The Mack Attack - Vol. I, Issue XII

By John Mackin Ade
Posted Sunday, March 2, 2008

The Top 10 Shortstops:

As ranked by ‘TheOther15’:
Name Team League wOBA Defense WAR

Troy Tulowitzki COL NL 0.356 14.00 4.06
Miguel Tejada HOU NL 0.373 0.00 3.74
Jose Reyes NYM NL 0.349 6.00 2.98
Jimmy Rollins PHI NL 0.355 2.00 2.95
Jason Bartlett TBA AL 0.32 13.00 2.50
Hanley Ramirez FLA NL 0.375 -17.00 2.35
JJ Hardy MIL NL 0.348 -1.00 2.31
Adam Everett MIN AL 0.283 31.00 2.10
Derek Jeter NYA AL 0.358 -15.00 2.07
Khalil Greene SDN NL 0.33 7.00 2.05
 

Major/Minor League position Analysis: OF

I left the OF analysis last because I was hoping the whole Santana trade mess would be over when I tried to figure this position out.

New Orleans wise, my guess at this point is, now that Carlos Gomez is gone, Fernando Martinez will play AAA this year. Caleb Stewart and Jamar Hill will also start. Ben Johnson has been re-added in case of emergencies.

B-Met wise, only Victor Mendez looks inked in, though Joe Holden would be ready for this level.

St. Lucie looks stacked, with prospect Ignacio Medrano, D.J. Wabick, Darren Clark, and Savannah surprise Brahiam Maldonado.

But the two best OF prospects just might start in Savannah this year, Ezequiel Carrera and Gabriel Zavala. Other candidates include Brandon Kawal, Daniel Stegall, Christopher Fournier, Richard Pena, Raul Reyes, and Will Vogl.

The Mets have to decide whether to push some of these guys early or sign couple of retreads to play in Binghamton. I would much rather them send Maldonado and Holden to AA, let Medrano, Wabick, and Clark start in Lucy, and Kawal, Carrera, and Zavala start in Savannah.

Candidates below Savannah include Donald Green, B.J. Hubbert, Rafael Fernandez, Jeremy Hambrice, Jonathan Sanchez, Carlos Guzman, and Lynn Henry.

Consensus:

The Mets only have one true OF prospect in the system right now, and that’s Martinez. With Lasto and Gomez gone, I look for a few 2008 season in the minors, but don’t be surprised if he doesn’t finish the season for New Orleans, and gets a cup of coffee in September. That being said, there is a good chance he will start in Queens on opening day 2009.

Past that, a lot has to happen positively for either Medrano, Carrera, or Zavala.

Don’t be surprised if you don’t see a bunch of OFers drafted this year.
 

2009 Possible Needs – Catcher

Age in 2009 2007 Stats

Rod Barajas 33 .230/.352.393/745 (in 122 Abs)

Nine-year pro career, includes five seasons for Arizona and three years in Texas. Granted free agency after the 2006 season and signed with the Phillies. Lifetime MLB stats: .239/.288/.408/696. Also plays 1B. He shared time in Philly with Carlos Ruiz and was granted free agency again at the end of this past season. He recently signed a new contract with Toronto for 2008, with a team option for 2009.

Henry Blanco 37 .167/.193/.222/415

Toby Hall 33 .207/.225//241/466

Had a decent career in Tampa Bay; however, was traded, on Jun 27, 2006 to the Dodgers for Dioner Navarro, Jae Seo and a player to be named later. Never got out of the gate in California and wound up last year striking out for the White Sox. Second on their depth chart behind A.J. Pierzynski.

Kenji Johjima 33 .287/.322/.433/755

Has played only two years stateside after a nine-year career in Japan. Impressive US stats (.289/.327/.442/769). A winner of seven straight golden gloves in Japan. Being pushed in 2008 by rookie prospect Jeff Clement (.275/.370/.497/867 + 20 HRs, 80 RBI for AAA-Tacoma).

Adam Melhuse 37 .206/.250/.294/544 (in 68 Abs w/Texas)

Mike Redmond 38 .294/.346/.353/.699

Ivan Rodriguez 37 .281/.294/.420/714

‘Punch’ is a great catcher, but sadly, his game will behind him in 2009.

David Ross 32 .203/.271/.399/670

Had an excellent year in 2006 for Cincinnati (.255/.353/.579/932, 21 HRs, which seem to be a new part to his game these past two years - ???), but never got out of the gate in 2007. Ross was clearly the number one catcher on the Reds in 2007, but slumped all year. Famous in 2006 for his tape–measured homers.

Javier Valentin 33 .276/.328/.385/715 (in 243 Abs w/Cincy)

This is David Ross’ backup.

Jason Varitek 37 .255/.367/.421/788

Sadly, Varitek’s career is on the back-end and it’s hard to believe he won’t die a Red Sock.

Gregg Zaun 38 .242/.341/.411/752

Opinion: Not much jumps out at you here, except for Johjima, who I touted at the end of 2007 to go after via a trade. 2008 will begin the conversion to Jeff Clements in Seattle, and 2008 will be a critical year for Kenji.

Prospect wise, five will be pushing out the incumbent catcher on their parent club. They, and the “pushee,” who could become available sometime over the next year and a half, are:

Prospect Incumbent Catcher Age in 2009 2007 BA Stats

Matt Wieters, C, Orioles Roman Hernandez 33 .258/.333/.382

Jeff Clement, C, Mariners Kenji Johjima 33 .287/.322/.433/755

J.R. Towles, C, Astros Brad Ausmus 40 .235//.318/.324

Geovany Soto, C, Cubs Henry Blanco 37 .167/.193/.222/415

Taylor Teagarden, C, Rangers Gerald Laird 30 .224/.278/.349

Jarrod Saltalamacchia 24 .266/.310/.422

The interesting situation is the Cubs. Laird will surely be replaced by ‘Salty’ in 2007, but then what?
 

So far this ‘off-season,’ here are the top International prospects signed, ranked in order, by BA:

1. Micheal Almanzar 3B Boston

2. Kelvin De Leon OF Yankees

3. Julio Teheran RHP Braves

4. Gabriel Noriega SS Marieners

5. Arodys Vizcaino RHP Yankees

6. Ella De La Rosa Yankees

7. Jonathan Galvez SS Padres

8. Wilmer Flores SS Mets

9. Henry Pena Of Yankees

10. Martin Perez LHP Rangers

11. Wilson Suero SS Rangers

12. Jefry Marte 3b METS

13. Eduardo Sosa OF Yankees

14. Ryde Rodriguez OF Cardinals

15. Hitaniel Arias OF Brewers

16. Efrain Nunez OF Mariners

17. Cesar Puello OF METS

18. Angel Joseph OF Giants

19. Kevin Moscatel C Cardinals

20. Rymer Liriano Of Padres
 

ProjectProspect came out with their revised Top 150 Prospect List, and here are the Mets (and ex-Mets) on the list:

20 Fernando Martinez OF Stayed more than afloat as teen in AA then broke hamate; expect modest improvement age: 19.3 NYM AA

50 Kevin Mulvey RHP Posted an amazing .076 IsoPA in '07 - 3.16 FIP; a good bet to become a No. 3 starter 22.7 MIN AA

69 Deolis Guerra RHP Made strides in command dept.; was limited then shut down due to shoulder tendonitis 18.8 MIN A+

81 Carlos Gomez CF One of the fastest runners in baseball; breakout season haulted by broken hamate? 22.2 MIN MLB

142 Jon Niese LHP Substantial BB% improvement from '06 to '07, though he couldn't sustain K%; No. 4-5? 21.3 NYM A+
 

-Ex-Mets:

The Pittsburgh Pirates sign infielder Doug Mientkiewicz to a Minor League Contract…

From: curlyw.blogspot:

Milledge will be hurt in the two spot

A number two hitter is forced to move runners and rarely gets into position to drive in runners as the lineup turns over. Milledge will be hurt in the two spot. He needs to hit in a position that will let him swing freely without the situational demands of the two spot. In the sixth spot he would be afforded a free swinging spot with little demands. he could drive in runs, hit for average and have the table set for him as he grows into...hopefully..a star. he would be protected by a seventh hitter like Estrada or LoDuca (on a regular basis) / or perhaps even Belliard. Ahead of Milledge would be Wily Mo in the five spot or perhaps Nick or Dmitri. In any situation, situational hitting is more a job for Guzie or even Belliard where experience leads the day. Sheinin: "Milledge looked good also, particularly during the situational-hitting drills at the start of the BP round, in which the hitters are told to simulate certain situations -- like hit-and-run, moving a runner over, getting a runner home from third, etc. Those are essential attributes for a No. 2 hitter, which is where Manny Acta has said he envisions Milledge batting. The kid has power, too. It's just that anyone who hits in the same group as Wily Mo Pena is naturally going to come off looking wimpy."
 

How Does the Mets Organization Look on March 1st for Starting Pitchers?

Okay, there are 800,000 players in ST, 700,000 of which are pitchers.

But really, just how does the system look at this point and where can I expect to see come of the kids that may have a future in the Mets rotation?

By my count, not counting the DSL and VSL teams, the Mets have there are 47 starting pitchers in camp.

Some of the youngest will stay behind in extended camp and join up in either Brooklyn, Kingsport, or the GCL Mets.

The rest are trying to make the Mets, Zephyrs, B-Mets, Lucy, and Gnat-land.

That’s five teams times five starters… 25 pitchers.

At this point, here are the closest thing you can be certain of:

Mets: Johan Santana, Pedro Martinez, John Maine, and Oliver Perez (one opening between Orlando Hernandez or Mike Pelfrey)

New Orleans: Adam Bostick, Jason Vargas, and Bobby Parnell (two openings between Mike Pelfrey, Jose Sanchez, Mike Devaney, Sal Aguillar, Nelson Figueroa, and Tony Armas Jr.)

Binghamton: Jon Niese and Jacob Ruckle (three openings)

St. Lucie: five openings

Savannah: five openings

Now it gets real tough.

Both the Mets and New Orleans will figure out what their rotation will be with some kind of combination of the guys I listed above. The rest of them… steak knives.

That leaves the Mets 13 openings on three teams.

If you have a prospect SP, you send them to a full season team, right? Well, if you believe all these guys (and me) that rank prospects, then the Mets have to decide where Dylan Owens, Brant Rustich, Dillon Gee, Scott Moviel, and Nathan Vineyard go.

That’s five more slots gone...down to eight more… out of Wendy Rosa, Matt Durkin, Bradley Burns, Jacobo Neguillus, Eric Brown, Eric Niesen, Nicholas Carr, Gavin Dloughy, Guillaume Leduc, Tobi Stoner, Josh Stinson, Marcos Tabata, Maikel Cleto, Willie Collazo, Jeremy Mizell, Angel Calero, J J Leaper, Rogers Figueroa, Jonathan Castillo, Greg Mullens, Michael Olmstead, Julio Polanco, Phillips Orta, and Manuel Oliveres.

Tobi Stoner and Nick Carr did nothing wrong, so that’s two more slots… six to go.

The Mets got big money tied up with Phillips Orta… five to go.

Bradley Burns deserves another year and they just converted Willie Collazo to a starter.

Three slots to go.

Okay, let’s project some guys to the kiddie team:

Dloughy, Tabata, Leaper, Olmstead, and Oliveros go to Brooklyn.

Rosa, Neguillus, Leduc, Cleto,and Figueroa go to K-Port (and this is before the draft… whew)

And I got one guy I didn’t list above, Omar Perez, projected for the GCL team.

That leaves them three slots left for either Matt Durkin, Eric Brown, Eric Niesen, Josh Stinson, Jeremy Mizell, Angel Calero, Jonathan Castillo, Greg Mullens, or Julio Polanco.

Tough cuts coming up.