Binghamton Mets 2013 Game Notes

 

Binghamton Mets (31-23) at New Hampshire Fisher Cats (27-28) (Double-A Affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays)

RHP Logan Verrett (6-1, 3.07) vs. RHP Deck McGuire (2-5, 5.17)

Friday, May 31, 2013 • Game #56 • Away Game #28

Northeast Delta Dental Stadium • Manchester, NH • 7:05 PM

LAST GAME: Josh Rodriguez knocked an RBI single into left field to bring home the eventual game-winning run in the eighth inning as the B-Mets took the rubber match over the Altoona Curve, 6-4 Thursday afternoon. Binghamton fell behind 3-0 in the second inning, as they made three defensive errors leading to two unearned runs. After Binghamton scored two runs in the fifth, they tied the game with two more in the sixth. Rodriguez broke the tie with his RBI single in the eighth inning. Adam Kolarek threw two perfect innings of relief to pick of the win. Jeff Walters tossed a scoreless ninth to pick up his league-leading 13th save of the season.

 

BINGHAMTON STARTING PITCHER: RHP Logan Verrett makes his eleventh start of the season for the B-Mets, and his third against New Hampshire. He is 1-0 against the Fisher Cats, and has given up two earned runs in 12.0 innings on the mound. Verrett is tied for the league lead with six wins in 2013, and is second with 67.1 innings pitched. He has thrown at least 6.0 innings in nine of his ten starts, with eight quality starts. In his last start, the righty got a no-decision against Portland; he gave up two runs on three hits over seven innings in an eventual 3-2 win. Verrett has struck out 19 batters without walking any in his last two starts. Opponents are batting .214 against him.

NEW HAMPSHIRE STARTING PITCHER: RHP Deck McGuire makes his eleventh start of the season for the Fisher Cats, and his third against the B-Mets. In those two starts against Binghamton, he is 1-1. He won at NYSEG Stadium on 4/11 when he allowed one run on two hits over seven innings. He got lit up in his other start however on 4/21, allowing eight runs in 4.1 innings on the mound. McGuire hasa lost each of his past two starts, and has a 5.17 ERA this season with the Fisher Cats. Opponents are batting .278 against him, and he is 0-3 in four starts at home.

A WINNING HOMESTAND: The B-Mets went 5-2 during the most recent homestand. After falling in the first game, they won the final three games of the series against the Portland sea Dogs. Then they beat the Altoona Curve in two of three.

CECILIANI HITS IN SEVEN STRAIGHT: Darrell Ceciliani got at least one base hit during the seven-game homestand. That matches his longest hitting streak of the season. Sandwiched in-between of two seven-game hitting streaks is one 0-for-4 day on 5/23 @ NBR. Therefore he has hit safely in 14 of his last 15 games.

ERRORS IN BUNCHES: The B-Mets made three errors in Thursday’s win. They have the second fewest errors in the league this season (50), but they have made three or more errors in seven games.

A RARE TRIPLE: Josh Rodriguez’s RBI triple in the fifth inning on Thursday was the first triple by the B-Mets since 5/10 v HAR when Darrell Ceciliani hit a three-bagger. As a team, Binghamton ranks ninth in the league with 10 triples.

MUNO GLAD TO GET AWAY: Danny Muno struggled during the homestand, going 1-for-17 at the plate. The switch-hitting infielder is hitting .204 this season, but is having a hard time hitting at NYSEG Stadium. He is hitting .159 (13-for-82) at home.

RODRIGUEZ’S STREAK: Josh Rodriguez went 3-for-5 with two RBI in Thursday’s victory, extending his season-long hitting streak to 15 games. During the streak, he is hitting .458 (27-for-59). Seven of those games have been multiple-hit games, and Rodriguez has knocked in 16 runs during that stretch. The streak is the longest hitting streak by a B-Met since Matt Den Dekker hit safely in 17 consecutive games in May 2012.

NEXT GAME PREVIEW: The B-Mets continue their three-game series against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats Saturday night. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM as Binghamton will send RHP Rafael Montero to the mound.

Draft 13 – J.P. Crawford, Corey Ray, Denton Keys, Kevin Franklin, Colin Moran

J.P. Crawford, SS, - Arguably the best overall shortstop in the 2013 MLB draft, the 6’-2” left-hander has been showing off his great offensive upside as an on-base machine with a great approach at the plate and excellent bat speed. Over his last 12 games, he is hitting .571 with six extra-base hits, eight stolen bases and has drawn nine walks without a strikeout for a .667 OBP/.829 SLG. His strong arm, speed and instincts will allow him to remain at a premium position. Committed to USC. http://throughthefencebaseball.com/2013-mlb-draft-ten-high-school-players-on-the-rise/32935#ukjIhwu7UDCzZKTx.99

Dan Kirby ‏@DanMKirby  - Over his last 11 games, Corey Ray has gone 16-for-33 (.485) w/ 4 2B, 4 3B, 2 HR, 14 RBI, 12 SB, 12 BB, .630 OBP/1.030 SLG.

Denton Keys, LHP, Rye HS (CO) - The ridiculous season of Denton Keys continued on Saturday as the 6’-3” southpaw struck out 12 more over five innings in an 11-1 win over Yuma HS. He did give up an earned run — his first of the year — and now has a 0.21 ERA, 0.44 WHIP and 109 K/9 BB over 43 innings for a 22.8 K/9 ratio. His team has outscored its opponents 237-22 over 19 games, so, apparently, everyone who can play baseball in Colorado plays for Rye high school. Nevertheless, the kid has talent, including a fastball in the 89-92 mph range. http://throughthefencebaseball.com/2013-mlb-draft-9/33241#WdxR2YIG1GzGdJCZ.99

Kevin Franklin, Gahr (Cerritos, Calif.) - A third baseman in high school, Franklin would eventually move to the outfield, according to some scouting reports. He has enough power to land somewhere in the top 10 rounds. He batted .462 with 33 RBI, 10 doubles and eight home runs for Gahr this year. http://www.maxpreps.com/news/z2-sul7VukOjgmdQ7ZXW0g/mlb-draft--top-10-corner-infielders.htm

Collin Moran, the 2011 ACC Freshman of the Year, is the seventh UNC student-athlete to be named ACC Player of the Year. The Rye, N.Y., native leads in the nation in RBIs with 83 and ranks third among ACC batters with a .376 average.  Moran boasts a .504 on-base percentage and is a major reason UNC owns a 47-8 overall record and claimed the top seed for this week’s ACC Baseball Championship at Durham (N.C.) Bulls Athletic Park. http://www.theacc.com/sports/m-basebl/spec-rel/052013aaa.html

FLASH - P - Jenrry Mejia

Mike Puma‏@NYPost_Mets9m

Mets were hoping Jeurys Familia would be ready by this weekend, but he had recent setback in his rehab.

Draft 13 – Wesley Jones, Cody Thomas, Nick Longhi, Kent Emanuel, Mark Appel

Wesley Jones, SS, Redan HS (GA) - A very good all-around athlete, the 6’-2” right-hander has a strong enough arm (89 mph) and speed (6.90/60) to remain at shortstop. He makes consistent contact and has a very good approach at the plate with developing power. Over his last 10 games, he is hitting .483 with three doubles, two home runs, 18 RBI and has stolen nine bases. He has drawn five walks to just one strikeout for a .615 OBP/.793 SLG. Committed to Georgia. LINK

Cody Thomas, OF, Heritage HS (TX) - The 6’-5”, 220-pound left-handed hitter is most likely going to Oklahoma where he should be the next great Sooner quarterback. However, if a team can woo him away from school with a big enough bonus, they might have a ridiculous talent on their hands. Enormous power and a very good approach at the plate, Thomas is also a very good athlete with surprising speed for his size. He has been absolutely destroying the baseball this season, hitting .487 over 39 games with 16 doubles, three triples, 15 home runs, 54 RBI and has stolen 15 bases. He has also drawn 27 walks for a .592 OBP/1.060 SLG. LINK

Nick Longhi, Venice (Venice, Fla.) - Longhi has helped Venice rank among the top teams in the country this year. Versatile enough to also pitch and play in the outfield, Longhi is a strong defender at first base and possesses a strong arm. Also reportedly has enough power to hit to each field. Will likely go somewhere in the first 10 rounds. LINK

Tar Heel junior Kent Emanuel received ACC Pitcher of the Year honors.  Emanuel, who recently joined Moran in being named a semifinalist for the 2013 Dick Howser Award, owns a 9-3 record and a 2.28 ERA. Emanuel’s 102.2 innings pitched leads all ACC pitchers, and he is currently tied for the league lead in wins. The Woodstock, Ga., native owns a three-year record of 26-8 as a collegiate pitcher. Emanuel is the third UNC student-athlete to earn ACC Pitcher of the Year honors since the award was established in 2005. LINK

Mark Appel, P, Stanford 0% - Hear me out here. I DO think he will sign. The question is when and how. There is a question about how much leverage Appel has. I'd be scared to take him because he has too much leverage. Whatever team takes him will rely on him for their entire draft. He has no deadline to sign while everyone else that they take will, other than college seniors. That means you can't go over slot with any other picks, because you don't know where your budget is. LINK

Mets Draft Target - OF - Tony Kemp

Kemp is another interesting option for  either the Mets third or foueth pick.

He's a leadoff-type outfielder/second baseman for Vanderbilt and has had a wonderful junio season. Stats going into the NCAA playoff were: .408/.490/.523, 27-SB

Player:  Tony Kemp
Position:  OF/2B
School:  Vanderbilt
Date of Birth:  10/31/1991
Height/Weight:  5’6/160
Bats/Throws:  L/R
2013 Class:  Junior
Previously Drafted:  Not Drafted

Scouting Report:

The 2011 SEC Freshman of the Year has great speed that plays well on the field.  He made the move from the outfield to 2nd base during the 2012 season.

• Leadoff type with good speed
• Patient approach
• Projects gap power, at best
• Excellent range, good routes in the outfield
• Showed good range at 2nd base

 http://bigleaguefutures.net/1/2012/06/11/2013-mlb-draft-profile-tony-kemp/ 

Mack - This is a favorite of mine for the 3rd or 4th pick, if Biggio is no longer around. The Mets need a long range second baseman and Kemp offers that Michael Bourn like leadoff potential.

Mets Prospect Stock Market: #21 - #25

Before the season even began, 2013 was always going to be able the development of our top prospects in the minors and setting up for future seasons. With that in mind lets take a look at our Mack's Mets Pre-Season Top 25 Rankings and see how our guys are doing.

(States as of 5/30/2013)

#25- C Kevin Plawecki

Savannah (A)
.339 AVG, .418 OBP, .557 SLG, 6 HR, 3 RBI, 0 SB, 18 BB, 23 K, 1 Errors, 30% RTO

Stock- WAY UP!!!

Plawecki is making Sandy Alderson look really good for selecting him in the 1st round in last season's draft. He's absolutely mashing South Atlantic League pitching and leads the league in batting average and doubles. He still needs to improve on his ability to throw out runners but beyond that he's ready for the next level. The only thing holding him back is the fact that literally ALL of the Mets catchers in the organization are playing extremely well.

#24- RHP Cory Mazzoni 

Binghamton (AA)
5 Starts, 2-1 Record, 4.68 ERA, 1.520 WHIP, 11.2 H/9, 2.5 BB/9, 7.2 K/9

Stock- Holding for Now.

Mazzoni has been dealing with some elbow inflammation early on this season and had been in limbo for some time. He's resumed throwing and has looked "ok" so far so we'll hold judgement till the All-Star Break.

#23- OF Cesar Puello

Binghamton (AA)
.295 AVG, .379 OBP, .506 SLG, 7 HR, 29 RBI, 12 SB, 12 BB, 37 K, 4 Errors, 3 Assist

Stock- Trending Back Up

The former Baseball America Top 100 prospect is showing some life in Binghamton especially over the past 2 weeks reviving hopes of him developing into a MLB caliber player. There are still some holes in his game especially with is K rate still over 20% but if he can keep this production up in Binghamton he'll be in line for a promotion to Vegas by the All-Star break which will put him in line to get called up in September and fight for a roster spot next April.

#22- RHP Logan Verrett

Binghamton (AA)
10 starts, 6-1 Record, 3.07 ERA, 0.980 WHIP, 7.0 H/9, 1.9 BB/9, 7.2 K/9

Stock- Up (TRADE BAIT ALERT)

Logan Verrett has looked very strong after getting an assignment to Binghamton after only 6 starts in St. Lucie in 2012. While is K rates are down and his BB rates are up from last year, he is limiting hits better and going deep into games averaging over 6 2/3 IP per start. He's been flying under the radar with Rafael Montero getting the attention and probably will continue to as Noah Syndergaard looks to jump up to Bingo soon too, but if he continues showing positive results expect his name to get thrown out there around the trade deadline if the team decides to upgrade the OF position via trade.

#21- RHP Hansel Robles

Port St. Lucie (A+)
7 starts, 3-2 Record, 3.38 ERA, 1.154 WHIP, 7.0 H/9, 3.4 BB/9, 8.3 K/9

Stock- Holding

Hansel, who's on the 40 man roster, was probably expected to dominate the FSL but so far he's been good....just not THAT good. The BB and H/9 rates are up from last year and he's given up more HRs in his 7 starts (4) than his entire minor league career (3). Again, the numbers are pretty good but they aren't justifying the Mets decision to protect him on the 40 man roster. Plus to make matters worse he just landed himself on the 7 day DL. He'll need to kick it up a notch when he gets back.

Draft 13 – Jon Denney, Kendall Graveman, Jonathan Crawford, Nick Banks

Jon Denney, Yukon HS (OK) - Denney has the most skilled bat of the catching crop, as he possesses great bat speed and fluid plate mechanics. He has strong wrists, which allows him to control the bat and drive the ball with raw power. In terms of defense, Denney still needs plenty of development. While he has a solid arm, he needs improvement in terms of maneuverability behind the plate and pitch adjustment. Given the event that he improves his defensive ability (or moves to first base), Denney should project to be a solid big league star with his strong offensive tools LINK

 RHP Kendall Graveman – Mississippi State - It’s been an up and down year for Kendall Graveman on the mound, as he’s posted a 5-5 record and 3.04 ERA. Mississippi State head coach John Cohen is leaning on Graveman to get his club a win in Friday’s opening game against Central Arkansas, but Graveman lost in an earlier matchup with the Bears, giving up four runs (three earned) on five hits in 5.2 innings of work. LINK

But for all the talk about possibilities, the best shot for the Gators to play deep into the postseason starts with Jonathan Crawford as the tone-setter. When Crawford is throwing strikes with his mid-90s fastball and keeping hitters guessing with off-speed stuff, he is awfully tough to hit. A good sign for the Gators is that Crawford is coming off one of his sharpest outings on May 16 at Georgia. LINK

Dan Kirby‏ @DanMKirby – Nick Banks does more than just hit. Pitched 6 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 9 K/1 BB  in 10-0 W over Foster . Also went 2-for-4 w/ RBI

The LTJ Editorial: “Mets/Yankees Brings More Hype Than History”

“The LTJ Editorial”
Author: Luis Tirado Jr.
Date: 5-31-13
Twitter: @LTJ81
Website: http://www.thenyexpress.com 

“Mets/Yankees brings more hype than history”

It all started in the 1920’s. Way back in the day where the only way to get to any kind of professional baseball game played in New York was to take the good old fashioned subway train. You’d go with your pals from work, your children, or your closest friends from the neighborhood. It was mainly for bragging rights, basically who claimed the term to be New York’s better baseball team. Many will argue New York is largely dominated by Yankees fans, others will say they are mostly bandwagon fans who couldn’t tell you anything about their team, let alone know any real heartache when it comes to following the Bronx Bombers for years. Some though, will say, it’s nice when the Mets beat the Yankees. To show that sometimes all the money in the world doesn’t always bring you victories.

These two teams have met exactly 99 times, the Yankees clearly dominating the Mets 54-40 when it comes to wins. However, that wasn’t the case in 2013. Could you believe it? The very same Mets who couldn’t hit, made too many defensive errors, had a horrible bullpen going into this series and they actually beat the first place Yankees in a four-game sweep! It wasn’t pure luck either, we outplayed the Yankees and we even made history against Mariano Rivera in his last ever appearance at Citi Field. It was the first time he blew a save and didn’t record a single out. Talk about icing on the blue and orange cake.

For a very long time though, lots of people always talk a whole bunch of nonsense to me about my allegiance to the Mets. It’s the same old comments I’ve been hearing for years. Things like “The Mets suck, we have more Championship rings than you’ll ever dream of” or “The big brother team gave the little brother team a sweep because we wanted to throw you guys a bone”, or one of my personal favs, “The Yankees will be playing baseball in October while David Wright will be playing golf!”. You know what my retaliation is when I hear all this nonsense?

You can truly tell a whole lot about a baseball fan, someone who really loves his team and the beloved sport of baseball, when they say these kind of ignorant remarks. Whenever these “Yankee Fans” throw this in your face, ask them to name you their entire starting rotation. If they have that face you make when you drink expired milk, they have absolutely no idea what they are talking about. These are the same people who probably don’t know SS Derek Jeter hasn’t played a single game this Season. These are also probably the same people who are bandwagon fans who just root for them when they win and when they lose, will send them straight to hell and wish they never existed.

This whole Mets/Yankees rivalry I think is blown way out of proportion. Yeah, it’s cute publicity for the city that never sleeps, but to say such hateful things for teams that usually play each other six times a year (This year just four due to interleague games) is pretty lame. All I care about is that not only did we win four games straight in a series, it’s nice to sweep a team in a series, regardless who it is. Well, in a way. If it was against the hated Phillies, Marlins, Braves, or Nationals I would have loved it so much more. But against the Yankees? Just another team in my book, no different than if we swept the Boston Red Sox or the Detroit Tigers. I just think Yankee fans love to talk tons of smack to Mets fans for no reason really. I’m glad you guys won so many Championship rings but honestly, worry about the teams in your division, not about the Mets. We’re the least of your worries in the grand scheme of things. I hope most of my readers use my “Starting Rotation” trick to see who really are Yankee Fans and who are the bandwagon ones. One great thing is, real baseball fans that are also Yankee Fans know the respect they should give to the Mets. Find them, they do exist. And 90% of the time, they are older. Heck, they’ll probably share some great memories about the Subway Series. Regardless of your allegiance, we are New Yorkers at heart, whether you root for one team or the other, aren’t you glad you’re a Metrocard swipe away from your Stadium Home?

Jonathan Mayo - Mock v2.0

1. Astros: Jonathan Gray, RHP, Oklahoma
The Astros are down to five candidates: two college pitchers (Gray and Mark Appel), two college hitters (Kris Bryant and Colin Moran) and one high schooler (Clint Frazier or Austin Meadows). There are whispers regarding Bryant and Moran, but Gray is still the pick.

2. Cubs: Mark Appel, RHP, Stanford
With no change at No. 1, there's no reason to change No. 2.

3. Rockies: Kris Bryant, 3B, San Diego
Same as above. If Bryant goes No. 1, then the Rockies could look at one of the big arms.

4. Twins: Kohl Stewart, RHP, St. Pius X HS (Texas)
The Twins have liked Stewart's power right arm all along and will have a comfort level that they can sign him away from Texas A&M football before he commits. Last mock Draft: 6 (Marlins)

5. Indians: Colin Moran, 3B, North Carolina
One of the big two college pitchers would be of interest to the Indians and they could look at Stewart or Trey Ball if they wanted to go the high school pitching route.

6. Marlins: Braden Shipley, RHP, Nevada
There's still interest in Stewart and Ball, as well as the two Georgia high schoolers, but Shipley has cemented himself as the third-best college pitcher in the Draft. Last mock Draft: 8 (Royals)

7. Red Sox: Clint Frazier, OF, Loganville HS (Ga.)
There's no reason to divert from the previous pick. Frazier worked out with the Red Sox recently as well.

8. Royals: Trey Ball, LHP/OF, New Castle HS (Ind.)
All signs point to the Royals looking at pitching and with Shipley gone, they could go the high school route. Last mock Draft: 10 (Blue Jays)

9. Pirates: Reese McGuire, C, Kentwood HS (Wash.)
There's been more talk of bats than arms regarding the Pirates and McGuire gives them a good left-handed one behind the plate. Last mock Draft: 11 (Mets)

10. Blue Jays: Austin Meadows, OF, Grayson HS (Ga.)
Toronto has interest in Ball and McGuire, but if they're gone, the Blue Jays could go after this high-ceiling, multi-tool outfielder. Last mock Draft: 9 (Pirates)

11. Mets: Ryne Stanek, RHP, Arkansas
The Mets would be happy if Shipley or McGuire were available, but if they're gone, the next best college pitcher, Stanek, could be theirs. Also in play is wild card Sean Manaea or a college power hitter like Aaron Judge. Last mock Draft: 12 (Mariners)

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130530&content_id=48991342&tcid=tw_article_48991342 

MLB Prospect - Top 400 Prospects in Draft

2013 Draft Board	Name	POS	Level	LG	State	College
1	Kris Bryant	1B	JR	College	California	San Diego
2	Clint Frazier	OF	HS	HS	Georgia
3	Jonathan Gray	P	JR	College	Oklahoma	Oklahoma
4	Mark Appel	P	SR	College	California	Stanford
5	Colin Moran	3B	JR	College	North Carolina	North Carolina
6	Kohl Stewart	P	HS	HS	Texas
7	Dominic Smith	1B	HS	HS	California
8	Braden Shipley	P	JR	College	Nevada	Nevada
9	Jonathan Denney	C	HS	HS	Oklahoma
10	Nick Ciuffo	C	HS	HS	South Carolina
11	Austin Wilson	OF	JR	College	California	Stanford
12	Ryne Stanek	P	JR	College	Arkansas	Arkansas
13	Reese McGuire	C	HS	HS	Washington
14	Austin Meadows	OF	HS	HS	Georgia
15	Robert Kaminsky	P	HS	HS	New Jersey
16	Sean Manaea	P	JR	College	Indiana	Indiana State
17	Trey Ball	P	HS	HS	Indiana
18	Ian Clarkin	P	HS	HS	California
19	John Paul Crawford	SS	HS	HS	California
20	Hunter Renfroe	OF	JR	College	Mississippi	Mississippi State
21	Billy McKinney	OF	HS	HS	Texas
22	Chris Okey	C	HS	HS	Florida
23	Riley Unroe	SS	HS	HS	Arizona
24	Bobby Wahl	P	JR	College	Mississippi	Mississippi
25	Chris Anderson	P	JR	College	Florida	Jacksonville
26	Jan Hernandez	3B	HS	HS	Puerto Rico
27	Ryan Boldt	OF	HS	HS	Minnesota
28	Mason Smith	OF	HS	HS	Idaho
29	Justin Williams	OF	HS	HS	Louisiana
30	Jonathon Crawford	P	JR	College	Florida	Florida
31	Brett Morales	P	HS	HS	Florida
32	Ryan McMahon	3B	HS	HS	California
33	Zack Collins	1B	HS	HS	Florida
34	Hunter Harvey	P	HS	HS	North Carolina
35	Devin Williams	P	HS	HS	Missouri
36	Aaron Judge	OF	JR	College	California	Fresno State
37	Kyle Serrano	P	HS	HS	Tennessee
38	Josh Hart	OF	HS	HS	Georgia
39	Jake Brentz	P	HS	HS	Missouri
40	Dustin Driver	P	HS	HS	Washington
41	Joe Martarano	3B	HS	HS	Idaho
42	Drew Ward	3B	HS	HS	Oklahoma
43	Cord Sandberg	OF	HS	HS	Florida
44	D.J. Peterson	3B	JR	College	New Mexico	New Mexico
45	Philip Ervin	OF	JR	College	Alabama	Samford
46	Phil Bickford	P	HS	HS	California
47	Tim Anderson	SS	J1	College	Mississippi	East Central
48	Tyler O'Neil	C	HS	HS	Canada

http://www.mlbprospectguide.com/p/2013-draft-prospects.html