3-31 - Minors Stuff - Henry Owens, Manny Acosta, Minch, Gnats Roster and New Radio Affiliate

Bisons:

    Henry Owens: - New York Mets signed: RHP Henry Owens - A nondrafted free agent signed by the Pirates from Division II Barry (Fla.), Owens seemed like a revelation after the Mets made him a minor league Rule 5 pick in December ’04. He struck out a staggering 12.3 and then 16.6 batters per nine innings as he moved from high Class A St. Lucie in ’05 to Double-A Binghamton in ’06. The Marlins acquired Owens when they traded Jason Vargas to the Mets following the ’06 season, and the hard-throwing reliever shined as a rookie the following year. But then Owens missed the ’08 season with a shoulder injury, got dumped from the 40-man that October and then in November received a 50-game suspension for failing a test for performance-enhancing drugs. He returned last season to make 11 wild appearances in the Marlins system, walking 12 batters in 13 2/3 innings but surrendering only one run. Owens last appeared with Double-A Jacksonville on June 28 before being granted free agency at season's end. - BA 

Pat Minch: - Pat was placed on waivers, but that doesn't mean we have seen the endo of him. The Mets will sign him to a minor league contract if he clears waivers... and he might. Misch had a steller spring, but ERA's don't mean a thing against inferior lineups. Pat is, at best, considered a AAAA jouneyman who would be good to have around if the cave falls through again this year.

Manny Acosta: - well, the Mets have claimed worse pitchers... Acosta is a 6-4, 170-lb righty that actually was signed internatioanlly by the Yankees. Has had an excellent minor league carrer (30-33, 3.86, in 199 games, though her 1.50 WHIP could be lower. Has played parts of the last three seasons for the Braves and stats out at: 5-7, 3.55, 1.45 in 103 appearances.

Tthe Buffalo staff is really taking a new turn... so far, on the board are five relief pitchers... Acosta,  Clint Everts, Sean Green, Robert Parnell, and Eddie Kunz (back closing?). These kind of additions aren't making guys like Emary Frederick, Carlos Muniz, and Henry Owens sleep well tonight. From "Talking Chop":

                       "Allow me to give all New York writers a quote they can use, “Acosta is like the pitching version of Jeff Francoeur, only worse.” So yes, claim him all you want. The fear of Acosta ever appearing in a game for us again is finally over."

B-Mets:


Lucy:

Gnats:

We discussed the Gnats 8-1 win last night and we're starting to get a little idea who's going to mak this team... caution... I am always wrong at this point a week out, but here goes anyway... I see four SPs... the return of John Holdzkom  (based on seeing him fully recovered at the mini-camp in February), Mark Cohoons ( could go pen, but them why piggy-back him yesterday), Eduardo Aldama, and a surprise, Armondo Rodriquez. I had Rod not going higher than Brooklyn, but he looks like hes holding his own on the Gnats squad.

The rub... what about Brandon Moore, Juan Urbina, Collin McHugh, Lance Hoge, James Fuller, and Michael Herbert?

Pen wise, I have Marcos Tabata, Zach Von Tersh, and Cole Abbott (if ready)...

1B goes to Sam Honexk, Jenry Marte returns to third,, but the only reason Wilmer Flores is playing short for the Gnats right now is (IMO) to settle down Marte.

I expect Toby to grade me when I see him next week.

The Savannah Sand Gnats have a new radio home in 2010: News/Talk 630 WBMQ (I used to own this station!), a member of Cumulus Media. All 140 Gnats regular-season games and any playoff games will air live on WBMQ. All Sand Gnats games will stream live online at www.sandgnats.com and www.wbmq.net.

News/Talk 630 WBMQ is the most powerful AM signal in the greater Savannah market and the home of Sean Hannity, weekdays from 3-6 PM. “We are very fortunate to have a professional baseball franchise in Savannah, and that's why Cumulus Media is so excited to bring all of the Sand Gnats games to our listeners on Talk Radio WBMQ 630,” said Blake Mendenhall, Market Manager for Cumulus Savannah. “The Sand Gnats have a lot of terrific promotions planned for the entire family throughout the 2010 season, and all of our stations are proud to be supporting the team and the community they serve.”
 
The Sand Gnats also have a new play-by-play voice this year: Toby Hyde. Hyde has broadcast minor league baseball since 2004, beginning his career that season with the Stockton Ports before reaching AAA with the Iowa Cubs in 2007. A versatile broadcaster, he has called college and professional basketball and high school football. Hyde also writes the popular www.metsminorleagueblog.com, part of the SNY.tv network. SportsNet New York (SNY), which launched in 2006, is the official television home of the Mets, the Sand Gnats’ parent club.


“We are very pleased to enter into this new relationship with Cumulus Media,” said Gnats President John Katz. “Gnats fans will appreciate the signal strength and reach of WBMQ, and the quality of Toby’s entertaining broadcasts. Throughout the season, Gnats fans will also appreciate the promotions and the wide-variety of music mix across all of their stations”  -  www.sandgnats.com



Clones:


K-Port:


GCL:


DSL:



VSL Mets:

-there are no more "VSL Mets"… instead, the Mets will have two teams in the DSL league…