First off, condolences to the family of Warner Fuseli, the radio voice of the Brooklyn Cyclones. Fusselle passed away Sunday night at the age of 68. As a diehard Cyclones fan catching games on the internet when getting down to Coney Island was impossible, Warner had a distinctive relaxed Southern charm and knowledge of the game that gave you the feeling less of listening to a professional announcer on air, but having an old friend tell you a story about a ballgame. He will be missed. In other news, Binghamton ha the night off and Savannah had a twin bill rained out.
Norfolk, 5, Buffalo 4 (6 innings)
Talk about a bad day. The Bisons, behind Jeurys Familia, were rolling with a 4-0 lead even though there was a steady rain in Buffalo all night. In the top of the fifth, a Sean Kazmar throwing error helped open the door to five runs for the Norfolk. A definite turn of the Tides….Moving on. Right after the Norfolk rally, the umps decided it had rained enough and called the game. Familia finished with a line of 5IP, five runs (only two earned) on five hits (1 HR), with a walk and four K’s. His ERA on the season is 4.35, and over his last ten starts he has made it past the sixth inning just once. He also didn’t throw his changeup, relegating him to a two [pitch pitcher. Some scouts thought he was going to have to head to the bullpen at some point, and I’m beginning to agree with them. The newly promoted Matt den Dekker was not available for last night’s game.
St. Luce 3, Charlotte 2 (12 innings)
After Sunday’s 14 innings marathon, the Lucies and the Stone Crabs decided to wrap this one p in a swift 12 innings. Catcher Francisco Pena (son of Tony) led off the top of the twelfth with a solo shot, and it proved to stand up at the end. The story again was the PSL pitchers. Chase Huchingson went seven strong innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits with a walk and a five punch outs. After that, it was all zeros as Kyle Allen went three scoreless, John Church went one and Adam Kolarek this time nailed down the save with by tossing up a goose egg as well.
19 comments
srt
6/12/2012-10:17am at 10:17 am (UTC -4)
Only caught that 5th inning in the Bison game last night. Truly ugly.
Familia to the BP seems to becoming the general consensus. Not necessarily a bad thing, if he can become lights out there. As evidenced by the big club’s BP this year….the need for decent arms late in the game cannot be understated.
srt
6/12/2012-10:18am at 10:18 am (UTC -4)
Should have read: ‘overstated’.
oleosmirf
6/12/2012-10:57am at 10:57 am (UTC -4)
Considering the Mets have 5 above average SP in their rotation now, having another 4 waiting in the wings is a little bit of overkill.
Having Harvey and Wheeler in the future rotation and Familia and Mejia as future 8th and 9th inning guys sounds great to me.
by the end of 2013 is it wrong to expect a rotation of
Santana, Dickey, Niese, Gee, Wheeler/Harvey with a possible Santana trade depending on our place in the standings and a bullpen of E. Ramirez, Edgin, Leathersich, Familia, Mejia, Byrdak and Parnell.
oleosmirf
6/12/2012-11:10am at 11:10 am (UTC -4)
also guys like Beato, Adrian Rosario, Robert Carson and basically the entire St. Lucie pitching staff..
srt
6/12/2012-11:30am at 11:30 am (UTC -4)
I’d be thinking trade of Johan as well by the end of next year.
So right now that leaves Dickey/Niese/Wheeler/Harvey and?? I’m not sure Gee is in this rotation going into 2014.
oleosmirf
6/12/2012-11:45am at 11:45 am (UTC -4)
with the way Gee has pitched this season, he should absolutely be in the rotation. Obviously, if Santana is not moved, he is the odd man out.
He is on pace for 200+ IP and around 200 SO which is great
Bryan
6/12/2012-11:41am at 11:41 am (UTC -4)
Santana is un-tradeable. On age and contract alone no one’s gonna trade for him, throw in his size and injury history and there’s just no way that happens without eating virtually his entire contract. But there are plenty of potential bullpen pieces coming up, of course, prospects much like bullpen pitchers can be fickle.
oleosmirf
6/12/2012-11:53am at 11:53 am (UTC -4)
next season is the last guaranteed year of his contract, so at this time next year, teams will absolutely be going after him.
Santana has proven to still be one of the best pitchers in the game and playoff bound teams will covet him, regardless of how much is owed…
Bryan
6/12/2012-12:19pm at 12:19 pm (UTC -4)
We’re gonna have to agree to disagree on this one b/c I just don’t see it happening. I’m not disputing that he is still a quality pitcher, at least a #2 starter, but it’s a lot of money and there’s a ton of injury risk b/c there’s so little known about his shoulder surgery. Plus, with the second wild card, who’s to say the Mets won’t be in the group of teams that are still in contention, especially next year. They’re not exactly desperate to drop contracts like they were a year ago, so if they’re close next year and know that Bay and Santana are coming off the books after the season anyway there’s plenty of reason to keep him and go for it.
TRS86
6/12/2012-12:02pm at 12:02 pm (UTC -4)
I think this 2nd wild card could have more ramifications than we know. There will be so many teams in it still and looking for an advantage. If a team like the Indians are still in it in July and Johan is still pitching the way he is now? They might take a chance even this year, same with the Pirates, Dodgers and a few other teams desperate to get back into the playoffs.
Stick
6/12/2012-12:07pm at 12:07 pm (UTC -4)
except the mets can easily be in that same situation.
oleosmirf
6/12/2012-2:28pm at 2:28 pm (UTC -4)
which is why I still expect the Mets to be sellers, since so few teams will be.
I think Sandy is smart enough to realize the Mets are not playoff bound despite what their record is now or might be a month from now.
Would not surprise me if guys like Hairston, Cedeno, Torres or even Rauch, Ramirez or Fransisco are moved…
Stickguy
6/12/2012-3:10pm at 3:10 pm (UTC -4)
his recent comments about balancing sentimentality and practicality support this. Basically to me it meant, if they are on the sorta fringe, don’t expect them to try and pull off a miracle run (like happened last year).
all those guys are not likely to be here next year, so if they are really in the race, then any that get a decent offer can move along.
and if they are blocking some prospect ready to get a shot, move them along faster!
Bryan
6/12/2012-3:31pm at 3:31 pm (UTC -4)
Francisco has a 2 year deal so he won’t be traded, but I can definitely imagine Rauch, Byrdak, Ramirez getting traded and then hopefully Cedeno and Torres as well. Once everyone gets healthy I would almost ditch Cedeno and make Turner the backup SS, he looked pretty good there before the ankle injury and can certainly hit better than Cedeno.
NJstuckinTX
6/12/2012-12:02pm at 12:02 pm (UTC -4)
If Familia is really trending that way, I say he should become expendable. Familia + Valdespin + Murphy + another isn’t a haul for a potential team down the line. May not net you a Santana, but I didn’t think the package that Omar put together would get a Santana either.
TRS86
6/12/2012-12:06pm at 12:06 pm (UTC -4)
You would have to be careful with a deal like that. All of their values are at their lowest of the season IMO. Most teams are not looking for bulk as much as best. I think the model you might see for now will follow what the Mets did with Wheeler. Give us one prospect, your best and then we talk. I don’t need your filler pieces.
Now those guys might be a fit with the Cubs but not for Castro or Garza. So who else you want? What other team would those guys even be a fit? The Astros? You giving up that much for Wandy?
NJstuckinTX
6/12/2012-12:21pm at 12:21 pm (UTC -4)
Wandy is a cream puff. He isn’t worth that package (or his extra salary).
And agreed, that isn’t getting you Starlin or Garza. I just kind of through those names out there, but if that got you JP Arrencieba (horrible spelling) + something else, I’d consider it. Or even a passable major league 2B and a decent Single A prospect? I really am trying to be realistic and assume that with some Wheeler type is coming back for these types of players. I’d like to see them turned into an actual BP arm, a useable starting Catcher or lower prospect with high projections. I think that could be doable, especially considering Murph is major league ready and Spin and Familia are there are almost there.
I don’t think this team has the ability to get a Wheeler type unless Santana or Wright is involved.
srt
6/12/2012-1:23pm at 1:23 pm (UTC -4)
OT – I’m reading:
1-800-Flowers Founder Jim McCann Buys $20M Stake In Mets ;
If I’m not mistaken McCann was one of the front runners last summer to buy a bigger stake the Mets were offering then – before they put the kabosh on that kind of deal with Einhorn.
TRS86
6/12/2012-1:32pm at 1:32 pm (UTC -4)
Hey and if nothing else, I bet they carry boxes of chocolate.