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 - Third base -- Richard Lucas, Brooklyn (69 games): Lucas batted an even .300 with 28 extra-base hits, a welcome improvement from his .212 full-season campaign at St. Lucie in 201. The ball appeared bigger than usual for Lucas in July: He went 35-for-96 and scored 28 runs in 27 games. DePodesta said he projects that Lucas, a New York-Penn League midseason All-Star, will stay at third base and potentially develop into a middle-of-the-order hitter.
Though the Mets have been tight-lipped on the subject of Jenrry Mejia's future role, pitching coach Dan Warthen has trumpeted him on multiple occasions as a future reliever. The theory is that putting Mejia in the bullpen would reduce the stress on his arm and shoulder, thereby reducing the injury risk for such a small-bodied pitcher. That may ultimately happen. But more pressing than defining roles is nursing Mejia back to health, now six months removed from his operation. The Mets plan to wait until Mejia is completely healthy before deciding whether to stretch him out or commit him to the bullpen long term. Still, given all the talk since Mejia first arrived on the scene in 2010 -- and given how much trouble the Mets have had acquiring quality relievers -- I would bet on the latter. http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20111128&content_id=26046972&vkey=news_nym&c_id=nym&partnerId=rss_nym
Broxton joined Joe Nathan as pitchers on the Mets’ radar who have signed elsewhere. Jonathon Papelbon wouldn’t fit in the Mets’ budget and signed almost immediately with the Phillies. While Heath Bell and Ryan Madsen still are available, the likely names still on the market for the Mets include Frank Francisco, Octavio Dotel, Jon Rauch and Matt Capps. The early run on relievers harkens back to the run on them three years ago — a winter meetings that wound up with the Mets moving quickly to sign Francisco Rodriguez and trade for J.J. Putz and Sean Green. While Rodriguez returning may be a long shot, the Mets might need to move quicker than they’d like – or pay more than they’d like – as they seek to fix the bullpen issues. www.therecord.com
Selected by Milwaukee in the first round of the 1993 draft, D’Amico had great success at a young age in the Brewers’ farm system, leading to his Major League debut in 1996. During his rookie season, the twenty-year old righty went 6-6 with a 5.44 ERA and 1.384 WHIP in 17 starts. He improved the next season, making 23 starts and compiling a 9-7 mark with a 4.71 ERA and 1.342 WHIP. After missing the entire 1998 and 1999 seasons, D’Amico turned in his best season in 2000. In 23 starts, he went 12-7 with a 2.66 ERA, 1.164 WHIP and 2.20 K/BB, finishing third in the National League in ERA and fourth in WHIP while compiling an fWAR of 3.3. He battled in the injury bug in 2001, making only ten starts, before being shipped to New York. www.risingapple.com
During a recent filming, Anna Benson -- the wife of former Mets pitcher Kris Benson -- got into it with Cheri Knoblauch -- wife of former Yankee second baseman Chuck Knoblauch. Anna got creative, pulled out a stun gun and set it on a table in front of her in a threatening manner, then produced a 12-inch dildo (which she has named “Victor Zambrano”) from her purse and started swinging ... which raises the question, Why such a big purse? Sources connected with the show tell TMZ ... some of the staffers are now threatening to quit, because they can't handle Anna's insane behavior. Sources tell us ... show execs are trying to contain Anna. http://www.tmz.com/2011/11/30/baseball-wives-dildo-anna-benson
