Mack: - Welcome Wally. No one has seen more from this team this year than you have. First question is really simply. Name the one player, and why, that is definitely going to be a star in the pros for the New York Mets?
Wally: - That is a good question. There are several players on the team this year that could play for the Mets in the future. The player I think will advance to the top is Josh Edgin, who pitched great in relief for the Gnats the first half-he was (1-0), ERA under 1, with 16 saves. His fast ball was 90 plus and had a great curve ball. I think he could pitch relief or come in the game to get a left handed batter out.
Mack: - I agree. I think Josh might make Queens by the beginning of 2013. Let's talk about Aderlin Rodriquez. Sadly, you've watch a lot of Mets prospects kick the ball around the infield in the last couple of years. We all know A-Rod can hit the ball out of the park, but is he as bad a fielder as the stats say?
Wally: - Aderlin Rodriquez has made lots of errors at third this season. He has a great throwing arm to first and has made a bunch of super plays at third. He is only 19 so they may keep working with him at third. Maybe he will play first base in the future.
Mack: - Regarding the rotation, is there one pitcher that stood out this season from the rest?
Wally: - I was impressed with Angel Cuan pitching well this season leading the team with 10 wins. Not overpowering, his fast ball is 85-86 range, but has good breaking pitches, moves the ball in and out and up and down in the strike zone. I would call him a "crafty" pitcher. Hope he does well in St. Lucie next year.
Mack: - You've watched this team for years now... a little word association. Cory Vaughn or Matt den Dekker?
Wally: - Both play very good defense in the outfield. Slight edge in hitting goes to Den Dekker.
Mack: - Better bat... Aderlin Rodriguez or Josh Satin
Wally: - Josh Satin has hit for good average (.300) at all of his stops. Aderlin Rodriquez has more power (17) home runs, but is hitting around 220. The upside for Rodriquez is that he is only 19 years old, and has time to improve his average and be a more consistent hitter to go with his pop.
Mack: - Wally, your thought on "DC". He didn't have the year everyone expected....
Wally: - The injury slowed down Darrell Ceciliani and he has been hitting better the second half (.260's). He is a tremendous center fielder and it seems like he runs down every ball hit to left-center, center, and right center. Only 4 errors for the year. Good speed leading the team in stolen bases with 25. I look for him to hit for a higher average next year.
Mack: - Wally, any other thoughts on any of the other players this season?
Wally: - Albert Cordero has improved his hitting and made adjustments to lead the Gnats in hitting (around .280) the second half. Gnats pitching has been strong, Angel Cuan (10-3), Adam Kolarek (7-0), Chase Huchingson (7-2), Taylor Whitenton (5-4), closer Hamilton Bennett (2-0) with 14 saves. The entire pitching staff has pitched well leading the SAL with the lowest team ERA.
57. Hamilton Bennett RP
Bennett is a 2009 29th round draft pick by the Mets. He was immediately assigned and sent to Brooklyn for the 2009 season.
7-1-10: - Bennett is starting to emerge as the first relief pitcher from the 2010 draft to make an immediate impression. He pitched another scoreless inning, which now totals 6.0-IP for the Clones, giving up only 1-ER, while striking out two. There’s also three walks, which he’s working on, but his 1.50 ERA is impresses everyone early. Look for him to remain the first lefty out of the pen. - 13.0% BB/PA, 8.7% K/PA, .222-BABIP, 41% GB%, 0% HR/Air, 4.34-FIP, 2.30-BsRA9
5-6-11: - I spent some time today with RP Hamilton Bennett, who just arrived from extended camp. Bennett was scheduled to start the season here, but dinged himself a few weeks into ST and things had to be put on hold. Bennett first pitched for Winthrop College and in 2008, as a starter, went 1-9, 5.79. He then pitched for Tennessee Wesleyan College (7-2, 3.64, 84.0-IP, 100-K) and was drafted by the Mets in 2010 in the 29th round. Bennett made it very clear that his “go to” pitch is his fastball, but he also throws a curve and a change-up. We talked about the mindset of a reliever verses a starter, and he mentioned that he approached every pitch as if it is “two out, two on, in the ninth, up by one”.
7-11-11: - Top 10 Minor League Performances in 2011 - 7. Hamilton Bennett – RP – A/Savannah: - 2-0, 2.25, 0.94, 20-G, 32.0-IP, 33-K, 8-SV – a very pleasant surprise this year. Has very quietly turned in a great season for Savannah. Could wind up in St. Lucie before the season ends.
1. Josh Edgin – RP – A+/A: - 2-0, 0.79, 33-G, 53-K, 45.1-IP, 18-SV – one bad outing on opening day and then basically unhittable all season for two teams. Josh will turn 25 in December so I expect him to possibly move another level before the season ends, but we don’t need a repeat of Eddie Kunz here.
2. Ryota Igarashi - RP - AAA-Buffalo - 0-1, 0.87, 0.77, 31.0-IP, 3-ER - everybody has sort of forgot about this dude, but he's eating up AAA,
3. Darin Gorski – SP – A+/St. Lucie – 8-0, 1.56, 1.04, 86.2-IP, 96-K – A simply magical season for Gorski, who has added a couple of MPH to his fastball. I’ve been told he also changed rubber positions, which might be the kicker here. Deserves to be promoted, but who do you bump out?
4. Juan Lagares – OF – A+/St. Lucie: .343/.382/.496/.878, 6-HR, 43-RBI, 268-RBI – I give Lagares the top ranking for hitters because no one expected to ever see stats out him like this in 2011. No one likes his BB/AB ratio, which is about his only weakness right now in his game.
5. Josh Satin – IF – AA/Binghamton: - .327/.425/.547/.972, 10-HR, 55-RBI, 300-AB – Satin is a pure hitter who, I hope for his sake, is being marketed as trade bait. This year’s version of Shawn Bowman. Nowhere to go and no one’s desire to move him. I expect him to remain here, especially after the Queens demotions that will come down with the return of Reyes and Wright.
6. Nick Evans – 1B – AAA/Buffalo: .329/.378/.480/.858, 7-HR, 29-RBI, 225-AB- Last year, Evans masters AA ball. This year, he owns AAA. Another player that has nowhere to go. The Mets will play Ike Davis for years, with Lucas Duda as backup.
7. Chase Huchingson – SP/RP – A/Savannah: - 5-2, 1.91, 1.06, 16-G, 71-K, 61.1-IP,19-BB – He started as a starter (1.80), but now comes out of the pen (2.01). Frankly, his K/IP ratio is way down as a reliever, but he’s still averaging over one per inning pitched.
8. Hamilton Bennett – RP – A/Savannah: - 2-0, 2.25, 0.94, 20-G, 32.0-IP, 33-K, 8-SV – a very pleasant surprise this year. Has very quietly turned in a great season for Savannah. Could wind up in St. Lucie before the season ends.
9. Jeurys Familia – SP – A+/AA: - 3-3, 2.63, 16-ST, 100-K, 92.1-IP – Naturally, Familia is finding it tougher to pitch in AA; however, he is making the conversion. He’ll finish the season here, return here for the stat of 2012, and be ready for Queens in 2013.
10. Taylor Whitenton – SP/RP – A/Savannah: - 4-1, 2.69, 1.13, 73.2-IP, 81-K – Whitenton started the season as a reliever but, right now, he’s the top starter in the Savannah rotation. It will take the removal of either Scott Moviel or Kyle Allen from the St. Lucie rotation to move him up this season.
