For a college baseball player with aspirations of one day playing in the Major Leagues, the junior year is the most important one to his stock in the June amateur draft. The worst thing that could happen would be to get hurt at this critical time. That is exactly what happened to Charley Thurber of the University of Tennessee Volunteers. Battling untimely injuries, he fell in the draft from a top 10 round pick last [...]

I had the pleasure of doing a Q&A with 23-year-old, New York Mets minor league pitcher, RHP Ryan Fraser the other day. In just two years of professional baseball with the Mets, the 6’3″ Fraser has made some very favorable impressions on people who follow the team. He was the Brooklyn Cyclones closer in 2010 registering 12 saves, and he was an anchor in the starting rotation last season at Savannah of the South Atlantic [...]

I had a chance to chat recently with 22-year-old Mets minor league pitching prospect, 6’3″ left-hander, Adam Kolarek. Adam pitched nearly all of 2011 with the South Atlantic League Southern Division Champion, Savannah Sand Gnats, helping to anchor their bullpen. It was really nice of Adam to take some time off from holiday shopping to chat with us here at MMO, let’s see what he had to say: Petey:  First of all congratulations Adam on [...]

Amidst trade rumors surrounding the talented lefty, Jonathon Niese showed up with a smile to the Mets Kids’ Holiday Party. He said he feels good and is eager for spring training to begin. Though it’s unlikely the Mets trade Niese, he said it’s a matter in which he has no control. “Obviously, it’s not my decision where I pitch,” he said. “I’m sure I’ll stay here with the Mets, and I’m looking forward to it.” [...]

Daniel Murphy spread the holiday cheer by donning the big red suit as Santa Claus for the Mets Kids’ Holiday Party at Citi Field. He joked that he hopes everyone doesn’t think he’s a better Santa Claus than a baseball player. Most importantly, Murphy said that both his knees are feeling good in anticipation for spring training. “I’m done with my rehab, and now we’re really into the strengthening phase,” he said. “I always have [...]

Mets general manager Sandy Alderson made an appearance at the Mets Kids’ Holiday Party, and he talked about a medley of issues surrounding the team. First, he spoke about the new changes to the outfield wall at Citi Field. He said that it wasn’t one particular event that sparked the change, but that the constant “consternation and criticism” triggered the decision. The team recognized that they had the power to make a change and went [...]

Is that super-utility man Mark DeRosa on the Mets’ 2012 roster? No, just our own versatile version: Justin Turner. Turner burst onto the scene in 2011 and was an RBI machine in his first extended big league action. But even so, Turner said at the Kids’ Holiday Party that he’s not taking anything for granted in anticipation of this season. “I’m still going to go in there, just like I did last year, to win [...]

  As 22-year-old Tillman Pugh prepares for his third season as a minor leaguer in the Mets farm system. He is working hard with the realization of just how important this season will be for him. This is the year he will get the opportunity to open the season in a long season league. He should be the starting centerfielder for the Savannah Sand Gnats. He will have the opportunity to test himself and challenge himself [...]

As our Mets Minor League expert Petey Pete unveils Brandon Nimmo at No. 5 in our 2012 MMO Top 20 Prospects, here’s an interview Joe Spector did with Nimmo in October. Enjoy the read, Mets fans! – Joe D. In his first year as General Manager of the New York Mets Sandy Alderson and his team of baseball executives led by Paul DePodesta, the Mets vice-president of player development and scouting entered the 2011 Draft [...]