Please be advised of the following transactions:
June 29
RHP Collin McHugh transferred from Savannah (Low-A) to Binghamton (AA).
RHP Erik Turgeon transferred from Binghamton (AA) to St. Lucie (High-A).
Mack’s Mets – the premier site for information on the New York Mets talent pipeline and dialogue on Mets prospects, Mets news, and Mets opinions.
6/29/11
Jose Reyes, Alonzo Harris, Travis Ozga, Carlos Beltran, Interleague Play
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| Photo by Michael G. Baron |
I hope all of you are observing what’s going on with this guy. You get very few opportunities to see this kind of complete dominance in a game. I’m old enough to say I was there when Bob Lemon pitched, or Rod Carew own the plate. I also sat behind home plate watching an early Doc Gooden and a seasoned Bob Gibson. You younger fans need to suck all of this up so you can tell your grandchildren of the year Jose Reyes tilted to fields around both divisions.
Alonzo Harris:
6-28-11: - Harris tweeted on Tuesday: Pro_zo Alonzo Harris Jr. –“ i wish i knew what plan they got for m”e........#headstartingtohanglow – Let’s see if we can help him out here… Harris is only 21-years old and is in his 4th season in the Mets organization. He had a fair amount of prospect talk early on after being drafted in the 39th round in 2007. Hit well (.308) and played the entire season in 2008 with the GCL Mets. Conservatively bumped to K-Port in 2009 (.273) where he showed promising pop (10-HR). Once again, promoted to the next level, Savannah, in 2010, where he stumbled (.224). He was also 2nd on the team last year in errors (21) as a second baseman, so the Mets decided to play him more in the outfield this year. Problem with this is Darrell Ceciliani and Cory Vaughn were promoted from Brooklyn (with all that bonus money hanging off them) so “Zo” lost more “Mo”. Now, he’s hit .321 in his last ten games (.264 overall) as he repeats Savannah, watching his playmates get sent to the airport. Normally, I would tell him to just keep hitting above .300, but how has that helped either Josh Satin or Juan Lagares? Conclusion: He’ll finish the year in Savannah. There’s no one ready behind him in the outfield so he should play every day. Frankly, I’d put him back on second and give him another shot there.
Travis Ozga:
6-28-11: - Ozga was promoted today to Binghamton from St. Lucie. He fills the slot that Jon Malo left open earlier when he went up to Buffalo. Up what Jon tweetered: “here we go again”. You know something was Malo is one of your super-AAAA players that bounces around where needed. The assumption here is that 3B Zach Lutz’s recovery from his beaning continues to be slow (failed tests yesterday saying he had headaches). (Note: he did go on the 15-day later on in the day… will print out the press release also this morning). But why promote a first baseman when Allan Dykstra (.255) is already there? Ozga (.288 in 80-AB, 0-HR) has been a backup to Stefan Welsh (.262 in 229-AB, 9-HR) so, frankly, I have to assume he was “promoted” for play time there… ???
Carlos Beltran:
Carlos Beltran isn’t sweating out whether he still will be wearing a Mets uniform for a potential stretch run with the team. On one hand, Beltran is having fun, thankful he is healthy enough to contribute to a team with playoff aspirations. But unlike Jose Reyes and Francisco Rodriguez, who have expressed a desire to finish this season with the Mets, the veteran outfielder doesn’t seem to have a preference. “This is a business,” Beltran told The Post before hitting a grand slam in the Mets’ 14-3 victory over the Tigers last night. - http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/mets/carlos_would_ok_trade_to_contender_AwbWuWeMMXucskQuQh0MrN#ixzz1QfmZbu5b
Interleague Play:
Since interleague play began in 1997, the Mets' American League opponents have had an average year-end winning percentage of .527 -- the highest in all of baseball. The Mets' two biggest division rivals, the Atlanta Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies, registered at .513 and .506, respectively. The Florida Marlins and the Washington Nationals, the other two teams in the National League East, have both played AL slates against teams with an average winning percentage below. 500. "If you're going to have interleague, everybody in our division ought to play the same teams someplace else," manager Terry Collins said. "I don't care which division it is. We ought to play the same animals." - http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/mets/post/_/id/27815/mets-morning-briefing-6-29-11
Press Release: - 3B - Zach Lutz
Savannah 5, Rome 3
Rome took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second after Evan Gattis (8) sent the first pitch of the inning over the left field wall for a solo homerun. The Braves would add to their lead in the bottom of the sixth after Robert Hefflinger had an RBI single that plated Edward Salcedo. Later in the inning Evan Gattis scored on a safety squeeze by Jakob Dalfonso pushing Rome’s lead to 3-0.
Savannah would not get on the board until the top of the seventh when they capitalized on back to back two out walks. Darrell Ceciliani laced a double to center and brought home both runners cutting Rome’s lead to 3-2.
The slim lead would not be enough for Rome as Savannah would take the lead in the top of the ninth with thee runs off of Rome reliever Kyle Mertins. Two Rome errors would put runners into scoring position for the Sand Gnats and Alonzo Harris and Luis Nieves would both have RBI singles to put Savannah ahead for good 5-3.
Adam Kolarek (3-0) earns the win for Savannah while Kyle Mertins (1-3) gets the loss for Rome.
From team press release
6/28/11
2012 Draft - Top 27 Catchers
3-21-11: - http://bullpenbanter.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=398:college-baseball-weekend-05-observations&catid=18:articles&Itemid=11 - Moves well behind the plate; quick foot work; good arm Simple short swing; extends arms well Showed ability to turn on pitch, ripped pitch foul, and blasted a 2-2 slider over the fence Power came to pull side, but did manage to slap the ball opposite field while protecting the plate in first AB
6-10-11: - http://www.gatorzone.com/story.php?id=20873 - Sophomore Mike Zunino (Cape Coral, Fla.) drove in three runs and Florida (49-16) scored in each of the first five innings to defeat Mississippi State (37-24), 11-1, in the opening game of the best-of-three NCAA Gainesville Super Regional on Friday afternoon at McKethan Stadium. Game two will be on Saturday at noon and be shown nationally on ESPN, with the Gators needing one more victory to punch the program’s seventh ticket to the NCAA College World Series
6-11-11: - http://www.perfectgame.org/Articles/View.aspx?article=5869 - Player of the game: C Mike Zunino, Florida -- The Gators wanted to get off to a hot start against Mississippi State, and they did just that with the sophomore stud catcher leading the charge. Zunino had a key two-RBI single in the first inning and finished the afternoon 2-for-4 with a home run, two runs scored and three RBIs. Zunino was named the SEC Player of the Year a few weeks ago, and this is just another example of why that was the case.
Ranked #89 in the 2012 Prospects List compiled by the All-American Athletic Foundation http://allamericanfoundation.pointstreaksites.com/view/allamericanfoundation/news/mlb-2012-draft
6-15-11: - http://www.perfectgame.org/Articles/View.aspx?article=5887 - 1. C Mike Zunino, Florida -- The outstanding sophomore has had an incredible campaign for the Gators and hopes to continue his consistent ways in Omaha. Zunino is hitting .376 with 22 doubles, 18 home runs and 66 RBIs. He also has a .686 slugging percentage and a solid .444 OBP. Additionally, Zunino has induced 29 walks this season
6-15-11: - http://collegebaseball360.com/2011/06/15/ncbwa-college-baseball-all-american-teams - NCBWA Division I All-America Team THIRD TEAM C *Mike Zunino, Florida, So. .376 67 245 72 92 22-0-18 66 29 47 7/9
6-15-11: - http://www.perfectgame.org/Articles/View.aspx?article=5896 - Perfect Game College All-Americans - (Mike) Zunino has been fantastic at and behind the plate this season. He's hitting a team-high .376 with 22 doubles, 18 home runs and 66 RBIs. He's also slugging .686 and has a .444 OBP. Zunino also has been near perfect behind the plate with just two errors
6-18-11: - Twitter – DmndScpScouting - Zunino was 1.97 pop to 2nd there. #CWS 2012
6-20-11: - http://bleacherreport.com/articles/740905-omaha-eye-openers-2012-mlb-draft-prospects-at-the-2011-college-world-series#/articles/740905-omaha-eye-openers-2012-mlb-draft-prospects-at-the-2011-college-world-series/page/3 - C Mike Zunino, the reigning SEC Hitter of the Year, should also get some love after a season that saw him pace the Gators with a .376 average and 18 home runs. He finished second on the squad with 66 RBI. Behind the plate, he was excellent, making only two errors, good for a fielding percentage of .996. He was so good in fact that he forced freshman sensation Austin Maddox off of the position. Zunino was a former 30th-round pick back in 2009.
6-28-11: - http://baseballdraftreport.com/ - I can’t see any catcher in the 2012 draft class overtaking Zunino for the top spot. The Florida catcher is a big league catcher defensively already, and his bat should make him one of the better hitting catchers in pro ball before long. No mention of Zunino and this year’s College World Series without providing this unbelievable clip:
2) Austin Maddox
4-4-11: - http://bullpenbanter.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=405:college-baseball-weekend-07-observations&catid=18:articles&Itemid=11 - Player: Austin Maddox College: University of Florida Position: First Baseman Bats/Throws: R/R Height/Weight: 6'3" / 225 lbs. Tall with wide shoulder and a well developed upper half Hits from a slight crouch Plenty of bat speed Occasionally will lose his balance during swing Easy power when he squares the ball up: deposited belt high fastball into LF stands Best contact came from pitches on the inner half
6-10-11 from http://www.draftsite.com/mlb/mock-draft/2012 - 20 Arizona Austin Maddox C Florida 6' 3" 225
6-20-11: - http://bleacherreport.com/articles/740905-omaha-eye-openers-2012-mlb-draft-prospects-at-the-2011-college-world-series#/articles/740905-omaha-eye-openers-2012-mlb-draft-prospects-at-the-2011-college-world-series/page/3 - There’s also C/INF Austin Maddox, who exploded onto the scene as a freshman, hitting .333 with 17 home runs and 72 RBI in 2010. Maddox turned down a 37th-round offer from the Rays to attend UF, and despite suffering through a tough season (.280, 6 HR, 35 RBI) should be one of the top corner infielders available in 2012.
3) Stryker Trahan
6-24-10: - http://sullydraft.blogspot.com/2010/06/sneak-peak-2012-high-school-top-ten.html - After watching the Junior National Showcase at Tropicana Field. Here is my top ten list for the class of 2012. - 4. Stryker Trahan- C, Acadiana HS
Ranked #76 in the 2012 Prospects List compiled by the All-American Athletic Foundation http://allamericanfoundation.pointstreaksites.com/view/allamericanfoundation/news/mlb-2012-draft
4) Jonathan Walsh
Ranked #187 in the 2012 Prospects List compiled by the All-American Athletic Foundation - http://allamericanfoundation.pointstreaksites.com/view/allamericanfoundation/news/mlb-2012-draft
5) Brad Zebedis
6-15-11: - http://collegebaseball360.com/2011/06/15/ncbwa-college-baseball-all-american-teams - NCBWA Division I All-America Team - FIRST TEAM - DH Brad Zebedis, Presbyterian , So. .425 56 212 47 90 23-0-13 57 16 22 1/2
Ranked #187 in the 2012 Prospects List compiled by the All-American Athletic Foundation - http://allamericanfoundation.pointstreaksites.com/view/allamericanfoundation/news/mlb-2012-draft
6) Drew Fann
6-17-11: - http://baseballdraftreport.com/ JR C Drew Fann (2012) - Fann isn’t an early round candidate, but the demand for quality catch-and-throw prospects could get him drafted as a late round senior sign in 2012. The Vanderbilt catching job is up for grabs heading into next year, and it would come as no surprise if Fann took the job with a strong fall. I should point out that I’ve read that Fann is a senior who is exhausted his eligibility on a few Vanderbilt-specific sites, but the official Vandy website has him listed as a redshirt junior. In other words, I don’t know what’s going on with Fann, but the possibility exists that I just spent 117 words on an undrafted player without any more college eligibility .
7) Spencer Kieboom
6-20-11: - http://baseballdraftreport.com/ - Clemson SO C Spencer Kieboom
.300/.382/.382 – 23 BB/12 K – 170 AB - There is a lot to like about Spencer Kieboom. First, he’s got a good approach at the plate. Next up, there is his even better defense behind the plate. Finally, and best of all, there is his name, Spencer Kieboom. The first two may be more important with respect to his future in baseball, but I’d say that last quality alone is more than enough to get him on every early 2012 watch list.
8) Blake Hickman
Ranked #34 in the 2012 Prospects List compiled by the All-American Athletic Foundation http://allamericanfoundation.pointstreaksites.com/view/allamericanfoundation/news/mlb-2012-draft
9) Clint Coultier
Ranked #61 in the 2012 Prospects List compiled by the All-American Athletic Foundation http://allamericanfoundation.pointstreaksites.com/view/allamericanfoundation/news/mlb-2012-draft
10) Nelson Rodriguez
Ranked #65 in the 2012 Prospects List compiled by the All-American Athletic Foundation http://allamericanfoundation.pointstreaksites.com/view/allamericanfoundation/news/mlb-2012-draft
11) Taylor Gushue
Ranked #68 in the 2012 Prospects List compiled by the All-American Athletic Foundation http://allamericanfoundation.pointstreaksites.com/view/allamericanfoundation/news/mlb-2012-draft
12) R.J. Ybarra
Ranked #71 in the 2012 Prospects List compiled by the All-American Athletic Foundation http://allamericanfoundation.pointstreaksites.com/view/allamericanfoundation/news/mlb-2012-draft
13) Chris Harvey
Ranked #73 in the 2012 Prospects List compiled by the All-American Athletic Foundation http://allamericanfoundation.pointstreaksites.com/view/allamericanfoundation/news/mlb-2012-draft
14) Chris Chinea
Ranked #83 in the 2012 Prospects List compiled by the All-American Athletic Foundation http://allamericanfoundation.pointstreaksites.com/view/allamericanfoundation/news/mlb-2012-draft
15) Ty Hensley
Ranked #90 in the 2012 Prospects List compiled by the All-American Athletic Foundation http://allamericanfoundation.pointstreaksites.com/view/allamericanfoundation/news/mlb-2012-draft
16) Chase Fowler
Ranked #97in the 2012 Prospects List compiled by the All-American Athletic Foundation http://allamericanfoundation.pointstreaksites.com/view/allamericanfoundation/news/mlb-2012-draft
17) Chase Anselment
Ranked #115 in the 2012 Prospects List compiled by the All-American Athletic Foundation - http://allamericanfoundation.pointstreaksites.com/view/allamericanfoundation/news/mlb-2012-draft
18) Kevin Plawecki
Ranked #133 in the 2012 Prospects List compiled by the All-American Athletic Foundation - http://allamericanfoundation.pointstreaksites.com/view/allamericanfoundation/news/mlb-2012-draft
19) Michael Klement
Ranked #154 in the 2012 Prospects List compiled by the All-American Athletic Foundation - http://allamericanfoundation.pointstreaksites.com/view/allamericanfoundation/news/mlb-2012-draft
20) Cameron Saylor
Ranked #172 in the 2012 Prospects List compiled by the All-American Athletic Foundation - http://allamericanfoundation.pointstreaksites.com/view/allamericanfoundation/news/mlb-2012-draft
21) David Houser
Ranked #177 in the 2012 Prospects List compiled by the All-American Athletic Foundation - http://allamericanfoundation.pointstreaksites.com/view/allamericanfoundation/news/mlb-2012-draft
22) Dane Phillips
Ranked #189 in the 2012 Prospects List compiled by the All-American Athletic Foundation - http://allamericanfoundation.pointstreaksites.com/view/allamericanfoundation/news/mlb-2012-draft
23) Aaron Jones
Ranked #196 in the 2012 Prospects List compiled by the All-American Athletic Foundation - http://allamericanfoundation.pointstreaksites.com/view/allamericanfoundation/news/mlb-2012-draft
24) Zac Fisher
Ranked #200 in the 2012 Prospects List compiled by the All-American Athletic Foundation - http://allamericanfoundation.pointstreaksites.com/view/allamericanfoundation/news/mlb-2012-draft
25) Rob Amaro:
6-20-11: - http://bleacherreport.com/articles/740905-omaha-eye-openers-2012-mlb-draft-prospects-at-the-2011-college-world-series#/articles/740905-omaha-eye-openers-2012-mlb-draft-prospects-at-the-2011-college-world-series/page/2 - INF/C Rob Amaro got very little time on the field this season, but could next year. He was a 40th-round pick of the Phillies back in 2009, mostly because of his relation to his uncle, Ruben Amaro, the Phillies GM. He could really benefit from seeing some time behind the plate.
26) Chad Morgan
6-23-11: - http://baseballdraftreport.com - Virginia Tech SO C Chad Morgan
.237/.333/.360 – 16 BB/34 K – 139 AB - Morgan was a favorite heading into 2011 because of his big power upside, plus arm strength, and well above-average defensive skills. His sophomore year numbers don’t exactly scream early round candidate heading into 2012, but the big tools remain
27) Matt Fultz:
6-28-11: - http://mlbdraftguide.com/1/2011/06/27/matt-fultz-2012-draft-profile - When I look at catching prospects, I see two different groups. The ones who will be sticking behind the plate in the future and the ones who are waiting to move to a different position. Matt Fultz’s present and future are at catcher. Fultz is a left-handed power bat. He has very good bat speed. His swing is short and he consistently makes hard contact. Fultz looks natural behind the plate. He moves well and frames pitches well. Fultz has sub 2 second pop times. He has a good arm and does a good job shutting down the opponent’s running game.
Christian Walker, Colby Holmers, Brandon Thomas, Hudson Randall, Jesse Winker
Christian Walker:
6-28-11: - http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/college/postseason/college-world-series/2011/2612014.html - The Hero: Christian Walker was not in the starting lineup South Carolina coach Ray Tanner turned in about an hour before game time because of a broken hamate bone in his left wrist, which was diagnosed Monday morning. But he got treatment from South Carolina doctors before the game, hit three home runs in batting practice and found his way into the final starting lineup. He proceeded to go 2-for-5 with a double, a single and the game-winning run in the 11th
Colby Holmes:
6-20-11: - http://bleacherreport.com/articles/740905-omaha-eye-openers-2012-mlb-draft-prospects-at-the-2011-college-world-series#/articles/740905-omaha-eye-openers-2012-mlb-draft-prospects-at-the-2011-college-world-series/page/9 - RHP Colby Holmes was the Gamecock’s Sunday starter this season, and he benefited from having one of the best defensive units in the country. He went 7-3 with a 3.78 ERA in 12 starts (17 total appearances) and posted a 70:20 K:BB ratio in 81 innings. Holmes has strung together a couple of gutsy efforts in the regionals and figures to get at least one more start before the season is through. Holmes throws in the low 90s and has always gotten rave reviews for his great command, but his breaking stuff isn’t all that impressive, as evidenced by the 12 home runs he surrendered this year. Holmes is also a former ’09 draft pick, in the 47th round by the Atlanta Braves.
Brandon Thomas
6-23-11: - http://baseballdraftreport.com - Georgia Tech SO OF Brandon Thomas
.322/.434/.449 – 38 BB/40 K – 20/23 SB – 205 AB - It’s easy to see why Thomas has drawn favorably comparisons (by me) to former Georgia Tech outfielders Charlie Blackmon and Danny Payne. A quick rundown of his biggest positives: above-average range in a corner spot, an arm strong enough for right field, good speed that he knows how to use, gap power with a chance for more, excellent athleticism, and a pro ready body (6-3, 205 pounds). It can sometimes be difficult to pinpoint a good prospect a year ahead of the draft, but tools like that combined with really strong production at an outstanding college program make this whole prognostication thing a lot easier.
Hudson Randall:
6-28-11: - http://baseballdraftreport.com - Randall’s upside isn’t in the same league as many of his sophomore year contemporaries, but his average across the board raw stuff is underrated by many. Maybe he is a sinker/slider reliever long-term, but there could be some teams that value his plus command and his ability to keep four different pitches at or below the knees consistently enough to keep him as a starter
Jesse Winker:
6-28-11: - http://mlbdraftguide.com/1/2011/06/26/jesse-winker-2012-draft-profile - You hear stories about players growing up with a batting cage in their backyards. Jesse Winker is one of those players. The work in the cage has paid off as Winker is one of the top high school hitters eligible for the 2012 draft. Winker is a patient hitter with a solid approach at the plate. He has good power and drives the ball to all fields. WInker’s bat speed is excellent. In the field, Winker has a strong accurate arm that will play in right field. He gets good jumps on balls when they come off the bat. Winker shows up ready to play at every event in which he takes part. With his hard work and dedication, he is sure to stay high on draft boards
Updated: - The Keepers - #57 - SP - Marcos Camarena
Marcos Camerena seems to be the one standout player that will come out of the DSL/VSL system this year. Camarena debuted with the DSL Mets in 2008, going 0-1, 3.68 in 7 relief appearances. This year, he was moved to a starter and produced stats of: 7-2. 1.74, in 14 games, 12 starts. He also had 57K, and only 10-BB in 67.1-IP.
1-1-10:: As usual, not much info on this guy, but he’s 6-3, 202 and was virtually unhittable this season. Then again, how many others have I said this same thing about over the years (Nelson Portillo and Alay Soler comes to mind). I think we’ll see him in extended came come March and I’m sure he’ll pitch for one of the winter teams as well.
6-27-10: - Camerena piggybacked with another GCL Mets pitcher on Saturday and was just about perfect: 4.0-IP, 0-H, 0-R, 3-K, 1-BB. The team is still trying to figure out which five pitchers will settle in to their rotation, and Marcos made a good case for being one of them.
8-15-10: - SP Marcus Camerena continues to impress for Kingsport. He ”went the distance” in a 7-inning game Sunday, with stats of: 8-H, 3-ER, 3-K, 1-BB, and a seasonal ERA of 3.19 (in 9-G, 4-starts). He impressed us all last year for the DSL team (7-2, 1.74), as well as his short stint near the end of the 2009 season for the same team he plays for now (2-2, 3.03). The 6-3 righty turns 20 in September and I expect to see him Savannah next spring.
6-27-11: - Another player we should begin to keep an eye of is SP Marcos Camarena. I’ve had him as the #77 Keeper, after having two excellent seasons in the system. In 2009, he went 7-2, 1.74, in 14-G, 12-starts for the DSL Mets, and followed that in 2010 with a 3-3, 2.68 stinit for Kingsport. The 6-3 right hander pitched for Brooklyn on Sunday, giving up zero earned runs over six innings. He’s now 1-0, 1.80 after two starts and you should keep one eye on this control starter.
Roster Moves
June 28
INF Jon Malo transferred from Binghamton (AA) to Buffalo (AAA).
INF Travis Ozga transferred from St. Lucie (High-A) to Binghamton (AA).
INF Jon Malo transferred from Binghamton (AA) to Buffalo (AAA).
INF Travis Ozga transferred from St. Lucie (High-A) to Binghamton (AA).
Updated: - The Keepers: - #43 - SP - Taylor Whitenton
Whitenton was drafted in 2009 as the 39th pick, out of Darton College.
He got his feet wet with the GCL Mets in 2009 (0-0, 0.00, 4-G) and then played the 2010 season for Savannah (8-9, 4.57).
He has returned to Savannah in 2011.
5-6-11: - Looks like Savannah might have themselves a new rotational pitcher. Taylor Whitenton impressed the hell out of the team: 7.0-IP, 0-R, 3-k, 0.77 for the year. It was his second start in six outings and he now has given up only 2-ERs in 23.1-IP. Taylor’s a finesse pitcher, throwing an 89-91 fastball, 81-83 changeup, and mid-70′s curveball.
5-21-11: - Whitenton continues to pitch well; however, he’s pulled after 4.1-IP, with 8-Ks and only 1-ER.He pitched 7.0 innings on 5-6, followed by outings of 4.2, 2.2, 2.0, and now, 4.1. At the same time, he now has 46-K in 35.0-IP.
6-2-11: - RHP Taylor Whitenton keeps putting up great numbers for Savannah, though I would like to see him go deep into a game sometime again this year (7.0-IP on 5-6). 53-Ks in only 42.0-IP puts him in the Gorski league.
6-27-11: - Whitenton pitched another gem for the Sand Gnats Sunday night. Taylor pitched 6.0 innings, giving up 0-R, 4-H, while striking out four. He’s started 11 of his 15 appearances this year and now posts an overall 3.02 ERA. More important, he has 73-K in 62.2-IP, while walking only 29. One could make a case of removing either Kyle Allen or Scott Moviel from the St. Lucie rotation and kicking up “Whit”, but that’s not my call.
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