May 13 2010 10:24 AM
The St. Lucie Mets sit at 14-18, 4.5 games out in the Florida State League South Division. Not doing bad but unable to get any traction with spotty starting pitching.
But...
[list][*]Venezualan reliever Manny Alvarez, who had raised absolutely zero eyebrows up until this season is working with an unblemished ERA, having yielded no earned runs thus far in 22 1/3 innings pitched over 15 games. He has walked three and struck out 20 over that period, saving seven games, winning two, and (thanks, defense) losing one.
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[*]Control has also been key for good starts for Floridian reliever Emary Frederick (0.66 ERA in 13 2/3 innings, with zero walks and 17 strikeouts) and 2008 draftee swingman Chris Schwinden (2-0 1.57 in 28 2/3 innings with five walks and 22 strikeouts).
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[*]Firstbaseman Eric Campbell is slashing at .339 / .416 / .541 // .957. He's a BC Eagle and he has a big Mackey Sasser-type chin.
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[*]Secondbaseman Josh Satin (going .333 / .435 / .491 // .926) has been bringing it also, suggesting that, if they want to really want to move Reese Havens to second, it maybe oughta happen at AA where Hector Pellot (a Bernazard guy who has done little in his career thus far) is hitting like a sucka at .167.
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[*]Sean Ratliff is digging in at centerfield (.281 /.328 / .484 // .813), has stolen five bases and carries a Stanford sociology degreen in his back pocket.[/*:m][/list:u]