10/27/10

Mack Report – 10-27-10 - Murph, The Capt., Tillie, Trey, and R.I.P. Bill Shannon



Don't be surprised that Mets minor league manager Tim Tuefel doesn't come out of all this hooplah with a much better position in the Mets organization. The Sandy Alderson announcement will be today, which should also be a bad day for Wally Backman. Tuefel is a team guy, an ex-Mets hero, and has managed 89% of the kids now playing in both Buffalo and Binghamton. I expect him to be a trusted member of Alderson's staff.

2B Daniel Murphy, who has gone 3-11, with 3-doubles since starting winter ball, was named Player of the Week by the Aguilas team in the Dominican Winter League. As we have said before, no one questions “the Hammer’s” ability to get on base… I will try and get some reports down there on his mobility on the field.

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From Bryan Smith/Fangraphs: - “Kirk Nieuwenhuis has a great right field body, but his swing has some holes that are easily exposed.”

Frankly, these holes were beginning to be exposed when the Captain was bumped to AAA late last season. A lot of weenies are real high on this guy, and I think he’s a definite major league prospect, but I’m just not sold that he will meet the Mets future needs in Queens.

There’s a big difference between dominating AA and below ball and being a star in the MLB. Just ask guys like Alex Escobar and Jay Payton.


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Regarding the “Keepers”, I have elevated OF Tillman Pugh from 124th to 80th, solely based on www.TopProspect.com ‘s naming him the 13th top Mets prospect. I checked with Tilly and he assured me that a relative isn’t running the show over there.


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Trey Rackel
 P Trey Rackel and I exchanged emails and he let me know that he had two surgeries this week to move a nerve in his pitching wing. Ouch.


Trey advsies that he had the ulanary nerve moved, which was wrapped into the scar tissue he has from his previous therastic syndrome. It sounds like he’s got medicial terms down better than sabremetrics. Anyway, he has to wear a brace for four weeks which prevents him from straightening out his arm. This way, things can heal and, with a little luck, he could be throwing come spring.


Rackel is an unheralded , undrafted free agent signed in 2009, out of Angelina Junior College, in Texas. He went on to a decent season in 2009, splitting time between the GCL and Lucy team (tough commute) and combined for 3-2, 3.03, in 17-relief appearances. From there, it has been all down hill regarding his arm and he wound up missing the entire 2009 season. 
                                                        
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The 2011 schedule for the Brooklyn Cyclones is out. Click Here  


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It’s sad to report that Bill Shannon, the Mets official scorer, as died. He was 69.



Directly from the Associated Press and Adam Rubin  :



West Caldwell fire chief Charlie Holden said the three-alarm fire was called in just before 9 a.m. and brought under control within an hour. Holden identified Shannon, 69, as the only fatality.



Neighbors told News 12-New Jersey they were able to rescue Shannon's mother through the front door. One neighbor placed a ladder up to the second floor to reach Shannon, but Shannon told the neighbor he was unable to break the window and disappeared into the thick smoke.



Shannon became an official scorer for the American League in 1979 and the National League one year later, and in recent seasons was the senior official scorer for games of the New York Yankees and Mets. He also contributed stories to The Associated Press.



After attending Columbia University and serving in the Army, he was the head of public relations for Madison Square Garden from 1965-73 as it moved into its new building. He was longtime assistant on the press staff for the U.S. Tennis Association.



He authored the book, "The Ballparks," a history of major league baseball stadiums and edited "The Official Encyclopedia of Tennis of the United States Tennis Association."

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