The Mack Attack - 5-15-8

By John Mackin Ade
Posted Thursday, May 15, 2008

May 15, 2008

Mets News

Fernando Martinez felt “a little pop” in his right hamstring while stealing second base during tonight’s Binghamton Mets game and was pulled

Billy Wagner hasn’t allowed an earned run in 15 2/3 innings this season.

Brady Clark needs surgery on his right knee that could sideline him for a year.

Mets Contracts:

Carlos Delgado 1b - 4 years/$52M (2005-08), plus 2009 option - acquired 11/05 in trade from Florida (as part of deal, Marlins paid Mets $7M - $1M in 2006, $2M in 2007, $4M in 2008) - 05:$4M, 06:$13.5M, 07:$14.5M, 08:$16M, 09:$16M option ($4M buyout) - 2009 option may vest based on MVP voting rank - if 2009 option does not vest, club has $12M mutual option ($4M buyout) - MVP award bonus ($50,000 for finishing 2nd to Bonds in MVP vote) - signed as a free agent 1/05 - 4 years/$68M (2001-04) - $4.8M signing bonus - 01:$10M, 02:$17.2M, 03:$17.5M, 04:$18.5M - complete no-trade clause - $50,000 All Star award bonus - 3 years/$36M (2000-02) - agent: David Sloane - ML service: 13.002

Zephyrs:

New Orleans had the night off.

B-Mets:

Fernando Martinez hit a go-ahead RBI single in the second to help the Binghamton Mets defeat the New Britain Rock Cats 5-2 at NYSEG Stadium Wednesday. The victory is Binghamton’s season-high-tying third straight and sixth in their last seven games.

Binghamton (17-21) never trailed after Jonathan Malo walked in the first and Daniel Murphy followed with a two-run homer off Oswaldo Sosa (1-3). New Britain (20-18) tied the score on David Winfree’s two-run blast off Salvador Aguilar in the second. Those were the only runs allowed by Aguilar (3-0) in five innings of work. Jose Coronado led off the Binghamton half of the second with a single, moved to second on a wild pitch, to third on Rafael Arroyo’s sacrifice bunt and scored on Martinez’s single to center for a 3-2 B-Mets lead. Binghamton tallied another in the fifth. Jonathan Malo led off the frame with a single and Murphy walked before Malo took third on a wild pitch and scored on Nick Evans’ double-play groundout. Ambiorix Concepcion scored the game’s final run in the sixth when he doubled and scored on Salomon Manriquez’s base hit to right.

Eric Brown, Joe Hietpas and Eddie Kunz combined for four innings of scoreless relief, with Kunz earning his eighth save in as many chances.

Lucy:

Lucy released P John Wesley and added Tim Stronach to roster from Brooklyn

Another tough loss for Lucy dropping an away game to Vero Beach, 3-2. SP Nick Carr returned to the rotation and did a so-so job going 6.0 IP, giving up 3 ER and striking out 5. Home runs werestroke by SS Rueben Tejada (.229) and 3B Leivi Ventura (.256).

Gnats:

Elvin Ramirez (4-2) pitched 6.0 scoreless innings and Michael Parker smacked a two-run triple in the fifth as the Gnats defeated the first-place Asheville Tourists, 4-2, in front of 2,012 on Education Day at Historic Grayson Stadium. The six-innings by Ramirez were a season-high along with his 8 strikeouts. He allowed just two hits, one in the first and one in the fifth. At one point, Ramirez retired 12 Asheville hitters in a row. Wendy Rosa came on to pitch the final three frames to pick up his first save, allowing two runs in the ninth inning. Parker, 1-for-3, served as the hero for the second game in a row. Last night, the Boston, Mass. native smacked a two-run single in the eighth to give Savannah the lead for good. Casey Craig was the only Sand Gnat to register multiple hits today, going 2-for-4 with a run scored.

VSL:

The VSL Mets continue playing 1.000 ball, winning their 3rd game in a row, 7-4, against the Rays. Ramiro Paralta (1-0, 0.00) got the win in relief and Johan Romero (0.00) picked up his 2nd save of the young season. CF Breiner Soto went 3-5 and 2B Wilfredo Tovar (.368) hit his 2nd homer of the season.

Potential Free Agents for 2009:

1B: Rich Aurilia SF Ben Broussard TEX

Carlos Delgado * NYM Nomar Garciaparra LAD

Jason Giambi * NYY Wes Helms PHI

Kevin Millar BAL Richie Sexson

Mark Teixeira ATL Frank Thomas OAK

Jim Thome CWS Daryle Ward CHC

Minor League Bios:

Caleb Stewart OF R R 6-2 230 6-11-82 University of Kentucky

The New York Mets drafted outfielder Caleb Stewart with their 22nd round pick in the 2004 draft.

Stewart grew up in Rush, Kentucky and attended the University of Kentucky where he was one of the team leaders. He led the Wildcats in nine offensive categories in 2004, including hits (72), runs scored (50), doubles (20), home runs (10) and total bases (128). He batted .329 and started all 54 games in the outfield. In three seasons with Kentucky, Stewart posted a career .314 average with 19 home runs and 88 runs batted in. The Mets signed him on 6-16-04 and made his professional debut with the Cyclones. He finished that year with Cap Cities (A - .314/.396/.558 in 86 Abs(, which earned him a promotion to St. Lucie in 2005.

In 2006, Stewart played the entire year for St. Lucie, where he batted .259 in 243 at bats.

An old scouting report on Stewart:

Batting and Power. Stewart is an athletic ball player with good power. He has a very good eye at the plate and has good pitch recognition. He has the ability to be a .290-.300 hitter as a professional and enough pop in his bat to bang out 20+ home runs annually. In a system filled with speed, Stewart's power is a welcomed addition.

Base Running and Speed. Stewart is quick for a big guy. He's a good base runner and has the ability to pick his spots to steal some bases, but he's not a real big threat on the base paths.

Defense: Stewart played right field for the University of Kentucky and will play there some as a professional. He has decent range and a good arm. He's an adequate right fielder, but projects more as a left fielder in the Mets' system that already has the likes of Concepcion, Jamar Hill, and Carlos Gomez higher on the depth charts in right field. He can play either corner outfield position if called upon and will not disappoint defensively.

Projection. As is the case with most college players that begin their professional career, Stewart is going to have to put up the numbers at the higher levels before he's viewed as a starting outfield prospect. He does have a sound game all around and does possess enough power to project as a starter down the road. Until he posts the numbers he's capable of, Stewart projects as a solid fourth outfielder. He's a "sleeper" though, one to keep an eye on in the next couple of years. Jason Bay of the Pirates is a good MLB comparison as Stewart could reach the Majors with the same type of little fanfare along the way. ETA. 2008.

Stewart played the entire 2007 season for Binghamton (.252/.314/.400 in 433 at bats, including 16 HRs and 69 RBIs).

Ex-Mets:

The Tampa Bay Rays and pitcher Scott Kazmir have agreed on a four-year contract extension. The first three years of the agreement covering 2009, 2010 and 2011 are guaranteed with the team holding an option for the 2012 season. The contract guarantees Kazmir $28.5 million and has a maximum value of approximately $39.5 million

This Day In Mets History

1973 - Angel fireballer Nolan Ryan no-hits the Royals, 3-0. It is the first of a record seven no-hitters the 'Ryan Express' throw during his career including another one in two months

1998 - The Marlins trade Gary Sheffield, Bobby Bonilla, Charles Johnson, Jim Eisenreich, and Manuel Barrios to the Dodgers for Mike Piazza and Todd Zeile.

And lastly:

"The phase 'off with the crack of the bat', while romantic, is really meaningless, since the outfielder should be in motion long before he hears the sound of the ball hitting the bat." -JOE DiMAGGIO, Hall of Fame outfielder (1936-42, 46-51)