The Keepers: - #77 - RP- Brandon Sage

77.                    RP      Brandon Sage

Sage was selected by the Mets in the 37th round of this year’s draft.

1-1-10 Forecast:  This is about as best as it gets for a 37th rounder, and Sage will move on to probably Savannah for his 2010 season. Everyone loves a lefty specialist and, hopefully, the Mets have found one.

7-17-10: - Sage got off to a great start for Savannah in 2010 and, at one point, had the lowest WHIP in the complete organization. Then June happened... three appearances... a 10.80 ERA. Right now, he's 2-5, 4.41, in 22-appearances, with 28-K in  34.2-IP.

5-10-11: - LHRP Brandon Sage was promoted from St. Lucie to Binghamton. Sage has done very little wrong (check The Keepers for a great interview I did with him in the off-season) since turning pro in 2009. His ERA record: 2009 Brooklyn: 2.03, 2010 Savannah: 3.07, and 2011 St. Lucie: 3.45. Brandon was an unheralded 37th round pick in 2009 out of the University of South Alabama. He was a three year starter (7.02, 6.51, 4.64) and had 49-K in 58.2-IP in his last year. No, I’m still looking for something here to draft him also. Bottom line, he’s doing his job and getting rewarded.

6-2-11: - RP Brandon Sage seems to be totally overmatched at the AA level this season. I like Sage’s game and was a big proponent of this promotion, but some pitchers just have a hard time making that initial adjustment to a new level. The one stat that stands out is his ERA comparison between home and away games: Home – 4-G, 3.38… Away – 4-G, 31.50. I’m sure Brandon will either work this out or do everything he can to miss the bus.

9-22-11 - Sage was sent all the way back to Savannah to get his game together. That's not a good sign.

Lucas Duda, Jeurys Familia, Darin Gorski, Brandon Sage, Taylor Whitenton

Mets prospects going in different directions last night.


- Buffalo’s Lucas Duda has been on a tear since coming back. Last night he went 3-3, which included a double and two home runs. That’s a .400 batting average in the last game, which includes five home runs. Interesting is most of this is coming at a time when he is back playing his natural position of first base. You think it’s a coincidence this position change has come during the same time Ike Davis is wearing a boot?



-

6-2-11: -        It was going to happen. SP Jeurys Familia fifth turn in AA ball wasn’t one for his scrapbook: 4.0-IP, 7-H, 3-ER, 3-BB. That’s okay… his AA ERA is still 2.89 and his combined stats for the season are 64.1-IP, 61-K, 20-BB, 2.10.  Reports from the team are that he’s been asked to throw more sliders so he can develop the pitch. You have to throw what you’re trying to master and, in doing that, stats will be affected.

- St. Lucie RHP Darin Gorski is developing his own personal fan club over at NYFS. Gorski continues to impress at St. Lucie, throwing seven shutout innings, while striking out three and walking none. Overall season: 12-G, 6-starts, 3-0, 1.85, 66-K, 48.2-IP. Everybody is trying to figure out what is different about his game than last year when he went 6-8, 4.58 in Savannah. He did have 109-Ks in 114.0-IP, but he was nowhere near the pace he’s setting now. I don’t remember much about his game last season and even Toby Hyde is puzzled over this good development. Obviously we, and the Mets, will take it.



- RP Brandon Sage seems to be totally overmatched at the AA level this season. I like Sage’s game and was a big proponent of this promotion, but some pitchers just have a hard time making that initial adjustment to a new level. The one stat that stands out is his ERA comparison between home and away games: Home – 4-G, 3.38… Away – 4-G, 31.50. I’m sure Brandon will either work this out or do everything he can to miss the bus.



- RHP Taylor Whitenton keeps putting up great numbers for Savannah, though I would like to see him go deep into a game sometime again this year (7.0-IP on 5-6). 53-Ks in only 42.0-IP puts him in the Gorski league.