If scouts didn’t already think their job was hard enough, thanks to the new CBA it just got harder and the days of snagging prospects like Phillip Evans in the 15th round are coming to an end. The new rules assign teams with a “bonus pool” that they are allowed to use on their draft picks. Should they exceed that pool by up to 5% then they have to pay a 75% tax on the [...]

With the college baseball season kicking off last night what better time to make my first mock draft than right now? With the volatility with baseball prospects I wouldn’t be surprised if 90% of these projections turn out to be wrong and that a small portion of them will fall out of the first round conversation by the time draft day comes around. Nonetheless, it is a good way to get a ‘names to watch’ as the college and high [...]

With all the mock drafts coming out these days, there is plenty of information surfacing about who the top picks will be, and what their budding skill-sets are like. But what about the Mets? What sort of draft strategy will suit them best heading into the MLB Amateur Draft of 2012? There is the old school acumen of: “take the best available player each time you pick regardless of position.” But that goes by the [...]

With Mets pitchers and catchers set to report later this morning, lets take a look at a couple of things Sandy Alderson said over the weekend when he spoke to reporters in St. Lucie. I was a little taken back by what he said when he was asked where he’d like to see the team do better? “Well, just in a general sense, we need to pitch better than we did last year. The starting rotation [...]

Here is the second and final part of the Q & A I conducted with Wally Fish and Nathaniel Stoltz, two of the guys behind the great baseball site Seedlings To Stars. Who is most likely the shortstop of the future for the Mets Jordany Valdespin or Danny Muno? Nathaniel: I have to take Valdespin just on sheer proximity here. I love Muno’s skillset, but he hasn’t even proven himself in full-season ball yet, and [...]

I recently did a Top 20 Mets Prospect List of my own which you can check out at my other site, St. Lucie To Flushing. Not so different then many others you’ve probably read. However I do have one guy higher than most people and that is SS Philip Evans. He was drafted in the 15 round of last years draft. Many teams were scared off by his strong commit to San Diego State. He [...]

Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News reported that new Bisons manager Wally Backman, will wear uniform No. 8 to honor former teammate Gary Carter who passed away yesterday. He made the announcement during a team cermenony where he was being formally introduced as Buffalo’s new skipper for the 2012 season. The longtime former Mets second baseman, wore his heart on his sleeve Thursday night — and said he will wear it on his back next season [...]

The New York Mets today announced the Bisons’ 2012 coaching staff as follows: Wally Backman – Manager Wally Backman will enter his first season as Bisons manager in 2012. Backman, 52, is entering his 10th managerial season and his third in the Mets organization. Overall, he has a record of 534-488 (.523) with two league championships in his career. Last season, the Pineville, OR-native managed the Double-A Binghamton Mets to a 65-76 record. In 2010, Backman [...]

I contacted Rob Carson, left-handed pitcher for the New York Mets by phone on Monday, less than a week before he is due to leave for spring training in Port. St. Lucie. This year spring training will be a little different for Carson, because he will be in the big league camp for the first time, a result of being added to the 40-man Major League Roster this winter. Rob and I discussed a myriad of [...]