Mack Attack: July 12, 2008

By John Mackin Ade
Posted Saturday, July 12, 2008

Pennant: Phils: 43 losses - Mets: 44 – Marlins: 44 - Braves: 50 – Nats: 58

Wild Card: Milw: 42 losses - St. Louis: 42 - Mets: 44 - Marlins: 44

There is a sign that hangs in the Mets' clubhouse listing workout routines for every Mets pitcher in need of such things. And at the bottom is a quotation. "Faith," it reads, "is not belief without truth, but trust without reservation." These Mets trust in Manuel -- several of them noted so Wednesday -- and they have no choice but to believe. So they'll proceed in an imperfect situation, with Alou almost certainly gone for the year and Ryan Church in relatively poor shape himself. But then again, perhaps this situation isn't as imperfect as it once may have seemed. Tatis is hitting and the Mets are winning. For now, that's plenty good enough. – MLB.com

Despite his spotty season, Aaron Heilman continues to draw trade interests and could be used as a chip by the New York Mets before July 31. Arizona, Boston, Oakland and the Cubs are the teams that call the most with the Diamondbacks among the clubs around the majors that continue to believe Heilman is miscast as a reliever and should be given a shot to start. Heilman has been mixing in his slider more recently. The Mets have believed Heilman's delivery would preclude him from ever being consistent enough with a breaking pitch to be a starter. Nevertheless, the strongest advocate against Heilman as a starter, former pitching coach Rick Peterson, has been removed. And it is possible that if the Mets hold on to Heilman, they might experiment with him in the rotation next spring. – YahooSports

The New York Mets are not looking for an elite left fielder because they don't have the prospect base really to obtain one. They are willing, however, to add salary and hope that willingness will lower trade requests from other clubs. Seattle's Raul Ibanez is their most likely target. He is making $5.5 million this season in the final year of a contract and the Mariners are in full sell mode - Rotofield

Angel Pagan is making a quick recovery and will likely rejoin the team after the All-Star break – Omar Minaya

"I don't want to bash Willie, because I liked him, but before, it was more of The Yankee Way. It wasn't The Mets Way. There was no facial hair. You could never have music in the clubhouse. You couldn't have kids around. Believe it or not, some of us in here actually like kids. You know what? We've found out it's pretty easy to play when you stop playing for stats and just go out and play hard and play to have fun." – Billy Wagner

Evaluation of a Past Omar Trade:

5/26/06

Acquired RHP Mike Adams

Never pitched for Mets… still floundering around the league

Traded RHP Jeremi Gonzalez –

never made it – finished career in Japan

Changed his name to Geremi – died

Conclusion: a real nothing trade with a sad ending

Zephyrs:

Nashville catcher Carlos Corporan smoked a line drive home run over the centerfield wall to deliver a walk-off home run on Friday as the
Sounds defeated the Zephyrs 5-4. The Sounds overcame a three run deficit in the game and reliever Joe Bateman worked three and a third scoreless innings striking out seven to earn the win. Bateman earned his first career Triple-A win. Corporan capped a three hit night for Nashville with the heroics in the ninth. Corporan entered the game with three his in 22 at bats, he had three hits on Friday in four at bats including his first home run of the season. Nashville scored first with a run in the second inning. New Orleans answered with a solo home run by John Rodriguez in the fourth inning. Anderson Hernandez tripled with one out in the fifth and scored on a Abraham Nunez RBI single. New Orleans scored a pair in the sixth inning and led 4-1. Ruddy Lugo retired the first two batters in the inning and then walked Laynce Nix. Lugo allowed four consecutive hits including a two run double by Brendan Katin that tied the game. Bateman entered the game for Nashville and silenced the Zephyr bats. The game was tied in the bottom of the ninth when Tim McNab allowed the one out solo shot to end the game.

B-Mets:

Joe Muich had a walk-off, RBI single in the bottom of the ninth, handing the Binghamton Mets a 2-1 loss to the Trenton Thunder at Waterfront Park Friday. The loss is Binghamton’s seventh in their last nine games.
Trenton (57-36) took a 1-0 lead on Austin Jackson’s third-inning RBI single. However, that was all Jose Sanchez would allow over seven strong innings. The righthander scattered six hits and struck out two.

In the top of the seventh, Ambiorix Concepcion started a Binghamton (50-44) rally with a one-out single. Concepcion stole second before Salomon Manriquez was hit by a pitch. After Concepcion stole third and Emmanuel Garcia walked to load the bases, Jonathan Malo reached on an error, scoring Concepcion with the tying run.

Jackson led off the bottom of the ninth with a walk off Eddie Camacho. After Camacho (3-3) picked off Jackson at first, he walked Chris Malec. Camacho struck out James Cooper for the inning’s second out before Edwar Gonzalez was walked intentionally. Pinch-hitter Carlos Mendoza drew a free pass as well, ending Camacho’s night. On came Tim Lavigne, who worked the count full to Muich. Muich fouled off three consecutive 3-2 pitches before lining a fourth payoff pitch into center for a single, scoring Malec with the winning run.

Lucy:

Roster moves:

P Nick Waechter was added to roster from Savannah… P Orlando Hernandez was added to roster for ML Rehab… P Stephen Clyne was sent to Brooklyn… P Casey Hoorelbeke was sent to Binghamton… also added was OF Angan Pagan for a rehab slot…

Gnats:

Savannah Sand Gnats reliever Nick Waechter has been promoted to High-A St. Lucie, the New York Mets announced today. The 23-year-old Waechter will report to St. Lucie later today.

In 21 appearances this season, Waechter posted a 2-0 record with a 2.91 ERA with three saves. The Tenmile, Ore., native has come on strong as of late, allowing just 2 runs in his last 16.0 innings pitched. This will be Waechter’s second stint in St. Lucie as the right hander was called up at the end of last season.

To replace Waechter on the roster, right-handed pitcher Manuel Olivares has been called up from Brooklyn. Olivares pitched in one game with Savannah in 2008, allowing 0 runs and 1 hit in 2.1 innings. At Brooklyn, the Maracay, Venezuela, native went 0-2 with a 4.02 ERA in 15.2 innings.
In another move, right-hander Jacobo Neguilis was released yesterday by the Mets. Neguilis had been on Savannah’s disabled list since April 25.

The Sand Gnats erupted for five runs in the fourth inning and Brant Rustich tossed 5.0 superb innings as the Sand Gnats (8-14, 41-51) defeated the Lexington Legends, 5-1, in a rain-shortened game on Friday night. Rustich (2-4) limited the Legends (5-16, 26-64) to a pair of hits, back-to-back doubles from Brian Pellegrini and Jonathan Fixler that constructed Lexington’s only run. The right-hander walked 1 and struck out a season-high 7 in his longest outing of the season. Joaquin Rodriguez and Nick Giarraputo singled to begin the fourth inning for Savannah. Francisco Pena then doubled to the gap in left to score both and give Savannah a 2-1 lead. After Pena later scored on a sacrifice fly, B.J. Hubbert struck out swinging, but the pitch went to the backstop, allowing Hubbert to take first with two outs. The rally continued, as Michael Parker singled to move Hubbert to third. Casey Craig then knocked in Hubbert with a double off the wall in right. Juan Lagares, the ninth batter of the inning, punctuated the rally with a single to right, pushing Savannah’s lead to 5-1. Steve Cheney pitched 2.0 scoreless innings before a thunderstorm produced a torrential downpour. After a thirty minute delay, the game was called due to poor field conditions. Parker and Giarraputo led the Gnats with two hits apiece. The win ended a seven-game home losing streak for Savannah.

Clones:

The Cyclones lost a member of our extended family this weekend, when 28-year-old Luz Portobanco was tragically killed in a car accident in Nicaragua, while playing for a summer league team in the country of his birth. Portobanco was an original Cyclone who was the starting pitcher in the franchise's first-ever game (June 19th, at Jamestown). "Porto" was a phenomenal pitcher for the 2001 Cyclones, who, along with Ross Peeples, Mike Cox, Harold Eckert, and Lenny DiNardo, made up the vaunted "five aces" that led the team to its best record ever and a NYPL co-championship. Porto went 5-3 with a 2.04 ERA in 2001, and he saved his best for the biggest games. He set the tone for the burgeoning rivalry by going 3-0 with a 0.53 ERA and 14 strikeouts in three dominant games against the Staten Island Yankees. But Porto meant so much more to that team than just the numbers he produced. He was a focal point, and a leader...a bulldog of a competitor who exuded confidence, and gave the team its swagger. He was also a good-hearted jokester who captivated teammates, media, fans, front office members, and everyone else he came in contact with, with a mischievous and contagious smile. The Cyclones will honor Portobanco with a moment of silence prior to Saturday's game. We wish all the best to his family, friends, and loved ones. - thebrooklyncyclones.blogspot.com

Minor League Bios:

Dillon Gee P R R 6-1 195 4-28-86 Univ. of Texas (Arlington)

Here is the highlights of a local Texas article written the day Gee was drafted by the Mets:

“UT Arlington junior right hander Dillon Gee became the 12th Maverick player drafted since 2002 when the New York Mets selected him with the 663rd pick in the 21st round on the second day of the 2007 Major League Baseball First Year Player Draft. Gee is the fifth UTA player to be selected by the Mets and the first since Matt Mize went in the 30th round in 1999.

Gee (Cleburne, Texas) ends his three-year career at UTA with a record of 15-25 and a 5.16 ERA. He ranks second on the all-time innings pitch list with 298.1, fifth in strikeouts (198) and eighth in appearances (58 ). His 111.2 innings pitched in 2007 ranks fourth on the single-season list, while his 96 strikeouts are tied for third.

The two-time honorable mention all-SLC selection burst onto the scene as a freshman. In just his fourth career start, Gee tossed a complete-game four-hit shutout against then-No. 12 Baylor.

As a sophomore, Gee tied a UTA record by starting 17 games and led the team with six victories. He would toss his second complete-game shutout of his career in a victory over Stephen F. Austin before closing out the regular season with a career-best 11 strikeouts in a nine-inning no decision against Dallas Baptist.

Last season, Gee overcame a slow start to become the ace of the staff. Gee tossed 53.1 innings with 58 strikeouts and only seven walks in his final seven starts. He had three double-digit strikeout performances over that span, including a complete-game three-hit shutout against Northwestern State. He would tie his career-high with 11 strikeouts in his final start against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.”

Gee signed with the Mets and played the 2007 season with Brooklyn. He had an outstanding season, going 3-1, 2.47, 1.06 in 14 games, 11 starts. He also had 56 Ks in 62.0 IP.