Jul 14 2019 11:44 AM
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The typical first stop for high school draftees and Caribbean academy survivors, the Gulf Coast League is where attendance generally isn't counted, with scouts often outnumbering fans. This kind of stinks because the GCL teams represent the home team of the big league affiliates' spring training complexes, alternating with the Florida State League affiliates. When one is at home, the other is on the road facing a squad from the same organization, in sort of a varsity/JV arrangement.
This neglect isn't always warranted, though because even first-rounders out of high school usually touch down in the GCL, at least for a few weeks, so the host of instructors and evaluators housed at the Spring Training facility can feast their eyes on and get their hands all over the new meat, before dispatching him Kingsport or Brooklyn. The Mets 2018 first-rounder Jarred Kellenic viciously destroyed GCL pitching for 12 games before shipping out. Brett Baty got an even shorter (five games) and even more destructive (1.130 OPS) debut there this year.
Mets Hall of Famer Gary Carter spent his first year managing in this circuit, leading the 2005 GCL Mets to a .698 winning percentage and a championship. I think that, better than this goofy unretired retired number understanding the Mets have with Carter's family, they should re-name this team the GCL Carters or, better yet, the GCL Kids. Carter's legacy, such as it is, would be honored, and the team would be able to uncontroversially return #8 into circulation.
This year's army of teenage Mets, while not on a tear reminiscent of Carter's 2005 squad, have started well. Following a brutal 12-3 beatdown of the GCL Nationals in game two of a doubleheader, they sit at 9-7, half a game out of first in The Gulf Coast League East Division. (You'll recognize their division rivals — The Nats, The GCL Marlins, The GCL Cardinals, and The GCL Astros — as the affiliates of the teams the Mets are always always playing in Spring Training, apart from The GCL Tigers, who somehow ended up The Gulf Coast League North Division.)
The difference between a starter and a reliever at this level is not vast, as few starts last more than three innings, four max, and relievers have a far-better chance of earning a win than the starter, even with many of the contests shortened to seven innings as parts of doubleheaders (which seems pointless in a league full of 35-man rosters), but the best starter as yet has been Copiague's own Franklin Parra. A 2018, 11th-round draftee, The Parratrooper, has been a revelation, appearing in three games, starting two, and allowing no runs in his six inning so far.
Did I say no runs? I sell him short. The Franklin Mint has yet to allow a HIT! Yeah, six innings is six innings, but he has fanned 10 guys, while walking only one, and combined with his 10-inning debut last season, currently sports a 0.56 career ERA. That's just not normal. It's Parranormal.
But, at this level, relievers tend to get even more innings than their starting brethren, or sistren. Such is the case with relief ace Jhonfran Escalona. The undersized (5'10") Venezuelan leads the team in innings so far, having thrown 13 2/3, but has allowed only one run so far for a microscopic 0.66 ERA. This follows 8 1/3 shutout innings earlier for the DSL Mets 2. From the same hometown as Miguel Rojas and Victor Zambrano(!), Jhonnycakes is one you'll want to keep your eye on.
One you will have trouble taking your eyes off of is bonus baby catcher Francisco Alvarez. The Cisco Kid has already been promoted to Kingsport, and why the hell shouldn't he have been? In the seven games before he left, he had scouts and managers swallowing their tobacco with a hellacious .462 average. .462!! That was part of an overall slash line of .462 / .548 / .846 // 1.395! You just swallowed your tobaccy, right? And he did that while throwing out three of seven would-be base stealers. All that, and pop time too. Look for Francisco in upcoming top-ten lists.
And look for the GCL Mets on Jupiter as they head out to Jupiter, Florida tomorrow (Sundays off at this level) to take on the Redbirds teenagers. If you're there, please pass on my renaming idea.
YOUR GCL Mets Coaching Staff
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[IMG]Davalillo[/td90]
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Prieto[/td90]
Fuentes[/td90]
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