KIDDIE K KREW by Tom Brennan

KIDDIE K KREW by Tom Brennan

One of my favorite things about following Mets' Minors pitchers is seeing which dudes are blowing away the opposition.  Sending them back to the dugout with head hanging low, muttering and sputtering, while K cards are being hung up by Met fans in the stands.  

So, who are guys with 50 or more K's who are averaging more than a K per inning?  Thought you'd NEVER ask.

AAA:

Josh Smoker: high 90s heat, and improving control.  Smoker has fanned 78 in 55 IP this year, with a 3-2 mark for the season to go with a plunging ERA.

Paul Sewald: 5-3, 13 saves, 3.34 in hideous Vegas, with 71 K's in 56 IP.  Career, 16-8, 2.17, 298 K in 249 IP, 60 saves.  Darned nice resume.

AA:

Logan Taylor: not to be confused with homer-prone Logan Verrett, big righty Logan Taylor has rung up 90 swishes in 68 innings in relief, posting a 4-1 record.  Stee-rike THREE!

Tim Peterson: started out in A ball this year, then forged upwards to AA.  Tim, a righty built like Josh Edgin, has gone 4-0, 2.36, with 75 Ks in 53 IP.  That ERA would be so much better, too, except for a rough outing right after his promo.

Kevin McGowan: another (yawn) big righty reliever, McG has gone 5-0, 1.87 with 74 Ks in 72 IP.

Al Baldonado: yay! Another lefty. 58 punch outs in 50 IP, but seems luckless - 0-2 this year, and 0-7 last year despite a stellar ERA, about 2.50 spanning the 2 years.

High A:

Ben Griset: A nice 4-2, 1.81, season with 51 Ks in 49 IP.

A:

Craig Missigman: a surprising (to me) name on the list, with 62 Ks in 59 IP.

Tyler Bashlor: nice return from injuries: 3-1, 2.47 record and 62 Ks in 47 IP.  Hard thrower.

Nabil Crismat: recently promoted to join the Fireflies, he tossed a dominant 10 strikeout start the other day. 44 IP, 52 Ks, fine ERA - but he is a Met, so he is 0-2.  He is a member of the Baldonado Fan Club….winners who don't win.

Joe Shaw:  123 Ks in 126 IP is not more than 1 an inning, but it is darned close and the highest K total of any Mets minor leaguer this year, so I gladly mention Mr. Shaw here.

Brooklyn A Ball:

Tom Szapucki: a lefty sensation that I mention often, and when you've struck out 86 in 52 innings, why be dumb and not mention him is how I figure it.  Future ace.

Harol Gonzalez: Little Pedro is 5-1, 1.57, with 74 Ks in 63 innings.  Totally lights out lately.  Lethal, actually.

Joe Zanghi - 34 Ks in 22 IP for Brooklyn, and a nice sub 2-00 ERA also in 16 relief outings.

A few Kingsport guys doing OK in the K department too.

Traded strikeout machines include Dario Alvarez, Akeel Morris, the now-healed Jack Leathersich, and fireballing Brad Wieck.  Look them up at your leisure.