11-13-11: - http://www.metsblog.com/2011/11/13/afl-round-up-juan-lagares-has-been-stellar-this-fall - •Lastly, LHP Erik Turgeon has put forth the strongest pitching performance of any Met prospect so far this fall, going 0-1 with a 3.38 ERA in ten relief appearances for Peoria. Turgeon, who turns 25 in March, went a combined 5-4 with a 5.42 ERA in 52 relief appearances between Triple-A Buffalo and Double-A Binghamton in 2011.
10-25-11: - http://www.minorleaguerundown.com/2011/10/25/2011-top-20-new-york-mets-prospects - 2011 Top 20 New York Mets Prospects - 7.Cesar Puello, OF (High Class A): Speaking of high upside with little results, the Dominican outfielder does have quite a bit of power and speed, but somewhat less formidable plate discipline. With a 3.7% walk rate and strikeouts coming 21.1 percent of the time at high A, plenty of work still needs to be done. His promotion to high A has seen a decrease in walks, a rise in strikeouts, and a lower rate of stolen base success, with only a solid improvement in power numbers to offset the developmental losses. Fortunately the tools are still there. For him it all hinges on better plate discipline and pitch recognition.
Buchholz is arbitration eligible, and what to do with the 30 year old right-hander is up for debate. The team could easily non-tender him, but it makes some sense to offer him arbitration, assuming he is feeling well enough to pitch. It is difficult to imagine Buchholz earning much more than he did last year, since he was only active for two months, so why not bring him back? Buchholz showed the ability to strike batters out, command the strike zone, and effectively mix his fastball and curve. He is not a make or break player, but Buchholz could once again serve as a cheap, reliable reliever, giving Alderson one less roster spot to worry about as he remakes the bullpen. http://risingapple.com/2011/11/14/2011-season-in-review-taylor-buchholz
What went wrong: After 2010′s power outage, the big question was not if Bay would rebound, but how much would he. Would you believe that his ISO actually dropped this season, to a career worst .128?! How he could have managed to post a measly sub-10% HR/FB ratio these past two seasons is beyond me. And don’t blame the ballpark; he was actually better in the power department at home than on the road the last two years. Why you should ask about Bay: Speaking of the ballpark, the Mets are moving the fences in. One of those cheers you heard after the announcement was certainly Bay’s. Maybe that will help jump start his power. If not, the good news is that he continues to be willing to swipe the occasional base, as he has now stolen double digits in six of his last seven seasons. His .245 average should rise as his BABIP rebounds closer to his career average, plus a hopefully higher HR/FB ratio will also add some additional hits to his line. You could probably acquire Bay for peanuts, or even as a throw-in, so I still think he is worth the gamble. http://www.fangraphs.com/fantasy/index.php/more-studs-that-were-duds
The 1998 Pittsfield Mets did not produce a lot of future major leaguers, but one of them is still playing 14 years after his professional debut. Not that Ty Wigginton looked like a guy who was going to make it after his first pro season. In 70 games, he hit .239 with 8 home runs and 29 RBI while striking out 72 times in 272 at-bats. Though he never became a major league star, Wigginton has had a solid career with parts of 10 seasons in the big leagues. http://randombaseballstuff.com/2011/11/14/minor-league-mondays-a-look-at-the-1998-pittsfield-mets-baseball-cards
