Mets: Zack Wheeler, Collin McHugh, Matt Harvey, Josh Thole

Zack Wheeler, the No. 1 prospect in the Mets' organization, does not mind that many fans are pinning the hopes of this franchise on him. "It makes me feel good," Wheeler said in the press room at Digital Domain Park on Monday afternoon. "But then again, you've got all these other guys who are doing the same job as me and they're pro baseball players. So you've got to respect them and respect their abilities." Wheeler, the blue-chip pitcher who came east in last year's Carlos Beltran trade, said he has put a lot of time into developing his change-up. He counted off four pitches – fastball, change-up, slider, curve – and said the fastball is the best weapon in his arsenal. http://www.northjersey.com/sports/pro_sports/baseball/139788603_Mets_notes__Zach_Wheeler_focused.html

2-10-12 -  http://seedlingstostars.com/2012/02/10/s2s-2012-team-prospect-lists-new-york-mets/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitte r   - #2.)  Collin McHugh, RHP. McHugh has struck out over a batter per inning for his career, but he didn’t hit full-season ball until he was almost 23, so he’s always been old for his levels. He had a 2.87 ERA and 2.56 FIP in Double-A this past year at age 24. As one might expect from a guy with these numbers and little buzz, McHugh doesn’t have the velocity to blow the ball by hitters, working at 88-92 mph. He relies more on sequencing and good offspeed stuff, with an overhand curve, sweepy slider, and diving changeup. He could be a back-of-the-rotation innings-eater, and isn’t too dissimilar from Dillon Gee. Grade: B-

Matt Harvey, Mets SP -  Talent: 8 -  Opportunity: 5 -  2011 Highest Level: Double-A -  Future number two horse was impressive across two levels (3.32 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 10.3 K/9) after going No. 7 overall in 2010, and there’s not much in his way at the big-league level, so a strong start at Double-A in 2012 could have him on the verge by late summer. http://www.fangraphs.com/fantasy/?p=27635

After shortening his swing in June, Josh Thole hit .292 the rest of the way to finish with a .268 batting average. The real concern for Thole comes when he is behind the plate.  He led the NL with 16 passed balls.  In fairness, 11 of those came while catching knuckleballer R.A. Dickey.  He did have the third best fielding percentage among NL catchers, however (.997). If he stays within himself, he should be fine at the plate, but the real improvement needs to occur when he is behind it. http://realdirtymets.com/2012/02/21/player-projections-josh-thole/

Mets: Collin McHugh, Jeremy Hefner, Daniel Murphy, Zack Wheeler

1-30-12 - http://www.amazinavenue.com/2012/1/30/2757346/2012-amazin-avenue-top-50-mets-prospects-21-30   RHP Collin McHugh - After a slow start in St. Lucie, the 24-yr old righty got the call up to Double-A to pitch the back end of a doubleheader on May 31st and never looked back. He would go on to post a 2.62 FIP in Binghamton, absolutely dominating in the second half of the season and after hanging around the periphery of the prospect discussion before, he placed his name firmly in the discussion as a future big leaguer. The '08 18th rounder showed an excellent mastery of his four-pitch mix, while featuring a little more velocity on a fastball that now sits around 91-93 mph with excellent movement. As always, his slider was an excellent weapon for him, inducing plenty of strikeouts and pushing his K/9 up to the mid-9's. Strong command and the ability to throw any pitch in any count give McHugh the chance to anchor the back end of a rotation in the mold of a Dillon Gee or provide excellent relief depth. Though he seemed to tire and scuffled a bit in the AFL, he figures to reach Buffalo at some point in 2012 and at this rate Citi Field won't be too far away.

•Dec 12: RHP Jeremy Hefner - Like we've seen a few times now, Hefner is a player that was nabbed when he hit waivers due to Paul DePodesta's familiarity with the San Diego organization. The 25-yr old made Sickels' Top 20 Padres prospects list three consecutive years after being drafted out of Oral Roberts U. in '07 and was considered a good mix of solid stuff and command. He hasn't yet reached the show but in five minor league campaigns he has a career 3.84 ERA and a solid 2.82 K/BB. Now he was bad last year at Triple-A, though the PCL has made more than a few pitchers look worse than they really are. He'll likely fill out the Bisons rotation early on and compete with Chris Schwinden as SP depth if and when it is needed in Queens. http://www.amazinavenue.com/2012/1/31/2753903/taking-inventory-of-the-mets-minor-league-free-agents  

R.A. Dickey and Daniel Murphy each had mountains to climb this offseason. For Dickey, he scaled Kilimanjaro, and returned from Africa with his Mets' contract still valid. Murphy's mission, however, remains ongoing as he continues to ascend the learning curve at second base. Both will be counted on to play significant roles, and when asked Tuesday night about the club's chances in the NL East, they gave very different answers. "You can't just go in and say, we're going to be this team," said Dickey, who along with Murphy was honored at the 32nd annual Thurman Munson Awards dinner. "It's a real organic process. Hopefully it won't be dysfunctional and we'll all be able to cohese together and do it. But we're in a tough division and we have to be honest about that . . . we certainly have to be honest about where we are, and that's really the only way I see us getting any better is doing that." While Dickey took a more realistic approach, given the Mets' slashed payroll and the departure of Jose Reyes , Murphy was still very optimistic http://mobile.newsday.com/inf/infomo;JSESSIONID=AE993819A96D61B0AC9D.3220?site=newsday&view=sports_item&feed:a=newsday_5min&feed:c=sports&feed:i=1.3494223&nopaging=1

2-1-12: -  http://bigapplemetstalk.com/?p=2728&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter   Zack Wheeler is a hard-throwing righthander out of East Paulding High School in Georgia. He is tall at 6’3, has broad shoulders and loose arm action.  He was drafted 6th overall by the Giants back in 2009.   The start to his pro career was set back a bit as he cracked a fingernail after recording just one out in his pro debut. The persistent issue regarding his fingernail turned out to be good thing for him because it forced him to work on smoothing out his mechanics. As a result he got on more of a direct line with the plate and cut down the effort in his delivery.  The extensive work on his mechanics allowed him to have much better command near the bottom of the strike zone 

Michael Fulmer, Jon Niese, Collin McHugh, Frank Viola, Reese Havens

12-7-11: - http://baseballdraftreport.com  - The first big overslot prep arm selected by the Mets was Deer Creek HS (OK) RHP Michael Fulmer. Fulmer’s big fastball is already a plus pitch and his hard slider is well on its way. Those two pitches, combined with a mature frame with little growth potential, have many thinking future reliever. As always, it comes down to the development of a usable third offering. If Fulmer’s changeup, splitter, or whatever, turns into a quality pitch, his ceiling gets elevated. Without having any knowledge of if or how he’ll manage that third pitch, he’s a future reliever. RHP Michael Fulmer (Deer Creek HS, Oklahoma): 90-94 FB, 97 peak; 83-85 SL; CU needs work; 6-2, 200 - Solid. That’s the word I’ve heard used most often to describe North Carolina State RHP Cory Mazzoni. He throws three pitches for strikes, showed steady improvement in three years in the ACC, and has the control to be trusted as a reliever if that’s where he ultimately winds up. He pitched well in limited pro innings, but continued to have difficulties keeping the ball on the ground. Not all successful pitchers get groundballs and not all groundball pitchers are successful, but the ability to keep the ball out of the air is really important for pitchers who lack premium stuff. Remember, Mazzoni’s repertoire is solid…not premium. Also, for what it’s worth, I’ve had people I trust tell me that all of Mazzoni’s reported mid- to upper-90s peak heat was all recorded on hot guns. Baseball America, based out of nearby (to Raleigh) Durham and likely to have had multiple staffers on site who have seen Mazzoni throw over the years, says he’s hit 97 MPH. I don’t know who to believe, but I figured I’d pass along my info and let you, John Q. Public, decide on whether or not to trust the industry leader or some fool with a free WordPress blog. Choose wisely!

It is December 8th, 2011, Major League Baseball’s annual Winter Meetings are well underway, and New York Met Jonathon Niese is one of the more valuable commodities in baseball. He has been for some time now: a six-foot-four, 25-year-old, left-handed starter who can locate both his fastballs and mix in a major-league change is a highly valued asset in any organization. The real draw with Niese, though, is his out-pitch: a bending 12-6 curve that, given a bit more time, could become dominant. He hasn't overwhelmed the NL East so far, but few pitchers in their early 20s do. Niese's strikeout-to-walk ratio has improved every season; his first year in the majors, just under 44 percent of his pitches that were put in play were groundballs. Last year, 51.5 percent. This is exactly the sort of development a team wants to see, because groundball contact leads to an out almost 80 percent of the time, and by definition, it cannot clear the fences. Meanwhile, the percentage of plate appearances against him that end in a base on balls has dropped by half since he entered the league—from 11.6 percent in 2008 to 6.3 percent in 2011. By his peripherals, he is a fine young pitcher for any team to have in the back of its rotation, and if his development continues, he'll be moving to the front quickly. http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=15644

Now when I say fat, I mean overweight for my age/height. Not P.H.A.T., which would be cooler. In the 9th grade I was about 5'4'' and 170 lbs. Chunky, for lack of a better term (See picture below for reference). Up until my fateful 9th grade year I was very confident in my athletic abilities. Growing up I played just about every sport a boy in Atlanta could. Baseball, basketball, soccer, golf, street hockey, flag football (no real football at my school). If there was a projectile object and any sort of goal, I was playing. Then came JV basketball tryouts. We had a good team the year before, and returned nearly all the starters. There were just enough open spots for about six 9th graders to make the team. I had always fancied myself one of the best athletes in the grade (despite my stature, speed and pudginess). In my mind there was no way that I would fall behind the 6 other classmates and not make the team. I was wrong. I went into the coach's office and was told, in no uncertain terms, that my general body shape was not going to be an asset on the basketball court. I was crushed. Having not made the basketball team and watching Greg Maddux dominate yet another year, I made up my mind that there was only one sport out there for me. Baseball! - http://adayolderadaywiser.blogspot.com/2011/12/pitching-and-soft-bodies.html

It is tempting to respond to this week’s topic with, “Frank Viola is perhaps the only member of the early 1990s Mets that no one ever said anything bad about,” or, “He spent a season pitching to Mackey Sasser and still won 20 games,” but that would diminish a fine career to mere humor. It is more fitting to focus on Viola’s role in resuscitating a down franchise. After winning from 91 to 102 games in six of nine seasons from 1962 to 1970, the Twins had gotten lost in the Me Decade, fielding a series of occasionally decent but mostly unspectacular clubs. They finally crashed in 1981with a team whose best player and pitcher were John Castino and Doug Corbett. With their farm system popping, the Twins decided to blow things up and start over, turning over the team to Tim Laudner, Kent Hrbek, Gary Gaetti, Tom Brunansky—and Frank Viola. The 1982 Twins lost 102 games, but they were on their way to being a better team. By 1984, Viola had established himself as the ace of the staff and an indispensible part of the 1987 champions—a team that won despite having only two strong starting pitchers, Bert Blyleven and Viola himself. —Steven Goldman  http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=15671#.TuikZD98xWU.twitter

After playing with the Brooklyn Cyclones in 2008, Havens spent all of 2009 at high-A St. Lucie, accumulating 430 PA while batting .247/.361/.422 with 14 homers.  While the batting average is nothing to write home about, Havens demonstrated his keen eye, turning in a 12.8% walk rate.  The following season Havens split between St. Lucie and Binghamton and got off to a hot start.  Over a combined 140 PA, Havens hit .312/.386/.592 with nine homers and a 10.0% walk rate.  Then Havens encountered what he thought was oblique trouble.  As it turned out, one of Havens’ rib was pressing against the other, and he underwent a procedure to remove an inch from one of his ribs. The surgery delayed the start of Havens’ season, but once recovered, he returned to hitting.  Outside of three games at St. Lucie, Havens spent most of the season at Binghamton.  Between the two clubs, he hit .288/.373/.455 with six homers and an 11.4% walk rate in 255 PA.  Across his minor league career, Havens owns a .269/.366/.463 batting line with an 11.8% walk rate and averaging a homer every 28.8 plate appearances.  His 21.3% strikeout rate is a little high, but that is somewhat acceptable if he can draw walks and hit homers http://risingapple.com/2011/12/14/fresh-apples-reese-havens

Wilmer Flores, Aderlin Rodriguez, Collin McHugh, Daniel Murphy, Spin

10-25-11: - http://www.minorleaguerundown.com/2011/10/25/2011-top-20-new-york-mets-prospects - 2011 Top 20 New York Mets Prospects -  6.Wilmer Flores, SS/3rd (High Class A): Hmm. Flores has been one of the biggest prospect names in the lower levels for a while now. Unfortunately for the Mets, his power still hasn’t shown up like they thought it would. You still definitely have to keep faith though, as he just turned 20 in August, and the tools still show up in games. Wilmer’s walk rate did improve marginally and his K rate didn’t go any farther north, but his power numbers were stagnant once again. The rumors that he might eventually move to third only further exacerbate Flores’ need to show some power.

http://www.metstoday.com/7142/mets-minors/a-look-into-the-future-top-3b-prospects  - (Aderlin Rodriguez) - The one thing fans must love is the power. It’s been a long time since a lower level prospect in the Mets system has displayed this kind of pop in his bat. However, there’s a lot of room for improvement. A .221 average at low-A is frightening and it is something to think about going into next season. Not to mention, Rodriguez committed 44 errors at third. A position change could be in his future if he cannot solve his fielding troubles. With many Dominican prospects, it takes time to become comfortable and adjust to the role of a full-time baseball player. He’ll be in Savannah again next season to adjust to the pitching and cut down his swing to make him a complete player. He is one of the more intriguing prospects in the Mets system if he can get it all together soon.

11-13-11: - http://www.metsblog.com/2011/11/13/afl-round-up-juan-lagares-has-been-stellar-this-fall  -  •Continuing the theme of inconsistent pitching, RHP Collin McHugh has been disappointing this fall, going 1-3 with an 8.06 ERA in seven games and six starts for Peoria. He’s allowed 37 hits and nine walks in only 22 1/3 innings. He split his time between Double-A Binghamton and Single-A St. Lucie this past season, going a combined 9-4 with a 3.84 ERA in 27 games and 22 starts.

Plan A is still Jose Reyes, but the Mets already have formulated Plan B. If Reyes is not re-signed, the Mets may try to compensate for that loss of offense by attempting to make Daniel Murphy the full-time second baseman, according to an organizational source. Murphy, whose 2011 season ended with a strained MCL sustained while playing second base, would have a chance to team with shortstop Ruben Tejada as the Mets’ new double-play combination.  http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/mets/secondary_mets_plan_1bomgdul8CXY0BHjKiLhiM#ixzz1dgTdYaOf

11-14-11: - http://metsmerizedonline.com/2011/11/mmo-top-20-mets-prospects-12-jordany-valdespin-inf.html#comment-202645  - A major problem for “Spin” is the mental side of the game. He tends to have concentration lapses in the field, at bat, and on the base-paths. As a fielder, he has terrific range, and a strong throwing arm, but his hands are not soft, and he appears to stab at the ball, his glove-work choppy. As a hitter, he can be dynamic and shows some potential “pop”, but he swings at everything, is completely undisciplined, and therefore is not effective at the top of the order. Last year in 511 AB’s he struck out 93 times and walked 25 times, for an OBP of only .333. As a base-runner, Spin is not a burner but has pretty good speed. He could someday develop into a stolen base threat, but right now he is impatient as a runner and takes a lot of foolish chances. He was caught trying to steal 18 times, that’s one-third of his total attempts last year.

Cutnpaste: - Collin McHugh, Phillip Evans, Gil Hodges, Reyes Defense, More Wilpon Woes

None of us (minor leaguers and major leaguers alike) know exactly where we will be when camp breaks April 1, 2012. There are too many variables between now and then to triangulate which city/team/organization we will play for. If we want to continue to play, we have to face that reality. It’s not for the faint of heart, nor the “heavy” lifestyle. For now, we will continue to travel light and hope that we can drop anchor in Queens, NY…sooner rather than later. - Collin McHugh, RHP, New York Mets - http://aflprospects.mlblogs.com

11-7-11: - Phillip Evans makes this list based purely on projection, not on any stats. He has a very advanced skill set that doesn’t really compare to anyone else in the organization. His combination of fielding ability, ability to hit for average, ability to hit with power, and leadership skills grade out as someone who should move quickly through the organization. The idea of him making the big leagues sooner than most other players his age is not that much of a stretch. A true indication should come very early next season, when the Savannah Sand Gnats announce their opening day roster. If it were to include a 19-year-old shortstop named Phil Evans, he could be well on his way in no time. http://metsmerizedonline.com/2011/11/mmo-top-20-mets-prospects-%e2%80%93-14-phillip-evans-ss.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+MetsMerizedOnline-GetMetsmerized-NewYorkMets+%28Mets+Merized+Online%29

The Hodges case itself is filled with close calls- most famously when his supporter Roy Campanella missed a Veterans’ Committee vote due to illness, and Hodges fell a single vote shy. I can’t claim to be unbiased here- my father was a Brooklyn Dodgers fan, loved Hodges, and we both belong to the Gil Hodges for the Hall of Fame mailing list. My hope is that this year’s version of the Veterans’ Committee sees it my way. The vote will be held on December 5. Here’s hoping all of Hodges’ supporters are feeling well enough to attend. http://mets.lohudblogs.com/2011/11/07/gil-hodges-for-the-hall-of-fame-you-bet/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+mets+%28The+LoHud+Mets+Blog%29

Reyes had -11 Defensive Runs Saved last year, the fifth-worst mark among all MLB shortstops and third-worst in NL. In the previous three years combined, he cost the Mets just three runs with his glove over nearly 3,000 innings. There was a time when Reyes was a statistical standout defensively, but he hasn’t had a positive Runs Saved rating since 2007. http://espn.go.com/blog/statsinfo/post/_/id/30796/jose-reyes-aramis-ramirez-share-flaws

Five years after buying a 30-story West Loop office tower, New York Mets owner Fred Wilpon is facing trouble over a $100-million loan used to finance the acquisition. The securitized loan on the 677,222-square-foot office building at 200 W. Adams St. has been transferred to a special servicer, a firm hired to handle problem loans, according to a report from debt rating agency Standard & Poor’s. The loan comes due Jan. 1, “and the borrower indicated that it will not be able to obtain refinancing proceeds by the maturity date,” according to the S&P report.  http://www.chicagorealestatedaily.com/article/20111107/CRED03/111109800/ny-mets-owners-firm-in-a-pickle-over-200-w-adams-loan#ixzz1d3mLmL9u

Cutnpaste: - Juan Urbina, Wilmer Flores, Johan Santana, Collin McHugh, Blue Walls

10-27-11: - http://metsmerizedonline.com/2011/10/mmo-top-20-mets-prospects -17-juan-urbina-lhp-exclusive-interview.html -   In his last 7 GS of 2011, Juan Urbina went 4-3 with an ERA of 4.00, giving up 36 hits in 36 IP, while striking out 34 and walking 8. Although the overall numbers weren’t so great for the year, it was clearly not a lost season for Urbina. He fought through adversity to turn the season from a negative, into a positive, and learned from the experience. Urbina, now 18, has a clean, effortless delivery and at 6’2″, shows excellent mechanics and good command. His fastball and change-up are his best pitches, though the curveball still needs refinement. If he can sharpen his breaking-ball and miss some bats with it, he can move quickly through the system

10-26-11: - http://www.metstoday.com/7132/mets-minors/a-look-into-the-future-top-shortstop-prospects   -  Wilmer Flores -  DOB: 8/6/1991  Birthplace: Valencia, Venezuela  Height: 6’3”   Weight: 175  R/R -  I know it is not fair to write off a player at the age of 19 (cough, cough, cough Nelson Cruz) but I have to. By now, Flores is supposed to be Detroit Tigers first basemen Miguel Cabrera. He’s supposed to be knocking over 20 homeruns, showing great plate discipline. But it’s just not there yet. I think Flores is not responsible for the disappointment. You can blame publications like Baseball America for over-hyping someone, as they did with Alex Escobar and Fernando Martinez. Flores had a pretty decent season at high-A St. Lucie, hitting 9 homeruns while driving in 81 runs. He hit .269, which was a bit disappointing. That’s all I really have to say about him. I hope he proves me wrong. He will not be at shortstop if he makes it to the big leagues. He’ll be in a corner outfield spot due to his lack of speed and mobility. He’ll be 19 at the start of the 2012 season, presumably back in St. Lucie. This will be a huge test to determine if he is indeed the future of the Mets.

Johan Santana: Nobody knows how healthy he is, which means he’s staying put for now. Should Santana come back and be solid and healthy in the first half, you could see the Mets trying to deal him if they aren’t in contention. Even if they were, they might pull the trigger on a trade to free up salary. This bears watching, but not until June and July.  http://www.newyorkmetsreport.com/2011/10/25/mets-have-precious-few-pieces-to-trade

10-26-11: - http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2011/10/26/colemans-corner-mets-position-players-shining-in-arizona-sun   - At St. Lucie, Collin McHugh pitched in 9 games, making 6 starts. He went 1-2 with a 6.31 ERA while the league hit .318 against him. Not great. He was then bumped to Double AA Binghamton and again started slow. At the All-Star break, he was again 1-2 with a 5.06 ERA, giving up 39 hits in 37 innings with a 2:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio. But manager Wally Backman saw something he liked in McHugh, worked with him, and he took off from there. After the Double AA All-Star break, McHugh was undefeated – 7-0 with a 1.53 ERA – yielding just 34 hits over 47 innings, with a 5:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio (54K’s-11BB). But McHugh has had his problems in Arizona. He’s 1-2 again in 3 starts and 1 relief appearance – but this time with a hefty 8.18 ERA, surrendering 18 hits in 11 innings

This morning, Matthew Cerrone reported that the Mets have finally discussed making the outfield walls blue. It makes sense; I personally think the orange foul poles clash with the mossy green outfield walls. Making the outfield walls blue could be the latest effort to Metsify Citi Field after many fans have complained that it was too reminiscent of Ebbets Field. Me? I was just happy that the Mets Hall of Fame museum wasn’t hidden anymore. Efforts have been made to pay tribute to Mets history over the past two seasons; the installation of the entrance shadows, the ’69 and ’86 teams being commemorated, and my favorite feature: the Topps baseball cards with that day’s starting lineup. Since the Mets can’t rebuild Citi Field to look like a giant blue cupcake, the least they can is make the outfield walls blue like Shea…because I miss the giant blue cupcake. http://itsallmetstome.wordpress.com/2011/10/27/the-metsification-of-citi-field

The Gamers vs. The Gifted: McHugh vs. Familia

Getting to the top of the list and at this point we're getting to some gifted pitchers who are simply SO good that beating them is a tall order. The flip side is that some of the upper-level gamers are nearly ready to assume duties of becoming a major league starter (albeit sometimes in the back end of the rotation).

Full Name: Collin Alexander McHugh

Born: 06/19/1987

Birthplace: Covington, GA

College: Berry Col

Height: 6' 2"

Weight: 195

Bats: R

Throws: R

Sometimes, like with Gorski, a player emerges from the ether. You don't see things coming they're just suddenly there. That isn't REALLY the case with McHugh. He had a strong 2009 in Brooklyn, a strong 2010 in Savannah and after skidding a bit in St. Lucie he flew high in Binghamton.

Like one or two other names I listed on the "Gamer" side of the table. McHugh fringes on the level of being "Gifted". His fastball DOES touch 93, he has five pitches and his breaking stuff isn't bad. He's just not in the league of raw talent with some of the other Met pitchers around him.

McHugh will be the #2 pitcher in AAA to start 2012 and could see a call due to injury at any point. The Mets will be less concerned about protecting McHugh due to his lack of "Gifted" status and that is JUST FINE with me. I can see McHugh being better than a #4 pitcher if things break right.

McHugh's Scouting Report:

• 6’2, 195 lbs. A better athlete than what he looks. He could add more muscle to his frame, soft body.
• Unorthodox motion. Very long on the arm take back, but gets his arm up in plenty of time as his front foot plants.
• He has cleaned his mechanics, which has helped him gain some velocity to his FB.
• Repeats his mechanics very well with little effort at release. Gets momentum going to the target, helping him throw strikes consistently.
• Over the top delivery. Gets good downward plane with extension to the plate.
• Fastball: 89-92 with some glove side run, topping out at 93 once or twice. Commanded it well in, out, up and down. Last year his fastball was mostly 87-90.
• Curveball: 71-74. 11-5 break. Slow looping, not hard sharp bite. Plays up a bit due to command. Uses it as a get me over pitch as well as a chase pitch in the dirt.
• Slider: 84-86. Best offspeed pitch he throws for me. Gets late bite to it with some depth and tilt. The late bite is the key for hitters not being able to recognize it and square it up. Throws it with confidence. Best swing and miss pitch.
• Cutter: 84-86. Very similar to his slider only lacked the downward action. Used it to get in on lefties. Threw a couple of front-door cutters to righties too.
• Change-up: 80-81. Did not use the change-up often. Tried to guide it instead of letting the grip do the work for him at times. Had some fade to the glove side.

Full Name: Jeurys Familia

Born: 10/10/1989

Birthplace: Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

Height: 6' 3"

Weight: 185

Bats: R

Throws: R

For all the Harvey and Wheeler hype, I think we forget which of the gifted pitchers in Generation 2K is CLOSEST to the majors. Familia was promoted to AA before Harvey, he's not injured (like Mejia) and control... is REALLY not an issue.

So... why is Familia listed BELOW Harvey? Well... while he clearly has two PLUS pitches... he lacks that third pitch. I'm hoping that 2012 is the year of the change-up for Jeurys and he learns to throw it for strikes as well as a swing and miss offering.

Like Mejia and some other pitchers I've heard that a move to the pen is "inevitable". These words that smack of finality upset me. You can't say that anyone will absolutely succeed or fail at anything until you see them do it. Take a look at Brandon Belt's "Can't Miss" rookie campaign.

Familia's Scouting Report:

• Big strong physical body with more room to add bulk (6’3”, 185lbs). Long arms and big hands. Ideal power pitcher’s frame and physique.
• Good mound presence. Very calm demeanor on the mound.
• Fastball: 94-96 with life in the zone and arm side run. When he gets extension, the ball explodes out of his hand. A true plus fastball when it is good.
• Slider: 78-83. When he gets his release point out in front, the slider is really good. Tends to get a little slurvy at times. Good arm speed. When good it has sharp downward bite, swing and miss pitch.
• Change-up: 80-82. Worst offering by far. He babies this pitch, telling me he lacks confidence in it. Key pitch to attack lefties and for his development as a starter.
• High ¾ release point. Could add more velocity with more leg drive and effort.
• Great attitude and work ethic. Very pleasant young man to talk with.

If you asked me which pitcher was a better overall package I'd go with Familia. His stuff and control make him a straight-up better pitcher than McHugh. HOWEVER if you ask me who has a better shot to be a major league starter... I have to go with McHugh whose 5 pitches are just as meaningful as a fastball that tops 95 with regularity. So McHugh wins? No... I'm going to shy away from this one and call it a tie.

Cutnpaste: Jose Reyes, Collin McHugh, Mike Cameron, Dan Muno, Tidewater Tides

If I were a General Manager of an organization looking to upgrade at shortstop, (Jose) Reyes would be an obvious choice. However, position scarcity will force teams to pay more than what would be in my personal comfort zone of 5 yrs/85 mil due to concerns about his problematic hamstrings. With so much of Reyes’ value tied to his legs, the chance of attrition in his mid-30′s is just too much of a risk to stomach through six or seven years. - http://scoutingthesally.com/new-york-mets-shortstop-jose-reyes-free-agent-2012-contract  

9-3-11: - http://metsmerizedonline.com/2011/09/prospect-pulse-buffalo-2012-help-on-the-way.html  - SP3: Collin McHugh - I am quite certain that the sole purpose of the Mets sending McHugh to the Arizona Fall League, is so he can be better prepared to make the jump to AAA in 2012. Don’t look for him to be promoted anytime next year to the bigs however, as he needs to establish himself in Buffalo and show the kind of consistency he has had in 2011, before he gets a call-up ahead of Harvey or Familia. He pitched Thursday night and had his best game of the year, to go 8-2, in his final AA start: 9 IP, 5 hits, 1 ER, 11 K’s and 2 BB’s.

Marlins released OF Mike Cameron. Cameron battled hamstring, wrist and knee injuries during his tenure with the Fish, and hit just .239/.333/.423 in 163 total plate appearances. The 38-year-old veteran outfielder might simply decide to hang up his cleats for good. - http://www.rotoworld.com/headlines/mlb/341610/baseball-headlines?r=1  

9-13-11: - http://www.minorleagueball.com/2011/9/13/2423288/2011-minor-league-ball-interesting-short-season-hitting-prospects  - Dan Muno, SS, Mets: Eight-round pick out of Fresno State this year destroyed the New York-Penn League, hitting .355/.466/.514 with 43 walks and 23 doubles in 220 at-bats for Brooklyn. At age 22 he doesn't have the long-term projection of other guys on the list, but he's very polished and could reach the majors rapidly as a utility type.

In 1987, the Tides won the International League South Division Title. Mike Cubbage led the team to an 81-59 record. Future Mets shortstop Kevin Elster spent most of the season with the Tides, where he hit .310 with 8 home runs and 74 RBI. Several other past or future Mets role players were part of the team, too. Unquestionably the biggest star to wear the Tides’ ugly orange jersey in 1987 was Doc Gooden, who made four starts for Tidewater as he prepared to return to the Mets following drug rehab. Gooden is included in the team’s card set; though if you’re really looking for a Gooden minor league card you’d probably want the 1983 Lynchburg Mets team set instead.- http://randombaseballstuff.com/2011/09/13/minor-league-tuesdays-1987-tidewater-tides-team-set-tcma  

Cutnpaste: - Matt den Dekker, Eris Peguero, Randy Meyers, Collin McHugh, Jeff Francoeur





8-21-11: - http://metsmerizedonline.com/2011/08/prospect-pulse-left-handed-hitters.html  - Matt Den Dekker – Den Dekker was the Mets 2010 5th round draft pick, out of the University of Florida. He started this, his second pro season, at St Lucie, high A. After 267 AB’s and a .296 BA, he was promoted at mid-season to Bingo. He started out in AA struggling mightily, and only recently has begun to hit the way he is capable. After 210 AA AB’s, he is hitting .245 with 8 HR’s and 25 RBI’s, but is hitting .290 over his last ten games. The biggest problem for him is the strikeout. In 477 total AB’s this season, he has struck out a staggering 134 times, with only 47 walks, for an OBP of .347. Den Dekker is a very good fielding center-fielder, but if he is going to keep climbing the ladder he must cut way down on his strikeouts, increase his walks, and thereby bring up what is an abysmal OBP for a lead-off hitter.

8-23-11: - DSL 2011 End of Season Wrap-Up - http://www.nyfuturestars.com/community/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=35808&sid=e8719b8eddffd9bc033d0ab708d8aff5  - Eris Peguero, 21, OF - Peguero had a .308/.376/.392 line with a homer, 4 3Bs, and 20 RBIs. He stole 30 bags and had 3 outfield assists while playing mainly CF and LF.

The Mets have always been known to have some of the best left-handed relievers in baseball history. Randy Myers was one of them, as he became the Mets' closer in the late 1980s and one of the better left-handed relievers during his career. Myers was drafted by the Mets in 1982 and made his major league debut at the very end of the 1985 season. He pitched two scoreless innings in his only appearance of the season. In 1986, Myers made just 10 appearances with the Mets while spending more time in the minor leagues. He had a 0-0 record and a 4.22 ERA in the 10 major league appearances. Although the Mets won the 1986 World Series, Myers was left off the postseason roster. - http://bleacherreport.com/articles/822566-new-york-mets-top-10-relievers-of-all-time#/articles/822566-new-york-mets-top-10-relievers-of-all-time/page/6

9-2-11: - minorleaguebaseball.  - (Colin McHugh struck out 11 during the first nine-inning complete game of his career on Thursday in the Double-A Mets' 2-1 victory over the Erie SeaWolves. The effort also represented the time this season that a B-Mets' starter earned a complete-game win. McHugh (8-2) allowed a run on five hits -- including Rawley Bishop's RBI bunt single in the seventh -- while walking two. He retired the final eight batters he faced and recorded 10 total outs on the ground. The 24-year-old right-hander, an 18th-round draftee in 2009, ended the regular season on a seven-game winning streak. He last lost on July 5, in his seventh Double-A start, not long after being promoted from Class A Advanced St. Lucie.

Career hit No. 1,000 was a big one for the Royals' Jeff Francoeur. Francoeur belted a 0-1 pitch from Tigers rookie Jacob Turner, a 20-year-old right-hander, into the left-field seats in the second inning of the Royals' 11-8 victory on Thursday. His 16th homer of the season came with Eric Hosmer on base after a leadoff single. "He told us he was going to get it in his first at-bat and he did, he didn't mess around with it," manager Ned Yost said. - http://kansascity.royals.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110901&content_id=24049324¬ebook_id=24057746&vkey=notebook_kc&c_id=kc  

Cutnpaste: - Darrell Ceciliani, Elvis Sanchez, Fernando Martinez, Collin McHugh, Chris Capuano

8-21-11: - http://metsmerizedonline.com/2011/08/prospect-pulse-left-handed-hitters.html  - Darrell Ceciliani – This 21 year-old center-fielder, who the Mets made their 4th round draft pick out of Columbia Basin Community College (Wash) in 2009, is still very raw, and if he does reach the majors, it won’t be before 2014. This year he has been the Savannah Sand Gnats everyday center-fielder. In three full seasons, (two short season, and this one) he has amassed 800 lifetime minor league AB’s, with a lifetime .283 BA. He has a .358 OBP, and a .403 SLG%, but his problem so far has also been too many K’s. His K/BB ratio reads: 173/78, and for a lead-off hitter those numbers need to improve.

8-23-11: - DSL 2011 End of Season Wrap-Up - http://www.nyfuturestars.com/community/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=35808&sid=e8719b8eddffd9bc033d0ab708d8aff5  - Elvis Sanchez, 17, 3B - Disappointing year for Sanchez in his debut, hitting just .157 with 3 bombs. In 198 ABs, he walked 62 times, and struck out 73. Almost 37% of ABs, he strikes out.

8-25-11: - http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=ycn-9021595  - Fernando Martinez - I know he's not on the major league roster, but shouldn't he be by now? Is he in the witness protection program? I suppose he fits right in with the Mets organization…over-hyped, slow to develop, always injured.

(Colin McHugh) I don't pretend to know what the future holds for me and my baseball career. I don't know if I will ever have the chance to pitch at Fenway again. But for a brief moment my wife, my father and I got a glimpse of where I could go. What I could do. We came face to face with the reality of why we put in all the work. It felt good, natural even. At the very least, it was a story I shared with those closest to me, and one that I will continue to share with my kids and grandkids. I think we forget, in the day to day grind, that we are building a life's worth of memories here. This was one that I will never forget. - http://adayolderadaywiser.blogspot.com/

With everyone preparing for Hurricane Irene you might have missed a dominant pitching performance by Chris Capuano on Friday. Capuano’s complete game 13 strikeout shutout of Atlanta might appear to be another win in a season that will end short of the playoffs, but as Mark Simon noted at ESPN NY this is one of the best pitching performances in team history. It was also the best performance by any pitcher in 2011. Simon used Bill James Game Score, which rates starts, with the number usually coming between 0 and 100– higher being better. Pitchers get rewarded for finishing innings, not allowing base runners, and striking batters out. The scoring system is as follows: - http://nybaseballdigest.com/?p=39121  

Building 2012 Rosters Prospects First - Picks 31-35

#31 – 1B/2B Josh Satin - I guess I should have Josh higher on this list, but the reason I don’t is my belief that Satin has reached the peak of his projectibility (I know that’s not a word, but I like it). Does a future big-league utility player warrant an “A” prospect rating. I have him going to Queens in the spring, as one of the 4-5 utility players. His hitting is similar to Daniel Murphy, but a better field player. Josh and I used to laugh when he was in Savannah when people would write that he sucked in the field. He simply doesn’t. He’s not a Golden Glove candidate at second, but, in my world, Jose Reyes gets signed and Ruben Tejada becomes the second baseman. I want Satin and Murphy’s bat coming off the bench. ETA – Mets utility opening day 2012

#32 – SP Taylor Whitenton – Whitenton has been a breath of fresh air since he was drafted out of Darwin Colege. He’s another of those finesse guys, hitting around 91. As we said before, we see a lot of pitchers that dominate A-ball and only time will tell if they survive past Binghamton. That being said, he’s currently ranked second in the Sally Leagee with a 2.70-ERA. He’ll pitch St. Lucie in 2011 and unless he comes up with a pitch with five more miles per hour than he throws, he’s project out as a bullpen possible. - ETA – 2015 Bullpen

#33 – P Angel Cuan – Angel and I sat in the Sand Gnats dugout before one of the games and I don’t think either one of us thought he would even start, no less have the great year he’s having. Cuan was piggybacked in the first month but had to step up due to injuries on the team. He did. He will join three of his former and current teammates in the 2012 St. Lucie rotation; however, I believe he is a strong candidate for the Mets bullpen in the near future. Batters tell me he’s very hard to hit. - ETA – 2015 Bullpen

#34 – P Colin McHugh – Colin is another of those mid-range starters that seem to dominate at the lower levels. He has successfully pitched at the AA level (6-2, 3.33, 1.26, 81-K, 29-BB, 78.1-IP) which most so-called pitching prospects never do. This will earn him a rotation spot in Buffalo and, depending upon what the Mets do with Chris Schwinden, sets him up as an emergency starter for Queens in 2012. Sadly for him, he will quickly be passed by the “Generation 2K” kids and his only chance will be either in the pen or as a multi-year AAAA starter in Buffalo. - ETA: - AAAA SP 2012-2015

#35 – RP Jack Leathersich – Jack’s been pitching baby steps every five steps since signing and is completely dominating early in the pen. This is another of the new guys that could project as either a starter or reliever, but one must respect the fact that “Generation 2K” will get first shot at the 2013-2014 Mets rotations. That means the best of the rest of the talent should be directed to the pen. I expect “Leather” to move fast. ETA: 2014 Bullpen


Rosters So Far:


Buffalo: (5) –SP Chris Schwinden, Collin McHugh, IF Reese Havens, Jordany Valdespin, OF Kirk Nieuwenhuis


Binghamton: (8) – SP: Mike Harvey, Zack Wheeler, Jeurys Familia, Darin Gorski, RP Josh Edgin, IF Jefry Marte, OF Matt den Dekker, Cesar Puello


St. Lucie: (10) – SP Greg Peavey, Taylor Whitenton, Angel Cuan, RP Cory Mazzoni, Jack Leathersich, Chase Huchingson, IF Wilmer Flores, Aderlin Rodriguez, OF Cory Vaughn, Gilbert Gomez


Savannah: (3) – SP Akeel Morris, Alex Panteliodis, Erik Goeddel,


Brooklyn: (4) – SP: Michael Fulmer, Juan Urbina, IF Phillip Evans, OF: Brandon Nimmo


Kingsport: (2) – SP Luis Mateo, OF Vincente Lupo

Stock: Chris Schwinden, Collin McHugh, Brandon Nimmo, Michael Fulmer, Cory Mazzoni

8-19-11: - Stock Up – SP Chris Schwinden – Schwinden wanted to make sure everyone still is considering him for the 2012 Mets rotation. Friday nights stats: 5.2-IP, 0-R, 4-H, 6-K, 1-BB. The season ERA is now 3.60.


8-20-11: - Stock Up – SP Colin McHugh - You just knew that McHugh would have his adrenalin up pitching in Fenway Park Saturday afternoon. His line: 6.0-IP (does any Met pitcher ever go past six innings?), 0-R, 4-H, 6-K, 1-BB, 3.33. I can’t wait to read his blog tomorrow morning.


8-21-11: - Stock Up – CF Brandon Nimmo – Well, you knew it was only a matter of time before we’d be writing about Nimmo’s first professional multi-hit games. He went 2-5 today for the GCL Mets, which raised him embryonic batting average to .273. It’s just great to have him in uniform and playing.


8-21-11: - Stock Down – SP – Michael Fulmer – Fulmer threw his third professional outing Sunday and, so far, he might be dreaming about college. First outing: 0.2-IP, 3-ER… 2nd outing: 0.1-IP, rainstorm… today: 2.1-IP, 2-ER. A positive sign was five strikeouts today. I’m sure he’s just getting his feet wet.


8-21-11: - Stock Up – RP – Cory Mazzoni – Since signing with the Mets, Mazzoni is quietly pitching out of the St. Lucie pen and had another great outing on Sunday: 2.0-IP, 0-R, 0-H, 0-BB, 2-K. That’s a combined 10 outings for Brooklyn/St. Lucie and a 0.82 ERA.

The Keepers: - #34 - SP - Collin McHugh

34. SP Collin McHugh



The Mets drafted McHugh in the 18th round of the 2008 draft. 2008 stats as SP for Berry (a favorite drafting school for the Mets): 4.67 ERA 61.2 IP 67 H 20 BB 62 K 15 HBP


In 2008, McHugh pitched for Kingsport (0-0, 4.17, in 12 games, 8 starts).


McHugh played 2009 for the Brooklyn Cyclones and had an outstanding year: 8-2, 2.76. 79K in 75.0 innings pitched.


1-1-10 Forecast: - McHugh is one of those under-the-radar kind of pitchers that just creeped up this year with great stats. Normally, some of these kids go straight to Lucy the next year, but the “Savannah Four” should prevent that from happening this time. Look for McHugh to join most of his Clone buddies in Savannah come March.


8-6-10: - McHugh is one of the many talented players to come out of Savannah this year, but, as we have learned so many times over the years, pitching well in A ball to youngsters is a long way from the majors. Needless to say, McHugh has impressed us this year, especially Wednesday night when he went: 6.0-IP, 0-ER, 7-K, 2-BB, 4-H. Seasonally, he hasn’t had much support from his teammates; however he still is posting a respectful 3-8, 3.56. 1.40, with 98-K in 112.0-IP.


2011 Forecast: McHugh will obviously move on to St. Lucie in the spring and begin the very diffifcut climb throw both the A+ and AA levels. These are the levels where most of your control pitchers fall out of grace unless they develop addition velocity on their fast ball, or deliver nastier secondary stuff. We won't know what the Mets have here until around the spring of 2013, but, in Collin's case, it may be worth the wait.


6-1-11: - There seems to be concrete evidence that there may be a number of “limited-velo” pitchers out there that deserve a shot at higher levels, regardless of what they have done in the past. They all seem to be college boys that were started too low in the organization also. We’ve got Dillon Gee masquerading as the Mets SP1, Mark Cohoon and Chris Schwinden stepping up at Buffalo, and now Collin McHugh starting in AA after losing his rotation spot a level lower. Collin put up: 6.0-IP, 3-H, 1-ER, 5-K, 0-BB, 1.50 and this is just another example usually written off as a “first time around the block” lucky outing. But, ya know what, it’s still great pitching that simply wasn’t hit by anyone.

Cutnpaste: - Dionis Rodriguez, Jenrry Mejia, Collin McHugh, Jordany Valdespin, David Wright

Dionis Rodriguez


8-11-11: - http://www.dplbaseball.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=244:3-dpl-players-agree-to-terms-with-the-ny-mets&catid=1:latest-news  - C Feb 15, 1995; 6'0, 190lb (Trainer - Amauri Morel) Rodriguez is from Santiago located in the northern region of Dominican Republic. He has proven to have enough arm strength (1.95-2.10 pop time) and defensive skills behind the plate to stick at the position, although his bat will find him a spot in the line up. Dionis is a solid hitter with gap to gap power, he was selected to both DPL All-Star games this season, showing hitting ability and power potential.


Jenrry Mejia:


8-11-11: - http://metsmerizedonline.com/2011/08/baseball-americas-mets-top-10-list-prior-to-2011-where-are-they-now.html  - SP – Jenrry Mejia: Coming in Mejia was the best prospect in the Mets farm system. He pitched out of the bullpen in 2010, which in my opinion was a huge mistake. It happened because Manuel and Minaya were desperate to keep their jobs, and with little no bullpen help he pitched his way onto the roster for opening day. He struggled, and was sent down and eventually lost due to the questionable back and forth decision making from the Minaya regime. Started 2011: #1 Starter in AAA Currently: lost for the season after Tommy John Surgery


Colin McHugh:


8-12-11: - http://nybaseballdigest.com/?p=38516  - McHugh worked the fastball in and out, showing good command. But the pitch that garnered the most swings and misses was a slow, downward breaking curve ball, thrown at 72-74 and used primarily with two strikes. He did not throw it that often, and you sometimes forgot he had the pitch in his arsenal until he broke it out for a key whiff. McHugh does not have that superb “upside” that so many analysts and scouts love and thrive on, but McHugh does know how to pitch, has good command and does strike guys out, averaging 9.2 K/9 for his pro career. He has started and relieved in most seasons and could make a decent back end of the rotation type pitcher, throwing the ball like a Dillon Gee.


Jordany Valdespin:


8-13-11: - http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/chat/2011/2612220.html  - Mike (Colorado): Thanks for the chat JJ. Seeing that Valdespin was recently promoted to AAA and playing SS. Is he the Met's replacement for Reyes at SS if Reyes leaves via FA? … - J.J. Cooper: Valdespin is having a breakout year, but I don't think he's ready to be the shortstop in New York next year if Reyes is gone. He's just too raw. But if you had asked me at this point last year whether Justin Turner could be the team's second baseman, I'd have said no way, so I guess it's possible


David Wright:


8-13-11: - http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/fantasy/article/the-price-is-wright  - The first thing one might notice upon glancing at Wright's player stats page is his 162-game average pace numbers: 27 home runs, 22 stolen bases (to six caught stealing, for a 78.6 percent success rate), 103 runs, 107 RBI, .303/.382/.513 (.895 OPS, .386 wOBA, 137 wRC+). While Wright has never played 162 games in a season, he did average 155.8 games between 2005 (his first full season as the Mets' starting third basemen) and 2010, including his concussion-shortened 2009 season (144 games played). From 2005 to 2010, Wright thrice played 160 games, appearing in 154 of the Mets' contests in each season other than 2009. In fact, Wright's first disabled list stint came in 2009, after he was beaned in the head by a 94 mph Matt Cain fastball—something you can hardly call a "chronic" health issue. Back problems are always a worry, but this is the first time Wright has had one, and his disabled list stint this year was only the second of his career.

Greg Peavey, Josh Edgin, Collin McHugh, Daniel Murphy, Pat Misch

- There’s a couple of pitchers on the Savannah Sand Gnats that really don’t have that much more to prove at this level. 22-year old RHP Greg Peavey threw his 11th outing Tuesday night, pitching six scoreless innings, giving up zero runs and striking out seven. He’s 5-2 on the season and his ERA is 2.85. One reason he may stay around in Savannah is the fact that he has had three bad outings this season in which he gave up 14-ERs in 15.0-IP. That leaves eight other starts in which he gave up 5-ERs in 45.0-IP. Greg does turn 23 in July and I’d like to see him do St. Lucie for the remainder of 2011, so he can catch up next season with his old extended camp roommate, Matt Harvey, in Binghamton.


- RP/CL Josh Egdin is already 24-years old and couldn’t be more consistent than he has been in the last ten outings. During that period, he has pitched 15.0 scoreless innings (0.00-ERA) while striking out 18. Last night, he pitched another scoreless inning (1-K) ending up the night with a 1.21-ERA. The 6-1 LHP out of Francis Marion University (30th round – 2010) now has 17 outings and nine saves.



- There seems to be concrete evidence that there may be a number of “limited-velo” pitchers out there that deserve a shot at higher levels, regardless of what they have done in the past. They all seem to be college boys that were started too low in the organization also. We’ve got Dillon Gee masquerading as the Mets SP1, Mark Cohoon and Chris Schwinden stepping up at Buffalo, and now Collin McHugh starting in AA after losing his rotation spot a level lower. Collin put up: 6.0-IP, 3-H, 1-ER, 5-K, 0-BB, 1.50 and this is just another example usually writtin off as a “first time around the block” lucky outing. But, ya know what, it’s still great pitching that simply wasn’t hit by anyone.

- The biggest bright spot in the Mets lineup these days has been 2B/1B/3B Daniel Murphy, who has hit .417 in his past ten games. There were two more hits Tuesday night, though neither was an extra base hit. No one has ever questioned Murph’s ability to swing the bat and, with all the starters down, he may easily play every day somewhere for the rest of the season.

- Pat Misch cleared waivers again and has reported back to the Buffalo Bisons.