The Mack Report - Friday, June 17th

 

First up, a few thoughts on negative comments. 

Every opinion writer experiences readers that don’t agree with them. Most, like Texas Gus once in a while, express their opinions in a professional manner. A few don’t. 

Lately, we have had two readers (John A and C Bee) take off personally against Tom Brennan for his contribution on the site. They both do so in a mocking, rude, and sarcastic manner and I will delete their comments going forward. 

I want the rest of you to understand that Tom, Reese, and the other writers do this out of love for the team they root for. They don’t get paid a cent. The site doesn’t make money. Tom writes even though he has pressing job issues. I have cancer. And Reese does this from half way around the world. 

Please feel free to express your disagreements with any of our thoughts, but remember, that’s all they are. Our thoughts. We respect you as readers. We ask the same as writers. 

Thank you. 

 

                                What is the Developmental List? 

This season, baseball added a new level where players can go and mend, work on their stuff, work on their attitude, and other areas of concern like that… without having to be placed on the dreaded IL list. 

The Development List is that place. 

This could wind up being the temporary home for some one that needs a little more bat work or needs to develop a pitch more. It could also be a place where players are sent for disciplinary reasons so they can cool their jets and get their mental game back in order. It could also be for players that have been loaded to other MLB clubs, to a club in the Mexican League, or an Indy team in the MLB Player League. 

NOTE: There must first be an agreement in place between MLB and the partner league before players under control of MLB organizations can be loaned to a club in that league.    

A player on the 40-man roster can be placed onto the Development List of the minor league affiliate to which he has been optioned, but only with consent of the player.   

A player cannot be placed on the Development List for the purpose of injury rehabilitation or disciplinary action. 

A player is paid by the MLB club while he is on the Development List. 

The "development list" is for healthy MILB players who consent to it. They go to the alternate site but aren't on the roster there. 

Thought you should know. 

 

We need to take another look see at the progress of St. Lucie starter, Dominic Hamel. 

On Wednesday night, he went 4-1 for the young season while his team clinched the first half of the division title.

He limited the Tarpons to one run on one hit over 6.2 innings. He walked four and hit a batter but struck out seven. Hamel retired the final 15 batters he faced. 

To review, Hamel came out of Dallas Baptist University and was part of the plethora of starters the Mets drafted last year (3^rd round, 81^st overall). He’s 23 so he needs to get on his horse soon. 

So far this season, he is 11-starts, 4-1, 4.25/1.38, 48.2-IP. He also has 53 strikeouts but has given up 28 walks. 

Control has never been Hamel’s strong suit; however, he needs to work on this post haste if he wants to wind up in Flushing some day. 

 

Héctor Gómez @hgomez27 

Former Mets minor league player Darwyn Encarnacion Batista died in a traffic accident, after hitting the SUV he was driving with a bridge and falling into the void, in La Vega, DR. 

Encarnación, who played in 2019 in the Dominican Summer League, was 21 years old. 

 

TTFBaseball @TTFBaseball 

Kumar Rocker’s Uncharted Destiny 

https://t.co/pfcF58Bl7n  

 

Through The Fence put up their latest mock draft yesterday. 

Here is their Mets’ picks in the first round:

 

11. New York Mets: Brock Porter, RHP, Orchard Lake St. Mary’s HS (MI) 

I gotta show some love for my fellow Michigander, who also happens to be one of, if not thee, top high school pitcher coming into the 2022 draft at the moment. Porter’s fastball has been clocked at 99 mph, but usually rides in the mid-90s for most of the game. He’s got a plus-change up to go along with a decent curve. His slider needs some work, though. If he can keep his command in check and perfect his breaking stuff, he’ll headlining all pitchers in this class.

 

14. New York Mets: Jordan Crawford, OF, Bishop Gorman HS (NV) 

Welcome to the first round, Jordan. Right off the bat, Crawford’s bloodlines come into play when evaluating him. He’s the son of former All-Star outfielder Carl Crawford. What stands out most, though, is his speed, defense, and arm. While he does fit the mold of a classic leadoff hitter who can just get on base, I want to see more from the high-riser before I go all in on a top-12 pick. His bat, while effective, doesn’t blow me away. Mostly because the ball doesn’t explode off it. He’s more of a slap hitter who needs to add muscle to his 6’3″, 175 pound frame.

Tom Chimes In:

Thank you, Mack.  

Moving on...

Megill hurt?  Again?  This time, shoulder discomfort.  Hopefully, no IL.

Now I am starting to worry about this Mets team.  Lots of body blows over the first 40% of the season.  Still standing strong, so far.  

TM was flat-out blazing thru 3, but his shoulder barked in the 4th as he gave up 4 runs (Shreve allowed 3 of them to score).

Lugo pitched 2 scoreless, fanning 4, and the Mets' Mighty Mark Canha homered, a two runner to tie the score at 4.  They scratched out a run in the 9th on a Plummer groundout after an error.  

Marte, who pinch-ran due to his sitting it out to let him arm heal after Wednesday's HBP, scored the go-ahead run after initially not running.  I wonder if that was intentional, as the infield was drawn in and forced the 1B to throw to second, not home - the SS had to run back to 2nd for the throw at an awkward angle, and Marte easily scooted home.  Plummer, swooning at the plate, had to love that game-winning RBI.  

Edwin comes in and it was a dicey 9th - a bloop single, strikeout, then an inside out dinker double down the line.  The dummy third base coach sent the runner and he was out on a close play at the plate.   Plummer made a shaky one-bounce 100 foot throw to Pete, who made a fine throw to Nido who made an equally fine tag.  From the depth that he fielded the ball, Plummer should have thrown straight home, but it worked out nicely nonetheless.

Man on 3rd, 2 out, Yelich up, 3 nasty sliders, 3 nasty strikes...get lost, buddy, I eat former MVPs for lunch - ballgame over, a Diaz save, a Drew Smith win, a bullet dodged.  

13th Diaz save, 2.05 ERA, 50 Ks in 26 innings.  Treasure it, folks, while ya got it.

The Mets add a half game to their lead - now 4.5 ahead.  The Braves were off.

Next up?  The Milquetoast Marlenes.  

Meanwhile, the Braves continue their Mr. Softee schedule, naturally taking on a Cubs team that has lost 10 straight and allowed 90 runs in the process. After this weekend, though, the Mr. Softee cones run out for Atlanta, as they start playing tough teams.

P.S. Eduardo Escobar missed the game due to a non-workplace event (say what??  Sounds like the C word to me.)

P.P.S. Nimmo and Canha plunked. Enough, already.  Mets 45, Dodgers just 12.

MINORS:

Not a good day for Syracuse.  Nate Fisher struggled as a fill in starter.  Tough assignment.  7-2 loss.  The S-Mets got buzz-sawed by Norfolk's lefty starter, DL Hall, who fanned 11 hitters in 4.1 IP.  Yep, 11.  He now has fanned 66 in 38 innings.  Vientos had a hit and RBI.

Binghamton?  Alvarez (yawn) homered again (14).  Homers are so boring after a while.  

In the "Breath of Fresh Air" category, Carlos Cortes seems to be reviving.  Tonight, 2 walks and two hits, including a HR.  

7-6 loss. Loser Jesus Vargas was smacked around - he was 2-1, 2.03 in Brooklyn, 0-4, 7.94 in Binghamton.  It gets tougher higher.

James McCann?  Caught for the Bada-Bingos and went 0 for 4, with 3 Ks.  Contact, contact, contact, Jimmy Mac.

Brooklyn?  Sherveyn Newton - hit and walk and a run scored and a run driven in - seems like he is getting HOT, which is terrific - 3 for 9, with a double, HR and 6 RBIs in the past 3 games. 

The scorching hot Brandon McIlwain had a hit and walk, too.  

Never-Allow-A-Run Nate Lavender was outstanding in 4 innings in scoreless relief and is having a spectacular year so far.  He is now 5-1, season ERA of ZERO POINT SIXTY FIVE.  He is channeling Loup 2021.

Let's also show some love for 6'7" righty Sammy "Too Tall" Tavares, who nailed down his 4th save with a 1.47 ERA in a so-far terrific relief campaign.

3-2 win. 6 Cyclone hits, 8 walks.

St Lucie? Trounced 14-2.  Calvin Ziegler took the loss, going real short again - one inning (27 pitches) and allowing one run while fanning 2.  4-2 deficit after 6, grew to 14-2 after 9.  Thankfully, it didn't go 12.  Omar de los Santos stole 2 more (now has an amazing 33 steals).  Seems 80 steals could be realistic.  

On to Friday.