10/29/2017 Winter League Results | Ramos Wiggles Out of 3rd Inning Trouble, Nunez Batting AVG over .500!

Arizona Fall League
- No Games Scheduled

Mexican Pacific League

- Venados de Mazatlan 12 - 8 Charros de Jalisco
- Naranjeros de Hermosillo 4 - 6 Caneros de los Mochis

- Mayos de Navojoa 5 - 0 Tomateros de Culiacan
- Aguilas de Mexicali 3 - 1 Yaquis de Obregon

• C Xorge Carrillo: 1 for 3, BB, K

Venezuelan Winter League

- Leones del Caracas vs Aguilas del Zulia [PPD- Inclement Weather] 

- Cardenales de Lara 9 - 4 Caribes de Anzoategui

- Bravos de Margarita 3 - 4 Tigres de Aragua

- Navegantes del Magallanes 5 - 6 Tiburones de La Guaira

• RHP Darwin Ramos: 2.0 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 K, 1 HR allowed

Dominican Winter League

- Aguilas Cibaenas 7 - 9 Tigres del Licey
- Leones del Escogido 1 - 2 Gigantes del Cibao
- Toros del Este 2 - 6 Estrellas Orientales

• SS Gustavo Nunez: 3 for 5, 2 R, K Nunez is posting a .588/.588/.588 triple slash season so far.

Roberto Clemente Puerto Rican League

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

10/28/2017 Winter League Results | Nido Continues Troubling K rate, 3rd Straight Scoreless Appearance for Peterson, Albaladejo Pitches Well for 2nd Win

Arizona Fall League
- Glendale Desert Dogs 6 - 9 Mesa Solar Sox
- Peoria Javelinas 10 - 4 Salt River Rafters
- Scottsdale Scorpions 11 - 3 Surprise Saguaros

• C Tomas Nido: 0 for 5, 3 K Nido's K rate is now at 29.7% of Plate Appearances
• RHP Tim Peterson: 2.0 IP, 1 H

Mexican Pacific League

- Venados de Mazatlan 1 - 6 Charros de Jalisco
- Naranjeros de Hermosillo 3 - 6 Caneros de los Mochis [13 innings]

- Mayos de Navojoa 0 - 1 Tomateros de Culiacan
- Aguilas de Mexicali 5 - 4 Yaquis de Obregon

• C Xorge Carrillo: 1 for 4, K

Venezuelan Winter League

- Cardenales de Lara 14 - 1 Caribes de Anzoategui

- Tigres de Aragua 9 - 2 Navegantes del Magallanes

- Leones del Caracas 8 - 5 Aguilas del Zulia

- Bravos de Margarita 1 - 5 Tiburones de La Guaira

• RHP Jonathan Albaladejo: 5.0 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 3 K, Win(2-2)

Dominican Winter League

- Tigres del Licey vs Leones del Escogido [PPD- Inclement Weather]
- Estrellas Orientales 4 - 1 Aguilas Cibaenas
- Gigantes del Cibao 1 - 3 Toros del Este

Roberto Clemente Puerto Rican League

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

Reese Kaplan -- Let's Go Astros!

With the World Series in full swing there’s been precious little written about the feelings of the regular readers about the two teams competing.  Some of the older folks may have even been Dodger fans before they fled for Chavez Ravine.  Former fan favorite Justin Turner has been terrific for them during the season and especially in the post-season.  The Mets are a National League team so it’s completely understandable that the majority of local fans are rooting for the Dodgers.

I would posit, however, that it is in the better interest of the Mets faithful to see an Astros victory.  Hear me out.

First, there is no way the Mets are ever going to match the Dodgers’ $242 million payroll.  They have usurped the “buy a pennant” mantle from the crosstown rival Yankees.  Consequently, rooting for the payroll underdog to emerge victorious is in closer proximity to the Mets reality than is a deep pocketed Dodger ballclub.

Second, take a look at the Astros as a model of what can be done with judicious drafting, player development and investing in the international market.  Who are the people making it happen for Houston?  Jose Altuve – homegrown.  Carlos Correa – homegrown.  George Springer – homegrown.  Alex Bregman – homegrown. Marwin Gonalez – homegrown.  Dallas Keuchel – homegrown.  Lance McCullers – homegrown.  (Are you seeing a pattern here?  Good draft choices, developed effectively and actually given a chance to play).

Yuri Gurriel was an international free agent from Cuba…the country the Mets seem deathly afraid to consider as a source of ballplayers until someone else has made the initial investment.  This year the 33 year old Cuban hit .299 with 18 HRs and 75 RBIs.  Hint – no Mets player had that many RBIs (and it’s not exactly in the stratosphere) nor did any hit with that kind of average except the since-cut Phil Evans.  For that production the Astros are paying an average of about $9 million for five years.  The Mets are about to spend nearly that much for Asdrubal Cabrera and MORE than that for the next few years of Juan Lagares.  Do you see the problem here?

Who have they imported?  Brian McCann, Carlo Beltran, Charlie Morton, Evan Gattis…

Yes, they had one late season conspicuous addition in Justin Verlander, but he’s one of the true elite pitchers in the game and THEY GOT THE TIGERS TO PAY DOWN HIS CONTRACT!

Compare that late season action to the Mets who steadfastly refused to kick in any salary dollars and as a result got a lot of warm bodies without very impressive resumes. 

I won’t even go down the road of comparing managers.  The Mets have thankfully (finally) corrected that mistake.

My point here is that finding the right players coming out of school, developing them effectively, considering all of the international options, making smart trades and acquisitions, and having a good manager means that it’s possible to go all the way even with a $124 million payroll ($30 million less than the Mets!).  Now many of you are even more cynical than I am and say that I’ve compiled a massive list of “Ifs”.  That’s true.  However, when someone sees that it can be done then perhaps a few more lightbulbs will turn on and the top-to-bottom overhaul of the club can continue.    

Mack's Apples - 10-29-17: Throw Right Hit Left, Millennial Baseball, Politics, Casey Mise, Seth Beer

Good morning.

Best pro baseball players throw right, hit left -

For baseball players, throwing right-handed and batting left-handed may be the best combination for success in the major leagues, according a new analysis of player data from 1871 through 2016.

The findings, published in a letter to The New England Journal of Medicine, show that such players - among them, Boston Red Sox legend Ted Williams - were far more likely to be .300 hitters and were also more likely to end up in baseball’s Hall of Fame.

Steve Garvey is frustrated with “Millennial Baseball” -         

“Millennial baseball” consists of the following:

Scoring runs — but not manufacturing them

Taking a big swing

Striking out

Not trying to get the runners over

No bunts

No hit and runs

Being efficient … but not if you lose? We’re a little fuzzy on this one.

Baseball is staying out of politics this year.  Like it does every year –

Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred might feel lucky: So far, his postseason has strong ratings boosted by the presence of teams in the American and National League Championship Series from four of the country’s largest television markets. There will be a World Series devoid of drama beyond the field itself. But it will come with a cost.

            No comment.

Fueled By Sports 10-3 Mock Draft -

            1  Tigers   Brice Turang    SS5     Santiago HS (CA)

2  Giants       Nolan Gorman       3B     O'Connor HS (AZ)

3  Phillies     Brady Singer  RHP   Florida

4  White Sox   Nander De Sedas   SS    Montverde Academy (FL)

5  Reds          Ethan Hankins   RHP         Forsyth Central (GA)

6  Mets         Casey Mize     RHP             Auburn

2017 – SOPHOMORE YEAR - Made 13 appearances and 12 starts on the mound … turned in quality outings in nine of his 13 trips to the bump … posted a team-best 8-2 record with a 2.04 ERA, good for third in the SEC and 25th in the country … struck out 109 batters in 83.2 innings pitched … his 109 strikeouts in were the most by an Auburn pitcher since 1999 and the eighth most in the conference … issued a SEC-low nine walks en route to leading the NCAA with a 12.11 strikeout-to-walk ratio … ranked 15th in the country with 11.73 strikeouts per nine innings … held opponents to a .210 average … was named a Second Team All-American by ABCA/Rawlings and earned Third Team All-American honors from Baseball American and Perfect Game … became the 25th All-American in program history and second under head coach Butch Thompson … threw 5.0 scoreless innings and struck out 12 batters in a win vs. Holy Cross (2/25) … went the distance and earned wins in a pair of games vs South Carolina (3/31) and in the NCAA Tournament vs. Tennessee Tech (6/3) … struck out 12 batters in both outings … allowed only two hits in 7.0 shutout innings and matched his season high with 12 strikeouts at Texas A&M (4/7) … allowed just three hits and struck out seven batters in 6.0 shutout innings at Tennessee (4/13) … pitched 6.0 innings of relief and earned the win in the Tigers’ SEC Tournament matchup vs. Ole Miss (5/23).

 Minor League Madhouse Mock Draft -

1.     RHP        Brady Singer           Florida

2.     SS            Brice Turang           Santiago HS (CA)

3.     LHP         Shane McClanahan          UCF

4.     RHP        Ethan Hankins        Forsyth Central HS (GA)

5.     2B           Nick Madrigal        Oregon State

6.     OF           Seth Beer                  Clemson

BA -    He's a bat-first first baseman who has played some corner outfield last year, first base this year and projects at first base as a pro because of his limited speed and range. As good as Beer's power may be, it's hard to find examples of players like him who have gone 1-1. No collegiate corner outfielder has been the top pick and neither has any college first baseman.

Mack's Apples - 10-29-17 - Babe Ruth, Herb Score, Roberto Clemente, Home Runs, Met's Apple

Good morning.

 Babe Ruth signed this baseball ‘to Troop 6,’ and now it’s being auctioned for Scouts –

       

     The year was 1948. The place: a crowded gym in Larchmont, N.Y.

Eagle Scout Jack Coughlin, then the 20-something Scoutmaster of Troop 6 out of Larchmont, had to confiscate the ball so nobody got injured.

But this wasn’t any baseball, Coughlin realized. It was signed by Babe Ruth, the Sultan of Swat for the New York Yankees. The inscription read “To Troop 6 Larchmont Boy Scouts.”

When Coughlin asked the Scouts about the autograph, they said they assumed all baseballs were signed like that.

Nearly 70 years later, this baseball has found its way from Troop 6’s equipment box to the Steiner Sports auction house.

‘Saint Jude, Stay with Me’: A True Baseball Story -

Herb Score knew that he owed his life to the patron saint of hopeless causes. They were loyal to each other. ‘Saint Jude, stay with me.” Lying on the pitcher’s mound under the lights at Cleveland Municipal Stadium, as 18,000 people in the stands looked on and hundreds of thousands more across Northeast Ohio and the New York metropolitan area listened on the radio, Herb Score wondered whether his right eye was still in its socket. That’s where a line drive off the bat of Yankees shortstop Gil McDougald had hit him, knocking him down. The ball caromed to the left side of the infield, and third baseman Al Smith picked it up and threw to first, for the out, but forget the out — McDougald ran straight to the mound.

Baseball great Roberto Clemente's widow , son help with hurricane relief efforts in Houston –

More than a week after escaping her storm-ravaged home in Puerto Rico, Vera Clemente is helping provide aid to communities hit hardest by Hurricane Harvey.

Clemente, the widow of baseball Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente, was joined by former Astros outfielder Jose Cruz and team president Reid Ryan in hosting a volunteer packaging event at the Houston Food Bank on Friday. 

The event will benefit those still recovering from one of the worst storms in United States history.

Baseball Didn’t Always Love Home Runs –

Its career has waxed and waned. In the steroid era — the mid-’90s to 2003, say — players grew beefy and offensive stats ballooned and homers fell in bunches. Sammy Sosa, Mark McGwire and later Barry Bonds broke the single-season home-run record set by Roger Maris (61). Players who’d always hit 20 were suddenly hitting 50. Dugouts filled with behemoths who had giant forearms and necks, monstrous thighs straining the fabric of monstrous baseball pants. It ruined the aesthetics. Ted Williams’s fluid elegance turned into something muscular. It separated players from fans, alienated some of us: These guys looked like members of a different species.

I don’t happen to think that steroids have worked their way back in the game like they were in the late 1990s through 2003. I think there are more strength coach approaches to build up solid muscle mass, which, in the long run, may be as bad for the sport as the roids.

 Mets Create Custom AR Experience -

The Mets on Sept. 25 handed out Coca-Cola-branded cards as a promotional item to fans attending the game. Using the augmented reality feature embedded in MLB’s Ballpark app, fans could see the Mets’ famous Home Run Apple rise in center field, as Dori Silverman, Coca-Cola’s marketing director for sports and entertainment, explained in a National Sports Forum webinar.

The rising apple leads into a montage of Mets homers throughout the season, and there were plenty of those to watch — the Mets slugged 224 total round-trippers to shatter last year’s previous franchise record of 218.

Mack's Apples - 10-29-17 - T.J. Rivera, The Chiefs, Ray Knight, Wally Murphy., Supergiant,

Good morning.

Can T.J. Rivera Be the New York Mets’ Next Joe McEwing ?

-

Versatile players like T.J. Rivera don’t grow on trees, but they are important to a team’s chances of success, especially the New York Mets.

The “super sub.” Players who are talented enough to start but versatile enough to and mentally capable of taking their starts all over the field. The role has become more and more prominent as teams begin to see the benefit of having deployable players.

Ben Zobrist of the Chicago Cubs is the most prominent example of this role, making starts at every position except for catcher and pitcher during his career. Despite not really having a player fill that role at the moment, it could be argued that Joe McEwing of the New York Mets was the first of this new wave of players.

It is my understanding that the Mets are going to kick the infield can down the road and renew Astrubel Cabrera’s contract for 2018.

An infield consists of six players… four basic starters and two utility players that can play two, three, or even four positions.

In my book, the four starters then would be Cabrera, Dominic Smith, Wilmer Flores, and Amed Rosario.

This leaves Rivera, Phillip Evans, Matt Reynolds, Jose Reyes, Gavin Cecchini. And (sic) David Wright to fight it out for the two last slots.

Scenario one would be if Wright returned as a starter. This would push Flores into one of the two utility roles.

Past that, your guess is as good as mine.

There seems to have been competition for the Syracuse Chiefs affiliate -

The process began in the summer of 2016, when Jeff Wilpon, COO of the Mets, contacted Robert Julian, chairman of the Chiefs board of directors. The cash-strapped Chiefs had long been pondering how to bring more capital into the team.

At roughly the same time, Julian received an inquiry from another major league team regarding possible purchase of the Chiefs. The proxy does not identify that second team. At a meeting on Aug. 24, 2016, the board agreed to pursue a deal with the Mets because members felt they were the more likely of the two suitors to keep the club in Syracuse.

You would like to think that the Mets won out because they shared coming from the same State.

 Ray Knight -

Former Mets infielder Ray Knight was arrested at 4 a.m. Sunday after an altercation with a 33-year-old at his Virginia home, FOX5 DC reported.

Knight, 64, and the younger man both suffered visible injuries and were taken to a hospital. Knight was charged with assault and battery.

            Knight is currently a broadcaster for the Nationals.

                        LOL… wanna bet?

Seven Life Lessons From The World's Greatest Baseball Fan,  John J. Adams –

In 44 years, John has only missed 44 games. Day in and day out, in the snow, sleet, rain and sunshine, Cleveland baseball fans can count on John to lead them in cheering on their favorite team. In that time, John has become the only fan to have a bobblehead created in his honor. And the locally-owned Great Lakes Brewery has even created a beer named after John, called Rally Drum Red Ale®.

We had a guy like this in Savannah named Wally Murphy. He used to write for Mack’s Mets and he never missed a home Sand Gnats game ever since they became a Mets affiliate in 2007. I think it actually went back further and continues now with the Savannah Bananas.

Baseball is no longer a supergiant -

                      

Baseball’s future will not be quite like its past, but it would be strange and worrying if it were. Before baseball can enjoy the renaissance that may indeed be just over the horizon, though, it will need to get right with what it actually means to be America’s National Pastime in 2017. There is an important truth in baseball’s understanding of itself as a chunk of prime Americana, but it’s not an easy one. In a real sense, baseball’s future tracks with America’s. In both cases, there’s some tough reckoning to be done.

                                   Reese will particularly like this one…

Mack's Apple's - 10-28-17 - Who's Hot, Who's Not, P.J. Conlon

Good morning.

The Winter Leagues are raging on (sic) and we need to take a quick look at some of the ‘hots’ and ‘nots’ going on there. These stats are through games played on 10-26.

            Hots:

IF Luis Guillorme – AFL – 22-AB, .364/.364/.409/773 – Not one walk 

             An update on Luis 

  OF Kevin Kaczmarski – AFL – 36-AB, .417/.475/.583/1.058 – 5-RBIs

IF Gustavo Nunez – LIDOM – 12-AB, .583/.583/.583/1.167 – all singles

3B David Thompson – AFL – 28-AB, .393/.433/.714/1.148 – six extra base hits (out of 11)

SP Mickey Jannis – AFL – 2-ST, 7-IP, 0.00, 0.71

RP Matt Probereyko – AFL – 4-G, 6.2-IP, 0.00, 0.90

RP Enderson Franco (???) – LVBP - 9-G, 10.1-IP, 9-K, 0.87 – 7-BBs

RP Kyle Regnault – AFL – 4-G, 7.2-IP, 9-K, 1.17, 1.17

            Nots:

                        SP Wilfredo Boscon – LVBP – 3-ST, 8.1-IP, 14.04, 2.64

                      

                        RP Jose Carlos Medina – LMP – 4-G, 5-IP, 10.80, 2.60

                      

                        RP Darwin Ramos – LVBP – 5-G, 5-IP, 9.00, 2.20

P.J. Conlon - 

       A 'source' tells me that SLHP P.J. Conlon is being converted to the pen this off season.

Tom Brennan - MY METS PROSPECTS: # 46 THRU # 50

Tom Brennan - MY METS PROSPECTS: # 46 THRU # 50

Making it barely into the highly acclaimed Brennan Top 50 is the equivalent of barely making it into a Titanic lifeboat. 

If you missed the top 50, I hope you love swimming in refreshing ice cold water.  Rescue boats will be here soon.

 Not being in the top 50 for a particular team is not a comfortable place to be as a player.  So these guys are undoubtedly oh, so glad they made it.  So, without further delay, here are the final 5 in my Top 50.

I just want to be clear that my method of ranking is not scientific - I have resorted to the "eenie meanie miney mo" method to pick my Top 50 despite us in this age of precision and sabermetrics.  Look where the latter has gotten the Mets, anyway.  Saberhagen, sabermetrics - BAH HUMBUG!

# 46 JUAN URIARTE - a catcher to really watch in Kingsport in 2017, Juan was outstanding, hitting .305 as a 19 year old, with a fine on base %, decent power and modest K rate.  

Just 2 errors in 44 games at catcher, where he threw out 33% of runners...he had been higher %-wise in the GCL and DSL in prior years, so he may have a 40% caught stealing potential. 6'0", 185, he could turn out to be a major factor at the Mets' catcher position in  3 or 4 years.

Before going totally "gaga" over Uriarte, please keep in mind that the Appalachian League in 2017 was a hitters' league.  It is likely he will jump Brooklyn and head right to full season Columbia as a 20 year old catcher in 2018.  We'll get a really good read on him there against tougher arms.

# 47 - RIGOBERTO TERRAZAS - a Kingsport 3B who tore it up as a 21 year old in his 4th pro season after starting his career in the DSL.  Ricky T went A STELLAR .348/.413/.486 in 52 games for the K Mets.

Very good contact guy who hit very well from both sides of the plate.  Definitely headed to at least Columbia to start 2018; he'll be a 5th year guy in 2018, so he will be pushed hard to see if he deserves 40 man roster protection after 2018.  Good size at 6'1", 190.  

Not a speedster, and needs to tighten up his defense.

# 48 VICTOR CRUZADO - Hobie told me the Cruz Missile had a good AAA season, but I interjected to say it was not great, for a 25 year old OF who already has SEVEN years in the organization!

His .262/.347/.385 split is not so good for Vegas, and it seems he will need at least another year to boost his bat to a passable major league level.  Average speed and only 30 minor league homers in over 2,000 plate appearances.

AAAA until proven otherwise.

#49 JAYCE BOYD - JB had a rib/shoulder thingy (I think that is the medical term) like Matt Harvey.  As a result, Jayce stalled in his career trajectory for a few years.  He played sporadically during this AAA season early on, and I wondered if they were giving up on him, but he finally got regular playing time (and got HOT) late in the AAA season.

How hot? Over his last 48 games in July thru early September, he hit roughly .330/.400/.600. In AAA.  The kind of HOT Mets fans like. 

Particularly interesting is the early career rap against Boyd was he'd never generate power, but 20 extra base hits (including 8 HRs) in just 141 official at bats in those 48 games is quite impressive and perception-altering (OK, not Aaron Judge power, that comes next year).  

He has a fine eye at the plate, too, with 13 walks vs. 21 Ks over those 48 games.

One has to wonder, though, how his throwing arm is, because in 152 outfield games in 2015-17, he's registered just 3 assists, and the former 1B has not played Keith Hernandez's old IF position except for one game since 2014.

The aging Boyd turns 27 in December, and did not get a September call up (kind of wish he now had, over Travis Taijeron, who has predictably fanned a ton and not hit with the Mets in his September cameo).

Perhaps Mr. Boyd is more suited to an AL team that has a DH role.

# 50 - ANDREW CHURCH is a former 2nd rounder from 2013 who missed a lot of time due to injuries in 2014 and 2015, amassing only slightly less than 100 innings in those campaigns.  In 2016 and 2017, in Columbia and St Lucie (and one disastrous game in AA, in which he surrendered 10 earned runs in 4.1 IP), he went a combined 19-13. Nice. But..

His ERA in 2017 was a high 5.06, and he fanned an underwhelming 98 in 157 IP with a 1.43 WHIP.  

In his last 4 starts, he did manage to allow just 4 earned runs in 28 IP, which caused me to put him in the coveted # 50 slot.

But even that is tenuous, and we will see where Church goes from here in 2018.

All I know is all 10 guys in my next article regarding the 10 guys who just missed the Top 50 list all think they are better than Church.  But 60% of Mets fans love church, so he is in by his fingernails.

10/27/2017 Winter League Results | Another Solid Start for Jannis, 2 Hit Games for Guillorme and Carrillo

Arizona Fall League
- Mesa Solar Sox 5 - 1 Glendale Desert Dogs
- Salt River Rafters 8 - 9 Peoria Javelinas
- Surprise Saguaros 5 - 6 Scottsdale Scorpions

• DH David Thompson: 1 for 5, R, 2 K
• LF Kevin Kaczmarski: 1 for 4, RBI(6), K
• 2B Luis Guillorme: 2 for 4, 2 R, 2B, BB
• RHP Mickey Jannis: 5.0 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 5 K

Mexican Pacific League

- Venados de Mazatlan 9 - 8 Charros de Jalisco
- Naranjeros de Hermosillo 8 - 5 Caneros de los Mochis

- Mayos de Navojoa 0 - 1 Tomateros de Culiacan
- Aguilas de Mexicali 2 - 5 Yaquis de Obregon

• C Xorge Carrillo: 2 for 4, RBI(3)

Venezuelan Winter League

- Bravos de Margarita 9 - 1 Tiburones de La Guaira
- Cardenales de Lara 1 - 2 Caribes de Anzoategui
- Leones del Caracas 1 - 4 Navegantes del Magallanes
- Tigres de Aragua 2 - 0 Aguilas del Zulia

Dominican Winter League

- Estrellas Orientales 4 - 1 Tigres del Licey
- Aguilas Cibaenas 5 - 7 Gigantes del Cibao
- Leones del Escogido 1 - 2 Toros del Este

Roberto Clemente Puerto Rican League

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