The Mack Attack - 5-20-8

By John Mackin Ade
Posted Tuesday, May 20, 2008

May 20, 2008

Mets News

From bbtf: The Mets have announced only that Pedro Martinez threw 77 pitches in a 4 1/3-inning appearance against a Cardinals team in an extended Spring Training game on Monday and that he will throw a bullpen session at Turner Field on Wednesday or Thursday. But last week the club was quite optimistic that Martinez would return before June 1. And the plan to have him throw before pitching coach Rick Peterson and manager Willie Randolph two or three days after his extended spring performance strongly suggests that he is close to a return. Moreover, the scenario that is to unfold in Atlanta this week is quite similar to the one that played out late last summer prior to Martinez’s 2007 debut. Martinez threw a 64-pitch bullpen session in Turner Field on Sept. 1, and when it was complete, the Mets said that his next appearance would be either a start in Class A or a start in Cincinnati. Martinez returned from his 2006 rotator cuff surgery two days later and emerged as the winning pitcher in the Mets’ 10-4 victory against the Reds.

Mets Contracts:

Orlando Hernandez rhp - 2 years/$12M (2007-08) - $1M signing bonus - 07:$4.5M, 08:$6.5M - performance bonuses: $0.225M each for 150, 160, 170, 180 & 190 IP - perks: suite on road - awards: $0.1M for Cy Young ($25,000 for 2nd, $10,000 for 3rd), $0.1M for WS MVP, $50,000 for All Star, $25,000 each for Gold Glove, LCS/LDS MVP - re-signed as a free agent 11/06 - 2 years/$8M (2005-06) - 05:$3.5M, 06:$4.5M - $1.5M in bonuses in 2005, $2.5M in bonuses in 2006 - signed as a free agent 12/04 - 1 year/$0.5M (2004), signed as a free agent 3 /04 - 1 year/$4.1M (2003); avoided arbitration 1/03 ($4.5M-$4M) - 1 year/$3.2M, avoided arbitration 1/02 ($3.55M-$3M) - 4 years/$6.6M (1998-2001) - 98:$0.75M, 99:$1.85M, 00:$1.95M, 01:$2.05M, 02:$3.2M - agent: Greg Genske - ML service: 9.117

Zephyrs:

The Mets signed IF Abraham Nunez and assigned him immediately to New Orleans:

Abraham Orlando Nunuz (Adames) IF S R 5-11 185 3-16-76 Dominican Republic

Nunez was signed as an undrafted free agent by Toronto in 1994. He only played 1996 in the Toronto organization and was traded to Pittsburgh, where he played 8 seasons, including rising to the starting 2B-SS in 2001 through 2004. Nunuz was released by the Pirates in December 2004 and was signed by the St. Louis Cardinals, who he played the entire 2005 season for (.285/.343/.361 in 421 at bats). He then signed a 2-year deal (2006-07) to play for the Phillies, but declined the option to play for them in 2008.

There were no takers for Nunez in the off-season, other than a minor league contract offered by Milwaukee, which he agreed to and reported this year to their AAA-Nashville team (.210/.306/.229 in 105 at bats. Nunez was released by Milwaukee on 5-11-08 and was immediately signed by the Mets. He was assigned to AAA-New Orleans.

The Zephyrs traveled to Oklahoma City the former temporary home of the New Orleans Hornets on Monday and the host RedHawks defeated the Zephyrs 12-3. Nelson Cruz drilled a pair of home runs and drove home three runs in the game. The RedHawks jumped on Zephyr starter Ruddy Lugo in the first inning sending ten batters to the plate and scored four runs. The Zephyrs activated Lugo off the disabled list prior to the game starting and he worked three innings and allowed 7 runs on 8 hits. Oklahoma scored runs in the first five innings after being blanked on Sunday in Memphis. New Orleans’ Anderson Machado added two hits including his first home run of the season. The Z’s dropped their fourth game on the road trip and now have lost seven of their last 8 games.

B-Mets

Probable Pitchers: Tues: Jon Niese (2-4, 4.19) – Wed: Jose Sanchez (4-2, 3.86) – Thurs: Eric Brown (1-3, 6.75)

OF Fernando Martinez is expected to be out (strained right hamstring) for at least 3 weeks.

Closer Eddie Kunz had 3 saves in 3 consecutive games this week

Salvador Aguilar tossed 6 2/3 shutout innings and was supported by a six-run inning that helped the Binghamton Mets beat the Connecticut Defenders 9-0 at Dodd Stadium Monday. Binghamton has won seven of eight.

The B-Mets (21-22) got to Connecticut starter Dave McKae in the second. Mike Carp singled and Caleb Stewart doubled to put runners at second and third with no outs. Two batters later, McKae (3-3) walked Salomon Manriquez to load the bases before Jose Coronado’s fielder’s choice scored Carp and Aguilar’s sacrifice fly brought in Stewart. Emmanuel Garcia blooped a single to left, scoring Manriquez and Coronado and Daniel Murphy’s double drove in Garcia. Carp ended the onslaught with his second hit of the inning, a single, scoring Murphy for a 6-0 lead.

Binghamton got another run in the third when Concepcion was hit by a pitch, stole second, moved to third on a groundout and scored on Coronado’s groundout. Carp led off the fifth with a single and scored on Concepcion’s double to left-center to make it 8-0. The game’s final run came home in the ninth, when Evans reached on a fielder’s choice and later scored on Concepcion’s sac fly.

Connecticut (20-22) wasn’t able to do much against Aguilar (4-0). The righthander retired 15 of the first 16 he faced and allowed two hits through the first six innings to win his third straight start. Relievers Eude Brito, Robert Paulk and Tim Lavigne followed with 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief.

Lucy

OF Ezequiel Carrera was placed on the DL, retro to May 17th

P Elvy Quezada was added to the roster:

Evys Santiago Quezada P R R 6-3 230 12-15-81 Seton Hall Univ. (NYC)

Quezada was drafted by the New York Mets in the 15th round of the 2002 draft; however, he chose to stay in college. He was then drafted in the 15th round of the 2003 draft by the Yankees, who he did sign with.

Quezada spent 5 years in the Yankees organization, rising to the A+ level in both 2006 and 2007. His 5 year combined stats are: 21-14, 3.40, in 116 games (48 starts), 366 Ks in 357.1 IP, and a WHIP of 1.21.

Gnats:

Greenville out-slugged the Sand Gnats tonight as efforts by the Gnats late in the game fell just short in a 7-5 loss to the Drive on Monday night at Historic Grayson Stadium. Terumasa Matsuo (2-0) earned the win for Greenville while Elvin Ramirez (4-3) suffered the loss for the Gnats (18-26). The Drive would tag Ramirez for a run in the first when Mike Jones grounded out to score Kristopher Negron, who tripled ahead of Jones. Ramirez allowed two more Drive runs in the third when back-to-back walks to David Marsh and Ryan Kalish came back to haunt the Gnats. Once again it was Jones helping propel the Drive as he singled in both Kalish and Marsh to make it 3-0 Greenville. A two-run fourth led by a Jordan Abruzzo double would pull Savannah within one. Abruzzo doubled to start the inning and Francisco Pena followed with a single. With runners at the corners Jose Jimenez, who finished 2-for-3, doubled to score Abruzzo. A wild pitch by Matsuo would score Pena to cut the deficit to one. Greenville pulled away once again in the fifth and sixth to open up a 6-2 lead. Savannah would cut the lead to one once again in the seventh when a Casey Craig triple scored Jake Eigsti and Greg Veloz. An error by the pitcher Ryne Lawson on an Abruzzo grounder allowed Craig to score. That was as close as Savannah could get. Matsuo struck out eight Gnats en route to his second win of 2008 while Lawson picked up his second save

Potential Free Agents for 2009:

Catchers: Rod Barajas TOR - Henry Blanco CHC - Johnny Estrada MIL - Toby Hall CWS- Adam Melhuse TEX - Mike Redmond MIN - Ivan Rodriguez DET - David Ross CIN - Javier Valentin CIN - Jason Varitek BOS - Vance Wilson DET - Gregg Zaun TOR

Minor Mets Bios:

Samuel Tavares P R R 6-4 185 4-14-89 Santiago, D.R.

Tavares had an excellent debut pro season with the 2007 DSL Mets, going 4-1, 2.37 in 17 relief appearances. He also struck out 33 batters in 30.1 IP.

Miquel Tejada SS 16 years old Dominican Republic

Signed in December 2007 as an international free agent by the New York Mets.

Ruben Tejada SS R R 5-11 165 9-1-89 Panama

Tejada started the 2007 season with the VSL Mets where he had a wonderful season (.364/.466/.479 in 121 at bats, 16 SB). He was promoted and came stateside to finish the season starting for the GCL Mets (.283/.401/.367 in 120 at bats, 16 SB).

2007 Tejada was named the recipient of the 2007 Sterling Award as the MVP of the VSL Mets.

In November 2007, Scouts.com named Tejada the 25th top Mets prospect.

In late January 2007, Baseball America raked Tejada as the 18th top Mets prospect, adding:

"best present tools are on the defensive side, as he has above average arm strength and range that allow him to make all the plays at shortstop"

In February 2008, Baseball Prospectus aarded him a 2-star prospect rating and named him as the 10th overall Mets prospect.

Also in February 2008, Rotoworld ranked Tejada as the #2 Mets prospect, saying:

It doesn't happen very often, but Tejada made an in-season jump from the Venezuelan Summer League to the GCL after hitting .364/.466/.479 with 16 steals in 32 games last season. He didn't hit any homers or steal many bases in the U.S., but he did manage a .401 OBP as a 17-year-old. Tejada doesn't have the same kind of tools typically associated with the top young international properties. He's built like a second baseman, and it's doubtful that he'll ever possess more than 20-homer ability. Even that is probably pushing it. Still, that he's this young and already possesses such strong on-base skills makes him worthy of attention.

A May 2008 scouting report from Andy Braunstein:

Ruben Tejada - SS - At only 18 and not drowning in the FSL that is by his best tool. He has some hitting ability and a chance for this bat speed to go from 5.5-6 to 6.5 making him ML capable. Power should rise to 10-15. His glove is fine, and his more due to youth, not used to the English FSL hitters put on their grounders or having to learn when to throw, and when to pocket, attempts to nab guys at 1st at shots in the hole. He is the best SS prospect they have and if things work out 2B in a few years should be wide open.

This Day In Mets History:

1999 - Mets' third baseman Robin Ventura becomes the first major league player to hit grand slams in both ends of a doubleheader.

2000 - In his initial at-bat for the Mariners, recently acquired Rickey Henderson hits his record 76th career leadoff home run against the Devil Rays.

2004 - Cardinals’ catcher Mike Matheny handles his 1,295th chance without an error to establish an major league record for backstops. Charles Johnson, playing as a Marlin, had set the previous mark.