The Mack Attack - 5-22-8

By John Mackin Ade
Posted Thursday, May 22, 2008

May 22, 2008

Mets News

Pedro Martinez has left the Mets to return to his home and be with his father, who is suffering from brain cancer.

More good news... Moises Alou left last night's game in the 3rd inning with what the Mets have labeled a left calf cramp. Alou is headed back to New York for an MRI

Mets released RHP Jorge Sosa

Word is the Mets are shopping RP Aaron Heilman.

David Wright, The Captain, on the doubleheader loss:

"It's unacceptable to want to win a division and not rise to the momentum we had this weekend. It's not one thing or the other. It's overall...We had all the momentum in the world coming into this series and we couldn't do anything with it." "It's mediocrity. We have to do a better job of maintaining some consistency and going out there and pitching well and hitting well on a consistent basis."

Willie Randolph backtracked from his accusations of racism yesterday but didn't back down from his feud with the Mets' own TV network. Under siege for his passive ways as the Mets struggled this season, Randolph suggested in an interview published Monday in the Bergen Record that racism might be fueling the animosity. Randolph also criticized SNY in the interview, saying the network - whose majority owner is the Mets organization - intentionally feeds the perception he is too unemotional by not showing him interacting with players in the dugout. Randolph addressed the racism angle first with reporters here yesterday morning, changing his story to say he was merely being "tongue in cheek" when talking with the Bergen reporter. "I think I mentioned to him about it feeling almost racial or whatever, but that was pretty much . . . a tongue-in-cheek kind of reaction to what I've been feeling," Randolph said. "That's not to say anybody is racist or that this is racial. [The reporter] and I were just chit-chatting." -- NY Post

Mack’s Facts:

“The Future Mets – By Position: 2B

Luis Castillo has a Mets contract through 2011, which we assume, they will honor. That being said, let’s project Castillo as a worn out utility player during the 2011 season, thus, the Mets will need a new second baseman for that season. That’s 3 years away, which means you won’t be finding a replacement with a player currently playing at the AAA level.

B-Met wise, second base has been split between Jonathan Malo (.222 in 54 at bats) and Emmanuel Garcia (.205 in 146 at bats), neither of which have hit well this year. Garcia has totally fallen off his once prospect status. Lucy, wise, non-prospect Luis Rivera (.245) has taken over the starting role from Hector Pellot (.165) who has simply forgotten how to hit. And there isn’t much help in Savannah with Greg Veloz (.219) playing second every day. Tyler Johnson, Ignacio Medrano, and Jordany Valdespin remain in Extended Camp.

Observation: The Mets took considerable fan-heat when they extended Castillo’s stay, but it looks like it was the right decision. There simply is no one right now down the system that looks like they will step up to the major league starting role someday. Look for the Mets to draft early at this position.

My prediction for draft (pick one): Jemile Weeks/University of Miami - David Adams/Virginia - Brandon Turner/Mississippi State - Aaron Luna/Rice - Alden Carrithers/UCLA

Mets Contracts:

Luis Castillo 2b - 4 years/$25M (2008-11) re-signed as a free agent 11/19/07 - $1M signing bonus - 08:$6M, 09:$6M, 10:$6M, 11:$6M - 3 years/$16M (2004-06), plus $5.75M 2007 option - $2M signing bonus - 04:$4M, 05:$4.5M, 06:$5M, 07:$5.75M club option ($0.5M buyout) - acquired in trade (from Minnesota) 7/30/07 - 2007 option guaranteed with 501 PAs in 2006 (vested 8/06) - re-signed as a free agent 12/03 - 1 year/$4.85M (2003), re-signed 12/02 - $50,000 performance bonus for 550 Pas - 1 year/$3.325M (2002), avoided arbitration 1 /02 - 1 year/$2.2M (2001), avoided arbitration - agents: Levinson brothers - ML service: 10.055

Updated Macks Mets Prospect List:

‘AAAAA’ – Projects as MLB Star:

1. OF Fernando Martinez/Binghamton

2. RP Eddie Kunz/Binghamton

‘AAAA’ – Projects as MLB player:

3. SP Jon Niese/Binghamton

4. C Francesco Pena/Savannah

5. 1B Nick Evans/B-Mets

6. DH Mike Carp/B-Mets

‘AAA” – Projects as showing early ability to excel in MLB:

7. SS Ruben Tejada/Lucy

8. OF Ezequiel Carrera/Lucy

‘AA’ – Projecting as ability to become MLB player:

9. 1B Lucas Duda/Lucy

10. 3B Dan Murphy/Lucy

11. SP Tobi Stoner/Lucy

12. SP Angel Calero/Gnats

13. SP Dillon Gee/Lucy

14. RP Edgar Ramirez/Lucy

15. SP Mike Antonini/Gnats

16. SP Dylan Owen/Lucy

‘A” – Projects as potential to excel in MLB (too early to tell):

17. SS Wilmer Flores/Extended

18. 3B Jefry Marte/DSL

19. SP Marcos Tabata/K-Port

20. 2B Ignacio Medrano/Extended

21. SS Miquel Tejada/Extended

22. SP Gabriel Zavala/Extended

‘B’ – Prospect currently underperforming:

23. SP Brant Rustich/Gnats

24. SP Jake Ruckle/B-Mets

25. SP Bobby Parnell/B-Mets

26. SP Scott Moviel/Lucy

27. SP Eric Niesen/Lucy

28. RP Steve Clyne/Lucy

29. SP Nathan Vineyard/Gnats

30. SP Scott Moviel/Gnats

31. RP John Holdzkom/Gnats

B-Mets

Upcoming Pitchers:

Thursday: Jose Sanchez (4-2, 3.86)

Friday: Eric Brown (4-3, 6.75)

Saturday: Bobby Parnell (3-3, 5.87)

Daniel Murphy scored all the runs and Jonathan Niese tossed 5 2/3 innings of one-run ball to help the Binghamton Mets to a 2-1 win over the Connecticut Defenders at Dodd Stadium Wednesday. The victory is Binghamton’s second straight and eighth in their last nine games. The B-Mets (22-22) took the lead for good in the first. Murphy reached on a one-out single off Joey Martinez before moving to second on Nick Evans’ groundout. Mike Carp followed with a base hit to center, scoring Murphy for a 1-0 lead. Murphy was at it again in the third, drawing a one-out walk off Martinez (2-4) before stealing second and scoring on Evans’ single to left for a 2-0 advantage. Connecticut (20-23) didn’t get to Niese (3-4) until the fifth. With runners at first and second and two outs, pinch-hitter Kyle Haines singled to left, scoring Nestor Rojas. However, leftfielder Evans and shortstop Jose Coronado combined with catcher Rafael Arroyo to nab Jake Wald at the plate for the inning’s final out. Joe Hietpas and Eddie Camacho provided two innings of scoreless relief for the B-Mets before Eddie Kunz got the final four outs for his 10th save in as many chances

Lucy:

The Dunedin Blue Jays broke open a close game with four runs in the seventh inning for a 7-3 win over the St. Lucie Mets on Wednesday at Knology Park and win three out of four in the series.

The Mets got a solo home run from Christopher Fournier in the second inning and two runs in the ninth on an RBI double by B.J. Hubbert and an RBI single by Sean McCraw before the brief rally came to an end.

Tobi Stoner (1-3) pitched 6 1/3 innings and struck out seven in a losing cause.

Gnats:

The Augusta GreenJackets (27-19) rallied back for a 2-1 win over the Savannah Sand Gnats (18-28) on Wednesday night for their second straight win. Starter Daryl Maday struck out a career high eight batters and Augusta plated two runs in the sixth inning to rally back from a one run deficit.

Trailing 1-0 Nick Noonan sparked the rally in the sixth inning with a two-out single. Noonan then stole second base after a pick off attempt could not be completed by Savannah. Noonan then swiped third base and scored on the throwing error from Savannah catcher Francisco Pena to tie the game.

Savannah’s one run came in the top of the sixth inning on an RBI sac-fly to right-field from Casey Craig scoring Jake Eigsti.

Daniel Otero recorded his 11 save the season allowing one hit in the ninth and striking out two.

Savannah starter Mike Antonini (3-2) recorded the loss allowing two runs on three hits over 5.2 innings. Antonini walked one and struck out a season high eight.

Brooklyn:

Some players have already been assigned to Brooklyn:

Pitchers: Grady Hinchman - J.J. Leaper - Daniel McDonald - Michael Olmsted

Catchers: Cesar Cordido - Jefferies Tatford

Infielders: Micah Schilling

Outfielders: Darren Clark

K-Port:

Some players have already been assigned to Kingsport:

Pitchers: - Nelson Arriechi - Rhiner Cruz - Kyle Johnson - Jason Lavorgna - Pedro P. Martinez - Jorge Rodriguez - Marcos Tabata - Santiago Valdez

Catchers: Rogelio Del Campo - Steve Malvagna

Infielders: Nicholas Giarraputo - Ernesto Gonzalez - Terry Johnson - Tyler Vaughn

Outfielders: Donald Green - Jeremy Hambrice

VSL/DSL:

The VSL Mets got back to their winnings ways, shutting out the Tigers, 6-0. Jhonathan Torrez (1-0, 0.93) threw 5.0 innings of scoreless ball, backed up by 3 more run-less innings by Jhoan Burgos (0.00). The hitting star was Curacao’s Ray Van Gurp (.273), who went 3-4, including a triple.

Outfielder Orlandito Rodriguez of the Dominican Republic, outfielder Luis Domoromo of Venezuela and right-hander Michel Inoa of the Dominican Republic are the three hot names as organizations scout international free agents

Potential Free Agents for 2009:

Outfielders: Bobby Abreu NYY - Moises Alou NYM - Garret Anderson LAA - Rocco Baldelli TB - Willie Bloomquist SEA - Emil Brown OAK - Pat Burrell PHI - Endy Chavez NYM - Carl Crawford TB - Adam Dunn CIN - Jim Edmonds CHC - Juan Encarnacion STL - Cliff Floyd TB - Brian Giles SD - Ken Griffey Jr. CIN - Vladimir Guerrero LAA - Raul Ibanez SEA - Jacque Jones DET - Mark Kotsay AT - Rob Mackowiak WAS - Kevin Mench TEX - Jason Michaels CLE - Craig Monroe MIN - Jay Payton BAL - Scott Podsednik COL - Manny Ramirez BOS - Juan Rivera LAA - Rondell White MIN

Minor Mets Bios:

Jason Vargas SP L L 6-0 215 2-2-83

Vargas was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 43rd round of the 2001 draft; however, he did not sign. He was next drafted in the 2nd round of the 2004 draft by the Florida Marlins. Vargas pitched for 4 Marlins teams in 2005, including the parent club (5-5 4.02). He finished 8th in 2005’s voting for rookie of the year.

BA had Vargas as 8th top Marlins prospect in 2005, while John Sickles had him 4th. Obviously rushed, he started 2006 at AAA (Albuquerque 2-6 7.43) but wound up back on the Marlins, going 1-2 with a 7.33 ERA. He's young and he's lefty and he's a starter, and you can never have too many of those in your system. Vargas showed good control prior to his stint with the Marlins in 2006, and posted very good strikeout numbers through AA, though the strikeouts fell quite a bit once he got to AAA and the majors.

Some scouting report info: Some of Vargas’ strengths: has good arm strength, in 91-94 mph range with fastball. He also uses a slider, especially against lefties. His changeup has good downward action and the Mets will try and develop it into his money pitch.

Vargas’ weaknesses at this point in his career is that he may never develop into a consistent starter and will be sent to the pen. His weight goes up much too often and he tires quickly.

In November of 2006 he was traded with fellow southpaw Adam Bostick to the Mets for right-handed relievers Matt Lindstrom and Henry Owens.

Vargas pitched the entire 2007 season for New Orleans, going 9-7, with an ERA of 4.97 (1.48 WHIP). He also had 108 Ks in 125.o IP

Observation: You don’t want to do the stat comparisons of this trade because, according to the results of 2007, the Mets lost out. I have no idea why they traded for starting pitchers that have no chance of making the parent club, and giving up relief pitchers they desperately need.

Ex-Mets:

Mike Cameron went 3-for4 with a home run and 2 RBI as the Brewers beat the Pirates, 7-2.

Jason Bay hit a home run for Pittsburgh, his 10th of the year.

Scott Kazmir threw 7 strong innings, allowing just one run on 4 hits

And lastly:

"I don't want them to forget Ruth. I just want them to remember me." –Hank Aaron, Hall of Fame outfielder (1954-76)

Ron Baron, a part-owner of the Corpus Christi Beach Dawgs, hopes to copy the Bill Veeck-Eddie Gaedel stunt. He has decided to sign 4-foot-6-inch Chris Dube (Little Kato to wrestling fans) to a one-day contract to face the Bay Area Toros on Monday in an official Continental Baseball League game. Dube weighs 114 pounds.