John From Albany - Winter Ball Update 11/5/2019

Harol Gonzalez made his fourth start for Gigantes del Cibao in the Dominican Winter league. 

After two scoreless innings, Harol made five pitches in the third to five batters getting the first batter to line out to shortstop, then a homer to Detroit Tigers AAA shortstop Will Castro and three straight singles.  After that, Harol’s night was over.

Harol’s line for the night was 2.1 innings, 2 runs, both earned, 5 hits, 1 HR, 1 walk, 1 hits batsman, 2 K’s, 22 pitches, 17 strikes.  Previous starts he has usually thrown 60-70 pitches as that seems to be his limit this Winter. 

Gigantes del Cibao ended up winning 12-2 over Leones del Escogido.  You can see the full box score here.

Overall, Harol is 0-2 with a 4.76 ERA in four starts, 11.1 innings.  He has allowed 15 hits, 7 runs, 6 earned, with 5 walks and 10 K’s.

Harol Gonzalez had a tremendous 2019 for Binghamton and Syracuse.  After going 6-4 with a 3.14 in 17 games for Double A Binghamton, he went 6-0 for Syracuse with a 2.68 ERA in 8 games for Syracuse.  This was a big bounce back for him after a tough 2018 campaign.  In 2018, Harol pitched in St. Lucie, Las Vegas and Binghamton.  His 2018 Binghamton stats were most glaring as he went 0-9 in nine starts with a 7.79 ERA. 

Other Mets players in the Dominican League this Winter include 2019 Syracuse IF/OF Arismendy Alcantara.  Alcantara is hitting .240 in 16 games, 12 hits in 50 at-bats with 6 doubles, 2 triples, and 3 stolen bases. 

A 27-year-old switch hitter, Arismendy played 2b, 3b, LF, CF, and RF for Syracuse last year.  He showed power and speed.  I thought he would a perfect call-up to NY for the bench, but it never happened in 2019.  Scheduled to become a minor league free agent yesterday, Here’s hoping he is back in Syracuse next year. 

Another 2019 Syracuse Met, Rymer Liriano has 11 at-bats with one hit for a .091 average in 6 games.

Binghamton and Syracuse pitcher Adonis Uceta.  In 7 games he is 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA in 5.1 innings with 5 K’s, 3 walks and 2 hits for a 0.94 WHIP. 

St. Lucie’s Carlos Hernandez also has joined the league going 0-1 in two games with an 18.00 ERA.  He went 2 scoreless innings his first time out but then didn’t record an out his second outing giving up 4 runs on 2 hits and a walk.   

Still no signs of Edwin Diaz or Jeurys Familia yet.  

Other leagues in Puerto Rico and Venezuela will start soon with more Mets players expected.