4-25-12 - Daily Mets Minors Report

Date: 4-25-12

Don’t ask...

AAA-Buffalo

FLASH - The Mets sign INF Brad Emaus & OF Fred Lewis and assign them to Buffalo.

  

Well, guess the Bisons could use some more 10:30 AM games…

Score:  12-1

This was obviously Matt Harvey’s best AAA outing: 7.0-IP, 4-H, 0-R, 5-K, 0-BB (4.85)… 66 strikes in 90 pitches… everyone in the organization kept saying that his velocity has been just fine this year. It simply was all about location…

OMG… Josh Edgin (3.00) gave up a run! Oh the humanity…

Just an offensive picnic… 1B Josh Satin came out of his demotion funk (4-5, HR, 2-R, 2-doubles, 3-RBI), but… Harvey: 1-4, HR, .429??? This is crazy…

Harvey now has a higher batting average than 2B Bobby Scales (.375)… I can’t wait to hear the “Loud Mouths” today…

AA-Binghamton:   

The Mets released right-hander Eric Beaulac, a ninth-round pick in 2008 out of LeMoyne (N.Y.) College. From my defunct “Keepers” list…

                        51.         SP         Eric Beaulac

The Mets drafted Beaulac in the 9th round of the 2008 draft. 2008 stats from Le Moyne: 14 GS, 2.83 ERA, 113K/43BB, 54 Hits allowed in 92 1/3 IP, 11 XBH allowed all season but also 15 WPs.

Beaulac entered the Mack’s Prospect List for the first time in August 2008, coming in at # 19: 19. RP Eric Beaulac/K-Port – 21 years old – I’ve been told by a couple of so-called ‘inside sources’ that the Mets are very high on this pitcher. He got his first professional start on 7-15, gave up 1 run in 4.0 IP, then followed it up with 5.0 IP, 1 ER, for his first professional victory on 7-15. Then, on 7-25, he returned to a relief role, pitching 3 scoreless innings and lowering his ERA to 1.89. On 7-29, Beaulac was promoted to A-Savannah and should be used as a starter for the remainder of the season.

In 2008, Beaulac pitched for 3 teams, Savannah, Brooklyn, and Kingaport, and turned in a combined record of 2-2, 3.38, in 14 games, 8 starts.

In 2009, Beaulac pitched the entire season for Savannah: 7-7, 2.95, 1.30, 133-K, 116.0-IP.

Two year professional totals: 193-K in 164.0-IP.

1-10-10 Forecast: Listen, you keep your ERA below 3 and have better than a 1.0 K/IP ration, you get promoted. Still wished he got back to me about that interview, but it’s on to Lucy for Eric.

8-5-10: - Stock Down – Beaulac has been removed from the St. Lucie rotation, to make room for the promotion of Jimmy Fuller. He pitched relief last night after starting 16 out of 17 games, and going 5-3, 3.38. That’s some pretty damn good numbers for anyone that pitches for Lucy, so this doesn’t make much sense on the surface. One thing worth noting… Beaulac was a strike out machine last year, with Savannah, producing 133-Ks in 116.0-IP. This year, he’s down to 57-K in 82.2-IP. This just might be another of the many college pitches that start off strong in A ball, but stumple against players their own age when they start up the ladder.

4-12-11: - Down: - RP – Eric Beaulac – Beaulac is one of the many talented pitchers that came out of Savannah in the past few years. He’s another of those mid-range college starters that Omar drafted and then started them in rookie ball rather than test their college sills at least at the A+ level. Beaulac now joins Chris Schwinden, Dylan Owen, Eric Niesen, and Jeff Kaplan in various pens around the system.

7-12-11: - You think Greg Peavey had a tough night yesterday? Well, Eric Beaulac started for the GCL Mets on Tuesday for his first rehab start… 0.2-IP, 1-H…  not bad, huh? Well, there also was 4-BB and 5-ER, producing a 67.50 ERA. This is why they call it rehab.

8-28-11: - Stock Up: - RP – Eric Beaulac -  This is a complete re-invention of a pitcher going in the wrong directly. Very quietly, Beaulac has become a very successful relief pitcher this year for St. Lucie. Eric went up the ladder all the way to Binghamton as a starter, but there simply is too much projected SP talent ahead of him. So, he started over this year with the GCL team and, now after ten relief appearances for Lucy, has  a stat line of 0-0, 2.81. WHIP still too high (1.63), but he’ll work on that.

8-28-11: - #46 – RP Eric Beaulac – Beaulac came out of A-ball like gangbusters, but his path to the majors was slowed once he reached AA ball. Beaulac didn’t do much wrong; he just was like so many talented pitchers that just didn’t make the cutoff for 5 starters times 30 teams. So, he took a deep breath, came off the DL, and started over as a reliever. So far so good and I see no reason for him to go back to Binghamton next season. The 6-5 righty will play 2012 as a 26-year old so he should be able to play Buffalo. ETA – AAAA

Look folks… there is a lesson here that I continue to harp on… Beaulac had 193-K in 164.0-IP in his first two Mets seasons. It meant nothing because it was in A-balll and lower. The real test is AA for a starter. Everything before that is pitching masturbation.

INF Eric Campbell placed on disabled list (right shoulder strain), retroactive to April 22

RHP Jeff Kaplan transferred from St. Lucie (High-A) to Binghamton (AA)

OF Rafael Fernandez transferred from St. Lucie (High-A) to Binghamton (AA)

                        (frankly, I’ve been doing some checking and the Mets organizations don’t have any more players on the DL than all the other teams. This is how teams operate and, believe me, in a pennant race at any level, 33% of these guys would be playing)

Word made it down to Binghamton that, if Ike can be pinch hit for, you might want to use your bat like Buffalo did…

Mets scored five runs against Deck McGuire in the first two innings… Matt den Dekker’s 2^nd-HR of the season scored two… then Darin Gorski produced his worst professional outing: 4-ER, 4-BB in 3.2-IP...

A+ - St. Lucie: -   

19-yr. old OF Gilbert Gomez has joined the team… he fills the slot left open when DC went on the groin DL again…

CF Andres Torres continues his rehab in Lucy… 1B... oops, sorry... 3B Wilmer Flores (.317) hit his 3rd home run this season... here comes the Wilmer pop...

A – Savannah:

RHP Tyson Seng to DL, replaced by  RHP Chasen Bradford. I’m a big fan of Chasen… remember this name.

9-30-11: - Q and A: Mack with… RHRP Chasen Bradford

Mack:  Morning everyone. We're spending some time today with the Mets 35th round pick in the 2011 draft, RHRP Chasen Bradford. Hey Chasen. Are you back home in Nevada?

Bradford:  Yes, I am back home in Las Vegas but I have been making frequent visits to San Diego, California to visit my brother.

Mack:  Yeah, watch out for that speed trap in Barstow... Chasen, you've had a very successful first professional season. What was it like hearing your name on the draft broadcast that day?

Bradford:  It was awesome. It came out of nowhere. I was in my room in Florida cleaning up, getting ready to head back home when my roommate said "Chasen Bradford just got drafted by the New York Mets." First I thought he was kidding because he was already drafted by the Diamondbacks and he is a goofy guy so I didn't know if it was true. But when I look at the Draft Tracker I was shocked.

Mack  Tell us the biggest difference between pitching school ball and the pro grind?

Bradford:  Well I think the difference is that you see more seasoned college guys in pro ball. But when it comes down to it it is still pitching and the hitters will get themselves out. Another difference I have scene is consistency in the umpires strike zone and the hitters abilities to recognize pitches

Mack:  Chase, the word I've got from a scout-friend is you're a strike thrower, you have a decent changeup, and your go-to pitch is the slider?  Accurate?

Bradford:  Yes I've always been able to throw strikes that what I pride myself on. I may not throw 94-95 but I am able to put the ball wherever I want to. My change-up is my got to against lefties along with my two-seam and my slider I use against righties to compliment the two-seams I throw into them.

Mack:  So, we know everyone can look up stats, but let's concentrate on a couple: 33.1-IP, 37-K, 7-BB... Chase, I've learned a few things from the coaches over the years. Recognizing talent is all about OBP for the hitters and K/BB and K/IP ratio for the pitchers. THAT's what gets you to Queens. What are you doing in the off-season to keep it real?

Bradford:  Right now I am sticking to the strength plan that the Mets gave me. Taking a month off for active recover so my body can heal because between college and my first season of pro ball I have been throwing for close to nine months. Although this break has been good, I cannot wait to get back to lifting, running and throwing to get into even better shape for next year.

Mack:  I'm hoping to see you in Savannah come April, but, if it's Brooklyn, you'll love the fans and the food. Is there anything you want to say to the readers out there?

Bradford:  I also hope to be in Savannah but I do hear the atmosphere in Brooklyn is awesome. Either way I am very excited to start my second year with the Mets. I am glad they gave me the opportunity and excited to see what comes of it. I hope to meet some of the readers sometime because I really appreciate the fans and all they do for us as players.

Mack:  Thanks Chase.

A serious pitching duel with Zachary Fuesser (6.0-IP, 1-R, 8-K) and Alex Pants (6.1-IP, 1-R, 2-K, 0.89)… difference was unearned run in the 8^th from 1B Brian Harrison’s (.206) errant throw… BA’s of seven starters: .091, .206, .207, .167, .159, .105, .182

The Death Of Mack's Mets Poll:

Kill It    -   28 votes

Keep It  -  33 votes

We've hired the ex-press secretary for Newt Gingrich to help with campaign... err... I mean, poll result

Governor Rubio checks in and said he's not interested in being 2nd in command

And, go figure this...  my hit counter stopped keeping tract of my hits around three hours ago...  hacking???   unbelievable...