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/

Edgardo Alfonzo, Angel Pagan, Jeurys Familia, Tyler Greene, Update on SF Prospects

Edgardo Alfonzo:


Alfonzo broke into the majors in 1995 as a utility infielder. At just 21 years of age, Fonzie batted .278 with four home runs and 41 RBI. He played mostly at third base, but also filled in at second base and shortstop. However, his season was cut short due to a herniated disk and he missed the last months of the season because of it. In 1996, with Rey Ordonez as the new shortstop, Jose Vizcaino shifted to second base and Jeff Kent moved to third base, Alfonzo was the one left on the bench. His average fell to .261 and he finished with four home runs and 40 RBI. After Kent and Vizcaino got traded, Alfonzo played more at second base. - http://bleacherreport.com/articles/770405-new-york-mets-top-10-third-basemen-in-team-history#/articles/770405-new-york-mets-top-10-third-basemen-in-team-history/page/8


Angel Pagan:


7-23-11: - http://www.beyondtheboxscore.com/2011/7/22/2287731/checking-in-on-the-early-season-regression-candidates#storyjump  - Angel Pagan: Maybe my Met fandom influenced my regression, because it said that Pagan's early .249 wOBA should have been more like .392. Not so much, it turns out. Pagan has played a little better of late, but he's still only at .307, well below average.


Jeurys Familia:


7-14-11: - http://bleacherreport.com/articles/764392-2011-eastern-league-all-star-game-top-10-prospects  - Familia has been a breakout performer for the Mets this season. With top pitching prospect Jenrry Mejia lost for the season with Tommy John surgery, Familia and 2010 first-round pick Matt Harvey have stepped up to fill the void. Some scouts still think Familia is best suited for the bullpen, but with a power arm that produces a high-90s fastball and a strong breaking ball the Mets will take their time and see if they can develop Familia as a starter. However, if that doesn't pan out, a relief role could put Familia on the fast track.


Tyler Greene:


7-23-11: - http://www.baseballamerica.com/blog/draft/2011/07/phillies-give-greene-375000  - The Phillies have signed 11th-round pick Tyler Greene for $375,000, the highest bonus outside of the first three rounds thus far in the 2011 draft. His bonus is equivalent to third-round money. A shortstop from West Boca Raton (Fla.) HS, Greene has impressive speed and athleticism, though he has been inconsistent at the plate and in the field. His brother Chase is an outfielder in the Mets system. Tyler had committed to Georgia.


Update on SF Prospects:


The Giants’ farm system has been consistently underrated by prospect watchers (myself included). Their strength has been the terrific job they have done picking in the first round. For example, their last ten first rounders included: Matt Cain (#25), Tim Lincecum (#10), Madison Bumgarner (#10), Buster Posey (#5), Zack Wheeler (#6), and Gary Brown (#24). In this year’s draft, the team drafted St. John’s SS Joe Panik. The pick surprised me, but looking more closely, I understand the logic because he is a SS with power potential and plate discipline. On the whole, I have to grade this system low again because there does not seem to be much value after Wheeler and Brown. But realistically, the defending champs clearly have a strategy that’s worked (plus this list would look better w/ Brandon Belt), so I would not be too concerned about this team’s ability to remain competitive. - http://www.deepleagues.com/?p=3566