Mack Attack: May 30, 2008

The Mack Report - 5-30-8 May 30, 2008

Mets News:

Weekend pitching: Saturday: RHP Mike Pelfrey (2-6, 5.33) vs. RHP Chad Billingsley (4-6, 3.68), Sunday: LHP Johan Santana (6-3, 3.41) vs. RHP Hiroki Kuroda (2-4, 3.29)

Manager Willie Randolph said he just wanted to give Carlos Delgado a couple of days to “clear his head.” Randolph swears he’s not ready to platoon the struggling slugger - yet. But that could change, because while Delgado sat back-to-back games versus left-handers, replacement Damion Easley played well in a pair of wins. Easley went 2-for-6 with a double in last night’s 7-6, 12-inning win, a day after going 1-for-3 with an RBI and run scored. He played solid defense in both, something Delgado has struggled to do. “I told him he has to pick it up,” Randolph told Mets.com before the game. “His defense played into (the decision). He has to pick it up. He didn’t like what I said. I don’t want him to be happy (about) not playing. But he had no choice. “I’m not - not yet, anyway - doing strict platooning.” – nyp

Omar Minaya maintained on Wednesday that he had no regrets about how the Mets had handled Ryan Church's second concussion in 11 weeks, saying they based their decisions on regular consultations with Church and the team's medical staff. Minaya, the Mets' general manager, spoke to reporters for 15 minutes Wednesday afternoon, a day after several doctors with expertise in concussion management strongly criticized the Mets in interviews with The New York Times, saying the Mets' approach to Church over the last week had put him at medical risk. -- NY Daily News

Mets Top 10 Draft Picks:

1997:

#1 LHP Geoff Goetz – 8 yrs in minors with NYM, FLA, NYY… poof

#2 RHP Tyler Walker – 6 yrs in Mets org – waived – current
decent career with Giants as RP: 17-12 4.69 1.45

#3 SS Cesar Crespo – traded for Robert Stratton – 10 yrs MiLB + stints w/San Diego & BoSox – oob 2008

#4 OF Michael Yancy – 4 yrs in Mets org. – rose to A – poof

#5 C Brian Jenkins – 5yr Mets org + 1.5 yrs with Cleve – poof

#6 RHP Matt Lowe – 5 yr Mets org + 2 yrs Milw – poof

#7 RHP Robert Weslowski – 4 yrs in Mets org. – poof

#8 OF Vincente Rosario – 3 yr. minor leagye career – poof

#9 SS Kenny Miller – 3 yrs in Mets org. - poof

#10 3B Garrett Atkins - only decent player Mets drafted this year.
Never signed him. Went on to excellent career with Colorado… 2,023 at bats – 76 HRs - .855 OPS… that continues this year.

(#24: Jason Phillips; # 43: David DeJesus )

Zephyrs:

The Round Rock Express swept the host New Orleans Zephyrs in a doubleheader on Thursday, winning the first game 3-2 and the second game 2-1. Both games were seven-inning contests. In the first game Zephyrs starting pitcher Willie Collazo (2-2) took the loss after giving up all three runs on six hits in six innings. Round Rock reliever Carlos Hines (2-1) got the win after shutting out the Zephyrs and allowing two hits in two innings. Right fielder Reggie Abercrombie led the way offensively for Round Rock, hitting a two-run homer in the sixth inning. The only runs for the Zephyrs came from right fielder Valentino Pascucci, who hit his 11th home run of the year in the fourth inning, a two-run shot. In Game 2 of the doubleheader (Game 4 of the series), Zephyrs starter Jose Diaz (1-5) got his fifth loss of the year after giving up all two runs on two hits in four innings of play. Diaz also walked five batters. Express starter Chance Douglass (1-0) got his first win of the year after shutting out the Zephyrs in six innings. Douglass gave up only three hits. Reliever Chad Paranto picked up his third save of the season despite giving up a run on one hit in the final inning. That run was driven in by center fielder Jesus Feliciano, the only offensive highlight for the Zephyrs in the second game.

B-Mets:

Bobby Parnell threw 6 1/3 shutout innings and Daniel Murphy hit a three-run double during a six-run eighth, helping the Binghamton Mets to a 6-2 win over the Portland Sea Dogs at Hadlock Field Thursday. The victory ends Binghamton’s losing streak at four games. The game began as a pitchers’ duel between Parnell and Portland’s Michael Bowden. Both struck out five and both were lifted in the seventh with the game still scoreless. Josh Petersen led off the Binghamton (25-27) half of the eighth with an infield single. Reliever Chad Rhoades (2-1) then walked Jose Coronado before Rafael Arroyo reached on a fielder’s choice that forced out Petersen at third. Eric Reed’s bunt single loaded the bases for Emmanuel Garcia, who singled to left, scoring Coronado with the game’s first run. Murphy followed with a double off the rightfield fence, bringing in Arroyo, Reed and Garcia. Caleb Stewart’s base hit followed, scoring Murphy, before Ambiorix Concepcion’s groundout brought in Stewart. Portland (32-20) scored two off Eddie Camacho (3-2) in the ninth on Sandy Madera’s RBI double and Ryan Khoury’s run-scoring single. Tim Lavigne got the final two outs to preserve the victory.

Lucy:

Roster moves: added IF Brandon Richey to roster and placed IF Luis Rivera on the DL

Gnats:

Thomas Neal went 4-for-5 with a home run and 4 RBI as the GreenJackets slugged their way to a 12-6 victory over the Sand Gnats before 2,345 fans at Historic Grayson Stadium on Thursday night. Augusta (32-21) capitalized on a season-high 5 errors by Savannah and clubbed 16 hits on its way to a series-opening win. Garret Baker went 4-for-6 with 3 runs and Shane Jordan had three as the GreenJackets jumped out to an 8-0 lead after a three-run fifth. Savannah (22-31) made it interesting in the fifth when it rallied for 4 runs to cut the lead in half. The Gnats started the inning with five straight hits including back-to-back doubles by Carlos Guzman and Jake Eigsti. The fourth hit, a two-run triple from Greg Veloz, ended Augusta starter Steven Calicutt’s night. The ‘Jackets responded with two runs in the seventh and ninth innings to run their total to 12. Oliver Odle (4-3) pitched the final 5.0 innings for the win. Richard Pena, Matt Bouchard, Eigsti and Veloz each had a pair of hits for the Gnats who lost their fifth straight home game. Scott Moviel (3-7) lasted 3.2 innings, permitting 4 runs (3 earned) on 4 hits. He was plagued by 5 walks while striking out 1. (guys, thus guy really sucks...)

Minor Mets Bios:

Nick Abel P R R 6-4 200 2-18-83

Abel played college ball at Stony Brook University, where he was 2-2 (1.69) with 3 saves in 17 appearances in his last year. He appeared in 18 games in his junior year, walking only 8 batters in 29.2 innings. He led his team in 2004 in ERA, with a 2.28 in 17 appearances. Abel played center field in high school with fellow Met prospect, Joe Holden.

He was signed by the Mets in May 2006 as an un-drafted free agent. He started in Brooklyn (0-2, 3.07, 1.09) but moved on the Hagerstown in July 1-1, 1.35, 1.15). His combined record in 2006, playing for 3 teams (Stony Brook, Brooklyn & Hagerstown) was 22 appearances, 0 starts, 1-3, 2.11, & 1.14. OnDeck gave him a 124.44 rating for his work in the Sally League, on 7-26-06.

In 2007, Abel had an outstanding year for St. Lucie, going 2-3, 2.37, 1.23, in 42 relief appearances.

2008 update: Abel has pitched sporadically for St. Lucie (0-2, 3.0 IP, 21.00) and Binghamton (0-0, 18.00, 5.0 IP).

Ex-Mets:

Jeff Kent’s May average is .179 in 67 at-bats

Chan Ho Park had a 2.10 ERA in 14 appearances (one start) for L.A. until suffering Wednesday’s loss

Jorge Julio - Designated for assignment by the Cleveland Indians.

Jorge Sosa - Signed by the Houston Astros to a minor league contract.

Jesus Flores hit a grand slam, and the Nationals held off the Padres, 6-4.

Royals recalled LHP Neal Musser from Triple-A Omaha

Meanwhile, back at the talented-but-underperforming ranch, we have Lastings Milledge. Milledge is a different animal altogether. I made the dreaded Gary Sheffield comparison back in March, but Milledge hasn't done anything productive for his new team. The good news, I suppose, is that his game isn't really regressing: His batting average is down, and some of last year's home runs are this year's doubles, but for the most part he's the same player he was in 2007. Come to think of it, that's kind of the problem. Milledge is 23 years old. That's still plenty young, but at some point a kid has to put some of that potential to use. Eventually the age thing won't play (he can discuss that with teammates Austin Kearns and Wily Mo Pena), and he'll need to produce. There's certainly no need to panic just yet, but now would be a good time for the proverbial light bulb to turn itself on. - HardballTimes

This Day In Mets History:

2003 - At Shea Stadium, the Braves go deep four times off former teammate Tom Glavine to tie a National League record by hitting 55 home runs in a calendar month. The New York Giants (July,1947) and the Cardinals (April, 2000) are the other teams to accomplished the feat.

And lastly:

"Wake up the Bambino and let me face him. I 'll drill him in the ass." - PEDRO MARTINEZ, Red Sox ace after ending a streak of five straight losses to the Yankees.