*All results from games played on Thursday, August 20th, 2014
Triple-A - Las Vegas 51's (74-60)_______________________________________
LAS VEGAS 13, NEW ORLEANS 5 (Box)
"Down El Paso way things get pretty spread out
People got no idea where in the world they are
They go up north and come back south
Still got no idea where in the world they are."
- 2B Danny Muno: 1-5 HR (13), R, 5 RBI, 2 K, SF; Much of what you need to know about Vegas' run environment can be explained with the phrase "Danny Muno has 13 home runs."
- SS Matt Reynolds: 1-4, 2 R, BB, 2 K
- 3B Josh Satin: 0-2, 2 R, 3 BB, 1 #HAIL
- C Kevin Plawecki: 2-4, 2 R, RBI, BB; After a blistering first half, Plawecki has cooled off in the desert heat, though a low .700s OPS was always going to be a more realistic estimate of his MLB production
- CF Cesar Puello: 3-3, 2 2B, HR (5), BB, HBP; All against RHPs too for the record. I don't know how far you can really drop Puello on prospect lists, though that problem may solve itself as he is out of options in 2015.
- RHP Logan Verrett: W, 5 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 0 BB, 6 K
Double-A - Binghamton Mets (78-52)_____________________________________
OFF DAY (SCHEDULE)
"Home - is where I want to be
But I guess I'm already there
I come home she lifted up her wings
Guess that this must be the place
I can't tell one from another
Did I find you, or you find me?
There was a time before we were born
If someone asks, this where I'll be . . . where I'll be."
Binghamton heads back home with a playoff spot in tow, clinching on their off day when New Britain lost to Richmond.
Advanced-A - St. Lucie Mets (29-29 / 69-58)_____________________________________
OFF DAY (SCHEDULE)
"I'm tired of looking out the windows of the airplane
I'm tired of travelling, I want to be somewhere.
It's not even worth talking
About those people down there."
St. Lucie also gets a travel day as they head back home for a double dip with last place Jupiter on Friday, kicking off a seven-game homestand.
Low-A - Savannah Sand Gnats (38-22 / 82-44)__________________________________
ROME 3, SAVANNAH 2 (Box)
-
"Everything is divided
- SS Yeixon Ruiz: 1-5, 3B, R, RBI, K; Ruiz is probably better served playing a little bit of everywhere. Some middle infield, some outfield, as his value to the org is in his flexibility. He's pretty much been Savannah's everyday SS in the second half, but that might change if and when Amed Rosario's rumored promotion goes through.
- CF Champ Stuart: 1-3, R, RBI, BB, SB (25); As I said on this week's podcast, Stuart was the most impressive player In saw on my Savannah trip. Even during his second half slump, he's shown a plus centerfield profile that can impact the game even when the rather raw bat isn't cooperating.
- 1B Dominic Smith: 1-4, BB; Yes, he just turned 19 a couple months ago, but that .065 ISO is not just his age or the park. No, you aren't going to listen to me. I realize this now, but he may not be a top 10 prospect in the system.
- DH Matt Oberste: 0-5, 3 K; After a red-hot June and July, has come back to earth this month.
- RF Victor Cruzado: 0-2, 2 BB
- 3B Nelfi Zapata: 0-4, 2 K; I have seen Nelfi Zapata play third base five times this year across two different levels. He's gotten better there, I will give him that.
- RHP Logan Taylor: 5.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 5 K, 1 HR; I didn't get to see Logan Taylor pitch on my Savannah trip, but I did get to see him chart. Gotta give props for the thirty-five-year-old trucker look he seems to be cultivating.
Nothing is complete
Everything looks impressive
Do not be deceived
You don't have to wait for more instructions
No one makes a monkey out of me
We lie on our backs, feet in the air
Rest and relaxation, rocket to my brain."
Short-A - Brooklyn Cyclones (36-29)__________________________________
BROOKLYN 2, STATEN ISLAND 0 (Box)
"I'm feelin' okay this mornin'
And you know,
We're on the road to paradise
Here we go, here we go."
The Cyclones moves two games ahead of the Connecticut Tigers for the NYPL wild card spot with last night's win.
- SS Amed Rosario: DNP; Rosario was a late scratch for Alfredo Reyes. No word as of press time whether this is due to an injury or his rumored promotion to Savannah.
- 3B Jhoan Urena: 0-3, R, BB, SB (6), CS (8); The top 14 prospects in the Mets system seem fairly clear to me at this point (assuming Montero retains eligibility), Urena is one of a handful of candidates with a reasonable claim to #15. He's quick for his size, but probably needs to still cut back on the stolen base attempts.
- CF John Mora: 1-2; Left the game after a nasty collision with Michael Conforto in the outfield.
- LF Michael Conforto: 0-4, K
- 1B Pedro Perez: 1-3, 2B, R, RBI; I liked Perez in my 2013 look at him in Kingsport, but the fact that he has already moved to first base is not a great sign.
- LHP Brad Wieck: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K; As is tradition, a Brooklyn Cyclone put in a great performance on TV shortly after I gave him a less-than-enthusiastic write-up.
REHAB ALERT: Daisuke Matsuzaka made what will likely be his last rehab start, throwing five shutout innings, while giving up two hits, two walks and striking out seven. Oh yeah, and pushing Marcos Molina back a day so I miss him on Saturday. Thanks, Dice-K!
Rookie - Kingsport Mets (31-28)__________________________________
PPD (RAIN)
"Cool water
Cool water
And his lungs are filled with rain...
And the water's rushing in..."
Kingsport will make up last night's game as part of a doubleheader this evening in Bluefield.
Rookie - GCL Mets (29-25)__________________________________
GCL METS 6, GCL NATS 5 (Box)
"You've grown so tall, you've grown so fast
Oh, ho ho
Wild, wild
I know that's the way you like it
Oh, ho!
Living wild wild wild wild, life."
Nice to see that the GCL Mets have gotten the GCL Nats monkey off their back after that calamitous 2013.
- CF Raphael Ramirez: 1-5, RBI, K
- RF Enmanuel Zabala: 2-4, 2 R, SB (11); Zabala is one of those guys I know nothing about that is having a decent first season stateside at 19 that might mean something, but probably doesn't. It would be nice if flights into West Palm Beach were cheaper.
- DH Jairo Perez: 1-3, 2B, R, RBI, BB
- 1B Dash Winningham: 1-3, R, RBI, BB, K
- SS Milton Ramos: 0-3, R, BB, CS (2); Looking forward to seeing Ramos at some point just to see if he is actually better defensively than Luis Guillorme, who might be the best defensive SS I have seen live.
- LF Hengelbert Rojas: 0-2, R, BB; "This is just adios and not goodbye."
- LHP Jose Medina: 0.0 IP, 1 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 0 K; Medina had a strong season in the Dominican Summer League in 2013, and is still 17 for another couple days, but what happens in the DSL, often stays in the DSL
Star of the Night
Even if the author weren't predisposed to giving Cesar Puello this award, he has been left little choice.
Goat of the Night
Dawrin Frias coughed it up in a tie game and prevented an (abbreviated) organization sweep last night.