Mack Attack: July 31, 2008

By John Mackin Ade
Posted Thursday, July 31, 2008

Pennant: Phillies: 49 losses - Mets: 50 – Marlins: 51 - Braves: 58

Wild Card: Milw: 48 losses - St. Louis: 49 - Mets: 50 - Marlins: 51

SportingNews reports that RP Huston Street will most likely be traded to either the Dodgers or the Mets.

B-Mets:

RHP Salvador Aguilar placed on the Disabled List (right elbow ulnar collateral ligament tear.

-this is a big loss that will shake up the rotations throughout the minor league teams… Aguilar was 10-3, with a 3.14 ERA and a major part of the rotation in the later part of the season… with Jon Niese gone to AAA, and Jake Ruckle on the DL, they are left with Eric Brown (who the Mets would rather use in long relief, Mike Antonini, Jose Sanchez, and Tobi Stoner… I would expect a further move later today or tomorrow, sending Dillon Gee from Lucy, especially since Josh Stinson was promoted there from Savannah the other day…

Farm director Adam Wogan suggested top prospect Fernando Martinez is all but ready to return from a week absence that rested a balky right hamstring. But the Mets plan to give Martinez a few extra days off at Double-A Binghamton to guard against a recurrence. – AdamRubin

Shawn Bowman likes to think of himself as an energy guy. Formerly one of the New York Mets' top minor-league prospects who has endured a series of back injuries the past several seasons, Bowman is the type of player who boosts a team with his enthusiasm, hustle and talent. He brought that kind of boost to the Binghamton Mets on Tuesday night. In his Double-A debut, Bowman had two hits and drove in three runs in a 7-6 loss to the Connecticut Defenders in the third of a five-game Eastern League series at NYSEG Stadium. "I think I'm a guy who can provide that energy," said Bowman, a third baseman. "I just want to go out there and get some wins and try to help this team to get a playoff berth." – PressConnects.com

Ambiorix Concepcion hit a walk-off homer in the bottom of the 10th inning to give the Binghamton Mets a 4-3 win over the Connecticut Defenders at NYSEG Stadium Wednesday. The victory ends Binghamton’s three-game losing streak.

Binghamton (58-54) took the lead in the first. Daniel Murphy began the rally with a one-out double off Daryl Madey before scoring when Mike Carp followed with a single. After stealing second and moving to third on Salomon Manriquez’s base hit, Carp scored on Caleb Stewart’s groundball single to center for a 2-0 B-Mets lead.

Connecticut (55-53) got on the board in the second, thanks to Eddy Martinez-Esteve’s solo homer off Mike Antonini before Olmo Rosario tripled in the sixth and scored the tying run on Pablo Sandoval’s double-play groundout.

Daniel Murphy’s solo homer to left-center put Binghamton ahead 3-2 in the seventh, but Connecticut responded with a run in the eighth, as Sandoval came home on an error, knotting the score and sending the game to extra innings.

After Elvys Quezada (1-0) tossed a scoreless top of the 10th, Concepcion led off the bottom of the frame by lining a Ronnie Ray (4-2) pitch over the leftfield wall for the win.

Shawn Bowman has hit safely in 12 straight games between Binghamton and High-A St. Lucie.

Lucy:

Send C – Jason Jacobs to Brooklyn

The doubleheader was rained out… what is that, 1,000 rain outs in July?

Clones:

After breaking his right foot in his first professional game last season, Cyclones third baseman Zach Lutz spent the next year getting into the best shape of his life, in preparation for 2008. Through the team’s first 18 games this season, it looked like all the preparation had paid off for the 21-year-old Reading, PA-native, as he was leading the team with an impressive .340 batting average and nine RBI. On Jul. 6 however, Lutz hit another barrier in his professional career, as he re-injured the same foot after grounding out in the third inning of a game against the Mahoning Valley Scrappers. For a team already starved for offensive production, the absence of Lutz, which only lasted three games, was a heart-breaking one. Without the youngster manning the hot corner, the Mets Single-A affiliate scored only three runs – DemBrooklynBums.com

K-Port:

Kingsport’s Kyle Suire was named APPY player of the week after posting these stats: .462 (12-26), 5 R, 2 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 12 RBI, 4 BB, 1 SO, 1 SB, .885 SLG – They might consider leaving him in the starting lineup now…

GCL Mets:

The Mets lost 13-6 to the Marlins… 2B Alonzo Harris is finally getting some play time (3-5, .321)… 3B Jefry Marte (.350) went 1-1 and was pinch hit for on his next at bat… ??? …

DSL Mets:

The DSL Mets (31-18) lost to the Royals, 3-0… the Mets had only 2 hits…

VSL Mets:

The VSL Mets lost, 3-2 to the Pirates… SP Angel Cuan (3.13) pitched another wonderful game without any support… 7 IP 1 ER 7 Ks… LF Adrian Pirela (.287) had 2 hits…

Minor League Bios:

Jason Jacobs C Georgia College

Jacobs was drafted by the New York Mets, out of Georgia College (.331/.433/.496) in the infamous ‘Omar’s 2006 Kiddie Corp Draft of 2006.He played 2006 in Brooklyn and the best thing you can say about him at that point (.217/.363/.312) is he had more walks than strikeouts. In 2007, Jacobs played again for Brooklyn, both at 1B and catcher. He was named to the NY-Penn All-Star team in early August and batted .273/.377/.487 in 238 at bats, 12 HRs, 46 RBIs and only 6 errors.

A May 2008 scouting report from Andy Braunstein:

JASON JACOBS - C/1B - I always say when a college kid repeats NYP that isn't a good sign. That is why despite the good #s he put up in '07 with Brooklyn he finds himself as an extra body on the St Lucie bench. But his bat was so needed in the lackluster St Lucie lineup, he has 6 bat speed, 10-15 HR power, he started seeing regular playing time. His arm isn't great but he does get his share of base stealers. Game calling is suspect, as is his blocking ability. One bad sign, Thole is catching more games than him, and at 1B has to vie with Duda, Wabick and Thole.

This Day in Mets History:

1995 The Mets trade former two-time Cy Young Award winner right-handed pitcher Bret Saberhagen and left-handed pitcher farmhand Dave Swanson (the player to be named later) to the Rockies for righties Juan Acevedo and Arnold Gooch.

1996 - The Tigers trade first baseman Cecil Fielder to the Yankees for outfielder Ruben Sierra. It is the first swap in major league history in which two players with more than 220 home runs are traded for one another.

2004 - With homers in his first two at-bats off Jorge Sosa, Carlos Delgado hits his fifth home run in five consecutive at-bats off the Devil Rays' right-hander. The Blue Jays' slugger streak started with a homer last September 10, was extended to streak to three on September 25 as the Tampa Bay hurler gives up the first two dingers in Delgado's four homer day on September 25.