Mets Daily Farm System Report - 5/25

New York Mets Daily Farm System Report - Results from the afternoon of Monday, May 24 2010

AA - Binghamton

• CF Kirk Nieuwenhuis: 0-5, 2 K (.290/.323/.459) Struck out with the tying run at second to end this one; rough night.
• 1B Nick Evans: 1-4, 2B, K (.293/.360/.518)
• 3B Eric Campbell: 1-4, K (.182/.182/.364)
• SP Michael Antonini: 6 IP, 2 ER , 7 H, 0 BB, 7 K (3-4, 4.62, 50.2 IP, 51 H, 6 BB, 30 K, 7 HR)  Solid start tonight but yes you read that right, incredibly he's given up more homers than walks thus far; there is such a thing as throwing too many strikes and this is what it looks like
• INJURY UPDATE: As we suspected 3B Zack Lutz is nursing an injury (a fracture in his left foot) and was placed on the DL today.  Also, if you've noticed 2B Reese Havens has also been out of the lineup for a few days now and apparently the reason is back spasms; I'm starting to worry he's got Fernando-itis.
• Promotion of the Day: Ugly Sweater Night; wear an ugly sweater tonight, get in free. Sweet.

Hi-A - St. Lucie

• 2B Josh Satin: 0-4, 1 K (.312/.397/.435) He's certainly cooling off (2 for his last 15)
• 1B Stefan Welch: 2-3, RBI, BB (.318/.360/.488) Aussie lefty wrecking lefty pitching to the tune of a .392 average (20-for-51)
• CF Sean Ratliff: 0-4, K (.280/.324/.464) He's up to 50 K's vs. only 9 BB's
• SS Wilfredo Tovar: 1-3, BB (.295/.310/.375)
• SP Kyle Allen: 8 IP, 1 ER, 7 H, 0 BB, 3 K (4-2, 4.66, 46.1 IP, 44 H, 28 BB, 25 K, 3 HR) Great start, his best of 2010

Lo-A - Savannah

• SS Wilmer Flores: 0-4, R, K, BB (.322/.383/.508) Since the notorious 2 intentional walk, 'call him up' game, he's batting .184 with only 4 walks over 9 games
• 3B Jefry Marte: 2-5, 2B, 2 RBI, K (.202/.304/.303)
• RF Cesar Puello: 1-5, 2B, 2 K, E(5) (.213/.293/.247)
• DH Nick Santomauro: 1-5, K (.132/.157/.167)
• 2B Alonzo Harris: 1-5, R (.244/.267/.348)
• SP Jim Fuller: 6 IP, 2 ER, 7 H, 0 BB, 5 K (5-2, 1.95, 50.2 IP, 42 H, 13 BB, 49 K, 0 HR) You've got to like what you're seeing out of the Gnats pitchers this year, even if it is against mostly younger players

Star of the Night

Definitely RHP Kyle Allen (pictured) tonight as he stepped up and made his best start of the year, going eight strong innings, allowing only one run on seven hits and no walks.  As I mentioned, this was nice to see as some of the Mets upper-tier pitching talent has not pitched well thus far and Allen is pretty universally considered the Mets 3rd best pitching prospect left in the minors.  The Mets originally acquired Allen as a steal in the 24th round of the 2008 draft out of a high school in Bradenton, Florida.  He has shot up prospect rankings thanks to a big athletic build with plenty of projection left, great arm speed and a very strong 2009 campaign in Savannah. 

Allen is very unique for an A-ball pitcher in that his best pitch is his changeup which is an excellent sign as far as the development of secondary stuff.  However, the catch is that his fastball only sits around 90-91mph, he can throw it harder but only by sacrificing command.  Whether Allen is yet another back of the rotation/bullpen filler or someone slated for mid to upper rotation status probably depends mostly on whether or not he can add velocity while maintaining his command, which will not be easy.  Allen is also the winner of the 'Most Awkward Smile on the Team' Award.

Watch him below, courtesy of Mike Newman (Scouting the Sally):

Goat of the Night:  I'm going with the Captain tonight; the 0-fer was rough, the 2 K's made it worse, but the strikeout with the tying run on 2B in the bottom of the 9th was the straw that broke the camel's back.

System Roundup

• The Bisons win streak ended at 5 games last night as the IronPigs outlasted them 6-3.  This wasn't the crispest game, neither starting pitcher was great but it was the Pigs offense that managed to continue tacking on runs while Phils LHP Joe Savery settled down the Bisons offense.  RHP Bobby Parnell was hit hard late while the fireballing Lehigh closer, RHP Scott Mathieson mowed down Buffalo.
• Binghamton has got some bad mojo going right now as they lose their 11th game out of 12 last night, 3-2 to Richmond.  Even on a night where starter LHP Michael Antonini guts out a solid performance and gives them every chance to win Binghamton couldn't pull this one out, stranding the game-tying runner at second in the 9th.
• Monday night marked the beginning of Shark Week in St. Lucie as they brace for three against the Hammerheads followed by a four-gamer against the Threshers.  And while the St. Lucie offense managed a few runs off of Jupiter pitching, give RHP Kyle Allen all the credit for this 3-1 win.  He went 8 very strong innings and never let the Hammerheads into this game as he had his best start of the season, a welcome sight in a system where all of the top pitching talent is seemingly starting the season off on the wrong foot.
• I don't know what it is about the Gnats but they just seem to play in crazy, extra-inning games every other night so far and tonight was no different as they were in the midst of a 2-2 tie in the 13th when rain postponed the game.  Again, Savannah rode on the back of their starting pitcher (tonight it was LHP Jim Fuller) as well as strong relief pitching, including a nice bounceback from last night's Goat RHP Michael Powers (2.1 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 4 K); do I sense a mass migration of Gnats pitchers to St. Lucie later this summer?  This game will be picked up tomorrow at 5:30pm before their scheduled game at 7pm.

Minor League Logo of the Whenever

I've got to say, that's actually a pretty great logo out of the B-Mets' Monday night opponents, the Richmond Flying Squirrels.