Oct
4
2011

Arizona Fall League Opens

An article by Petey Pete

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The Arizona Fall League starts it’s 2011 season today, and the Mets have changed their minds on several player assignments to their affiliated team the Peoria Javelinas. They have assigned outfielder Juan Lagares, third-baseman Jefry Marte, and shortstop Wilfredo Tovar, as was previously announced.

The Mets have also sent to Arizona, catcher Juan Centeno who spent the 2011 season backing up Francisco Pena at St. Lucie. For the year, the lefty hitting Centeno hit .318, in 157 AB’s with 1 HR and 11 RBI’s. Does it say something about a shift in confidence, that the FO chose to send Centeno instead of Pena? You bet it does. This could be the end for Tony Pena’s kid, as a Met.

The Mets, as planned, also sent starters RHP Collin McHugh and RHP Taylor Whitenton to Arizona, along with righty reliever Erik Turgeon. In addition, they will be sending LHP Robert Carson, who had a dreadful year at AA Bingo. Carson, never got on-track in 2011, and the big hard-throwing lefty struggled from the beginning of the season all the way to the end going: 4-11, with a 5.05 ERA in 128 innings (24 GS). His K/BB was 91/55 and the Eastern League roughed him up to the tune of .299 BA against. This is clearly the team’s attempt to kick-start what should have been a promising career for a young lefty with a lot of talent.

The Javelinas started their season today at 2:35 pm, against the Salt River Rafters. Collin McHugh makes the start for Peoria.

About the Author: Peter Shapiro

The first time I went to Shea was not for a Mets game, it was for the Beatles concert there in August of '66. My first Met game was '67, a guy named Salty Parker was the interim-manager then. My first pennant race was 1969. As a 12 year-old that summer and fall, I managed to get to the park for 3 games. The first was the beginning of the Miracle which actually started on Tuesday July 8, 1969 with a day game against the Cubs. I was there a lot in '73. I saw games 3 & 5 of the 1973 NL Playoffs against the "Big Red Machine", from the upper deck behind home plate. It was from there that I witnessed the fight between Bud Harrelson and Pete Rose, and the mayhem that ensued. And that sweet victory in game 5! I saw a couple of WS games at Shea that year against that legendary Oakland A's club. I was there in 1985 for every single game Dr. K pitched including his two 16 strikeout performances, and the day he one-hit the Cubs on an infield single and the Mets won 1-0. I loved being a Met fan in those days. Hopefully we are once again preparing to emerge from the darkness.

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