The Mack Attack - 5-8-8

By John Mackin Ade
Posted Thursday, May 8, 2008

Angel Pagan left Wednesday’s game with right shoulder tightness.

Jose Reyes went 0-3 Wednesday. In the last 15 games, has posted just two multi-hit games with four combined RBIs and no home runs.

From ‘MLB Trade Rumor’:

Scott Boras represents impending free agent starter Oliver Perez, who might be in line for a huge payday if he can have another decent year. John Delcos has heard speculation of a five-year, $60MM starting point. If Perez can post a sub-4.00 ERA in '08, that price will probably be exceeded. Boras was in L.A. yesterday, giving reporters his typical spin. To hear Boras tell it, Perez is not erratic and compares favorably to Johan Santana at the same age. Perez, Jon Garland, Mark Prior, and C.C. Sabathia constitute the under-30 free agent starter group. Perez will be 27 in August and is the youngest of the group. All four have their flaws, but at least Perez is healthy and won't require $100MM. Boras doesn't plan on negotiating during the season with the Mets. We know how he operates - if Perez has an off year and that huge offer doesn't materialize, he'll probably find his client a one-year, $12MM deal and hope for a rebound.

Scott Boras, the agent for Mike Pelfrey and Oliver Perez, said Perez's performance might have been affected by his off-season arbitration victory, in which he won a $6.5 million judgment, or by his impending free agency at the end of the season. He said Perez wanted to remain in New York, but that he has had no talks with General Manager Omar Minaya about a deal, nor did he know if the Mets were interested in keeping Perez. One of the perplexing things about Perez is how he thrives on a big stage. He was outstanding for the Mets in the 2006 playoffs, nearly helping them reach the World Series, and last season he beat the Yankees twice, including a five-hit, seven-and-a-third-inning performance in a 2-0 victory at Yankee Stadium. But when the bright lights are off, he has appeared to lose interest. Boras said it was the natural transition of a maturing pitcher. "In New York, you have to be able to saddle up," Boras said. "So that's a good thing to have that extra gear in your car. But you have to know how to take yourself to that level rather than have the environment take you to that level. That's a veteran." -- NY Times

Mack’s Facts:

Most strikeouts in organization:

1. Johan Santana/Mets 47

2. Ruddy Lugo/N.O. 32

3. Dylan Owen/Lucy 31

4. Nick Carr/Lucy 30

5. Brian Stokes/N.O. 29

6. John Maine/Mets 29

7. Oliver Perez/Mets 29

8. Jon Niese/B-Mets 29

9. Mike Antonini/Gnats 29

10. Dillon Gee/Lucy 28

11. Tony Armas/N.O. 28

12. Angel Calero/Gnats 28

13. Nelson Figueroa/Mets 25

14. Adam Bostick/N.O. 24

15. Joselo Diaz/N.O. 23

Mets Contracts

Eddie Kunz rhp – 2008 - drafted 2007 (1s-42) (Oregon St.), $0.72M signing bonus - ML service: 0.00

Fernando Martinez of – 2008 - signed 7/05 as amateur free agent from the Dominican Republic - $1.4M signing bonus - ML service: 0.000

B-Mets:

RHP Jake Ruckle placed on Disabled List.

RHP Tim Lavigne signed by NY Mets and placed on Binghamton roster.

With Ruckle on the DL, RHP Salvador Aguilar will start Thursday @ Reading and RHP Eric Brown has been pushed back to Friday @ Connecticut.

Lucy:

Lucy took the night off and was last seen heading to Duffy’s.

Gnats:

The Gnats went crazy for 9 runs in the first 4 innings, then tried to give it away by putting John Holdzkom (.949 ERA) in again, but long man extraordinaire Edgar Ramirez came in after 5.1 innings and

C Francisco Pena has hit safely in 11 of his last 12 games and brought his average up to .272… going into Wednesday’s game. Then things got even better when he 3-3 in his first 3 at bats and hit the .300 level.

I’ve been a big supporter of Pena since he came to Savannah a year ago and I truly feel you’re looking at the future NY Mets catcher someday… no one is happier that he’s cracked the .300 BA level.

Minor League Bios:

Joaquin Rodriguez SS R R 6-4 180 10-29-84

The Mets signed Rodriguez as an undrafted free agent in July 2006. Rodriguez finished the 2006 NCAA Division I baseball season as the 3rd highest batting average in the nation…. 4th in the nations in RBIs per game (1.38)… and 16th toughest player to be struck out (140 Abs 8 Ks). Rodriquez put up incredible numbers as a Junior at Jackson State University, batting .457/.531/.657 in 140 at bats. His OPS was a league leading 1188, which helped him to named both the ‘Most Outstanding Hitter’ and ‘Conference Player of the Year’ in the Southwestern Athletic Conference.

You would think stats like this would warrant a draft pick, but it didn’t. He made his pro debut with the GCL Mets in 2006 and batted .292/.384/.415 in 106 at bats. He also led the team with a 799 OPS. Rodriquez was promoted to Brooklyn (rookie) for the last 2 games of last season, where he went hitless in 2 at bats. He started 2007 on the extended list but was called up to Savannah on May 30th. ‘J-Rod’ couldn’t work his way into the lineup (.333/.440/.333 in 21 at bats) so he was farmed out to Brooklyn, where he ended the 2007 season (.273/.370/.318 in 66 at bats).

Johan Romero P R R 5-11 200 12-13-89 Venezuela

Romero pitched for the 2007 VSL Mets, going 2-3, 7.39 in 18 relief appearances. He had 26 Ks in 28.0 IP.

Wendy Rosa P R R 6-0 170 8-26-86 San Ignacio, D.R.

Rosa spent a second season in the Dominican Summer League in 2006 and was 3-3 with a 2.78 ERA in 11 games (eight starts). In 2007, he came stateside, and pitched exclusively for the GCL Mets (2-1, 2.70 in 12 games, 3 starts 36 Ks/30 IP).

He is currently playing for the Savannah Sand Gnats.

Ex-Mets:

RP Orlando Roman has 10 saves, and a 2-1, 1.37 record (in 24 appearances) for Puebla of the Mexican League.

Mike Jacobs hit a 2-run home run as the Marlins blanked the Brewers, 3-0.

Braden Looper kept St. Louis in the game with his arm and his bat as the Cardinals edged the Rockies, 6-5.

Brian Bannister was tagged for five runs and 13 hits in 6 2/3 innings by the Angels on Tuesday.

This Day In Mets History:

1950 - Ralph Kiner hits his second grand slam in three games. It is the future Hall of Famer's eighth career bases full homer.

1961 - The New York Metropolitan Baseball Club, Inc. announces the New York National League franchise's team nickname will be the Mets.

And lastly:

Chad Bowen died on 4/21/08 just a week shy of what would have been his 26th birthday. Chad was the winning pitcher in the first game the Brooklyn Cyclones ever played at Jamestown NY on June 19, 2001. Drafted by the Mets in the 8th round of the 2000 draft, Chad was the Appalachian League Pitcher of the Year, Rookie League All-Star SP, and Appalachian League All-Star RHP. He also won the Doubleday Award in 2000 for Player of the Year for Kingsport prior to his time in Brooklyn. He pitched for 4 years in the Mets organization, 2 of them at Brooklyn. Following his release in 2003 he spent some time playing independent ball before retiring. According to the obituary he worked at Plumgood Food. No cause was given for his death.