"With the 524th pick..."
Last night against the Staten Island Yankees, the Brooklyn Cyclones game was called after 5 1/2 innings due to rain, but that didn’t prevent a second member of the 2009 draft class from seeing his first professional action.
Alex Gregory, Mr. 1.000
17th round (524 overall) pick Alexander Gregory out of Radford University started in LF for the ‘Clones, batted 7th and went 1 for 1 with a single, walk and a run scored. Finishing your first pro game with a BA and an OBP of 1.000 must feel pretty good.
1B Sam Honeck (11th, 344) from Tulane played his second pro game and again batted 3rd. This time he was more successful, going 1 for 2 with a single, 2 RBI and a walk.
The Cyclones (2-0) won the rain shortened contest 5-2. For a full box score click here, for a play-by-play recap click here, or for a game wrap click here.
18 comments
stickguy
6/22/2009-10:00am at 10:00 am (UTC -4)
Is this where I am supposed to put the “trade them before they get exposed” comment?
Oops, wrong site!
trs86
6/22/2009-10:34am at 10:34 am (UTC -4)
Hey, Radford. That’s where I went. Good job.
wannybackstra
6/22/2009-11:27am at 11:27 am (UTC -4)
From what I’ve read this was another “slot” draft for the Mets, without any real high end talent.
Hopefully, the Mets will continue to supplement through the international free agent pool, where they seem more willing to spend money (i.e. Flores, FMart, Pena, etc.)
And while we’re on the topic of prospects, Holt and Mejia are both pitching fairly well in AA and Ike Davis is coming around at A.
wannybackstra
6/22/2009-11:28am at 11:28 am (UTC -4)
Flores has gotten hot after a bad start in LowA and his now hitting .273. Marte has been awful and his defense is making Dan Murphy look like Ozzie Smith. His bat will pick up, I’m sure, but he doesn’t look long for 3B (25 errors already).
wannybackstra
6/22/2009-12:05pm at 12:05 pm (UTC -4)
Of course, I think everyone wants to see Damien Magnifico, a RHP, in a Mets uniform.
GravediggerHebner
6/22/2009-12:15pm at 12:15 pm (UTC -4)
Great name, but the one I’m most excited to see make it is Nelfi “The Shoe” Zapata, a power hitting high school catcher out of Boston.
wannybackstra
6/22/2009-12:21pm at 12:21 pm (UTC -4)
Hopefully, Magnifico and the Shoe can team up some day for the ever elusive perfecto at Citifield.
GravediggerHebner
6/22/2009-12:23pm at 12:23 pm (UTC -4)
Yeah, then that “Willie, Mickey and the Duke” songwriter would have to re-do his Met version to include them.
wannybackstra
6/22/2009-12:26pm at 12:26 pm (UTC -4)
I don’t know how lyrical the next version of that song will sound, given the names of the current players. Well, at least not in English.
wannybackstra
6/22/2009-12:23pm at 12:23 pm (UTC -4)
Taking a quick glance at the lower level rosters, it looks like Cesar Puello and Javier Rodriguez will be the stars of the GCL team (a little surprised Puello hadn’t moved on to Brooklyn).
I’m not sure from where the Cyclones will get its offense.
I’m surprised Eric Niesen did not start the season in HiA.
Hopefully, the Mets can get Metz signed sooner rather than later and possibly get him in front of the hometown Cyclones (close enough) by the end of the season.
wannybackstra
6/22/2009-12:24pm at 12:24 pm (UTC -4)
Matz, not Metz. I doubt if he will ever be the “Franchise” like Tom Terrific.
GravediggerHebner
6/22/2009-12:27pm at 12:27 pm (UTC -4)
But the “Letz go Matz” chant is a must. I think I read that Matz is looking for over a million signing bonus. From what you know, is that reasonable as the 72nd pick Wanny?
wannybackstra
6/22/2009-1:41pm at 1:41 pm (UTC -4)
I am certain that is over slot but I have no idea whether that is reasonable relative to his talent. Generally speaking, I do not think that there is any typical value for over slot payments after the first round. I think they usually vary based on the player’s talent. For example, Tim Melville was a first round talent last year that slipped to the 4th round because of signability concerns. He signed, I think, for a $1.25m bonus.
I do not recall seeing Matz’s name included among those whose talent might have led to a higher draft position if not for his signing bonus demands.
So his $1m demand might be a little high given that he was not regarded as highly as Melville, even though he was drafted earlier.
Nevertheless, the Mets knew he had a commitment to Coastal Carolina and I don’t foresee them not signing him.
GravediggerHebner
6/22/2009-1:45pm at 1:45 pm (UTC -4)
Thank you for the perspective, it’s appreciated.
According to a newspaper blog that concentrates on Coastal Carolina, “Matz was asking for a $1.1 million signing bonus, a request he feels the Mets are willing to meet, he said.”
dirtysanchez
6/22/2009-2:03pm at 2:03 pm (UTC -4)
Can i be that girls next pic ;p
GravediggerHebner
6/22/2009-2:06pm at 2:06 pm (UTC -4)
Dude you’re her #1~
wannybackstra
6/22/2009-2:08pm at 2:08 pm (UTC -4)
yeah, but methinks Dirty will be the one to have to pay.
wannybackstra
6/22/2009-3:13pm at 3:13 pm (UTC -4)
The Mets have apparently released Willy Mo Pena, Javier Valentin and Bobby Kielty.
Valentin is somewhat surprising because he would appear to be the next in line but he may not be healthy.