Morning Report – June 21st – Randy Fontanez, Daniel Bard, Travis d’Arnaud, K-Port Prospects, Tyler Pill

                                                                                             

Coming Later Today –                                          

                   

        9 00 am – Herb G – Minor League Report   

       10 00 am - Reese Kaplan - Praise for Terry Collins in a Losing Effort

         3 00 pm – 2015 Draft Profile - SS  -  Brendan Rodgers  -  Lake Mary (FL) HS

         

Morning.

John Harper ‏@NYDNHarper  -  Was talking to Mets exec today about Wheeler: "The inconsistency hasn't changed our opinion. When the command comes, he'll be a monster.''

A reminder… my choice for the Mets first pick is 2013 was OF Austin Wilson… current stats:  A-ball, .300, 10-HR, 49-RBI… .906 OPS

My pick in the 2012 draft was OF Courtney Hawkins… current stats: A+ - .250, 11-HR, 47-RBI, 800-OBP

Randy Fontanez was one of the St. Lucie all-stars that was promoted to Binghamton this week.

Fontanez was a 27^th round pick in the 2011 draft, out of South Florida, where he was a four year starter.

The Mets did start him off as a starter with Brooklyn (2011: 12-G, 7-starts, 1-2, 2.82), but he quickly became blocked by all the SP talent in the system.

Fontanez has quietly put up some very decent relief numbers the past two years. In 2013, for St. Lucie, he went 45-appearances, 3.41, 1.19, 60.2-IP, 83-K… and this year, for the same team, has gone 24-appearances, 2.56, 1.04, 31.2-IP, 33-K.

He’s a control pitcher with an 88-91 fastball, backed up by a + curve and slider. Downside is his 6-1 frame.

What in the hell happened to relief specialist Daniel Bard?

He was close to unhittable from 2009-2011 (2.88-ERA, 9.7 K/9), but has fell on the hardest of hard time since. This year, for the Red Sox AAA-Round Roc team, he gave up 13-ER in 0.2-IP, 1-K, 9-BB, 175.50-ERA.

Control has become his problem and, frankly, it mostly started when he was moved into the rotation by the Red Sox.

He’s still only 28.

Bill Bernstein -

As you know, I was at the game the other night with Coach Dave,  and we were both disappointed in Travis d’Arnaud's defense.  He threw a ball ten feet over the second baseman's head on a steal,  then had a passed ball with men on second and third that cost a run. Not good, but it's just one game.

Question for you---which will come first? Mets win a World Series or Reese goes more than two days without telling us that Terry hates kids and won't give them a chance?

        My money's on the former ;)

                Mack – It sounds like a non-Travis game

Wow. ‘Mets win a World Series’. There’s something I haven’t heard in a long time.

No, Reese isn’t going to quit (nor should he) until TC is history. Sandy Alderson can tell the press whatever he wants, but the bottom line is Collins knows that the only way he will survive this situation is if he turns THIS season around, not future seasons.

Alderson will most probably be gone next year. What happens to Collins then?

Let’s get back to d’Arnaud… he’s a very talented catcher that needed to clear his head. Las Vegas hitting Coach George Greer reset his stance and you’ve seen the results of it. I really don’t think he will be a problem, especially defensively.

You need to keep an eye on a few of the Kingsport players that could quickly move up the chain:

SP Andrew Church – Church was a surprise 2^nd round pick in 2013… pitched 9-games, 6-starts for the GCL team last year: 3-3, 5.91… 6-2 righty that will pitch this year as a 19-year old.

SS Luis Guillorme – another in what seems like an endless list of lower level shortstops… defensive genius… hit .258 for GCL… will play 2014 as a 19-year old.

OF Wuilmer Becerra – was the throw-in in the R.A. Dickey deal… he’s spent two seasons playing GCL ball, the last one for the Mets (2013: 173-AB, .243). He will play 2014 as a 19-year old.

CF Ivan Wilson – Wilson was the Mets 3^rd round pick last year. He finished the year with 160 at bats (.219) for the GCL Mets. Wilson will play 2014 as a 19-year old. Hit a home run in first game Thursday night.

Richard Jones asked -

        Listening to the B-Mets. Who is Tyler Pill? He hit a home run and a single against Crick. One of the best pitching prospects in baseball. He just hit a base loaded double. By the way he is pitching a 3 hit shut out through 6. He is also hitting .444 for the season. I think it is just 4 for 9. Does anyone have any info on him? Did he play another position in college?

                Mack – Lol.

        I’m sure Pill played a field position in high school but he was 100% a starting pitcher in college (2009-2011) at Cal State Fullerton.

        Pill was an excellent 4^th round pick in the 2011 draft. Frankly, I had him as a 2^nd round pick that season and was thrilled when he fell this far. The Mets signed him for a $213,000 bonus, was assigned to the GCL Mets for two outings and finished up the season with Brooklyn (7-G, 1-ST, 1-0, 3.86).

        Pill continued to impress in 2012. He went back to starting first with Savannah (9-starts, 3-4, 2.61, 51.2-IP, 54-K) and then St. Lucie (11-G, 10-starts, 6-1, 2.05, 1.09). Pill was on the fast track and looked like a future member of the Mets rotation.

        Then, after four starts for Binghamton in 2013 (7.58), there was obviously something wrong. He was shut down with ‘Bennett Lesion’ which is described as “Bennet Lesion is a buildup or mineralization in a ligament located in the back of the shoulder capsule.” His season was shot and, to a great degree, he had to start all over.

        This year hasn’t come easy. He went into Thursday’s game with a 4.65 ERA this season for Binghamton; however, he does have the talent to bounce back and make it to the majors someday.