Cutnpaste: - Cole Frenzel, Chuck James, Ike Davis, Darrell Ceciliani, Marc Kroon

12-7-11: - http://baseballdraftreport.com  - Like so many players we’ve talked about before, Arizona 1B Cole Frenzel’s greatest challenge will be hitting enough to warrant playing time at a position that demands consistent offensive excellence. A baseball pal who has seen Frenzel play a lot compared him to a poor man’s Jeff Cirillo at the plate. If he can play a few other positions passably, he could have a future as a four-corners utility guy. Also, there’s no way I’m the only guy who reads his name and immediately thinks of this guy, right?

Chuck James was picked up by the Mets after being released by the Minnesota Twins back in November. He posted a 6.10 ERA and no record in eight relief appearances across two two spells with the Twins this season. James spent the other five-and-a-half months of the year at Triple-A Rochester in the International League. He was 3-2 with a 2.30 ERA in 38 outings for the Red Wings. James has been a non-factor over the last three years at the big-league level. He hasn't been a full-timer since '07, and prior to in May with Minnesota, he had not thrown a pitch in the Majors since July 2008. http://bleacherreport.com/articles/987616-new-york-mets-2012-preview-what-to-expect-from-left-hander-chuck-james

I don’t know — your guess is as good as mine. Ike Davis has a long, uppercut swing that would seem to be prone to the streakiness that we’ve seen. But when he’s “on” — wow — he’s “on”. He has the propensity to hit majestic, towering homeruns. He can also take a walk. He has also shown an ability to go the other way. His fielding is stellar. On the down side, we’re not sure how much he’ll struggle against lefties, he tends to strike out quite a bit, and his already slow feet likely will be slower after the injury. Will he become an Adam Dunn type of player? Maybe. Or will be more like an Adam LaRoche? I think that’s the range for him from ceiling to floor, and if LaRoche is the floor, that’s not too bad. My guess is Ike Davis will fall somewhere in between the two Adams, and that’s fine by me. First, though, I want to see him healthy and on the field — let’s all keep our fingers crossed on that. http://www.metstoday.com/7305/11-12-offseason/2011-evaluation-ike-davis

12-19-11: - http://www.amazinavenue.com/2011/12/19/2622862/2011-mets-minor-league-season-in-review-savannah-sand-gnats  - OF Darrell Ceciliani - STOCK DOWN - After a stellar 2010 with Brooklyn where he batted .355 with 33 extra-base hits in just 68 games, the '09 fourth rounder came back to Earth with a so-so campaign for the Gnats. His numbers were down in pretty much every department, most significantly his BABIP which dropped from .430 down to .327. And the scary thing is that's still kind of a high number. And while his average naturally took a huge hit as a result, the bigger concern is the nearly 200 point drop in slugging he experienced.  Now Savannah is a notorious pitchers paradise and like his underwhelming debut campaign Cecilliani battled some injuries this season. However, it's undeniable that the sky-high enthusiasm that many had for him last winter has to be dashed...at least somewhat.

On Sunday, The Baseball Historian posted an interview with early 1990s New York Mets prospect Marc Kroon. The Mets picked Kroon with their second round selection in the 1991 June Amateur Draft, their third overall pick that year. (New York had two picks in the first round, choosing high school outfielder Al Shirley with their first choice and California State University pitcher Bobby Jones with a supplemental choice received as compensation when Darryl Strawberry signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers as a free agent.) The 6′ 2″ right-hander spent three years in the Mets organization before being traded to San Diego during the winter of 1993 for journeyman pitcher (and Brooklyn native) Frank Seminara.

Building 2012 Rosters Prospects First - Picks 96-100

96 – 2B Danny Muno – Muno has been far more than a pleasant surprise this year for Brooklyn. He led the NY-Penn Leauge with a .355 batting average while also having the top OPS in .980. He’ll move on to Savannah next spring to play second there. ETA: - TBD

photo by Allan Greene

97 – OF Greg Pron – Pron played his first season with Kingsport, hitting .318/.389/.493/.882. The 6-6 outfielder needs to add some muscle in the off-season and add to his promising 7-HRs that were produced in 2011. Broolyn bound due to heavy traffic. ETA: TBD

98 – OF Tillman Pugh – Pugh laso will wind up in Broolyn in 2012 because he’s blocked from getting any higher right now. He hit .254 for Kingsport and ended the season adding .344 for the Clones. Lots of potential here. ETA: TBD

99 – 1B Cole Frenzel – Frenzel debuted with Brooklyn and produced minimal numbers (.238) and very little pop (1-HR in 160-Abs). That isn’t going to hack it as a first baseman, but he will move on to Savannah next season and give it another shot. ETA: TBD

100 – RP Tyson Seng – Seng had a very impressive first professional season, with Brooklyn: 3-1, 0.90, 1.07, 30.0-IP, 32-K, 5-BB. He needs to get some more work in before he can be taken serious, though he will move on to Savannah come next April. ETA: TBD





Rosters So Far:


Buffalo: (20) –SP Chris Schwinden, Collin McHugh, Brandon Moore, Mark Cohoon, RP Daniel Herrera, Robert Carson, Rhiner Cruz, Eric Beaulac, Jose De La Torre, IF Kai Gronauer, Alan Dykstra, Reese Havens, Jordany Valdespin, Zach Lutz, Michael Fisher, Eric Campbell, OF Kirk Nieuwenhuis, Fernando Martinez, Mike Baxter, Juan Lagarus


Binghamton: (22) – SP: Mike Harvey, Zack Wheeler, Jeurys Familia, Darin Gorski, Armondo Rodriguez, RP Mike Powers, Brandon Sage, John Church, Jeff Kaplan, Nick Carr, Josh Edgin, Brad Holt, IF Juan Centeno, Fernando Pena, Stefan Welsh, Rylan Sandoval, Wilfredo Tovar, Jefry Marte, OF Matt den Dekker, Cesar Puello, Pedro Zapata, Travis Ozga


St. Lucie: (24) – SP Greg Peavey, Taylor Whitenton, Angel Cuan, Tyler Pill, Ryan Fraser, RP Brant Rustich, Hamilton Bennett, Cory Mazzoni, Jack Leathersich, Yohan Almonte, Adam Kolarek, Gonzalez Germen, Chase Huchingson, IF Albert Cordero, Blake Forsythe, Sam Honeck, Alonzo Harris, Wilmer Flores, Robbie Shields, Aderlin Rodriguez, OF Cory Vaughn, Gilbert Gomez, Darrell Cecilliani, Joe Bonfe


Savannah: (16) – SP Akeel Morris, Alex Panteliodis, Erik Goeddel, Logan Verrett, Marcos Camerena, RP Tyson Seng, Orlando Tovar, Chris Hilliard, Mike Hebert, T.J. Chism, IF Cam Maron, Cole Frenzel, Danny Muno, Brandon Brown, Richard Lucas, OF Javier Rodriguez,


Brooklyn: (7) – SP: Michael Fulmer, Juan Urbina, Domingo Tapia, IF Phillip Evans, OF: Brandon Nimmo, Greg Pron, Tillman Pugh


Kingsport: (5) – SP Luis Mateo, Christian Montgomery, Steve Matz, OF Vincente Lupo, Eudy Pena


GCL: (0) –


DSL: (1) – IF Elvis Sanchez

Robert Gsellman, Darin Gorski, Cole Frenzel, Reyes To Boston, Phil Humber

Robert Gsellman:


I grew up on a lawn in a suburban neighborhood in Los Angeles, spending my afternoons playing pick-up baseball, and spending my evenings faking ankle injuries as an excuse to head home because I was tired of being utterly upstaged in whiffle-ball by my more talented next-door neighbor. Last month, that same neighbor was picked in the 13th round of the MLB draft. And last weekend, he signed his contract to fulfill my father’s 10-year prophecy: one day, that little Yankees fan would play for our beloved New York Mets… http://bleacherreport.com/articles/754145-2011-mlb-draft-prospect-robert-gsellman-looking-to-shine-for-the-new-york-mets  


Darin Gorski:


7-16-11 – http://www.baseballdigest.com/2011/07/16/minor-league-report-five-players-to-watch-3  - Darin Gorski, LHP, St. Lucie Mets, Florida State League – Gorski has dominated the league all season. He has not had a loss yet and collected 9 wins. He’s also leading the league in strikeouts with 102 and his 1.82 ERA is the FSL lowest. Between June 12th and mid-July he has been a revelation: 9 hits, 10 earned runs, 29 strikeouts in 37 innings. He finished June with a 0.79 ERA. Highlight: A one-hitter on June 27th against the Charlotte Stone Crabs.


Cole Frenzel:


7-14-11: - http://www.amazinavenue.com/2011/7/11/2270752/mets-minors-road-report-binghamton-7-9-brooklyn-7-10  - I think the Lucas Duda comparisons are inaccurate. He’s shorter than Duda (listed at 6’2" which looks generous to me) and kind of stocky. Basically, he looks like he should be a catcher. He played a pretty solid first, though nothing too difficult came his way. He was a SS/3B coming out of high school, so he should be fine there. Like the swing, but don’t know how much power he will hit for, hamate or no hamate.


Reyes To Boston:


To what extent are the Red Sox prepared to build for the present? You don't go out and obtain Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford to finish second to the Yankees. You get those guys because you've committed to winning it all. And to not finish things off would be foolish. So, as the trade deadline approaches in two weeks, the Red Sox have to identify what they need to accomplish their goal. From this perspective, they should load up the truck of prospects and send them to the Mets for shortstop Jose Reyes. "I know that everyone seems to think the Red Sox are going to bring in Carlos Beltran, or that they need a pitcher, but today proved to me that their biggest need is to get Reyes and solidify that shortstop position," said an American League scout - http://www.fannation.com/truth_and_rumors/view/297551-reyes-to-boston?utm_source=bleacherreport.com&utm_medium=referral#ixzz1STCPpnXu  


Phil Humber:


Phil Humber bounced around in the 2010 offseason. He was claimed by the A's released and then claimed by the White Sox. He made the rotation out of spring training mostly due to injuries to other players. His performance solidified his place in the Sox rotation. In 16 starts, Humber has a 8-5 record, with a 3.10 ERA and a legitimate beef for not making the All-Star team. - http://bleacherreport.com/articles/768175-each-mlb-teams-best-under-the-radar-roster-move-so-far#/articles/768175-each-mlb-teams-best-under-the-radar-roster-move-so-far/page/7  

Cole Frenzel, Jesse Orosco, Carlos Beltran, Gilbert Gomez, Dusty Ryan

Cole Frenzel:

The Mets signed Frenzel today:


2008: The number 94 top high school baseball prospect of 2009 by Baseball America is Cole Frenzel of Dickinson, ND. I found this video on a blog thanks to Dickinson Sports Writer Dustin Monke. We all know ND is not much of a baseball state and to be regarded as a top 100 prospect in the nation is a big deal. Frenzel is a great all-around baseball player. I personally played against him in my 3 years of varsity baseball and 1 outta my 2 years of JV ball. He is the real deal as he launched HR after HR after triple against my team. He is currently being looked at by Nebraska, Kansas, Oregon St., and Virginia to name a few schools. http://thesportsflow.blogspot.com/2008/07/nd-baseball-prospect-cole-frenzel.html  


2009: Cole Frenzel is a 2009 SS/3B with a 6'2'', 205 lb. frame from Dickinson, ND who attends Dickinson. Frenzel showed good hands in the infield and a strong arm. He has a strong LH bat and projects very well. He has good strength in his swing and shows good power potential. Interesting bat to watch as he continues to develop. He has signed with Arizona - http://www.perfectgame.org/players/playerprofile.aspx?ID=7960  


Arizona 2010: - Missed more than half of freshman season with a broken hamate in right hand suffered after hitting a foul ball against Long Beach State on February 27 ... Appeared in 26 games, and made 21 starts ... Started the final 19 games of the year, including the final 17 at first base ... http://www.arizonawildcats.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/frenzel_cole00.html



Jesse Orosco:


Jesse Orosco (1979-87): The other half of the closing tag-team with McDowell, Orosco was more of a strikeout pitcher than his right-handed counterpart. As a Met, the southpaw earned a 2.73 ERA and 1.209 WHIP to go along with a 7.6 K/9 and 107 saves, good for third on the all time Mets list. Like McDowell, Orosco excelled during the playoffs, particularly in the World Series. Against the Red Sox, Orosco pitched five and two-third scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and striking out six. The image of Orosco striking out the final batter of Game 7 and throwing his glove up in the air in celebration is one that will live on in the memories of Mets fans forever. - http://risingapple.com/2011/07/07/top-five-closers-in-mets-history  


Carlos Beltran:


My buddy, Kevin Kiernan, of the NY Post is reporting that the Mets have begun to discuss with other teams the possibility of trading Carlos Beltran. Trust me, Kevin doesn’t print something like this unless it is true. It doesn’t hurt to pick up the phone and hear what’s being offered. Yes, the Mets are in a pennant race and it doesn’t seem they could get there with the loss of Carlos, but we’ve said the same thing about Ike Davis, David Wright, Johan Santana, and Jose Reyes. Beltran’s clause that prevents the Mets in receiving supplemental picks is difference here and, though I expect the Mets to eat part of Beltran’s 2012 salary still due to be paid, I look for Jesus Montero type prospect here.



Gilbert Gomez:


7-7-11: - Mets outfield prospect Gilbert Gomez is beginning to make his mark professionally. The 19-year old went 3-4, 1-double, 2-RBI in yesterday’s suspended GCL game and has now raided his 2011 BA to .308. He was signed in 2008 as a heralded 16-year old, out of the Dominican Republic, and has so far taken baby steps through the organization… 2009: DSL - .268, 2010: GCL - .229. Pop is still projected here, though he has five doubles this year and is sporting his highest (.422) slugging percentage in his career.

Dusty Ryan:


7-7-11: - Binghamton had a lot of fun yesterday, led by a three hit (double, home run, 2-RBI) performance by catcher Dusty Ryan. We hasn’t spoken much about Ryan in the past. He originally was drafted in the 48th round, by Detroit, in the 2003 draft and played six years in the Tigers’ chain. He made it to the dance in both 2008 (44-AB - .318) and 2009 (26-AB - .154), but was traded in the off-season to San Diego, where he had a miserable season in AAA (.199). Ryan was a Sandy signee this past November and got off to a slow start this season due to rehabbing from knee surgery. He did show some nice pop (15-HR, .476-Slg) in 2008 for AA-Erie. The 6-4 Ryan is 26-years old.