7/2/15

Tom Brennan – WHO’S HOT, WHO’S NOT – METS MINORS


 
Tom Brennan – WHO’S HOT, WHO’S NOT – METS MINORS 

Instead of looking at who's hot, who's not by player, as I have in past weeks, I thought I'd briefly recap how the full season teams have progressed and then add a few hot/not thoughts about some players. 

The 4 full season teams were slightly past the halfway point through Monday. So how were the teams doing overall? 

LAS VEGAS - AAA: 

Record: 43-32, behind Oklahoma City at 49-26.

RANKINGS (out of 16 teams):

Offense: .285 (#2); 435 runs (#1)

Pitching: 4.18 ERA (#9); 525 Ks (#11) 

Combine a better than average hitting squad with a favorable hitting environment, and it is no surprise that the offensive output is tops. Pitchers Steve Matz, Noah Syndergaard, and Duane Below (all now elsewhere) helped ameliorate the team ERA (Note: Dillon Gee is NOT helping the team’s ERA one iota).
 

BINGHAMTON - AA: 

Record: 38-36, behind the Bowie Baysox at 42-31.

RANKINGS (out of 12 teams):

Offense: .254 (#8); 300 runs (#8)

Pitching: 4.09 ERA. (9th); 504 Ks (#7) 

Binghamton has played slightly better than perhaps their raw stats would project. With Michael Conforto and Brandon Nimmo both playing, it is likely that the team's record will improve soon.  Michael Fulmer (as Mack Mets uber-writer Stephen Guilbert noted on Tuesday) has been terrific his last 4 starts. Paul Sewald has been superb out of the pen, which has been shaky otherwise overall.
 

ST LUCIE - FLORIDA STATE LEAGUE - A: 

Record 37-37 (4th in south conference), behind Charlotte 46-28

RANKINGS (out of 12 teams):

Offense: .262 (#3), 317 runs (#1)

Pitching: 3.28 ERA (#6); 538 Ks (#6) 

Based on the stats, the team's record should be better.  Perhaps it is the youthfulness of this team.  Aiding the strong offense has been Jeff McNeil, leading the league in hitting (.337) by a wide margin, Dominic Smith cooking at #5 (.305), and about 40 games of pre-promotion bopping by Michael Conforto.  Amed Rosario has been solid and steady at the age of 19.  Akeel Morris was great in the pen pre-promotion, and Robert Gsellman and John Gant terrific in their stints here in Lucie Land.

 
SAVANNAH - S. ATLANTIC LEAGUE (A) 

RECORD: 39-33 (#1 southern division) behind Hickory 45-27 

RANKINGS (out of 14 teams):

Offense: .256 (#5); 305 runs (#10)

Pitching: 3.34 ERA (#2); 622 Ks (#2) 

After a horrid 7-16 start, the Gnats have gone 32-17, a fine turnaround.

Hitters doing well included Luis Guillorme, Jonathan Johnson, and Wuilmer Becerra.  Pitching excellence led by Casey Meisner in the rotation and delightful David Roseboom out of the pen. 

Overall, these teams have not performed to  the level of 2014, when the Mets' top 4 farm squads had the best-in-baseball aggregate wins and losses, but nonetheless at a combined 21 games over .500 they have collectively done well. 

That’s it for this week on “Hot/Not”.
Hope you’re having a Hot Week yourselves, folks.  If you get the chance, take the extra base.  If you’re in a department store, remember to pay for it.

8 comments:

Mack Ade said...

Mets signed 16-year-old Dominican shortstop Gregory Guerrero, the No. 6 international prospect today (reported for a $1.8mil signing bonus)

Christopher Soto said...

Andres Gimenez is also officially signed. #2 international prospect.

$1.2M

Per Jon Heyman, Guerrero's figure is a little less.

$1.5M

THis puts the Mets OVER budget by about ~$200k or 8%.

Based on this info, AT THIS CURRENT POINT IN TIME, the Mets are currently liable for a $150k tax and will not be able to sign an international free agent next year for more than $500k.

That said, the Mets can acquire up to $1.25M of IFA pool money via trade to cover this overage. They must do so before June 15th, 2016

Tom Brennan said...

Good long-term signing news on t

Tom Brennan said...

That's good long-term signing news on the international front. Now, we need short term action of the major league kind..

Anonymous said...

Question:

Given the IFA Pool Money system, is it correct to assume that all MLB teams use that modest sum (call it $2.5 million) to sign various IFAs this year?

In other words, was every team given this play money to use-or-lose this year?

That is, are the Mets doing anything different here than everybody else?

How did the Yankees sign, reportedly, 10 out of the top 30 IFAs last year?

Color me confused.

James Preller

Tom Brennan said...

Chris, this seems to be your specialty - want to take a crack at this interesting question from James? BTW, Delmon Young is being DFA'd. On the Mets, he'd have the highest OF average.

Tom Brennan said...

Ivan Wilson's 2015 GCL debut was a problematic continuation of 2014: 4 Ks in 4 at bats. Meanwhile, Ali Sanchez is 13 for 25.

Christopher Soto said...

@James

To answer your question....just like the standard draft each team gets a signing pool based on where they finished in the standings last year.

The Mets are not doing anything different from other teams....in fact it was the Yankees who did something different.

Teams are allowed to go past their signing pools but if they do, they face stiff penalties.

<5% over = a 100% tax on the overage.
5-10% over = the tax plus banned from signing someone for over $500k next season.
10-15% over = the tax plus ban for signings over $300k for next season.
>15% over = the tax + ban for signings over $300k for the next 2 seasons.

The Yankees AND Red Sox were aware of these rules and decided to completely demolish their budgets in order to dominate the international market last year. Now neither team can play in the market this year or next.

This is the same strategy that the Dodgers are employing this season.