Mack Attack: June 12, 2008

By John Mackin Ade
Posted Thursday, June 12, 2008

When did Armando Bernitez become the Mets closer again?

Abraham Nunez was designated for assignment

They haven’t played like a playoff team, but the Mets still believe they are one. And Tuesday, before facing the Diamondbacks, the Mets players emerged from a brief players-only, closed-door meeting, each carrying a piece of paper with a blueprint for a future that includes the postseason. ...One player allowed the Daily News a quick glance at the sheet, which looked a lot like a flow chart with a series of arrows. At the top was the team’s record entering Tuesday night’s game, 30-32. Near the bottom was a circled final regular-season record of 92-70. Below that was an arrow pointing to a single word: “Playoffs.” The sheet also had several phrases and motivational messages. One said “We B4 I.” Another read “team above self.” A third message was “we have time.” Players asked about the meeting said the only matter discussed was players’ union business, the reelection of Aaron Heilman as team representative. One who was asked about the sheet he held said, “It’s a team matter. I’m not talking about it.” - NYN

 

"Lots of chatter over at the Flushing University message boards today (my column will be up late tonight or tomorrow morning). I weighed in on Luis Castillo there: "Luis Castillo's contract is bad not because of the annual dollar value, but because of the length. Two years with a club option is the most the Mets should've offered. Four guaranteed years was a disaster. Mets fans who wanted to give Ruben Gotay an opportunity to start (and I was one of them) had to know that it was never a realistic option. No one - not the owner, not the general manager, not the manager and not the mainstream media - would've been comfortable if the Mets started 2008 without an "established" second baseman. The Mets are a franchise always desperate to win right away and therefore are generally unwilling to trust any position to an untested player unless it is the absolute last option. It is a silly and short-sighted way to run an organization, but the Mets generally do a lot of silly and short-sighted things. If Castillo were batting eighth in the lineup - where he would be more of an asset than a liability - no one would be worrying about the offense he provides. The fact that he hits #2 is the problem. I mean, if you really want to get crazy, a lineup with Castillo leading off and Reyes batting second would actually make more sense, because Jose has a far better chance to drive in Luis than the other way around." - ProductiveOuts

 

Zephyrs:

The Omaha Royals scored five times in the top of the ninth, beating the New Orleans Zephyrs on Wednesday, 7-2. Zephyrs closer Carlos Muniz entered a tie game in the ninth inning, gave up a leadoff walk to Ryan Shealy, and after a sacrifice bunt, a double into the right field corner by Brayan Pena to give Omaha the lead. The Royals tacked on a two-run double by Chris Lubanski and a two-run homer by David Matranga, his second of the series, to put the game out of reach. The five runs raised Muniz's ERA from 1.57 to 3.38. New Orleans starter Brian Stokes went eight innings, allowing just five hits and two unearned runs. He struck out four and walked none in only his second no-decision in 13 starts. Trailing 1-0 in the fourth, the Z's tied the game when Jesus Feliciano led off with a walk, moved to third on a Valentino Pascucci single, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Michel Abreu. The Zephyrs took the lead the following inning on another sacrifice fly, this time by Argenis Reyes, to cash in a leadoff double by Anderson Machado. Omaha tied the game at 2-2 in the sixth when, with two out, Pascucci dropped a throw from shortstop Anderson Hernandez that would have been the final out.

 

B-Mets:

The Binghamton Mets scored four times in the bottom of the ninth, but the Harrisburg Senators held on for a 9-8 win at NYSEG Stadium Wednesday. The loss is Binghamton’s second straight. Binghamton (34-30) took a 1-0 lead in the second when Mike Carp walked, moved to second on Salomon Manriquez’s groundout and scored on Jose Coronado’s base hit to right. Harrisburg (36-27) scored the tying run in the third on Roger Bernadina’s RBI fielder’s choice, but Binghamton reclaimed the lead in the sixth. After Jonathan Malo drew a leadoff walk, Nick Evans and Carp hit back-to-back doubles, the latter scoring Malo and Evans, for a 3-1 B-Mets lead. The Senators responded in the seventh against Joe Hietpas (1-3). Devin Ivany doubled in a run before Seth Bynum’s run-scoring single tied the game. Two runs scored on a throwing error, putting Harrisburg ahead 5-3. Eric Reed began the bottom of the seventh by drawing a walk off Zech Zinicola (3-2) before stealing second and scoring on Carp’s base hit, cutting Harrisburg’s lead to one. However, Harrisburg got two more in the top of the ninth, with Bynum and Marco Yepez picking up RBIs, for a 9-4 advantage. Reed opened the bottom of the ninth with an infield hit off Josh Perrault. Malo followed with a two-run homer. Evans then hit Perrault’s next pitch over the left-centerfield fence for a solo shot that got the B-Mets within 9-7. Carp and Manriquez followed with singles, putting runners at first and second with one out and chasing Perrault from the game. Coronado then lined a base hit up the middle off Tim Bittner, bringing in Carp. Garcia followed with a flyout. Pinch-runner Rafael Arroyo tagged up from third and tried to score on the out, but Bernadina, the Harrisburg leftfielder, threw out Arroyo at the plate, ending the game.

 

Gnats:

The Catfish took advantage of three Savannah errors in the fifth inning to score three runs and Kevin Boggan escaped a jam in the ninth as Columbus held on for a 4-2 triumph Wednesday afternoon at Historic Grayson Stadium. Savannah (30-36) began the ninth in promising fashion, as Jake Eigsti and Greg Veloz each singled with one out and took third on a wild pitch from Boggan. With the tying runs in scoring position, Jordan Abruzzo pinch hit and hit a comebacker to Boggan who threw home to retire Eigsti. Jose Jimenez then struck out to end the ball game. The Catfish (25-41) scored three unearned runs in the fifth inning without hitting a ball out of the infield off Sand Gnats reliever Brant Rustich. Columbus used a pair of bunt singles, 2 walks, three Savannah errors, a passed ball and a wild pitch to plate the runs and take a 4-2 advantage. After Columbus starter Bryan Flores was ejected for arguing at the end of third, Glenn Gibson and Boggan held the Gnats scoreless for the final six frames. Gibson (3-8) struck out 4 in 4.0 innings for the win. Boggan pitched the final 2.0 innings for his fourth save. Savannah took a 2-1 lead in the third when Eigsti and Matt Bouchard singled to put runners on the corners before Jose Jimenez drove in Eigsti with a sacrifice fly. Eigsti went 3-for-4 to lead Savannah while Bouchard and Rodriguez added two hits each. Rustich (1-2) took the loss, permitting 3 unearned runs in 3.0 innings of relief.

-okay, that was the ‘official press release version’ of the game, but here’s what I saw… P Tim Stronach was in total command by the end of the 4th inning, but was pulled after only 62 pitches with a 2-1 lead. Obviously he was on a pitch count and the Gnats started warming up Brant Rustich during the top of the 4th. And then the weirdness started. I counted 5 wild pitches by Rustich… in the bullpen. One stopped the game because the ball bounced off the wall behind home plate and landed near the home plate umpire. But Rustich saved the best for last. His last warm-up toss happened as the the Gnats players were coming off the field and the ball struck 3B Jacob Egsti as he was entering the dugout! You just knew the Gnats should have begun warming someone else up, but no, on with the Rustich show in the top of the 5th. Rustich walked a batter… got one out…batter got to 2nd on a wild pitch… then C Francesco Pena let a swinging third strike get out of his glove, letting the ball bounce to the back fence, scoring the run from second and allowing the batter a free base. What does Pena do? Well, he puts his mask back on and signals to him teammates that there is 2 outs. The ump corrects him and Rustich proceeds to throw another wild pitch. Pena gets to the ball as the runner turns second and fakes running to third. So Pena throws the ball to the 3Bman, right. No, he heaves it in between the CFer and RFer. That’s right, not the LFer. Runner scores. Pena is totally rattled by now , so the Columbus manager pulls a fast one. He has the next batter drop a bunt on pena, who picks up the ball and throws it on a fly into the Gnats bullpen. 4th run scores. Oh, did I tell you this is the Sally League all-star catcher?

 

K-Port:

The Kingsport Mets will break camp on Friday with those players with cars leaving after the morning workout that day and others flying to Kingsport on Saturday. New K-Mets managed Nick Leyva is upbeat at the team he is bringing to Kingsport. The players are part of a squad that went 23-17 in extended spring training. "We have 28 coming up,'' said Leyva from the K-Mets' camp in St. Lucie, Fla., on Wednesday. "We might also get some kids currently scheduled to go to Brooklyn, who might get bumped down if they sign a high draft pick. We also expect to get some signees later and should have a roster of 33 or 34 players.'' Added Leyva: "We have some talent on this team. Of course, we were all combined for spring practice, but of the kids we are bringing we have some really good players.'' Included is a player considered the hottest prospect in the organization. Wilmer Flores is a shortstop from Venezuela and was not drafted. "He's a bonus baby,'' said Leyva. The K-Met roster will also include the No. 5 draft pick, catcher Charles Doyle from Coastal Carolina. Returning players include outfielder Daniel Stegall, catcher Rogelio Del Campo and pitchers Phillips Orta, Jose Rodriguez, Stephen Puhl (a converted catcher) and Jason LaVorgna. There will also be a Canadian presence in catcher Jean-Luc Blaquiere. Also on the roster is Canadian pitcher Guillaume Leduc. Other draftees signed and headed to Kingsport include: No. 12 pick Mark Cohoon; No. 16 pick Travis Babin; No. 17 Mitchell Hauck, No. 19 Zachary Rosenbaum and No. 25 Eric Turgeon -- all pitchers -- plus No. 27 round pick Jeffrey Flagg, a first baseman from Mississippi State. Scheduled to come, once they sign, are second baseman Kyle Suire from Louisiana-Monroe, taken in the 35th round, and outfielder Seth Williams, who was taken in the 40th round. He is currently playing in the College World Series with North Carolina, but is a senior and is expected to sign once his Omaha experience has ended. Up from the Gulf Coast Mets are pitcher Raul Batis; infielder Stefan Welch and outfielders Ignacio Medrano, Rafael Fernandez and Gabriel Zavala. The K-Mets will settle in on Saturday and meet the media on Sunday. They open at home Tuesday against the Greeneville Astros.

Clones:

Brooklyn roster announced today (so far):

Pitchers: - Matias Carrillo, Jnathan Castillo, J.J. Leaper, Daniel McDonald, Roy Merritt, Michael Olmstead, Todd Privett, Wendy Rosa

Catchers - Jean Luc Blaquiere, Cesar Cordido, Ralph Henriquez, Jefferies Tatford, Aaron Garcia

Infielders: - Juan Lagares, Zachary Lutz, Brandon Richey,

Outfielders: - Darren Clark, Brandon Kawal, Will Vogl

Minor League Bios:

Angel Calero SP L L 6-3 170 9-25-86 Valecia, Venezuela

Calero came out of the VSL system and first pitched stateside with the 2006 GCL Mets (2-2, 6.83 in 9 games, 3 starts).

In 2007, Calero started the season with Kingsport where he pitched fantastically (5-1, 2.79, 1.20 in 11 appearances, 6 starts), which earned him a season ending promotion to Savannah (2-0, 1.54 in 2 starts).
His 2 year, 3 team totals are 9-3, 3.86 with 78Ks in 91.0 IP.

In 2008, he was just promoted to St. Lucie after a very successful start in Savannah.

 

Ex-Mets:

Lastings Milledge smacked a 2-run homer in the top of the 9th as the Nationals stunned the Pirates, 7-6

Tom Glavine was forced to leave after three innings with an elbow strain that will send him to the disabled list