SPOTLIGHT ON METS MINORS PITCHER TONY DIBRELL AND IF/OF SAM HAGGERTY
That's my nickname for Tony Dibrell, and I am sticking with it.
Tony D works, too.
Tony D was a 4th rounder out of Kennesaw State in 2017 who sputtered a tad in his Brooklyn debut in 2017, to a 5.03 ERA in 19.2 IP, but fanned 28, which was such a strong number, it allowed the assistant DA sufficient grounds to keep Tony Dibs out of witness protection.
Tony climbed one step in 2018 to Columbia where, in 23 starts, he fashioned 23 starts to the tune of 7-6, 3.50, and led the league with 147 rub outs (I mean strikeouts) in 131 IP. His walks were high with 54, so the Feds were afraid he might walk himself, so he went into witness protection and moved to St Lucie for 2019.
In 2019, Mr. Dibs has 9 starts through May 25, and is 3-2, with a 2.31 ERA, but walked 10 in his last 3 starts over 15.2 IP, so he still needs to tighten up the control.
He doesn't carry a .38, but he does, the Feds tell me confidentially, throw up to 96, which is a pretty dandy heater, and has a curve, slider and change.
It's the only nasty arsenal the Feds let Tony Dibs roll with.
All kidding aside, since Justin Dunn was told, "you're Dunn here" and put into witness protection in Seattle, the 6'1", 200 Dibrell is either the Mets' first or second best prospect righty, IMO, in the system, as he competes with newcomer and 2018 19th rounder Tommy Wilson for best of righty starter breed.
I exclude Chris Flexen and Corey Oswalt from that comparison since both have pitched - poorly - for too long in major league trials to be in the righty prospect list any longer.
I get the sense Tony will become a future Mets reliever along the lines of a Hansel Robles or Jeurys Familia, when Mr. Dibs enters a new phase of witness protection some time in 2020 under the name Tony Mets.
May he be the kind of Goodfella who keeps "mob hits" by opposing mobs of ballplayers to a minimum when he does get here (and minimizes his walks, too).
AHH, HECK, WHAT ABOUT LAST NIGHT'S GAME?
Dodgers are clearly better, that's what. An offensive machine. The Mets' AAA bullpen couldn't subdue a superior hitting team. Period.
SINCE THIS IS MY 8 AM TUESDAY POST...
I AM DOING A DOUBLE SPOTLIGHT TODAY
TWO FOR THE PRICE OF ONE!
TWO FOR THE PRICE OF ONE!
Sam Haggerty - IF/OF for Binghamton's Rumble Ponies
Sam Haggerty, along with the hot Pat Mazeika, has been the top offensive guy for the Ponies. Haggerty and Walter Lockett came to the Mets in the Kevin Plawecki trade. Plawecki, by the way, is 8 for 57 this season, so good riddance.
Sam is a speedster with a little pop, excellent defensive, and a heck of an eye at the plate.
He had a decent April in Siberia - err, I mean Binghamton, in April.
In May, he has an outstanding .500 on base % in 17 games, with 18 hits and 17 walks! 7 of 9 in steals in May, too. In 357 career minor league games, he has walked over 200 times, stolen 102 out of 127, and has 24 triples. This year and last, in 129 games, he has stolen 38 of 48. Dude is speedy!
Fielding-wise, he plays 2nd, short, and 3rd, and the outfield, and plays them solidly.
Only flaws that I can see:
Sam fans almost once per game in his career, but that goes hand-in-hand with his walking so much. He will tolerate strikeouts to walk, knowing that when he gets on, he's dangerous.
And he has only 14 homers in 357 games, partly due to not being very big. (5'11", 175). But 109 extra base hits combined with 102 steals in 357 games is very solid production.
He seems that he can be one heckuva utility guy in the big leagues. Maybe, just maybe, he reaches Queens some time this year.
Anyone as quick as he is, who gets on base as much as he does, is an attractive player in my books.
Just keep up the great work, Sam, and I think you will be in Queens sooner than we all might have expected. I think you'll be a real fun player to watch.
AHH, HECK, WHAT ABOUT LAST NIGHT'S GAME?
Dodgers are clearly better, that's what. An offensive machine. The Mets' AAA bullpen couldn't subdue a superior hitting team. Period.
IMO -
ReplyDeleteDibrell is developing nicely.
Sadly for Haggerty, he's a middle fielder in an orb. that has plenty.
Mack, on Haggerty, this EXCELLENT month could be a flash in the pan, but he seems to be a good infielder AND outfielder. He has one MAJOR advantage come next spring - CHEAP!
ReplyDeleteRyley Gilliam had a rough outing, BTW. Get 'em next time.
I thought recently profiled Tommy Wilson's first AA outing was a lot better in actuality than on paper:
Second inning - a hot hitter lines a single. Second guy, he falls behind, another lined single.
Next guy bunted, and Mazeika missed tag - a gift single - so instead of 2nd and 3rd, one out, bags are full, none out.
Next guy hits a soft pop just behind third - Toffey lost it in th esun, and it dropped for a total gift hit.
Another guy singled and a run came in. Other than that, he allowed a HR and no other hits, and fanned 7 in 4 innings.
What looked like a bad debut was actually an encouraging one.
Need to get to a Binghamton game and see Sam in the outfield. Hopefully he can be more like Bob Bailor than Keith Miller out there.
ReplyDeleteJohn, what do you think? Is Haggerty a future major leaguer? If so, when?
ReplyDeleteStarter? Utility?
Tom
ReplyDeleteI dont worry about Gilliam. Just growing pains
Mack, I agree with you 100% on Gilliam. Take the occasional hits, and use them to surge higher. Help in needed where the bulls reside in that pen in Queens.
ReplyDeleteMack, one more thing on Haggerty.
ReplyDeleteTake a realistic look at the Mets minors, and realize that the Mets can only try so many times signing 2 year, $20 million players that blow up in their face before the Wilpons give up.
Consider Lagares, Altherr, Gomez, Cespedes, R Davis, and Tebow - do we really expect any of them to be around in 2020? Maybe Cespedes, but will he be any better than a 2018 Jose Bautista? So...let's say none of them are here in 2020.
That, for the OF, leaves Nimmo, McNeil, Conforto, JD Davis, maybe Dom Smith - and from the minors, my first choice for another outfielder right now would be Haggerty. Great speed, great on base skills. Switch hitter. No one else is competitive.
Great point on the future outfield Tom. As soon as I see Haggerty in the outfield I will let you know what I think. If he can play the infield and outfield he could be a very useful player.
ReplyDeleteGreat...thanks, John.
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