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The Tides Wait for No Man

Rotblatt Jun 10 2005 10:45 AM

When I last left you, intrepid Crane Poolers, Angel Pagan was streaking, Seo was dominating, and Padilla was practicing his Petey impression, but our boys still couldn't avoid a sweep at the hands of the Pauwtucket Sox. In the following game against Rochester, Seo struggled, going 6 innings, giving up 3 runs on 8 hits & 3 walks, while K'ing only 4. Chesapeake HS-grad Jimmy Anderson shut down our offense, although Pagan went 1-4, keeping his 13-game hitting streak alive in a 3-2 loss. Since then, we've rattled off a 6-game winning streak, putting us 8 games ahead of the Durham Bulls in the International League South. Over that time, here are your Norfolk Notables Juan Padilla, RP 0.75 WHIP, 0.00 ERA, 6 K, 0 BB in 5.1 IP Jose Santiago, SP 1.50 WHIP, 0.79 ERA, 4 K, 4 BB in 11.1 IP Blake McGinley, RP 0.56 WHIP, 0.00 ERA, 7 K, 1 BB in 5.1 IP David Lee, RP 0.82 WHIP, 2.45 ERA, 4 K, 0 BB in 3.2 IP Jason Scobie, SP 1.33 WHIP, 0.00 ERA, 2 K, 3 BB in 6 IP Jae Seo, SP 1.43 WHIP, 1.29 ERA, 7 K, 3 BB in 7 IP (cumulative ERA down to 3.34) Angel Pagan, CF (although he spent most of the streak as DH) .333 AVG/.357 OBP/.518 SLG/.875 OPS in 27 AB. His 15-game hitting streak ended over this stretch. Brian Daubach, 1B .347 AVG/.444 OBP/.565 SLG/1.009 OPS in 23 AB Jeff Keppinger, 2B .429 AVG/.455 OBP/.523 SLG/.978 OPS in 21 AB Norfolk faces the Bulls in Durham again tonight at 7:00 p.m. Stay tuned for more updates!

Edgy DC Jun 10 2005 11:20 AM

I told you the Fake would get his act together.

Rotblatt Jun 14 2005 03:19 PM

Goddamn it. This is the second time I've started a recap of all the games and had my computer crash on me. Fuck it. Our 6-game win streak ended at the hands of the Durham Bulls on June 10 in an 11-inning marathon, but we're now on a 2-game streak after an off-day yesterday. Daubach continues to shine, hitting his 10th & 11th home runs and taking the lead for the International League batting title. Keppinger has been consistently solid and is starting to flash some power lately. He's now at .344/.384/.464/.848. Shortstop Basak is on a hot streak. Our starters have been allowing too many baserunners lately, but are turning in gritty performances and limiting the damage. The pen has been excellent, although Padilla blew a save, giving up his second home run of the year. He rebounded to retire 6 of the next 7 batters, however, and took the win in a 10-inning match against the Knights on the 12th. Tim Lavigne's strong relieving over this three-game stretch have lowered his Norfolk ERA to 1.67 and WHIP to 1.05, and he now has more K's than BB's--19 to 14. McGinley has excelled as well recently, bringing his stats to the following line: 3.13 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 7.34 K/9, 2.71 K/BB. Colyer had a bad game, and his ERA stands at 4.66 now. Seo gets the ball tonight against the Charlotte Knights, as Norfolk goes for the sweep.

soupcan Jun 14 2005 03:30 PM

Why isn't Daubach up here? Is Pagan gonna be the first Cyclone to play for the Mets?

MFS62 Jun 14 2005 03:32 PM

Edgy, our boy "Blake the Fake " looks like he's getting it together. This will be a test. Do they want to bring up a LOOGY reliever with "stuff" (Colyer) or someone who can pitch a few innings if needed and doesn't peg the needle on the radar gun (McGinley). Blatt, superstition reminder. Never use the term "sweep". Baseball lore says to say you're taking them "one game at a time". Oh, its the last game of the series? Never mind. BTW - keep up the good work. Later

cooby Jun 14 2005 03:32 PM

I thought Scooter-o was

soupcan Jun 14 2005 03:42 PM

Did Scutero do a Coney Island stint?

Rotblatt Jun 14 2005 03:49 PM

I've no idea why Daubach isn't up here yet, although it might have something to do with his defense. You'd think the fact that he's creaming AAA pitchers would outweight that, but . . . I just checked out McGinley's career stats, and he's been pretty goddamn good. 2.75 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 10.23 K/9, 4.60 K/BB throughout his career . . . He struggled after getting promoted to Norfolk last July or August, but he certainly seems to have adjusted well this year, although he's given up too many HR so far (1.37/9). I'll be shocked if McGinley gets called up before Padilla, though. Padilla's been twice as sick as McGinley. When you get right down to it, we have some serious pen options down in Norfolk between Padilla (1.00 ERA in 45 IP), Lavigne (1.67 in 32.1), David Lee (2.89 in 28) & McGinley (3.13 in 46). Everyone but Lavigne has good peripherals too. We're going to have some good chits come trading time . . . I just hope we deal from our starting pitchers & pen rather than from our prospects . . .

cooby Jun 14 2005 04:14 PM

I could be wrong about that. I just remember that it was someone my daughter thought was cute

Johnny Dickshot Jun 14 2005 04:21 PM

Danny Garcia was the first legit* Cyclone-Met. *-excluding injury-rehab guys like Shinjo and playoff sandbaggers like Matt Watson.

cooby Jun 14 2005 04:22 PM

That's right! Nice to see ya, Mrs. Garcia! How could I forget...

Rotblatt Jun 15 2005 04:16 PM

6/14/05 Seo Makes Yet Another Bid to Replace Zambrano, Ishii; Leads Tides to 3-2 Win Over Knights Seo pitched 7 strong innings, giving up just 5 hits and 2 runs (1 earned), while striking out 7 and walking just 2. His ERA on the year dropped to 3.13 & his WHIP to 1.24. He's 4-1, with 9.11 K/9 & 3.5 K/BB ratios. The Knights' Brandon McCarthy held his own, also surrending just 5 hits and 2 walks and striking out 7, but he couldn't handle the mighty bats of DH Angel Pagan and SS Chris Basak, who collected 4 of the Tides 6 hits, and both of its extra base hits. How We Scored With the bases loaded in the bottom of the fourth, Basak (.296/.366/.509/.875) ground into a fielder's choice, but got the run home. Pagan followed with a triple that scored Brazell & Basak. Drama in the Ninth Lee tried for the save, but got into trouble in the ninth as he walked the go-ahead runs on. With two outs, Colyer came in to face lefty Roosevelt Brown for the save, and got a ground ball that 3B Rodney Nye booted, loading the bases with two outs. Into this pressure-packed park came ace reliever Juan Padilla, who had a personal agenda--to get his ERA back below 1.00. Padilla rose to the occasion, striking out Brian Anderson to preserve Seo's win--and bring his ERA down to 0.99. Standings The Tides are now 38-29 on the year, and sit comfortably atop the International League South, 7 games ahead of Durham.

soupcan Jun 15 2005 04:43 PM

Let me tell ya - this IS 1984 all over again. The big club is no longer a laughing stock, has some good solid young players and vets. A maverick manager (well maybe not 'maverick', but willing to flout tradition) and the pitching is showing promise. Tidewater, sorry, Norfolk is chock full of talent chomping at the bit. This year is not our year but next year...

soupcan Jun 16 2005 09:39 AM

="soupcan"] Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2005 3:30 pm Why isn't Daubach up here? Is there now any doubt that Minaya is a closet 'Pooler? Either that or I need to start using my supernatural powers of influence for the good of mankind.

Rotblatt Jun 20 2005 12:23 PM

June 15, 2005 Knights Float By Tides in Hit Parade; 9-5 Charlotte Despite 17 base runners, the Tides couldn't break through against the Knights, as Santiago and Lavigne each got hit hard. Santiago started and went 7 innings, giving up 8 hits, 4 walks and 5 earned runs, striking out 5. Lavigne relieved and took the loss, allowing 7 hits, including one home run, and 4 runs in 2 innings. 3B Rodney Nye contributed with 3 of the Tides' 11 hits, including one double, raising his batting average on the year to .317. Basak kept up his hot hitting, going 2-4, and Brazell matched Basak's line and raised him one walk. June 16, 2005 Hit Parade Continues; Tides Pound Out 16 Hits in 11-9 Victory Over Red Barons The move from SS to 2B didn't bother the red-hot Basak, who led the way for the Tides, going 2-3 with a walk and a home run. LF Redman also hit a dinger and walked, while Eric Valent showed signs of life, going 2-3 with a double and a walk, bringing his AAA average to .182. 3B Rodney Nye also continues to hit, going 2-3 with a walk and a double. Norfolk starter Junge struggled, barely getting through 4 innings. He gave up 8 hits, including 2 home runs, and three walks, striking out 5 and allowing 7 earned runs. McGinley pitched a hitless inning of relief, giving up only a walk, and Colyer went 2 perfect innings, striking out 2, to earn the win. Padilla uncharacteristicly struggled after coming in to pitch the final two innings with the Tides up 11-7. He gave up 5 hits, including Ryan Howard's 13th home run, and struck out 2, walking none. June 17, 2005 Red Barons, Brito, Blank Tides in 3-0 Loss Scranton's Eude Brito (3-1, 6.61 ERA) shut down the Tides for 6 innings, striking out 7 and allowing only 3 singles and 2 walks. Yoel Hernandez followed in relief, K'ing 3 and allowing 1 single in 2 innings, and Franklin Perez came on to close the Tides out with a perfect ninth. Redman, DiFelice, Gil & a pinch-hitting Lunar each had singles for the Tides during the offensive draught. Neil Musser pitched well, going 6 innings, and giving up 5 hits, 2 walks, and 2 ER, K'ing 4, and Lee was effective in relief, allowing only a hit and a walk in 2 innings. He struck out 2. Hamulak gave up an solo shot insurance homer in the ninth to Carlos Ruiz. Red Baron Ryan Howard went 1-3 with a walk, lowering his average to .377, but raising his OBP to .468. With a .710 SLG, Howard owns a 1.178 OPS. We should trade for him. June 18, 2005 Rally-Cap Turns Tides for Norfolk; 2-1 Victory in Bascik, Scobie Duel Journeyman Reliever Mike Bacsik and '05 surprise Jason Scobie locked horns in tight duel where the pens ultimitely proved the difference. After giving up 2 singles in the 1st, Bacsik did not allow a hit until 2 outs in the seventh, when Rodney Nye launched his 5th homer into the left field bleachers to tie the game at 1-1. After giving up a single to the newly promoted second baseman Chase Lambin, Bacisk was yanked for Terry Adams. Prentice Redman came in to bat for Scobie, and he singled Lambin to 3rd. Angel Pagan followed with a double into left field, bringing the go-ahead run in. Scobie pitched 7 innings, giving up only 5 hits and walking 2, while striking out 3. McGinley followed with a perfect 8th, but got into trouble in the ninth, giving up consecutive one-out singles to Sandoval and Ryan Howard. Padilla relieved and quickly gave up a single to Coste to load the bases, but he retired Ruiz and Castellano on ground outs to preserve the victory. Padilla has inherited 16 runners on the year and only allowed one to score. June 19, 2005 Offense Sputters In 3-1 Loss to Red Barons Eric Valent's solo shot in the 7th was all the support Seo would get in another well-pitched game between Scranton & Norfolk. Despite allowing only 6 baserunners through 7 innings (5 H, 1 BB) and striking out 5, Seo took the loss as he gave up 3 runs in the second. Pedro Liriano allowed only 2 hits through the first six innings but was yanked in the seventh after Valent's solo shot and a walk sandwiched by 2 infield errors to load the bases. Gerald Williams couldn't capitalize on the Baron's mistakes, however, and ground out to short to end the inning. Hamulack & Lavigne continued the streak of fine relief pitching for Norfolk, combining to pitch 2 hitless innings. For Scranton, Ryan Howard went 2-3 with 1 walk to extend his hitting streak to 22 games.

Rotblatt Jun 20 2005 04:07 PM News and Notes

Hot-rod Keppinger is out with a knee sprain due to a nasty take-out slide by Felix Martinez on June 15. Skipper Oberkfell was pissed: ]“[Martinez is] a hot-dogging bush-leaguer who runs and hides behind his teammates. I’ll say that to his face. Hopefully I’ll get the chance to do just that. What’s the saying? Payback is what? We have more games left with them this season. People in baseball don’t forget. It’s a given.” http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories/story.cfm?story=87884&ran=54630 Keppinger's been out of the lineup since then, and was placed on the DL on June 18. He is expected to be on crutches for at least a month. Craig Brazell was also placed on the DL with a broken and dislocated ring finger on his left hand--an injury sustained during batting practice on Thursday. Chase Lambin (AA) and Jose Offerman (extended Spring Training) replaced them on the roster. The 25 year-old AA utility infielder Chase Lambin is is having the best season of his professional career. After 3 mediocre seasons in Brooklyn, St. Lucie, then Binghamton, Lambin has been insanely hot, batting .323 AVG/.392 OBP/.615 SLG, with 11 home runs. Chase had only 10 home runs last year in over 400 at bats. His line would be more exciting were he younger, but it's still a good sign, especially given that this is only his fourth year of professional ball. If he can adjust to AAA pitching, his stock should rise dramatically. Chase was drafted as a shortstop, then moved to third base in 2002. After Wright's resurgance, he was switched to second base in 2003. He strikes out a lot, especially for someone who hasn't displayed a lot of power (103 K's, 10 HR in 410 at bats last year) but he will take a walk (48 in 04). Skipper Ken Oberkfell earned his 600th minor league victory on June 9, despite getting ejected from the game in the second inning. Chris Basak sprained an ankle on Friday. The 32 year-old Benji Gil has been filling in for him, although he is expected to return soon. edited for clarity and updates on Keppinger & Basak

Edgy DC Jun 20 2005 04:23 PM

He shouldn't get credit for the victory if he can't go five.

Johnny Dickshot Jun 20 2005 04:25 PM

Good job on the updates. After we fall out of thing for good it would be nice to provide poor old Rodney Nye a big-league paycheck or two. He's been at AAA for like, forever.

ScarletKnight41 Jun 20 2005 04:30 PM

Actually, Rodney's been a minor leaguer forever, but I seem to remember him being with the B-Mets for the last couple of seasons.

Rotblatt Jun 20 2005 04:32 PM

A nifty little article about batting practice for the Tides under skipper Oberkfell, including HoJo's responsibilities as batting coach. ]For the Tides, batting practice isn't what it sounds like By TRIS WYKES, The Virginian-Pilot © May 31, 2005 NORFOLK — The term “batting practice’’ is a misnomer. Because when the Norfolk Tides take the field for such an activity, it’s really multi-tasking on grass. Sure, players rotate through the aluminum batting cage, stationed at home plate. But between pitches and on either side of the netting-draped structure, coaches or players stroke ground balls to infielders, who then throw over to first base. In rightfield, outfielders take fly balls and sinking line drives hit by a coach. And on the bases, runners practice timing their jumps around the instant when bat meets ball. The workouts, which probably average about 90 minutes, happen an hour or two before fans enter Harbor Park. . . . http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories/story.cfm?story=87132&ran=95697

Rotblatt Jun 20 2005 04:37 PM

I checked it--Rodney's only 28; he was promoted to AAA at the very end of the season in 2003 after posting an .870 OPS for AA. 2003 marked his third full season at AA, so maybe that's where you're thinking of, Wide. He struggled to adjust to AAA last year, but he's having a nice season for us--.309 AVG/.387 OBP/.487 SLG/.874 OPS. If he keeps it up, I could see calling him up. Not a lot of power for a corner infielder, but he seems like a nice little contact hitter, and I think his glove is pretty decent.

metirish Jun 20 2005 10:36 PM

Looks like Keps sprained knee is worse than first thought.. Notes: Triple-A INF Jeff Keppinger has a fractured left knee after he was taken out on a slide June 15, but he is not necessarily out for the rest of the season, the Mets said. Keppinger batted .284 with three homers and nine RBIs in 116 at-bats for the Mets last year.

Rotblatt Jun 21 2005 01:08 PM

6/20/05 Without Keppinger, Basak, Or Brazell, Tides Fall Victim to Late Rally By Bisons; 4-3 Win For Buffalo The Tides's relievers couldn't hold a 3-2 lead going into the seventh, and the Tides lacked the firepower to come back. Jose Santiago was effective through 5 innings, allowing 5 hits, 3 walks, and 2 runs and striking out 6, bringing his ERA down to 4.20. Former Met Grant Roberts had this to say about Santiago's new ERA: "Duuuuuudee!" Colyer pitched a perfect 6th, striking out one, but Hamulack & Lee each surrended one run and one hit in the 7th and 8th, respectively. Eric Valent had a solo shot for his second consecutive game, going 1-3 with a walk and a K. Shortstop Gil, who is filling in for the red-hot Basak, also homered for the Tides. Chase Lambin, Keppinger's replacement, scored the third run for the Mets in the fifth on Prentice Redman's RBI single to left. Chase & Redman each went 1-4 on the night. Update on Keppinger According to mets.mlb.com, Keppinger will miss at least four to six weeks. Update on Basak Basak, who is out with an ankle sprain, is expected back before the current series ends on Thursday.

Rotblatt Jun 23 2005 11:20 AM

The Tides have dropped their last two games, miring them in a four-game losing streak. Nonetheless, we remain comfortably in first place, 7 games ahead of Durham. We try and avoid the sweep at the hands of the Bisons tonight, sending up Jason Scobie (8-3, 3.24 ERA) to face Billy Traber (2-2, 4.63). The good news: Basak is back, and went 2-5 with a double last night; Valent is still kicking, going 2-5 with 3 BB over the last two games; Chase Lambin, who has now played both 2B & LF in his 5 games for Norfolk, has adjusted beautifully to AAA so far, going 5-15 with a 2B and 3 BB, and only striking out once (.333 AVG/.444 OBP/.400 SLG/.844 OPS); Junge turned in a good start, going 7 innings, allowing only 6 hits, 1 run and 2 walks while striking out 3; and Blake continues to impress, striking out 4 in 2.1 IP last night, despite giving up Ernie Young's 18th home run. The bad news: Our offense is sputtering without Daubach and Keppinger. Pagan hasn't done much since moving from the DH back to center, Offerman's batting .125, and Nye has gone 0-6 with 5 K's and 1 BB in his last 7 plate appearances. Lavigne got creamed last night, allowing 6 hits and 2 walks in 1.2 innings and giving up 3 ER. News & Notes Juan Padilla has been named to the International League All-Star team. He is 3-1 with a 1.29 ERA and 6 saves in 28 games. He's struck out 47 and walked 5 in 49 innings pitched, and is holding opponents to a .202 AVG. This is his fourth All-Star appearance, having been named to the Eastern League's All-Star Team in 2002 with AA New Britain, the 2001 FSL with A Fort Myers & the 2000 Midwest League with A Quad City. Norfolk trainer Brian Chicklo will join Padilla for his first appearance as an All-Star. You can tune in to the All-Star game on July 13 live on El Ocho--er, ESPN 2.

Rotblatt Jun 25 2005 12:38 AM

6/24/05 A Win, A Win! A Palpable Win! Tides Stomp MFC, Halt Losing Streak in 7-4 Win Tides snap their 5-game losing streak tonight on the back of Seo, who went 6 innings, giving up 7 hits and 2 ER, walking 1 and striking out 6 MFC. Both runs were solo shot homers. Valent, who had the day off yesterday, stays sharp, going 2-4 with a 3B & a dinger and walking once. I think I can officially say that Valent is regaining his stroke. Calloway and the newly promoted Anderson Hernandez both hit HRs, and Basak, playing at 2B again now that Hernandez is promoted, had a triple. To echo SI in the other thread, it looks like Anderson will be trade bait and that's a big reason for his promotion. Tough break for Chase, who was solid, but we might see him back soon. We have a lot of middle infielders performing well this season, though most aren't top-notch prospects. Basak (SS, 2B), Lambin (2B, SS), Keppinger (2B) & Hernandez (SS) have all done very well offensively. If we're out of the running, I could see us trying to move Matsui and giving one of these boys a shot at the end of this season. Anyway, back to the game. Lee pitched a scoreless 7th, and Padilla gave up a double and a home run to his 2004 teammates in a two-run eighth. He went on to retire the next four batters to preserve the win. 6/23/05 Bisons Run Wild Over Tides in 5-4 Loss, Losing Streak Extended to 5 Games Isn't Bison plural already? Anyway, another tough loss for the Tides. Gil, Lambin & Redman each had three hits (1 2B for Gil & 3 for Redman), but it wasn't enough to overcome a shaky start by Scobie. Scobie went 6 innings and allowed 9 hits, 2 walks and 5 runs (4 earned), striking out 4. The unearned run scored in the second, as Scobie & Gil each erred, allowing Jason Cooper to first reach second, then score. Colyer & Hamulack pitched two hitless innings in relief, and Norfolk mounted a rally in the ninth, but fell short. The top of the ninth: Pitcher Change: Jake Robbins replaces Andrew Brown. Prentice Redman doubles (9) on a fly ball to right fielder Ernie Young. Mike DiFelice grounds out, pitcher Jake Robbins to first baseman Andy Abad. Ron Calloway flies out to right fielder Ernie Young. Prentice Redman to 3rd. Benji Gil singles on a ground ball to pitcher Jake Robbins. Prentice Redman scores. Chase Lambin singles on a ground ball to center fielder Joe Inglett. Benji Gil to 2nd. Eric Valent pops out to third baseman Mike Kinkade. A tough loss, as I said, but our boys showed heart, and that's gotta cout for something.

Rotblatt Jun 30 2005 02:56 PM

6/29 Seo Brings ERA below 3.00 in 2-1 Win Over Mud Hens 8.1 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 9 K Good stuff. Since being sent back down, his ERA at AAA is 1.92. Have I mentioned that he should be pitching for us instead of Ishii? Padilla came on with one out and two on, hit the first batter, then struck the next two out. His ERA is down to 1.49. Hernandez is demonstrating why he got to stay instead of Chase, going 2-4 with a triple to raise his average to .385 in 26 AAA at bats. We may have to start a Jose Reyes watch on him, though, as he has yet to walk for Norfolk. Rodney also went 2-4, with a double. Our old pal Ginter pitched very well, going 6 innings and allowing only 4 hits, 2 walks and 2 runs (1 earned), while K'ing 5.

Frayed Knot Jul 06 2005 09:46 AM

Mets shortstop Anderson Hernandez has been one of the hottest hitters in the International League since being called up to Triple-A Norfolk in late June. The 22-year-old middle infielder came over to New York from the Tigers for Vance Wilson in January and has 17 hits in his first 45 at-bats for the Tides. Hernandez batted .326-7-24 in 273 at-bats at Double-A Binghamton this year before being promoted.

Edgy DC Jul 06 2005 10:22 AM

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI TB BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG OpS 26 53 5 7 0 0 0 4 7 6 12 0 0 .132 .246 .132 .264

Rotblatt Jul 06 2005 02:23 PM

While I've been drinking beer in the great outdoors, neglecting my Cranepoolean responsbilities, the Tides have been busy treading water at Norfolk. Since 6/29, they've won 1 and lost 1 against Toledo, then won 2 of 4 against Syracuse. Fortunately for them, going .500 over that stretch has been good enough to keep their 8-game lead in their division. The Tides start a 3-game series against the MF Clippers starting tonight at 7:15. Norfolk Notables since 6/29/05 Pagan .292 AVG/.370 OBP/.458 SLG/.828 OPS. He's been consistent lately, getting on base pretty much every day despite not having a lot of multi-hit days. He is starting to show a little power, though, which is a relief--his SLG is only at .382 on the year so far, despite his recent surge. Hernandez .348 AVG/.400 OBP/.609 SLG/1.009 OPS. This 22-year old just won't stop. . . Some pop, some speed, and he's developing patience. We've been very agressive with him this year and have him playing 2B in addition to his natural SS. Will he be our very own Cano come September? His line through 49 AAA AB: .367 AVG/.404 OBP/.571 SLG, 9 SB, 1 CS, 6 XBH, after hitting .326 AVG/.360 OBP/.462 SLG, 11 SB, 9 CS, 24 XBH in 273 AB in AA. Not only is he not struggling to adjust to AAA, he's taking the damn thing by storm. It's like he smells the majors beckoning and has stepped up his game . . . At any rate, he's still likely to go through a slump once pitchers find a hole to exploit, but it's hard not to be impressed by his success so far. Valent .286 AVG/.423 OBP/.429 SLG/.852 OPS (including his second career grand slam). V-dog remains hot and has his line up to .247 AVG/.361 OBP/.547 SLG/.908 OPS, despite his initial slump after being demoted. I would expect us to send Ice Man down and bring Valent back up before too long. Nye .455 AVG/.500 OBP/.545 SLG/1.045 OPS. He's back after his recent slump--lots and lots of singles for him lately. McGinley 1 IP, 1 K. Not much to talk about here, but he has a following, so . . . Hamulack 4 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 4 K (ERA in 12 games now down to 1.23). Hamulack, a 32-round draft pick in 1995, is a 28-year old lefty who came to Spring Training as a non-roster invitee. He was in Binghamton until 6/3, when his 1.26 ERA, .91 WHIP & 8.48 K/9 over 28.2 IP earned him a call-up to AAA. He's posting pretty much the exact same numbers here. While he's more or less always been able to strike people out, he's only met this much success once--at AA in 2003 for Seattle, where he posted a 2.09 ERA, a 0.99 WHIP, and a 10.27 K/9. He got called up that year and was shelled in 4.1 innings. He reverted back to mediocrity the following year. Looks like a reclamation project that so far is going amazingly well. Padilla 3 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 3 K (1.39 ERA). Still good. The first to get promoted should we trade someone from our pen? Aybar 2 IP, 2 K (just his second game since accepting assignment) Scobie 5.2 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 3 K. Scobie was recently selected to the All-Star team. Congrats! Seo 8 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 5 K. Seo had a perfecto through 2 outs into the 6th, which was broken up by a "double" on a ball misplayed by Calloway. Since Calloway managed to get a glove on it, there was some dispute over whether it should have been called a hit. The Norfolk crowd cast their vote with a long round of boos . . . The only other hits Seo gave up were 2 ground balls in the 8th that got past the infield for singles. Seo said of the game, in which he was the hard-luck loser thanks to some shoddy defense: "I had everything tonight: cutter, splitter, changeup and fastball. They were all my friend tonight. It was a bad inning and bad luck. I’m not very happy.” Seo's AAA line overall 2.84 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 8.70 K/9, 3.65 K/BB, .55 HR/9 The Korean 28-year old has now thrown 12 straight quality starts for Norfolk since being demoted. Did I mention that he should be starting over Ishii?

MFS62 Jul 06 2005 02:52 PM

I remember when there used to be something called the Bernstein Report available on the WEB. The writer used to rank the Mets minor leaguers and had interesting comments about each of them. He was very imporessed with Nye when he was at A ball. The comment I remember was that Nye had "one of the quickest bats" he had ever seen. I think he deserves at least a cuppa' at the major league level as payment for toiling in the minors for many years. Who knows? He could be the next Matt Franco - a serviceable major league corner infoeld sub for a few years. Later

seawolf17 Jul 06 2005 02:53 PM

Okay, Edgy. I give up. Who is it?

Edgy DC Jul 06 2005 08:27 PM

Thai Gear colors should've given it away. It's the guy we gave up for Anderson Hernandez.

seawolf17 Jul 06 2005 08:34 PM

Ah, old what's-his-name, who immediately started ripping the clubhouse as soon as he left. Too bad your career is virtually over, pal.

Rotblatt Jul 07 2005 12:51 PM

Tides Crush MFC 9-2, Pound Out 19 Hits Victor Diaz, starting at 1B for the second time this season, showed signs of life last night, hitting a 3-run home run in the first inning and a 2-run home run in the 8th. Shortstop Chase Lambin, who was recalled from AA at some point (possibly after Williams got called up?) continued his hot hitting, going 3-4 with a double and a triple, and our own Eric Valent hit 4 singles in 5 at bats, bringing his average up to .279. Speaking of rising batting averages, Hernandez, who started at 2B last night (he fielded 5 balls and was in the middle of 3 DPs without an error) had 3 singles, a walk, and a sacrifice fly to raise his to .404. Junge pitched effectively for 7.2 innings, giving up 5 hits, walking 4, and K'ing 2 while allowing only 2 runs. Colyer relieved with 2 outs and a runner on third, walked a batter, then K'ed Mitch Jones to end the inning. Lavigne came in for the ninth and worked around a leadoff single to preserve the win. The odd-man out in terms of middle infielders last night was Basak. The stats of our middle infielders now stand as follows: 22 YO, Anderson Hernandez (52 AB) .404/.434/.596/1.030, 9 SB, 1 CS 26, Chase Lambin (41 AB) .341/.391/.439/.830 25, Jeff Keppinger (255 AB) .337/.377/.455/.832, 5 SB, 1 CS 26, Chris Basak (157 AB) .274/.343/.484/.827, 5 SB, 2 CS 32, Benji Gil (229 AB) .258/.310/.389/.699, 4 SB, 6 CS Minus Gil, our MI line for the year stands at: .324/.373/.477/.850 OPS, 19 SB, 4 CS. Folks, that's pretty darn good. Clearly, Hernandez looks like our best MI prospect due to his age and superior numbers so far, but Lambin is only in his third regular-length pro season, and Keppinger only his his fourth. For both of them, this is their first full season of AAA, so despite their advanced ages, they can't be considered career minor leaguers yet. It looks to me like we're grooming Hernandez to be our back-up 2B. If we were interested in building his trade value, we'd leave him at SS, the more valuable position. Does this mean we're planning on trading Matsui or Cairo? Basak has mostly stayed at shortstop when he's played, but the emergence of Lambin & Hernandez has cut into his playing time, despite his solid numbers. Hopefully we have a plan for clearing out the MI logjam at Norfolk (which will only get worse when Keppinger returns). Basak might make a decent PTBN, but not playing regularly will hurt his trade value, and it looks to me like Chase has earned his promotion to AAA. At any rate, a nice problem for us to have. Should we trade Cairo, Anderson or Matsui, we'll have a ready replacement in the wings--and one of them might even turn out to be better than the original . . . on edit: forgot to mention the Diaz at 1B thing. Valent's been playing there for the most part, but Diaz has now started the last 2 games there without an error. From the PilotOnline, regarding his defense: ]“I’m just learning the footwork that I’m going to need to get back up there,” said Diaz, who began his pro career as a second baseman. “The biggest challenge is all the stuff you learn every day, but then you still have to take four at-bats.” Diaz, 23, picked a perfect night to show off a well-rounded game. Mets general manager Jim Duquette is in town through today, and Wednesday he saw Diaz snag a sharply hit grounder to his right in the second inning and scoop two balls out of the dirt to complete two of the Tides’ four double plays. “He looks natural over there,” Duquette said. “He played second base before, so that helped. We all like what we’ve seen.” For the full story, click here: http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories/story.cfm?story=88831&ran=129173

MFS62 Jul 07 2005 01:49 PM

I believe Lambin is a switch hitter, which could only increase his value. Any idea what his L/R splits look like? I onlyhope thatyour idea about trading Matusi or Cairo is true. They (or as part of a package)might bring back something decent. Thanks for the update. Later

Rotblatt Jul 07 2005 02:13 PM

Both Lambin & Hernandez are switch hitters, but I have no idea of their splits. Or how to find out. If anyone has any idea of how to do that, please let me know! I'd be very interested . . .

Rotblatt Jul 07 2005 07:43 PM

Chase Hands Victory to MFC, Redding; Tides Fall 6-2 Chase Lambin, starting for what I think is the first time at 3B, committed two errors, leading to 4 unearned runs, and Redding, Munro, Bean & Marwonek held the Tides to 2 runs. Neil Musser went 5 innings and gave up 2 ER, 7H, 3 BB & K'ing 3. Hernandez went 2-4, Diaz went 0-4 and struck out 3 times, Lambin went 1-3 and was hit by a pitch, and Basak, who started at second, went 1-4 with a SB. Hamulack pitched 2 innings, giving up 1 hit and K'ing 2, bringing his ERA down to 1.08, and Aybar gave up 3 hits (incuding a HR) and 2 unearned runs. The rubber game is tomorrow at 7:15.

Rotblatt Jul 09 2005 12:43 PM

Tides Imitate Mets; Drop Series Against MFC on Diaz Error In Tenth The Tides blew a strong start by All-Star Scobie (7 IP, 6 H, 1 BB, 2 ER, 6 K) when RP Colyer , pitching in the eighth with a 5-2 lead, couldn't record a single out, allowing four straight base hits and three runs to open the eighth. Juan Padilla relieved with no outs and runners on 1st & 2nd, and kept Colyer from taking more damage. Padilla allowed one walk in the 9th, then stayed on for the tenth. He struck out Andy Philips swinging but replacement catcher Lunar dropped the pitch, and Diaz missed Lunar's throw to first, putting the go-ahead run on board. Mike Vento followed with a single, bringing Philips to second. A WP advanced the runners, Padilla got a K, walked Nieves, then another WP by Padilla brought in the go-ahead run. Padilla took the loss after giving up only a hit, a walk, an unearned run and K'ing 3 in 3 innings. Pagan had a HR, 2B Hernandez walked twice but went 0-3, Diaz had a walk & a SB, Calloway went 2-4, and SS Basak went 1-3 with a BB.

Rotblatt Jul 12 2005 10:27 AM

July 9, 2005 Seo Hit Hard, Wins 7th Anyway Against Slumping Braves; 8-7 Tides batters pounded Braves starter Ken Ray for 8 hits and 7 runs in 5.2 innings to push the Braves' losing streak to an even 10. The spectacular Seo got the start for the Tides, but got shelled, giving up 8 hits, including 3 HR, and 6 ER in 6 innings. Seo gave up a solo shot in the 1st, then got unhinged in the second, allowing 4 hits, including 2 doubles. SS Hernandez's error kept the inning going, leading to 4 runs, 3 earned. Over the next 4 innings, Seo allowed only 3 hits but two of them were solo shots. Seo struck out 5 and didn't allow a walk. All the Tides' position players contributed to the offensive attack, with RF Pagan (1-3, 2 BB), 1B Diaz (1-3, 2 BB, SB), C Santiago (1-4, 2B), LF Valent (1-4, BB), CF Calloway (1-4, SF) & 3B Nye (1-3, BB) each having one hit. Hernandez (2-5, 3B) & 2B Lambin (2-4, 2 2B) each had two hits. McGinley pitched a perfect 7th, and Aybar got the save, going 2 one-hit innings and striking out 2. Aybar has allowed 2 runs, both unearned, and struck out 5 in 6.2 scoreless innings since being sent down. July 10, 2005 Jose Santiago Hands Braves 11th Straight Loss, Tides Win 5-4 Jose Santiago picked up his 7th win on Sunday, allowing only 6 hits and 1 walk in 7 scoreless innings and striking out 5. Pagan led the offensive charge, going 3-4 with a double, a walk and 3 stolen bases. 1B Diaz, LF Valent and 3B Nye each had 2 singles, and Calloway & Lambin each went 1-3 with a BB. Hernandez went hitless for what I think is the first time at AAA, striking out twice, but driving in a run with a sac fly. Lavigne pitched the eighth and allowed four baserunners (2 H, 2 BB), 2 of whom scored, one on a WP by Lavigne. Padilla got the save, but was uncharaceristically mediocre, allowing three hits and 2 runs, 1 earned, and not striking out anyone. Padilla committed a throwing error, allowing J.J. Jurries to score from third.

Rotblatt Jul 12 2005 11:01 AM

Rotblatt's Halfway House Presents =orange]Mid-Season Awards for Outstandingly Tidey Performances Mid-Season MVP Brian Daubach (.356/.434/.629, 11 HR, 40 R, 42 RBI) Despite playing in only 55 of the Tides' 92 games, Daubach is the mid-season MVP for the Tides. He leads the team in BA, OBP, SLG, R & RBI and is tied with DeFelice for the lead in HR. Honorable mention goes to our mid-season Cy Young winner . . . Jae Seo (7-3, 3.19 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 104.1 IP, 100 K, 26 BB) Seo leads Tides starters in ERA, IP, & K, despite a 8.22 ERA on April 19. Seo appears to have turned the corner, but how long can he stay motivated pitching in Norfolk? Fastest Tide Angel Pagan with 18 SB in 26 tries (.047 SB/PA) is our current leader, but newcomer Anderson Hernandez (10/11, .137 SB/PA) is rapidly catching up despite 70 fewer games. Slowest Tide Who Thinks He's Fast Benji Gil, who is 4-10 in SBA this year. Saddest Tide Jeff Keppinger, who despite his hot start (.337/.377/.455, 5 SB) and promising news coverage, injured himself right as he was in a position to conribute to the Mets. Biggest Relief Juan Padilla. 3-2, 11 SV, 1.44 ERA, 0.87 WHIP, 62.1 IP, 59 K, 9 BB, 4 HR. This guy is so dominant, he nearly took the Cy away from Seo, despite my inherent distrust of giving the award to relievers. Seo beat Padilla out only because Padilla's been pitching in high-leverage situations for only a month.

Edgy DC Jul 12 2005 11:22 AM

Interesting term there: "high-leverage."

Rotblatt Jul 12 2005 12:01 PM

]Interesting term there: "high-leverage." Yeah, I might be wrong about that, but that's my perception based on looking at the recaps & game logs. He's been the regular closer for maybe a month or so, and for about a month or so before that, coming in in the 7th or eighth, mostly in close ballgames. More importantly than the closing thing, though, is my recollection that most of the "Close game, runners on, Padilla comes in" have come rather recently, but like I said, I could be wrong. If I'm right, it shows that Oberkfell is playing a little bit outside the box, using his closer in non-save situations occaisionally . . . Actually, Padilla's been regularly pitching more than 1 inning lately. He's averaging 1.73 IP every time he goes out there, which is a lot for a reliever. Yet one more reason to call him up . . .

Johnny Dickshot Jul 15 2005 07:34 AM

Papers say Los Mets have signed 25-y.o. Venezuelan RHP Lino Urdaneta out of the Mexican League and will assign him to AAA Norfolk. I looked up just about all I could on the guy for something to recommend him (not much) and discovered that he's made a single appearance in big-league ball, last season with the Tigers, during an 11-run inning in which he got nobody out! (I recall this game). He gave up a walk and five singles, all of them scored so he has an ERA of infinity

smg58 Jul 15 2005 09:26 AM

Perhaps Minaya knows something we don't, or perhaps he's another guy who won't do anything besides stunt the growth of more deserving prospects. Just out of curiosity, does anybody know if Tyler Yates, Grant Roberts, or Orber Moreno will ever be heard from again?

Johnny Dickshot Jul 15 2005 09:31 AM

I should say I have no problems with giving almost any 25-y.o. pitcher a shot at AAA, as opposed to say, a previously released outfielder with a poor history as a pro. With pitchers it could be only a matter of an adjustment to their delivery, or an injury that needed time to heal. At any rate, I doubt the investment is terribly great, or that the next Koufax will be held back this Lino character.

seawolf17 Jul 15 2005 09:31 AM

Yates is out for the year, I think. Roberts is not in the Mets' system any longer, and Orber might be hurt also.

Edgy DC Jul 15 2005 10:01 AM

Grant Roberts is a sinking case. Removed from the Mets big-league roster: bad. Grabbed by nobody and signed to a minor league deal by that same Mets team: worse. Only getting one inning of opportunity during spring training: still worse. Not getting a minor-league assignment out of spring training: da bomb. Not even getting an extended spring training assignment, but getting released from the Mets' small-time minor-league obligation to him: atomic fat man bomb. Getting signed to a minor league deal by the Yankees: I can't watch. Somebody make it stop. Getting suspended for using illegal performance-enhancing substances*: Rock. Freakin'. Bottom. Grant's season statistics so far (that I can find) have him giving up four runs in four innings in a single start for the Trenton Thunder. He's been thunderstruck. * Thankfully, he never used these while pitching in the Mets system.

ScarletKnight41 Jul 15 2005 10:57 AM

Grant Roberts is now pitching for the Trenton Thunder (the MFY's AA affiliate).

SI Metman Jul 16 2005 10:25 PM

So how many people predicted Jae Seo would give up 12 runs tonight? Well if you did, you were wrong. He gave up 13 runs on 15 hits in 4 2/3. Victor Diaz had a 2 run blast and a grand slam, so the Tides only lost 14-11.

smg58 Jul 17 2005 09:23 AM

And there goes Seo's trade value. Great.

Rotblatt Jul 29 2005 02:00 PM

Some interesting stuff going on in Norfolk. Keppinger has reported to St. Lucie for rehab work and might be ready to start playing again in a few weeks. Scobie won his league-leading 13th win yesterday. Brian Bannister got a day job. http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories/story.cfm?story=89883&ran=219580&zr=1 Daubach is back to hitting the snot out of the ball and Diaz is spending a little more time in RF (but still playing at 1B occaisonally). Here are stats of selected batters from 7/12 through yesterday's game (~50-60 PA for each batter). As you can see, Valent & to a lesser extent Diaz look ready to come back up. Anderson is slumping, as is Lambin (despite a 3-homer game in the middle of July). Valent, 1B/LF: .378/.440/.556/.996 Diaz, 1B/RF: .333/.345/.560/.905 Lambin, 2B/3B: .255/.286/.447/.733 Nye, 3B: .220/.220/.463/.683 Hernandez, 2B/SS: .240/.296/.320/.616 Select AAA Pitching through the same time period. Seo has been struggling, Junge has been dominant, Bannister has impressed, and Scobie has been effective. Junge: 13.1 IP, 0.68 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, 12.15 K/9, 9.00 K/BB, 0.68 HR/9 McGinley: 3.2 IP, 2.45 ERA, 1.91 WHIP, 4.9 K/9, 1.00 K/BB, 0 HR Seo: 18.1 IP, 6.87 ERA, 1.58 WHIP, 6.38 K/9, 2.17 K/BB, 0.98 HR/9 Scobie: 19.2 IP, 2.28 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 4.58 K/9, 1.67 K/BB, 0.92 HR/9 Hamulak (our new closer): 4.1 IP, 0 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 6.23 K/9, 3 K/BB, 0 HR Bannister: 12.2 IP, 3.55 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 8.52 K/9, 2.4 K/BB, 0 HR Bell: 3 IP, 3.00 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 9 K/9, 0 BB, 0 HR

ScarletKnight41 Jul 29 2005 02:02 PM

Thanks for the update. How is Joe Hietpas doing in AAA?

Rotblatt Jul 29 2005 02:07 PM

Hietpas has actually only played in 3 games and had 5 at bats. He hasn't reached base yet. DeFelice is getting most of the starts at Norfolk, and when we have a DH, it's going to Valent, Diaz or Daubach.

ScarletKnight41 Jul 29 2005 02:15 PM

OK - thanks.

MFS62 Jul 29 2005 04:17 PM

I have a feeling that Joe will soon be passed on the organization chart by last year's draft pick Aaron Hathaway. He is reportedly a very good - excellent defensive catcher, and is beginning to look good with the bat.(Neither has much power) Later

Rotblatt Aug 04 2005 09:21 PM Stats: July 29 - August 3

Stats: July 29 - August 3 Pagan & Daubach have been slumping, posting .477 & .558 OPS's, respectively. Diaz has remained hot, batting .400, while posting an OPS of 1.143. He's also whiffed 7 times in 25 at bats, while only walking once, so there's clearly room for improvement. Valent only had 4 hits in his last 20 at bats, but 3 were for extra bases, and he walked 7 times over that span, giving him a .957 OPS. Redman is officially the Hot Met of the Week, getting 10 hits in his last 18 at bats--5 of them doubles. His OPS over that span is 1.452. Nye comes in at a close second, getting 11 hits & 8 RBI in 24 at bats, posting a 1.244 OPS. Hietpas got 4 more at bats, and got his first two AAA hits--both singles. Middle Infield Watch Lambin didn't get on base much (.200 AVG, .294 OBP) but the hits he got went a long way, earning him a .467 SLG & a .761 OPS. He was atrocious in the field, however, scoring 7 errors in just 6 games. Hernandez is still struggling a bit at the plate, batting .250 AVG/.357 OBP/.292 SLG/.649 OPS with 2 SB. His defense has allegedly been good, however. Our pitching staff featured a few standout performances: Banniser went 5 innings, giving up 5 H, 2 BB & 1 ER, while K'ing 7. Unfotunately, he was betrayed by the defense and allowed 3 additional unearned runs. McGinley has been dominant lately in relief, pitching 5 innings in the last 6 games, allowing only one baserunner, who hit a homer. He struck out 4 over that span. Bell has also been dominant, pitching 4 innings between 2 games, allowing only 1 hit and striking out 2. No word on how his changeup is progressing, but he certainly has been effective since being sent down. Chenard went 6.2 IP, allowing 3 H & BB'ng 4. He allowed only 1 run and struck out 4. Musser went 6 scoreless innings, allowing only 2 hits and a walk, while striking out 5 batters. Junge also went 6 scoreless innings, giving up 2 hits and striking out 2. The Tides went 4-2 over the stretch, losing one game to Toledo, sweeping the MFClippers, then splitting a series against Durham. The Tides continue to dominate the International League South and sit 13.5 games ahead in the standings, with the fourth best record in the league.

SI Metman Aug 05 2005 01:14 AM

Norfolk had an amazing comeback in Indy, helped out by former Mets Ty Wigginton and Mark Corey Inning started with an 8-1 Indy lead. Norfolk Top 9th Prentice Redman singles on a ground ball to left fielder Ray Sadler. Rodney Nye doubles (16) on a ground ball to left fielder Ray Sadler. Prentice Redman to 3rd. Chris Basak singles on a ground ball to center fielder Nate McLouth. Prentice Redman scores. Rodney Nye to 3rd. Offensive Substitution: Pinch hitter Chase Lambin replaces Manny Aybar. Chase Lambin doubles (8) on a fly ball to center fielder Nate McLouth. Rodney Nye scores. Chris Basak scores. Angel Pagan doubles (19) on a ground ball to left fielder Ray Sadler. Chase Lambin scores. Pitcher Change: Jeff Miller replaces Mark Corey, batting 6th. Anderson Hernandez singles on a ground ball to center fielder Nate McLouth. Angel Pagan scores. With Victor Diaz batting, Anderson Hernandez steals (16) 2nd base. Victor Diaz walks. Eric Valent lines out to first baseman Graham Koonce. With Mike DiFelice batting, Anderson Hernandez steals (17) 3rd base. Victor Diaz steals (6) 2nd base. Mike DiFelice walks. Offensive Substitution: Pinch runner Jeff Duncan replaces Mike DiFelice. Prentice Redman reaches on throwing error by third baseman Ty Wigginton. Anderson Hernandez scores. Victor Diaz to 3rd. Jeff Duncan to 2nd. Rodney Nye hits a sacrifice fly. Fielding error by right fielder Yurendell De Caster. Victor Diaz scores. Jeff Duncan scores. Prentice Redman to 3rd. Rodney Nye to 1st. Chris Basak out on a sacrifice fly to right fielder Yurendell De Caster. Prentice Redman scores. Rodney Nye to 2nd. Chase Lambin pops out to shortstop J. Furmaniak. That's 9 runs if you count em. Tides win 10-8. Also, if Friday night's Met game gets too boring, you can watch the Tides on MiLB TV [url]http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/app/index.jsp?cid=milb[/url]. There should be a link there on the front page for the 8 PM Game time

TheOldMole Aug 05 2005 10:11 AM

Is Graham related to Cal?

MFS62 Aug 05 2005 01:04 PM

And they hung a five-spot in a third of an inning, on old friend Mark Corey. Later

Frayed Knot Aug 07 2005 11:33 PM

Anderson Hernandez gets some big city pub: http://www.nypost.com/sports/mets/26720.htm

Edgy DC Aug 08 2005 12:15 AM

The Mets, with a AAA team running away with their division, with a mix of big-league vets and ripe (if not top) prospects, might be able to find an advantage when rosters expand.

duan Aug 08 2005 12:24 PM roster question

when the rosters expand in September, does someone still have to get added to/be on the 40 for them to come up or can you pull up Johnny Pitching Prospect without putting him on the 40

Rotblatt Aug 08 2005 12:26 PM

I believe they have to be on the 40-man roster, which will make it difficult for someone like Scobie to get called up . . . Who, by the way, won his league-leading 14th victory yesterday.

Rotblatt Aug 23 2005 02:29 PM

While You Were Out: 8/3 - 8/22 The Tides went 12-7 and clinched their division. Pagan got injured or at least has been unable to play recently. Hernandez has been crazy hot, getting on base over 50% of the time in 59 plate appearances, but he only has 2 XBH in that time. Daubach is still killing the ball. Valent has stopped swinging and appears to be pretty much just looking to walk, which he does very successfully (he's walked 25% of the time in his last 80 plate appearances). He also led the team in K's over that stretch. Redman's been solid, Basak's in a deep, dark slump, and Lambin seems to be an all-or-nothing type player--over half of his hits went for extra bases. Hietpas is struggling to adjust to AAA pitching, striking out in 31% of his PA. That being said, his .623 OPS isn't atrociously bad for a recently promoted catcher. Petit made his first AAA start and got knocked around a bit, Hamulack & Takatsu are making strong bids for September call-ups, Bannister, Musser & Scobie looked pretty dominant, with Junge not far behind. McGinley continues to surrender the long ball and has been in general pretty hittable, despite a nice K rate of 10.8/9. Stats in that time Pagan (56 AB): .375 AVG/.444 OBP/.500 SLG/.944 OPS, .88 BB/K Hernandez (51): .510/.576/.549/1.125, .62 Daubach (56): .375/.485/.571/1.056, .80 Redman (54): .315/.362/.407/.769, .36 Lambin (51): .216/.272/.392/.664, .31 Hietpas (29): .241/.313/.310/.623, .30 Valent (60): .167/.375/.217/.592, 1.25 Nye (59): .203/.299/.254/.553, 1.00 Basak (57): .175/.230/.246/.476, .29 Bannister (21.2 IP): 2.49 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 11.21 K/9, 3.86 K/BB Lavigne (11.2): 4.62, 1.80, 3.08 K/9, 0.570 K/BB McGinley (11.2): 4.63, 1.54, 10.80 K/9, 14 K/BB Junge (17.1): 3.64, 1.21, 8.31 K/9, 2.67 K/BB Bell (13): 2.77, 1.23, 9 K/9, 2.6 K/BB Hamulack (6.1): 0.00 ERA, 0.79 WHIP, 11.37 K/9, 4.0 K/BB Musser (19): 3.32, 1.16, 11.84 K/9, 4.17 K/BB Scobie (22): 2.86, 1.23, 6.95 K/9, 4.25 K/BB Ishii (11.1): 1.59, 1.41, 12.71 K/9, 4.00 K/BB Takatsu (3.2): 2.45, 0.82, 12.26 K/9, 5.00 K/BB Petit (6): 4.50 ERA, 1.83 WHIP, 9.00 K/9, 2.00 K/BB

Johnny Dickshot Aug 23 2005 03:10 PM

How about that Ishii kid?

Willets Point Aug 23 2005 03:16 PM

="Rotblatt"] Pagan got injured or at least has been unable to play recently. As noted in the Adopt a Prospect forum, Angel Pagan's father passed away and so Pagan left the team for a while to attend the funeral.

MFS62 Aug 23 2005 06:53 PM

The half full view. I think Petit only gave up one run in the first five innings, then two in his sixth (and last) inning of pitching. Later

Rotblatt Aug 25 2005 09:35 AM Petit & 8/24 Game

Matthew Pouliot from RotoWorld thinks Petit is nifty, predicting a mid-2006 ascent to the bigs for him and suggesting he has a #2 starter ceiling: ]Yusmeiro Petit - RHP Mets - Under different circumstances, Petit might have made his major league debut by now. The 20-year-old was terrific for Double-A Binghamton, going 9-3 with a 2.91 ERA, 90 H and 130/18 K/BB in 117 2/3 IP, and he made his first start for Triple-A Norfolk on Monday, allowing three runs in six innings. With Jae Seo around and Aaron Heilman also available as a starter if needed, the Mets have yet to have any use for Petit this season. That should change by mid-2006. Petit, signed out of Venezuela in 2001, established himself as a top pitching prospect while finishing second in the minors to Brandon McCarthy in strikeouts last year. He went 12-6 with a 2.20 ERA, 84 H and 200/41 K/BB in 139 1/3 IP at three levels, spending the majority of the season in the Sally League. There were still plenty of doubters then, mostly because Petit tends to work at 90 mph. Most believe now. Because he’s so hard to pick up, Petit would seem to possess No. 2-starter potential. Hitters believe he’s throwing harder than his typical 88-91 mph, and he usually gets a fair amount of movement on his fastball. His slider and changeup are effective secondary pitches, although not quite plus offerings. Along with the deception in his delivery, it’s his command that sets him apart. He’s about as good at hitting his spots as anyone in the minors. Petit already pitches as though he’s a 10-year veteran, so the Mets won’t be afraid to call him up when they need him. Because he generates a lot of velocity with his legs and he’s pretty efficient, he seems like a better bet than most to stay healthy. It’s possible that his fastball won’t result in nearly so many swings and misses in the majors, making him a third or a fourth starter rather than a No. 2. Right now, though, I see little reason not to be optimistic. http://www.rotoworld.com/content/features/column.asp?sport=MLB&column=19 In other news, the playoff-bound Tides are doggin it, having lost 5 of their last 6, including a 4-2 loss to the Mud Hens last night. Pagan is still in Puerto Rico & Nye has a bruised chest and is day-to-day. He's scheduled to receive an MRI today. McGinley & LaVigne are being temporarily shipped down to AA to make room for Graves & Santiago, but they'll be back when the rosters expand. Daubach went 2-3 last night with 2 doubles to raise his league-leading batting average to .343. Hernadez & Valent failed to reach base, while Basak & Redman each went 2-4 with 1 RBI apiece. Lambin & Hietpas also singled, rounding out the Tides' paltry offense. They each committed an error as well, with Lambin's leading to an unearned run in the 6th. Musser was the hard-luck loser, going 7 innings, giving up 7 H, 2 BB, 4 R (3 earned) & K'ing 3. Aybar & Hamulack eached pitched perfect frames to end the game.

Frayed Knot Aug 28 2005 05:09 PM

Danny Graves, btw, cleared waivers and has reported to Norfolk. He made an appearance yesterday ... and promptly got hammered. They've got an option on him for next year (essentially that was the price of picking him up) but I can't imagine that they'll pick it up. At best they'll invoke the buyout and maybe invite him back in the spring to sing for his supper.

Rotblatt Aug 31 2005 10:18 AM

The Tides have now won two straight, and look like they're recovering from their post-clinch hangover, in which they lost seven games in a row. 8/30/2005 Chase Lambin led the Tides to victory over the Durham Bulls, going 4-6 with two doubles and driving in Eric Valent with a walk-off single in the 13 inning last night. Scobie started and was in and out of trouble through 6 innings, giving up 10 hits, including 1 home run, 1 walk, 3 runs, and striking out 1. Graves, Aybar, Takatsu & Ishii followed, combining for 7 scoreless innings in which they gave up only 4 hits and 2 walks, striking out 7. Hernandez, Calloway & Daubach each had two hits in the 4-3 victory. Rotblatt's Player of the Game, Chase Lambin

Edgy DC Aug 31 2005 10:22 AM

I see Norfolk is still working with the photography being done by the assistant clubhouse manager

Rotblatt Sep 01 2005 11:21 AM

8/31/05 Lambin Leads Comeback As Tides Win 3-2 With the Tides down 2-1, Chase Lambin started the 7th by launching a home run to left to tie it, then with the score still tied in the ninth, he worked out a walk and later scored on a single by Ron Calloway. Lambin, who went 1-2 with 2 walks, has now hit 24 home runs in the minors, including 10 at AAA in under 200 at bats. He is now at .286 AVG/.352 OBP/.520 SLG/.872 OPS at Norfolk for the year. Angel Pagan went 2-3 with a double and a walk and was caught stealing, Hernandez had a single and a walk in 4 at bats, Calloway drove in 2 runs, going 1-5, Redman had 3 hits, including a double, and Valent & Nye had one hit each. Valent also walked once. Santiago, who started for the Tides, was wild, walking 5 in 6 innings, but effective, allowing only 4 hits and 2 runs, while striking out 4. Ring relieved, going three strong innings, only allowing one hit while striking out 2. This is the third consecutive victory for the Tides, who are now 77-62 on the year. The have 5 games remaining.

MFS62 Sep 01 2005 11:28 AM

Edgy DC wrote: I see Norfolk is still working with the photography being done by the assistant clubhouse manager Or the person who takes the license pictures for the Motor Vehicle Bureau. Later

Edgy DC Sep 11 2005 02:21 PM

The Tides force a game five by doing everything the Mets haven't the last week --- clutch hitting and inventing new ways to double peeps up. On the other hand, Anderson Hernandez making two errors on one play... that's not cool! Tides win wild game to force game 5 September 10, 2005 - Brian Daubach doubled home the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth inning, and the Tides used an unconventional double play in the bottom of the ninth to knock off the Toledo Mud Hens 3-2 Saturday night. With the score tied 2-2 in the top of the ninth inning, Brian Daubach lined a two-out double into the right field corner, scoring Anderson Hernandez from second base and putting the Tides up 3-2. Daubach, who came into the game 1-for-12 in the playoffs, finished the night 3-for-5. Toledo mounted a rally in the bottom of the ninth inning, but was turned away on a wild play to end the game. Tides reliever Royce Ring walked Gookie Dawkins to lead off the inning, and Dawkins moved to second on a single by Ryan Raburn. After a sacrifice bunt moved the runners to second and third, Norfolk summoned Virginia Beach native Tim LaVigne to come on in relief. Toledo pinch-hitter Don Kelly grounded a 1-2 pitch from LaVigne to Daubach at first base, and Daubach looked Dawkins back to third before stepping on first for the second out of the inning. Daubach then fired a throw behind Raburn at second base, and Tides shortstop Anderson Hernandez swiped a tag at the feet of Raburn, completing the double play. Hernandez, unaware that umpires had ruled Raburn out at second base, then fired a throw home in an attempt to retire Dawkins at the plate, but Hernandez' throw sailed high and Dawkins crossed the plate safely, thinking he had scored the tying run. Because the Tides had already recorded the third out of the inning, however, the run did not count, and the Tides escaped with a 3-2 win and a tie of the best-of-five series. Toledo had taken a 1-0 lead in the 7th inning on another crazy play. With two outs and Dawkins on first, Raburn grounded a ball that went through the legs of Hernandez at short. The ball trickled into shallow left, and Dawkins raced for third. Hernandez threw to third to try and retire Dawkins, but his throw sailed into the third base dugout, giving the Mud Hens a 1-0 lead. Norfolk tied the score in similar fashion in the top of the 8th inning. With two outs, Rodney Nye grounded a ball to Dawkins at shortstop. The ball went through the legs of Dawkins, and pinch-runner Wayne Lydon scored from second base to tie the score at 1-1. Ron Calloway then lined a single to right field that scored Chase Lambin to give the Tides a 2-1 lead. The Mud Hens tied the score in the bottom of the 8th inning on a two-out RBI single by Mike Hessman off of Manny Aybar. The Tides and Mud Hens will square off in the finale of their best-of-five series Sunday night from Fifth Third Field in Toledo. Jose Santiago is set to take the hill for the Tides against Mud Hens lefty Wil Ledezma. First pitch is set for 6:00 p.m.

Edgy DC Sep 12 2005 09:17 AM

Tides are eliminated, and the dreams of counltlss 'Folkers die with them. On another note, who comes up?

Willets Point Sep 12 2005 09:22 AM

Let's all join in for one last cheer for the team: WE DON'T DRINK, WE DON'T SMOKE, NORRRRRRRRRRRRR-FOLK!!!!!

ScarletKnight41 Sep 12 2005 09:27 AM

Edgy DC wrote: Tides are eliminated, and the dreams of counltlss 'Folkers die with them. On another note, who comes up? Bring up Joe Hietpas. Let him get an at-bat this year.

Valadius Sep 12 2005 11:56 AM

NOW we can see Hernandez.

seawolf17 Sep 12 2005 12:01 PM

I think it should be a Met tradition to allow a random minor-league catcher to get one inning behind the plate in the last game of the year. Or Roberto Hernandez. Whoever.

Edgy DC Sep 12 2005 12:11 PM

Neither Hietpas nor Hernandez are currently on the 40, so both would take some juggling to bring up. Meanwhile, this displaced Sheveporter has suddenly appeared on the 40. Promises to bring odd headlines. From the Shreveport Times: Self claimed by Mets Louisiana-Monroe and Southwood High School product Todd Self was claimed off waivers by the New York Mets on Friday. In 21 games with the Astros this season, Self hit .200 with one home run and four RBIs. At Triple-A Round Rock, the 26-year-old first baseman had a .298 batting average to go with eight homers and 47 RBIs this season.

Edgy DC Sep 12 2005 12:15 PM

Further checking shows this to have the appearance of a revenge claim of sorts. Self was claimed off waivers where he was put after a DFA, initiated because the 'Stros needed to activate Scott Strickland, claimed by the Astros under the same circumstances.

Edgy DC Oct 07 2005 12:25 AM

Ken Oberkfell, manager of the year. Pretty cool, in that it's been 22 years since a Mets manager has won it. On the other hand, the last one to win it has waited all this time before finally getting a big-league shot. Historically, outside of Buck Showalter, few of the past winners have had substantial big-league careers. 1981--Ed Nottle, Tacoma (Athletics) 1982--Eddie Haas, Richmond (Braves) 1983--Bill Dancy, Reading (Phillies) 1984--Sam Perlozzo, Jackson (Mets) 1985--Jim Lefebvre, Phoenix (Giants) 1986--Brad Fischer, Huntsville (Athletics) 1987--Dave Trembley, Harrisburg (Pirates) 1988--Joe Sparks, Indianapolis (Expos) 1989--Buck Showalter, Albany (Yankees) 1990--Kevin Kennedy, Albuquerque (Dodgers) 1991--Butch Hobson, Pawtucket (Red Sox) 1992--Grady Little, Greenville (Braves) 1993--Terry Francona, Birmingham (White Sox) 1994--Tim Ireland, El Paso (Brewers) 1995--Marc Bombard, Indianapolis (Reds) 1996--Carlos Tosca, Portland (Marlins) 1997--Gary Jones, Edmonton (Athletics) 1998--Terry Kennedy, Iowa (Cubs) 1999--John Mizerock, Wichita (Royals) 2000--Joel Skinner, Buffalo (Indians) 2001--Jackie Moore, Round Rock (Astros) 2002--John Russell, Edmonton (Twins) 2003--Dave Brundage, San Antonio (Mariners) 2004--Marty Brown, Buffalo (Indians)

Frayed Knot Oct 07 2005 10:32 AM

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/minors/05league20s/int.html No Tides on BA's list of Top-20 International League prospects. On-line chat at 1PM today if anyone wants to log in and ask why future superstuds like Jeff Keppinger and Andy Hernandy were so blatantly overlooked.

Edgy DC Oct 07 2005 10:47 AM

]No Tides on BA's list of Top-20 International League prospects. Which has got to be part of the reason that Oberkfell won.

Edgy DC Oct 07 2005 10:57 AM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Nov 08 2005 01:24 PM

Pittsburgh has the makings, it seems, of a good young pitching corps for whoever takes over for them. Not that they haven't been through that before.

SI Metman Oct 07 2005 12:31 PM

I laugh when I look at the '92 and '93 winners back to back. Irony at its finest.

Edgy DC Oct 07 2005 12:49 PM

How about four future Red Sox managers winning in a row? Almost as if the owners use Baseball America to select their managers from.

Yancy Street Gang Oct 07 2005 12:54 PM

I wonder of Tim Ireland is hoping for the Red Sox to get swept, so that he can take his turn.

MFS62 Oct 07 2005 01:06 PM

="Edgy DC"] Almost as if the owners use Baseball America to select their managers from. Edgy, that might not be as outlandish as it seems. I remember reading that when Ned Irish was an executive with the NY Knicks, he was rumored to have shown up at the NBA draft with a copy of Street and Smith's College basketball annual, and would flip through the pages and draft the first high profile players he could find. (There were more rounds to the draft in those days) The story is most likely not true, and apochrycal at best. (I hope I used that correctly) But at least it is in keeping with your comment. Later

Frayed Knot Oct 07 2005 03:47 PM

From BA's Q&A: Q: Mike from NYC asks: Hello Chris i am very angry, why isn't Jason Scobie of Norfolk not considered a top prospect, he is 15-7 with 3.34 ERA and an ALL STAR, yet the Mets did not even put the guy on their 40 man roster. I know he doesn't strike out many hitters, but he is winning his games. Why is Scobie being disrespected? A: Chris Kline: Sorry you're ticked off, Mike. But Scobie was a little older than the guys on this list, despite the success and the all-star appearance. He has average stuff across the board, but is a workhorse. I know the coaching staff in Norfolk felt he deserved a promotion, but the Mets never came calling. In their defense, it was Scobie's first year in Triple-A after coming off an injury in 2003. He was there all year to eat up innings and prove he was healthy. Q: Al Green from Motown asks: [try to 'Stay Together' Al] Had Jeff Keppinger not gotten hurt and countinued to play the way he was, BA .330+ would he be even considered for top 20 or top 30? A: Chris Kline: Keppinger had a nice year at Norfolk, but the thing that impressed me most was his defense at second, short and third. He's a good player, but probably not much more than a utility guy in the big leagues. Q: Mike from Chico, CA asks: Was Anderson Hernandez close to the top 20? Do you believe that the Mets will give him the 2B job in '06 (providing that they don't trade for Alfonso Soriano)? A: Chris Kline: He was, and he got some support from several managers around the league. Hernandez is a nice player, good range, decent arm, turns doubleplays well fundamentally. He's a spray hitter and won't hit for much power. I don't see him in Shea next year unless it's as a utilityman. And even then, I like Keppinger better. Q: Todo Yamaguchi from Tokyo asks: {Iron Shinjo?} Yusmeiro Petit and Brian Banister, who is better and can they both be in top 20 next year? Who would have more success in majors? A: Chris Kline: Petit is better. Bannister is likely a middle reliever in the big leagues, whereas Petit has the ceiling to be a No. 4 or 5. And - just because he comes up in our discussions so often ... Q: Francisco from boston,ma asks: What do you see happening with Kelly Shoppach in the future and what type of player will he be in the majors? A: Chris Kline: Shoppach doesn't have much else to prove in Triple-A, that's for sure. He's a great leader, handles a staff well and has good game-calling skills. He'll never hit for a high average, but he's got all the ability to be an everyday catcher at the next level. The question is where.

seawolf17 Oct 07 2005 03:59 PM

Three comments... 1) Petit "has the ceiling to become a 4 or 5" starter?!?! I thought this kid was the savior of the organization? What the hell? 2) I'd give Scobie a look as a long man next year. You never know. 3) Why is the guy from American Pie qualified to give baseball prospect analysis? "Hey, Katie! You may have dumped me for Tom Cruise, but HA! I am working for Baseball America now!"

smg58 Oct 08 2005 01:09 AM

I think most people value Petit more highly than that, but I'd settle for a solid #3 in a good rotation. Bannister snuck up on people this year, but it's still not clear where he fits in. I could see him making the Opening Day roster as a middle reliever, but I can also think of a few teams he could start for and might be willing to deal for him. The comments on Keppinger were interesting. I hadn't realized he had played other positions besides second and done well. I'm not sure at all where Scobie fits in. I could see him as an emergency call-up starter, but I suppose he could also compete for a bullpen spot

Edgy DC Oct 08 2005 08:46 AM

Hernandez's advantage is his experience at short. Keppinger's advantage is his experience in the big leagues. I suspect there'll be room for one of them to make the team out of camp next season.

Rotblatt Nov 08 2005 12:37 PM

Tides vet Petit via John Sickles from BA: ]Thoughts on Yusmeiro Petit I get a lot of questions about this guy. Mets fans want me to tell them that Petit will be excellent, helping make up for the sting of trading Scott Kazmir. Mets haters want me to tell them that Petit is overrated and will get hammered in the majors. I just wrote up Petit for the 2006 Baseball Prospect Book last night, so he is fresh in my mind. Statistically, he puts up strong K/BB and K/IP ratios. His fastball has picked up some velocity and is now in the low 90s consistently, which helps make his breaking ball and changeup more effective. Eastern League observers I have communicated with say his overall stuff is average, slightly above average on good days, but he mixes it extremely well and hits his spots. He also has a deceptive delivery that makes it hard for hitters to get a good read on him. He pitched brilliantly in Double-A, but was hit hard in three Triple-A starts for Norfolk. I think he'll need at least a half-season in Triple-A before being ready for the majors. Many of these "pitchability" guys turn out to be disappointing, and I can understand why some scouts retain skepticism about him. Pettit is also a fly ball pitcher, and he could face the same kind of adjustment problems that Zach Greinke faced this year, given that his margin of error is thinner than it is for a guy with stronger pure stuff. However, given Petit's exceptional command, his young age (just 21), and his track record to date, he still has to be rated among the better prospects in the game. He still looks like a Grade B+ guy to me, but if the Mets rush him, there's a good chance he will struggle initially. When evaluating his AAA performance, everyone overlooks Petit's dominance in the AAA playoffs, where he held a very good offensive team to 6 hits & 3 runs in 8 innings, striking out 14 while walking only 1.

Edgy DC Nov 08 2005 12:41 PM

Well, you're just a Met fan who wants him to tell you pie-in-the-sky stuff. Ceeze, Sickles, givve peeps a little credit.

Willets Point Nov 08 2005 01:06 PM

Mets haters? There are people who hate the Mets? Why? Teams are usually hated when they have a lot of sucess and/or a lot of bullies, neither of which describe the Mets. I think the baseball world would be divided into Mets fans, Mets pitiers and the indifferent.

Yancy Street Gang Nov 08 2005 01:20 PM

Why do people hate the Mets? Because they play in New York. I've seen plenty of that in the Philadelphia area.