The Mack Attack: June 30, 2008

By John Mackin Ade
Posted Monday, June 30, 2008

Phils: 39 losses - Marlins: 39 – Mets: 41 - Braves: 43 – Nats: 50

John Sickles on Mike Pelfrey:

Time for another look at Mike Pelfrey, who was supposed to be a big ace by now.

On the surface he's made progress this year. His breaking stuff appears a bit crisper, at least on TV, and there are rumors that the Mets are going to give him his curveball back. HIs ERA this year is 4.30, much better than the 5.57 mark he posted in '07. He continues to get plenty of ground balls, and in general Mets observers who have seen him much more than I have say he's made genuine strides improving his confidence in particular.

But on the other hand there are still some warning signs in the numbers. His K/BB ratio hasn't improved at all, a slight reduction in the walk rate being balanced by a slight reduction in strikeouts. Even the hit rate isn't much different, and a lot of the ERA difference could just be luck. He's doing great at home in Shea, 3.06 ERA with 32/18 K/BB in 50 innings. But he's been awful on the road, 6.25 ERA with 11/19 K/BB in 32 innings. Lefties are crushing him to a .350/.433/.524 tune, likely an indication that he still needs another weapon against them.

Since he is a Midwest guy and a Wichita State product, I am pre-disposed to like Mike Pelfrey. I think he was rushed to the majors, wasn't handled well, and is still suffering from that. I continue to root for him, but I have to admit that I am not convinced he has turned a corner, better scouting reports or not. The splits are full of red flags, and I suspect that unless those improve, his ERA is going to be rising as the summer progresses.

A Look Back at the Trades:

4-2-05:

Acquired LHP Steve Colyer

4-2/5.67/28 appearances – 2005 Norfork
0-1/4.97 for Atlanta 2007 - 2008: OOB

Traded: RHP Matt Ginter - professional minor leaguer 2005/08

Verdict: Wash

Zephyrs:

Look, according to the system at F.U., my nightly post can only be 1,500 words per entry, thus, once I hit that level, I can’t add any more info. To date, I am averaging around 200-250 of those words reporting the Altzheimer’s staff the Mets are fielding in the Big Easy.

My question to you… should I save these words for the Wilmer Flores’ of the system and completely shit can reports on this used car lot?

Chime in please.

B-Mets:

I guess we need to start taking SP Sal Aguilar a little more seriously.

Saturday night brought another victory for the 26-year old, who, due to the fact he pitched 4 full years in college, is only in his fourth season with the Mets. I know 26 year old are considered over the hill these day, but let’s not forget that he was drafted by the Mets in 2005, the same year that brought the Mets Mike Pelfrey. Nobody is calling Pelfrey too old, and maybe we should stop doing the same for Aguilar.

Saturday raised his yearly record to 9-1, with a 2.82 ERA… that also makes his 4 year Met W-L record 28-15.

I was going to write a story called “There’s Life at the End of the Binghamton Tunnel”, but there ain’t no tunnel in Binghamton. What there is, is 4 great hitters (Josh Peterson - .336; Mike Carp - .325; Nick Evans - .306; and Dan Murphy - .321), one incredible prospect (Fernando Martinez - .291), and a pitching staff that… well, take a look:

Sal Aguilar: 9-1 2.82

Jon Niese: 3-2 2.97 in his last 10 starts

Bobby Parnell 7-4; 6-2, 3.10 in his last 10 starts

Jose Sanchez 7-4; 5-2, 3.53 in his last 10 starts

Tobi Stoner 3.18 in his first 3 starts at the AA level

That’s a pretty good fucking AA-team in a prospects league. One warning though… I’ve seen this a couple of times before. 1996: Miquel Pinango: 10-7… 2005: Yusmiero Petit: 9-3, 2.91… 2003: Bobby Keppel: 7-4, 3.04. Sometimes more than cream rises to the top of the AA milk carton… sometimes it’s just a flash in pan, meaning no light at the fictitious tunnel… or is that a flash in the tunnel?

And, what about Mike Devaney? All he did was go to college, pitch 4 seasons for the Mets after being drafted in 2004… compiled a total 33-18, 3.24 record, and was dropped like a North Korean’s water tower.

Anyway, keep an eye on this guy Aguilar. I can’t put him on my prospect list because of his age, but you just may see him get a September cup of coffee this year.

Nick Evans finished a triple shy of the cycle, but the Connecticut Defenders used a nine-run third to defeat the Binghamton Mets 14-5 at NYSEG Stadium Sunday. Binghamton dropped two of three in the series, finishing their seven-game homestand with a 4-3 mark.

Connecticut (37-43) got to B-Mets starter Tobi Stoner in the first, as the first five hitters all singled, with Eddy Martinez-Esteve and Adam Witter picking up RBIs. Simon Klink grounded into a double play that brought in another run for a 3-0 Defenders lead.

The B-Mets (45-36) got to within a run in the bottom of the frame. Fernando Martinez was hit by an Adam Cowart (6-6) pitch before scoring on Evans’ double to left. Two batters later, Caleb Stewart singled in Evans, cutting Connecticut’s lead to 3-2.

However, the Defenders put the game away in the third, sending 14 men to the plate and scoring nine runs on nine hits to take a 12-2 lead. Stoner (0-2) was chased after 2 1/3 innings.

Evans got a run back for Binghamton with a leadoff homer in the third. Connecticut’s Ben Copeland drove in a run in the fourth to make it 13-3. Binghamton got another run in the sixth, when Josh Petersen singled, moved to third on Jonathan Malo’s double and scored on Jose Coronado’s sacrifice fly. Martinez doubled and scored on Evans’ single to right in the seventh. Martinez-Esteve drove in Connecticut’s final run, with a base hit in the ninth.

Lucy:

Let’s revisit RP/CL Emary Frederick.

You might remember how high I was on him last year in Savannah, especially due to kis K/IP ratio before he got hurt.

Well, this year at Lucy, he’s1-0, 2.84 in his last 10 outings, has 3 saves, and has thrown down 15 Ks in 12.2 IP, while walking only 3.

Still, here’s the rub… 0.61 ERA vs. righties… 11.12 vs. lefties… sounds like a potential ROOGY.

Oh yeah… big time college boy… already 24 which is a boy without public hairs in the Mets bullpen.

Gnats:

Carmen Angelini and Abraham Almonte combined for seven hits and the Sand Gnats stranded 13 base runners on its way it a 3-2 setback Sunday afternoon. The defeat was the fourth one-run loss of the homestand for Savannah. The Sand Gnats squandered chances all afternoon, first in the fourth inning, when Adam Olbrychowski walked the bases loaded with one out. Trailing 2-1, Juan Lagares bounced into an inning-ending double play. The Gnats (3-8, 36-45) pulled within a run in the fifth when Francisco Pena followed singles from Casey Craig and Sean McCraw with a base hit to left, scoring Craig. Joaquin Rodriguez then reached base on an error from Bradley Suttle to load the bases with no outs. Richard Pena was called out on strikes before Carlos Guzman slapped a grounder to Brandon Laird at first who threw home to retire McCraw with the second out. Jesse Hoover replaced Olbrychowski and retired Jake Eigsti on a fly out to escape the jam. Hoover (4-3) worked 3.1 innings for the win before Chace Vacek pitched the ninth for his sixth save. Maikel Cleto (2-6) pitched 6.0 innings in the loss, permitting 3 runs on 10 hits. Francisco Pena tied a career-high with four hits while Craig and McCraw had two hits apiece.

Clones:

K-Port:

From Rotoworld:

16-year-old Wilmer Flores went 2-for-4 with a homer in a second straight game and four RBI for Rookie Kingsport on Saturday. Although he's 2-5 years younger than the competition, Flores has been one of the very best players in the Appy League so far. He's hitting .396 with three homers, three doubles and 17 RBI in 53 at-bats.

GCL Mets

DSL Mets:

nada baseboil por Sundayo

VSL Mets:

same as DSL

Minor League Bios:

Casey Craig OF L R 6-1 185 1-12-85 Granite Hills H.S. (CA.)

Craig was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the 21st round of the 2003 draft.
Began pro career with Peoria...hit safely in 29 of 35 games. In 2007, Craig started season with Inland Empire and hit safely in seven of eight games with three multi-hit games. He transferred to Everett on May 9th and then to San Antonio May 27...appeared in four games with Missions before being transferred back to Everett on June 21...had a season-high 12-game hit streak, hitting .404 (21x52), July 4-18...named Northwest League Player of the Week, July 4-10...went 2x4 with three runs, two home runs and a career-high five RBI on July 9 vs. Salem-Keizer... Craig spent 5 years in the Seattle organizations before being signed by the Mets in May 2008. He was assigned to Savannah. His 7 year minor league stats are impressive: ..284/.365/.434/799 in 1,554 at bats.

Ex-Mets:

Jason Bay provided the heroics with a solo home run in the bottom of the 13th inning as the Pirates walked-off with a 4-3 win over the Rays

Lastings Milledge was placed on the 15-day disabled list during Saturday night’s game against the Orioles after injuring his right groin while sliding to the ground, trying reach an Alex Cintron triple that rolled all the way to the left-center-field wall.

The Diamondbacks recalled RHP Yusmeiro Petit from Triple-A Tucson

This Day in Mets History:

2000 - On his much awaited return to Shea Stadium, John Rocker pitches a perfect eighth inning in front of 46,998 booing fans helping the Braves to stop the Mets' winning streak at seven, 6-4. Prior to the game the Atlanta reliever read a statement apologizing for his inappropriate comments about New Yorkers which appeared in the off season in Sports Illustrated