2014 Winter Leagues: 11/24/2014 Results

Venezuelan Winter League

- Cardenales de Lara 6 - 4 Tiburones de La Guaira

• LHP Darin Gorski: 1 batter faced, 1 BB

- Navegantes del Magallanes 2 - 7 Tigres de Aragua

• PR Wuilmer Becerra: Pinch Ran for Josmil Pinto

Mexican Pacific League

- Venados de Mazatlan 4 - 2 Caneros de los Mochis


 Dominican Winter League

- Gigantes del Cibao 5 - 6 Estrellas de Oriente


Roberto Clemente Puerto Rican League

- Cangrejeros de Santurce 6 - 7 Gigantes de Carolina

- Indios de Mayaguez 8 - 4 Senadores de San Juan

• 2B T.J. Rivera: 1 for 6, 2 K, Caught Stealing(2), Throwing Error(2)

2014 Winter Leagues: 11/13/2014 Results

MLB Japan All-Star Series

- Samurai Japan 8 - 4 MLB All-Stars

• LF Lucas Duda: DNP

Arizona Fall League

- Peoria Javelina 5 - 2 Surprise Saguaros
- Glendale Desert Dogs 4 - 4 Mesa Solar Sox
- Salt River Rafters 5 - 8 Scottsdale Scorpions

• CF Brandon Nimmo: 0 for 3, RBI(8), BB, K, Caught Stealing

Venezuelan Winter League

- Leones del Caracas 1 - 3 Aguilas del Zulia
- Tiburones de La Guaira 3 - 8 Tigres de Aragua

• LHP Darin Gorski: 2.1 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 1 K, 2 HR, Loss(1)

- Caribes de Anzoategui 4 - 7 Cardenales de Lara

• LF Brandon Allen: 1 for 5, K
• LF Jairo Perez: 1 for 3, RBI(10), K

Mexican Pacific League

- Caneros de los Mochis 3 - 5 Tomateros de Culiacan
- Venados de Mazatlan 3 - 4 Mayos de Navojoa
- Charros de Jalisco 0 - 4 Naranjeros de Hermosillo

• LF Cory Vaughn: 1 for 3, K

 Dominican Winter League

- Leones del Escogido 2 - 4 Estrellas de Oriente
- Gigantes del Cibao 6 - 8 Tigres del Licey

• 2B Dilson Herrera: 1 for 3, RBI(2), K

Roberto Clemente Puerto Rican League

- Gigantes de Carolina 0 - 4 Senadores de San Juan
- Indios de Mayaguez 6 - 3 Criollos de Caguas

• 2B T.J. Rivera: 1 for 4, RBI(4), 2 K
• C Johnny Monell: 1 for 3, R, BB, K

Mack Ade – AM Report – 8-21-13 – Dylan Cease, Starters, Darin Gorski, Christopher Lane

 

Last 61 games...  34-27

 

Loses as of Tuesday morning –

1)          Houston – 84…  2) Miami – 76…  3) White Sox – 74…  4) Brewers - 71...  5) Cubs – 71…   6) Phillies – 70…  7) Padres - 70... 8) Twins – 69…   9) Giants – 69…  10)  Angels 69… 11)  Toronto - 69...  12)   Rockies - 68...  13) Seattle – 67…  14)  Mets 66

 

Current projected 14^th pick: 

                                     RHP Dylan Cease

 

6-11-13 - 10. Dylan Cease, RHP, Milton HS, Ga.: This year's Draft was partly about the outfielders in Georgia. Cease will make 2014 about pitching, as the right-hander has a loose, electric arm that touched 97 mph this past spring to go along with a good breaking ball and a feel for a changeup. http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130611&content_id=50293726&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb&tcid=tw_article_50293726   

 

6-30-13 - Jheremy Brown ‏@JBrownPG  - 2014 RHP Dylan Cease (Milton, GA) warming up at 92/93 on field 2 at East Cobb

 

7-2-13 - 10. Dylan Cease- RHP, Milton (GA) HS -  6’2, 180 RHP who ran it up to 97 at the National Showcase http://www.ninebaseball.org/Wordpress/jeff-sullivans-top-100-2014-prospects/  

 

7-5-13 - Dylan Cease, RHP, Milton HS (GA) - A 6’-2”, 190-pound right-hander with an extremely live arm, Cease hit 97 mph at the Perfect Game Nationals and showed the makings of a plus curveball. He adds a solid change-up and he has a clean, easy delivery. Like many others on this list, he is a very good athlete and two-way player. He had a 1.05 ERA and 98 K/35 BB over 68.1 innings as a junior. http://throughthefencebaseball.com/prep-arms-chicago-cubs/34856#Vp7zJ4JvRevfV1fR.99   

 

7-25-13 – Top 30 High School Prospects For 2014 Draft - 4. Dylan Cease, RHP, Milton HS (GA) - 6'2/180, Draft Day Age: 18.44, No college commitment, Full Report & Video - Quick Take: Cease isn't that big but will sit 93-95 and hit 97 mph with a well-synced delivery, mix in a mid-70's curveball that's plus at times along with a changeup that's at least average. http://sbb.scout.com/2/1310090.html   

 

8-2-13 - Jeff Sullivan ‏@JSully12  - Dylan Cease - RHP, Milton (GA) HS sitting 95-96 in the 1st inning. 2 K pic.twitter.com/fMGNd718O0

 

8-6-13 - Top pitchers - East Coast Professional Showcase, Syracuse, NY - 1. Dylan Cease, RHP, Milton HS (Ga.): In his first inning of work, Cease threw a steady diet of 95- and 96-mph fastballs in a very effective inning. His velocity dropped in his second and third innings, not typically an issue, and he did have trouble commanding his breaking ball a bit. Still, Cease had as big of an arm as anyone at the event. http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130806&content_id=56048786&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb   

 

2013 East Coast Pro Showcase Top 50 Prospects    - 2. Dylan Cease – RHP, Milton (GA) HS - Tough choice for 1 and 2, as Cease sat 95-96 in his first inning. His curve ball is a pitch in the works, which is why he is at 2. http://www.ninebaseball.org/Wordpress/sullys-top-50-ecp-prospects/  

 

8-14-13 – Through The Fence – Top 50 Prospects – 19. Dylan Cease, RHP, Milton HS (GA) - With a fastball that sits in the 93-96 mph range, the 6’-2” right-hander is another hard throwing prepster in a class deep on them. He adds an above-average curveball and is a very athletic player who also shines on the offensive end. The mound is where he dominates, however, and he still has projection left. Plus, he plays in Georgia where they grow elite players on a farm somewhere. http://throughthefencebaseball.com/2014-mlb-draft-top-50-prospects/36463#mwWwsFxSUZy7YC5V.99  

 

We're going to have to keep an eye on Kingsport 12-year out phenom starter, Chris Flexen. Okay, he's not 12, but he pitched a complete game last night and is now 7-1, 2.14 for the season with 56-K (only 12-BB) in 11-starts and 63.0-IP.  Watch for a jump to Lucy in Spring 2014.

 

Michael Scannell –

I have another question for you.  Juan Lagares is cementing himself as one of the best defensive CF in baseball.  Can he hit and get on base enough to hit leadoff it #2?

                Mack – That’s the $64,000 question.

                All anyone is looking for is the second coming of Carlos Gomez.

                This year’s BA, April (.083), May (.171), June (.271), July (.353), August (.211). You can’t have a starting centerfielder that hits only one month out of the year.

Now, if he can hit what he hit for the combined June-July period for the entire year and be flanked by two other outfielders that hit for both average and power, then you have yourself a starting centerfielder.

                Me? I want to see more first.. I want to see him beat out both Matt den Dekker and Eric Young Jr. in the spring for the CF slot and then start off strong. Then and only then will I anoint him with the job.

 

John – on ‘bone chips’

As someone who has bone chips and plays baseball (granted in a men's league far from the pros) and someone who pitches, it can be very difficult and at times painful to pitch with bone chips in your elbow. I felt that I had a harder time finishing my pitches and reaching back for velocity. I know it is not the same thing as Mejia since he is in the majors and has vastly superior stuff compared to mine, but as I pitched this summer, the pain came and went but never got much worse and was tolerable most of the time when anti-inflamatories were taken. So I think that it was okay to let Mejia pitch through it as long as he could as long as he did not do any more damage. At the same time, I think that letting him get the surgery now is good so he can be ready for spring training.

 

 

Suspended Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun told stars around baseball before spring training 2012 that the man who collected his urine that tested positive for synthetic testosterone was anti-Semitic and a Chicago Cubs fan in an effort to gather support throughout the game, three sources familiar with the conversations told Yahoo! Sports. Ryan Braun received a 65-game suspension from MLB for his ties to the Biogenesis clinic. (AP)Braun sought backing from Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp, whom he had beaten out for the National League MVP months earlier, along with Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto and Colorado Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, among others, sources said. He reached out to peers in hopes they would publicly stick up for him following an expected suspension. http://sports.yahoo.com/news/ryan-braun-tried-to-discredit-urine-collector-in-calls-to-mlb-stars-021053235.html

 

 

Sandberg is inheriting a team of ghosts: Ryan Howard, the franchise player who once was and never again shall be; Chase Utley, the aging fan-favorite who has gone on the disabled list each of the last four years; Jimmy Rollins, the former face of the franchise who has all but gone on record saying he's playing for career milestones now; and Jonathan Papelbon, the reliever whose fastball velocity, strikeout rate and usage are declining already, with three years remaining on his monstrous deal. People talk about a youth movement in Philadelphia, and for some reason Darin Ruf's name keeps popping up, because 27 actually does seem pretty young when compared to all of the other regulars holding down spots in the lineup. And the farm system? There isn't really one to speak of. http://www.sportsonearth.com/article/57463086/?tcid=tw_share  

 

Jose Torres asked –

Mack, I know you don’t handle the ranking of the prospects anymore, but I’m curious what your thoughts are right now on the potential of how many future major leaguers we have in our system.

                Mack – No problem, Jose.

Projecting major league pitching is almost impossible to do below the AA level. That being said, I’ll give it a stab.

I think the Mets have five future MLB starters in their system… Noah Syndergaard, Rafael Montero, Steven Matz, Michael Fulmer, and Luis Mateo.

I think there are eight more that have a 50-50 chance of starting in the majors… Logan Verrett, Jake deGrom, Dan Gorski, Rainy Lara, Matt Bowman, Gabriel Ynoa, Akeel Morris, and Luis Cessa.

And, I think there are six more in the lower levels that have a 30-70 chance of being a major league starter… Miller Diaz, John Gant, Robert Gsellman, Carlos Valdez, Chris Flexin, and Robert Whalen.

Anywhere from three to five of these guys will go down with career crippling injuries, but still, this is a lot of quality pitching for one organization. 

 

There are ton of Mets writers out there all trying to figure out who’s going to be added to the Mets rotation if and when somebody else is either hurt or shut down. It look like Carlos Torres will step in for the opening created with the Jenrry Mejia injury, but what’s next come September 1^st? It seems like every Mets pitcher from Binghamton to Willet’s Point is being shut down for too many innings pitched this year.

So, while all this speculation is being… well… speculated, let me throw out the name of Darin Gorski.

The 25-year old lefty has pitched in 15 games this year and did have four miserable games in Las Vegas (4-games, 3-starts, 6.59,  13.2-IP, 7-K, 9-BB), but, since then, has been almost spotless for Binghamton. He’s now pitched in 12 games there (11-starts) and has cared an impressive 1.97 ERA.

Sandy and Company fell in love with this guy during spring training and actually considered bringing him to Queens on opening day as the ‘other lefty’ a long side Josh Edgin. That never happened, but I can’t think of a better time to showcase another lefty in the system than September.

 

An East Central University (OK) student from Australia has been found shot to death in Duncan. Duncan Police Chief Danny Ford says 23-year-old Christopher Lane was found shot to death Friday. Three juveniles have been arrested on first-degree murder charges for the shooting. Ford said Lane was jogging on Country Club Road when the three suspects, ages 15, 16 and 17, chose him as target in what he believes was a random drive-by shooting. http://www.kjrh.com/dpp/news/state/australian-east-central-university-student-shot-to-death-in-duncan-three-juveniles-arrested#undefined.uxfs#ixzz2cT2lzjhS

 

2-24-13 – Zack Wheeler, Cory Mazzoni, Collin Cowgill, Darin Gorski

-How can you not be excited about Zack Wheeler after watching that? Yes, the fastball was all over the place, but the velocity sat 93-96 ( I did record him once at 97). The good news was the fact that his fastball did have sink and it seems to just jump out of his hand, mainly due to the fact that he hides the ball so well at the time of release. His slider actually was more accurate and effective. It seemed to me that someone forgot to tell him that he’s not going to make the roster this year, but, trust me, the beat guys will be all over this with Terry in the post-game presser.

-You have to be happy with the 4^th inning at bat of 2B Jordany Valdespin. He worked that pitcher and hung in there for the pitch that scored Marlon Byrd and tied the game. Last year, Valdespin would have easily made the third out, but he fought off pitch after pitch.

-Speaking of a good debut, Marlon Byrd sure looked like the old version that once was an all-star.

-I find it interesting that Cory Mazzoni was ‘showcased’ in the first exhibition game of the season. No one knows exactly how to project this kid. He’s another of those control pitchers that doesn’t rely on his fastball to blow you away. Case in point were the two strikeouts he produced in the 5^th inning using his off-speed stuff. I have Mazzoni going back to Binghamton where he had 14 starts last season (5-5, 4.46). There just doesn’t seem to be any room for him in Las Vegas and he needs to master AA first, like he did the first half of the year for St. Lucie (12-starts, 5-1, 3.25).

There was nothing wrong with OF Collin Cowgill’s first Mets at-bat.  First, he doubles in the leading run and then scores from second on a groundball error to first base. This is the kind of hustle 

Terry Collins talked about earlier this week

.

Jed Weisberger‏ - @jedleyq -

Considering Cowgill came to the #Mets for disappointing prospect Jefry Marte, any contribution he makes is a huge plus.

Anthony DiComo‏ - @AnthonyDiComo

Overheard in #Mets clubhouse: "We need more Cowgill!" I smell a t-shirt...

Darin Gorski was next on the mound. Gorski threw only in the 88-90 range and they keep saying he’s being considered as a lefthander out of the Mets bullpen this year. Gorski’s go-to pitch is his curve and he lives on the corners. He wasn’t as sharp in the second inning and almost hit 40 pitchers, but he got out of the outing with no runs scores which gave Wheeler-Mazzoni-Gorski a 6.0-IP, 0-R stat line.

OMG, Reese Havens got an at-bat. Ground out. Gone.

The knuckle-curve of Bobby Parnell was impressive.

1-30-13 – Darin Gorski, Bobby V, Michael Bourn, The Latin Elephant

IF Ronny Cedeno signs a 1-year deal with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Noah Syndergaard‏ @Noahsyndergaard - Today I attempted a knuckle ball... It was not pretty

Rob Castellano -

LHP Darin Gorski - After a breakout 2011 in the High-A St. Lucie rotation (2.08 ERA), the 25-year-old struggled against more age-appropriate competition at Double-A in 2012 (4.00 ERA). He doesn't feature an overpowering fastball or much of a jaw-dropping repertoire, but his change-up is more often than not a plus offering. He'll have to take a big step forward to reach his ceiling as a back-end starter; however all signs point to a Spring Training audition for the second LOOGY role. And with a markedly better resume against lefties since 2011 (.193 opponent average) he's got a fair shot against the crop of journeymen the club will be looking at this March

I don’t remember who said that Gorski was going to be used as a LOOGY in ST next month. I think it was TC and I remember thinking how cute that was. I think his chance of this happening has now diminished with Pedro Feliciano coming to camp and I know Robert Carson has a different plan here. Gorski had a magical season in 2011, so may do at the A/A+ level, but I just don’t see the ‘stuff’ here for, first, a LOOGY role in the majors, or, a starting role in the majors. There will be nine pitchers battling it out for the five starting slots in Las Vegas. Gorski deserves one and I hope he gets it.

NYDN

The possibility exists. MLB sources say SportsNet New York brass has reached out to Bobby Valentine to discuss a possible studio role on Mets telecasts. Valentine, who managed the Mets (1996-2002), would be featured on about 20 games, mostly marquee matchups like the Subway Series. He would be seen on SNY’s new pre-pregame show. Valentine would also fill in for Bobby Ojeda, SNY’s No. 1 studio analyst, on his off days. Sources said the fact SNY execs have already contacted Valentine means the Mets organization has approved the idea of giving their controversial former manager a TV platform

I was in broadcasting for 32-years. Bobby Valentine was made for the microphone and television camera. A move like this would make so much sense and I bet even Valentine has learned he needs to play the game a little more conservative. Anything he did along with Ojeda would be Mets magic and could turn SNY into the most watched local New York sports channel.

Joel Sherman

Keep in mind Boras is the King of The Opt Out (think Alex Rodriguez, J.D. Drew and Rafael Soriano). So it is possible, for example, Bourn could trade length of contract — perhaps accepting three years — in exchange for being able to opt out and re-enter the free-agent market a year from now if he desires. The Mets could be amenable to that, determining Bourn could help them in 2013, give them another season to incubate a center fielder such as Matt Den Dekker and — should Bourn opt out — provide the Mets the chance to tender him a contract and recoup a June 2014 second-round draft choice if he were to sign elsewhere.

                              It was interesting that Sandy Alderson did fly down to Houston and have dinner with Bourn and his agent. That was the right thing to do. I really don’t care who plays CF for the Mets in 2013. My concern is 2014 and beyond. At this point, my “current” future outfield is LF Lucas Duda, CF Matt den Dekker, and RF Kirk Nieuwenhuis. The quicker you play them, the sooner we’ll know what we have.

Regarding the new reports on illegal use of drugs out of a Miami clinic… is anyone going to mention the Latin elephant in the room? It is obvious that the vast majority of ballplayers caught cheating are Latin. And, let’ remember this… you’re not suspended the first time you test positive, so, you have to be stupid to take the drug, get caught, and then be more stupid and take it again. Anyway, the one thing on this particular story is most of the players named seem to live in South Florida during the off-season, but once again, Latin surname after Latin  surname. Carlos Gomez (the scout) told me once that there is a lot of pressure in countries like the Domincan Republic to follow in the footsteps of players like Alex Rodriquez and Pedro Martinez. Jose Reyes’ brother told me that the primary reason many Latin players can’t wait for free agency is this is when they will receive the kind of money needed to take care of all the members of their immediate family. The natural body size just isn’t there and a specimen like A-Rod is the exception to the rule. ‘Buscons’ have been the sports worst enemy, telling these kids that they never will make it to the States without doing whatever it takes to build up strength and muscle. Sadly, this may start as bad people around innocent kids. 

Stuff – Reese Havens, Tillman Pugh, BoSox Prospects, Darin Gorski, ‘The War Room’

Reese Havens

Havens is on another tear. He’s hitting .194 in his last 10 games (through Friday night) and comes in at .220 for the season. Frankly, the .220 was higher than I remembered him hitting this year. He followed up with a home run on Saturday but too little too late. Just a suck year with a stiff back thrown in for grins. I’m sure Sandy is having a hard time projecting David for next season. Danny Muno (who has moved over to 2B) is playing great at St. Lucie and deserves the bump up, and you can’t really promote a guy to AAA with these kind of numbers, can you? Tough call here. 

Tillman Pugh

I’ll never forget the day the Mets cut OF Tillman Pugh this year. We talked on the phone and he told me that the Mets told him that “the organization had too many outfielders”. That’s funny. Pugh was picked up the same day by the CWS and he’s now playing for Kannapolis (.250/.294/.198/.402, 3-SB). Not stellar, but we’re going to check back every six months to see his progress. 

BoSox Prospects

Question: Would you like to change the makeup of your upper levels in one day?

Answer: Here’s the young players Boston now features at the MLB/AAA/AA level:

LHP Felix Doubront               MLB  10-6, 4.70, 119-K, 122.2-IP

RP Franklin Morales              MLB  3-4, 3.77, 76-K, 76.1-IP

3B Will Middlebrook            MLB  .288/.325/.509/.835

C Ryan Lavarnway                 MLB  41-AB, .188 – AAA: .290/.376/.563/.939

RHP Rubby De La Rosa         AAA  On IR most of season  (tear of the ulnar collateral ligament)

2B -SS Ivan DeJesus Jr.         AAA  .295/.333/.415/.749

1B/OF Jerry Sands                AAA  .303/.380/.531/.911

SS Jose Inglesias          AAA  .266/.318/.306/.624

RHP Alan Webster                AA    117K – 121.2-IP

RHP Anthony Renaudo         AA    1-3, 6.69, 9-starts

RHP Brandon Workman       AA    10-7, 3.14 A+/AA (3-0, 1.50 – AA)

SS Xander Bogaerts              AA    .339/.373/.532/.909

RF Bryce Brentz           AA    .294/.356/.483/.839, 17-HR

OF Jackie Bradley                  AA    .276/.363/.443/.807 

Darin Gorski

Darin Gorski hasn’t duplicated the incredible year he had in 2011, but you have to give him credit for turning in a decent season at the talent-heavy AA level. Gorski went: 7.2-IP, 1-ER, 5-H, 9-K, 1-BB, 3.66 and pretty much has guaranteed that he will be the lefty rotational dude for the Mets new AAA franchise. Pick up some sunscreen Daris, you’re heading west. 

‘The War Room’

‘The Draft Room’ concept on Sunday was premature. We will return to ‘The War Room’ next Sunday.

I May Be Wrong, But… Matt den Dekker, Matt Harvey, Darin Gorski, Proving Goodwill

 • Den Dekker has been one of the few positives in a camp of duds. He’s basically done nothing wrong, but his defensive play in centerfield makes one dream of the days we won’t have to worry about anything hit out there. There was a shot a couple of days ago in the gap between center and right that made every fan say ‘fuck, there goes another gap double’. And then, all of a sudden, here comes DD out of the left side of your TV screen and he actually was decelerating while he hauled the ball in. It’s going to be so much fun this season watching him in Binghamton, Kirk in Buffalo, and both of them fighting it out for the future CFer at Citifield. The loser gets to help Jason Bay pack his bags.

 • The Mets brass did a smart thing on Wednesday. Knowing that the beat press would never go to an away game on the other side of Florida, they held back Matt Harvey and had him throw in an intrasquad game. The press wandered over to the minor side of Lucy’s complex and wrote about a superior outing by Harvey. I can’t tell you how many times I was the only reporter watching these games, but now, everybody is future crazy.

 • It was pretty exciting to see LHP Darin Gorski in the game yesterday. It was even more exciting to see him sitting at 92. A lefty throwing a 92mph fastbll is the same as a righty throwing 95. Add to that a superior curve and Gorski just might be the real deal. Wouldn’t that be something… another SP prospect that will be ready by 2014.

 • The Madoff judge says that the burden of proof falls on Fred rather than the investors that got fucked. God, I wish this was on Court TV.

Mets: Daniel Murphy, John Rauch, Darin Gorski, Mets Win Court Case

Well, the Mets are reporting to Port St. Lucie in droves, and Terry Collins has begun to meet the media. Lots to discuss, but I wanted to focus on one particular comment by Collins yesterday: that his backup first baseman is Justin Turner, not Daniel Murphy. This makes no sense at first glance, as pointed out by Patrick Flood on Twitter. After all, if Murphy and Turner are on the field, why would Turner, who doesn’t play first base, get the nod there while Murphy, who has been a gifted defender at the position, remains at second? The answer, to my mind, is a simple one: the Mets have finally decided to see what they have in Murphy at second base. http://mets.lohudblogs.com/2012/02/22/daniel-murphy-2b-at-last/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+mets+%28The+LoHud+Mets+Blog%29  

New Mets reliever Jon Rauch is 6 feet 11, 290 pounds, and covered with ink.  The piece of artwork that nudged open the gate to his world of ink is gone now. “Covered up,” Rauch said Monday morning in the locker room at Digital Domain Park. But the needle did not stop at the ankle. The Mets reliever has ink running up and down both arms, ink canvassing his back, ink sneaking up the right side of his neck. http://www.northjersey.com/sports/pro_sports/baseball/mets/Mets_reliever_Jon_Rauch_an_imposing_figure.html?c=y&page=1

2-10-12 - http://seedlingstostars.com/2012/02/10/s2s-2012-team-prospect-lists-new-york-mets/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitte r  - #5.) Darin Gorski, LHP. Gorski had a nice year in High-A (2.08 ERA, 2.99 FIP), but he’s a 23-year-old finesse lefthander who doesn’t have an out pitch and doesn’t get enough groundballs. A potential fifth starter or lefty specialist. Grade: C+

The Mets won a case in federal court Tuesday.  It was not a momentous victory. It will not affect the future of the team.  No, it did not involve that other, more famous federal case, the one involving the Mets’ owners and the trustee for the victims of Bernard L. Madoff’s Ponzi scheme.  This one was about glatt kosher hot dogs and whether a vendor at Citi Field could sell them during the Jewish Sabbath on Friday nights and Saturdays. The Mets said no to such sales even before the 2009 season began. Kosher Sports Inc. filed suit in 2010 against Queens Ballpark Company, the team subsidiary that built Citi Field., for breaching the deal http://bats.blogs.nytimes.com/

Mets: Omar Quintanilla, Taylor Whitenton, Chuck James, Cory Vaughn, Darin Gorski

Omar Quintanilla - Quintanilla was drafted 33rd overall by the A's in '03 after winning the College World Series with the University of Texas. Quintanilla ranked among Oakland's top ten prospects for the next couple seasons after batting .358 and .341 in his first two seasons, respectively. Unfortunately his bat didn't live up to the early hype. But his glove did and he's carved out a nice little niche as a Wilson Valdez-esque defensive-minded backup infielder with the Rockies and Rangers ever since. In 227 major league games he's posted a .213 career average with 2 homers and 3 stolen bases. http://www.amazinavenue.com/2012/1/31/2753903/taking-inventory-of-the-mets-minor-league-free-agents

2-1-12: - http://www.metsminorleagueblog.com   -  Taylor Whitenton has an average MLB fastball and improved his control dramatically from 2010 to 2011.  A lean 6’3”, he usually sat around 90-91, and in shorter outings in the Arizona Fall Leagues was sitting 91-93 mph, touching 94.  There were scouts who saw the Gnats in the first half of 2011 who thought Whitenton was the most promising member of the team’s rotation. He complements the fastball with a slider that has more depth than horizontal movement and a changeup.  He became much more confidant throwing his secondary pitches in games in 2011 and the change-up passed the slider as his second offering.  His over the top delivery gives batters an unusual angle and the ball seems to hop a little out of his hand.  However, many of his strikeouts came on elevated fastballs, a strategy that might lead to trouble at the higher levels.  The high angle also makes it hard for him to generate much horizontal movement on his slider. Whitenton cut his walk rate from 13.8% in 2010 to 10.5% in 2011, or if you prefer to think in terms of innings, from 5.7 BB/9 to 3.9 BB/9.  While throwing more strikes, his strikeout improved from 23% to 25.9%.

• Dec 15: LHP Chuck James - Another soft-tossing lefty, you may remember the 30-yr old for his 2+ seasons of league average work in the Atlanta rotation between '06 and '08. As a prospect he was another former blue-chipper, ranked by John Sickels as the Braves no. 2 prospect at his peak in '06 -- ahead of guys like Elvis Andrus and Yunel Escobar. He spent 2011 at Minnesota's Triple-A affiliate where he was quite good in relief, posting a 2.30 ERA with over a K/IP and excellent rates against both lefties and righties. Like Olson he'll audition for a role as a lefty out of the Mets 'pen and I'd say he's got a pretty good shot out of camp. http://www.amazinavenue.com/2012/1/31/2753903/taking-inventory-of-the-mets-minor-league-free-agents

2-3-12: - http://www.metsminorleagueblog.com/32-rf-cory-vaughn/  - 2011: Cory Vaughn graduated from Savannah at the All-Star Break after hitting .286/.405/.408 for Savannah.  He then hit .219/.310/.395 in 63 games for St. Lucie in the second half.  There are things in both of those lines that should be concerning.  In Savannah, it was the lack of power. Historic Grayson Stadium is an extremely difficult place to hit home runs. However, it’s not just the home runs that he missed. His extra-base hit percentage plummeted to 6.7% from 10.5% in Brooklyn.  Also, he just didn’t seem to drive the ball with very much authority. Nor did he seem to do much damage against quality fastballs. In St. Lucie, obviously the concern was his .219 batting average. However, across both levels, he hit a combined .255/.363/.402 with a .315 BABIP.  He aspires to join a group, MLB right fielders, who averaged .269/.341/.441 in 2011. 

2-3-12: - http://www.amazinavenue.com/2012/2/3/2760606/2012-amazin-avenue-top-50-mets-prospects-20-16  LHP Darin Gorski - Of all the pleasant surprises in the Mets system in 2011, none was more impressive than the 24-yr old Gorski. The 6'4" lefty was nothing short of brilliant as he rode roughshod over the Hi-A Florida State League, posting a superb 9.09 K/9 and an even better 1.88 BB/9. Gorski was simply too good for the FSL for most of 2011 yet the organization curiously kept him there all season. Likely this was a result of a numbers game as Binghamton's rotation was crowded all season. Additionally, Gorski certainly didn't carry the kind of reputation of a Familia or a Harvey. In fact, the '09 seventh rounder out of DII Kutztown University was just coming off a 2010 where he posted a 4.58 ERA bouncing between starting and relief for Savannah and looked like the epitome of org depth. But that's why you always keep an eye on big lefties; suddenly the big kid with the soft stuff began throwing harder. Reports had him in the low 90's by season's end, up from the 87-89 mph range from past seasons. That new-found differential was more than enough to make his already impressive change-up downright deadly. Moving forward it's still hard to place him with the upper echelon pitchers -- he was very old for the FSL -- but armed with spot-on command and improving stuff from the left side, Gorski suddenly put himself on the map as a potential back of the rotation guy or lefty out of the 'pen.

Mets: Darin Gorski, Rafael Montero, Matt Tuiasosopo, Edgardo Alfonzo

1-27-12: - http://www.perfectgame.org/Articles/View.aspx?article=6509 10. LHP Darin Gorski - Baseball-Reference player profile - While top prospects Matt Harvey, Zack Wheeler and Jeurys Familia will get all the attention by likely starting the season together in the AA Binghamton rotation, a probable fourth member of that rotation should get some notice as well. Gorski has been flying under the radar since being an upper-80s finesse pitcher out of Kutztown State in Pennsylvania, where the Mets picked him in the seventh round in 2009.  After two undistinguished years in the minors, Gorski blossomed last year in the Florida State League, 11-3, 2.08 in 138 innings, allowing only 29 walks against 140 strikeouts. Most importantly, his velocity moved up from finesse/soft toss category to “firm low-90s” at times, which made his very good change and workable downer curveball all that more effective.   Gorski sounds very similar to another finesse left hander out of a small Northeast school who went on to pitch in the big leagues for nine years, John Halama.

1-23-12 - http://www.amazinavenue.com/2012/1/23/2693134/2012-amazin-avenue-top-50-mets-prospects  #46) RHP Rafael Montero - Like Mateo, the 21-yr old Rafael Montero signed a little late to pro ball but he certainly made up for lost time. Montero used a pinpoint low 90's heater to carve up DSL hitters early in the year (see, 0 walks vs. 20 K's) and for whatever reason, he was promoted forward while Mateo was not. Montero went on to post more gaudy totals -- including a combined .208 opp. average -- as he rocketed up four levels, right into the Cyclones 'pen in the heart of a playoff run. Pretty incredible, even before you realize that this was all during his pro debut. While he had age on his side, his combination of stuff and command are very impressive. I'd LOVE to see what he could do alongside Mateo in the Gnats rotation in 2012.

Make a lot of jokes about the guys the Mets have signed this off-season but Matt Tuiasosopo (I dare you to pronounce that properly) is simply so bad that no joke is funny enough to make this ok. I totally understand depth signings and I know guys like this get moved around all the time but I literally cant find a single reason the Mets have signed this guy. His stats are truly atrocious, in the three seasons where he played Major League Ball he played in 71 games and in only of those three seasons did he crack the Mendoza line, in 2009 when he hit .227. His career slash line is: .176/.234/.306, that is just so bad. I believe his big selling point is that he can play almost any position, having seen time at 1B,2B,SS,3B and LF. The only problem being, he is bad at all of them, having never posted a positive or even zero UZR at any of these positions.Finally. his career WAR is -1.1, in three years his presence has lost his teams a little over a game. Why are we signing him? He is worse than any decent triple A player we could bring up. http://www.metsrospectus.com/2012/01/gettin-to-know-matt-tuiasosopo.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

As I looked over the twenty categories listed in the Mets media guide in the all-time leaders section, the name Edgardo Alfonzo popped up on fifteen of the twenty categories, that put Alfonzo second just behind Darryl Strawberry for most top ten categories. (Straw is top ten in seventeen of the twenty failing to crack the top ten in  batting average, pinch hits and pinch hit home runs. I think we should be clamoring for number 18 to be retire don’t you think?) http://www.kranepoolsociety.com/2012/01/29/how-is-edgardo-alfonzo-not-in-the-ny-mets-hall-of-fame/

Mets - Darin Gorski, Carlos Beltran, Scott Sauerbach, Brad Holt

1-3-12 - mets360  - 8. Darin Gorski, LHP, Hi-A, 11-3, 2.08 ERA, 140 Ks in 138.2 IP - Most of the major prospect hounds are taking a wait-and-see approach with Gorski. They want to see how he does at Double-A before getting on the bandwagon. Gorski came out of nowhere last year and dominated at St. Lucie, yet he did this as a 23 year old, adding to the doubts. But here’s what Gorski has going for him: He’s a lefty who throws strikes, scouting reports have him at around 90 (Keith Law said 87-91 while Kevin Goldstein said 90-93), he throws three pitches and has outstanding command.

Carlos Beltran, OF  STL –  After back to back seasons where Beltran’s knee problems prevented him from playing more than half a year, he bounced back last season and managed to appear in 142 games.  His power was back, his average was up and it looked like he was the Carlos of old.  However, he did miss some time in August after tweaking that same knee and was lost for about two weeks, so the health concerns emerged once again.  Was this little incident just a minor thing or is it a foreshadowing of more consistent problems as we move forward?  The Cardinals seem to feel like he’s ok and have him slated to play regularly in right field, but the market for the soon-to-be 35 year old was pretty thin this offseason, so perhaps, there are some that don’t fully  believe that his knees can continue to hold up.  He can certainly be a fantasy asset when healthy, but using anything more than a 15th round pick could cost you plenty in the long run. http://www.fangraphs.com/fantasy/index.php/top-10-high-risk-veterans-part-1/

What was your draft experience like, and how did you first know the Mets were interested in drafting you?: My draft experience was pretty miserable actually. I thought I had a chance to be drafted after my junior year in college, and sat around the house for three days waiting for the phone to ring. It never did, obviously.  I had two great starts to start my senior year in college, and then broke the thumb on my throwing hand in start number three and missed pretty much the rest of the year. I took the splint off the last couple of weeks of the season and pitched, as I had to get out there on the mound for anyone to see that I was healthy enough to pitch- which meant be healthy enough to be drafted. If you have ever tried to pitch with a broken thumb, it’s not the smartest thing you can do, but I really didn’t have a choice. Usually after the first inning it would swell up enough to render it useless in every sense, and I think I would of actually been better not having a thumb at that point, as it was not in contact with the ball at all and was just getting in the way. http://seamheads.com/2012/01/05/scott-sauerbeck-discusses-his-career/

1-6-12: - metsmerized  - 31. Brad Holt (RHP) Holt was at one time ranked up near the top of this list, but after failing miserably as a starter upon arriving at AA, he regressed for several seasons before seemingly straightening things out towards the end of last year. He has therefore fallen pretty far in the rankings as he tries to re-invent himself as a relief pitcher. I wrote a pretty involved spiel on Holt back in September, in the “Buffalo 2012 Preview” piece, entitled ‘Help On The Way’. Here’s some of what I said:  “Holt’s 2011 season wasn’t eye-popping, but he is definitely making progress. His overall numbers this year are average, 8-8 with a 4.71 ERA, but most of the runs he gave up were in the first half when he was being utilized as a starter. Since being converted to a relief pitcher full-time, he has been quietly doing a superb job, going 6-2 with a 4.09 ERA, in one and two inning stints. In his last eleven games out of the pen Holt is: 4-1 with a 4.02 ERA, and opponents are hitting .203 off him. The biggest improvement Holt has made is in his increased command, which has resulted in fewer walks, and that was crucial for him. As a starter last year, his K/BB ratio was 39/42, that’s right, more walks than strikeouts. As a reliever, his K/BB was 35/15. If he can keep moving forward, and make the necessary adjustments to the higher caliber of play at AAA, he could emerge as a “relief ace” for Buffalo, a real lock down 8th inning guy, which is exactly what the Mets see him as in the bigs. Will he be a help to the Mets at sometime in 2012 as a bullpen option? Why the heck not? He’s got the talent, hopefully his mechanics will fall into line.”

Cutnpaste: - Zack Wheeler, Rhiner Cruz, Brandon Nimmo, Al Skorupa on Mets, Darin Gorski

11-23-11: -  http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/news/article.js p?ymd=20111110&content_id=25949502&fext=.j sp&vkey=news_milb&partnerId=rss_nym -   Zack Wheeler -- think Harvey with a cutter -- thrived at St. Lucie after being acquired from the Giants in the July trade involving All-Star outfielder Carlos Beltran. In six starts, he went 2-2 with a 2.00 ERA and struck out 31 over 27 innings. "Wheeler and Harvey, both of these guys have phenomenal stuff," Lopez said. "Time will tell whether they will pitch in the big leagues." Wheeler, Harvey and Familia fill the first three slots on New York's Top 10 Prospect list.

Houston Astros: Rhiner Cruz, RHP, from Mets: A 25-year-old right-hander from the Dominican Republic, Cruz posted a 2.77 ERA with an 18/6 K/BB in 13 innings for High-A St. Lucie, followed by a 4.14 ERA with a 51/39 K/BB in 59 innings for Double-A Binghamton. Owner of a 95 MPH fastball, Cruz also has an erratic slider and a history of serious command problems. He could slot into a middle relief role but won't get a chance to close without huge improvements in his strike-throwing ability. http://www.minorleagueball.com/2011/12/8/2620950/2011-rule-5-baseball-draft-results-and-reports

12-7-11: - http://baseballdraftreport.com  - After consensus top two prep outfielders Bubba Starling and Josh Bell, East HS (WY) OF Brandon Nimmo stands alone as the draft’s third best young outfield prospect. Nimmo’s asencion to the upper half of the first round wasn’t always a forgone conclusion; it took almost the entire spring for the prep outfield picture to develop, as early favorites like Derek Fisher and Larry Greene slipped and late risers such as Granden Goetzman and Senquez Golson couldn’t quite reach the loftiest of draft heights. Nimmo was left standing as the clear third best prep outfielder for very good reason. For as much praise as his raw tools received leading up to the draft, Nimmo showed in his brief pro outing that he’s more than that. There have been equal amounts of plaudits for his present skills, most notably his far better than expected plate discipline. When you combine an advanced approach with his existing tools (most notably his arm, speed, and hit tool), it is easy to envision a potential above-average regular in right. I’m pretty good at separating draft stuff from personal rooting interests (five years of development time gives some perspective, I think), but the Phillies fan in me is annoyed to have to “root against” such a compelling prospect in Nimmo. My annoyance is doubled when I think back to last year’s draft when the Mets grabbed personal favorite Matt Harvey. Annoyance is tripled (and then some) with the realization that, for as much justified criticism as the Mets have received for their thrifty drafting ways of recent years, they managed to undo a good bit of recent damage with what I consider to be a pretty darn strong 2011 try. Nimmo, Phillip Evans, and maybe Brad Marquez all have the potential to be well above-average regulars, and New York’s balanced approach to adding arms in the first ten rounds or so (figure at least one of the college guys wind up a steady starting pitcher, as well as one of the two overslot prep righties). If New York winds up with either Nimmo/Marquez (starting OF) and Evans (starting 2B) offensively, and, going off my own pre-draft list, Logan Verrett and Christian Montgomery in a future rotation, they will have done quite well for themselves.

Al Skorupa: This story of this system is the story of two big arms at the top and increased depth. I prefer Harvey to Wheeler slightly but there isn't a big gap between the two. They ended up less than 10 spots from each other on my top 100. Harvey has a good pitchers build, power stuff and a deep repertoire. He needs to work on his command and changeup to realize his potential. I expect Harvey to develop into a front of the rotation starter. The Tar Heels have really put some premium talent into the draft over the last decade. Wheeler was a great pickup by Sandy Alderson and has a good chance of joining Harvey as a frontline starter. His secondary stuff is a little more inconsistent and his mechanics give me pause. Wheeler flashes the potential to have an even higher ceiling than Harvey, though. I feel like Harvey is a slightly safer bet but you could list either of these guys first and I wouldn't really argue with you. I liked the pick of Brandon Nimmo. Good athleticism and tools and he's got a pretty swing. He's surprisingly polished for someone coming from an area without high school baseball... but he's still going to take time. Jeurys Familia flashes some electric stuff and his secondary pitches can be quite good. If he's ever able to harness his command and control he could be a good starter who misses bats. If he isn't able to its not hard to imagine him making an impact out of the pen. I found it difficult to rank Jenrry Mejia. I loved his stuff before he had Tommy John, but his mechanics always had me thinking bullpen... and you have to think its the most likely destination for him now. Michael Fulmer ranked in the top 50 on my draft board. He's a typical prep arm with good velo and a quality breaking ball but needs to find a third pitch and firm up his command. I liked Reese Havens in college and I still expect him to be a good major leaguer. I'm really hoping he gets that chance in 2012. He's got a well rounded game that could provide a lot of value to a team and make Mets fans happy. Cesar Puello would rank much higher if we were just grading raw tools, but obviously that's not the whole story here. I'm not sold that Puello will ever be much of a hitter... but if he puts it all together he could be a real impact guy. More likely he's a corner OF with better tools than production who shows us flashes of something more. Similar to Puello, I feel that Jordany Valdespin and Wilmer Flores will end up more toolsy than productive. They all have the tools to make a leap forward, though. Draftee Brad Marquez can also match most of these guys for tools and athleticism - other than power. Juan Urbina has some quality stuff for a short season LH and could rank much higher next year. Same goes for Domingo Tapia, who doesn't have the secondary stuff Urbina does but compensates with rare velocity. Cory Mazzoni was N.C. State's friday night starter last season but profiles as a back end guy in the pros. There's some quality depth in this system and the Wheeler trade instantly added another impact arm. This was a fairly poor system entering 2011 with one shining star (Mejia) but now its comfortably in the middle of the pack and should start paying dividends in the not too distant future. http://bullpenbanter.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=526:new-york-mets-2012-top-15-prospects&catid=18:articles&Itemid=11

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11-23-11: -  http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/news/article.js p?ymd=20111110&content_id=25949502&fext=.j sp&vkey=news_milb&partnerId=rss_nym -   Left-handed starting pitcher -- Darin Gorski, St. Lucie (27 games): The FSL Pitcher of the Year (and MiLB.com's Class A Advanced Best Starter) won his first 10 decisions, although he actually began the season in the bullpen. "We had a bit of an embarrassment of riches of pitching at St. Lucie. He didn't even get to start the year in the rotation because of that. He got in there and took off," DePodesta said of the 24-year-old southpaw. "He became the ace of that staff and anchored it when Harvey left. We wanted him to experience being the No. 1 guy and pitching in playoff games." Gorski, a 2009 seventh-round pick, went 11-3 with a 1.98 ERA as a starter and led the FSL in overall ERA (2.08) and WHIP (1.00). He also struck out 140 in 138 2/3 frames, including a career-high 13 on May 26 while holding left-handed hitters to a .171 batting average. "Darin is probably the biggest surprise of this year," Lopez said. "We knew he had the potential to become the type of pitcher he became, but it was a matter of time. It took Gorski two years to put everything together." In addition to his slider, improved fastball command was key. "He always had a changeup," Lopez said, "but nobody swung at it because he could never command his fastball. Next thing you know, he was graded as having the best changeup in our league."