2/24/12

The Flushing 14 - Week ending 2-23-12:


SP  Matt Harvey –

                Mike Puma:[i]

The Mets certainly aren’t going to rush the right-handed fireballer, who turns 23 next month. But Harvey could show enough in his first major league camp to start the season at Buffalo. “I’m open-minded at this point,” said Paul DePodesta, the Mets vice president of player development and amateur scouting. “Whatever we decide will have a longer term focus.”

                Toby Hyde:[ii]

At the Bisons’ hot-stove dinner, Wally Backman told the good folks of Buffalo that although he would “fight” for top pitching prospects, he expects both Jeurys Familia and Matt Harvey to start the season in double-A Binghamton

                Connor O’Brien:

Many “experts” are projecting Harvey as a solid number two starter, but I can definitely see him becoming an ace of a staff if he can develop his changeup and slider into average to above average big league pitches. At 240 pounds, he has the build to be a workhorse on the mound, and scouts have raved about his ability to go deep into games physically. He seems to have most of the tools needed to succeed. I’d say that he could pitch in 2012 for the Mets, but it would be best if the organization waited until 2013.  You don’t want to rush a top pitcher like this, not only putting too much pressure on him, but also not giving him the experience needed to do well. He has to be given a chance to fail. The only way to get stronger is to overcome challenges. So far, Harvey hasn’t faced too many challenges. The Mets have to remember that he has pitched just one full pro season so far in his career. When he gets to the majors, he could make a big impact, immediately jumping into the Met rotation


Andy McCullough:

Along with Zack Wheeler, Harvey is considered a key to the franchise’s future. The team hopes he can be ready for a September call-up.

SP  Zack Wheeler

                Connor O’Brien:

So he isn’t the picture of consistency at this point, but he has the tools to get there. That is the reason I put him behind Harvey. Not only is Harvey going to help the team sooner, but he is more refined as a pitcher than Wheeler, who seems like a mysterious minor leaguer who can just whip the ball and strike a ton of people out. You know, urban legends? OK, maybe I’m taking this a little too far. Wheeler does have a great out pitch in his curveball that he has used for most of his pitching career with success. The problem that concerns me is with his mechanics. Wheeler tends to make an “inverted W” with his arms as he stretches out during his motion. This leads to arm injuries, and is what arguably ended Mark Prior’s career. Hopefully, Zack will be able to correct that with the pitching coaches in the minors to prevent any serious injury

                Anthony DiComo[iii]

Wheeler has been working diligently on improving his changeup, which he now considers his second-best pitch. He is a good bet to start off in Double-A this season and a long shot to reach the Majors before 2013. But the Mets are excited about what Wheeler might be able to provide once he does.  "I really don't feel any pressure," he said. "I just go out there and try to do my job, and not really worry about what people say."

SP Jeurys Familia  

                Toby Hyde:

At the Bisons’ hot-stove dinner, Wally Backman told the good folks of Buffalo that although he would “fight” for top pitching prospects, he expects both Jeurys Familia and Matt Harvey to start the season in double-A Binghamton

                Connor O’Brien:

Putting the changeup aside, the major concern with Familia is his mechanics. He often flies open in his motion, which opens up his shoulder, a nightmare for pitchers. He isn’t using his legs consistently enough. He hasn’t gotten hurt yet. I mentioned his arm strength earlier, which has kept him off the DL in his career. However, if he can’t completely get rid of that inconsistency, he could spend time on the DL often in his career. He has been working on it and improving, I have o give him that. If you watch video of him very early and compare it to today, he is much better. Hopefully, by the time he is a full-time major leaguer, that problem will be fixed. I feel I’ve been a little harsh on Familia. His stuff is ridiculous and deserves major recognition. The mechanics and injury concerns will only be a major problem if he becomes a starter. Out of the bullpen, he could become a flame-throwing, intimidating, dominant reliever. Of the major pitching prospects, I’d say Familia would be best suited in the bullpen.

                David Lennon:

Jeurys Familia says he models himself after Pedro Martinez and Josh Beckett. Two pretty good choices.

Andy McCullough[iv]

He emerged as a top prospect after 2011, and could see time in the big-league bullpen or rotation this season

Jim Callis:[v]

Steve (Kansas): Was Jeurys Familia any close to making the list? - Jim Callis: One of the eight editors voted him in their Top 100, and two others listed him in their 101-150 range. So not particularly close for Familia. If someone sends me a question about it at askba@baseballamerica.com (include name and hometown), I'll run the complete list of everyone who received votes (and how many, and how high their highest ranking was).


SP Jenrry Mejia

                Connor O’Brien:

When he comes up, Mejia will showcase a wonderful repertoire of pitches. Before going down with TJS, Mejia was throwing a hard, sinking fastball I the 94-97 MPH range, an 86-88 MPH changeup, and a curveball that ranges from 79-81 MPH. Overall, hopefully this injury won’t hold back. I don’t think it will if the Mets manage him right. He has the potential to be a top-of-the-rotation starter.


                                From MetsBlog:

According to SNY’s Matt Dunn, Terry Collins said it was great to see Jenrry Mejia on the mound today. Collins said Mejia’s arm looked loose, but it’s going to be important to see how he responds to this throwing session.  Collins didn’t know what Mejia’s future role with the club would be (whether he’d be a starter or reliever) but suggested he could initially work as a starter so to build up his innings


                               Andy McCullough:

Once the organization’s top prospect, he’s in the final stages of recovery from Tommy John surgery. Should be ready by May.


RP Josh Edgin  

                Petey Pete:

Right now, things are looking better as far as lefty relief throughout the system. The emergence of such power-armed port-siders as: Rob Carson, Josh Edgin, and Adam Kolarek

RP Jack Leathersich

                Nathaniel Stoltz:[vi]

Leathersich sure put up eye-popping numbers, didn’t he? Like Muno, he’s a college product who hasn’t even pitched in Low-A yet, so let’s not go nuts, but he’s got low-90’s heat and two solid offspeed pitches. He’s not the next Billy Wagner, but he could be an Alan Embree sort of guy. I could see him speeding through the minors quickly—I wouldn’t be shocked to see him this September after a sort of Addison Reed season. More likely, he ends the year in Double-A (provided everything goes well) and comes up in mid-2013. However, Leathersich did start in college, and the Mets may want to try him out there; obviously, a move to the rotation would slow his timetable considerably.

                Mack Ade:

This preseason I just want to get back out on the field and pick up from where I left off. My hip is feeling a lot better and I am just looking forward to starting my career as a New York Met.


RP – Brant Rustich

2B – Reese Havens

                Connor O’Brien:

Hopefully, Havens will be able to stay on the field this year. This will be a key year for him tha could make or break his career. If he stays healthy, he could earn significant time in Buffalo, and maybe even a September call-up in New York. If not… well there may not be another chance for Havens to step up and show what all this buzz was really about.

Andy McCullough:

The saying goes: If he could stay healthy, he’d be the big-league second baseman by now. But this 2008 first-round pick hasn’t stayed healthy. Maybe 2012 will be different.

SS  Jordany Valdespin

Andy McCullough:

He took a solid step forward last season, but his game still requires a good bit of polish before he can be considered ready for the majors.

Toby Hyde:[vii]

        The major concern about Valdespin’s game is plate discipline

                Petey Pete:

The wild-card is Jordany Valdespin, who is hardly a shortstop at all. He certainly hasn’t fielded like one since he was placed at that all-important defensive position. His mind, it seems is on other things which keeps him from exerting maximum effort when it comes to his “D.” What other things? Himself, his hitting, and mostly himself. In addition to working on his defense he has also not embraced the “team” concept very strongly as of yet. Who knows if he ever will.

3B – Wilmer Flores

                Toby Hyde:

He played mostly third base for Margarita, and Depodesta said he’ll spend time at the hot corner this season, while still playing shortstop on occasion. “I expect Wilmer to probably play at least two different positions during the course of this year,” DePodesta said. “As time goes on, we’ll determine where he spends more time.”

                Connor O’Brien:

What keeps Flores from being a no-doubt number one prospect is his lack of ability with his glove. He isn’t quick and not very athletic. Originally a shortstop, Flores is transitioning to third base, where he still might have trouble. Eventually, if his defense doesn’t develop at third, he could move to first base, where his lack of quickness won’t hurt him so much. He has a decent arm, so this trial at third is justifiable.  Look for Flores to become a big-time hitter in the future, however, no matter which position he is playing

Andy McCullough:

He was once the organization’s top hitting prospect, but a stagnant 2011 showed he still needs work at the plate. And his future as an infielder may be in doubt.

C  Juan Centeno

                Petey Pete:[viii]

There’s Juan Centeno, who will play at AA this year. Juan’s a good catch-and-throw guy, who has made good contact, in very limited opportunities. In five seasons in the Mets farm system he has only averaged about 99 AB’s per year, so he really needs to get an extended opportunity to even know if they have anything there at all.

OF Kirk Nieuwenhuis

                Scout on Kirk:

“I thought he could handle center field well when I saw him in 2010. He kind of reminds me of a left-handed version of a young Jason Michaels -- a stocky, built guy. Physically imposing, thick-bodied kids. The ball comes off his bat well. When Jason came up he played center, right and left. They look a little bit alike, and they’re both aggressive players. Jason has had a decent career. I think Kirk has had a chance to be a big leaguer for a while, but he has to stay healthy.”

                Connor O’Brien:

In the field, Kirk is a stud. He isn’t one of the top minor leaguers as far as speed is concerned, (although he can steal a few bases) but he has a very good range in center field. He can really accelerate out there, which will likely keep him at the center field position for his career. He also has a nice arm in center. At the plate, he continues to develop. As I mentioned earlier, he can hit for power, along with his decent batting average. I can definitely see Nieuwenhuis as a 20-25 home run hitter in his career, much like Lucas Duda. But unlike Duda, he can package his speed as well as talent with the glove to become a Hunter Pence-like player.

Andy McCullough:

A shoulder injury short-circuited his 2011 season in Triple A. Otherwise, this versatile outfielder might have forced many to learn how to spell his last name.

OF Matt den Dekker –

Andy McCullough:

Blessed with tremendous athleticism, this minor-leaguer is considered an outstanding outfielder. His bat needs work, but made strides last season in Binghamton.

OF Cesar Puello            

                Andy McCullough:

Added to the 40-man for Rule 5 protection, Puello still needs plenty of time to develop, but he has showed progress each season.

                Connor O’Brien:[ix]

Projections for Puello are often very different from each other. Many say that he is a speedy leadoff hitter, while others see him developing power and becoming a Carlos Beltran-type player. Personally, I have no idea. Having “power potential” in the minors is so subjective. Nobody knows for sure how a player will hit in the big leagues. Minor league stats only provide so much. A player who hits 20 homers in the minors may not be projected to have the same type of power that an A-ball player has after a five homer season. With Puello, it is really way too early to tell. After all, he’s still only 20 years old. He already has the speed and solid batting average    



2 comments:

Stephen Guilbert said...

I still think Mejia could be far and away the best and most dominant starter from gen 2k. Hope it works out for him and the powers at be give him every chance to start, health permitting

Mack Ade said...

It was nice to see him back on the mound, but he threw around 14 mph.

It'll take some time.

The plan is to pitch him out of the pen for 2012, probably first rehabbing in St. Lucie, and then either B-Mets or Buffalo.

Then, he will return as a starter in ST 2013.