10/31/09

The Keepers - #39 - RP - Matias Carillo Jr.




39. Matias Carillo Jr. – RP – A+ - 23/yrs.

Carillo’s professional career started with the VSL Mets, where he pitched in 2006 (3-5, 3.38, in 12 starts). He was sent stateside in 2007 season and assigned to Kingsport (0-0, 1.23 in 5 appearances), but ended it with Savannah (0-0, 3.72 in 10 relief appearances). In 2008, Carillio pitched first for St. Lucie (0-1, 5.25 in 5 appearances), but was sent down to Brooklyn (1-0, 2.35 in 15 appearances).

In September 2008, Patrick Hickey wrote on: Mattias Carrillo- Despite a huge lack of playing time, Carrillo was extremely solid as a middle reliever. However, like Clyne and Rosa, his control is questionable and he needs to start developing his other pitches. Otherwise, he’ll be nothing more than a decent minor league reliever. - Final Grade- B

Carillo had a wonderful 2009 for Brooklyn, going 1-2,3.14, in 1 relief appearances. It included 32-Ks in 28.2-IP and only three base on balls. He bumped again to St. Lucie and struggled for the second time at that level, going 1-1, 9.28, in nine appearances.

Forecast: Carillo has spent enough time in the lower franchises and his excellent 2009 record in Brooklyn has earned him another shot in St. Lucie. There’s no reason for him to go back to Savannah. Done that. 2010 will be the make it or break it year for Carillio, who must dominate above the A level, if he ever wants to play in the Bigs. This will be his third, and last, shot at A+.

Minors Stuff




New York Mets


In scanning the TV listings for Classic MLB Baseball, I saw that MLB Network will be showing the 1969 World Series this weekend.

Sat (10/31) 10am - Game 1 (the Mets first World Series game)
Sat (10/31) 12:30pm - Game 2 (the Mets first World Series game win)
Sat (10/31) 3pm - Game 3 (the first World Series game at Shea)
Sun (11/1) 9:30am - Game 4
Sun (11/1) 12pm - Game 5 (the Mets win their first World Series)

and with a few replays

Sun (11/1) 7:30pm - Game 4
Mon (11/2) 3pm - Game 5

Sun (11/8) 7:30pm - Game 5

Sun (11/8) 10pm - Game 4

Mon (11/9) 8:30am - Game 2

Mon (11/9) 11am - Game 3

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/note.php?note_id=322301000636&ref=nf


Has the Mets scouting and development been doing its job? Not if you ask most Mets fans, and more importantly, not according to the numbers produced by the always insightful Jeff Sackman of the Hardball Times.

Sackman broke down the dollar value of the production every MLB team received from their 1. draft picks, 2. international free agents, 3. trades, 4. waiver wire pickups and 5. free agency.
According to Sackman’s research, the 2009 Mets reaped only a $ 12.9 value from their own draftees, the second worst mark in all of baseball. Only the Mariners ($5.4M) were worse. By contrast, the Phillies derived $54.8 in surplas value from their work in the draft.

http://www.metsminorleagueblog.com/2009/10/30/mets-at-bottom-of-draft


But perhaps the trade that scared off many Mets fans from coming back to Shea Stadium was the trade of Tom Seaver to the Cincinnati Reds in 1977. Seaver and Mets chairman of the board M. Donald Grant never had the best relationship, with the war of words often spilling onto the back pages of the tabloids. Seaver’s relationship with Grant reached its nadir when he blamed him for giving negative information about his wife to legendary sportswriter Dick Young. Young wrote a column claiming that Seaver and his wife were jealous of the money Nolan Ryan was earning with the California Angels.
San Francisco Giants - Signed 2B Freddy Sanchez to a 2-year, $12 million contract.
Nothing filthy about this signing. Sanchez had a $8 million club option for 2009 with a $600K buyout, so the Giants aren't even really even quite paying him that. Sanchez is a roughly league-average 2B at this point and while second basemen seem to have an annoying tendency to go splat in their early 30s, a 2-year contract minimizes the risk. A collapse for Sanchez would probably look like 260/290/360 with above-average defense, which is bad, but not a team killer at the price. The main problem for the Giants is that projection would have made him one of the team's most valuable offensive players in 2009. The starting lineup, from Rowand to Rent-a-rrhea should simply turn over their salaries to Kung-Fu Panda, given that he was the only reason Lincecum and Cain weren't crying in fetal positions in the dugout after their 7th 1-0 losses.

http://networkedblogs.com/p16259656

The Pirates are in the process of purchasing the Reds’ high Class A Sarasota affiliate and relocating it to their spring training complex in Bradenton for the 2010 season, a pair of sources confirmed on Wednesday. The Reds’ high A affiliate would play next year in Lynchburg, which has hosted the Pirates since 1995.

10/30/09

The Keepers - #40 - RP - Jake Goldberg




40. Jake Goldberg – RP – A+ - 24/yrs.

Goldberg was drafted by the New York Mets in the 36th round of the 2008 draft.
From www.cofcsports.com: - 2007 - Appeared in 17 games ... made seven starts ... had one complete game ... 6-1 with a 3.72 ERA ... 82.1 innings pitched ... 88 hits ... 45 runs ... 34 earned runs ... 26 walks ... 49 strikeouts ... opponents hit .270 ... 1-1 with a 5.40 ERA in six SoCon assignments ... pitched a complete-game, five-hitter in Charleston's 7-0 win over The Citadel with five strikeouts ... allowed two runs over eight innings with four strikeouts against Charleston Southern ... had a career-high eight strikeouts against Davidson ...

Goldberg pitched the 2008 season for the GCL Mets, going 1-4, 7.52, 1.82 in 12 appearances (1 start). He had 29 Ks in 28.1 IP.

In 2009, Goldberg split time between Brooklyn (0-0, 1.93, in six appearances, 11-K, 9.1-IP) and Savannah (1-2, 2.89, 25 appearances, 27-K, 37.1-IP).

Forecast:

Goldberg put together a very nice season in 2009. He helped Brooklyn in their playoff run and cominated for Savannah. It’s far too early to project him, but I look for him tobe an important part of the St. Lucie bullpen.

Buffalo Bisons Game Times For 2010




FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 28, 2009


Bisons Announce 2010 Game Times
Home Schedule starts on Wednesday, April 14
Against the Pawtucket Red Sox (3:05 p.m.)


The Buffalo Bisons today announced their game times for the 2010 season, their 125th season of professional baseball in Buffalo. The home portion of the 2010 season will begin with a 3:05 p.m. first pitch on Wednesday, April 14 against the Pawtucket Red Sox.

The biggest change to the Bisons schedule is the addition of night games on most Thursdays. Ten of the team’s 13 games on that day will now be played at night. The Bisons will also host a Sunday night game next season on August 1 against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (7:05 p.m.).

“The feedback we received from our fans told us they wanted more opportunities for night games during the summer months,” said Mike Buczkowski, Vice President/General Manager of the Buffalo Bisons. “Because of the amount of home games we have late in the season, adding night games to Thursdays gives our fans even more summer nights at Coca-Cola Field to enjoy.”

The 2010 Bisons schedule features a large increase in home summer games from a season ago. The team will host 17 games in August as opposed to just 11 games at Coca-Cola Field in April. A total of 36 of the team’s 44 summer home games in June, July and August will be played at night.

This season’s Independence Eve Celebration with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus and the largest fireworks show of the year will be Saturday, July 3 at 6:05 p.m. against the Rochester Red Wings. The team’s annual School Kids game with morning start will be Thursday, May 27 at 10:35 a.m. against the Toledo Mud Hens. The Bisons will host the Syracuse Chiefs for a special afternoon start on Memorial Day, Monday, May 31. The team will hold Fan Appreciation Night on Thursday, September 2 against the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees (6:05 p.m.) –the final regular season home game of 2010.

The Bisons will use the customary 7:05 p.m. for more games after the first month of the season. The team will have 1:05 p.m. afternoon starts on most Sundays (Family Fun Sundays). The six fridaynightbash!® games in June, July and August will start at 7:35 p.m.

Minors Stuff




Savannah Sand Gnats:


1B Jose Jimenez was released by the New York Mets.



Winter Leagues:


Venezuela


Josh Thole (C) - Our catcher of the future is tearing it up and currently batting .389 with a .484 on-base percentage and a 1.003 OPS in 54 at-bats.


Chris Carter (LF) - Our newest Met is batting .333 with a .901 OPS in 45 at-bats.

Lance Broadway (P) – Broadway has pitched in five games including three starts. He has a 2.45 ERA in 14.2 innings pitched, striking out 12 and walking 8.

Note – Venezuela is an extreme hitters league and almost half of the hitters are batting over .300.


Dominican Republic


Fernando Tatis (LF) - Although he’s no longer officially a Met, Tatis is batting .360 with a .887 OPS in 25 at-bats.


Tobi Stoner (SP) – Stoner has won both of his starts and sports an impressive 1.64 ERA to go with his 2-0 record. In 11 innings pitched he has struck out 8 and walked 3.


Jordany Valdespin (2B) – Batting .357 in 14 at-bats with one homerun, and has committed 3 errors.


Note – Fernando Martinez is expected to play in the DR, but have yet to report for duty.



Arizona Fall League

Ike Davis (1B) – Through 10 games comprising 41 at-bats, Davis is batting .341 with 2 homeruns and 9 RBI. He has a 1.102 OPS, but has struck out 10 times or about 25% of his at-bats.

Ruben Tejada (SS) – Tejada is batting .333 with an OBP of .400 in 36 at-bats. He also has 3 stolen bases and has been perfect in the field.

Scott Moviel (RP) – In 4 appearances he has logged an impressive 0.00 ERA in 7 innings pitched with a 0.86 WHIP.

Jenrry Mejia (SP) – Mejia is 0-2 in 3 starts with a 10.50 ERA. In 6 innings pitched he has been torched for 7 runs on 10 hits and 7 walks.
Some Mets fan friends and I have been talking about this all week: what is this made up rivalry we have with the Phillies? Nobody said two words about this team until 3 seasons ago. It's not like Jimmy Rollins rolled into town and swept a 4 game series to end the season. Willie and the boys couldn't beat the Marlins and Nationals and somewhere off in America the Phillies played baseball. Remember your hatred of the 80 Phils? 83? 93? Of course not. I could see hating whoever fleeced us for Dykstra and McDowell but that's like hating the Rays. 2008 was the same thing, just with smaller numbers. How about winning some games those last few weeks? 2009? Our biggest rival was the training staff. II thought it was the Braves we hated. Nobody talks about the Braves these days. Maybe it is the Pirates. Didn't we hate them for a while? Anybody still hate Jim Leyland?
2010 Free Agent Preview: Matt Holliday
Posted on October 29th, 2009 11:18 PM by Knuckles
Name: Matt Holliday
Age: 29
Position: OF
Current Team: St. Louis Cardinals
Current Contract: 08:$9.5M, 09:$13M
Performance: Since being traded to St. Louis from the As in the middle of the 2009 season, Holliday has been a major component of the Cardinals offense. With St. Louis Holliday hit 359/419/604 (BA/OBP/SLG) with 13HRs, and 55RBI in just 63 games. Holliday is mostly known for his tremendous performance in Colorado from 2004-2008 before he was traded to the As. However, while with Oakland, Holliday struggled hitting 286/378/454 with 11HR and 54RBI in 93 games. Which Holliday will his new team be getting?
Outlook: Two years younger than the other premiere outfielder available, Jason Bay, Holliday is likely the #1 free agent available this off season. His contract is likely to impact that of Bay and possibly players like Bobby Abreu, Vladimir Guerrero and even John Lackey. The big question is how to evaluate his difficult 93 games in the American League vs. the extremely productive 63 games in the National League. Hitting behind Albert Pujols certainly helps, but is the issue more of an AL vs. NL thing. Will AL teams be scared off by Holliday's AL stats? Either way, Holliday figures to get a multi-year contract averaging $18M to $20M per year.
Suitors: Cardinals, Giants, Mets, Braves, Angles, Red Sox, Yankees.
Prediction: Definitely an NL team, look for the Giants to make a surprise signing.

“I think in every aspect, the way you guys have used me and abused me…. I remember quotes in the paper, ‘Here comes the man that New York loves to hate.’ Man? None of you have probably ever eaten steak with me or rice and beans with me to understand what the man is about. You might say the player, the competitor, but the man? You guys have abused my name….”

“There was one time I remember when I was a free agent, there was talk that I might meet with Steinbrenner. One of your colleagues had me in the papers with horns and a tail, red horns and a tail. That’s a sign of the devil. I’m a Christian man. I don’t like those things. I take those things very serious. Those are the kind of things that the fans actually get used to seeing, and actually sometimes influence those people to believe that you are a bad person, that you are like an ogre….” Pedro Martinez


2010 Draft:

The 2009 World Wood Bat Association World Championships wrapped up its five day tournament recently in Jupiter, Florida. With 85 teams in attendance and 13 games going on simultaneously at any one given time, there was plenty of talent that will be picked at the 2010 draft on display.

One event of the championships that draws a lot of attenion is the Bo Jackson Five-Tool Championship. Players show off their wares in different "tool" competitions: hitting for power, hitting for average, arm strength, fielding and running speed. Unfortunately, the hitting competitions were held with metal bats, something professional scouts are not interested in watching.

Chevez Clarke and Kaleb Cowart were two of the standouts from the tool competition. Specifically, Cowart was clocked with a 100-mph reading throwing from right field, clearly dominanting the "arm strength" tool competition. Clarke did not have anything stand out quite as significantly as Cowart, but throughout all five tools submitted arguably the top performance

I just finished reading Michael Shapiro’s very good baseball book, Bottom of the Ninth. This book focuses on the efforts of Branch Rickey, William Shea, and other would be baseball owners, and their efforts to get major league baseball (the owners) to allow major league expansion. A secondary, and probably unneeded storyline focuses on Yankee manager Casey Stengel’s final years with the Yankees. The book covers the time span from when the Dodgers and Giants moved west, until the owners agreed to expansion (1957-1961).

10/29/09

Revisit - Mack's Prospect List - August 2007




Mack’s Top Mets Prospect List – August 2007
By John Mackin Ade
Posted Wednesday, August 1, 2007

1. OF Lastings Milledge - Milledge’s rehab, especially at AA-Binghamton, was a huge success, and, now that Carlos Gomez has joined the growing list of injured Mets OFers, what more can I do but list him as the top prospect in the most important month of his baseball career? The fact is, the Mets might wind up with the best prospect no one wanted. I expect this might be the last month we list ole Lasto here. He ain’t no rookie no more, and he ain’t going back.

2. OF Fernando Martinez - Remember Fernando Martinez? He was the guy everyone said would rocket his way through the minors and be playing in Shea three months ago. Now, he’s one of three prospect outfielders that have been on the DL this year. Martinez is still way up there but I’ll be much more comfortable when he’s hitting .300+ again.

3. SP Phillip Humber - Speaking of guys I can’t wait to feel more comfortable about, this is turning out to be strange year for Mets prospects. Right now, the top four Mets prospects (Humber, Pelfrey, Gomez, and Milledge) are all ready to be full-time major league starters in 2008. The only problem is none of them is making positive headlines this year. Poor pitching (Pelfrey), injuries (Milledge and Gomez) and erratic outings (Humber) are going to make it very hard for Omar and Co. to decide to turn over four of next year’s 25 slots (and all starters) to these kids.

4. SP Deolis Guerra - Speaking of guys I can’t wait to feel…. This is starting to sound like a broken record. Guerra’s last three outings produced 12 earned runs in 11.1 IP. I’m sorry, but this just isn’t a prospect number. I would be moving him down, but who would I put ahead of him?

5. SP Mike Pelfrey - Frankly, Pelfrey continues to get bombed when he’s called to the Bigs to help out, and, if it wasn’t the fact that the Mets don’t have anyone else to rank the 5th best prospect, I’m not sure where I’d put this guy right now. I just wish they’d give him the SP5 slot for the rest of the year (and stop trying to solve their pitching problems with guys like Vargas and Williams) and just let the kid pitch his way out of it. Also, it wouldn’t hurt if the Mets would put in their first string team when he pitches to help get him that 1st victory.

6. SP Kevin Mulvey - It was nice to see Mulvey added to the Future’s Game roster. Guess that means he has a future. I didn’t see anything that special, did you? Looked like a less-talented John Maine to me. Mulvey has a respectful 3.24 ERA, but that includes three horrible outings in June where he gave up 13 ER in 16 IP. Like I said in the Guerra paragraph, dead-on prospects don’t pitch this inconsistently.

7. 2B Hector Pellot - I’m not sure if Pellot is falling up the list because of anything he’s done. Maybe just the other prospects and dropping like flies.

8. 1B Mike Carp - Carp’s bat is starting to come around and, if he keeps this up, he can be a major part of a trade bait deal a la Mike Jacobs. Needs a year at AAA to see how he handles that league.

9. SP Jon Niese - These just seem to be too many bad outings lately. Another on July 11th where he gave up 5 ERs in five innings.

10. Closer Carlos Muniz - Another boring ‘just do things as asked’ season from the organization's best closer in the system and a plane ride away to Shea if Wagner farts crooked. As of July 13, Muniz is 2-2, with an 2.53 ERA in 30 appearances, which includes an amazing 16 saves. The whole friggin pitching staff has only 20 saves, and 16 of them were thrown by Muniz. Oh, did I mention the 0.98 WHIP or the 42/42.1 K/IP ratio?

11. SP Robert Parnell - Parnell had another wasted outing on July 13, going 6.0 IP, and giving up only 1 ER (3.40 ERA).

12. RP Eddie Camacho - Camacho is having a difficult July and his ERA has risen to a high of 4.88 on 7-13.

13. SP/RP Jacob Ruckle - Starting to settle back in as a consistent starter, which means they’ll probably move him back to relieving soon. What a poorly managed example of great potential talent.

14. RP Willie Collazo - His 3.48 ERA in 35 appearances in AAA set him up as one of the guys who deserves the next shot, especially if guys like ‘S.S.’ and Moto keep stinking up the joint.

15. C Franceso Pena - July has not been kind to Pena. His hitting has begun to suffer and the word is out on his sub-par defense and inaccurate throws to second base. But, I’m going to keep him in the top 20 just on bloodline and potential. Most of us were looking for a date to the junior prom at the same age this kid was catching Mets prospects, but the fact is he has seemed to lose his C position to Sean, who is calling a much more intelligent game. I wish the Mets would bump Sean to St. Lucie and let this kid play every day behind the plate and try and mature. It’s doing him no good batting .130 as a DH.

16. RP Ambiorix Burgos - I have no thoughts on this guy anymore.

17. RP Robert Paulk - Paulk, like Camacho, is having difficulty adjusting to AAA ball and, on July 13, had his AAA ERA soar to 8.10.

18. 1B Nick Evans - Evans started the month strong, banging out two home runs on July 1.

19. OF Corey Coles - Coles bat has cooled off, which is something it just can’t afford to do.

20. OF Caleb Stewart – Had a great June, and probably destined for New Orleans in 2008, but then what?

21. RP Ryan Cullen – 2-2, 2.81 in 23 appearances for New Orleans… it’s him or Collazo when the rosters expand.

22. SP Jason Vargas - Vargas is one of the spot starters that failed on his call up to Shea. He continued his downslide, with a low-end 2.0 IP 8ER appearance for New Orleans on 7-14 (5.65). This is starting to look like a very bad trade.

23. RP Nick Abel - Not pitching as well as he did earlier this year, but let’s give him another month before he falls down further on the list.

24. OF Brahaim Maldonado - Has once again come out of nowhere and is putting up all-star numbers in the second half resurgence of the Sand Gnats. Last year, he led the K-Port team in homers and RBIs and finished second in the league in slugging percentage. And he’s only 21 years old. Was named Sally Player of the Month a few weeks ago. Savannah may be going into another mid-month funk, but ‘El Toro’ just keeps spraying hits and got his BA up to a season high of .313 on July 13. Frankly, he's the only hitting threat on the Savannah team right now. You know Monday night they pitched him nothing but slop, yet he still got three hits, incuding a HR. A STAR IN THE MAKING.

25. SP Eric Brown - Frankly, I’m very disappointed in this guy this year. I’ve had him in my top 15 most of the year and he’s dropping fast. No consistency at all this year.

26. SS Jose Castro - Castro was the 32nd round pick in the 2005 draft, and had a horrible 2006, batting only .219 and committing 29 errors, but this year he came out of the gate in front and, by the time the all-star break came around, he was leading the Florida State League in batting (.368).

27. OF Sean Henry - Typical Sean Henry year at St. Lucie: .297/.358/.473 in 330 at bats. Next stop Binghamton.

28. 2B Greg Veloz - Veloz comes out of the DSL system and came stateside with all the prospect tags. He started this year in Savannah but couldn’t get any decent amount of playing time, so they shipped him down to where he should have started in the first place, one of the rookie teams, Kingsport. Playing much better: 101 Abs .267/.357/.495 3 HRs 14 RBIs 6 2B 8 SB only 9 E.

29. SP Tobi Stoner - Got off to a very poor start after being promoted to St. Lucie; however, has had two premier starts since then. No pressure on him to be SP1 (like Savannah) when he’s pitching on the same staff as Niese, Guerra, and Brown. Then, once again, inconsistency set in on July 13 and his ERA is back up to 4.73. Looks like a long, learning year for Tobi.

30. SP Matt Durkin - Durkin is dropping like a rock in his Rule-5 year, something I’m sure is starting to concern his agent, Scott Boras. Yes, there have been some blister problems, but he just might have hit a wall. This is the most innings he’s pitched in many year, but it’s hard to sit down a team with no consistent starting pitchers right now.

31. SS Emmanuel Garcia - Though he has been completely overshadowed by Jose Castro this year, Garcia remains one of the Mets top infield prospects.

32. OF D. J. Wabick - D.J. is another one of those Gnats I watch every night. Wabick is having a wonderful July and I’m not sure where he goes from there. It will take at least the rest of this season (and probably all of next year) to see if this kid has what it takes.

33. SP Greg Mullens - I expected this to be a breakout year for Greg, and it sure started out that way in Savannah, but then came the train to Brooklyn, followed by the mysterious arm injury. Mullens hasn’t pitched a lick since leaving town and is currently on the DL.

34. RP Josh Appell - Appell continues to keep his ERA below 3, pitching 0.1 scorelss innings on July 13, and lowering his ERA to 2.70.

35. 1B Josh Thole - Starting to show some increased bat speed and plate maintenance. Only 20 years old.

36. OF Joe Holden - Best defensive outfielder in the system and, if every pitcher in baseball was a RHP, he’d be an all star.

37. RP Emery Frederick – Has hit a wall in late July and just isn’t turning in the quality nastiness he did early in the season. Just hit a wall and went on IR with soreness.

38. SS Ruben Tejada – There is an outside chance that Tejada could find himself slotted behind Emmanuel Garcia. His 2007 VSL stats were.364/.466/.479/.946. Numbers like this get you a promotion and they did, to K-Port, where he is slow in getting going (.200/.556./.200/.756). Turns 18 in October.

39. RP David Koons - Koons got his first clocking on July 13, giving up 5 ERs in 0.2 IP, raising his respectable ERA to 4.50. This, I am sure, is an aberration. So far for Brooklyn, he’s 4-1 3.50 after pitching lights out for Savannah.

40. SS Juan Legarus - Has hit rock bottom in July, No hit, no field and no hustle has lost him his starting job in Savannah to ex-NY/Penn All-Star Jose Rivera. Look for his return to Savannah in 2007 for another lessons in fundamentals.

New Kids On The Block:

OF Pedro Zapata – Came out of nowhere for the DSL Mets and is batting .338/.396/.444 in 151 ABs.

SP Nicholas Carr - A 20-year-old starting pitcher with Brooklyn, 2-0, 3.80 31 Ks in 23.2 IP

SP Dylan Owen - A 21-year-old starting pitcher with Brooklyn, who was a 2nd round draft pick this year. Another great outing on July 13, going 5.0 IP. 1ER, 5 Ks and an ERA of 2.08. Now stands at 4-0, 1.65 0.77 in six games, five starts.

SP Phillips Orta - Orta was a 2006 10th round draft pick that signed with the Mets just before the 2007 draft. He began his Mets career with the VSL team (4 appearances, 3 starts, 1.29 ERA, 12K/14.0IP) and was shipped out to Kingsport as soon as his Visa came through. So far, 1-1 3.00 in four starts.

3B Richard Lucas - Lucas was a 4th round draft pick this year and is playing for The GCL Mets.

3B Stephan Welsh - Not a bad start for the Aussie prospect at GCL: .302/.333/.337 in 53 ABs.

OF Darren Clark - Off to a good start at K-Port. 89 ABs .303/.374/.539 4 HRs 14 RBIs.

RP Stephen Clyne – A 22-year-old 3rd round 2007 draft pick, posting 1-1, 1.64 in 10 relief appearances.

SP Thomas Peredas - A 19-year-old starting pitcher on the DSL team, he’s 0-2, 1.09, 1.00 in 10 appearances.

SP Julio Bello - A 20-year-old starting pitcher on the DSL team, the starter is 0-1, they don’t get to stay in past four innings), 1.46, 1.05.

SP Jose Angel Mejias - Mejias is a 21-year-old (turns 22 this month) starter on the VSL Mets. He especially pitched a great complete game on July 11, which, sadly, he lost. 8 IP 0ER and his ERA is now down to 2.54 (4-3) with a 1.00 WHIP

3B Juan Torres - A 19-year-old third baseman on the VSL Mets, batting .309/.369/.429 in 175 ABs.

OF Imbewer Alvarez - A 21-year-old outfielder for the VSL Mets, batting .315/.425/.416 in 178 ABs.

OF Brandon Kawal - A 22-year-old 2007 draft pick at Brooklyn, hitting .378/.429/.432 in 37 ABs.

SP Scott Moviel - Not a bad start...three more scorelss innings on July 13, now has an 0-0 record, 0.64 ERA, and a 1.00 WHIP in five appearances for GCL.

P Raul Batis – Speaking of lights out pitching, three more scoreless innings on July 13 and a record at GCL of 2-0, 1.13, 0.88 in five appearances

C Cesar Cordido - New guy playing limited innings in K-Port, but batting .345/.457/.414.

OF Ezequiel Carrera – First year in the states at GCL, hitting .303/.378/.414 in 99 ABs.

The Keepers - #41 - 1B - Jeff Flagg




41. Jeff Flagg – 1B – 24/yrs.

Selected by New York Mets in 27th Round (824th overall) of 2008 amateur entry draft, out of Mississippi State University.

The pick was weird… Flagg played three seasons with Mississippi State and only had a total of 154 at bats over the three seasons. This included only 39 hits, so you do the math. He definitely, on the surface, didn’t deserve the pick.

From college website: CAREER: Enters his junior campaign with a .288 career batting average, 13 extra-base hits and a .490 slugging percentage • Continues MSU’s string of players from Jacksonville Bishop Kenny High School… this is a college career bio?

Flagg played the 2008 season for the GCL Mets, going .223/.331/.417 in 139 at bats (5 HRs, 25 RBIs).

Flagg played most of the 2009 season with Kingsport, putting up impressive numbers: .301/.365/.500/.865. This was a considerable higher OPS than anything he had done in college. He also LED THE League in runs batted in.

Flagg went on to get a cup of coffee at Savannah (.174 in 23 at bats).

Forecast: Basically, no one that writes about the Mets knew anything about Flagg before the beginning of this season, and he’s far from being tagged a prospect, but he definitely has earned himself a bump up for his 2009 season. I tried to find out the name of the scout that told someone in Queens that this kid was worth a draft pick. So far, he’s a genius.

First base wise, Ike Davis will hold down AAA, Stefan Welsh gets the nod at AA, and Flagg will most probably bypass Sam Honeck and get the Lucie nod, if for age alone, no less 2008 production.

Would love to know that scout’s name.

Off-Season Q&A - OF - Carlos Guzman




Like Josh Thole, Carlos Guzman proves every day that the draft system has its flaws. Some players actually improve each year, not because of God given talent, but hard work and determination. I could tell the first time I met Guzman that he was determined to make it to Queens, regardless of what the so-called experts said about him. Left undrafted, he signed a free agent contract with the Mets and started the long climb up the minor league latter that is usually reserved for the propescts with all that bonus money.

Carlos had a very good 2008 season in Savannah, which earned him a bump to St. Lucie in 2009. An even better season there will bump him to Binghamton in the spring. That’s how it works. Play well, bump.

The real exciting part is the increase of pop that’s beginning to come of his bat. Guzman was 5th in the league in homeruns in 2009.

ETA: 2012

Mack: So, what are you doing in the off-season?

Guzman: i was going to play in the Dominican Republic, but a few things happened so that didn’t work out. Instead, I’m just going to work harder than last off season.


Mack: What was your analysis of your 2009 season?

Guzman: i think i had a very successful 2009 season. All the hardwork in the off season paid off, but that’s behind me now. As they say, that’s water under the bridge.

Mack: What are your hopes and desires for the 2010 season?


Guzman: As for the 2010 season, i just want to have another successful season, but with better numbers than 09. It’s all about progress and you move up each year if you produce, so all i can ask for is another healthy and successful year.

Mack: Lastly, anything you want to share with your fans out therin Met-land?


Guzman: I just want to say thank you to whoever is pulling for me. Thanks Mack, and I hope all is well with you.

Minors Stuff




New York Mets

I am truly fascinated by the constant debate about Daniel Murphy. Here was a rookie who batted .265, with 54 extra-base hits. He even showed more maturity in the second half of the season, adjusting to the inside pitch. Yet so many refuse to give him a chance for next season and beyond. He needs work on his defense, that is obvious. However, he can hit and has shown that.

Murphy is a low-cost option at first, freeing up cash to spend on a left fielder and No. 2 starter. It's amazing in this town and this day and age that we refuse to let players develop before calling for their heads. I wonder if Mets fans today would have traded Sandy Koufax away after his first couple of miserable years with Brooklyn and L.A. Why don't we allow players who are not instant impact players time to develop? -- Jeremy I., Smithtown, N.Y.

What's this, another reader advocating patience? Two in two days. Next thing we'll have people doing things in a New York hour.

All you have written is well taken (even though Murphy's rookie status was gone after his 131st and final at-bat in 2008). The Mets see quality in him. I suspect what the ever-demanding public sees is an aggressive and improving, but nonetheless ordinary defensive first baseman with ordinary power playing for a team that, last season, lacked power. If the Mets 2010 left fielder were going to be the 1989 version of Kevin Mitchell, I believe the public would be more patient with Murphy.
As much as I believe in doubles as a critical element in sustaining offense, home runs are necessary, more home runs, at least, than the Mets hit in 2009.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20091028&content_id=7567078&vkey=news_nym&fext=.jsp&c_id=nym&partnerId=rss nym


Tim Teufel is to be promoted to manager of the Double-A Binghamton Mets after managing the St. Lucie Mets, the organization's most advanced Class A affiliate, for 3 1/2 seasons in the past five years. Wally Backman, Teufels's other half as the Mets' second baseman from 1986-1988, is to be hired to manage the St. Lucie affiliate. And Mookie Wilson is to return to the organization after a two-year absence to work in the Minor Leagues.
A person familiar with those changes and possibilities acknowledged them Wednesday while general manager Omar Minaya was in the Dominican Republic for the opening of the club's instructional league season. The final decisions involving the third-base coaching assignment and the Minor League positions and the announcements are likely to follow the end of the World Series.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20091028&content_id=7565696&vkey=news_nym&fext=.jsp&c_id=nym&partnerId=rss_ nym



Sources say longtime scout Sandy Johnson has agreed to return to the Mets as VP of scouting to continue assisting embattled general manager Omar Minaya after suggesting for weeks he was likely to retire, and some Mets officials believe the unusual effort made to retain Johnson is another sign of diminishing faith in Minaya.

Mets COO Jeff Wilpon is said to have thought it imperative that Johnson, who had a big hand in building winning teams in Texas and Arizona, return to boost the front office. Johnson had previously expressed to the Mets that he was likely to retire. Johnson was said by one club official to have been given basically "a blank check" to return, signaling the Mets' desperation to keep him. The vast majority of Mets scouts had their contracts renewed within the past few days with no raise, said to be the result of a bad economy and the team's poor performance

Read more: - http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/baseball/mlb/10/28/mets.johnson/#ixzz0VKXznOSd




Winter Leagues:
Catchers:

Doyle, Dock C 6'0 200 L/R 3/24/1986 Sanford, NC
Glenn, Jeffrey C 6'3 185 R/R 9/22/1991 Phoenix, AZ
Gronauer, Kai C 6'1 196 R/R 11/28/1986 Solingen, GER
Maron, Camden C 6'1 175 L/R 1/20/1991 Huntington, NY
Valdez, Amauris C 5'11 202 R/R 8/24/1988 Monte Plata
Zapata, Nelfi C 6'0 203 R/R 12/13/90 Santo Domingo, DR
Avila, Wandel C 6'2 185 R/R 4/10/1991 SPM
Caba, Arickson C 6'3 190 R/R 2/2/1989 Bonao
Cordero, Albert C 6 191 R/R 01/14/90 Charallave, Venezuela
De Leon, Jeyckol C 6'2 204 R/R 7/25/1990 Panama
Diaz, Socrates C 6'2 205 R/R 9/24/1990 San Pedro de Macoris
Mejia, Humberto C 6'1 215 R/R 10/13/1990 Las Matas de Farfan

sure looks like no more 5-8 catchers in this system

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/mets/2009/10/instructional-league-rosters.html#ixzz0VHSsKQeo



Caracas Leones (13-3)

Josh Thole (.375) is thriving in the Caracas heat

Lance Broadway (2.63) is trying to justify his number one pick by the White Sox. He’ll be 27 next year so time is running out. The White Sox had so soured on him that they traded Larry to the Mets for backup catcher Ramon Castro

Six years after their famous brawl in the 2003 playoffs, Pedro Martinez and Don Zimmer still differ on what exactly happened.

When a separate altercation broke out on the field at Fenway Park, Zimmer, then a 72-year-old New York bench coach, charged at then Red Sox ace Martinez, who grabbed Zimmer by the head and tossed him to the ground. The Yankees were annoyed that Martinez hit Karim Garcia with a pitch earlier in the game, but the 38-year-old Martinez said his ailing shoulder was giving him trouble.

"It was an ugly scene," Martinez said Wednesday, adding this was probably the first time he was discussing it publicly. "Zim charged me and I think he's going to say something, but his reaction was totally the opposite, [he] was trying to punch my mouth and told me a couple of bad words about my mom. I just had to react and defend myself.

10/28/09

The Keepers - #42 - 3B - Shawn Bowman




42. Shawn Bowman – 3B – AAA – 25/yrs.


Bowman was selected by the Mets in the 12th Round (357th overall) of the 2002 draft. He signed (out of Charles Best high school in Coquitlam, British Columbia) late so he did not play for any Mets organization in 2002. He split 2003 between Kingsport (.121) and Brooklyn (.203), and, in 2004, Bowman was kicked up to Capital City (A) where he hit .259, with 19HRs and 69 RBIs.

Scout.com listed Bowman that year as the #3 Mets prospect. 2005 brought a promotion to St. Lucie (A+) where be hit .223, with 17 HRs. He was sidelined due to a fractured L-5 vertebrate in his lower back, which he fractured again in 2006. In 32 games for St. Lucie, Bowman batted .252 with three home runs and 19 RBI. He briefly considered having surgery to repair the back but eventually settled upon a rehabilitation program, which was carried out at the Mets' Tradition Field training complex.

Baseball America ranked him as the #7 prospect that year (and the best defensive infielder) and InsidePitch had him #8. This year, OnDeck ranks him this year as the Mets #16 prospect and John Sickles gives him a C rating and ranks him as the 17th Mets prospect. InsidePitch listed Bowman (in Nov 2001) the 7th top Mets prospect. Scout.com gave Bowman ‘2 stars’ (and the 17th top 3B prospect in baseball) as one of the Mets top 10 prospects (issued in December ’06). Bowman has begun his road back to professional baseball by playing winter ball in Nicaragua, where he has powered the offense for Tigres de Chinandega as the cleanup hitter. John Sickles’ 2007 prospect list has him at #15, with the comments “back injury 2 years in a row). He is expected to begin the 2007 season in Binghamton, or St. Lucie.

Scout.com ranks Bowman as the 6th Mets prospect on their revised list that came out prior to the 2007 spring training.

In 2007, he once again started the season with back problems and was placed on the minor league injured reserve list prior to opening day. He did play a short time for St. Lucie as a DH (.150/.182/.300 in 20 at bats), and he is now attempting to come back in 2008 as a pitcher.

In 2008, Bowman was a Disney movie rolled into a Spielberg direction.

In September 2008, Bowman was assigned to the Peoria Saguaros team in the Arizona Winter League.

In 2008, Bowman rebounded with a wonderful season in St. Lucie (.340). He was promoted to Binghamton and his combined stats were: .290/.312/.491 in 210 at bats. More important, he was not injured all season long.

In 2009, Bowman strung his 2nd great season together (uninjured too) for Binghamton, hitting .294/.346/.458/.804, 9-HR, 44-RBI in 347-AB

Forecast:

You have to think of Bowman as a 23 year old playing AAA rather than his real age of 25. He simply has lost a minimum of two years due to injuries, and who knows what would have happened with him if that never happened. This was a real prospect guys. That being said, he no longer is projected to be playing fulltime third base some day in Queens, and I’m sure he won’t be part of any package deal because other clubs are wary whether his body will hold up. For now, a full year at AAA. After that, who the heck knows.

The Keepers - #43 - IF - Josh Peterson




43. Josh Peterson – IF/OF - AAA

Peterson was originally drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 24th round of the 2002 draft. He decided not to sign and later became an un-drafted free agent signed by the Mets in 2004.

In 2004, he hit for Kingsport (.253/.341/.371 in 53 games), playing both first base and third.

2005 was first spent in Brooklyn (.276/.323/.418, skipped Class A, and went straight to St. Lucie (.234/.274/.334). he also struck out 71 times in 320 at bats.
In 2007, Peterson played the entire season for St. Lucie (.277/.318/.417 in 307 at bats).

Peterson continued to impress in 2008, going .293/.344/.403 for Binghamton.
From www.mintherawfeed.com: - The Buffalo Bisons, Triple-A affiliate of the New York Mets, today announced that INF/OF Josh Petersen has been promoted to the team from the Binghamton Mets (AA). The Mets also announced that OF Emil Brown has been released by the team. Petersen, 27, has hit .326 (59-181) with 10 doubles, a triple, three home runs and 27RBI in 57 games with Binghamton. Petersen has swung a hot bat of late, as he joins the Bisons on a six-game hit streak (.520, 13-250). In his last 25 games, he has hit .379 (33-87) for Binghamton Petersen has spent most of his season in the outfield for Binghamton but has also made two starts at first base and four at third base for the B-Mets.

Forecast: Peterson has become one of the very valuable AAAA players that do anything they are asked to do. He plays all three outfield positions, as well as first base and third, and knows the quickest route to the airport if he is needed at another level for a night game. He has survived the Rule V game and should be hanging around Buffalo for the next couple of years. Don’t feel sorry for guys like this. There’s decent money at the AAA level, especially in this bad economy.

Minors Stuff




New York Mets

Fox, on its World Series coverage starting tonight, faces just such terror. Or more specifically, Fox director Bill Webb does. While live TV sports production is highly collaborative ? Fox will deploy about 150 workers tonight ? you can't make split-second decisions by committee. Tonight, Webb will sit next to producer Pete Macheska, who oversees the show, in a cramped TV trailer in Yankee Stadium. They'll stare at a wall of screens showing what's in focus on each of Fox's 20 cameras, and Webb will decide which shot you'll get. With no do-overs. One other thing. Rupert Murdoch's Fox pays MLB about $256 million annually ? mainly to get postseason action ? so there's some pretty big money riding on these games. So Bill, tense? Well, he says, "the most important thing is to not get the crew uptight." Webb, directing his 13th World Series, is also the producer of New York Mets local TV games. That detail might flummox conspiracy theorists trying to figure out whether Fox's shots are secretly favoring the New York Yankees or Philadelphia Phillies, since both are Mets archenemies. And it's all besides the point anyway. "In reality," Webb says, "I'm not a big baseball fan in terms of teams. If you're a fan of one team or another, you shouldn't be in the business." -- USA Today
http://msn.foxsports.com/rumors


Winter Leagues:

Pitchers in the Instruction League, in the Dominican Republic:

1 Allen, Kyle RHP 6'3 190 R/R 2/12/1990 Riverview, FL
2 Almonte, Yohan RHP 6'1 150 R/R 11/9/1989 Sabana de la Mar
3 Beaulac, Eric RHP 6'5 190 R/R 11/13/1986 Troy, NY
4 Bello, Julio LHP 6'4 200 L/L 10/16/1986 Santo Domingo
5 Bierd, José RHP 6'1 165 R/R 5/8/1985 Santo Domingo
6 Carson, Robert LHP 6'3 220 L/L 1/23/1989 Hattiesburg, MS
7 Dotson, Zach LHP 6'1 180 L/L 10/31/1990 Savannah, GA
8 Familia, Jeurys RHP 6'3 208 R/R 10/10/1989 Santo Domingo
9 Fuller, Jim LHP 5'10 175 L/L 6/1/1987 Marlborough, MA
10 Germen, Gonzalez RHP 6'1 175 R/R 9/23/1987 La Romana
11 Hebert, Michael RHP 6'3 189 R/R 8/11/1990 Saugus, CA
12 Martinez, Samuel RHP 6'0 185 R/R 7/6/1987 Monte Plata
13 Matz, Steven LHP 6'2 192 R/L 5/29/1991 Stoneybrook, NY
14 Peña, Richard OF 6'2 175 R/R 8/15/1987 Santiago (I assume the Mets are trying to convert him to a pitcher here)15 Ramirez, Elvin RHP 6'3 200 R/R 10/10/1987 San Cristobal
16 Rodriguez, Armando RHP 6'2 203 R/R 1/28/1988 San Cristobal
17 Rojas, Luis RHP 5'11 175 R/R 7/29/1989 Santo Domingo
18 Taveras, Samuel RHP 6'2 191 R/R 4/14/1989 Santiago
19 Urbina, Juan LHP 6'2 170 L/L 5/31/1993 Ocumare Del Tuy, VEN
20 Valenzuela, Brian LHP 5'10 155 L/L 10/21/1989 Murrieta, CA


Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/mets/#ixzz0VF8Ftujj


Blogs:

Oh goody. As if this Philadelphia-New York World Series weren't already intense enough, Phillies pitcher - and longtime villain - Pedro Martinez is going to pitch Game 2. At Yankee Stadium. Wonder if some t-shirt sellers will dig up those old "Who's Your Daddy" duds to mark the occasion.

Unlike most Yankee fans, I think Pedro Martinez is one of the more interesting, intelligent characters in baseball - he's funny, entertaining and even eloquent, as I noted in this Faster Times piece. I enjoyed seeing him knock the Mets out of the playoffs this year. But I hope he loses – big time - against the Yankees Thursday, with him babbling under the mango tree when all is said and done!
http://networkedblogs.com/p15852809

Marty Noble responds to questions in regards to the Mets off-season plans. The Mets are going to be looking for a catcher and according to Noble there are three on their wish list.

Bengie Molina is a 35 y/o right handed catcher who is one of the top hitters at the position along with being well known for handling a young staff. The biggest problem with Molina is whether his knees can take the pounding. Lifetime .276 hitter with a .418 Slg. pct and .308 OBP.

http://metsfever.blogspot.com/2009/10/three-catchers-on-mets-radar.html



Mets Alumni:

The Pirates requested outright waivers on reliever Tyler Yates, who then opted for free agency. Yates missed most of last season after having reconstructive elbow surgery. -- Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
http://msn.foxsports.com/rumors/mlb

Phillies manager Charlie Manuel announced this morning that 38-year-old Pedro Martinez will start Game Two of the World Series later this week, giving us all one final chance to experience a Pedro start in the Bronx. It's not crazy to think that that start may be the last of Pedro's Hall of Fame career, however it seems like he'll be back at it again in 2010.

No one asked me, but I believe Pedro's 2000 season (217 IP, 128 H, 284-32 K/BB ratio) is the greatest single season by any pitcher in history. Obviously that Pedro Martinez is long gone, but this year's version was still effective. In nine regular season starts with the Phils, he put up a 3.63 ERA and a stellar 1.6 BB/9 in 44.2 IP. He allowed just two hits and zero runs in his lone playoff start (so far) in 2009.
Pedro made the pro-rated portion of a $2MM base salary in 2009, though he pick up another $300K in performance bonuses. What kind of contract do you see Martinez getting this offseason? Considering the shoulder issues he's had in the past, would it be smart of him to go on the "Roger Clemens plan" and pitch just half the season?
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com



General:

Susan Finkelstein, 43, was charged with prostitution and related offenses after police say she advertised herself as a buxom, blond, die-hard Phillies fan who was desperately seeking World Series tickets and would have sex to get them.
"I'm the creative type! Maybe we can help each other," authorities say Finkelstein's online ad read. She described herself as "gorgeous" and said her price was negotiable, according to police.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,569841,00.html

10/27/09

Top Catchers in 2010 MLB Draft







1. Bryce Harper – Las Vegas High School

From Rob Nyer, in 2008, as a 15-yr. old: Harper has a power bat and a plus throwing arm that "already grades out to 70 on the 20 to 80 scouting scale," according to Dave Perkin of Baseball America. During infield prior to the game, Harper, in full gear, rifled the ball out of a crouch to second and third base with precision. Upon seeing him in action, I marked down "+ + arm" next to his name in my program. Although the rap on him is that he's not all that fast, I thought he ran very well from home to third on that triple, especially considering his age, size, and power. The kid is nothing if not impressive.

As a 16-year old, Harper hit .626 in 2009, with 14 home runs and 55 RBIs in 115 at-bats for the Wildcats this season. He hit 22 doubles, nine triples and stole 36 bases. He only struck out five times. He also scored nine times on wild pitches… from 2nd base.

5/09: played a three-game travel schedule… hit 11-12, with 10 HRs and one double

7/07 fr. www.projectprospect.com :Just a few weeks ago the 2010 draft looked solid but lacked a true star. Enter Bryce Harper. Harper told the Las Vegas Review Journal that he planned on getting his GED and has already enrolled at the College of Southern Nevada, a junior college with a strong baseball program. The Sports Illustrated cover boy will be the most hyped teenage sports star since LeBron James. With 80 raw power, a plus-plus arm, above-average speed and good defensive ability at the most difficult position on the diamond, the only thing holding Harper back might be the pressure living up to the hype.

Fr. www.espn.com: Harper's best asset as a hitter is his strength; not muscle or bulk but hand and wrist strength, so that when he makes contact the ball takes off with uncanny power for someone his age. He launches balls in batting practice out to right and right-center and can drive the ball easily to the left-center wall. He's still wiry but has plenty of room to fill out and eventually make his listed weight -- a heavy 205 pounds -- a reality. He loads with his hands well behind his back shoulder, so he nearly bars out his front arm, adding some length to the swing. But he strides into the ball and rotates his hips well with his swing and has good hand-eye coordination, so the result is a lot of contact and the big raw power for which he's become known. He's an above-average runner now and should settle in as at least average even if he fills out completely.


7-21: 2010 MLB Mock Draft - 2nd Edition - July 21, 2009 by Scouting The Sports - http://scoutingthesports.com/?p=3632 - 1. Washington Nationals - Bryce Harper: -Last year the Nationals got maybe the best prospect ever drafted in the Major Leagues in Stephen Strasburg. After again having the worst record in the MLB, they will be able to pick number one and will select one of the more touted hitting prospects of all time. Labeled “Baseball’s Chosen One” on the June 8 cover of Sports Illustrated, Harper, a 6-3 catcher who can also pitch in the 90s, hit .626 with 14 home runs and 55 RBI in only 115 at-bats this season for Las Vegas High School. Harper is also very good defensively, and very athletic stealing 36 bases last season. This guy is a once in a lifetime catcher that the Nationals will not be able to pass up.

8-1: from http://perfectgame.atinfopop.com: had the purest swing in the whole tourney with best power potential as well, reminds me of Joe Maurer with the Twins, Joe is more athletic however, Bryce displayed ML plus arm strength and know how behind the dish. If he truly is going to get his HS GED as publicized, he could be taken in the top 10 selections in 2010, or he could be #1 in 2011. Only thing that bothered me was the arm sleeve he wore around his elbow. Also pitched 1 inning and k'0d all three hitters, 93 fb tops. Right now he grades out great, 50 hitter, 60 power (to all fields), 40 runner now, 65 arm, 60 field.

8-17 from www.baseballamerica.com re: AFLAC games - Bryce Harper (Las Vegas HS), the 16-year-old catching phenom, was the marquee attraction at the Aflac game, and while he showed his premium defensive tools, his offensive performance was underwhelming. He grounded out twice and struck out three times, rifling his batting helmet into the dugout after his third whiff. Over the past several weeks, scouts have been whispering that Harper was off of his game. Those suspicions were validated in San Diego. He could not catch up to a decent fastball and was badly fooled by every curve, flailing and missing badly. Harper's swing, sound previously, has gone backwards. He is far too long on the back end, he is lunging and diving at pitches, and his timing is drastically inconsistent.

8-19: Jeff Sullivan from the AFLAC Games: - Although he had a disappointing game at the plate, Harper still showed why he is the number one talent in high school, and possibly, the number one talent in the 2010 draft. He went 0-5 with three strikeouts in the game, including getting completely fooled by Cameron Bedrosian, on a nasty breaking ball. During the week he showcased his power in batting practice and it is truly amazing what he can do with the bat. Harper also showed off his power arm from behind the dish, and even if he struggled in the game, he is still the number one prospect from the game.

9-5: from Jonathan Mayo’s 8-26 article on www.minors.mlbblogs.com: - The "big" name, the phenom who was on the cover of Sports Illustrated, the presumptive No. 1 pick for next year. A word of caution: A lot can happen between now and then. Not saying he's not good, just don't crown the guy just yet. At the AFLAC game, he showed bat speed and plus arm strength. There were some concerns with his approach at the plate, where he seems more focused on hitting long home runs and didn't make adjustments. His release on his throws was a little longer than it's been in the past. He still showed plenty of tools, but he didn't make in-game adjustments

9-7: From www.perfectgame.com on the AFLAC games: - had a bad day at the dish, which was bound to happen sooner or later. He rifled off some great throws and played solid defense. Don't be fooled by his lunging and missing other pitches he should of crushed, but he saw a different pitcher each at bat. For as much ink as this young man has had and with his tools he's still in the top 5 players on paper going in the 1st round, barring a total meltdown in 2010.
9-16: From www.baseballamerica.com : - College Top 25 draft prospects: #1: Bryce Harper, c CC of Southern Nevada

9-24: From: http://mlbresource.blogspot.com: Mock Draft Version 1 – #1 Bryce Harper, C, College of Southern Nevada

9/27 from: http://web.usabaseball.com: Bryce Harper and Manny Machado each drove in two runs in a seven-run third inning to lead the USA Baseball 18U National Team to a 14-0 run-rule shutout against Argentina Saturday in Day 2 of the COPABE "AAA" Pan American Championships at Daniel Canonico Stadium.

9-28: From http://mlbresource.blogspot.com: - Mock Draft Version 2 - Bryce Harper, C, College of Southern Nevada - Harper is as of right now the undisputed #1 pick. He is a five tool player and believe it or not is getting more attention than Stephen Strasburg. My only concern for Harper is expectations. If Harper is a solid major leaguer is that enough for Washington fans? I fully expect Harper to be an All-Star caliber player for many years but this is a ton of pressure on a kid that hasn't played at a higher level than high school.


9-30: From: http://web.usabaseball.com: - Karsten Whitson, Connor Mason and Kevin Gausman combined on a three-hitter, and an opportunistic offense took advantage of five errors as the USA Baseball 18U National Team remained unbeaten with a 19-0 run-rule shutout of Colombia Monday on Day 4 of the COPABE "AAA" Pan American Junior Championships at Daniel Canonico Stadium. Garin Cecchini made it a 3-0 game with an RBI double. The team then added four more runs in the second on Tony Wolters' two-run double and a two-run home run by Bryce Harper, a towering blast to right field. Team USA erupted for five runs in the fifth on two hits and two Columbia errors, with Brian Ragira's two-run double the big hit in the at bat. Wolters ended up with three RBIs. Harper, Cecchini, Ragira and Kavin Keyes had two apiece. Keyes also had three hits. Harper, Cecchini and Manny Machado each scored three runs.

10-1 from: www.baseballrumormill.com: - The COPABE "AAA" Pan American Championships began this past weekend and the 18-and-under squad from Team USA got off to a very hot 3-0 start with wins over Aruba, Argentia and Panama. Three stars stood out offensively for Team USA: Bryce Harper: The well publicized SI coverboy lived up to the hype in Game 2 against Argentina. Team USA crushed Argentina 14-0 and Harper had two doubles and two RBI.

10-5 from http://mlbbonusbaby.com: #1: Washington Nationals – Bryce Harper, C, CC of Southern Nevada – Harper’s not the best thing to ever happen to baseball, but he’s the frontrunner for this spot at the current moment. A big spring against more advanced competition will lock this spot up for him. He’s got some competition, but there’s no clear top talent behind him, so if the class is this muddy eight months from now, Harper’s going to go #1. (only catcher in first round)

10-5 from http://baseballdraftreport.com: - top 50 prospects in 2010 draft - C Bryce Harper (1st catcher on list)

10-6 from: http://baseballdraftreport.com: - C Bryce Harper - The Harper backlash has already begun in some corners of the internet, but I’m going to be oh so bold and stick with him as the top draft prospect heading into 2010.

10-13 from www.mymlbdraft.com: 2010 MLB Mock Draft - # 1 C Bryce Harper

10-19 from www.mlbresource.com: - Blake's Scouting Report - Bryce Harper has all the tools. He hits, hits for power, runs great, great arm, and plays outstanding defense. The only downfall which was hard to find is that Harper has struggled a bit against good pitching. It will be interesting to see his numbers this year at CSUN. Harper is also 93-95 off the mound but I doubt he ends up ever pitching. The 6'3 sweet swinging lefty has a chance to be a perennial All-Star and will immediately be a #1 prospect in whichever organization he joins.

10-24 from www.baseballrumormll.com: - top 10 prospects: - 1. Bryce Harper, C, College of Southern Nevada: The SI coverboy left high school after only his sophomore year so that he could enroll at a junior college and be eligible for the 2010 draft, instead of the 2011 draft. Harper brings all of the tools that teams want to see out of a draft prospect. He can hit for average and power, runs well, throws well and has great baseball acumen. The only question is whether he'll be a catcher as a professional.

10-24 from Jim Callis: Could Nationals go with Taillon or Ranaudo over Harper? - - Sure they could. I'll do a column on this at some point, but I don't think it's far-fetched to conceive of Bryce Harper falling out of the first round. It's going to be almost impossible to live up to the hype, and if he falls short and is looking for big money--is Strasburg's contract a starting point--he may scare off clubs, who know he can re-enter the 2011 and 2012 drafts and still have lots of leverage. It's also possible that after spending $15.1 million on Strasburg, the Nationals don't want to spend huge money on another No. 1 overall pick.



2. Yasmani Grandal – Miami – taken in the 27th round of the 2007 draft by Boston… excellent power and plate discipline… strong arm… needs work on his skills…

7/07 fr. www.projectpropsect.com: One of the top unsigned prospects for the 2007 Draft Grandal might be 2010’s Josh Phegly - a good hitter, with big time power but questionable defensive ability behind the dish despite a strong arm. Grandal lead the Hurricane’s in home runs with 16 this spring while sporting a .299/.410/.599 line with 33 walks and 37 strikeouts in 239 plate appearances. If Grandal can stay at catcher defensively, his strong bat could make him a star.


7-09: Fr. Keith Law/ www.espn.com : Grandal sports an above average arm, but really gets scouts attention with his ability to hit effectively from both sides of the plate.

7-20: homered in the first inning for Team USA win over Team Canada

7-21: 2010 MLB Mock Draft - 2nd Edition - July 21, 2009 by Scouting The Sports http://scoutingthesports.com/?p=3632 - 6. Oakland Athletics - Yasmani Grandal Catcher Miami - -Grandal was actually taken in the 27th round by the Red Sox in ‘07, but chose to go to college instead. It was certainly a good decision to return to Miami because he has developed his power and plate discipline. Grandal can certainly hit, and there are no questions about his ability at the plate. But it’s his work behind the plate that is lagging because while Grandal has a strong arm, he really needs to work on his game calling skills and work with pitchers. Oakland loves picking college kids, so this is no surprise here. If Grandal refines himself behind the plate, he could move even higher in this draft, especially with the nature of catching in baseball.

7-20: In the 6-3 Team USA loss to Team Germany: hit solo home run

8-1: from http://perfectgame.atinfopop.com: has filled out since HS days and shows more power in his stroke, technique to throw to 2b has improved, still a bit erratic however. One of the top 3 college catchers in the game and a high demand could make him an early rounder easily next spring. Consistency is biggest concern overall in his skill set performance, tools are there, just put it all together! Jorge Posado anyone?

9-24: From: http://mlbresource.blogspot.com: Mock Draft Version 1 – #5 pick overall - Yasmani Grandal, C - University of Miami

9-28: From http://mlbresource.blogspot.com: - Mock Draft Version 2 - #27 pick overall - Yasmani Grandal, C - University of Miami (FL) - Grandal and Micah Gibbs will fight for the position of top college catcher behind Bryce Harper and all three are solid. He is solid on defense and popped 16 HR last year for the Hurricanes. I could see Grandal going a little lower but for now he is a first rounder.



3. Stefan Sabol – (up from 4th) - Aliso Niquel HS (CA) – 6-0, 200 – 6.75 in 60-yd… pop time: 1.88… needs work on catching balls, not throwing…

8-9: from Keith Law/ www.espn.com: - Figuring to be a first round pick in 2010, Stefan Sabol continued to impress at the games. He displayed plenty of tools at the games: running and throwing well, while demonstrating a solid swing that can go to all parts of the field. The only question is where to put him in the field. He's currently a catcher, but most teams will probably want to put his athleticism in the outfield.

8-10: From www.baseballamerica.com – Area Code Games - The highest overall score in 2009 was posted by Stefan Sabol, a catcher/outfielder from Aliso Niguel High School in Aliso Viejo, Calif. Sabol, whose cousin is Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu, recorded a stratospheric 80.87 overall score. Sabol trampolined to a remarkable 36.2 inch vertical leap, and shocked everyone present—himself included—by racing off to one of the fastest 60 times in Area Code history—6.28. The score is shocking because Sabol typically runs in the 6.5- to 6.7-second range.

8-19: Jeff Sullivan from the AFLAC Games: - Sabol is an outstanding athlete who is a blast to see play. He is athletic enough to play almost anywhere on the diamond, but if he is able to stick at catcher, it will greatly improve his draft stock. He has blazing speed and is a very exciting player. Sabol went hitless in the game, but he is a fantastic athlete who has committed to play for Oregon.

9-16: From www.baseballamerica.com : - High School Top 25 draft prospects: 15. Stefan Sabol, c/of Aliso Niquel HS, Aliso Viejo, Calif.

10-5 from http://baseballdraftreport.com: - top 50 prospects in 2010 draft - C/OF Stefan Sabol (2nd catcher on list)

10-13 from www.mymlbdraft.com: 2010 MLB Mock Draft - #32 – (2nd C picked) - Stefan Sabol




4. Micah Gibbs - LSU – 6-0, 220, S/R -

7/07 fr. www.projectprospect.com: - Tennessee’s backstop Blake Forsythe and LSU’s catcher Micah Gibbs are potential first round picks. Both guys need to improve their contact abilities next spring but have good upside.

8-1: from http://perfectgame.atinfopop.com: solid receiver, at least 50 arm strength w/good release, has legit power, frequency and contact ability still in question, was a bit stiff at CWS, however, the talent and skills package is there, he'll have to put it all together in 2010.

9-24: From: http://mlbresource.blogspot.com: Mock Draft Version 1 – #24 pick overall - Micah Gibbs, C – LSU

9-28: From http://mlbresource.blogspot.com: - Mock Draft Version 2 - #16 pick overall - Micah Gibbs, C – LSU - Scouting Director R.J. Harrison has proven to be one of the best in all of baseball through the building of one of the best farm systems. The Rays have a ton of pitching and a ton of young athletic players and to me bringing Gibbs in is another quality chip in the bag. Dioner Navarro has been good but I am not sure how much longer he will be in Tampa. The catching position seems to be one need and this good be a good pick for the Rays.

10-5 from http://baseballdraftreport.com: - top 50 prospects in 2010 draft - 48th - C Micah Gibbs (4th catcher on list)



5. Rob Brantly – (up from 8th) – UC Riverside

9-16: From www.baseballamrica.com : - College Top 25 draft prospects: 25. Rob Brantly, c UC Riverside

10-5 from http://baseballdraftreport.com: - top 50 prospects in 2010 draft - 31. C Rob Brantly (3rd catcher on list)

10-6 from: http://baseballdraftreport.com: - C Rob Brantly - Brantly is another draft-eligible sophomore with tremendous upside; in a pretty good year for college catching, he’s the top four-year college backstop on my board.



6. Cameron Rupp – Texas – 6-3, 220, R/R- also plays 1B…


8-1: from http://perfectgame.atinfopop.com: solid power straight away and at least an ave ML hitter, 260-270 type with 15-20 type HR at the least. Solid arm strength, tends to rush throws thus causing accuracy problems to 2b. Has improved since HS days.



7. Blake Forsythe – Tennessee -

7/07 from www.projectprospect.com: - Tennessee’s backstop Blake Forsythe and LSU’s catcher Micah Gibbs are potential first round picks. Both guys need to improve their contact abilities next spring but have good upside. Forsythe has more power while Gibbs has more defensive value…

7-09: Fr. Keith Law/ www.espn.com : Law critizes Forsythe by saying "he's Adam Dunn at the plate -- it takes an act of Congress to get the bat off his shoulder."

9-24: From: http://mlbresource.blogspot.com: Mock Draft Version 1 – #28 pick overall - Blake Forsythe, C - Tennessee



8. Mitch Karraker Univ. of Oregon – 6-1, 175, junior… 2009: 51-G, 34-starts, 2.16, second on the team with 18-RBIs, .979 fielding percentage, 31 –assists, caught 14-32 (.696) base runners


9. Jeremy Malo – Texas Tech – Junior – 5-10, 194, R/R… good power… 2009: .313/.453/.618 in 144 at bats… 11-HRs, 35-RBIs, 11-E


10. Zane Evans – Roswell HS (GA) – 6-3, 210, R/R – raw power… also RHP with 88mph fastball… excellent arm strength--- verbally committed to Auburn….


11. Samuel Peterson – DeRidder HS (LA) – 6-0, 185, R/R – excellent catch and throw skills… handles bat well…


12. Arman Valenzuela – Northview HS (CA) – 6-1, 175, R/R – athletically built… all around defensive skills… verbally committed to Loyola Marymount…


13. Cody Stanley – UNC Wilmington junior L/R…

7-23: stats thru 7-15 in Cape Cod League: .276, 1-HR, 5-RBI… starting in Cape Cod All-Star game


14. Mike Murray – Wake Forest – senior L/R…
7-23: stats thru 7-15 in Cape Cod League: .385, 0-HR, 3-RBI… starting in Cape Cod All-Star game


15. Alex Lavisky - St. Edward HS (OH) – 6-1, 205 -
7-29: From: www.baseballfactory.com: - Lavisky is a strong and agile backstop with solid catch-andthrow ability. At the plate, he employs an open stance and has quick wrists that allow him to catch up to velocity well

9-8: www.pgtracker.com lists as one of the top 10 high school players coming out of Ohio.


16. Alex Ramsay – Severna Park (MD) - 6-0, 185 –
7-29: From: www.baseballfactory.com: - One of the top catchers in the 2010 class, Ramsay is an excellent athlete who runs the 60-yard dash in 7.0 seconds. He shows good actions behind the plate with quick feet, a strong arm and good blocking and receiving skills. He’s a good hitter with quick hands and above-average bat speed.


17. Kellin Deglan – Langley HS (BC) – 6-2, 180 –
7-29: from www.baseballfactory.com: - Deglan is a big, strong catcher who is 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds. The combination of his arm strength and power from the left side make him an intriguing prospect and he has blossomed lately, hitting in the middle of the Canadian Junior National Team’s lineup.

18. Jacob Felts – Orangefield HS (TX) – 6-0, 195 –

7-29: from www.baseballfactory.com: - Felts is a very solid defender who flashes a 1.8-second pop time. He hits with some authority too, with a line drive approach to all fields.

19. Shane Rowland

9-7: From www.perfectgame.com on the AFLAC games: - I saw some blinking going on this summer and he did it again, except I didn't see it 100% until I saw the video playback of the game today on a couple of pitches. Good young receiver that some compare to Greg Zaun.


20. Dan Burkhart – Ohio State –

9-8: www.pgtracker.com lists as one of the top 10 college players coming out of Ohio.



The Keepers - #44 - RP - Edgar Alfonzo




44. Edgar Alfonzo – RP – AA – 25/yrs.

Alfonzo was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2002 by the Mets, and started his career on the VSL Mets. In November 2005, Baseball America wrote: The New York Mets signed left-handed pitcher Edgar Alfonzo as an International free agent out of Venezuela back in 2002. The mere fact that he's left-handed and throws good secondary pitches means his stock is automatically higher than most. Ranking #48.


In 1993, Baseball America had him listed as the 9th Mets prospect.


He spent the entire 2007 season on the injured reserve list.


In 2008, Alfonzo combined for a 2-2, 4.15 record, in 47 appearances, for St. Lucie and Binghamton.


In 2009, Alfonzo pitched exclusively for Binghamton, going 4-5, 3.97 in 49 games. He only struck out 42 batters in 70.1-IP


Currently, he is pitching in the VWL (0-0, 2.70, in six appearances).


Forecast:


This one’s tough to call. Alfonzo hasn’t pitched all that bad as a Mets, but 2010 will be his ninth season as a Mets minor leaguer and he hasn’t stood out in any of those seasons. Obviously, there is a connection to two of his relatives that have served as coaches in the system, but, if you have to have a couple of AAAA relief pitchers in the system, you could do a lot worse than Fonz v.3.0. My guess is he will spend the entire 2010 season in Buffalo.

Minors Stuff




New York Mets


A recent story in the Boston Herald suggested that Mets centerfielder Carlos Beltran could be an intriguing contingency plan for the Red Sox this offseason should Boston fail to re-sign left-fielder Jason Bay. If Bay were to depart, the report suggested, the Sox could entertain the idea of trading for Beltran — one of the best defensive players in the game, and a middle-of-the-order hitter to boot — and moving Jacoby Ellsbury to left field.

However, it appears that there is virtually no chance that such a deal could happen. While Beltran — who has two years, each at $18.5 million (though with $5.5 million of each season’s salary due in deferred, interest-gathering payments), left on his seven-year, $119 million deal — would undoubtedly be both affordable and attractive to the Sox or just about any other team seeking an outfielder, there is virtually no chance that he will be dealt.


John Lackey, RHP, Angels - He is making himself some money with his postseason performance, but it doesn't appear he'll get it from the Angels. Look for Texas or the Mets to show an interest. -- Boston Globe .....


Maybe there was a curse of Shea Stadium.

Maybe the baseball gods put the hex on the Yankees after they celebrated on the Mets home field. Nine years have passed since Mike Piazza’s flyball looked oh so close to going out, only to fall gently into Bernie Williams’ glove.

Yet, now Shea Stadium is gone and the Yankees are going back to the World Series, playing of all teams, the Philadelphia Phillies. It’s a Met fans’ nightmare. Them against them. The same type of suffering the Yankee fan had back in 1986. Does a Met fan root for a Phillies dynasty or the completed purchase of No. 27?

This is what Sam Kinison meant when he spoke about the “Big Menu.”

Even though this seems like a tough choice, it’s actually pretty obvious, Met fans need to back a New York team here. Sure it’s easy to say, “I’m not watching.” But unless you really love CSI and NCIS, there’s really nothing else on TV. Football only happens on Sunday and unless you are a Ranger fan, all the other New York teams stink.

And forget HBO, because outside of the hour of Curb Your Enthusiasm, there’s really nothing on there either, unless you are a fan of Madagascar 2.

Escogido Leones (4-3) - Tobi Stoner is pitching well with two starts and a 1.64 ERA.

Estrellas de Oriente (3-4) - Fernando Tatis is hitting .353.

That's a question that I've been asked several times in the last few days. With the Yankees and the Phillies kicking off the World Series on Wednesday night, friends and family have been keen to find out how I will manage my emotions for the next week to 10 days.

Do I root for the Yankees, by virtue of the fact that they represent New York and that they will be trying to derail a bitter rival's quest for back-to-back championships? Do I root for the Phillies, who by winning the Series would shut the mouths of the legions of "diehard" Yankee fans that have suddenly re-appeared this year? My answer so far has been that I will simply be rooting for a meteor to strike Yankee Stadium right before the first pitch of Game 1 is thrown. My real answer is a lot more complex. In a perverse way, I am actually glad that the Yankees and Phillies are their respective league champions. It's a nightmare scenario for Mets fans, of course, but it is also a nightmare scenario for ownership and management. The Wilpons seem to react only to shame and embarrassment, and watching the Mets' crosstown rivals do battle with the three-time NL East champions allows those feelings to cut even more deeply.

Dan Duquette, former Red Sox general manager - He was being considered for the Blue Jays CEO/president position, but it doesn't appear that current CEO Paul Beeston is leaning in Duquette's direction. --Boston Globe
http://msn.foxsports.com/rumors/mlb

Licey Tigers (5-3) - Wily Mo Pena is trying to make a come back and is at .167 in two games.
Estrellas de Oriente (3-4) - Early in the season Evan MacLane has been the mound ace with an 0.90 ERA in two starts. He has pitched 10 innings, giving up seven hits and walking three against nine whiffs.


http://myworldofbaseball.com/wordpress/?m=200910



2010 Draft:

The Bo Jackson Five-Tool Championship event held on Saturday lasted an excruciating four hours, but the top three player performances belonged to outfielder Wagner Mateo (Dominican Republic), outfielder Chevez Clarke (Marietta, Ga., HS) and third baseman/righthander Kaleb Cowart (Cook County HS, Adel, Ga.). The event was a good idea, but still has some kinks to be ironed out. Most of the scouts left after players ran their 60-yard dashes and threw from the outfield because they had no interest in watching two rounds of metal-bat BP. But there were some interesting highlights like Mitchell Shifflett’s (Cosby HS, Midlothian, Va.) running a 6.38-second 60-yard dash, Cowart’s 100 mph reading from right field and Mateo’s epic home run.

10/26/09

The Keepers - #45 - SP - Gonzalez German




45. Gonzalez German – SP – DSL/Rookie

German was signed in 2007 as a non-drafted free agent.


German had an impressive debut in 2008 with the DSL Mets: 5-2, 1.34, 0.76 in 15 games, 14 starts. Also, 70 Ks in 74.0 IP and only allowed 11-ER, 41-H, and 15-BB. He limited the opposition to a .159 BA and did not give up a home run in 258 at bats against him.


German won the Sterling Award as the top Met player for the 2008 DSL team. Everyone expected him to come stateside in the spring; however, he stayed a part of the DSL Mets to start the season. After dominating in eight starts (5-0, 1.80, 54-K in 45.0-IP), the visa came through and off he went to the GCL Mets, where he first, was shaky, (0-1, 9.00, in one game), and then disabled until the next tolast game of the season, in which he tossed two scoreless innings.


For the entire 2009, Germen went 5-1, 2.29, in ten games, nine starts.


Forecast: We’ve been following Germen since the first time he pitched for the Mets and, in our opinion, he’s the most talented pitcher coming out of the DSL chain in the past two years. There obviously was a shut down injury which we can’t get any info on… by the way, getting info out of the Mets Florida camp is harder than the getting it out of the Russian Mafia. Because of this injury, there’s a good chance he will repeat rookie ball, but I’d sure like to see him in Brooklyn next spring.

Minors Stuff




Winter Leagues:


Surprise Rafters (7-4)


Ike Davis is hitting a solid .394 with two dingers and nine RBIs…. The Mets have to be disappointed in the two appearances of Jenrry Mejia. He hasn’t lasted past the second inning in both starts giving up three runs in each for an ERA of 18.00. He has walked six and struck out two in his three innings of work.


http://myworldofbaseball.com/wordpress/?m=200910

Magallanes 2, La Guaira 1 (12 innings)

Ezequiel Carrera (Mariners) singled and crossed the plate when Jesus Merchan was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the 12th inning to send the Navegantes to a walkoff win over the Tiburones. Chris Mason gave up two hits and struck out five over five scoreless frames for a no-decision in the losing effort.


Blogs:

I don't know what to make of this, the Gonzalez information comes in the same article in which Bill Madden said Jason Bay's agent is Scott Boras which simply isn't true ( go here for Bay's actual agent comments on WEEI). It wasn't just that he named Boras but insinuated that one of the reasons he may not re-sign with Boston could be in part be due to the agent's relationship with the organization.

But the information in regards to Adrian Gonzalez is quoted by former Padres GM Kevin Towers. According to Towers the Padres simply can't afford to keep Gonzalez. The All-Star 1B would cost a lot normally but a new GM is going to look to fleece a team and make a name for himself, so that he isn't ushered out of town by the fan base for selling the face of the franchise as his first move.


At midnight on Monday, October 26th, the New York Yankees won the 2009 American League pennant, completing a World Series matchup with the Philadelphia Phillies. Also at midnight on Monday, October 26th, the movie Armageddon was starting on my cable system. How fitting. The movie had a happy ending. But this, my friends, is Baseball Armageddon. There is no happy ending. Satan has been unleashed. The minions have arrived on earth. The Mayan calendar has ended little more than three years earlier than expected. The world will never be the same. And the next two weeks are going to be the worst two weeks on earth.

The Cleveland Indians have hired Manny Acta as their manager.

Acta signed a three-year contract with a club option for 2013, team spokesman Bart Swain said Sunday. Additional terms were not disclosed.

Acta was fired by the Washington Nationals in July.

The Indians chose him after a second round of interviews over former New York Mets manager Bobby Valentine and Indians triple-A manager Torey Lovullo. The team also had been expected to interview Dodgers hitting coach Don Mattingly.

"We are very excited to have Manny Acta on board as our major league manager," Indians general manager Mark Shapiro said in a statement. "After speaking with an impressive array of candidates, we feel that Manny is a very strong and experienced leader who possesses great energy and enthusiasm along with tremendous communication skills and a positive mindset that will command a presence in the dugout, clubhouse and with our fans."

The 40-year-old Acta, who was drafted by the Astros as a 17-year-old first baseman, also interviewed for Houston's opening this off-season.

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=capress-bba_indians_acta-232153622&prov=capress&type=lgns

ESPN baseball analyst Steve Phillips, who was recently suspended for one-week after being embroiled in an affair with 22 year-old Brooke Hundley, a production assistant at ESPN, has been fired by the Worldwide Leader. The news of Phillips’ firing came by way of ESPN PR rep Mike Soltys via Twitter. “Steve Phillips is no longer working for ESPN. His ability to be an effective rep of ESPN has been significantly & irreparably damaged,” said Soltys.