10/13/09

Minors Stuff




Extended Camp:

PP: Brad Holt's transition to Double-A did not go well. Do you read much into that and do you see him as a starter or a reliever long term?

Hyde: Yes, I read something into Holt's difficult transition to Double-A. Double-A is the dividing line where stats really start to be very clear in predicting major league performance. After striking out more than 11 batters per nine innings in each of his first two professional stops, his K/9 dropped to 7.0 in Double-A. Meanwhile, his Double-A walk and homer rates were his highest as a professional. When I saw him in 2009, his fastball simply did not have the same kind of velocity as it did in 2008. His breaking ball had made progress since 2008, but was still not an offering he could rely on. Right now, he looks like a reliever.

PP: Jefry Marte had a lot of breakout buzz entering the year, but ended up being overwhelmed by the South Atlantic League. How much has his stock dropped?

Hyde: Not as much as you might think. The Mets jumped him from the Gulf Coast League to the South Atlantic League in the season in which he turned 18-years-old. Had he put up big numbers, he'd look like a future superstar. Instead, he's still a guy who shows a lot of potential. There's some pop in his bat, but he must become more disciplined at the plate to make it play more consistently. Despite an eye-popping 49 errors this year, the Mets think he has the ability to play third. He remains years away from the big leagues.


New York Mets

Granted free agency: RHP Connor Robertson, LHP Jon Switzer

Recalled: RHP Eddie Kunz, RHP Carlos Muniz, LHP Arturo Lopez, C Robinson Cancel, 2B Andy Green, 2B Argenis Reyes

Reinstated from DL: RHP Nick Abbott, RHP Sal Aguilar, RHP Jose Bierd, RHP Nick Carr, RHP Steven Cheney, RHP Ryan Coultas, RHP Tony Feliz, RHP Dillon Gee, RHP John Holdzkom, RHP Michael Johnson, RHP Jeff Kaplan, RHP John Madden, RHP German Marte, RHP Pedro P. Martinez, RHP Dan McDonald, RHP Carlos Muniz, RHP Elvin Ramirez, RHP Tim Stronach, RHP Erik Turgeon, LHP Matias Carrillo, LHP Mitch Houck, C Jordan Abruzzo, C Mike Nickeas, 2B James Ewing, 3B Tyler Vaughn, SS Matt Bouchard, OF William Cherry, OF Lucas Duda, OF Rafael Fernandez, OF Justin Garber, OF Cody Holliday, OF Seth Williams
(isn't it amazing how eveybody gets healthy the day after the season ends?)

Reinstated from inactive list: RHP Rhiner Cruz, RHP Will Morgan, LHP Matias Carrillo, LHP Arturo Lopez, 1B Ike Davis, 3B Shawn Bowman, SS Jonathan Malo

Brooklyn’s roster did not have the big-name prospects that they did in 2008 (Ike Davis, Brad Holt, Reese Havens, Jenrry Mejia, and Kirk Nieuwenhuis), but the Mets’ second overall pick in 2009, Robbie Shields manned shortstop. He was joined by fellow top-ten round picks, Darin Gorski, a pitcher drafted in the seventh round, and Nick Santomauro, an outfielder drafted in the 10th round

Shields’ stint in Brooklyn was largely disappointing considering his lack of offense—the shortstop managed an OPS of only .540. However, he did show off his strong defensive skills throughout the season. The highlight of his season may have come on July 27, when he started a game-winning rally, and scampered home on a walk-off wild pitch in the 14th inning.

The following players are now officially minor league free agents:
RHP Greg Aquino
RHP Josh Banks
3B Brian Barden
C Edwin Bellorin
RHP Kris Benson
1B Wilson Betemit
LHP Travis Blackley
RHP Bryan Bullington
LHP Brian Burres
RHP Vinnie Chulk
RHP R.A. Dickey
3B Joe Dillon
RHP Brandon Duckworth
OF Chris Duffy
RHP Geoff Geary
RHP Enrique Gonzalez
C Michel Hernandez
RHP Philip Humber
OF Mitch Jones
2B Matt Kata
LHP Javier Lopez
RHP Shane Loux
RHP Edwin Moreno
RHP Joe Nelson
C Guillermo Quiroz
RHP Steven Register
LHP Royce Ring
RHP Connor Robertson
LHP Glendon Rusch
OF Jeff Salazar
C Dane Sardinha
RHP Chris Schroder
3B Chris Shelton
2B Jason Smith
3B Craig Stansberry
RHP Denny Stark
LHP R.J. Swindle
LHP Jon Switzer


Mets Alumni:

Billy Wagner may have thrown his last pitch in the major leagues. The former Mets pitcher told The Post yesterday he's planning to retire rather than pursue a closer's job -- and 400 career saves -- next season. Wagner allowed two runs in two-thirds of an inning for the Red Sox on Sunday in Game 3 of the ALDS before closer Jonathan Papelbon surrendered three runs in the ninth. The Red Sox season ended with a 7-6 loss to the Angels. "I don't plan on talking to nobody," Wagner said, when asked where he might pitch next season. Does that mean retirement? "Why wouldn't I?" he said. "I've got nothing else to [accomplish]."

Former major league baseball star Larry Jansen, the winning pitcher in one of the sport’s most famous games, died in his sleep early Saturday morning in the home he built in 1951 in his hometown of Verboort.
Jansen was 89.
He is survived by his wife, Eileen, their 10 children, 23 grandchildren, more than 40 great-grandchildren and one great-great grandson.
A two-time National League All-Star, Jansen pitched eight seasons for the New York Giants (1947 to 1954) and one season with Cincinnati in 1956. He compiled a 122-89 record with a 3.58 ERA.
Jansen was the winning pitcher in the 1951 NL pennant tie-breaker game ended by what has been called “the shot heard ‘round the world.” In that game, the Giants defeated the Brooklyn Dodgers 5-4 on a three-run home run by Bobby Thompson in the bottom of the ninth inning.

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