Tom Brennan
MINORS OBSERVATIONS: BATS AND PENS
A continuing weekly series.
Mack does weekly hot/cold starting pitchers updates:
Don't miss 'em.
Holding up my end of the HOT/COLD tag team (i.e., who's hot, and who's not so hot in the Mets minors), I focus today on the Mets' minors hitters and relievers.
Only a few hitters are impressing and hot.
Plenty of strong pen arms are keeping us in games.
(Note: Las Vegas (7-14) pitchers' team ERA thru 21 games finally got barely under 7.00. Progress!)
Stats through Wednesday's games, unless noted otherwise:
"FUEGO" HOT HITTERS:
AAA:
Gavin Cecchini (.311 by the end of the game Thursday night) and veteran Johnny Monell (.360) are among the few offensive bright spots on a .252 hitting team that is really struggling. Zach Borenstein is hitting well (.297) with power (17 RBIs), but his Ks are predictably high (26 in 20 games), although K King Yoenis Cespedes is jealous.
Gavin Cecchini (.311 by the end of the game Thursday night) and veteran Johnny Monell (.360) are among the few offensive bright spots on a .252 hitting team that is really struggling. Zach Borenstein is hitting well (.297) with power (17 RBIs), but his Ks are predictably high (26 in 20 games), although K King Yoenis Cespedes is jealous.
AA:
Climate change has reached Binghamton, the ice caps have been melting and players continue to thaw.
For the next guy, why change last week's words?
"Pounding Peter Alonso continues to crush baseballs - MLB has filed for an order of protection on behalf of the poor baseballs. Alonso is at" .373/.479/.678 after 17 games.
Could Adrian Gonzalez have done that in AA? NAH.
Bingo's other big lumber-lugging hombre, Tim Tebow, is second on the team at .255. Yep, second. Speaking of second, the second year player is second in RBIs with 8, and sports a not-so-shabby .333 OBP. Ten for 33 and 6 walks in his last 10 games, too.
He's too modest to say "AA ain't so tough."
Champ Stuart is only 1 for 21, but was on base 3 times in his last game. Hot, at least, for a day.
High A St Lucie: not hitting too well, just 8 HRs & .224.
But:
Ian Strom has set the pace, hitting .327/.404/.510 with 6 of 8 steals in 16 games.
But:
Ian Strom has set the pace, hitting .327/.404/.510 with 6 of 8 steals in 16 games.
And speedy Gene Cone sits at .292 with . 403 OBP and 4 for 4 in steals. Fast guys tend to sneak up on you.
A Ball Columbia: Flies' bats cooled a bit of late. However:
Catcher Scott Manea (40th round) is hitting .308 thru 13 games. Very "10th round" of him, hitting-wise.
Another Still Stellar Super Sizzling FUEGO Fireflies Hitter:
Another Still Stellar Super Sizzling FUEGO Fireflies Hitter:
1B Jeremy Vasquez: highlighted in my article yesterday, Vasquez has been destroying the So Atlantic League. Keep a close eye on him.
2B Walter Rasquin: Fine numbers (.298/.353/.468) continue - the pride of Caucagua, Venezuela!
NOT SO HOT HITTERS:
Quite a few not hitting much. I will wait until next week to focus more on these.
One, though, is Desmond Lindsay , who is just 7 for 37 for St Lucie in his last 11 contests. Also, St Lucie's Carpio, Winningham, Brosher and Domino continue to hit at or below the despised Mendoza line: but take heart - 3 of the 4 are close or at .200.
FUEGO BULLPEN DUDES:
Tim Peterson - the previously dreadful Vegas pen has thankfully stabilized, but Peterson (11 IP, 2 ER, 20 Ks) has excelled all season.
In AA, relievers Tyler Bashlor, Eric Hanhold, Adonis Uceta, Austin McGeorge, Joshua Torres, Gerson Bautista, Dave Roseboom, remain a Sterling Seven: 52 innings, 15 runs, 78 Ks. Sizzling.
St Lucie relievers - oh, what a relief they are:
Matt Blackham, Ryder Ryan, Matt Pobereyko, and Joe Zanghi comprise the heart of a very tough pen.
Matt Blackham, Ryder Ryan, Matt Pobereyko, and Joe Zanghi comprise the heart of a very tough pen.
In Columbia, Carlos Hernandez (whom I have dubbed "Carlos Who?") remains SUPER FUEGO, 10 innings, one run, 17 Ks, sleeping like a baby.
Steve Villines - last 7.2 innings, 15 Ks. Nice.
NOT SO HOT BULLPEN STEERS:
Not too many chilly relievers, but I won't go there this week. You know who you are, so it is time to heat up!
That's it for now with my latest weekly edition of:
MINORS OBSERVATIONS: BATS AND PENS!
Let's hope there are more hot performances come next week at this time.
17 comments:
Dominic Smith hitting .234, Tebow hitting .255. Just pointing it out, I'm sure it is just an anomaly.
Morning -
Though it is still too early to begin moving players, I expect that Jeremy Vasquez might replace Dash Winningham as the St. Lucie first baseman soon.
Mack, if Vasquez is too good for A ball, he deserves to not be held back by Winningham's seniority. Dash is only 22, but now entering his 5th season - and never hit like Vasquez is in his current start to his second season.
BIG PICTURE - OFFENSE OVERALL IN THE METS MINORS IS QUITE WEAK:
VEGAS: 10th of 16 in avg. (.252), and 9th in runs (106), but 5 teams below them are lower offense environment Midwest clubs.
BINGHAMTON: 9th of 12 in avg. (.223), last in scoring (59)
ST LUCIE: 11th of 12 in avg. (.224), 11th in runs (75)
COLUMBIA: THE BRIGHT LIGHT - just below first in average (.264) and in runs 105
This organization JUST NEVER PRODDUCES HITTERS IN ANY SATISFACTORY QUANTITY
Tom -
13 members of the 25-man squad are pitchers.
Thus, you need 12 great bats
1/4 from free agency
1/4 from trades
1/4 from Latin America
and 1/4 from the draft
Sooo... you need either 3 or 4 great draft picks to make it to Queens
Only one great draft bat right now - Alonso.
Smith - maybe.
Vasquez - maybe.
That is all I see - not enough.
Lindsay - has not impressed.
Cecchini - long shot at this point. Needs to add power - may just not be there.
Brodey - way too early to tell. Ditto several other guys, but none seem great.
Tebow is outhitting 80% to 90% of the draftees that are still young prospects. That is not good.
Gimenez
So deepest Position is not SS but 1B?
Gimenez yes, but was international.
Eddie, 1B is our strength offensively and we are not veering from that. If necessary, to make first base stronger, we will switch Tebow there.
Adrian Gonzalez now hitting below last year's stats pace, and is in sub-Loney status.
I hear Frank Sinatra singing "And now, the end is near...".
Gonzalez protests, saying he is hitting far better than the Mets' Nidolobaton catching tandem, which is now 4 for 40. Who can argue there with that impeccable logic?
Reyes (.120 and 34 years old) jumped up and shouted, "Go easy on Gonzalez, he's 35 now. Man, I know how hard playing at 34 is."
This is how self-delusional teams lose.
Eddie -
I still believe that SS is our strongest pipeline position... and, has the talent to fill 3B and 2B as well.
Harvey, Reyes, Gonzalez and Robles should all be told that their 40-man roster spots are on thin ice.
Yes indeed. Lobaton too. Productive bats and arms needed.
Pounding Pete Alonso hit his 6th tonight, a two run shot in the 3rd. COME ON!
Vazquez has pop but has work to do in the field. I doubt he moves until SAL All-Star Game. In my opinion Tiberi is best hitter on team.
Anon, nice insight on Vasquez and Tiberi. I always think fielding is the easiest thing to improve.
No sweat, Brodey has pop but a long swing too. He strikes out way too much. I actually like Manea behind the plate. He can actually hit and does a nice job. Fermin has some pop and potential too. JV has the most pop on the team. Pitching staff is solid in Columbia. Especially the starters. Kay will pitch in the big leagues if he stays healthy.
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