The Keepers: - #98 - P - Orlando Tovar

photo by Allan Greene

98.                   P        Orlando Tovar

The Venezuelan lefty started his Mets career in 2006 with the VSL Mets: 1-0, 2.20, 1-SV, 6-G.

He returned to the VSL team in 2007 and three’s a charm in 2008 with the VSL Mets, stating out at: 0-1.1.54, in 8 starts. This included a whopping 52-K in 41.0-IP. 2009 bought a trip stateside to the GCL mets, where he debuted with a 1-5, 4.31, in 12 games, 9 starts.

8-28-10: - Stock Up: - You veteran Mack’s Metters know I’ve been talking about Tovar for well over two years. The toughest thing on some of these kids is getting back into the role they naturally play better in. Tovar has always been a natural starters, who has put up his best games in the role, but, at the same time, he has had to wait out his turn in the past three years of excellent lower level SP performances. Well, he’s getting another chance in Kingsport late in the season and he’s making the best of it. Last night, he pitched: 7.0-IP, 4-ER, 4-K, 1-BB, and raised his seasonal record to 4-0, 3.43. More importantly, he’s now 3-0, 2.92 in his four starts this season. Let’s hope the powers to be recognize this and send him to Savannah next spring to join their rotation.

9-29-10: - 2011 Forecast: - The 23-year old Tovar has already spent five years in the Mets organization, though three of them were with the now defunct VSL team. He pitched well for Kingsport in 2010 (4-0, 3.43, 13-G, 4-starts), but he's a little long in the tooth for this level. There's a bunch of pitches ahead of him, but my guess is he will be converted full time into a reliever and wind up in Savannah for 2011.

Building 2012 Rosters Prospects First - Picks 86-90

86 – 1B Sam Honeck – Honeck came back from a devastating injury the season before and had a sub-par season in Savannah: 269-AB, .227, 3-HR. His future as a Met may rely on whether or not the Mets brass moves either Aderlin Rodrigues or Wilmer Flores to first base. For now, I have him backing up Flores on the bag. – ETA: - AAAA








photo by Allan Greene

 87 – P Orlando Tovar – Tovar has had a decent year for Brooklyn… 5-1, 3.09 in 21 appearances, but he will play 2012 as a 24-year old and doesn’t have the velo to project him to a future spot in the Queens pen. What he has done is earn a bump up and he will be in Savannah in April. – ETA: AAAA

88 – P Mitch Houck - The good news is that Houck has never pitched bad in the Mets organization. The bad news is, due to injuries, he’s only pitched in 20 games in four years. He was out the entire 2011 season and it doesn’t look like he’ll be ready come April 2012. I don’t have him on any active roster right now.

89 – P James Fuller – Fuller dominated the Sally League last year, going 11-5, 2.19, 1.18 in 19 starts. He finished the season with St. Lucie, but has sat out the entire 2011 season. I have him starting next season in extended camp and have no idea if or when he’ll be back.

90 – P Brant Rustich – Tough story from a great guy. The Mets and Rustich decided to let Brant sit it out for the 2011 season after TOS surgery. He still doesn’t have proper feeling in his pitching hand but he will report in April for, what he has told me, the last time. We wish him well. A healthy Rustisch would have been in the top 20 prospect. ETA: TBD


Rosters So Far:


Buffalo: (17) –SP Chris Schwinden, Collin McHugh, Brandon Moore, RP Daniel Herrera, Robert Carson, Rhiner Cruz, Eric Beaulac, Jose De La Torre, IF Kai Gronauer, Alan Dykstra, Reese Havens, Jordany Valdespin, Zach Lutz, OF Kirk Nieuwenhuis, Fernando Martinez, Mike Baxter, Juan Lagarus


Binghamton: (21) – SP: Mike Harvey, Zack Wheeler, Jeurys Familia, Darin Gorski, Armondo Rodriguez, RP Mike Powers, John Church, Brandon Sage, Jeff Kaplan, Nick Carr, Josh Edgin, Brad Holt, IF Juan Centeno, Stefan Welsh, Rylan Sandoval, Wilfredo Tovar, Jefry Marte, OF Matt den Dekker, Cesar Puello, Pedro Zapata, Travis Ozga


St. Lucie: (23) – SP Greg Peavey, Taylor Whitenton, Angel Cuan, Tyler Pill, Ryan Fraser, RP Brant Rustich, Hamilton Bennett, Cory Mazzoni, Jack Leathersich, Yohan Almonte, Adam Kolarek, Gonzalez Germen, Chase Huchingson, IF Albert Cordero, Sam Honeck, Alonzo Harris, Wilmer Flores, Robbie Shields, Aderlin Rodriguez, OF Cory Vaughn, Gilbert Gomez, Darrell Cecilliani, Joe Bonfe


Savannah: (13) – SP Akeel Morris, Alex Panteliodis, Erik Goeddel, Logan Verrett, Marcos Camerena, RP Orlando Tovar, Chris Hilliard, Mike Hebert, T.J. Chism, IF Cam Maron, Brandon Brown, Richard Lucas, OF Javier Rodriguez,


Brooklyn: (5) – SP: Michael Fulmer, Juan Urbina, Domingo Tapia, IF Phillip Evans, OF: Brandon Nimmo


Kingsport: (5) – SP Luis Mateo, Christian Montgomery, Steve Matz, OF Vincente Lupo, Eudy Pena


GCL: (0) –


DSL: (1) – IF Elvis Sanchez