Mack Attack: July 9, 2008

By John Mackin Ade
Posted Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Phils: 43 losses - Mets: 44 – Marlins: 44 - Braves: 48 – Nats: 57

After more than 15 minutes of grilling on Ryan Church, concussions, migraines and any number of brain-related issues, general manager Omar Minaya actually seemed relieved Monday when someone asked him about pursuing Barry Bonds… no, Minaya hasn’t called Jeff Borris, the slugger’s rep at the Beverly Hills Sports Council, and currently has no plans to do so. When contacted Monday, Borris sent word through a spokesman flatly stating, “The Mets have no interest in Barry Bonds.” ... Minaya received some good news Monday on Church, who returned to New York late Sunday to be checked out for a migraine headache. Given that he suffered two concussions this year only 11 weeks apart, a recurrence of those symptoms is always a concern. But Church visited a concussion specialist Monday and an MRI of his head and neck came back negative, which the Mets interpreted as a positive sign. The best-case scenario is that Church returns in a couple of days, somehow is able to limit his migraines—which are impossible to predict—and also avoids another concussion this season. That’s a lot of ifs. – Newsday

Prior to tonight’s game, Mets GM Omar Minaya confirmed that he had been approached by Indians GM Mark Shapiro regarding RHP C.C. Sabathia before trading the pitcher to the Brewers. According to Minaya, Shapiro felt the Mets had the necessary players to make such a deal, but he declined. …from what i understand, shapiro would have required Fernando Martinez and a pitcher like Jon Niese or Eddie Kunz, as well as another mid-level pitching prospect… Sabathia, who is 6–8 with a 3.83 ERA, will be a free agent at the end of this season, during which he will likely seek a contract similar to the seven-year deal signed by Johan Santana. - MetsBlog

Zephyrs:

The Memphis Redbirds got three solo home runs on Tuesday, and that was all it took to take their sixth consecutive game from the New Orleans Zephyrs. Nick Stavinoha continued to swing a hot bat by hitting two home runs, and Cody Haerther added a solo shot of his own as the Redbirds beat the Zephyrs on Tuesday, 3-1. Stavinoha added a single for a 3-for-4 game, one night after going 4-for-6. The LSU product upped his batting average to .359, good for third in the PCL. Nelson Figueroa (3-3) gave up the three homers, but only two other hits in his seven innings of work. He struck out six and walked two in taking the loss. Memphis starter Mitchell Boggs, in his first start for the Redbirds since June 2, yielded just one run on four hits in six innings to improve to 6-1.

B-Mets:

ProjectProspect updated their “top 25 non-top 100 prospects”:

#5 Jonathon Niese LHP Shaping into exciting lefty prospect, Niese is tough to hit (.241 BAA); 3.17 FIP is outstanding

Eric Brown tossed five shutout innings, helping the Binghamton Mets to a 1-0 win over the Connecticut Defenders in Game 2 of a doubleheader at Dodd Stadium Tuesday. Connecticut won Game 1 4-1. In the nightcap, the B-Mets (49-42) scored the game’s only run in the fifth. Ambiorix Concepcion reached on a fielder’s choice against Brooks McNiven (2-2) before stealing second, moving to third on an error and scoring on Emmanuel Garcia’s sacrifice fly. That was more than enough support for Brown (5-6), who scattered four hits and didn’t walk a batter. Tim Lavigne and Eddie Kunz tossed a scoreless inning apiece, with Kunz notching his 23rd save in 26 chances. In the opener, Connecticut (46-45) scored thrice off Salvador Aguilar in the second. Ryan Rohlinger doubled in a run before scoring on an error and Kyle Haines added an RBI single. Pablo Sandoval’s fifth-inning homer (10-2) put the Defenders ahead 4-0. Aguilar (10-2) struck out four in the complete-game loss. Binghamton’s only run in the opener came in the sixth. Fernando Martinez reached with a one-out single off Ben Snyder (1-1) and, two batters later, Moises Alou and Concepcion notched back-to-back singles, the latter scoring Martinez.

Gnats:

Eric Fryer laced a two-run double with two outs in the eighth to push the West Virginia Power (14-5, 46-42) past the Sand Gnats, 3-2, on Tuesday night. The eighth inning began with Rhiner Cruz (0-1) retiring the first two Power hitters. With two outs, Lee Haydel and Eric Farris both singled, setting the stage for Fryer, the reigning South Atlantic League Player of the Week. The catcher roped a double off the wall in right to turn a one-run deficit into a one-run advantage for the Power. The game-deciding hit erased a potential win for Scott Moviel, who exited after 7.0 strong innings in position to earn his sixth straight win. The right-hander yielded 1 run on 3 hits while equaling his longest outing of the season. The Gnats (7-12, 40-49) took a brief lead in the seventh, when Jose Jimenez scored on a wild pitch from West Virginia reliever Corey Frerichs with two outs.

The early innings belonged to the starters, with Dan Merklinger and Moviel limiting the hitters to a combined six hits over the first six and a half innings. Frerichs (4-6) earned the win despite allowing the run in the eighth while Curtis Pasma pitched the final two innings for his second save.

K-Port:

ProjectProspect updated their “top 25 non-top 100 prospects” and guess who made the list:

#10 Wilmer Flores SS What a way to start a career: .360 BA, .640 SLG, 5 HR (same as Villalona last year) in 75 AB

Minor League Bios:

Wilmer Flores SS 16 years old Venezuela

Flores was signed as an international free agent in October 2007.

In late January 2007, Baseball America ranked Flores as the 17th overall Mets prospect, adding:

"should grow into his body and become a force with the bat ... ..internal comparisons to Miguel Cabrera for his present pull power and ability to use the whole field."

In February 2008, Baseball Prospectus named Florez a 3-star prospect, and ranked him as th 4th overall Mets prospect.

Also in February 2008, Rotoworld ranked Flores as the #15 Mets prospect.
In March 2008, Baseball America wrote:

Ten prospects to watch out for in 2008:

Wilmer Flores, SS - Since Omar Minaya took over as general manager, the Mets have been extremely active on the Latin American scouting front. Flores is the latest high-profile prospect to join the system and the Mets are very excited about what he can do, especially after a strong showing at instructs. Flores is lean and tall and his best tool is undoubtedly his bat, drawing comparisons to a Miguel Cabrera when he first began his pro career. He'll stay at shortstop for now, but there's a chance he'll grow out of the position and end up at third. It's up in the air where he'll begin the year and the Mets will use Spring Training to determine if he's ready to go to Savannah on Opening Day or if having him stick around in extended spring training makes more sense

Baseball America printed their “Hot 10” prospects on 6/27:

No. 10 WILMER FLORES, SS - METS - Team: Rookie-level Kingsport (Appalachian)

Age: 16 - Why He's Here: .400/.417/.578, 3 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 7 RBIs, 0 BB, 7 SO

The Scoop: “Flores is a 16 year old playing in a league where the average age is more than 20, and he has been arguably the best player in the league for the first week and a half. After belting a home run in his professional debut, Flores has continued his steady production. Enduring the loss of manager Nick Leyva, who also served as his Flores' translator, could have been a hitch in the road for Flores, who had grown close to Leyva, but the teenager's makeup impressed observers in Kingsport as he kept up his steady production under new leadership. The only knock on Flores is his defense, which at times can be shaky. He made three errors in a game on Tuesday night, but played the next two games error-free. Flores' hitting is his best present tool and he showed it on Thursday night, going 4-for-5 with a triple and three RBIs. “

In July 2008, ProjectProspect updated their “top 25 non-top 100 prospects” and guess who made the list:

10 Wilmer Flores SS What a way to start a career: .360 BA, .640 SLG, 5 HR in 75 AB

Ex-Mets:

Jason Bay reached base 4 times and scored 2 runs and Xavier Nady drove in 2 runs apiece as the Pirates outslugged the Astros, 10-7

David DeJesus had 3 hits, a triple, and 2 RBI

Minor League Hitter of the Week - Sean Henry, Chattanooga - .519 (14-27), 9 R, 6 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 9 RBI, 5 BB, 1 SO, 2 SB, .741 SLG - Henry makes the list on the back of a dominant three weeks in the leadoff role for the Lookouts. Henry has logged a hit in 20 of Chattanooga's last 22 games. Half of those games have been multi-hit efforts, including Henry's last five games. Henry doubled and scored in each of the five games and recorded eight RBIs over the span. Henry's batting average is up 50 points from where it was 22 games ago, and the Reds are likely enthused that he's showing patience again at the plate. After three walks in 25 games in June, Henry has five in six games in July and the results have obviously been substantial.

This Day in Mets History:

1968 - In the first All-Star game played indoors, American Leaguers are held to just three hits in the Astrodome as National League wins All-star game, 1-0 , thanks to Willie Mays scoring an unearned run in the first inning.
1969 With one out in the ninth, the Mets' Tom Seaver's near perfect game is broken up by Cubs' Jimmy Qualls.

And lastly:

"I would say I would not know, but would say the reason why they would want it passed is to keep baseball going as the highest paid ball sport that has gone into baseball and from the baseball angle, I am not going to speak of any other sport."- Casey Stengel, comment made baffling the Senate Anti-Trust and Monopoly Subcommittee Hearing (July 9, 1958)