Tom Brennan: GUPPIES GOING GREAT GUNS
Some GUPPIES are out-performing the other GUPPIES as they struggle to swim upstream from the brackish waters of the Mets Minors to the marshes of Flushing Bay, where the Big Mets frolic and play. Which 12 hitters and 12 pitchers seem to be swimming upstream the hardest?
HITTERS - SOME VERY BRIGHT LIGHTS IN THE 12.
Amongst many struggling hitters, here are 12 up-and-comers amongst the 4 teams (stats through Wednesday):
AMED ROSARIO (AAA SS) - the super prospect is playing super well. Who doesn't like a .400 hitter (.402 in 26 games, to be precise)? With a glove?
DOMINIC SMITH (AAA 1B) - putting together an early season fitting of a former 1st rounder (.327/.379/.486). Keep it up.
TRAVIS TAIJERON (AAA OF) - extra base hit machine has 13 in 26 games and a .300 average. A strikeout per game represents improvement. Every year a little better.
LUIS GUILLORME (AA IF) - he has followed up the spring training where he opened eyes to .300+ hitting (.321, .3394 OBP) and great glove work. Mostly a singles hitter.
KEVIN TAYLOR (AA IF) - .304, with a .400 OBP in 17 games. Older guy who can't let his foot off the pedal.
CHAMP STUART (AA OF) - the Human Blur has gotten on base 18 times in his last 10 games. Might he finally be figuring it all out? 11 of 12 in steals, 112 for 128 in his career. Finish figuring it out, Champ, the Mets need another Ricky Henderson.
WUILMER BECERRA (High A OF) - really hasn't earned his way on this list, at .265 with not much power and a weak 32 Ks in 25 games, but he is just 22 and so for now, I'll add him.
JHOAN URENA (High A IF) - while still error-prone, big advances have occurred with the bat (.344/.454/.489), and a mid-season promotion may be on its way for the 22 year old Mr. Urena. He has had 9 errors in 21 games at 3rd, and an absurd .883 fielding % in his career there, but none in 5 games at 1st. Maybe he needs to switch there. Or, with 6 of 7 in steals indicating some speed, to the OF.
PAT MAZELKA (High A Catcher) - lefty hitting catcher who can hit, get on base, and add some power. Looking more like a future starting major leaguer by the day, as he crushes the FSL with a .367/.429/.620 split. In 22 games, 4 blasts and 21 Ribs.
ANTHONY DIMINO (High A Catcher) - lefty hitting catcher who can hit, hit, hit, and get on base, and add little real power to date. In 18 games, he has been the most surprising Mets Minors hitter, at a mind-blowing .448/.515/.483. Way to go, Dimino.
MICHAEL PAEZ (A IF) - shaking off a weak debut season in 2016 in Brooklyn, Paez has already crossed the 20 RBI mark in early May, while getting his average up to .268 through Wednesday.
TIM TEBOW (A OF and NFL QB) - Tebow always makes my hitters' lists! Mack understands! Tim is # 12 and trying harder. His .232/.315/.366 is OK but does not warrant him being in this list of 12, frankly. 19 year old Luis Carpio deserved the slot, hitting .260 with 7 of 7 steals.
Special mention: Andres Giminez and Jeff McNeil. The 18 year old Giminez was just added to the roster within the last week an has played impressively. McNeil had a recent burst of brilliance after missing a year due to injury, then exited again to the DL after just 4 games. Get well quickly.
PITCHERS - 12 VERY STRONG PERFORMERS SO FAR:
PAUL SEWALD & RAFAEL MONTERO - both promoted.
TYLER PILL (AAA) - a Zero Point Zero Zero ERA in 29.1 IP, but has allowed 7 unearned and fanned just 11. He belongs in the hitters' list, too, as a career .368 hitter with Zero Errors in 112 career games is Gold Glove stuff. (Compare to Jhoan Irena).
KEVIN MCGOWAN (AAA) - the 25 year old 6'5" righty reliever who in 15.2 IP has fanned 16 and is 1-0, 2.30 in challenging Vegas after a fine 2016 season out of the pen in A and AA.
TIM PETERSON (AA) - righty reliever is already 26, but brilliant so far, with 11 scoreless innings of 5 hit, 2 walk, 13 K ball.
AL BALDONADO (AA) - lefty reliever has been brilliant. The 24 year old is unscored upon in 13.2 IP with 19 Ks.
KYLE REGNAULT (AA) - righty reliever is old at 28 but only in his 3rd year, and has tossed 8.2 scoreless with 8 Ks.
MICKEY JANNIS (AA) - knuckleballer who is pitching better this year in his quest to be the next R.A. Dickey. 23.1 IP, 3-0, 1.93 ERA.
COREY OSWALT (AA) - righty starter - the big 23 year old is cooking right now...he has allowed a mere 1 run in his last 3 starts. Now 3-2, 2.54 with 29 K In 28.1 IP. In this thinned out organization, he has moved far up the list of possible future # 5 starter prospects.
KELLY SECREST (AA) - lefty reliever has been fanning plenty. 12 in 6.1 IP, to be precise, with just 1 earned run.
MERANDY GONZALEZ (A) - superlative rightly starter, until Wednesday May 3, that is, when he allowed 3 homers, including a grand slam (OUCH), and his first 7 earned runs of the season, to slide to 4-1, 1.89. Adversity can be a good teacher. Get 'em next time, Merandy.
JORDAN HUMPHREYS (A) - superlative rightly starter is 5-0, 1.71, 40 K in 31.2 IP. Inside sources tell me he will go undefeated this year and start and win the 7th game of the World Series (very fake news).
MATT BLACKHAM (A) - little righty relief strikeout specialist, with 21 K in 12 IP.I am a big fan of guys who fan guys.
Some guys you would expect to do well haven't, soccer, but my guess is they will crack these lists before long.
Have a Top 12 day for yourselves.
Jhoan Urena had 3 more hits last night, pushing him over .360.
ReplyDeleteHis bat has done a complete 180 from the past 2 years, when he hit about .220.
Now he needs to fix the glove. Or move to another position.
Read that Syndergaard will be out at least 2 or 3 months. Hence their signing of fringe former major leaguer Blake Beavan for AAA.
ReplyDeleteShame the Mets were rained out with a lead mid-4th, and that Bruce lost a homer.
Read that Montero will get skipped if, as expected, weather rains Mets out tonight.
It was nice to see Wilmer Flores come back to the big leagues from his hospital ward with a hit (that was also erased due to mother nature).
ReplyDeleteTerry was leaving TJ Rivera at 1B, rather than bumping him for Flores.
ReplyDeleteIf Cabrera's knee is bad, I'd put Flores at 3rd, Reyes at SS, and Cabrera on 10 day DL for a rest of the knee, and let Rivera be Mr. Utility and P/T 1B.
Thomas...Terry's playing the hot hand...nooooo can't be
ReplyDeleteSince we expect him to be around for a long time, can we standardize the spelling of Patrick Mazeika's name and decide it doesn't have an "l" anywhere in it? So it's not Mazeilka (as on the the Mack's Top 2017 Prospects List) or Mazelka (Guppies Going Great Guns), but Mazeika. Love reading you guys every day, but this is like Walker running to third with one out or Reyes sleepwalking back to second...shouldn't happen.
ReplyDeleteDave, good point on name accuracy. Tougher when I do the article on my tablet, which most of this one was, to catch 'me all! Spelled right or wrong though...Pat can hit!
ReplyDelete'Em, not ' me. Autocorrect strikes again.
ReplyDeleteI was at the game the other day when Merandy Gonzalez got rocked in the first inning. He certainly didn't seem like himself. I thought the manager was going to get tossed. The home plate umpire seemed to rattle MG because he was going to his hat. It was weird to watch. It seemed like it got in his head. He has been solid this year. Will be interesting to see how he pitches his next time out.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, Gimenez and possibly Carpio are the two best hitting prospects. I really like Paez too. He has shown some nice POP and hits the ball in the gaps. Cone is also good, but I don't think he has the pop scouts like. Overall both were really good college players which is why they are getting a shot at the next level.
Desmond Lindsay is struggling. He seems overmatched. He is getting frustrated. I thought he turned the corner recently, but that doesn't appear to be the case. He is young.
Tebow is looking more and more comfortable at the plate. Early on he was taking a lot of pitches and getting behind in the count. It seems he has changed his approach swinging earlier in the count. He is drawing some walks too. The power is there, but still has a ways to go. He is making better contact and looks like a pro. He has progressed quite a bit already. I'm rooting for him. Cool story.
@ Anonymous - great input on the Columbia roster.
ReplyDeleteMerandy and Desmond, you are both too good to get frustrated over some distraction or adversity. Remember how good you are, and that adversity will come, and work your way through it. You will.
Paez has really picked it up - good to see. aND Tebow Time should be coming soon!
@ David Schulps - thanks for pointing that out. It isn't a case of me misspelling Pat's name...I looked back again and just misread it the 100s of times I looked at it! Time for better reading glasses. Mazeika it is! Appreciate it, sir.
ReplyDeleteYou and I agree on another thing. This young man will be playing this game for a long time.
I don't have a good handle on Mazeika's defense behind the plate, but if he can get to at least major league average, he certainly looks like he's got a career in front of him. Can't wait to see him up a level in the second half (or sooner.)
ReplyDelete