2-20-13 – Cesar Puello, Greg Burke, John Buck, Los Mets, Projected WAR, Tuesday D1,

ESPN is reporting a possible link between often injured Mets outfielder Cesar Puello and the Biogenesis labs that have been all over the news this past month. The team left everyone hanging with the general statement of: "Because of the ongoing investigation, we have no comment. We refer all questions to Major League Baseball.” Puello was signed as a 16-year old out of the Dominican Republic in 2008 and was immediately assigned stateside, bypassing the DSL system in his home country. He quickly became the most talked about outfield prospect when he played Savannah. His stat line: .292/.375/.359/.734. A broken hamate bone ended his 2012 season early and he was scheduled to return to St. Lucie next month to begin his ETA to Flushing in 2015. He’s still young and will play 2013 at 22-years old. All 5-tools are still there though most still need sharpening. His only bad habits have been a decrease of walking and an increase of visiting drug clinics. Hopefully, this will play out as just a walk-through visit.

Update:

1. Andy Martino‏@MartinoNYDN

   Puello refuses to answer questions, issues brief statement referring questions to union. "I have to go work."

1. Andy Martino‏@MartinoNYDN

   Puello: "All the questions go to the Players Association. I’m here to play baseball, and we can talk about baseball."

Greg Burke

While on the free-agent market, over 20 teams showed interest. The Mets quickly signed (Greg) Burke to a minor-league contract with an invite to spring training in early November and added him to the 40-man roster to avoid losing him in the Rule 5 draft. It is a reunion of sorts — the Mets drafted Burke in the 42nd round of the 2001 draft, but he chose to attend Duke. "I went where the best opportunity was," said Burke, who had a 2.23 ERA and 11 saves over the winter for Mexico’s Yaquis de Obregon, the eventual Caribbean Series champions. "The proximity to home didn’t hurt either." Manager Terry Collins said he expects to use Burke as a long reliever — his new delivery is a more natural arm motion, allowing for extended use.

                        This looks like a quality addition, though you do have to wonder why Rick Peterson and the Baltimore Orioles didn’t resign him in the off-season. I guess this is Jeremy Heffner’s competition for ‘long man’.

Jeurys Familia, Johan Santana, Ruben Tejada  Jordany Valdespin, and Frank Francisco are the only projected 25-man members that are born in Latin America. . I read this today and couldn’t believe it. Boy, has the dugout changed since the Omar Minaya days. Now, you know some beat writer is going to turn this into an anti-Latin thing, right? Additions during the season could be Jenrry Mejia, Wilmer Flores, and Juan Lagares; however, as of right now, the language of choice in the dugout is English.

Christopher Soto-

****UPDATE**** 02/20/2013
After some deliberation on where pitchers will fall I am going to change Mack Mets #21 ranked prospect Hansel Robles anticipated assignment to (A) Savannah starting rotation. There is just too much good pitching in the lower level of the system right now.

The  Toronto Bluejays have the highest projected successful winter, according to WAR (+10.7)…  the Mets?  Ranked 24^th with a -3.9 projection.

Tuesday names to remember:

            Tulane senior RHP – Tyler Maples – 6.2-IP, 7-K, 92-94 FB, +SL

            Olympia HS (WA) RHP Michael Fairchild – 87-93

            LSU 2B JaCoby Jones – 1-2, 2-R, 1-RBI, 2-BB

            Arkansas RP Colby Suggs – 1.0-IP, 0-R, 0-H

            Vanderbilt 2B Tony Kemp – 5-5, 1-R, 1-RBI

            Miss. State RF Hunter Renfroe – 1-4

            Texas closer Corey Knebel – 2.0-IP, 1-H, 0-R, 3-K