Mack's Apples - 11-5-17 - Tim Tebow, Camden N.J., Cuban Smugglers, Ethan Hankins, Myron Noodleman

Good morning.

Former NFL quarterback, Heisman Trophy winner  Tim Tebow will visit Parsippany –

Former NFL quarterback and current New York Mets baseball prospect Tim Tebow will be a featured speaker on Nov. 12 at the second week of Sunday services inside the new 125,000-square-foot "Broadcast Campus" of the Liquid Church in Parsippany.

Liquid Church has more than 3,500 members among several churches in the northern New Jersey area. Sunday, it will open to the general public and live stream 9 and 11 a.m. services from its converted commercial building in an office campus at 299 Webro Road.

They’re Going To Demolish This  Gorgeous Baseball Stadium -

Christine Whitman was governor of New Jersey, and she knew just what could fix the ailing city of Camden: A baseball stadium.

It was December 14, 1999. The Delaware River Port Authority would vote the next day on whether to authorize the construction of a baseball stadium on the waterfront. The new stadium would be just to the south of the Ben Franklin Bridge. Directly to the north was a prison.

Cuban baseball player smugglers face sentencing in  Miami -

A sports agent and a baseball trainer are facing prison time at a sentencing hearing in Miami after their convictions for illegally smuggling Cuban players into the U.S.

Court documents show prosecutors will ask a judge Thursday to exceed the nine-year maximum sentences recommended by federal guidelines for agent Bartolo Hernandez and trainer Julio Estrada. Attorneys for both men are seeking more lenient prison terms.

Hernandez and Estrada were convicted by a jury in March after a six-week trial.

 Ethan Hankins

           

Ethan Hankins, RHP, Forsyth Central High, Cumming, Ga. - 

Scouting amateur baseball players is just as much about projection of the players being looked at as it is about the present skills of those players. While scouts dream on players like Rocker for their current skills that would take little refining, Hankins, on the other hand, appeals to evaluators because of what could be.

The most potent weapon in Hankins' arsenal is his fastball. He has a heater that sits in the mid-90s and occasionally touches 97 miles per hour. While many Tigers' prospects boast this ability, what separates this particular pitcher form the rest is his ability to harness the vicious offering. He is able to spot it on the corners, down in the zone, and challenge hitters up and in on the hands. It is often more than enough to overwhelm any who face him.

Myron Noodleman –

           

One of the kings of comedy in the minor leagues is gone.

 Myron Noodleman  , whose real name is Rick Hader, died on Wednesday after a battle with an aggressive form of cancer. The disease kept him from performing in ballparks as Noodleman and away from his day job as a high school teacher.

Longtime scout Roland Hemond dubbed Noodleman as the minor leagues’ “Clown Prince”—a title once held by such titans as Max Patkin, Arlie Latham and Al Schacht—at a Mike Veeck-led seminar in 2004. At his peak, he was among the elite entertainers in the minor leagues along with acts like the Zooperstars, Birdzerk and the San Diego chicken.

Tom Brennan - DRAFT DUDS 2009

Tom Brennan - DRAFT DUDS 2009

In this article series I am been looking at draft DUDS (guys who you have to wonder "whatever were the Mets thinking" when they drafted them) and draft DUDES (guys who either made it in style to the big leagues or were fine picks waylaid by injuries).

I recently did an article about how the heck the Mets could have passed on drafting Paul Goldschmidt in 2009, in which I touched on some of the Mets Top 10 rounds' draft picks.  

Here's an expand recap of what I wrote then.

If you just ate, reading this may get you nauseous, so proceed with caution:

1st round - lost the pick - happens. Coulda been Mike Trout.  Naturally, we did not have that pick.

2nd round - Steve Matz - good pick; sure he's had injuries, but you can't assume injuries, so you pick him again.  DUDE.

3rd round - IF Robbie Shields: low power mediocrity.  DUD. Complete Dud.  What were they thinking? .243/.315/.351 in his minor league career in nearly 400 games (none above A ball) is not 3rd round stuff, and lacks the power one has to expect from a 3rd round hitter with only decent speed.

4th round - Darrell Ceciliani - a decent enough 4th round pick - if Goldschmidt was not available.  Which he was, which makes this pick not so decent.  DC has fine speed, negated by a persistently bad hammy or two, and decent power, but only .190 in 100 major league at bats with 39 Ks - not a DUD, but also not really a DUDE.

5th round - P Damien Magnifico - did not sign with the Mets: his post-Mets career in MLB is under 4 IP - not a hard thrower.  Not a DUD, not a DUDE if they signed him, but you fail to sign the guy???  That is a DUD result, bro'.

6th round - P David Buchanan - did not sign with the Mets - signed with Phils instead in 2010; 8-17, 5.01 in the majors, and not a power K-type pitcher.  Not a DUD, not a DUDE if they signed him, but you fail to sign the guy?  That is a DUD result, bro'.  (Didn't I just say that?)

7th round - Darin Gorski, the far-too-soft tossing lefty to ever realistically have a shot to make the majors.  DUD....draft power arms now, smile at the DUDE you picked later.

ROUNDS 8 THRU 10?

C JEFF GLENN (made it to AAA, .218 hitter);

OF NICK SANTOMAURO (only .191 above rookie ball); and

C TAYLOR FREEMAN (.207 in rookie ball).

I dunno about you - those 3 were super DUDS.  

Bad drafting in the first 10 rounds, in my humble opinion.

Below the Top 10 draft rounds?  Absolutely nothing.  

Bad work there - usually someone will make it from those rounds, even marginally.

Overall draft score? D, and that is only because we got Matz.

Question of the day: will the Mets never learn?   Draft power arms and bats, then sit back and smile.

This was a very, very bad draft.  No other way to put it.

Hot Stove - 11-4-17

The New York Mets have signed infielder Phillip Evans to a minor league contract. It includes an invite to the parent spring training facility.

The New York Mets exercised their $8.5mil option on infielder Astrubel Cabrera.

The New York Mets exercised their option on LHRP Jerry Blevins. 

LHP Mike Minor is now a free agent. As a reliever last season: 77.2-IP, 10.2-K/9, 2.6-BB/9, 42.4% ground ball ratio, 2.55-ERA.

The Independent League player of the year was named... ex-Mets OF Alonzo Harris. He led the Atlantic League in runs (89), was 4th in HRs (23), 6th in steals (31), 8th in RBIs (73), and 2nd in slugging percentage.

Ex-Mets RHP Deolis Guerra has elected free agency (LAA: 25-IP, 4.68). 

RHP Jenrry Mejia's line Friday night:  4.0-IP, 0-R, 5-BB, 3-K

11/3/2017 Winter League Results | Mets Arms Dominate in Arizona, Boscan Demoted to Bullpen, Mejia Shakes Off Rust

Arizona Fall League
- Glendale Desert Dogs 7 - 2 Peoria Javelinas
- Salt River Rafters 1 - 4 Surprise Saguaros
- Mesa Solar Sox 0 - 3 Scottsdale Scorpions 

• 2B Luis Guillorme: 1 for 4, R
• C Tomas Nido: 0 for 4
• 3B David Thompson: 1 for 4, R, 2B
• LF Kevin Kaczmarski: 0 for 3, BB, K
• RHP Mickey Jannis: 5.0 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 5 K, Win(1-1)
• RHP Matt Pobereyko: 1.0 IP, 1 K, Hold(1)
• LHP Kyle Regnault: 1.0 IP, 1 K, Save(1)

Mexican Pacific League

- Mayos de Navojoa 10 - 4 Charros de Jalisco

- Tomateros de Culiacan 3 - 2 Yaquis de Obregon
- Aguilas de Mexicali 7 - 9 Naranjeros de Hermosillo

Venezuelan Winter League

- Leones del Caracas 3 - 1 Bravos de Margarita

- Caribes de Anzoategui 4 - 14 Tiburones de La Guaira

• RHP Jonathan Albaladejo: 5.0 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, Win(3-2)

- Aguilas del Zulia 8 - 4 Tigres de Aragua

• RHP Wilfredo Boscan: 2.1 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, Win(1-1)

- Cardenales de Lara 2 - 19 Navegantes del Magallanes

• RHP Jenrry Mejia: 4.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 5 BB, 3 K
• RHP Darwin Ramos: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER

Dominican Winter League

- Toros del Este 11 - 3 Leones del Escogido
- Tigres del Licey 6 - 3 Estrellas Orientales

• DH Gustavo Nunez: 1 for 3

- Gigantes del Cibao 1 - 2 Aguilas Cibaenas 

• PR John Mora: Run Scored

Roberto Clemente Puerto Rican League

Side Note: Regular Season will start January 8th, 2018.

Tom Brennan: HRs by Mets Minors Infielders

Tom Brennan: HRs by Mets Minors Infielders

In 2017, the major leagues set a record for homers in a season (6,105, per Baseball Almanac), Stanton just missed 60 and Judge hit 52, and the Mets hit a team record 224 HRs.

How exactly did the Mets Minors Minions do in homers? 

Are we developing HR hitters to joint that HR Hit Parade?

Well, that is kind of a broad question, so on Thursday, I put out an article focusing on Mets minors outfielders – not at all a pretty picture.  Plenty of Duds.

While the majors had bushels full of HRs, the Mets minors outfielders were clearly stuck in the dead ball era.

Today, let’s focus on the 7 Mets minors teams' infielders.

One would expect to have 1st and 3rd basemen and perhaps catchers with real power if the organization is truly looking to develop legit big leaguers from within.  In that regard:

I’ll save my comments – mostly – until the end.  You, the reader, can evaluate my listed raw data first for yourselves.  I listed guys who were predominantly infielders (IFs) and excluded purely journeyman short term signee types, since whether they hit a bunch of HRs or not, they'd have no future MLB impact.

As the list of all 7 teams' IFs would get quite exhaustive, for the 3 rookie league teams, I listed each squad's top IF HR hitters, then summarized the rest.

For the 4 full season squads, I listed guys who hit 10 or more, and summarized the rest:

LAS VEGAS 51’S (56-86) – AAA:

Dominic Smith 1B – 16 HR in 114 G (9 more for the Mets).

Phil Evans – IF – 11 HR in 127 G.

Kevin Plawecki – C – 9 HR in 64 G (3 more with the Mets).

Amed Rosario – SS – 7 HR in 94 G (4 more with the Mets).

Others: Xorge Carillo – 9 HR (70 G - some pop there); Gavin Cecchini (7 in 530 minors/majors ABs); others: very few. 

BINGHAMTON PONIES (85-54) – AA:

David Thompson – 3B – 16 HR in 133 G.

Others: C Tomas Nido – 8 HR (102 G); all others – just 16 HR in total in 139 games.  How do you spell "DEAD BALL ERA"? 

ST LUCIE METS (63-75) – HIGH A:

Peter Alonso – 1B – 18 HR in 93 G.  BOOM!

Jhoan Urena – 1B/3B – 14 HR in 135 G (may switch to OF).

Others: C Pat Mazeika – 7 HR; Burdick 7HR (217 ABs).

All others had 9 HRs total. Punch and Judy laddies.

COLUMBIA FIREFLIES (68-70) – FULL A:

Brandon Brosher – C – 13 HR in 217 ABs (but 103 Ks).

Dash Winningham – 1B – 13 HR in 114 G (but .237).

Michael Paez – 2B/SS – 10 HR in 127 G (2 in 63 G in St Lucie).

Others: Andres (the Great) Giminez 4 HR; Luis Carpio 3 HR.

All others had 0 to 2 HRs.  Slap hitters, or crap hitters?   

BROOKLYN CYLCLONES (24-52) – ROOKIE:

Jose Maria – C – 5 HR in 39 G.

Rest of Cyclone IFs: 8 HRs, total.  Edge of your seat stuff. 

KINGSPORT METS (29-37) – ROOKIE:

Jeremy Vasquez – 1B – 8 HR in 67 G.

Juan Uriarte – C – 5 HR in 52 G (hopeful).

Hansel Moreno – SS – 4 HR in 57 G.

Other Kingsport Mets IF: 12 HRs. 

GCL METS (19-37) – ROOKIE:

Mark Vientos – SS – 4 HR in 47 G. There's hope here.

Robbie Kidwell – C - 4 HR in 21 G (but a .172 hitter).

All other GCL Mets IFs, total: 5 HRs. FIVE? REALLY?  
BP MUST BE FUN TO WATCH, EVEN RIVETING.

Summary: 

Very few home run hitting threats other than Smith, Rosario, and Plawecki, the trio who've already been called up.  Pounding Pete Alonso is the sole near-term legitimate power threat in the system not yet promoted, and maybe Downtown David Thompson.

Further down the dusty trail, Vientos is likely to develop into a power threat.  Uriarte could, too, as could Giminez and Paez.

Many guys (names not listed) who hit 0 HRs on 1 HR. Come on!!!!!
Prescription from Dr. Brennan: Weights, gentlemen, lift weights.

NOT MANY BOPPERS – OVERALL, NOT PRETTY AT ALL.

PLENTY OF DUDS.

SANDY, PLEASE - DRAFT MANY MORE POWER HITTERS:

INFIELDERS AND OUTFIELDERS.

POWER TO THE PEOPLE (METS PEOPLE)!

Reese Kaplan -- Be Bold, Wilpon-san

This off-season there will be a great many people clamoring for free agents like Cy Young Award winner Jake Arrieta, Diamondbacks slugger J.D. Martinez and Royals 3^rd baseman Mike Moustakas.  These players have played the requisite number of years under team control to warrant their big payday. 

Also potentially entering free agency this year a two players who signed under the old rules of Japanese baseball compensation – starters Yu Darvish of the Dodgers and possibly starter Masahiro Tanaka of the Yankees (who can opt out of his current deal).  Both players required huge payments as posting fees just to get the right to bid on them, then went onto sign lucrative long term contracts.

2018 is the year all of that revenue changing hands nearly comes to a grinding halt.  The bargaining rules changed, capping the posting fee at $20 million to the Japanese club giving up a young star and then that player coming to America is subject to the same service time restrictions as people coming through the traditional drafting process.  You can see that latter wrinkle at work with now ex-Met Nori Aoki who, despite being 35 years of age, was still under team control and not yet a free agent which inevitably led to his ouster after hitting .284. 

That change contrasts with the old system whereby the posting fees were negotiable and went to the highest bidder.  Yu Darvish cost the Rangers $51.7 million just for the right to negotiate a deal and the overall spend by Texas was to the tune of $111 million. 

This new system is now squarely under the floodlights as two-way Japanese star Shohei Otani is expected to be posted by the Nippon Ham Fighters.  At the tender age of 23, he has already established himself both as a star pitcher and a formidable hitter.  Many refer to him as the Japanese Babe Ruth, though his power with the bat is not nearly as impressive as it is on the mound.

How good is he?  Well, in roughly two full seasons of ABs as an outfielder he’s hit .286 with 48 HRs and 166 RBIs.  Those numbers are certainly admirable and when you factor in both his age and the fact he was working on a bum ankle this past year, he’s got room to improve upon them.  He does whiff a bit which led one scout to compare him to an in-his-prime Curtis Granderson – good power, good speed, low batting average, high strikeouts but also a high OBP.

As a pitcher he’s really posting the eye popping stats.  Over the course of five seasons he has a 42-15 record with an ERA of just 2.52.  He strikes out over 10 per 9 IP and despite his young age has exhibited pretty good control with a career WHIP of just a tad over 1.000.  In 543 IP he’s only allowed 384 hits.

Had Otani waited until he was age 25 he would be free to cash in on whatever deal he could strike but by making the jump to the majors now he is likely costing himself a lot of money.  After all, he cannot become a free agent for 6 years, but then again he’d only be 29 at that time so it’s not exactly like he’s going to be ordering off the dollar menu at McDonalds. 

Otani has been vocal about wanting to go to a club where he has the opportunity to hit.  Most scouts are in agreement he’s a more potent pitcher than hitter, but with the holes the Mets have in the outfield you’d think they’d at least want to consider having him try both roles.

Therein lies the rub – unlike most gambles on a pitcher or a hitter, in this case you get the potential for success at one or the other (or if you dare to dream big – both).  Consequently the risk of signing him is far less than a guy who is only a hitter or only a pitcher. 

Heretofore the Mets have been xenophobic when it came to signing free agents out of Japan and Cuba.  Yes, they did sign the immortal Kaz Matsui, a mature Hisanori Takahashi, the enigmatic Kazuhisa Ishii and the flamboyant Tsuyoshi Shinjo.  Not a single one of them was considered a prime prospect and the results pretty delivered what you’d expect from the bargain bin.  Takahashi was a pleasant surprise but the others were pretty forgettable. 

Here is an opportunity to show the fans a sincerely new approach to building the ballclub, filling positions of need on both sides of the diamond, and not having to give up compensatory draft picks as you would with traditional free agents.  The marketing of Otani could create a Tebow-like buzz for the Mets and give them instant gravitas instead of the punchline they have become.  If you consider what it would cost for a top notch starter and a top notch outfielder, Otani may actually prove to be a bargain (even if he only winds up playing one role full time). 

Here’s my challenge to the Wilpons and Sandy Alderson.  You saved a ton of payroll last season.  Spend some of it to make Otani a Met.    

THIS JUST IN - Astrubal Cabrera

The Mets are set to exercise their $8.5MM club option over infielder Asdrubal Cabrera, tweets FanRag’s Jon Heyman. Reports over the past month have suggested that the team was likely to do so, though there’d yet to be a firm indication that the team had definitively elected to do so. Their alternative was a $2MM buyout, meaning it boiled down to a $6.5MM decision for the Mets.

www.mlbtr.com 

Hot Stove - 11-2-17

Mets infielder Jose Reyes has filed for free agency.

The Los Angeles Angels have signed OF Justin Upton to a 5-year, $88.5mil contract.

The Boston Red Sox name Tony La Russa as a "special assistant in the organization".

The Toronto Blue Jays outright OF Darrell Ceciliani.  

The New York Mets batting coach, Kevin Long, has been named batting coach for the Washington Nationals.

Former Philadelphia Phillies General Manager, Ruben Amaro Jr., has been named the first base coach for the New York Mets.. 

11/2/2017 Winter League Results | 3 Hit Game for Kaz, Another Scoreless Appearance for Peterson

Arizona Fall League
- Salt River Rafters 6 - 3 Glendale Desert Dogs
- Surprise Saguaros 6 - 8 Mesa Solar Sox
- Peoria Javelinas 4 - 2 Scottsdale Scorpions 

• 3B David Thompson: 1 for 5, R, K
• LF Kevin Kaczmarski: 3 for 5, RBI(8)
• RHP Tim Peterson: 2.0 IP, 1 BB, 1 K

Mexican Pacific League

- Charros de Jalisco 5 - 0 Naranjeros de Hermosillo

- Yaquis de Obregon 4 - 6 Mayos de Navojoa
- Tomateros de Culiacan 8 - 3 Venados de Mazatlan
- Caneros de los Mochis 8 - 6 Aguilas de Mexicali [10 innings]

• C Xorge Carrillo: 0 for 2, RBI(4), BB

Venezuelan Winter League

- Aguilas del Zulia 12 - 3 Tiburones de La Guaira

- Caribes de Anzoategui 8 - 10 Navegantes del Magallanes
- Leones del Caracas 6 - 2 Bravos de Margarita
- Tigres de Aragua 8 - 3 Cardenales de Lara

Dominican Winter League

- No Game Scheduled


Roberto Clemente Puerto Rican League

Side Note: Regular Season will start January 8th, 2018.