8
2012
Mets Sign RHP Greg Burke To Minors Deal, Will Re-Open Gulf Coast League Affiliate
An article by Craig Lerner
The Mets announced Thursday that they will again field a Gulf Coast League affiliate after a one-year hiatus, a development that will give New York nine Minor League teams. The Mets will operate their Gulf Coast League affiliate out of the team’s Minor League complex in Port St. Lucie, Fla.
Only two other teams — Seattle and Tampa Bay — have nine Minor League affiliates. Eleven teams have eight affiliates, and 16 clubs have just seven Minor League teams attached to them. New York’s decision to add another team was tied to the league’s new Collective Bargaining Agreement.
“The new CBA has accelerated the signing of players from the Draft,” said general manager Sandy Alderson as part of a press release. “And with the continuation of two teams in the Dominican Summer League, we need more rookie level roster space for our young players. We are happy to be back in the Gulf Coast League while retaining our affiliation in Kingsport of the Appalachian League.”
New York will also have an affiliate — Brooklyn — in the New York-Penn League. The Mets have their Triple-A affiliate in Las Vegas and their Double-A affiliate in Binghamton. The club also has a Class A team in Port St. Lucie and another one in Savannah of the South Atlantic League. (Mets.com)
One small news item that got lost in the shuffle yesterday was that the Mets signed relief pitcher Greg Burke to a Minor League contract with an invitation to Spring Training on Wednesday.
The 30-year-old Camden, N.J., native was signed by the Padres as an amateur free agent in 2006 and made his Major League debut with San Diego on May 16, 2009.
That year, his only season in the big leagues, he appeared in 48 games out of the bullpen, posting a 3-3 record and 4.14 ERA in 45 2/3 innings of work. He struck out 33 batters and walked 23 in that span.
Burke signed with the Orioles as a free agent on Feb. 10, 2012, but he never reached the big leagues and was granted free agency on Saturday.
He spent the 2012 season between Double-A Bowie and Triple-A Norfolk in the Orioles’ system, combining to go 3-1 with a 1.53 ERA in 44 games out of the bullpen. (Mets.com)
About the Author: Craig Lerner
I'm a data analyst and researcher for a leading news agency who loves life and is hooked on the Mets. I love following the Amateur Draft and have a particular fondness for the Mets Minor Leagues who I follow each day. Give me a cold beer, a summer day, and a Mets game, and I'm good to go.
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NL East Standings
| Team | W | L | Pct. | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Braves | 42 | 28 | .600 | - |
| Nationals | 34 | 35 | .493 | 7.5 |
| Phillies | 34 | 37 | .479 | 8.5 |
| Mets | 25 | 40 | .385 | 14.5 |
| Marlins | 22 | 47 | .319 | 19.5 |
Last updated: 06/18/2013
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WHAT THE ____ IS UP WITH ALL THIS FORMER SAN DIEGO PADRES REJECTS WE KEEP SIGNING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LMAO I know!
Allan Dykstra is now our number one ranked first baseman!
Meanwhile San Diego organization was left in shambles after Hurricane Sandy left there.
Amazing… Is he somehow trying to prove that all the crap he got in SD is good by bringing it to this ORG and get a shot?? i am sure people will come in and say “It’s just a minor league deal” but sooner rather than later we’ll see the guy in the 40 man roster and then with the major league team.. How pathetic this is getting..
Alderson has a weird definition of wholesale and changes, his version is Substract the expensive crap by adding cheap crap..
Remember when the Mets said they would be agressive in the trade dept this year regarding Outfield help….WELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
According to Mets beat writer for MLB.com Anthony DiComo
Mets don’t intend to strike quickly for OF help, asst. GM Ricco says. Will let market define itself first. But they need a RH bat.
https://twitter.com/AnthonyDiComo/status/266335172285304833
Same ole Same ole Sandy Alderson and company………..Sit on your hands and wait for the trash to fall out the back of the garbage truck…Boy I hate this front office
Are you surprised???This FO is wait and see mode.. Wait till everyone finish their good product shopping, then they go the day after christmas to get the items who nobody wanted at a cheaper price.. Pathetic and disappointing. THREE GM’S and combined, NOTHING to show for.. Traded 2 All stars and lost another one and all we got a zack wheeler, who may well be the next luke hochevar
Nope not surprised at all, just thought Sandy made a conscious decision to improve the team. By simply coming to the conclusion that everything he has done so far with the Mets is the WRONG move. So he should take the more logical route which is doing the opposite of everything he would normally.
We need Bizzaro Sandy Alderson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YW5wmixeK4M
I want to pose a question to MMO’s “The Incredibles” regarding the announcement of the Mets bringing back the Gulf Coast team.
Do you feel this announcement suggests then that there is some credence to the speculations by some fans that there is a connection to the Mets non signing of draft picks this season being due to having no room for them because they eliminated a Gulf Coast team?
My reason for asking is based on this comment by the Mets GM. “The new CBA has accelerated the signing of players from the draft. And with the continuation of two teams in the Dominican Summer League, we need more rookie level roster space for our young players,”
Thanks in advance.
Still wouldn’t explain not signing Stanky.
Besides, there are plenty of moves you can make. They still had 8 teams plus the complex in PSL.
We have a group email for The Incredibles. I’ll email this to them in case they dont see your question.
In my opinion, I say yes. When they first closed it down (as part of the CRG recommendations) I speculated that unless they expanded rosters I didn’t know where all the players were going to fit especially the new draft class. You may remember that after spring training the extended spring training camp had over 30 unassigned players with nowhere to go including top picks Nimmo and Cecchini. And then of course they didn’t even bother calling the bottom half of the draft and they all went unsigned.
Thanks for forwarding this in an email Joe D. I’d be really interested to hear their thoughts on this. Personally I didn’t buy into the notion of this having any bearing on why the draft picks were not signed but today’s news has me at least rethinking my thoughts on that.