This weekend on the farm, Easter and rain took its toll on the system as only four games were played throughout the system, but in them Jenrry Mejia proved human, Jeurys Familia stayed hot, and St. Lucie was the only affiliate to post a “W”.
Saturday April 23
Lehigh Valley 7, Buffalo 5
Pat Misch, having cleared waivers once again after a cruelly short stint with the big league club, returned to starting duty and threw 5.2 innings, allowing three earned runs on three walks and five hits. Misch only struck out one, which is probably the least encouraging statistic to come from the start. While I’ve been a fan of Misch’s for a while, I’m beginning to feel resigned to his status as a “AAAA” player at best.
The Bisons offense was solid, as Ruben Tejada’s hot hitting continued to the tune of a two-hit, two-RBI day. The ghost of Nick Evans had an RBI as well, but the real big news was Fernando Martinez, who returned from the DL to hit a pinch-hit home run. The quick return for F-Mart is encouraging, but he simply has to stay healthy this time. Nonetheless it wasn’t enough for the Bisons to put together a win, as the rest of the lineup struggled, as did the bullpen.
St. Lucie 5, Jupiter 0
The St. Lucie Mets are gradually cementing themselves as the Mets’ most exciting affiliate, with the combination of their young burgeoning power hitters and an absolutely nasty rotation creating something really fun to monitor on a night-in, night-out basis. Naturally Saturday’s shut-out win embodied that essence.
The story starts with Jeurys Familia, who was absolutely stellar tossing seven shutout innings of three-hit baseball. Familia was something of a question mark coming into the season, with the main issue being whether his command could develop to the point where he can work deep into games. I don’t have a pitch-count from Saturday’s game, but Familia’s eight strikeouts compared to three walks (admittedly the walks are still a little high, but you can live with it) show some great promise. Familia also got four ground balls, compared to five pop-ups, flashing potential outside the strikeout realm.
Meanwhile the run-scoring was well spread across the lineup, with five players recording multi-hit games. Cesar Puello had two hits with a double, Wilmer Flores a pair of hits of his own, and Pedro Zapata drove in three runs on his two hits. Juan Lagares also added a double amongst his three hits. On the first really encouraging weekend from the big league season so far, it was a perfect game to have going on down on the farm out in Jupiter as well.
Lexington 8, Savannah 7
The Sand Gnats ended their home stand Saturday with a loss to the Legends, although there were certainly glimpses of promise in the effort put forth in Savannah. Aderlin Rodriguez, who has struggled early for the Gnats despite exhibiting enormous raw potential, hit a two-run homer in the third inning as part of his two-hit day; even at the end of Rodriguez’s solid day, his batting average still sat at .180. Wilfredo Tovar had a nice day getting on base, driving in one run and reaching base three times. Once on the base paths, Tovar had a nice day scoring two runs.
The Sand Gnats normally reliable pitching staff had an off-day, with Gregory Peavey giving up five runs in his six innings of work. The bullpen allowed another two, and the Gnats’ bats just weren’t up to the task of pulling out the win for the hometown crowd.
Sunday April 24
Lehigh Valley 7, Buffalo 5
The story, as it is every fifth day in Buffalo, was Jenrry Mejia, who put up his first sub-par performance of the season Sunday against the Iron Pigs. Mejia gave up five runs (all earned) in six innings, while striking out just three and walking two. While the result was obviously not what Mejia wanted (and he did take the loss for the Herd), the peripherals remain encouraging for the young fireballer. Mejia threw 56 of his 89 pitches for strikes; that ratio is pretty solid for a young man still refining his control, and 89 pitches through six innings on a clearly off day is very economical. Mejia got seven ground balls from batters compared to five pop-ups, a ratio he would like to improve, but it was not an entirely uninspiring mark. Three of the five runs he allowed were on a Jeff Larish home run–so having not seen the tape it could very well be the case of one bad pitch tanking the numbers for an otherwise okay day.
The Bisons bats did keep them in this game despite Mejia’s struggles, but it was not enough. Kirk Nieuwenhuis had two doubles and a walk on the day, all but ensuring the shouts for a Captain Kirk sighting in Flushing while Angel Pagan recovers will grow louder. Fernando Martinez played the whole game in right, going 1-5 and staying healthy, to the best of my knowledge. Val Pascucci, you might have been wondering, went 1-5 with a double, two RBIs and two strikeouts.
16 comments
stickguy
4/25/2011-9:05am at 9:05 am (UTC -4)
F mart staying on the field now will be huge, since they are going to need at least 1 OF by July. If not sooner. 2 if Pagan never returns to form (I still say he is a fantastic 4th OF to have on the team).
But, if Kirk keeps this up, there could be competition for the job.
Also, any idea how Flores is looking on the field? I still wonder if he could possibly stay there at SS all the way up the ladder, but if nothing else, I leave him there until he proves on the field he can’t hack it, and not just people guessing he won’t be able to!
Bryan
4/25/2011-9:45am at 9:45 am (UTC -4)
I believe Wilmer has 3 errors so far, but I’m not sure if those are fielding or throwing, but either way it’s too many this early in the year.
metsfan4decades
4/25/2011-9:51am at 9:51 am (UTC -4)
The more I read about Famillia the more I like. Here’s hoping he continues on this path.
Thought I read somewhere, although Rubin Tejada has had success with the bat, he had something like 7 errors in 17 games. Not sure why I keep reading from some Met fans about his stellar defense.
stickguy
4/25/2011-9:57am at 9:57 am (UTC -4)
I always take errors in the minors with a grain of salt. If nothing else, the fields are often no where near the quality of the majors! And in some of the locations (such as Buffalo) the weather has been awful.
You really need to see the plays to judge. Could have been poor judgement making a throw you should have eaten, a bad hop, a 1B that should have picked a low throw, etc. 1 error per week (for flores) does not have to mean he does not play good D.
7 for Tejada? That better be the weather/field or a lousy 1B, since he is supposed to be a slick fielder!
Bryan
4/25/2011-10:33am at 10:33 am (UTC -4)
I agree on the errors. If you have better than average range you’re going to get to more balls and attempt to make more difficult and rushed throws. Then if the first basemen can’t stop the ball you’d have a lot of infield singles with the batter getting second on the error.
stickguy
4/25/2011-9:59am at 9:59 am (UTC -4)
I also agree about Familia. He was a real interesting live arm last year that seems to be putting it all together and becoming a pitcher now. Hopefully they give him the time needed to really become the complete package before rushing him up.
should be interesting this year, when a couple of the St. Lucie guys likely get promoted to Bingo. If they pitch well there, then you can start having the discussion about when they will hit Queens!
kistics
4/25/2011-3:33pm at 3:33 pm (UTC -4)
Saw something on MC blog that Havens is making good progress in rehabbing.
Here’s my question. Let’s say he does come back and finishes the rest of the season healthy and puts up very good numbers (I assume he’ll be in Binghamton). Where does he go from there? How does he fit in the Mets plan at 2B? Obviously it all depends on how Murphy does (and Turner to some degree) this season at 2B. But IF Havens is the future 2B of the Mets, where does Murphy go? I’m not sure if the super utility role will work with him with the Mets since Wright, Ike, Bay, Havens will most likely play 150+ games if healthy. So I just don’t see Murphy’s role here.
kistics
4/25/2011-3:40pm at 3:40 pm (UTC -4)
Watching Matt’s Minor league report, DePodesta mentions that Havens can play SS since he has played the position in college.
Hmm…. interesting…
metsfan4decades
4/25/2011-3:43pm at 3:43 pm (UTC -4)
Interesting is right. I didn’t know that either.
kistics
4/25/2011-3:53pm at 3:53 pm (UTC -4)
He will definitely get some playing time at SS this season for sure.
Bryan
4/25/2011-3:59pm at 3:59 pm (UTC -4)
Havens did play SS in college and in Brooklyn back in 2008, but transitioned to 2B starting in the AFL in 2008. I’m not sure if I see them moving Havens back to SS, but then again this front office wasn’t in power when that decision was made. He would probably need some minor league time to adjust back to SS and I don’t see that happening unless it’s a guarantee that Jose is gone. While I wouldn’t rule it out, Havens would be at best average defensively at short, which is part of the reason they moved him, and IMO I still see him as the future at 2B if he’s healthy. He would not be the defensive question mark everyday that Murph is, although he certainly tries as hard as a person can. Even if Murph doesn’t get a lot of starts, he’s a heck of a lefty bat to have off the bench.
kistics
4/25/2011-5:03pm at 5:03 pm (UTC -4)
I guess they would ease him into the competitive baseball with the position he’s used to (at 2B). But I think it’s certainly possible that the current FO want to see how he does defensively at SS before making any decision on Jose. DePodesta has said that Havens can be a plus defensive 2B. I’m not sure how that translates into being a good defensive SS, but his progress should certainly factor in Jose’s future with the Mets. Because personally, I just don’t see Tejada as the future SS of the Mets. I know SS is not an offensive position and that he’s still young, but I just didn’t see anything from Tejada offensively.
stickguy
4/25/2011-8:58pm at 8:58 pm (UTC -4)
If havens finally clicks (as in, gets past the injury issue now that he had the rib procedure), and plays like he was last year, he will be the 2B next year most likely. Murphy will either be moved, or on the bench as a super sub type. But for sure, this FO is going to put the best guys on the field, and deal with bottle neck when it happens.
SS is certainly an interesting idea. I thought he was moved partly due to not seeming to have enough range to play in the majors. Not sure how much was that reason vs. Reyes being in the way.
njstuckintx
4/25/2011-5:00pm at 5:00 pm (UTC -4)
We could try to move Murph to SS, as we know that could be a potential need for the Mets and he obviously needs to learn a new position each year. Super-Utility-Murph-man!
metsfan4decades
4/25/2011-9:52pm at 9:52 pm (UTC -4)
Murphy at SS? LOL…I don’t know. By the time Murphy’s career is over he’ll have tried every position but pitcher.
You probably all know what camp I’m in where it concerns Reyes. Watching him play this past weekend, I just can’t help but think even with ‘diminished speed’, that some are predicting, he’s got a hell of an arm. He rifles those throws over to first like a bullet coming out of a gun.
And no….I don’t see Tejada as this team’s SS of the future either.
metsfan4decades
4/25/2011-9:49pm at 9:49 pm (UTC -4)
On another note, I see Arod broke up Humber’s bid fr a no-no tonight in the 7th inning.
I didn’t realize Humber was in the Chisox rotation this year. And looking at his ML stats, he certainly doesn’t look like he’d be a candidate to be taking a no hitter in the 7th.
Dang…I wonder if I’ll ever see a Met pitch a no hitter in my lifetime.