Three 2009 draftees saw action for the Brooklyn Cyclones Tuesday night versus the Hudson Valley Renegades, one of whom made his professional debut. It did not go well for Wesley Wrenn (35th round, pick 1064). The right handed pitcher out of The Citadel pitched 2 innings of relief, giving up 3 runs on 4 hits. He struck out two.
Wrenn
Sam Honeck (11, 344) has started every game at 1B and batting third. He was 0 for 3 with 2 walks and a run scored in this game. Alex Gregory (17, 524) played LF, batted seventh and was 1 for 4 with a 2-run double. Both gentlemen are currently batting .333 on the young season. The Cyclones won the New York-Penn League game 7-3. For more info you can check out the box score and the recap.
UPDATE 12:50pm. – Adam Rubin of the NY Daily News has a nice interview with Honeck.
K-Mets
The Kingsport Mets of the Appalachian League began their season Tuesday against the Johnson City Cardinals. Two 2009 draftees made their professional debuts. Ryan Mollica (47, 1424) out of Florida International University started at SS, batted second and went 0 for 4 with an RBI. He also made a throwing error. Joseph Bonfe (21, 644) from Sierra Junior College started at 3B and batted seventh. Bonfre went 2 for 3 including a 3-run homer in his first professional at bat in the bottom of the second inning. Kingsport won the season and home opener 7-5. Find more info in the box score and recap.
I had not read anywhere that Nelfi Zapata (19, 584) from Boston English HS had signed with the organization so I was pleasantly surprised to find his name in the Gulf Coast League Mets opening day box score. Zapata started at C, batted sixth and was 0 for 2 with a sacrifice fly that drove in fellow 2009 draftee Kurt Steinhauer (27, 824). Point Loma Nazarene University product Steinhauer started in RF, batted third and was 1 for 2 with a walk and 1 RBI. The final 2009 class member to make his debut in this game was Travis Ozga (41, 1244) formerly of Florida Atlantic University. Ozga started at 1B, batted fifth and was 0 for 3 with a walk and a run scored. The GCL Mets defeated the GCL Astros 5-2. For more info check out the box score and the recap.
43 comments
dirtysanchez
6/24/2009-9:26am at 9:26 am (UTC -4)
good to see our kids getting in some work, On mattsblog it says that ike davis has been promoted to AA
wannybackstra
6/24/2009-10:18am at 10:18 am (UTC -4)
The most important part of the GCL game was the strong performance of Scott Moviel, who for some reason began this season at a lower level than he began last season (he was not great in the Sally league but he did pitch well in one St. Lucie game).
I thought that Cesar Puello and Javier Rodriguez were on the GCL squad but I guess I am wrong.
I’m a fan of the Draft and Follow series, by the way.
GravediggerHebner
6/24/2009-10:27am at 10:27 am (UTC -4)
Thank you for saying so Wanny.
I felt in approaching it that there were many resources already available to people looking for a general Mets minor league overview, and that the best opportunity for TRDMB to carve a niche for ourselves and also the best way for me specifically to keep focused and to learn more about the system in general was to concentrate on just the 2009 class for now.
Depending on the life of this blog and my participation in it my hope is to grow my knowledge of and coverage of the whole system over time. Baby steps. But I encourage you and any other commenters so inclined to mention any player from any level of the system in here at any time you see fit. I agree with you about Moviel.
wannybackstra
6/24/2009-10:43am at 10:43 am (UTC -4)
I like it just the way it is, Grave, but figure this is the best spot to insert some talk about other prospects, as well.
As always, AA is where the action is right now with Holt (who has been skipped at least one turn), Mejia (who has pitched well until his last outing), Thole (more walks than Ks, .348 avg but only one HR), 19 year old Ruben Tejada, and now Ike Davis all present and performing.
GravediggerHebner
6/24/2009-10:45am at 10:45 am (UTC -4)
Where I live I’m about 80 miles from Queens and about 120 miles from Binghamton so I don’t get to either as much I’d like but with all these exciting players in Bingo right now I really need to get up there and see them.
wannybackstra
6/24/2009-10:55am at 10:55 am (UTC -4)
You must be Sullivan County-ish?
GravediggerHebner
6/24/2009-11:01am at 11:01 am (UTC -4)
Orange. I can practically throw a rock at the intersection of 17 (future I86) and I84.
wannybackstra
6/24/2009-11:08am at 11:08 am (UTC -4)
17, which I believe was once ranked as one of the most scenic roads in America (I used to drive 17 up to college).
There's Always '09
6/24/2009-11:41am at 11:41 am (UTC -4)
17 in Orange County. Nice. I’m a Rockland guy myself.
It’s been the fugure I-86 forever and a day.
steveo
6/24/2009-11:21am at 11:21 am (UTC -4)
I know all the talent is in aa but im hoping all this talent by the end of the year or by at least the start of next is our aaa team.Im sick of seeing our aaa team made up of mostly has beens.It would be nice to see 7 prospects on the starting roster and maybe 2 major league has beens.Maybe this is why so many guys were released this week.That for me would be a real step in the right direction for this team of course you gotta hope Omar doesn’t trade it all away and hope that this young core gets better to become a core example dodgers Martin,Eithier,Loney,Billinsley,Kershaw and Kemp .Patiance is a big thing
GravediggerHebner
6/24/2009-11:27am at 11:27 am (UTC -4)
I think you’re partly right about the reason for the releases of so many has-beens/never-weres this week. The organization has been moving some of the guys we can actually refer to as prospects up in the system this week.
But another part of it is something I read in a Buffalo newspaper just over a week ago. The AAA team got off to a horrendous start and in order to stay in Buffalo the team has to be reasonably competitive or the ownership up there will seek a different affiliation.
So there’s a balance of doing what’s best for the Mets and doing what’s best to put a competitive product on field for Buffalo. The moves this week were at least in part toward the latter.
wannybackstra
6/24/2009-11:32am at 11:32 am (UTC -4)
Interesting. But I wonder hoe the team can be more competitive without a guy like Javier Valentin, who is a credible major leaguer.
As to Steveo’s request… The Mets are known for aggressively promoting their young players (and are often accused of doing so to their detriment). While guys like Mejia and Tejada are way too young to be pushed any futher than they have been so far, I don’t think it is far fetched to see Holt, a college player, pushed to AAA at some point and maybe even Josh Thole, who might benefit as a catcher learning from experienced major league pitchers like Nelson Figueroa, Elmer Dessens and Kyle Snyder.
On the flipside, teams often don’t send their top prospects to AAA because many of the best pitching prospects/competition are at AA.
GravediggerHebner
6/24/2009-11:35am at 11:35 am (UTC -4)
With Valentin specifically my theory is it has to do with the fact that he was injured and therefore in the short term useless to the organization. I don’t know a lot about roster rules at the minor league level but is it possible they “needed a spot?”
There's Always '09
6/24/2009-11:49am at 11:49 am (UTC -4)
They may have had to promote people to make room at the lower levels for the new guys.
wannybackstra
6/24/2009-10:27am at 10:27 am (UTC -4)
MiLB.com has the wrong Tovar playing SS in its boxscore — unless the Mets are trying a left handed pitcher there and putting the regular shortstop in the bullpen.
Anyway, Puello is in Kingsport and I can’t find Javy Rodriguez, who was awful last year in the GCL.
Any Grave should add another Shoe to his collection: Pedro Zapata, 3B, Kingsport. It’s always good to have a pair of Zapatas.
GravediggerHebner
6/24/2009-10:29am at 10:29 am (UTC -4)
Nice one!
wannybackstra
6/24/2009-10:29am at 10:29 am (UTC -4)
Moviel is actually assigned to St. Lucie and was apparently on a rehab assignment in GCL. God bless the Internets.
wannybackstra
6/24/2009-11:01am at 11:01 am (UTC -4)
From the NY Post:
June 23, 2009
ESPN’s Keith Law on Mets draft
ESPN’s Keith Law on the MetsNew York Mets overall draft philosophy and several picks:
On the Mets’ draft strategy:
“Ultimately, you have to evaluate their drafts with the caveat that you have to go by slot. It looks like they were told they could go over slot with the first pick, but they shouldn’t have to with the names after that.
“These aren’t names that people were talking about at all … the only names I heard at all were the first two.”
“It’s a conservative philosophy … it’s definitely how they draft.”
“No matter what you do in the first, pop some guys in the fifth, sixth, seventh rounds … I don’t understand why ownership won’t take the shackles off. Maybe Omar has to take the case to ownership and say, “Give us a half million dollars to sign some guys” after that.
“Like I said, it’s not on the scouting department entirely … maybe the scouting department thinks they aren’t going to waste the pick because we don’t have the approval to do it.
“But it wasn’t a strong draft at all … it’s disappointing, because they have the resources to do it if they are allowed to do so.”
On Steven Matz:
“I’ve heard he wants first-round money … if they offer him a million bucks, he should take it and run and hide. I don’t think he’s first-round worthy, and he doesn’t really have a ton of leverage.
“Where is he committed, Coastal Carolina? It’s not exactly North Carolina.”
On Robbie Shields:
“I think it’s much more likely he’s not healthy … I like him. I actually think he’s got a chance to stay at short, which I think is a minority opinion at this point.
“Otherwise you have an offensive second baseman … odds are, that’s their draft, those top two guys.”
“It’s certainly an area Omar is familiar with … but I don’t think they’re spending 4-5 million internationally. I don’t get the impression that they are spending so much (internationally) that they’re going cheap in the draft.”
wannybackstra
6/24/2009-11:03am at 11:03 am (UTC -4)
Again from the NY Post:
Minor League Baseball | Beating the Bushes
« Mets calling up Evans makes little sense | Blog Home | BA’s John Manuel on Yankees draft »
June 23, 2009
BA’s John Manuel on Mets draft
Baseball America’s John Manuel on the MetsNew York Mets ‘ draft and several of their picks:
On The Mets Overall Draft Philosophy:
That’s very accurate. “There are no obvious players who are going to require significant above-slot bonuses. Matz has put out a seven-figure bonus request, but the rest of the draft is a classic Rudy Terrasas draft. They like to go off the path, be big, physical, like power arms that they can teach.”
On Robbie Shields:
“Shields is the only one there who sticks out to me. he had a tremendous 10-day stretch in the cape last summer and some teams really fell in love with him. He’s a middle infielder who showed some ability to hit and with some impact with wood bats … but then he had an awkward slide and injured his wrist.
“He was better in the cape than he was in Division II this spring. Its tough with the expectations on him, and even if he is coming off a wrist injury he should have hit for more power than that.
I guess which is the real Robbie Shields – the one who performed in the Cape or the one who hit five homers this spring?
On David Buchanan:
“Buchanan really throws a hard … a classic ‘throws the hell out of it, but doesn’t know where it’s going’ guy. He’s a classic Rudy T. pick. He can throw it, we’ll teach him later. Classic right-handed thrower, not a right-handed pitcher.”
“That is the mets thing. they go off the board a little bit. They don’t run with the pack, they don’t consensus scout. They have their own scouts with their own personalities. They don’t necessarily take guys that other people have a big read on … sometimes that works in their favor, like in the case of Daniel Murphy. But usually the consensus has a pretty good reason.”
On James Ewing:
“He’s a classic Southern Miss player. He is part of the strength of their team. If you talk to the Southern Miss coaches he is the heart and soul of his team.
“If you talk to scouts about this run, and their middle infielders don’t screw up.They may have below average range, but when they get to the ball they don’t screw up. That’s how they got to Omaha.
On Zachary Von Tersch:
A lot was expected out of him … he’s a big reason Georgia Tech isn’t in Omaha. He was underwhelming all year.
“He’s got a great name, but he’s the second-best Zach Von in the draft.”
GravediggerHebner
6/24/2009-11:18am at 11:18 am (UTC -4)
Reading these two comments is pretty upsetting Wanny. I don’t know how long this Terrasas fellow has been running the show, depending on that one could say this “outside the box” philosophy hasn’t been producing much. I would understand more of a “nuanced consensus scouting” approach where they were in the same range but then went a little off – that’s how I fantasy draft (perhaps not the best comparison but it has served me well). I guess now that I am paying closer attention than at any time in my life to these things not everything I learn is going to be uplifting.
wannybackstra
6/24/2009-11:27am at 11:27 am (UTC -4)
I think the draft is crapshoot from the first pick through the last anyway. But I agree that I’d prefer they not operate like a small market team and pass on players they like because of signability. That said, who knows if they really liked any of the players they passed on?
In partial defense of the drafting big arms theory, Brant Rustich seems to be coming on fast as a reliever, Holt is obviously the top pitching prospect, Vineyard was an unforeseeable bust, and perhaps Moviel will justify his selection this year.
I’m glad they stopped drafting relievers so high — Kunz is somewhat of a disaster — but I am very disappointed that the Mets might not be big players in the international market after apparent and hopeful successes like Reyes, F-Mart, Flores, Marte, Mejia, Aderlin Rodriguez (17 yo at GCL)and others. The jury is still out on Francisco Pena, as well.
GravediggerHebner
6/24/2009-11:32am at 11:32 am (UTC -4)
Agreed. I recall so many sad discussions about the drafting college relievers at another blog. It was mind boggling to me as an outsider.
Huge Holt fan, very excited to watch him progress. That Vineyard situation was odd, in some ways it fits right in to the whole Mets aura.
There was some weird thing this season with Jordany Valdespin (sp?) earlier this season, so I was pleased to hear Omar mention his name (among others) yesterday when Mike F asked him roughly “does this organization have pieces in the minors?”
wannybackstra
6/24/2009-11:05am at 11:05 am (UTC -4)
And lastly, the Post reports that Holt has a twisted ankle.
GravediggerHebner
6/24/2009-11:08am at 11:08 am (UTC -4)
Oy.
mrose
6/24/2009-11:30am at 11:30 am (UTC -4)
guys, new news on Lidge at Nleastchatter.com and the daily update…any feedback on it?
There's Always '09
6/24/2009-11:46am at 11:46 am (UTC -4)
What is the news? He sucks?
GravediggerHebner
6/24/2009-11:51am at 11:51 am (UTC -4)
Maybe. NLEastchatter.com can tell you for sure.
CaseStreet
6/24/2009-1:01pm at 1:01 pm (UTC -4)
I wonder how easy it is to talk to the minor leaguers. Maybe we can get an interview with some of these guys.
wannybackstra
6/24/2009-1:45pm at 1:45 pm (UTC -4)
Jenrry Mejia says “baseball has been berry berry good to me.”
CaseStreet
6/24/2009-1:46pm at 1:46 pm (UTC -4)
sounds like Franken-Berry!
There's Always '09
6/24/2009-1:52pm at 1:52 pm (UTC -4)
Crunch Berry
DNDJohan aka kistics
6/24/2009-2:03pm at 2:03 pm (UTC -4)
Sounds like a Korean dude…. “basebar has been berry berry good to me.”
I can make fun of them since I am a Korean dude…
There's Always '09
6/24/2009-2:09pm at 2:09 pm (UTC -4)
Thoguht you were Venezuelan.
DNDJohan aka kistics
6/24/2009-2:11pm at 2:11 pm (UTC -4)
Oh… um…
I’m secretly a Korean while appearing to be a Venezuelan
stickguy
6/24/2009-2:12pm at 2:12 pm (UTC -4)
has the entire younger generation already forgotten the best Mets 2B of all time, Chico Esquala (sp?)
DNDJohan aka kistics
6/24/2009-2:16pm at 2:16 pm (UTC -4)
He was a Korean?
GravediggerHebner
6/24/2009-2:28pm at 2:28 pm (UTC -4)
Chico Escuela. Spanish for “Boy School” I believe.
DNDJohan aka kistics
6/24/2009-1:59pm at 1:59 pm (UTC -4)
I’m sure many of you probably brought this up in previous posts, but isn’t it time that the Mets change their approach against this Pineiro guy? I mean how many first pitch swinging do we have to see? This guy hasn’t won in 5 games until last night’s CG shutout. How about taking some pitches and get to the bullpen in 6th or 7th inning?
The guy produces 5 million ground balls, how about taking couple pitches and make him throw a strike for a change. Joel Pineiro is not Cy Young or Josh Johnson for that matter. This guy is at best #3 pitcher in a bad team. There’s NO REASON (even with this injured offense) for this guy to shut us down completely. Here are some of his past numbers.
Career 78-75 4.47 ERA 1.363 WHIP .274 BA .329 OBP .431 SLG .760 OPS. Most number of wins in past 5 years is 8. He hasn’t pitched 200 Innings past 5 years.
This dude SUCKS!!
There's Always '09
6/24/2009-2:04pm at 2:04 pm (UTC -4)
He beat us in 2007 when it counted. He beat us in 2009 twice so far. We can’t sniff this guy. To add insult to injury, he hit the $hit out of the ball against us last night.
DNDJohan aka kistics
6/24/2009-2:10pm at 2:10 pm (UTC -4)
Yes he did. So we need to make some sort of adjustments to his game. I thought I was watching the re-run of last April game. First pitch swinging, slow roller to 2B.
wannybackstra
6/24/2009-2:20pm at 2:20 pm (UTC -4)
The adjustment to his game might be a high and tight fastball.
There's Always '09
6/24/2009-2:25pm at 2:25 pm (UTC -4)
Yea. Take that Joel. Now start pronouncing your first name like the Piano Man’s last name! Ya jagoff.
CaseStreet
6/24/2009-2:19pm at 2:19 pm (UTC -4)
wasn’t the problem that he got into pitcher’s counts so Mets were forced to swing at crap