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those St. Lucie guys on the diamond

Frayed Knot Apr 08 2011 08:30 AM

The thread for tracking the goings-on in the Mets (High-A) Florida State League affiliate St. Lucie Mets The roster: NAME POS B/T AGE Kyle Allen P R/R 21 Eric Beaulac P R/R 24 Nicholas Carr P R/R 24 John Church P R/R 24 Jeurys Familia P R/R 21 Darin Gorski P L/L 21 Matt Harvey P R/R 22 Jeff Kaplan P R/R 25 Colin McHugh P R/R 24 Scott Moviel P R/R 23 Michael Powers P R/R 25 Armando Rodriguez P R/R 23 Brant Rustich P R/R 26 Brandon Sage P L/L 24 Juan Centeno C L/R 21 Francisco Pena C R/R 21 Travis Ozga 1B S/R 24 Stefan Welch 1B L/R 22 Richard Lucas 3B R/R 22 Jefry Marte 3B R/R 20 Matt Bouchard SS R/R 24 Wilmer Flores SS R/R 19 Rylan Sandowal 2B R/R 23 Matt Den Dekker CF L/L 23 Rafael Fernandez OF L/L 22 Juan Lagares LF R/R 22 Cesar Puello RF R/R 20 Pedro Zapata CF R/R 23 Notable names to watch here are: * Matt Harvey - 2010 1st round (7th overall) draft pick out of UNC makes his pro debut at this level; made it last night in fact going 5 shutout innings allowing 5 hits, 2 walks and K-ing 9 * Wilmer Flores - Now ranked by some as the top NYM prospect, he'll at least start the year at SS while we watch how the bat progresses. Won't turn 20 until after the season is over. * Cesar Puello - this just-turned 20 y/o speedy OFer from the D.R. comes off a breakout year at low-A Savannah. The main questions about his future remain the extent to which his power develops (or doesn't) and whether he can improve his defense enough to use his "plus-plus" speed as a true CFer * Matt Den Dekker - a 5th round pick as a college senior in 2010, Dekker is coming off a good debut in low-A ball plus an extended look in big league training camp. * Jefry Marte - Played a season and a half in Savannah as a teenager and still won't turn 20 until near mid-season. * Scott Moviel/Brant Rustich - Put these two hurlers together as both are remnants from the 2nd round of the Mets' (awful) 2007 draft who are running out of time to show us what they gots. The 6' 11" Moviel is repeating at this level where he pitched poorly last season and Rustich has pitched just over 100 innings total during the last three seasons while trying to overcome injuries. * Pedro Zapata - Just so we can yell VIVA ZAPATA!!! if/when he even makes it.

Benjamin Grimm Apr 08 2011 08:54 AM Re: those St. Lucie guys on the diamond

Frayed Knot wrote: * Pedro Zapata - Just so we can yell VIVA ZAPATA!!! if/when he even makes it. Zapata means "shoe" doesn't it? Will he be known as "Pete Shoe"?

The Second Spitter Apr 08 2011 09:58 AM Re: those St. Lucie guys on the diamond

Thank for posting this, I was gonna do it when I got back from Melbourne. The NY-Penn league really needs to be expanded to a full season comp - too many young ballers with nothing to do 'til June. Stefan Welch is my new adoptee, so no funny ideas.... he sucks but whatareyagonnado? Benjamin Grimm wrote: Zapata means "shoe" doesn't it? It actually means, "he who moves extremely briskly while wearing shoes"

Edgy DC Apr 08 2011 10:10 AM Re: those St. Lucie guys on the diamond

John Church is my guy in the FSL. "Church" is the English word for church.

metirish Apr 08 2011 10:35 AM Re: those St. Lucie guys on the diamond

Going to be keeping a close eye on my boy Rylan Sandoval this season.

The Second Spitter Apr 13 2011 12:33 AM Re: those St. Lucie guys on the diamond

Matt Harvey K's 8 in 6 shutout innings in his second ever start. Adam Rubin, before yesterdays game predicted that not only will he be in the Mets rotation at the start of 2012, but will also represent the Mets in the 2013 ASG. Somebody needs to adopt him asap. (I think m.e.t.b.o.t. would make an awesome parent).

Edgy DC Apr 13 2011 06:06 AM Re: those St. Lucie guys on the diamond

Somebody needs to adopt Adam Rubin and feed him some Calm Down Juice.

Ceetar Apr 13 2011 07:15 AM Re: those St. Lucie guys on the diamond

Edgy DC wrote: Somebody needs to adopt Adam Rubin and feed him some Calm Down Juice. Calm is not a word I'd ever use to describe Rubin.

The Second Spitter Apr 13 2011 07:34 AM Re: those St. Lucie guys on the diamond

I was following a webchat last night where he seemed to blame all of the Mets financial woes on Omar (with the help of a terrible leading question). It made me wonder.

Gwreck Apr 13 2011 07:46 AM Re: those St. Lucie guys on the diamond

Adam Rubin, before yesterdays game predicted that not only will he be in the Mets rotation at the start of 2012, but will also represent the Mets in the 2013 ASG. The first question asked what the likelihood of the 2012 rotation being Santana/Dickey/Niese/Meija/Harvey was. Rubin's answer: "There seems to be legs on this Pelfrey getting traded thing, so you may have hit the rotation." Jon in NYC then asked "What's the early buzz on Matt Harvey? Future no. 1? ETA?" Rubin's answer was: "2012 rotation very doable." Rubin DID NOT predict that he would represent the Mets in the 2013 All-Star game. There was a question about "When can we look forward to some excitement with the Mets?" and Rubin answered "The 2013 All-Star game?" He then noted, "If there's any consolation, it will force the Mets to go young, so you'll see players such as Matt Harvey within a year. They just have to do a better job developing players." Ceetar wrote: Calm is not a word I'd ever use to describe Rubin. Tough to determine this based on a text-only internet chat.

Edgy DC Apr 13 2011 07:52 AM Re: those St. Lucie guys on the diamond

Whoah. That's the stuff.

The Second Spitter Apr 13 2011 08:07 AM Re: those St. Lucie guys on the diamond

Gwreck wrote: Rubin DID NOT predict that he would represent the Mets in the 2013 All-Star game. There was a question about "When can we look forward to some excitement with the Mets?" and Rubin answered "The 2013 All-Star game?" He then noted, "If there's any consolation, it will force the Mets to go young, so you'll see players such as Matt Harvey within a year. They just have to do a better job developing players. I see you were following the same webchat. Thanks for the correction.

Frayed Knot Apr 13 2011 08:17 AM Re: those St. Lucie guys on the diamond

"They have to do a better job at developing players" ... which is why I'm advocating that Harvey jump from A-ball to the majors in one year.

Centerfield Apr 13 2011 08:23 AM Re: those St. Lucie guys on the diamond

Benjamin Grimm wrote: Frayed Knot wrote: * Pedro Zapata - Just so we can yell VIVA ZAPATA!!! if/when he even makes it. Zapata means "shoe" doesn't it? Will he be known as "Pete Shoe"? I doubt he makes it. I hear Zapatas end up being runners.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Apr 13 2011 10:26 AM Re: those St. Lucie guys on the diamond

The 2013 All-Star Game thing was likely about the fact that it'll be IN Citi, yes?

Gwreck Apr 13 2011 10:29 AM Re: those St. Lucie guys on the diamond

Yes.

Frayed Knot Apr 16 2011 07:13 AM Re: those St. Lucie guys on the diamond

The hot start of Matt Harvey gets him noticed by BA as #7 on their season-opening installment of 'The Hot Sheet' Why He's Here: 2-0, 0.00, 2 GS, 11 IP, 8 H, 0 R, 17 SO, 4 BB The Scoop: The top college righthander to sign out of last year's draft (No. 7 overall), Harvey faced big expectations in his pro debut—and through two starts he's more than met them. Joining Keyvious Sampson (No. 2 on this Hot Sheet), Harvey was one of seven minor league pitchers to open the year with a scoreless-inning streak of 11 or more frames. and Jeurys Familia gets an 'honorable mention' on the same list with BA noting that -- Lost in Jeurys Familia's ugly campaign for high Class A St. Lucie last year (6-9, 5.58, 5.5 walks per nine innings) were stretches of effectiveness. The 21-year-old Mets righty got bombed for eight runs in his final start of 2010, but in the seven starts preceding it he went 4-2, 3.38 with 58 strikeouts and 13 walks in 42 2/3 innings. Familia has carried forward that momentum through his first two starts and 13 innings of 2011, in a repeat of the Florida State League. He's kept his walks in check (two) and has kept the ball off the barrel of opponents' bats (13 strikeouts, two hits, one run, 2-to-1 ground-to-flyout ratio). 'Hot Sheet' is like a music top-40 list, it's a weekly look at who's been hot (or not) over the recent span, not an overall ranking of prospects although prospect-y types are the ones who usually get on it as opposed to merely hot weeks from 26 y/o career minor leaguers.

Edgy DC Apr 19 2011 08:34 PM Re: those St. Lucie guys on the diamond

St. Lucie poundedthe Ft. Myers miracle today, 11-2, featuring the slumming Jasonian Bay going 4-for-bloody-4 with two homers. That's a pretty magical number as the Lucies (they of the barren farm) also run their record to a first-place 11-2. Starting strong is lost prospect Francisco Pena, and Scott Moviel (who impressed Terry Collins by beating him to camp this summer) is at 2-0 with a 2.70 ERA. Wowie and Hayne are suggesting that Bay might celebrate his demolition by joining the Queensmen tomorrow night.

Frayed Knot Apr 21 2011 08:36 AM Re: those St. Lucie guys on the diamond

A John Sickels write up of Matt Harvey - with accompanying ST video of him pitching against Wilmer Flores and an added bonus of a baby crying audio.

Frayed Knot Apr 22 2011 11:28 AM Re: those St. Lucie guys on the diamond

Jefry Marte - one of those prospects we've seemingly been hearing about for a while even though he's yet to reach drinking age - had a good enough week in Pt St Lucie to attract BA's notice. #13 on this week's 'Hot List'. 9 hits and 3 HRs in a week will do that. Team: High Class A St. Lucie (Florida State) Age: 19 Why He's Here: .409/.481/.864 (9-for-22), 3 HR, 1 2B, 8 RBIs, 7 R, 4 BB, 6 SO The Scoop: St. Lucie has jumped off to a Florida State League-best 13-2 record and they've done so with some of the Mets' finest prospects. Righthanders Matt Harvey and Jeurys Familia have given up a total of three runs in six starts, while the offense features shortstop Wilmer Flores and right fielder Cesar Puello, the system's Nos. 2 an 3 prospects who both appear to be shaking off the rust early in the season. The same is not true of Marte, who paces the St. Lucie attack with a .340 average (17-for-50), eight walks, three home runs and 10 RBIs. Marte spent last season playing in the shadow of Flores and Puello with low Class A Savannah, but he appears to be completely healthy this season as he makes up for a so-so 2010 campaign (.264/.333/.401, six homers in 82 games).

Edgy DC Apr 28 2011 02:20 PM Re: those St. Lucie guys on the diamond

The Lucies are an astounding 18-3, seven games up on their division and have 4-0 Matt Harvey going tonight. The have five regulars hitting .300, including: [list:vjx3f8j6][*:vjx3f8j6]Pedro Zapata: .377[/*:m:vjx3f8j6] [*:vjx3f8j6]Matt Den Dekker: .370[/*:m:vjx3f8j6] [*:vjx3f8j6]Francisco Pena: .333[/*:m:vjx3f8j6] [*:vjx3f8j6]Jefry Marte: .311[/*:m:vjx3f8j6] [*:vjx3f8j6]Wilmer Flores: .301.[/*:m:vjx3f8j6][/list:u:vjx3f8j6] The top three starters --- Harvey, Jeurys Familia, and Scott Moviel --- have combined for a 1.01 ERA in 71 1/3 innings. Farm not barren.

Frayed Knot Apr 29 2011 02:03 PM Re: those St. Lucie guys on the diamond

Jeurys Familia makes BA's 'Hot List' again this week (#10) Why He's Here: 1-0, 0.00, 7 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 8 SO The Scoop: Familia continued his stellar start to 2011 with seven shutout innings Saturday against Jupiter. He has allowed just two runs and nine hits in 25 2/3 innings this season, a stark contrast to his season last year at St. Lucie when he went 6-9, 5.58. Familia is a large part of the reason St. Lucie is playing so well this year and has a Florida State League-leading 2.84 ERA. Like the rest of the top prospects on that team, Familia probably won't spend too much longer in St. Lucie. He appears to be in line for a promotion to Double-A Binghamton once the weather warms up in New York state.

Ceetar Apr 29 2011 02:05 PM Re: those St. Lucie guys on the diamond

So who's getting promoted? The team is destroying the league which must suggest someone would benefit from a little steeper competition no? Didn't people say the Mets over-stacked the Cyclones lineup last year too?

Frayed Knot Apr 29 2011 02:39 PM Re: those St. Lucie guys on the diamond

The charge about them stacking the Brooklyn squad comes from the fact that the Wilpons own that team (they don't own any of the full-season NYM affiliates - most teams don't) and so they stuck guys there who maybe should or could have been placed higher so as to protect their investment. It's probably true, although tough to prove. In this case I don't think they intentionally stacked St Lucie so much as there are a bunch of guys there just off to great starts. Look at Familia's start last year for instance and there was no way to expect what he's doing now. Then throw in the hot start from #1 pick Harvey who's probably just there until the upstate weather warms up and you've got a team on a roll.

Frayed Knot May 07 2011 07:36 AM Re: those St. Lucie guys on the diamond

Matt Harvey once again on BA's 'Hot List' - #3 this time Why He's Here: 0-0, 0.00, 1 GS, 6 1/3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 9 SO, 2 BB The Scoop: Harvey carried a spotless 0.00 ERA through his first four starts, allowing only a single unearned run in his first 22 professional innings. That changed in his fifth start last Thursday, when Bradenton touched him up for six runs (four earned) on nine hits in 4 1/3 innings. Facing the same lineup in his next start Wednesday, Harvey rebounded with his best outing of the year. The Mets' 2010 first-round pick leads the FSL and ranks seventh in the minors with a 1.10 ERA in 32 2/3 innings, and he's also second in the league with 39 strikeouts. Fans in Florida hoping to watch him should probably try to do it sooner than later.

Frayed Knot Jun 03 2011 10:13 AM Re: those St. Lucie guys on the diamond

From John Sickels' notes: -- New York Mets lefty Darin Gorski has had two excellent starts in a row for High-A St. Lucie, fanning 13 in seven innings and allowing three hits and a walk on May 26th, then throwing seven shutout innings with three strikeouts on June 1st. Overall, the southpaw has a 1.85 ERA with a 66/13 K/BB in 49 innings with 43 hits allowed. Gorski was a seventh round draft pick in 2009 from Kutztown University in Pennsylvania. Although he's a big guy at 6-4, 215, his velocity was mediocre until this year, usually in the 85-87 range. This year he's hitting 88-91 MPH, and the increase in fastball oomph combined with his already-solid secondary pitches has led to big success. Let's see if he can maintain it in Double-A.

Frayed Knot Jun 20 2011 11:34 AM Re: those St. Lucie guys on the diamond

John Sickels: NYM pitching prospect Armando Rodriguez is off to a good start for High-A St. Lucie. Since being activated from extended spring training in late May, he's made four starts and pitched 17 innings, allowing five earned runs for a 2.65 ERA, with 16 hits allowed and a 21/6 K/BB ratio. 10 of those strikeouts were over five innings in his last start. The 23-year-old right-hander is one of the more interesting prospects in the Mets system. Signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2007, he had a fine year in 2010, posting a 152/46 K/BB in 146 innings for Low-A Savannah, with just 116 hits allowed. He entered '11 with 322 career strikeouts and just 225 hits allowed in 306 IP. Despite his excellent component ratios, scouts are lukewarm on him, pointing to mediocre right-handed velocity (87-90, hitting 92 on his best days) and a fringy slider and changeup. He does have a decent cutter, but his success is primarily reliant on sharp control and deceptive mechanics. Scouts admit this works in A-ball, but there is a lot of skepticism about how it will translate to higher levels. Rodriguez has definitely earned to chance to show us, however, and continued quality pitching at St. Lucie could/should result in a Double-A trial later this year.

Edgy DC Jun 20 2011 11:52 AM Re: those St. Lucie guys on the diamond

Disappointing Florida State League All Star Performances from the St. Lucie Mets [list][*]Matt Harvey (Scheduled to Start at P, but Promoted to Bingo Before Game Time)[/*:m] [*]Darin Gorski (Start at P, 1.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 ER)[/*:m] [*]Scott Moviel (L, 1.0 IP, 3 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB)[/*:m] [*]Jeff Kaplan (1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 SO, Yay!)[/*:m] [*]Matt den Dekker (0-3, BB, 2 SO, Batting Third)[/*:m] [*]Pedro Zapata (0-3, 1 SO)[/*:m][/list:u]

Edgy DC Jun 20 2011 03:03 PM Re: those St. Lucie guys on the diamond

St. Lucie, having cooled considerably after a torrid start out of the gate, has a magic number of 2 (with three to play) to clinch a first half title.

Edgy DC Jun 21 2011 07:27 AM Re: those St. Lucie guys on the diamond

I don't quite get it. Matt Harvey gets called up to Bingo, and so misses the All Star Game, and then goes down to pinch the clincher PSL. Anyhow, an extra-inning walkoff double by Cesar Puello and Pedro Lopez has got some first half champs. We all do!

Edgy DC Jun 22 2011 02:05 PM Re: those St. Lucie guys on the diamond

Darin Gorski starts off the second half shutting down Charlotte (in the Florida State League?) to the tune of 6 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 0 BB, 6 K. Gorski is now at 5-0 with a 1.57 ERA and 82 K, with only 15 BB, 54 H, and 3 HR in 68 2/3 innings. That's good for a WHiP of 1.00. Somebody start tracking this guy.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Jun 22 2011 02:11 PM Re: those St. Lucie guys on the diamond

Pepsodent smile. Charlotte is prolly Port Charlotte, the Gulf Coast city where the Rangers have ST and is leveled by a hurricane every August.

Edgy DC Jul 25 2011 09:08 PM Re: those St. Lucie guys on the diamond

St. Lucie, national capital of killing your parents before a party, needs their anti-violence advocates. That's where Greg Peavey, Armando Rodriguez, and Cesar Puello come in, baby. [youtube:3hzkqkv1]sDIiV4ShHvg[/youtube:3hzkqkv1]

Edgy DC Aug 11 2011 10:19 PM Re: those St. Lucie guys on the diamond

Jefry Marte Wilmer Flores Stefan Welch Konsecutive Kaboomage.

Edgy DC Sep 13 2011 07:51 AM Re: those St. Lucie guys on the diamond

Mike Graham: Sour ending or not, St. Lucie Mets had sweet season Posted September 13, 2011 at 1:16 a.m. PORT ST. LUCIE — It was late Sunday night when Pedro Lopez sat back in his Digital Domain Park office, reflecting on a season that had many highlights but had ended in disappointment. Lopez, the St. Lucie Mets' first-year manager, admitted to shedding a tear or two over the Mets' being swept in three games by the Daytona Cubs in the Florida State League Championship Series. And he was quick to point out that the better team won the title. "I think (Daytona) was a more mature team than we were," Lopez was saying Monday. "(Daytona) executed better, and they got the timely hits and we didn't. Daytona deserves all the credit, because they played a great series. "But I'm proud of my guys for the way they fought until the end. Our guys never quit in this series, which is how they played all year long." Daytona outhit St. Lucie in three games 35-18 and outscored the Mets 17-7 — two telling stats. Still, Lopez isn't about to measure his team's progress by these final three games. He looked back over the 2011 season as Sunday night wore on into Monday and saw more positives than negatives. St. Lucie started off like gangbusters, winning 17 of its first 19 games. The Mets were the hottest team in professional baseball as April turned to May. If Single-A baseball is all about developing young players, Lopez and his staff were doing just that, especially early. Pitcher Matt Harvey (8-2, 2.37 ERA in 14 starts) and outfielder Matt den Decker (.300, 6 HR, 36 RBIs and 12 stolen bases) were two of several players promoted to Double-A Binghamton right after St. Lucie clinched the FSL South Division first half title June 22. "Everyone talks about development, but I told our guys before the season started that we were here to win and that we were going to win," Lopez said. "The credit for our success goes to the guys for the way they went about their business." Another memorable highlight was St. Lucie's thrilling ninth-inning victory at home last Thursday over Bradenton to win the South Division title, as Jefry Marte's two-out single chased home Travis Ozga with the go-ahead run in a 4-3 decision. And let's not forget that St. Lucie set another record for attendance this season, breaking the mark of 100,921 set in 2010 back on Aug. 30. "We had an exciting ballclub to watch and our front office staff did a great job in promoting us. We certainly thank the fans for all their support," Lopez said. So it's back to his native Puerto Rico for Lopez, for two weeks, before he manages in the Arizona Fall League — followed by 2012 spring training and what he hopes is another shot at managing in St. Lucie. "I hope the (New York Mets) front offices give me the chance to come back to St. Lucie next year," Lopez said. "Because I've got some unfinished business here." mike.graham@scripps.com