As usual, let's start with a little bit of news. According to Adam Rubin Mets top prospect Brandon Nimmo will not be starting the 2012 season with Lo-A Savannah (or any full season club). Sort of disappointing as we all wanted to see the kid really get his pro career underway but in the long run it doesn't really matter. In fact, if anything it underscores the new regime's emphasis on a slowed timetable, which is definitely a good thing.
And thanks to the wonders of the internet age, we also know that after a so-so .259/.351/.361 season with Savannah Darrell Ceciliani will be beginning 2012 with Hi-A St. Lucie. Expect to see a flood of assignments becoming official by the end of the weekend.
Additionally, the cuts just keep on coming as the Mets report the releases of IF Justin Schafer and RHP Michael Weldon. Schafer is a 23-yr old 2010 32nd rounder who battled injuries and appeared in just eight games with the GCL Mets in 2011, batting just .226. Weldon is a 24-yr old 6'4" righthander who has had decent success -- including a 3.00 ERA across three levels of A-ball in 2011 -- but doesn't feature even average major league stuff.
BISONS 1, REDBIRDS 2 (AAA)
The Buffalo Bisons were defeated by the Memphis Redbirds, 2-1, on Friday from Jupiter, FL. The club has just two more spring training games before heading up to Buffalo for their first team workout at Coca-Cola Field on Tuesday afternoon.
The game was scoreless until the top of the seventh inning when C LUCAS MAY singled home INF VALENTINO PASCUCCI to give Buffalo a 1-0 lead. Pascucci finished the game 2-4.
The Redbirds came back with two runs in the bottom of the second inning to hand RHP MATT HARVEY the loss. Harvey allowed both runs in his 6.2 innings of work.
BISONS 6, ZEPHYRS 16 (AAA)
The Buffalo Bisons were defeated by the New Orleans Zephyrs by a 16-6 score from Vero Beach, FL.
The Bisons pounded out 13 hits, but couldn't keep up with the Zephyrs. INF JOSH SATIN finished the game 3-3 with a walk, a double and a solo home run. INF VALENTINO PASCUCCI also homered in the loss.
C ROB JOHNSON finished the game 2-4 with a pair of doubles and OF ADAM LOEWEN also doubled as the Bisons had eight extra-base hits.
B-METS 2, CARDINALS 3 (AA)
In their second-to-last Spring Training game, the Binghamton Mets fell to the Springfield Cardinals, the Double-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals, by a 3-2 score.
Last year’s B-Mets’ bullpen was well represented. Brad Holt, the right-hander who converted from starter to reliever, tossed a scoreless inning with three strike outs and a walk. Erik Turgeon followed suit with a blank frame of his own. Jeff Kaplan allowed one unearned run in his time on the mound.
Newly-acquired utility man Josh Rodriguez went 1-for-2 and scored a run. Last year, he played seven games with the Pittsburgh Pirates, but spent most of the season with the Altoona Curve, their Double-A affiliate.
*Compiled using team reports
ST LUCIE 2, PALM BEACH 9 (A+)
Apparently the Mets committed seven errors in this one, so I'd say they're still working towards mid-season form.
RHP Yohan Almonte got the start and lasted four innings. RHP Jeff Walters, RHP John Church and LHP Jack Leathersich all pitched in relief.
The following guys showed up in the Mets lineup on Friday: CF Alonzo Harris, 1B Richard Lucas – hit a 2-run bomb -- 3B Aderlin Rodriguez, 3B Dustin Lawley -- who has interestingly begun catching this year -- LF Travis Taijeron,
RF Gregory Pron and RF Charlie Thurber.
A-
The Lo-A club won 6-4 Friday afternoon.
LHP Alex Panteliodis got the start, allowing two earned over six innings. LHP Carlos Vazquez relieved him with two innings while LHP TJ Chism and RHP Tyler Seng followed.
Offensively, SS Philip Evans was the star as he went 2-for-3 with a triple and home run in this one. CF Brandon Nimmo was 1-for-3 with an RBI triple. Additionally LI's own C Cam Maron had an RBI triple. As did LF Julio Concepcion.