Last weekend on the farm, rehab outings abound in the upper levels, another solid Matt Harvey start, and an offensive explosion in St. Lucie.
AAA:
Saturday: Buffalo 3, Louisville 8
The great Brian Sweeney experiment does not seem to be working out; Sweeney allowed seven runs on four hits in four innings Saturday, and the likelihood of him adding a little bit of rotation depth right now is very low. Bobby Parnell was marginally better than his last appearance, allowing one run on two hits in his inning of work–a far cry from where the Mets are hoping he will be.
Nick Evans had two hits for the Bisons, and both Jesus Feliciano and Jonathan Malo recorded RBIs, but it was another quiet offensive day for the herd.
Sunday: Buffalo 4, Louisville 3
There wasn’t much more offensive output Sunday, but a strong DJ Carrasco outing helped the Bisons to victory. Kirk Nieuwenhuis was 2-3 with a walk, and Bubba Bell had two RBIs, but the more important factor was the pitching. Carrasco started and went six, holding the Bats to just three runs despite allowing eight hits and walking four. Carrasco isn’t a great option, but in case of injury he could maybe be called on for a start or two. On the brighter side, Pedro Beato threw an inning and a third, allowing two hits and walking one yet still protecting the slender lead.
AA:
Saturday: Binghamton 3, Trenton 2
Allan Dykstra (he of the failed prospect swap with Eddie Kunz) gave the B-Mets the dramatic victory with a two-run homer in the top of the ninth inning, saving starter Robert Carson from the tough-luck loss in the process. Carson was very good, going seven innings with eight strikeouts while allowing two runs. The bullpen was just as strong, with Ricky Brooks and Erik Turgeon combining to hold the Thunder scoreless to the end.
Sunday: Binghamton 2, Trenton 3
Sunday’s match-up was kind of the polar opposite of the previous day’s victory, with the Turgeon giving up all three runs in the bottom of the ninth to blow an excellent start from Jeurys Familia. Josh Satin and Jean Luc Blaquiere each had an RBI, but it was Familia who truly carried the day, tossing seven scoreless and striking out six. Familia now has a .64 ERA in AA, and with every start seems determined to silence the skeptics that want to relegate him to a bullpen role. His emergence this season certainly has shades of Jenrry Mejia’s breakout two years ago.
A:
Sunday Game 1: St. Lucie 11, Brevard County 0
The Mets clearly spent yesterday’s rain out eating their Wheaties, pounding out 11 runs on four homers. Juan Lagares lead the brigade with two long-balls, both of the two-run variety, with Matt Den Dekker and Rylan Sandoval each also going yard. Wilmer Flores was not one to be left out, notching three RBIs on two hits.
And oh hey! Matt Harvey was pitching, and pitching very well. After getting smacked around in his last start, Harvey came out and threw five shutout innings (I couldn’t find a pitch count but I would posit that the early exit was more a function of the seven inning rule for double-headers). The peripherals on the start weren’t great, with Harvey walking three, but it was nonetheless a very strong rebound. Resilience thus far has been one of Harvey’s best traits–both of his bad starts this season have been followed by gems.
Sunday Game 2: St. Lucie 4, Brevard County 1
Matt Den Dekker capped a great weekend with the bat with a double and a triple in Sunday’s nightcap, driving in one. Juan Lagares added his third home run of the day, a two-run shot in the fourth, and Wilmer Flores also pitched in with an RBI. Darin Gorski started for the Mets and threw six scoreless innings, striking out six. Ronny Morla came on and allowed a run in the bottom of the seventh before shutting the door and securing the St. Lucie sweep of the double-header.
Sally:
Saturday: Savannah 12, Rome 2
What got into Darrell Cecilliani? The young centerfielder had a monster Saturday, going 5-5 with three RBIs and scoring four runs to lead the Gnats. Robbie Shields stood to benefit, driving in five on a 3-5 day that included a double and a triple. Cory Vaughn had a relatively quiet 3-6, with a double and two RBIs, and Aderlin Rodriguez had a two-run homer. Gonzalez Germen started for the Gnats, going seven and allowing two runs on two solo shots.
Sunday: Savannah 8, Rome 3
The Gnats’ bats hardly quieted down on Sunday, with Darrell Cecilliani continuing his hot weekend with a lead-off homer. Sam Honeck had the Gnats’ biggest game, driving in three on a two-run home run and an RBI double. Blake Forsyth and Alonzo Harris both also had multi-hit games. Greg Peavey had a solid start, going six innings and allowing just two runs on four hits while striking out six, and Angel Cuan cleaned up with three innings of one-run relief after Peavey’s departure.
35 comments
TRS86
5/16/2011-8:28am at 8:28 am (UTC -4)
GO Familia and Harvey!!!!
The way Familia is pitching right now, is there a chance he moves up to AAA before the end of the season?
Ceetar
5/16/2011-10:43am at 10:43 am (UTC -4)
I think that might depend more on the Mets and Bisons than Familia. Injuries are sorta ripping apart the rotation and if guys get promoted to the Mets, or Sandy trades someone for ML help, they mightl ook to promote someone simply to fill a hole.
metsfan4decades
5/16/2011-9:53am at 9:53 am (UTC -4)
The more I read about Famillia, the more I like him.
I don’t see him factoring into the rotation next year though.
Harvey, on the other hand, probably will get a ST invite – don’t you think?
TRS86
5/16/2011-10:07am at 10:07 am (UTC -4)
I think they both get a ST invite. Right now Familia is ahead of Harvey on the next in line but we shall see if it remains that way. Familia’s AA stats are certainly impressive to this point.
Bryan
5/16/2011-10:41am at 10:41 am (UTC -4)
At this rate it wouldn’t hurt to give both a ST invite. If Familia can keep this up for a month or two, he should be able to make the move to AAA, perhaps during the mid-year shuffle. That could open the door for a September call up, but that’s a very slight possibility right now.
TRS86
5/16/2011-10:56am at 10:56 am (UTC -4)
I really don’t want to see him in the majors this year but if he was in Buffalo to start 2012 and #6 on the depth chart I would be a happy man.
stickguy
5/16/2011-11:02am at 11:02 am (UTC -4)
I would rather see Familia get some more time down below (not rush) since the reports seem to be that he is still a bit raw and under development. Really don’t want to rush someone still working on mechanics, etc.
harvey though sounds like someone that just needs to get comfortable, then no reason to wait.
TRS86
5/16/2011-11:07am at 11:07 am (UTC -4)
Looks like Familia is adjusting quite well. I expect both to be in Buffalo to start 2012.
stickguy
5/16/2011-11:25am at 11:25 am (UTC -4)
works for me!
metsfan4decades
5/16/2011-11:26am at 11:26 am (UTC -4)
Uh, Famillia is ahead of where I thought he was.
Hopefully any promotion is because he looks like he can handle it and not b/c our depth is extremely thin.
Still not sure how much rushing Pelf through and up has to do with his struggles.
stickguy
5/16/2011-11:35am at 11:35 am (UTC -4)
might have slowed it down, but you would think that if he was going to ever master off speed pitches and the art of pitching, he would have managed to do it by now!
TRS86
5/16/2011-11:48am at 11:48 am (UTC -4)
Well considering they already promoted him to AA and he has been great, I was assuming that next year he would start in AAA.
metsfan4decades
5/16/2011-9:55am at 9:55 am (UTC -4)
And another thing, Parnell’s blood clot might be healed, but he’s still far from a polished ML BP arm, IMO. Maybe it’s a good thing he went down when he did.
On the other hand, can’t wait to get Beato back.
kingman 26
5/16/2011-10:22am at 10:22 am (UTC -4)
I think they said during the game yesterday that Parnell was hitting 99 mph and had allowed like all 6 inherited runners to score.
TRS86
5/16/2011-10:27am at 10:27 am (UTC -4)
Yeah the right move is to leave him down. That being said they may have told him, look throw all fastballs with good velocity as part of his workout plan.
Still not sure though why so many expect him to ever be dominant when he has never been dominant on any level. In fact he has had more success at the MLB level than he ever did in the minors.
metsfan4decades
5/16/2011-10:39am at 10:39 am (UTC -4)
It’s a common leap many often make when a pitcher can throw a 99 mph fb. They automatically assume they’ll be dominate.
If that FB is flat though, coming in straight with no movement on it, it will be hittable. Plus, you can’t expect to succeed with just a high velocity fb. (well, maybe if that fb was 150 mph, you could…..)
kingman 26
5/16/2011-10:49am at 10:49 am (UTC -4)
What she said.
Just seems like guys who throw that hard should be good.
Frankly, I still am waiting for Henry Owens to emerge as a star pitcher. That guy threw so hard, and his year at Binghamton was incredible.
metsfan4decades
5/16/2011-11:34am at 11:34 am (UTC -4)
Totally off topic, but this seems to be the latest thread this morning:
How about them Red Sox and the Posada Gate over the weekend?
TRS86
5/16/2011-11:44am at 11:44 am (UTC -4)
Interesting. Perhaps there could be a fit later in the year (if we are not in it of course
) for Beltran and Cap heading to the Bronx? I don’t really care where our players go as long as they bring back the best prospects we can get for them.
metsfan4decades
5/16/2011-11:48am at 11:48 am (UTC -4)
According to Buster Olney, the Yankee FO was so angry with Posada they were thinking of releasing him. They might have need of a DH soon enough.
Beltran still has to approve any trade though, right?
metsfan4decades
5/16/2011-11:51am at 11:51 am (UTC -4)
So fangraphs thinks we’ll only be able to get a couple of C type prospects back for Beltran? Bah……
TRS86
5/16/2011-11:53am at 11:53 am (UTC -4)
If you read the comments section they totally destroy that article and not from Mets fans either. The guy completely forgot to mention that value at the trade deadline is much different than value in the off-season. Thus a 4 win player may only have so much value when there are tons of other 4 win players to choose from. When it’s the ASB and the Redsox and Yanks are both competing for the same spot and there is only one 4 win player out there his value is much higher.
metsfan4decades
5/16/2011-12:09pm at 12:09 pm (UTC -4)
Ah….I didn’t get as far as the comments, just read the article.
Makes sense to me!
metsfan4decades
5/16/2011-12:10pm at 12:10 pm (UTC -4)
I meant the counter argument makes sense to me.
njstuckintx
5/16/2011-11:58am at 11:58 am (UTC -4)
What’s a C level prospect? IE, whom in the Mets is a C-level prospect. Evans?
And you prob. have to do it. Better to get something rather than nothing. But I’d wait until July, maybe find someone desperate.
metsfan4decades
5/16/2011-12:11pm at 12:11 pm (UTC -4)
Yes, my sentiments exactly.
If the best we can do is a C type prospect, and we’re still in the hunt for the WC, I’d just assume keep Beltran the entire year.
TRS86
5/16/2011-12:31pm at 12:31 pm (UTC -4)
It makes no sense that we would only net a C prospect. If Beltran continues to be healthy and produce while we are not getting a top 10 in the MLB prospect we will get a top 10 from that organization plus that level C.
metsfan4decades
5/16/2011-12:52pm at 12:52 pm (UTC -4)
The more desperate contending teams become – come mid season – the more I can see this.
In the past, teams like the Yankees would stop at nothing to gain an edge, such as convincing Clemens to come out of retirement to pitch for about a million dollars a game.
Not saying we’re getting some team’s top prospect either but if Beltran continues the way he is, he’s got to be worth more than a couple of C prospects, IMO.
TRS86
5/16/2011-12:58pm at 12:58 pm (UTC -4)
Sometimes common sense has to trump ideas like what this guy brought up. It’s like my dad has a 79 Chevy truck in good shape. It’s NADA value is only 1,700 but if it’s the only one around and someone is looking for one he can get much more than book value. Book value is nice when you have a bunch to choose from.
njstuckintx
5/16/2011-1:49pm at 1:49 pm (UTC -4)
Not saying it would only net one. Maybe it nets 3 Cs. Or 1B and 1C. Either way, I was more curious as to what is a B, what is a C type thing.
TRS86
5/16/2011-1:53pm at 1:53 pm (UTC -4)
At this point Nick Evans would not even be a C prospect in my view.
C prospect in our system would be someone ranked around 15-20 in our organization.
stickguy
5/16/2011-1:59pm at 1:59 pm (UTC -4)
so we could be looking at something like Familia and Duda level guys coming back for Beltran, if he keeps playing like he has been.
Certainly better than nothing. And prying away a real, viable SP prospect will be key.
and the way the season is going, the Rays are looking more and more like a perfect trade partner. In the mix, short a bat, and prospects coming out the wing wang.
Prismo
5/16/2011-3:45pm at 3:45 pm (UTC -4)
Wright’s out of the lineup: word coming shortly regarding WHY.
(likely something related to the back/neck issues)
Prismo
5/16/2011-3:46pm at 3:46 pm (UTC -4)
Not looking good. Alderson’s actually addressing the media regarding Wright at 3:55pm. o_O
stickguy
5/16/2011-3:58pm at 3:58 pm (UTC -4)
maybe they tried to bat him 9th behind Pelfrey and he refused?