Mets Daily Farm System Report - 6/8: The Return of Fernandomania

New York Mets Daily Farm System Report - Results from the afternoon/night of Monday June 7, 2010

First off let's welcome our newest first round pick RHP Matt Harvey into the system.  I'm looking forward to writing about him here soon!  Also we've got to take a minute to congratulate Jesus Feliciano on the callup; seriously that's awesome for him.  Ok business time:

The Usual Suspects

AAA - Buffalo (33-25)

• 3B Mike Hessman: DNP (.291/.369/.624)
• 1B Mike Jacobs: 0-4, K (.280/.327/.529)
• RF Val Pascucci: 1-2, 2 BB (.259/.315/.542)
• SP Bobby Livingston: 7 IP, 5 ER, 8 H, 0 BB, 3 K, 2 HR (2-6, 4.43, 63 IP, 63 H, 24 BB, 35 K, 4 HR)
• ROSTER MOVES: Rule 5 slugger DH Marshall Hubbard has been called up from Bingo to take Feliciano's place.  Good luck with that one.
• Vote everybody's favorite Bison 3B Mike Hessman into the Triple-A ASG here

AA - Binghamton (27-29)

• Night Off

Hi-A - St. Lucie (26-29)

• SS Jordany Valdespin: 1-4, HR(4), RBI, 2 R, BB, SB(3) (.317/.349/.537)
• 2B Josh Satin: 0-3, BB, K (.326/.399/.464)
• CF Sean Ratliff: 2-3, 2B, BB, K, SB(9) (.271/.335/.440)
• 1B Stefan Welch: 2-5, 2B, HR(4), 3 RBI, R, K (.300/.356/.469)
• RF Brahiam Maldonado: 2-5, R, 2 K (.284/.330/.510)
• SP Jeurys Familia: 4.1 IP, 6 ER, 4 H, 5 BB, 5 K, 3 WP (0-3, 6.46, 39 IP, 42 H, 26 BB, 40 K, 1 HR) There was a time this winter when I was actually excited for the 'Allen (4.95) vs. Familia (6.46)' debate
• REHAB ALERT: RF Fernando Martinez: 2-3, 2B, R; Look who quietly got back to work yesterday and it's funny because I had just told someone that I wasn't expecting him back for quite a while.  Way to make me look like a jackass FMart, you couldn't take 6 more weeks off?

Lo-A Savannah (34-25)

Game 1

• SS Wilmer Flores: 0-4, BB (.289/.359/.447) The struggles continue as his OPS threatens to drop below .800
• LF Juan Lagares: 2-5, 3B, K (.299/.320/.475)
• 3B Jefry Marte: 1-4, BB, K (.243/.327/.350)
• 2B Alonzo Harris: 1-4, 3B, 3 RBI, BB (.244/.280/.371)
• RF Cesar Puello: 2-4, R (.229/.315/.276)
• SP Brandon Moore: 7 IP, 2 ER, 7 H, 2 BB, 12 K, 1 HR (2-4, 2.32, 66 IP, 54 H, 8 BB, 88 K, 5 HR) 11:1 strikeout to walk ratio. Incredible.
• RP Darin Gorski: 4 IP, 0 ER (1 unearned), 4 H, 1 BB, 2 K (2-2, 3.13, 46 IP, 44 H, 18 BB, 43 K, 3 HR) Great effort
• Lots of honors around the team today:  First and foremost LHP Mark Cohoon was named the SAL Pitcher of the Week based on his complete game shutout of the Asheville Tourists on Friday night. 
• Even better, 6 Sand Gnats were selected to play in the SAL All-Star Game on June 22.  From the pitching side was the aforementioned Cohoon as well as RHP Brandon Moore and LHP Jim Fuller.  From the everyday players, SS Wilmer Flores, LF Juan Lagares and the quiet yet solid German C Kai Gronauer.  We haven't mentioned the 23yr old Gronauer (.250/.348/.353) much in this space but the kid was a mainstay on the German national team by age 18 and definitely has some talent.

Star of the Night

Maybe not the best numbers on the night but definitely the biggest effort came from Savannah relief star LHP Darin Gorski whose 4 innings of shutdown ball were invaluable in keeping the Gnats in this one.  That's the same old story for Gorski, a starter by trade, who has been exceptionally valuable out of the Savannah 'pen in 2010.  The Mets drafted the lanky lefty with their 7th round selection in '09 out of Central PA's DII Kutztown University.  He was a bit of a reach according to BA, though they ranked him as the 4th best DII prospect in the country before the draft.  With the impending promotion of the bulk of the Gnats rotation, Gorski figures to get back to starting in the second half and though he won't blow anyone away with his stuff, his pitchability gives him a good chance for success.

Goat of the Night:  LHP Bobby Livingston's 7 innings weren't awful but he managed to choose the two worst moments to give up bombs last night.

System Roundup

• After amassing 45 hits in the previous 3 games of the series, the Bisons were due for a let-down and it came on Monday afternoon as they were shutout on only 3 hits in this 6-0 defeat at the hands of the Tides.  One time prospect Troy Patton was masterful over 7 innings, not allowing any Buffalo player past second base.  While these games are going to happen, one has start wondering if Buffalo can sustain their first half success with a suddenly depleted lineup?
• Binghamton took the night off to rest up for their 3rd annual Stitch & Pitch night on June 9th.  Ah the fast life of the minor leagues.
• Things started off well for St. Lucie tonight: single, homer, single, homer. Unfortunately, that was mostly it for the Mets bats tonight who squandered an early 4 run lead in a 10-5 loss to the Dunedin Blue Jays.  RHP Jeurys Familia continued to battle wildness as a barrage of walks (5) and wild pitches (3) proved exceptionally costly for the floundering top prospect tonight.  At least it was nice to see a nice 2-for-3 night from FMart in his 5 inning return to action.  Let's start the count again:  It has been  1   game(s) since Fernando's last injury.
• To nobody's surprise it was an extra-innings thriller last night in Game 1 of Savannah's double dip as the Gnats managed to edge out the Intimidators 4-3 in 11.  Kannapolis scored for the first time since the 3rd in the top of the 11th and took the lead but the Savannah offense manufactured 2 runs of their own on only one hit and a bunch of sacrifices, walks and hit batsmen.  RHP Brandon Moore was excellent over 7 innings as he further extended his league leading strikeout total with 12 more and kudos to LHP Darin Gorski for closing out the game in 4 sterling innings of relief to keep the Gnats in this one.
• In Game 2 of their doubleheader, the Gnats won with far more ease (7-1) on the strength of more very solid pitching.  RHP Armando Rodriguez limited the Kannapolis bats to just 1 run on 2 hits over 5 very strong innings though he added to his league leading HB total with 2 more last night.  The bullpen (righties John Church & Erik Turgeon) was very strong as usual.  Nothing too special on the offensive side but more than enough to get the job done, though after a couple of doubles and 3 RBI's CF Pedro Zapata is starting to demand some attention.  Wilmer took the second one off tonight as much for a mental rest as anything.