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Mets Catch a Catcher

John Cougar Lunchbucket Oct 26 2007 02:18 PM

This young man was ranked No. 3 Independent League prospect by BA, writeup below writeup. Winnipeg Sun ]METS HOOK FISH CATCHER The Winnipeg Goldeyes are in search of a new catcher. Luis Alen, the all-star receiver and ranked by Baseball America as the top catching prospect in all of independent baseball last season, had his contract sold to the New York Mets yesterday. The Venezuelan was a career-high .333 (tops on the Goldeyes) at the plate, hitting .412 with .458 on-base percentage in August. The Fish have sold 48 players to Major League organizations. Baseball America: ] 3. LUIS ALEN, C Winnipeg (Northern) Alen, a 22-year-old from Venezuela, spent the 2006 season in Italy after playing four years in the Marlins organization. He was a light-hitting catcher with the Marlins, hitting .230/.289/.280 in 391 career at-bats before being released in 2005. The Goldeyes weren’t expecting much offensively, but they knew that he was a solid defensive catcher with an outstanding arm. The arm was just as good as advertised, and he registered consistent 1.8-1.85-second pop times (the time from the catcher’s mitt to the second baseman’s glove on a throw) while showing a quick release and accuracy. He gunned out 31 percent of basestealers as one of the youngest players in a league dominated by minor league veterans. But what was surprising was Alen’s development as a hitter. He hit .333/.396/.453 to finish eighth in the Northern League in batting. He struck out 20 times in 285 at-bats. His swing is not particularly short, but he does have a plan at the plate and shortens up if he falls behind in the count. “He has a plan in every at-bat. He gets good wood on the ball,” Winnipeg manager Rick Forney said. “The power will come. He hit a hard .330 with a lot of line drives.”

metirish Oct 26 2007 02:20 PM

Well that solves that then. Actually he looks like he'll have a shot.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Oct 26 2007 02:23 PM

Oh sure. Minor league washouts with poor track records turn into major league stars everyday! But it is nice to see the Mets make that first move of the winter.

Benjamin Grimm Oct 26 2007 02:27 PM

So where do we think he'll play in 2008? My guess: Savannah.

metirish Oct 26 2007 02:27 PM

Apparently he has learned to hit since these numbers were compiled, I have my doubts though. http://minors.baseball-reference.com/players.cgi?pid=273

Rockin' Doc Oct 26 2007 08:04 PM

Yancy - "So where do we think he'll play in 2008? My guess: Savannah." My guess is McDonalds. The Mets need a real option for next year. Resign LoDuca or Castro so that the Mets actually have someone to catch the ball next season.

Edgy DC Oct 28 2007 06:38 PM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Oct 29 2007 07:23 AM

Jeez, tough room. The Mets don't need a catcher for next year. They need four. Getting a low-end one doesn't mean they aren't still shopping top shelf. This is what good organzations do.

smg58 Oct 28 2007 08:26 PM

I'm encouraged by the lack of strikeouts, but I have no idea what level the Northern League would even correspond to.

metirish Oct 28 2007 08:28 PM

smg58 wrote: I'm encouraged by the lack of strikeouts, but I have no idea what level the Northern League would even correspond to. Probably about the level of play in Dublin.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Oct 28 2007 08:34 PM

smg58 wrote: I'm encouraged by the lack of strikeouts, but I have no idea what level the Northern League would even correspond to. It's entirely concveiveable useful players could emerge from the Northern League. It happens all the time.

Edgy DC Oct 28 2007 11:06 PM

Top Northern League Alums (who weren't just slumming there) include Jeff Zimmerman, Kevin Millar, Chris Coste, and Joey Eischen. http://www.nlfan.com/FAQ/nol_mlb.shtml

smg58 Oct 29 2007 07:13 AM

Rey Ordonez was on that list too. I never knew that. So I guess we set Alen up in Binghamton and see how he does. If nothing else, we now have one catcher with some upside in the system.

Edgy DC Oct 29 2007 07:24 AM

I consider Ordoñez among the guys who were slumming. He was just playing there to stay in shape and get himself scouted while his agent shopped him around.

duan Oct 30 2007 11:40 AM catchers are

people who emerge from different directions more often then most. It's probably something to do with the simple attrition rate of the position and the complex demands that it has. Of course it's highly unlikely that he'll every be more then an AA player but there's nothing wrong with taking a whirl

Edgy DC Oct 30 2007 11:43 AM

He looks to be coming from the Pedro Feliciano Style Academy. He was probably inserted at third or fourth on the team's depth chart the moment he signed.

duan Oct 30 2007 11:46 AM

well if someone would update their Mets 25 man roster 2008 we'd get a better picture of all that wouldn't we.

Edgy DC Oct 30 2007 11:51 AM

What's to update? Have you seen any transactions? Unless we're confident of this guy being better than Jose A. Reyes, I think we have what we have.

MFS62 Dec 07 2007 07:26 AM

He may not make it to the major league roster, but: ] The Mets also signed catcher Raul Casanova to a minor-league contract. Casanova, 35, hit .253 in 29 games for Tampa Bay last season and would serve in a Mike DiFelice/Sandy Alomar Jr. role. http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/2007/12/07/2007-12-07_mets_move_on_but_still_eye_an_ace-1.html?ref=rss Who says you can't go home again? Later

Edgy DC Dec 07 2007 07:32 AM

Holy crap! John Maine is Santa!

seawolf17 Dec 07 2007 07:33 AM

Edgy DC wrote: Holy crap! John Maine is Santa! Or at least Mrs. Claus.