32. Mike Antonini – SP – AA –
Antonino’s senior year stats at GC&SU were 7-6, 3.97 in 15 starts, 91.0 IP, 89 H, 19 BB, and 89 Ks.
The Mets selected Antonini in the 18th round (573rd overall) of the 2007 amateur draft out of Georgia College & State University. He has been assigned to Kingsport to kick off his pro career. Antonini is a native of Aston, PA
In 2007, Antonini started the season with Kingsport (1-1, 3.71, 1.06 in 5 appearances, 3 starts), but finished it with Brooklyn (0-0, 0.46, 0.92 in 7 appearances, 2 starts).
In late January 2007, Baseball America ranked Mike as the 26th overall Mets prospect, adding: "Paul loduca caught antonini at brooklyn and proclaimed his changeup big league ready"
Antonini had a meteoric rise in 2008, pitching for Savannah (4-4, 2.71), St. Lucie (4-0, 1.84), and Binghamton (1-3, 3.74), all of which combined for 9-7, 2.77.
In October 2008, Toby Hyde on Mike Antonini: Antonini had a great year, earning his promotions first to St. Lucie and then to Binghamton. The night I saw him in Binghamton, Antonini worked off a fastball that was 87-91, but mostly 88/89. He commanded it to both sides of the plate. He faced a lineup with eight batters who hit from the right side and featured his changeup as his second pitch. It was inconsistent, without great movement and often elevated. He allowed a homerun on an elevated changeup at 83 mph. He was cautious about throwing his slider to the RHH, and with good reason, since it was a little sweeping. Note that once Antonini reached AA, his homerun and walk rates spiked, while his strikeout rate was 6.3 K/9, the lowest of any of his three stops in 2008. Likely 09 Start: AA
From Toby Hyde: Antonini graduated from both full-season A-ball leagues in his first full professional season, and that success from a left-hander counts for something. His fastball is fringe-average from the left side, sitting at 88-89 when I saw him in July. He touched 91, but did not pitch at that velocity. The fastball plays up thanks to good command as he can spot it to both sides of the plate. His changeup is his second pitch, but when he didn’t finish the pitch, it stayed up, and got hit hard in AA. 2008: SAL? Check. FSL? Check. AA? Working on it. Winter ball? No problem. That’s a great year. Projected 2009 Start: AA Binghamton rotation
February 2009: MYOB on: Mike Antonini LHP - drafted in the 18th round, he had a solid year playing at three different levels. He finished with an overall 2.71 ERA. He doesn’t throw hard and he lacks the stuff to be a top of the rotation starter, but he could be an effective back man. Currently pitching in Puerto Rico where his ERA is 3.60 in eight starts. One concern is that he gave up 10 homeruns in 45 innings pitching at AA Binghamton.
1-1-10: Antonini seemed to get his game back on track at the end of the 2009 season, and it will be interesting to see if he is: A) sent to AAA to start, B) sent back to AA to start, or C) sent to the pen.
6-11-10: - Mike Antonini put up another gem, tossing a 7-inning CG (1-ER, 7-K, 0-BB, 4.02). That’s three gems in a row, resulting in 19-1-IP, 3-ER, 20-K, 2-BB. This alone warrants a bump up to AAA-Buffalo and, hopefully, the Mets will make some room for him post haste. They really need to start moving some these guys in the right direction.
6-21-10: - Antonini had another strong outing on Sunday, which just strengthens my theory that he will be moving to Buffalo sometime tomorrow. This outing: 7.0-IP, 2-ER, 6-K, 1-BB… He’s got a 3.37 ERA in his last 10 outings and, frankly, the Mets need to see him at a new level. Mike turns 25 in August and now is his time to prove his 2011 value. Remember, he started pitching in Binghamton during the 2008 season. He had two starts last year in Buffalo (12.27) and was returned to Binghamton to mature some more. Fine. He’s now mature.
7-1-10: - Antonini had another good outing for Binghamton last night… 7.0-IP, 3-ER, 7-K, 1-BB… ERA is now sitting at 4.05. I still think he should be pitching at Buffalo at this point in his career, butwhat the heck do I know?
7-11-10 from Binghamton Mets web site: - For the second straight start, Mike Antonini recorded a career-high nine strikeouts and again he offered up a quality start and failed to pick up a win. Six of Antonini’s last eight starts have gone six innings or better with three earned runs or less (a quality start). He has struck out 25 men in his last 19 innings and ranks fourth in the Eastern League in punchouts (82) and fifth in innings pitched (105.1).
7-13 from: - http://www.amazinavenue.com/2010/7/13/1565273/mid-term-farm-system-review-part - Antonini got off to a terrible start but has been improving as the season has gone along, a great sign from a young pitcher. His control is outstanding, and while his strikeout rate isn't tremendous, it's solid and not a major issue for Antonini. The real problem is the lack of stuff—Antonini really only tops out around 91—and that flyball rate. Homers have been a small issue this season, but there's the potential here for them to become much more than a small issue. Still, he's a lefty, and those guys have a tendency to buck the odds. The only problems here are problems we saw coming last year, and he's exceeded expectations in some ways.
7-16-10: - Antonini continues to dominate AA hitters in the months of June and July. Last night, he went 6.2-IP, 0-ER, 4-K, 1-BB, and lowered his ERA to 3.70. What's especially impressive is his 2.93 ERA over his last ten starts, beginning on May 29th. As I have stated before, he's ready for the move to AAA which I expect to happen soon. There seems to be a slot open in Buffalo, what with Tobi Stoner used as a reliever for the first time during one of Olver Perez's outings. I expect Mike to slot in that position as soon as Perez is done with his rehabbing.
7-26-10: - Antonini got back on track Sunday, allowing only one run in 6.0-IP (7-K, 2-BB, 4-H) … his yearly stats are now: 21-G, 6-9, 4.07, 1.17 , 98-K, 23-BB, 121.2-IP, .299-BABIP, 3.86-FIP.
8-10-10: - stock up – so, how many times have I written in the past three months that Mike Antonini ought to be pitching AAA ball this season? Well, finally someone work up and gave the boy a one-way to Buffalo and he pitched 6.0 scorelss innings last night, striking out five, walking none, and stating a AAA “seasonal” ERA of 0.00. Mike’s got one more obstacle to climb this year and then he’s Willet’s Point bound…
2011 Forecast: - Things will probably slow down for Mike now that Dillon Gee impressed so much in his Queens debut. I don't consider either one of them as probably rotation material, but both have been considered as a future addition to the Queens pen. Antonini first needs to survive the Rule V draft, then, he will most probably return to Buffalo, hopefully, to dominate.
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