2010 certainly seems to have provided one of baseball’s most dynamic draft classes in years. Every corner of the Majors seems to have itself a prominent and productive rookie.
Whether its speed, power, consistent hitting, or power pitching; every base seems to be covered.
Here’s to the rookies of 2010. If an All-Star team was strictly comprised of MLB rookies, it would probably look something like this…
For minor-league pitchers in the Mets organization in 2010, it hasn’t taken a whole lot for any given pitcher to stand out. For left-handed starter Robert Carson, it has required some time, but now he is raising the bar for young prospective pitchers in the Mets farm system.
Drafted in the 14th round of the 2007 MLB Play Draft, Carson has over three years of minor league experience under his belt. He’s made 51 career minor-league starts, putting together an 18-17 with an ERA of 3.33 while compiling 202 strikeouts. His command has held him back for the past couple of years, and if he can put it together, he should rise through the minors now that he’s 21 years-old
Carson appears to be settling in with the single-A Port St. Lucie Mets. After about four up and down starts in April, Carson has excelled more often than not over his last 10 games started. On the year, he is 6-4 in 14 starts with a 4.54 ERA. Over his last ten starts, his ERA is looking sharper at 3.47 and he has put together a 1.29 WHIP. In this span, he is 6-1 and has contributed five quality starts, impressive because many minor-leaguers lack the ability to pitch deep into ballgames.
Several areas of his game need a little bit of work before talking about any definite future with the Mets big league club.
Carson is nearly untouchable when there are no men on base. But that can’t be said for when he’s dealing with runners on base or in scoring position. Fixing up his pitching in clutch situations will make him look better.
Carson will also be more attractive to scouts if he can shut down left-handed batters. He has been somewhat effective against lefty bats, but he has given up his fair share of runs to them. Carson is still young, so he has time to focus on fooling lefties with his three pitches, and picking up more velocity on his standard 91-93 mph fastball.
Again, it is good to know that the Mets have young left-handed pitchers that have time for growth and development in the minors.
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Many baseball fans might not realize it, but left-handed relief pitchers have always been a hot commodity. Whether its to secure a lefty specialist role or bring the heat from another angle, southpaw relievers have played a vital role on many successful teams, and some have put up intriguing career numbers.
Back in June 1994, New York Mets closer John Franco recorded his 253rd career save to lead all left-handed relievers in career saves. A lot has changed in 16 years, and many lefty relievers have left a mark on baseball between then and now, and even beforehand.
To honor John Franco and the many dominant left-handed relievers in MLB history, here are the top 10 left-handed relievers of all-time.
It has been brought up on multiple occasions this year: What exactly is Nick Evans up to these days?
He was once a relatively highly touted prospect in the minors for the Mets and his usefulness rather has seemed to diminish. However, he hasn’t let that the rain on his parade bring down his performance, which may now hold a new meaning to the organization.
Evans has developed into a first baseman, after the Mets had experimented with him in the outfield over the last couple of years. This is the problem for Evans’ chances at making it with the Mets. His road to the Majors is blocked by top prospect Ike Davis, whose maturity and power have secured him a much-deserved spot in the lineup every day. And there is no room in the Mets outfield or even the bench at this point.
So, exactly what is Nick Evans up to these days? Well for a guy with little to no hope of making it with the Mets, Evans is doing pretty well for himself. Starting at first base for the AA Binghamton Mets, Evans has put together good-looking numbers, numbers that would earn him a promotion with any other organization.
On the year through 63 games, Evans is hitting .286 with 12 homers and 38 RBIs. In his last 10 games, he’s batting .409, looking a little like Jason Bay with no home runs, but still a valuable component to his lineup.
Of course for what seems like a situation in which Evans has no defined role in the future for the Mets, his numbers at least mean something.
The significance of Evans’ success in the minors this year is clear. He likely represents one of the biggest trade chips in the Mets farm system. The preservation of his AA stats indicates this. If he were to be a part of the Mets future, he’d be at AAA or sitting on the Mets bench right now.
Padding his numbers at Binghamton will make him look more attractive to any potential trade partners for the Mets. He could be a key player in the Mets efforts to swing a deal for a star pitcher, or a pitcher from a rebuilding American League team that is thirsty for minor league outfielders that show promise.
If the Mets were to jump on Fausto Carmona or Jake Westbrook from the Cleveland Indians, or even Baltimore Orioles Jeremy Guthrie or Kevin Millwood, Nick Evans will be a major factor in a package of prospects that the Mets could offer.
It might not be too far off in saying that Nick Evans’ days with the Mets organization are coming to an end, but he’s had a nice run with the club. It’ll be time for him to move on to an organization that has the luxury of giving him the experience he deserves at the Major League level.
This article was also featured on The Daily Stache.
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Back in mid-May when R.A. Dickey made his debut with the Mets, many fans didn’t know what to expect. Those who had heard of Dickey probably didn’t expect much, considering they were likely aware of the knuckleballer and his career ERA of 5.43.
With his unconventional style, Dickey has ended up turning the heads of Mets fans and baseball fans alike, as a part of the new look New York Mets rotation.
Following the Mets June 23 5-0 win over the Detroit Tigers, R.A. Dickey strutted some of his most dominant stuff in eight shutout innings and has undoubtedly garnered even more attention.
Dickey is producing big time numbers right now, but for an unorthodox pitcher who has never faced this kind of spotlight, questions will arise over his durability. In all honesty, how much longer will he be able to produce like this?
Following his conversion to the knuckleball, 2006 scouting reports were all over his back for inconsistent arm action and decaying movement throughout his starts. But over the last five years, he seems to have worked on it, and now it’s paying off. He has had a lot of time to put himself together and has worked out the serious kinks in his game.
Dickey’s numbers thus far in 2010 are unprecedented and record setting. Nobody could have expected the lighter throwing, 35 year-old knuckleball pitcher to go 6-0 in his first seven starts as a Met, while setting the franchise record for most wins without a loss upon joining the club.
His consistency start by start has been some of the best in the rotation. Six of his first seven starts have been good for quality starts. He’s struck out seven or more batters in a start three times and has put together a 2.33 ERA.
The 35 strikeouts he has amassed thus far are very uncharacteristic for a pitcher of his stature. His success can easily be attributed to his signature pitch, and his ability to mix it with some offspeed stuff and a fastball. His knuckleball, in the majority of his starts, has exhibited confounding movement that he has rarely shown off throughout his career.
His control and command have even been alarming, having walked only 14 in his first seven starts, good for a 1.29 WHIP. His pitching numbers have all been very impressive for his unpredictable style of pitching.
As erratic as knuckleball pitchers are, there is now way of knowing how deep into the season Dickey will continue to blow away oppositions. Luckily for him, the National League has lost touch with the knuckleball in general.
The NL hasn’t seen a legitimate knuckleballer on a regular basis since Dennis Springer for the Marlins in 1999, a season in which he tossed three complete games, two of them shutouts. Springer statistically had a mediocre season otherwise, but the bottom line is that the NL hasn’t had much experience against the unorthodox style of pitching.
We could see Dickey continue to take full-on advantage of a crowd of unprepared lineups that aren’t used to dealing with the movement that he is capable of. Looking back on Springer, he had his ups and downs in 1999, and Dickey probably has a rocky road ahead of him, especially when he is thrust into high pressure situations against division rivals like the Braves and Phillies.
Of course, he could even turn out to be no more than the 2010 version of Aaron Small, the right-hander that went 10-0 with a 3.20 ERA for the Yankees in 2005. But it is too early to worry about whether or not Dickey’s 2010 is a mirage or not.
If Dickey can retain his movement on a start by start basis, his consistency could be present throughout the year. It does seem like a matter of time before he gets lit up and tagged with his first loss, but confusing opposing lineups has been effective thus far.
It is simply that because so few knuckleballers have success in the Majors, there will be concern over Dickey for the long haul, but for now the Mets must ride him while he’s hot.
All things considered, Dickey seems to have come a long way since his conversion to a knuckleballer in 2005, a transition that now seems to be complete. His reliability has definitely come out of the blue, but the problems that plagued his arm in the past just aren’t evident at the moment.
For Mets fans, and general baseball fans, it is tough to not root for a character like R.A. Dickey. He has the opportunity to continue with these dominant pitching performances, and if he proceeds to keep his cool in a very demanding Mets atmosphere, he’ll continue to be a fixture in this rotation with more favorable results ahead of him.
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The marquee pitching names of the 2010 trade deadline seem to be all of the talk. The final destinations of starters Cliff Lee and Roy Oswalt have been under the microscope for weeks now. The Mets seem to be in line to make a move on a starter to help solidify their rotation.
There is the criticism over a deal for Lee or Oswalt that the Mets would be dealing far too many prospects that have a future with club. There is definitely a trade deadline work around in which the Mets could a acquire a starting pitcher for a price that is not so steep.
Based on the price of big names like Lee and Oswalt, the Mets could do better. There are a handful of names out there that could attract the Mets due to their less hefty prices and potential to succeed in the National League. Here are five starters that fit that criteria.
A fistful of names in baseball this year are steadily producing, but not necessarily gaining the recognition that they deserve. Many of these performances that are flying under the radar are overshadowed by those of early Cy Young and MVP candidates.
By now, Ubaldo Jimenez, Albert Pujols, Miguel Cabrera and others are household names this year. But who else will stand tall with these names as the season rolls on, and who will be surprising contributors in baseball?
Here is a handful of players in Major League Baseball who seem to be getting lost in translation behind the league leaders and flashiest of names.
In a farm system of pitching prospects that have been flopping for the most part, left-handed reliever Roy Merritt has stood tall. Merritt recently has been promoted to AAA Buffalo after a year and a half of solid pitching at AA Binghamton.
Merritt deserves such mentioning because he has demonstrated consistency out of the bullpen that many other Minor League Mets prospects have yet to achieve.
The 24 year-old southpaw was selected in the 28th round of the MLB Player Draft in 2007, without much hype surrounding his name. Now his arm has the Mets organization talking him up. A 3.98 ERA in 28 appearances in Binghamton, along with 33 K’s and a 1.18 WHIP have helped the young thrower earn a promotion.
His pitching has been consistent from year to year for the last couple seasons, since he first appeared in the minors in 2007.
Merritt began to make a name for himself in 2008 with the Brooklyn Cyclones. He appeared in 25 games for relief work and posted a 2-0 record with 1.49 ERA. The sidearming lefty baffled left-handed hitting, as he struck out 55 batters in 42.1 innings of work.
He’s got upside as a late inning reliever, could be a dominant lefty specialist, and has experience finishing games. In four Minor League seasons, Merritt has collected 26 saves and struck out 165 in 180.2 innings.
Roy Merritt could be a Major Leaguer in the near future, the Mets must be intrigued by the unorthodox lefty arm and his ability to suppress left-handed hitting.
A handful of good looking relief appearances at Buffalo could be enough to punch his ticket to the big show, especially if the Mets want to manage their young pitching more effectively. Merritt could be the answer in addressing the current status of Jenrry Mejia.
Mejia is younger, and should be given the opportunity to develop his stuff and flourish in the minors as a starter. With Merritt on the active roster, the Mets would have another arm that provides some youth and the ability to be effective in close games, not just a barely mature young arm for mop-up work.
Having just made his first appearance with Buffalo, Merritt pitched two scoreless innings with one strikeout.
Be on the lookout for Roy Merritt, especially if he continues to put up quality innings at Buffalo over the next month.
This article was also featured on The Daily Stache .
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The MLB Player Draft has brought some gems to the Mets in recent memory. On the other hand, on several occasions, drafting hasn’t really yielded much talent
Simply put, in terms of the quality of their number one overall picks, the Mets organization has had ups and downs throughout the 2000s.
This is a look at where the Mets went right and wrong in their top draft selections since 2000, and where all those guys are now.
Delving into the depths of the Mets’ minor league system, one would be muddled in a bunch of names that we will likely never see on the Mets’ big league roster. The same thing goes for just about any organization, but the Mets always seem to churn out prospects more slowly, or trade them away.
But, out of all the prospects that the Mets a grooming, a few gems could potentially be in the works.
Time to ditch the household names. Here are five Mets prospects that aren’t as recognizable, but players we may very well see on the Mets’ active roster within the next five years.
Kyle Allen, RHP : Like many Mets pitching prospects, Allen has put together several good looking statistical years in the minors, but suffered from serious control problems in 2010, seeing how he walked more than he struck out. His control however, was spot-on the previous two seasons. It only shows that he isn’t ready to move up.
Allen would noticeably not give up the big hits in the past, so expect him to land a relief job on the Mets, similar to the way Joe Smith did so a few years back. He’s 20, so Mets fans will likely see him work out of the bullpen in 2013.
Jeurys Familia, RHP : The Mets signed Familia in 2007 as an undrafted free agent aiming to raise him as a starting pitcher. After two successful seasons in the low minors as a starter, the 20 year old righty has hit somewhat of a roadblock with Class A Port St. Lucie.
The difference maker is his control. It was spot-on in 2008 and 2009, but now it seems to have diminished. His WHIP is currently sitting up around 1.70.
If he can’t regain the control he has showcased in the past, he might be destined for relief work.
He’s got the velocity, as his fastball topped out at around 96 mph during the spring. He’s put up very impressive and consistent strike out numbers, which make it seem like he is destined for the Mets rotation.
Expect to see him appear on the Mets pitching staff early on in 2013 as a reliever. If he plays his cards right, he may get some starts and wind up a fixture in the rotation.
Scott Moviel, LHP : His 2010 campaign certainly has not been going smoothly, but all things considered, the guy is 6’11”. The Mets essentially have a seven-foot pitcher in the system.
If the Mets do not focus on his development I’d be shocked, because it isn’t often that a southpaw taller than the likes of Randy Johnson comes around.
He exhibits solid control, and that seems to be his best weapon alongside his staggering height.
If he develops another pitch and works on getting a handle on his changeup, he’ll gradually begin to advance up the system, in a similar fashion as Jon Niese has over the past couple of years. Don’t be surprised if he gets his first Mets pitching experience in early 2012, likely as a starter or to fill whatever need there is.
Wilmer Flores, IF : Just 18 years old, Flores is a shortstop by trade and he has plenty of time to develop. At the moment, his path to the Major League level is blocked by Jose Reyes.
There isn’t really any predicting where Reyes will stand with the Mets in four or five years when Flores will be fully ready, but it could be safe to assume that Flores will not be a shortstop when his time in the bigs arrives. He could convert to second base, but he’ll need to fend off fellow second base prospect Reese Havens. Flores bats righty, and Havens lefty, so the Mets must determine who fits their lineup better. Flores could end up trade bait, but there is always the potential for Havens to switch positions again.
Flores is hitting .285 with the Savannah Sand Gnats right now, and he has some pop as well. He won’t need to be restricted to shortstop. Mets fans will begin to hear his name regularly as the 2013 season goes on.
Cesar Puello, OF : Puello is a young outfielder who can bring a ton of speed to the table. He won’t strike out much at all. He brings a plate presence similar to Luis Castillo to the game.
But, he really, really needs to work on drawing more walks, even though it might not fit his style of play. In 89 games between 2008 and 2009, he drew a whopping total of 15 walks.
He looks better this year, drawing 17 to this point. He will need to work on that though.
His average is down this season, but he has shown signs of being a capable leadoff man.
On a side note, he is becoming notorious for getting hit by pitches.
The Mets may very well have their top-of-the-order base stealing threat in Puello, and he could be tried out in that role in 2014.
This article had previously been featured on The Daily Stache .
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