4/21/16

HOW ARE THOSE ST LUCIE METS LOOKING? Tom Brennan



HOW ARE THOSE ST LUCIE METS LOOKING?  Tom Brennan

Yes, there’s a baseball world beyond the games played by the pros in Queens.  Four Mets’ farm teams are active right now…who’s on each roster and how does that roster look to my four eyes?

I wrote about the vaunted AAA Las Vegas 51’s and the irrepressible AA Binghamton Mets previously. 

Today’s missive?   The High A ball St. Lucie Mets, Lucille Ball’s favorite squad since Branch Rickey passed on.   (I Love Lucy, and by the way, did anyone ever see the Safe at Home movie with Mantle, Maris, and…yes…Fred Mertz?)

Back to baseball: No Binghamton snow in Florida, thankfully, so St Lucie is cruising along, about a dozen games in as you read this.

So what do I think we have on the St Lucie roster?  It’s good. Read on:


PITCHING: A decent but not awe-inspiring squad:

Name
Thw
STARTERS – SOLID, AND THERE ARE A FEW REAL PROSPECTS
R
Tall prospect who missed a lot of time in 2015.  Off to a good 2016 start.
R
Back in mid-2015 from TJ surgery, I suspect the 21 year old will have a big year.
R
Got a really late career start. Needs break out year to show he’s real.
R
Done well in lower minors, except a lot of hits allowed.  I suspect it gets tougher.
R
See Corey Oswalt – ditto.
R
Undrafted – nice first year starting for Savannah.  Potential future pen or # 5 guy.
BULLPEN IS VERY SOLID, IF NOT SPECTACULAR
L
Tons of Ks and 1.91 ERA in Savannah in 2015.  In system since 2010.  Prospect?
R
13th round in 2013.  6-11, 4.73 ERA in 2015.  Needs to improve to progress.
R
28th round in 2013.  Solid 2015 in 40 outings for St Lucie. (6-2, 2.45).  24 year old.
R
Solid 2015 at Savannah and Lucie.  3.00, 13 saves.  Great control. 20th round 2014.
R
Not drafted.  Decent 2015.  On DL to start 2016.
L
13th round in 2013.  Decent 2015 (3-1, 2.97).  2 great relief outings in 2016 St Lucie.
L
Solid 2015 (4-2, 2.14) for the 38th rounder in 2013.  Can he defy the odds? On DL.
R
Injury shortened 2015.  Off to a great start in 2016.  171 Ks in 146 career innings,
R
Fine pen debut in Brooklyn in 2015.  Is an encore in the offing?


CATCHERS: No future Mike Piazzas here:


Name
Bat
Thw
R
R
8TH Rd, 2012.  22 yr.  Decent in 2015 (high K’s, low BB). Hot 2016 start.
R
R
28 year old Cuban.  Signed in 2015. 100 total minor at bats.   We’ll see.


INFIELD: Like Vegas and Bingo, some fine prospects:


Name
Pos
Bat
Thw
3B
R
R
Lost in the deluge of quality middle infielders.  Still young.
SS
L
R
Future major league utility guy, possible starter.  S. Atlantic MVP in 2015.
2B
L
R
Older guy (27) – decent year in 2015.  On DL.
1B
R
R
Pretty good hitter.  Porous bat (a K every 3.3 plate appearances).
SS
R
R
Future major league starter/star?  Climbing fast.  Plays all of 2016 at age 20.
2B
L
R
Every team needs 2 Taylors.  Seems to be organizational filler.
3B
S
R
Bad 2015; prospect or bust/  We’ll see in 2016.


OUTFIELD: Decent Squad:


Name
Pos
Bat
Thw
RF
R
R
Best OFprospect in Mets’ higher minors, or Nimmo? We’ll see
CF
L
R
Already 25, fast, decent low power hitter.  Not sure how far he’ll climb
CF
L
L
Similar skills to Biondi, but 3 years younger.  Future 5th OF? Smallish.
CF
R
R
Very fast, both in terms of speed and in piling up Ks.  Make or break.



Looks like a team that will contend to lead its division. 


Next article: the A-ball Columbia Fireflies.

The short season teams will just have to wait until they start in June.

4 comments:

Tom Brennan said...

No normal morning report today, but Mack is soon to return.

Last night's game showed this is a game of millimeters, not inches. Cabrera's 1st inning 3 run homer ruled a double would have clearly gone out if it traveled one millimeter further. Tough loss.

Ernest Dove said...

Im going to tradition field tonight to watch the baby Mets! !!
I'll piggy back this great Tom post with one of my own tomorrow with as many cool pics and videos as I can manage ;)

Tom Brennan said...

Ernest, can't wait. You are our "boots on the ground" there!

Hobie said...

Thomas--

A "game of inches," I've always thought, refers to the landing point (inches away from glove or fence).

But at the launch, it's a game of microns & micro seconds in the time (during swing arc) and place (on the bat) of contact. A random process even when bat and ball trajectories intersect!