HAPPY RECAP VOL 5 OF 7 - 2014 NY PENN LEAGUE BROOKLYN CYCLONES

HAPPY RECAP – VOL. 5 of 7 - NY PENN LEAGUE BROOKLYN CYLCONES 2014

Having dazzlingly recapped (dazzling at least in my own mind!) the monumental seasons of the 4 full season Mets Minor squads (Vegas, Binghamton, St Lucie, and Savannah), I hope I don’t lose my touch with recapping the 3 short season teams, starting with YOUR…BROOKLYN…CYCLONES (yeah!!!!)

Well, if not dazzling, I hope I at least held your attention ever so briefly and will attempt to do so again here!

Brooklyn had some awesome starting pitching, terrific relief pitching, so-so hitting, and little power.  There, I’m done!

Kidding aside, it was a very near-miss for this Cyclone, as their down-to-the-wire opponent, the Connecticut Tigers, pulled out a playoff spot in a dramatic come from behind final game of the season.  The people of Connecticut thanked the One Above that the mighty Cyclone had barely missed their shores.

This allowed the Mets to promote first rounder Michael Conforto (.331/.403/.451), Jhoan Urena (.300/.356/.431), and young Amed Rosario (.289/.337/.380) (all pictured above) for the Savannah playoffs, but to no avail, as the Gnats went down in round 1.

Another annoying near-miss, frankly, as in the case of St Lucie, which was 14 games over .500 and did not get into Playoff Land.  Brooklyn finished 8 games over and sported a .553 win %.  That should get you in the playoffs…period.  Fix it or fuggedabotit!  Know what I’m sayin’?

Offensively, most of the heavy lifting came from premier prospects mentioned above: Michael Conforto, Amed Rosario, and Jhoan Urena (the latter 2 combined for 37 errors, so defense needs tightening). 

Michael Bernal (.240/.307/.373) was a solid contributor but struck out too much (95X in 71 contests), so we'll see how he does in 2015.  Michael Katz (.275/.323/.346) started well, but a season-ending injury early on finished him off for 2014 after 42 games, the same # as Conforto got into.  John Mora did well (.292/.327/.348 in 24 games) after his mid-season promo from the GCL Mets, where he put up even better #’s.

Otherwise, the offense sputtered.  Team-wise, the Cyclones offensively came in at the middle or slightly below middle of the teams in every key category but homers, where they sadly were 2^nd to last with just 22 dingers (league leading team had 55).  Partly the tough park conditions, I’m sure, but a continuing negative in the bottom 5 of the Mets’ 7 minor league squads (St Lucie down to GCL, except for Kingsport) is: substandard power.  Hopefully, 2015’s draft changes course in that regard.

So let’s get back to those great pitchers, shall we?

Brooklyn as a whole was first in several categories: ERA (2.74), shutouts (10), strikeouts (666 in 671 innings), and least hits allowed (566).  And the ‘Clones were almost 1st in WHIP (close counts in horseshoes and WHIP, I’ve been told).  League’s best pitching, hands down.  Shades of the 2012 Brooklyn juggernaut staff.

Marcos (the Magnificent) Molina led the league in ERA, WHIP and Ks (7-3, 1.77, 10.8K/9, 0.84 WHIP).  He may be the next pitching stud after Matz crashes the Queens scene. 

Corey Oswalt (6-2, 2.26) was close behind him.  Casey Meisner (5-3, 3.75, 67 Ks in 62 innings) finished strong as a starter for the squad.  Combined, they were 18-8 with 217 Ks in 206 innings.  Scary.

Snorting in the pen were a bunch of true bulls.  Dandy closing by Shane Bay (1.59, 15 saves), and 5 other guys (Brad Wieck, Kelly Secrest, Mike Hepple, Cameron Griffin, and Josh Prevost) in 110 combined innings and gave up just 20 earned runs (1.63) and struck out 116 hapless and helpless dudes.  Whew!  Excellent “penmanship” from those 6 fellas!

I do not know about you, but man, I am looking FORWARD to seeing what the highlighted names above do in 2015.  I am expecting VERY GOOD things from them.

So concludes, dear readers, volume 5 of 7 of my HAPPY RECAPS of Mets’ minor league teams.  Recaps on the slugging K Mets and the guppies from the Gulf Coast League will follow in the days to come, so keep a lookout for those.  Ciao!!