Baseball America: - Mock

1. PIRATES: Gerrit Cole.

2. MARINERS: Anthony Rendon.



3. DIAMONDBACKS: Danny Hultzen.



4. ORIOLES: Jed Bradley.



5. ROYALS: Sonny Gray.



6. NATIONALS: Alex Meyer.



7. DIAMONDBACKS: Dylan Bundy.



8. INDIANS: Trevor Bauer.



9. CUBS: Bubba Starling.



10. PADRES: Taylor Jungmann.



11. ASTROS: Francisco Lindor.

12. BREWERS: Taylor Guerrieri.


13. METS: Brandon Nimmo.

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/draft/mock-draft/2011/2611735.html 

Roster Moves and Signings

The Mets have decided to keep Bobby Parnell in Buffalo a little longer. Currently, the Mets have the 3rd best bullpen ERA in the NL, so why screw with the recipe.



The Bisons placed OF Lucas Duda on the DL and transferred C Sal Manriguez to Binghamton. They then went out and signed 37-year old Luis Figueroa and traded for 28-year old OF Bubba Bell (from Cleveland for cash).


Obviously, the Mets felt there was no one in Binghamton, at either position, ready to bump up to AAA.


Bell was a 39th round draft pick by Boston in 2005 out of Nicholls State. He spent six years in the Red Sox organization, rising to AAA in 2009 (.208) and 2010 (.292). His lifetime minor league stats are: .292/.370/.446/.816.


The Mets announced that they have signed another top international prospect. 21-year old Luis Mateo signed for a $150,000 bonus. The 6-3, 175 pound RHP originally signed ($625K) with the Giants, but the contract voided when bone chips were found in his right elbow. Then the Padres agreed to sign him ($300k), until reports came out that his reported age was wrong. The MLB finally just suspended the dude for a year so he could figure out, err… when he was born. 3.17.92 became 3.22.90 and here comes the Mets. Mateo reportedly thows in the 93-96 range, plus a “decent” slider.

Trenton 5, Binghamton 3

Brad Holt lasted just 3 1/3 innings and walked five men for the second straight start as Trenton ran past Binghamton 5-3 at Waterfront Park Friday night to send the B-Mets to their third straight loss. Holt was saddled with his second loss after allowing four runs — three earned — on three hits.


Binghamton (12-20) was first on the board in the fourth inning. Josh Satin singled off Kei Igawa on the first pitch he saw. Eric Campbell also chose to pick on the first pitch and smashed a two-run homer down the line in left to give the B-Mets an early 2-0 lead. It was Campbell’s second homer of the season.



Trenton (19-16) answered the bell in the fourth inning, however, with a four-run outburst. Holt walked the first two hitters of the frame, who then executed a double steal. Melky Mesa came next and doubled over the head of centerfielder Lorenzo Scott to drive both runners home to tie the game. Mesa took third on an errant relay throw to the plate from shortstop Jordany Valdespin. Valdespin made it two consecutive errors when the next hitter, Ray Kruml, hit a slow roller up the middle that he fielded cleanly but threw wild into the Thunder’s first-base dugout. Mesa scored on the groundball and Kruml took second on the error. At that point, Holt lost command of his fastball completely and sent two wild pitches into the netting at the backstop, which allowed Kruml to take third and subsequently home to advance the lead to 4-2.



Holt would not make it out of the inning. After walking two more hitters, Edgar Ramirez entered for him and got the B-Mets out of the frame without further damage.



Igawa proved to be unblemished following Campbell’s homer. The southpaw hurled a season-high six innings and allowed two runs on three hits for his second win with Trenton.



The B-Mets trimmed the deficit to one in the seventh thanks to some sloppy play from the Thunder. Brahiam Maldonado led off the inning with a routine groundball to third. However, Bradley Suttle bobbled the ball and threw it away which allowed Maldonado to reach second. Suttle was charged with two errors on the play. After Allan Dykstra struck out, Maldonado swiped third and scored on Salomon Manriquez’s groundout to second, which made it 4-3.



The Thunder got that run back with a solo homer from Cody Johnson in the eighth inning, his fifth of the season.



Despite Holt’s short outing, Ramirez spared the bullpen with his longest outing of the season. The 27-year-old chewed up 4 2/3 innings while limiting Trenton to a run on two hits with four strikeouts.

Lakeland 7, St. Lucie 6

The St. Lucie Mets could not hold on to 5-0 lead falling to the Lakeland Flying Tigers 7-6 Friday night at Digital Domain Park. The Mets fall to 23-12 after splitting the four-game series with the Flying Tigers.



The Mets jumped ahead early with two runs in the second inning keyed by a solo home run off the bat of Stefan Welch. An RBI ground out scoring Wilmer Flores gave the Mets a 3-0 advantage through three innings. The Mets tacked on two more runs in the fourth inning to jump ahead 5-0. Mets start Scott Moviel was solid through five innings not allowing a run while yielding only two hits. Moviel ran into trouble in the sixth inning loading the bases with only one out. Moviel was lifted from the game for Mike Powers who could not keep the Lakeland bats at bay. After a sacrifice fly made it a 5-1 game, Powers allowed three consecutive hits as the Flying Tigers tied the score 5-5. The Mets answered in the seventh with a run to give them a 6-5 lead but the bullpen could not get the job done as Lakeland would score two time in the top of the eighth inning to go ahead 7-6 which would be the final.



Moviel received the no-decision tossing 5.1 innings allowing three runs on two hit. Adam Kolarek got the loss giving up two runs in 0.1 innings. Matt den Dekker led the Mets with three hits and two runs scored on the night. Rylan Sandoval and Welch both had two hits with Welch hitting his fourth home run of the season and Pedro Zapata drove in a pair.

Savannah\ 5, Rome 1

The Savannah Sand Gnats defeated the Rome Braves 5-1 Friday night before 3,167 fans at State Mutual Stadium. This was the first game in the four game series.



Savannah took an early lead in the first inning. The first run of the night came from an RBI double by Cory Vaughn scoring Darrell Ceciliani and Robbie Shields who each had singles. The Sand Gnats would add to their lead on a two run homerun by Aderlin Rodriguez scoring Vaughn giving Savannah a 4-0 advantage.

Rome got on the board in the fourth inning off a solo homerun by Evan Gattis making the score 4-1. In the eighth, Savannah added an insurance run on an RBI double by Patrick Farrell for a 5-1 lead. Sand Gnats bullpen held on for the victory.



Erik Goeddel (2-2) gets the win while Rome’s Ronan Pacheco (1-3) is hit with the loss.

Savannah Sand Gants Pre-Game Notes

Savannah Sand Gnats (15-18, 4th, Southern) @ Rome Braves (10-24, 7th, Southern)


Game #34 - Road Game #17 - Friday – 7:00

RHP Erik Goeddel (1-2, 3.60) vs. LHP Ronan Pacheco (1-2, 3.45)

State Mutual Stadium, Rome, GA

Radio: News/Talk 630 and sandgnats.com

Tonight: The Gnats, SAL affiliate of the New York Mets, head to Rome to begin a seven-game road trip against the Rome Braves, SAL affiliate of the Atlanta Braves. The Gnats finished their recent home stand against Rome and Hickory at 5-3.

Last Night: The Hickory Crawdads snapped the Gnats’ three-game winning streak with a 1-0 win in 13 innings. The winning run scored on a wild pitch from Savannah reliever Luis Rojas on an intentional ball four to Hickory’s DH, Andrew Clark. RF Cory Vaughn was 3-4 with a pair of walks.

Now Pitching: RHP Erik Goeddel is scheduled to make his seventh start of the year for Savannah tonight. In his last three starts, Goeddel has allowed just 12 hits, three walks and four runs in 18 innings with 18 strikeouts for a K/BB of 6 and an ERA of 2.25. The Mets drafted Goeddel in the 24th round of the 2010 draft out of UCLA. He made only one appearance for the GCL Mets on August 14, 2010 throwing one inning with one hit and one strikeout. Goeddel underwent Tommy John surgery during his senior year of high school at San Jose’s Bellarmine Prep in 2007 and missed most of the next two years at UCLA. In 2010 he was excellent for the Bruins out of the bullpen, striking out 59 and walking 23 while giving up 44 hits in 50 innings. In decimal form he had a 10.6 K/9, 4.1 BB/9 and 7.9 H/9 at UCLA in 2010. Coming into the 2011 season, Goeddel was ranked as the Mets’ 17th best prospect by Baseball America, and the team’s 16th best by Baseball Prospectus. The Gnats are 3-3 when Goeddel starts and have supported him with 3.0 runs per game.

Vicious Vaughn: Cory Vaughn is up to third in the SAL in on-base percentage (.460) and is 12th in batting average (.333) and 15th OPS (.902).

Pitching to the Top of the Charts: The Gnats lead the SAL in ERA (3.46) and WHIP (1.28). The Gnats’ 271 strikeouts are fourth most, and their 101 walks are fifth fewest in the League. The run in the top of the 13th inning Thursday halted Savannah’s string of 28 scoreless innings.

Hitting the Bottom of the Barrel: The Gnats are last in the SAL in batting average (.230), on-base percentage (.305) and runs scored (110). Savannah is 13th in slugging (.348) while Rome is last in the category at .337. The Gnats average 3.33 runs per game (110 runs/33 games) while Rome is second-to-last at 3.82 (130 runs/34 games).

Road Data: The Gnats are 10-7 at home, but just 5-11 on the road. At home, Savannah pitching has a 2.17 ERA with a K/BB ratio of 2.5 (150/60), an opponents’ batting average of .229 and 0.33 HR/9 IP (6 HR/162 IP). On the road, Gnats pitching has a 4.77 ERA, a K/BB ratio of 2.95, an opponents’ batting average of .277 and a 1.02 HR/9 IP (15 HR/132 IP.

Strong Starting: In the eight games of the Gnats’ home stand, starters Taylor Whitenton, Greg Peavey, Ryan Fraser, Erik Goeddel and Gonzalez Germen combined on 50 innings yielding just four runs, three earned, on 29 hits. In their last 13 games, Savannah starters are 6-1 with a 0.99 ERA (8 ER/73 IP) with 58 strikeouts, 19 walks and 52 hits allowed. In those 13 games, Gnats starters have a strikeout to walk ratio of 3.05 and have given up as many as two runs just twice. Six times Gnats starters have held their opponent without a run and five times they have held their opponent to one run.

Vs. Rome: The Gnats are 2-2 against the Rome Braves in 2011, all at home. The two teams combined to score 11 runs in their four-game set in Savannah last Friday to Monday.

Buffalo Pre-Game Notes

Buffalo Bisons (15-20, 5th(-5.0), North) vs. Louisville Bats (20-14, 2nd(-5.0), West)Friday, May 13, 2011 (6:35 p.m.) - Louisville Slugger Field


LHP Casey Fossum (0-2, 3.58) vs. LHP Matt Maloney (1-0, 1.10)

Radio: WWKB AM 1520, http://www.bisons.com/

TODAY’S GAME: Tonight, the Bisons take on the Louisville Bats in the first game of a four-game series from Louisville Slugger Field (6:35 p.m.). Tonight’s game opens an eight-game roadtrip as the Bisons will also travel to Indianapolis, May 17-20. Buffalo is coming off a 4-4 homestand with series splits against Louisville and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre

VS. THE BATS: The Bisons and Bats split a four-game series at Coca-Cola Field, May 5-8. The Herd won the first two games before Louisville rallied to win the final two. Each team earned a shutout win in the series. Last season, Buffalo split the four games they played at Louisville Slugger Field.

CASEY ON THE MOUND: LHP CASEY FOSSUM will be making his eighth appearance and fifth start on the year tonight. The southpaw actually made a start and a relief appearance the last time the Bisons faced the Bats. Fossum threw 2.2 shutout innings of relief on May 5 and then was inserted back into the rotation on May 8. On short rest, he allowed three runs (two earned) in 4.2 innings in a defeat to Louisville.

RUN PRODUCER: INF VALENTINO PASCUCCI has the hottest bat in the Bisons lineup. The slugger is six for his last 11 at the plate (.545), with a double, two home runs and nine RBI in the last three games. The stretch, which began with a six-RBI performance on May 10 vs. the Yankees, has raised Pascucci’s average from .193 to .250 in just three days.

ROSTER MOVES APLENTY: The Bisons will welcome two newcomers for the start of their roadtrip. INF LUIS FIGUEROA has been signed by the Mets and OF BUBBA BELL has been acquired in a trade with Cleveland for cash considerations. Bell was hitting .292 (7-24) with two RBI in eight games for Triple-A Columbus. Figueroa was signed by Milwaukee on April 17 and averaged .296 (8-27) with three RBI in nine games with Triple-A Nashville before being released. To make roster room, OF LUCAS DUDA was placed on the disabled list, retroactive to May 11, and C SALOMON MANRIQUEZ was transferred to Double-A Binghamton.

METS UPDATE: The Mets (17-20) defeated the Rockies, 9-5, in their rain make up game at Coors Field. OF CARLOS BELTRAN hit three home runs and drove in six of New York’s nine tallies. Beltran now has eight home runs on the season. The Mets open a three-game series against the Astros in Houston tonight (8:05 p.m.).

B-Mets: - Pre-Game Notes

LAST GAME: The Trenton Thunder sent 12 men to the plate in a seven-run seventh inning en route to handing the B-Mets a 7-4 last night at Waterfront Park in New Jersey. The B-Mets held a 4-0 lead thanks to a first inning score and a three-run fourth. After Carlos Guzman’s fielder’s choice brought home Josh Satin with the B-Mets’ second run of the game, Kai Gronauer doubled home two to give Binghamton a four-run advantage. Mark Cohoon, who was cruising after escaping a jam in the second, reached the end of his rope in the seventh. After he walked the first two of the frame, he was replaced by left-hander Brandon Sage. Sage failed to record an out as he al-lowed four straight singles. By the time he was relieved by Rhiner Cruz, the Thunder had tied the game at four. The offen-sive outburst did not stop against Cruz as Trenton brought home three more runs to take a 7-4 lead. Binghamton had no rebuttal in their final two turns at bat, striking out for the final five outs of the game.


STARTING PITCHING MATCHUP: RHP Brad Holt makes his seventh start of the season. Holt allowed two hits and walked five in four shutout innings in a no-decision against the Fisher Cats on May 7. Holt went 0-2 with a 20.25 ERA in two appear-ances against the Thunder last year.

LHP Kei Igawa will make his seventh appearance of the year and second start for the Thunder. The southpaw allowed five runs on ten hits in four innings in his first loss against the Aeros on May 8. The Japanese hurler was signed by the Yan-kees in December 2006 and went 2-4 with a 6.66 ERA in 16 appearances in the Majors in 2007 and 2008.

STALLED ON THUNDER ROAD: Dating back to 2009, the B-Mets have now lost 13 of their last 14 games at Waterfront Park against Trenton.

BIG INNING TIDBITS: The seven runs allowed by the B-Mets in the seventh inning last night were the most allowed in any frame this season. Binghamton has allowed five runs or more in a single inning ten times this season. All ten games, all losses, have come in the last 16 days.

ON THE BRIGHT SIDE: The B-Mets committed fewer errors than their opponent for only the third time this season. Binghamton is 1-2 in such games. The last time an opponent made more misplays came on April 27 against the Portland Sea Dogs.

OFF ON THE WRONG FOOT: The B-Mets dropped the opening game of a series for the third

Crawdads beat Gnats 1-0 in 13 innings

The final game of the four game series between the Savannah Sand Gnats and the Hickory Crawdads was played Friday evening at Grayson Stadium. Hickory won the game on a wild pitch in the 13th inning 1-0 to avoid been swept in the series.

Hickory shortstop, Jurickson Profar led off the 13th inning with a double and advanced to third on a fly out to center. Gnat reliever, Luis Rojas threw a wild pitch over the outstreched reach of the catcher on ball four of an intentional walk allowing Profar to score from third.

Savannah collected 10 hits for the game. rfCory Vaughn, who led the team in high batting average going into the game with .318, went 3-for-4. dhRobbie Shields was 2-for-5. 2bLuis Nieves was 2-for-4.

Savannah starting pitcher Ryan Fraser was superb pitching 6 2/3 shutout innings, allowed only 2 hits, 2BB, 3 strikeouts, and hit one batter. Angel Cuan worked 1 1/3 gave up 2 hits and struck out 2. Hamilton Bennett went 3 innings, 0 hits, 2BB and struck out 4. Luis Rojas(L,1-2) pitched 2 innings, allowed 1 run on 2hits, 2BB and struck out 1.

The announced attendance was 2,126.

Photo courtesy of Ed DeVita, Editor of The Savannah Sports Monthly.