did an impressive job of that this season. I think Shaw was one of our most underrated pitchers and if you take two or three bad innings away from him, he was the best pitcher in the league this season.”


In September, Patrick Hickey wrote on: Scott Shaw- If there was a “bizarro world” version of Steve Trachsel, it could only be Scott Shaw. Not only does work quickly on the mound, he gives up a ton of ground balls, is extremely efficient with his pitch count and has excellent control. Not a strikeout pitcher by trade, Shaw benefited from having four pitches [fastball, curve ball, changeup and a slider] he could throw for strikes in the NY-Penn League and doesn’t figure to be one in higher levels. Big, strong and with a great work ethic, Shaw is going to be another pitcher worth following. Final Grade- B+


February 2009: MYOB on: - Scott Shaw RHP - At 6′5″ he’s got nice height, but he doesn’t have overwhelming stuff. He throws strikes, which at the lower levels translates into good numbers. In A ball he was at 2.80 after 14 starts with 79 K’s in 74 innings. He continued to achieve success in the Hawaii League, finishing with a 2.51 ERA after 7 starts. His walk to K ratio is 24 to 114. As he moves up it will be interesting to see if he can continue with that success.


9-15-09 from: - http://myworldofbaseball.com/wordpress/?cat=42  - Scott Shaw RHP - He’s not overpowering so his command has to be there for him to achieve success. He stands 6′5″ so perhaps the velocity will increase as he gains strength. He started 26 games this year and finished with a 3.73 ERA. He does give up a lot of fly balls and 13 homeruns in the Florida State League in 150 innings is a lot. His ERA with the bases empty is 0.96 while with men on it is 6.54, so he knows what he needs to work on in 2010. You can’t wind up with men on base.


He was a three year starter for Illinois, with some really questionable stats, so the pick was controversial at best; however, he immediately proved his value when he joined Brooklyn for the 2008 season: 6-3, 2.80, 1.09, in 15 games, 14 starts.


In 2009, he continued his winning ways (8-8, 3.73, 1.32) with Lucy and goes into the 2010 season with 2-year combined pro stats of: 14-11, 3.43, 1.25, 197-K, 223.2-IP.


1-1-10 Forecast: Shaw bores you to death with his efficiency. 2009 was not a good year for Mets’ AA-A+ pitchers, but Shaw was a bright spot. He will never win you the strikeout leader, and he’s probably projected as a SP5 at best (think Brian Bannister), but the Mets will stick with this kid unless things go ga-ga in AA. I’m thinking his future is in the Citi-pen



RP Marcos Tabata

Tabata has been around for awhile. The 23-year old went 4-3, 3.08, in 11 games, six starts, in 2006, for the VSL Mets. He came stateside in 2007, pitching for Kingsport (3-3, 7.49, in 13 games), and wound up on the DL for the end of the 2007 season and the entire year of 2008.


He finally has resurfaced this year on the GCL Mets and has done a commendable job in relief. His stats were consistent throughout the year and were impressive: 0-1, 2.63, 13 appearances, 23-K, 24.0-IP, 8-BB.


On July 11, he combined with Sal Aguilar and Jhonathan Torrez and pitched a no-hitter against the GCL Nationals.


Tabata actually got a late, late minute promotion to Savannah, where he’ll probably play 2010. He pitched in two games, through three innings, and gave up one earned run. His combined 2009 stats came in at 0-1, 2.67, in 15 appearances.


Forecast (Jan 2010): Tabata has some grey hairs for someone at the GCL level and needs to move fast if he wants to stay within his window. Obviously, he has earned one more shot, hopefully as high as Savannah, in 2010. We all know how hard it is to excel level to level when you are a starter, but it’s actually tougher as a reliever. Anybody who ERA’s a season under 3.99 gets another shot the following year and Tabata has earned his.


9-22-10 - 2011 forecast: - The 24-year old has started to be "faster" tracked, and should begin the 2011 season back at St. Lucie. Yes, it is his 5th year as a Met, but he is not a Rule V candidate this year due to being out the entire 2008 season. I expect him to end the 2011 season in Binghamton.



IF Ryan Mollica

http://www.fiusports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=11700&ATCLID=1472904  - FIU junior second baseman Ryan Mollica was named to the 2008 All-Sun Belt Conference First Team, it was announced today. The All-Sun Belt teams are selected by the conference’s 11 head coaches. Mollica posted some of the best numbers in FIU history in 2008, batting .413 with 23 doubles, five home runs, 49 RBI and .483 on-base percentage in 55 games with 48 starts. He also led the Sun Belt with a .504 average against conference opponents. His overall average of .413 was the fourth-highest in FIU single-season history and he tied Joe Hughes’ single-season school record for doubles, set in 1980. A fair amount of Mollica’s success this season came on a 27-game hitting streak, the fifth-longest in school history. He is the first FIU infielder named to the SBC First Team since former first baseman Brad Eldred in 2002. Mollica was voted onto the first team ahead of what is arguably the deepest and most-talented position in the Sun Belt this year, including Preseason Sun Belt Player of the Year, New Orleans’ Johnny Giavotella, who earned second team honors with Kyle Suire of Louisiana at Monroe.


10-10-10 Interview:


Mack: - Morning everyone. Today we're talking with another of the many talented second basemen in the Mets system right now, the 47th round draft pick in the 2009 draft, Ryan Mollica.


Good morning Ryan. How's the off-season going? .


Mollica: - Good morning Mack, the off-season is going great, I've been doing a little traveling lately, just enjoying the time off before I start getting into the off-season training. It's nice to get away and enjoy yourself after a long baseball season. 



Mack: - Ryan, let's go back to that third day on the draft... was it tough waiting for your name to be called? .



Mollica: - Yeah, it was really tough waiting so long. I was already pretty disappointed that my name had not been called on the second day. I left my computer on my desk and left the audio play, and just listened every now and then. It was tough hearing so many names of former players, coaches and executives being called and not my name after I had such a successful college career, but this is how my whole baseball career had gone since a youngster, getting overlooked. When my name did get called it was a pretty bittersweet moment. I was disappointed getting picked so late, but hey, I was drafted by a Major League ball club and nobody can take that away from me. I then recieved calls from all my family and friends, and went to see my grandfather in the hospital to give him the good news, just seeing the smile on his face, it kind of hit me that this was a huge accomplishment.


Mack : Ryan, your beginning in baseball reminds me a lot of Carlos Guzman. Carlos came out of my neighborhood in Queens, undrafted, and has had to fight his way up the Mets organization just to be heard. Anyway, you had a wonderful 2009 season with K-Port (.287/.368/.365/.734, in 115-AB). First of all, did you find playing ball every day a grind compared to school? .



Mollica: - Yep, you're right Mack, just have to keeping fighting and working hard. That's the perfect word to describe the season, a grind. Playing everyday was probably the hardest thing for me to get used to last year. Everyday seemed the same, you really didn't know if it was Tuesday or Saturday. Coming from college, your body is not used to playing a game everyday. Now you have to make sure you're focused everyday, and get in the weightroom to get your endurance up, because you start getting really worn out toward the end of that season. Mike DiFelice did a great job keeping us fresh up there, I couldn't of asked for a better coach to play for in my first season.



Mack: - Let's stay at Kingsport for a second... I noticed only 115 at bats. Was it here you began to realize you were going to have to fight for starts at this position?



Mollica: - Yeah, I definitely realized in Kingsport that being a late round pick, I was really going to have to work extra hard and battle for playing time. The good thing is I was battling for playing time in high school and my first 3 years of college, so this was nothing new to me.


Mack: - In 2010, you played St. Lucie, and again did well: .277/.313/.383/.696 , but once again, only had 94-ABs. The web site has you listed as the DH... were most of those at bats playing second or DHing? .


Mollica: - Well, I missed the first 3 months of the season. I came into spring training in excellent shape but wound up tearing a ligament in my wrist on a swing during spring training, so that really set me back. My at bats in St. Lucie were split pretty evenly between 2B and DH. It's just part of the game, there's someone at your positon that the organization really covets, you have to be ready to get at bats wherever and whenever you can get them.

Mack: - Ryan, the one thing I have learned in life is to not worry about the people and talent around you. Just concentrate on what you do best and, trust me, if it's better than the guy next to you, it will eventually be recognized by someone. What are you planning to do in the off-season to make a difference next spring?



Mollica: - That's great advice, I couldn't agree with you more Mack. I'm going to hit the weights hard again this off-season. I lost a lot of strength and muscle during my recovery from wrist surgery, I was very light and weak during my season in St. Lucie. So I'm definitely looking to bulk up some and regain that strength in my wrist. Injuries have plagued me over the past couple seasons, I just want to come into spring training healthy and get an opportunity to show what I got.



Mack: - Ryan, we're gonna keep a close eye on you this next season. Thanks for your time and I'll look for you on the back fields in March.



Mollica: - No problem Mack, take care, see you in March!



2B Hector Pellot


Pellot was a ‘graduate’ of the Puerto Rico Baseball Academy, in Gurabo, Puerto Rico. ‘PefrectGame.org’ had Pellot listed as the 6th top Puerto Rican prospect in 2005, saying: “No prospect on the island has improved his draft status in the past month as much as Pellot. Pellot stood out at this week's Puerto Rico showcase, running a 6.6 60 yard dash and having a solid BP. On the second day of the event the right-handed hitting Pellot showcased his power by hitting a double off the right field fence that almost left the yard. At shortstop, Pellot shows outstanding actions and a strong arm.”



The Mets took Pellot in the 4th Round of the 2005 draft. He reported immediately to St. Lucie, but only for training. In 2006, Pellot was converted to a 2B and spent the entire season with Hagerstown, where he batted only .189 in 359 at bats. The winter was spent playing for Ponce of the Puerto Rican League.

The Mets brass decided to let him repeat ‘A’ ball in 2007, which has definitely paid off.


OnDeck has him ranked as the 29th top Mets prospect, and, In February 2007, Scout.com ranked Pellot as the 12th top Mets prospect.


After hitting .256 in the first half of the 2007 season for Savannah (11 doubles, 3 triples, and 5 HRs), Pellot was the sole representative from the team in the Sally League All-Star team. Pellot commented on his award: “Being selected to the All-Star game has really given me a lot of confidence going into the 2nd half. When you are selected, that means that you are one of the best players in the league and realizing that I think that can help out a lit mentally, especially if things don’t go well in a game or two. You were selected because other people who know baseball believe that you are good enough to be there, so there is no reason for you not to believe it to.” Sounds right to me!


Pellot continued to excel at Savannah .274//344/.381, 19 doubles, 33 SBs, only 12 errors) and was eventually promoted to St. Lucie where he finished the season (.304/.407/.522 in 23 at bats).



Pellot is a native of Clara, Puerto Rico.


In September 2007, Pellot was assigned to play in the Hawaiian Winter League (which is always a sign that the organization wants to invest more time and money in you).


In November 2007, Scouts.com named him the 22nd top Mets prospect.


A May 2008 scouting report from Andy Braunstein:


HECTOR PELLOT - 2B - The Mets love him and when he hit .274 in SAL and .304 here, in only 6 games, as a 20 year old was beginning to warm up to him. Now at 21 his bat speed has budged from the 5.5-6 he displayed last year and no sign that he'll ever develop power. He does have speed and is fine defender. He got off to such a slow start was pulled from the lineup in favor of Luis Rivera and his more potent bat. Right now he hurt his ankle and has been out of out last 4 games. He is a prospect that is on the verge of plunging off the list. How the rest of this season goes will speak volumes of his chances.


Pellot spent most of the 2008 season injured, posting a .165 BA in only 85 at bats for St. Lucie.

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