Mack Attack: July 14, 2008

By John Mackin Ade
Posted Monday, July 14, 2008

Pennant: Phils: 44 losses - Mets: 44 – Marlins: 45 - Braves: 50 – Nats: 60

Wild Card: Milw: 43 losses - St. Louis: 43 - Mets: 44 - Marlins: 45

The Mets are down two starting outfielders, with Moises Alou having returned to the Dominican Republic to contemplate his future after tearing his left hamstring during a rehab game with Double-A Binghamton on Wednesday. Minaya said Alou isn't resolved to retire and is contemplating whether to have surgery. Minaya suggested Church's diagnosis lessens the pressure to pursue an outfielder via trade. The Mets also should get Angel Pagan (shoulder) back Thursday, when the second half of the season opens in Cincinnati. And team brass doesn't seem averse to promoting 19-year-old prospect Fernando Martinez during the second half. - Adam Rubin, NYDN.

Zephyrs

The New Orleans Zephyrs head to the All-Star Break winners of three in a row. The Z’s swept a bizarre twin-bill in the Music City on Sunday night winning 3-0 and 13-12. The first game was a terrific pitching performance by the Z’s allowing one hit. Willie Collazo pitched three perfect innings, Jose Santiago worked three innings and Nate Field finished off the game with his seventh save of the season. The second game had New Orleans jump out to a 9-1 lead in the fourth inning. Nashville would counter with four runs in the fourth and seven runs in the sixth inning. The Sounds held a 12-9 lead through six innings. In the top of the seventh, the Zephyrs scored four runs off of the Sounds closer Luis Pena and grabbed a 13-12 lead. Casey Hoorelbeke earned the save pitching the bottom of the seventh. Tim McNab retired one batter, allowed a home run, allowed three inherited runners to score and earned the win. Valentino Pascucci led the Zephyrs with his 18th home run of the season and had four RBI in the contest.

B-Mets:

World All-Stars starting line up:
2B Ivan DeJesus (LAD) - SS Elvis Andrus (TEX) - LF Wilkin Ramirez (DET) - 1B Pablo Sandoval (SF) - 3B Luke Hughes (MIN) - DH Scott Campbell (TOR) - CF Fernando Martinez (NYM) - C Welington Castillo (CHC) - RF Gorkys Hernandez (ATL) - P Carlos Carrasco (PHI)

Two Mets farmhands are getting looks for potential duty with Team USA at next month's Olympics: lefthanded prospect Jon Niese and journeyman righthander Brandon Knight, the Daily News has learned.

The Binghamton Mets scored in four different innings, but two three-run frames were enough for the Trenton Thunder to post a 6-4 win at Waterfront Park Sunday. Trenton has taken two of the first three games in the series. Binghamton (51-45) went ahead in the first. Jason Jones walked leadoff man Emmanuel Garcia, who stole second, moved to third on Ambiorix Concepcion’s groundout and scored on Daniel Murphy’s groundout. The B-Mets tacked on another run in the fourth when Caleb Stewart singled with two out, moved to second on an error and came home on Salomon Manriquez’s base hit to right. Salvador Paniagua’s leadoff homer in the fifth put Binghamton ahead 3-0. Trenton (58-37) didn’t get to B-Mets starter Salvador Aguilar until the fifth. Edwar Gonzalez and Reegie Corona picked up RBI singles in the frame before Chris Malec walked with the bases loaded, ending Aguilar’s night and tying the score 3-3. The B-Mets rallied to regain the lead in the sixth when Manriquez reached with a two-out double and scored on Mike Nickeas’s single to left. Eude Brito (4-2) retired the first five he faced in relief of Aguilar, but he allowed four straight to reach with one out in the seventh. Austin Jackson singled in the tying run before Malec’s two-run single put the Thunder ahead for good. Trenton reliever Mark Melancon (4-0) tossed three scoreless innings for the win.

Lucy:

The St. Lucie Mets game against the Dunedin Blue Jays has been postponed due to un-playable field conditions. The game will be picked up in the bottom of the fifth inning on Monday July 14th as part of a double header at Tradition Field. The game will resume at 5:00PM with the gates opening at 4:30PM. The Mets trail the Blue Jays 3-1 in the bottom of the fifth inning with a runner on third and two outs. Game two will begin one half hour after the conclusion of game one. Game two will be a seven inning contest

Gnats:

Nick Abel induced a game-ending double play from Max Sapp with the bases loaded to finish off a 2-1 win for the Sand Gnats on Sunday afternoon. The Sand Gnats (10-14, 43-51) carried a 2-0 lead into the ninth before Craig Corrado drove in Cat Everett with an RBI single to cut the lead in half. Abel replaced Jose Bierd with runners on the corners and walked Brian Pellegrini to load the bases with one out. Sapp hit a hard grounder to Joaquin Rodriguez, who stepped on third and threw to first to complete the double play. Scott Moviel (9-7) pitched 6.0 brilliant innings to win his sixth consecutive decision. The right-hander limited Lexington to 3 hits over six scoreless innings. The 20-year-old struck out three and didn’t surrender a walk. B.J. Hubbert broke a scoreless tie in the fifth, hitting an opposite-field homer over the fence in right for his second home run of the year. Sean McCraw extended the lead an inning later, driving in Michael Parker with a double off the wall in center field for a 2-0 lead. Jeff Icenogle (1-7) took a tough-luck loss, allowing 1 run on 2 hits in 5.0 innings. McCraw and Francisco Pena led the Sand Gnats with two hits apiece.

-I was at the game today and Moviel once again made a believer out of me. He is very quietly becoming the prospect everyone had hoped he was when he was drafted.

Clones

Thanks to a great pitching performance by Brad Holt, and timely hitting, the Cyclones snapped a five-game losing streak to shut out the Spikes 2-0. The win improves their record to 12-14. Holt (2-2) made his fifth start of the season and was dominant, pitching seven scoreless innings, and striking out 10 batters. RHP Yury Santana pitched a scoreless eighth innings. RHP Stephen Clyne made his season debut and picked up his first save of the year. OF Angel Pagan made his second rehab start, went 1-for-4 and stole another base (Pagan leads the Cyclones with 32 swipes all-time). SS Reese Havens and OF Kirk Nieuwenhuis each picked up a hit and scored a run. 3B Zach Lutz and OF Sean Ratliff also had hits and picked up the only two RBI of the game.

Minor League Bios:

Alonzo Harris IF R R 5-11 170 1-16-89 McComb H.S. (Mississippi)

Harris was one of the best baseball players to ever come out of the Mississippi High School system. In 2007, for McComb High School, he batted .540 with 25 singles, 11 doubles, 3 triples, 11 home runs, 45 RBIs, and 60 runs scored. He signed a scholarship to play baseball with Southwest Mississippi College before he was drafted. He was selected The Daily Leader (local newspaper) ”Mr. Baseball” and Most Valuable Player on the 2007 All-Area Dream Team. Harris stole seven bases in the Mississippi Class 5A/4A All-Star Game in June. At McComb, Harris played a variety of positions from shortstop, second base, outfield, and pitcher. Harris is runs a consistent 4.4 forty yard dash, and has been time as fast as a 6.5 in the 60-yard dash. He also starred at quarterback for the McComb football team. He rushed for over 1,000 yards.

The Mets drafted Harris in the 39th round of the 2007 draft. He signed with the Mets just before the deadline and was assigned to the Instructional camp in Florida. The Mets have Harris penciled to start as a second baseman/outfielder in the minor leagues.

-Ex-Mets:

The rehabbing Kris Benson continued his struggles on the comeback trail to the majors, with another sub-par performance en route to his second loss in three starts since joining Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Benson allowed seven runs on eight hits, while only striking out two in just four innings of work against the Louisville Bats. His Triple-A numbers now sit at: 13.0 IP, 0-2, 11.77 ERA, 22 H, 2 BB, 5 SO.