Daily Mets Minors Report – 7-24-12

Date: 7-24-12

MLB –

Buster Olney‏ -  Mike Trout's current trajectory takes him to these numbers: 132 runs, 202 hits, 56 BB, 73 EBH, 28 HRs, 89 RBI, 58 SB in 140 games, 1.012 OPS

Ken Rosenthal‏ -  Sources tell me and Jon Morosi that Marlins are extremely disappointed with team's performance and are prepared to make a series of trades.

Kevin Goldstein‏ -  Front office exec: "F***, that was a good deal for the Tigers."

Keith Olbermann‏ -  Exclusive! Ichiro to wear uniform number 288 for Yankees to honor his on base percentage

Courtney Hawkins -  Team: Rookie-level Bristol (Appalachian) -  Age: 18 -  Why He’s Here: .435/.500/.913 (10-for-23), 2 HR, 2 2B, 1 3B, 5 RBIs, 4 R, 3 BB, 4 SO, 1-for-1 SB -  The Scoop: Hawkins signed quickly for $2.475 million after the White Sox made him the 13th overall pick in this year’s draft. His physicality and raw power stand out for a high schooler, and he tapped into that power this week, drilling two home runs after hitting one through his first 20 games (one of those homers was washed out when rain forced the game to be called). Hawkins’ power was expected to be ahead of his hitting, but he has raised his average after it dipped to .200 on June 29. He’s batting .323 in 65 at-bats since, improving to .280 on the year. http://www.prospectnation.com/blog/?p=3039

MLB - Mets:

Bob Klapisch of the Bergen Record reports that the Mets are expected to option Lucas Duda to Triple-A in order to clear a roster spot for Matt Harvey. They won't need to make a move for a few days, as Harvey isn't starting until Thursday. It's a little surprising given that Duda has been a fixture in the lineup all season, but he has really struggled this month, batting just .140/.260/.233. Jordany Valdespin is getting his first career start in right field Monday

Adam Rubin - Sandy Alderson all but suggests he's not trading players in final year of contract unless there's some 2012-13 benefit... (Hairston/Byrdak)...  Terry Collins said Jason Bay will play vs. LHP Gio Gonzalez on Tuesday... Frank Francisco scratched from Tuesday's appearance with Brooklyn. Had discomfort in right knee and required a shot.... Woah. Manny Acosta is back. So hold that Duda demotion being wrong story... The Mets will still need to make another roster move for Matt Harvey, which is presumed to be the OF... Acosta tossed two scoreless innings for Buffalo against Charlotte on Monday night. Had a 2.25 ERA in 17 appearances with the Bisons...

Matt Harvey  -  "Thank you everyone for the support! Such an amazing feeling. Heading to the airport and NYC early in the morning."

Ken Davidoff - Another team’s scout, in attendance at yesterday’s game, had a better feel for the situation when he said: “Terry’s done a great job with these guys. This team isn’t very good.” Agreed that Collins has run this team admirably, but I’ll concur even more with the scout’s second thought. These Mets played over their heads in the first half, riding the backs of three elite performances -- those of R.A. Dickey, Johan Santana and Wright. Santana is on the disabled list now, with no return date. Dickey has slowed down after his brilliant beginning. Wright? He remains outstanding, which is great news for the Mets regardless of the overall team record. There just aren’t enough pieces surrounding Wright, however -- Jason Bay fittingly made the final out yesterday, as a pinch-hitter -- and the team’s run of good luck has run out.

AAA – Buffalo:

OF Mike Baxter joins the Bisons today on an MLB injury rehab assignment. Baxter suffered a displaced right collarbone crashing into the wall on June 1 to make a catch and preserve Johan Santana’s no-hitter. Baxter played 18 games for the Bisons in 2011 and hit a home run on the very first pitch he saw with Buffalo, July 26 against Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

RHP Jeurys Familia  will get his team-leading 21st start of the season against Charlotte tonight. In Familia’s last start on July 18 against Toledo, he set a career high with eight innings pitched in a no-decision. The righty also posted a season-best nine strikeouts in that performance. Since the All-Star break, Familia is 1-0 record and a 0.63ERA in 14.1 innings with 15 strikeouts to only eight hits allowed.

Monday – Loss, 6-9

Well, Matt Harvey and Zack Wheeler had a shit outing, so why not Jeurys Familia: 4.2-IP, 8-H, 7-R, 5-ER, 4-K, 3-BB, 4.57… 94-56… did you read that?  Only 56 of Familia’s 94 pitches were strikes. This simply isn’t going to hack it even at this level. Jeurys continues to be an erratic pitcher. He gave up seven runs in 3.1 innings on July 1^st, but then had three quality starts before this one. Those three combined for 20.2 innings in which only two runs were given up. Now, here comes another clunker. That’s only five QCs in his past 10 starts. Not good.

Word is Lucas Duda is heading to Buffalo. Do you play him ahead of Val Pascucci? Team owners would probably like to since he’s a loal hero, but the Mets control the lineup card.

Prospect Watch –

            CF – Matt den Dekker:  1-3, 1-R, triple, 2-RBI, .215 – these are the kind of games one hopes that Deck finishes out the season with.

AA-Binghamton:  

RHP Greg Peavey (3-6, 6.09) makes 18th start of the season and first against the Rock Cats. Peavey has lost his last five decision and gone winless in his last nine games. Peavey took the no-decision in his most recent start against the Trenton Thunder on July 17. He allowed three runs on eight hits and struck out three over 6.1 innings. Peavey has not won a game since he defeated the Portland Sea Dogs on May 20.

LHP Aaron Thompson (3-4, 5.57) takes for his tenth start of the season and first against the Binghamton Mets. Thompson has allowed a total of 31 hits in his last three games. He surrendered five runs on ten hits over eight innings in his most recent start against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats on July 17. Signed by the Twins as a minor league free agent in December 2011, Thompson is pitching /for his fourth organization in the last four years. Thompson spent 2011 in the Pirates’ system, eventually making his Major League debut on August 24, 2011. The New Mexico native was selected by the Marlins in the first round of the 2005 draft out of Second Baptist School (Houston, TX). He was traded to the Washington Nationals in July 2009 and claimed off waiver by the Pirates in December 2010.

OF Pedro Zapata activated from disabled list

Monday – Win, 8-1

Prospect watch –

2B Reese Havens:  1-3, 1-RBI, BB, .231 – this should represent his highest batting average for the season (past opening day)

3B Wilmer Flores – 1-4, BB, .306

LF Eric Campbell – 1-5, 1-R, 7^th home run of the season, 2-RBI, .314, .885 OPS – and the hits just keep coming…

DH (1B) Alan Dykstra – 2-4, 3-RBI, 2-HRs, 2-RBI, 1-BB, .329 – still the emergency first baseman for the Mets. .353 against lefties, .314 against righties… hmm…

RP C.J. Nitkowski -  1.0-IP, 0-R, 0.00 – come on, call him up…

A+ - St. Lucie: -  

Monday – Loss, 2-10

Thank God this team won the first half of the season.

Prospect Watch – none

A – Savannah: -

Monday – Loss – 3-5

Prospect Watch –

                 CF – Gilbert Gomez – 2-3, 1-R, double, walk, .260 – the favorite of all the scouts behind home plate     

A-Low – Brooklyn:

It has to be said at this point that neither SS Phillip Evans or CF Brandon Nimmo seem to be adding anything to the mix in Brooklyn. I guess we need to give them this season to, err, how do they put it… ‘adjust’. I’ve been particularly excited about Evans, but have been critical of the Nimmo pick, not because of the player but because of the lack of pedigree. You just don’t take your first draft pick and sign someone out of American Legion ball. You just don’t.

Monday – Loss, 0-2

Prospect Watch –

            CF Brandon Nimmo – 1-4, .226

            SS Phillip Evans – 1-4, .236

           

Rookie – Kingsport:

Monday – Loss, 0-3

Prospect Watch –

            SS Gavin Cecchini – 1-4, 2-K, .242

            C Tomas Nido – 2-3, 1-K, .310

            CF Eris Peguero – 0-2, 1-K, .295

Rookie - DSL Mets:

            Prospect Watch –

                        C Miquel Leaf – 2-4, BB, .337

                        2B Leon Canelon – 2-5, 1-R, double, 2-K, .287

                        DH Vincente Lupo – 1-3, 1-R, 1-RBI, K, BB, .357