I May Be Wrong, But… Steve Matz, Chad Zurcher, Alex Panteliodis, Hunter Carnevale

·         LHP Steve Matz checked in after his bullpen session on Friday: 

“…bullpen went good, so far so good…”

The best thing this kid has going right now is the fact that most people have forgot he’s still around. He’s always been kind to me as a writer and I wish him well, though I have no idea where he would pitch come April. My guess is they will hold him back to make sure everything works well, and start in his home town with the Cyclones.

·         SS Chad Zurcher also filled us in on his plans in March: 

“My goals for spring training are just to go back and show the staff I worked on the things they told me to during the off season. My main goal is to earn a spot on a full season team. I've been able to put on about 10 pounds so hopefully I'll be able to drive the ball a bit better. I just want to be able to give great effort every day and show what I'm capable of. I feel at my age I have to be pushing for a full season spot and I want to show the organization that I am able to do the things they want me to. I just need to go out and prove my worth to this organization.”

 Zurcher is a dark horse in the system. He was drafted last year in the 31^st round, after hitting .443 for the University of Memphis (it will always be Memphis State to me). I had him projected much higher. He went on to finish the season with Kingsport, hitting .283/.386/.336/.723 in 113-AB. No power here, but a good bat and great defense.

·         We also spent a few minutes with one of my  favorites, P Alex Panteliodes.  His comments caught me off-guard: 

This preseason I just want to get back out on the field and pick up from where I left off. My hip is feeling a lot better and I am just looking forward to starting my career as a New York Met.

Pants had a torn labrum in his hip, but had successful surgery and is now 100%.

·         I also spent a few moments with Hunter Carnevale. He was well on to a great season (2011) with Brookyn, going 1-1, 1.08, 19-K, 16.2-IP, in 12 appearances, when his arm gave out. I wanted to see how the process is going and Hunter was happy to fill us in:

“Hey Mack. My goals for spring training are pretty simple. Since I had Tommy John in August, I'm really focused on getting healthy and getting back into live action as soon as I can. I know that the earliest that I could get into a game would be later in the season, so that's what I'm shooting for.”

At worse, we won’t see Hunter in 2012; however, don’t bet on it.

The Keepers - #23 - LHRP - Alex Panteliodis

23. Alex Panteliodis     LHP

University of Florida sophomore Alex Panteliodis (Tampa, Fla.) was named to the Primetime Performer Weekly Honor Roll produced by CollegeBaseball360.com on Tuesday. The left-hander kept No. 10 Miami hitless into the fifth inning and registered a career-high eight strikeouts as the Gators claimed the series opener last Friday in Coral Gables. Making his initial start of the season, Panteliodis (3-0) gave up two hits over 5.2 innings and was supported by an offense that plated four runs in the third and three in the eighth. In three appearances this year, Panteliodis has notched three victories and registered a 1.93 earned run average. The southpaw has totaled 12 strikeouts, issued three walks and limited opponents to a .172 clip in 9.1 innings. - http://www.gatorzone.com/story.php?id=17693

 

Tampa Alonso alum Alex Panteliodis (5-2) scattered five hits and registered five strikeouts in 5.1 scoreless innings to help No. 3 seed Florida to a 5-0 victory over fourth-seeded Vanderbilt today - earning the Gators their first SEC Tournament Championship since 1991. “Alex (Panteliodis) gave us a great start,” head coach Kevin O’Sullivan said. “We knew going into this one that we’d have to pitch well. If we had to go to the bullpen early in this game, we were probably going to find ourselves in some trouble. AP just did an outstanding job.” - http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/gators/content/tampas-alex-panteliodis-leads-florida-baseball-team-sec-tournament-title 

Alex Panteliodis led the Gators with 11 wins, 84 strikeouts and 100 innings pitched last season, and he did it all with a bad hip. Panteliodis felt pain before the start of last season but couldn’t identify the injury or its extent. As the discomfort got worse, the junior got better on the mound. He just kept playing through it and applied heat to keep it loose and minimize the pain. Doctors found a bump growing on his bone that would fray his labrum whenever he rotated his hip. - http://www.alligator.org/sports/baseball/article_1378b0a6-3e43-11e0-9219-001cc4c03286.htm

Building 2012 Rosters Prospects First - Picks 25-30

#26- SP Greg Peavey – First of all, let me say I’m a little biased here. I really like this guy, regardless of whether he’s going to be a successful Mets pitcher. Greg is benefiting by being the “other guy” that the Mets drafted along with Matt Harvey. He can move a little slower and not be noticed. He’s had his ups and downs like all pitchers have, but he’s ERA’d under 4 at two levels this year and his combined numbers are 11-5, 3.41. Sure, he’s had 11 starts at St. lucie this year, but I’m going to send him back there to start 2012. Binghamton is pretty loaded and let’s let Greg enjoy A+ while he can. – ETA: 2014

#27 – CL Josh Edgin – This is a tough one to call. Edgin hasn’t had a bad outing since opening day in Savannah. Since then he has been close to perfect and has turned the heads of every scout in the business. Even Paul DePodesa is talking about him and says he has an outside chance to make the Mets in 2012. I wish he didn’t do that. Look, he’s fast, but he’s not crazy fast. He just seems to be very good. Start him off in Binghamton and, if he’s still as dominant after 20+ outings there, move him to Buffalo, but let’s not do an Eddie Kunz here. – ETA: 2013 Bullpen

#28 – SP Alex Panteliodis – I’ve followed the career of ‘Johnny Pants’ and was thrilled to see him become a Met. He came to Florida with a hip injury (which the Mets knew about before they drafted him) and he was immediately shut down for the remainder of the season. I don’t think he’ll pitch any kind of winter ball either. I had him as the 59th RHP available in the draft. Look, he was diagnosed with a bump growing on his hip bone before his last Florida season and still went out and got 11-wins, and 84-Ks in 100-IP. I’m still going to start him out in Savannah next spring, especially since he’s a college boy.

#29 – P Chase Huchingson – These phenoms in A-ball come along every year. Sometimes they are named Eric Beaulac while other times it Mark Cohoon. They dominate this level after coming out of college and, in the case of Chase, dominate at both a starter (1.77) or out of the pen (1.62). What I like from the 6-5 lefty is the 86-Ks in 80.0-IP. It’s obvious he will play St. Lucie next spring and I would love to see him stay in the pen.

#30 – SP Erik Goeddel – I expected more from Goeddel this year, but he still faired well after being dinged up for a good part of the season. So far, he’s thrown 16 games with a combined GCL/SAL stat line of 2-4, 3.36, 59-K, 17-BB, 67.0-IP. Erik had been a reliever in school and started this season as the SP2 behind Greg Peavey. He should return to the same slot, behind Akeel Morris next spring.


Rosters So Far:


Buffalo: (4) –SP Chris Schwinden, 2B Reese Havens, SS Jordany Valdespin, OF Kirk Nieuwenhuis


Binghamton: (8) – SP: Mike Harvey, Zack Wheeler, Jeurys Familia, Darin Gorski, RP Josh Edgin, 3B Jefry Marte, OF Matt den Dekker, Cesar Puello


St. Lucie: (7) – SP Greg Peavey, RP Cory Mazzoni, Chase Huchingson, 1B Wilmer Flores, 3B Aderlin Rodriguez, OF Cory Vaughn, Gilbert Gomez


Savannah: (3) – SP Akeel Morris, Alex Panteliodis, Erik Goeddel,


Brooklyn: (4) – SP: Michael Fulmer, Juan Urbina, SS Phillip Evans, OF: Brandon Nimmo


Kingsport: (2) – SP Luis Mateo, OF Vincente Lupo

The Keepers: - #27 - LHP - Alex Panteliodis

27. Alex Panteliodis LHP



University of Florida sophomore Alex Panteliodis (Tampa, Fla.) was named to the Primetime Performer Weekly Honor Roll produced by CollegeBaseball360.com on Tuesday. The left-hander kept No. 10 Miami hitless into the fifth inning and registered a career-high eight strikeouts as the Gators claimed the series opener last Friday in Coral Gables. Making his initial start of the season, Panteliodis (3-0) gave up two hits over 5.2 innings and was supported by an offense that plated four runs in the third and three in the eighth. In three appearances this year, Panteliodis has notched three victories and registered a 1.93 earned run average. The southpaw has totaled 12 strikeouts, issued three walks and limited opponents to a .172 clip in 9.1 innings. - http://www.gatorzone.com/story.php?id=17693  


Tampa Alonso alum Alex Panteliodis (5-2) scattered five hits and registered five strikeouts in 5.1 scoreless innings to help No. 3 seed Florida to a 5-0 victory over fourth-seeded Vanderbilt today - earning the Gators their first SEC Tournament Championship since 1991. “Alex (Panteliodis) gave us a great start,” head coach Kevin O’Sullivan said. “We knew going into this one that we’d have to pitch well. If we had to go to the bullpen early in this game, we were probably going to find ourselves in some trouble. AP just did an outstanding job.” - http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/gators/content/tampas-alex-panteliodis-leads-florida-baseball-team-sec-tournament-title  


Alex Panteliodis led the Gators with 11 wins, 84 strikeouts and 100 innings pitched last season, and he did it all with a bad hip. Panteliodis felt pain before the start of last season but couldn’t identify the injury or its extent. As the discomfort got worse, the junior got better on the mound. He just kept playing through it and applied heat to keep it loose and minimize the pain. Doctors found a bump growing on his bone that would fray his labrum whenever he rotated his hip. - http://www.alligator.org/sports/baseball/article_1378b0a6-3e43-11e0-9219-001cc4c03286.htm