Updated Post 5/22

During Tuesday night’s Mets broadcast, general manager Sandy Alderson said he intends to stick with slumping first baseman Ike Davis for a little while longer, but added that there’s a chance that he might be better off going to Triple-A Las Vegas for some period of time.

Alderson said it’s hard to ignore what Davis did in the second half of last season, but the big difference is that the team is not playing well at this time and he needs production.

Davis went 0-for-3 during the Mets’ 4-0 loss to the Reds on Tuesday night and is 1-for-his-last-36.

The fans let him have it as they loudly booed him during each plate appearance. ”What are you going to do?” Davis said afterward.

He is now batting .149 with 48 strikeouts and a .478 OPS in 42 games this season.

Original Post 5/21

Perhaps Sandy Alderson knew of Andrew Brown’s strained oblique when he said there was nothing imminent about sending Ike Davis to the minor leagues. Assuming he did not, it is puzzling as to why he’s in no hurry to ship out his struggling first baseman.

Eventually, Alderson said, “everything comes to a head at some point,’’ but evidently it is not hitting .156 two months into the season. Either are Davis’ other miserable numbers.

Alderson said he’s interested not in results, but good at-bats. Sounds good in theory, but that won’t happen if Davis’ thinking doesn’t change, and there’s no indication of it happening soon.

About the minor leagues, Davis said that would not help because he needs to learn to hit at this level. Davis insists he’s a home run hitter, that he likes to hit home runs and strikeouts are part of the equation.

I can’t scream “that’s crap,’’ loud enough. Davis is so married to his pull-everything approach that improvement is almost impossible to attain.

Davis’ extraordinary wide stance offers no alternatives but to lunge, and he doesn’t have the discipline to lay off breaking balls down and away and fastballs up in the zone. Davis’ mechanics and approach must be torn down and built back up. It could take a month for that to happen, and it shouldn’t be a month up here.

Incredibly, Davis said he’s having positive at-bats, that in Chicago he just missed driving a few balls. But, the fact is he missed those pitches so they can’t be considered good at-bats. It isn’t as if he’s hit a lot of balls on the screws or driven them to the warning track.

Davis was 1-for-24 on the trip to St. Louis and Chicago; is hitting .103 (4-for-39) with runners in scoring position; and is on pace for 177 strikeouts.

When he first came up, Davis showed a willingness to go to the opposite field. There’s none of that now.

Davis said he’s still playing good defense, but he’s delusional there, too. He should have been given an error when he short-armed Ruben Tejada’s wild throw in the dirt in Chicago. The ball did not take a short hop and was something he should have snared.

He was also flat out lazy Monday night on a obstruction call that opened the door to a big inning for Cincinnati in the first inning.

Davis’ head isn’t screwed on straight and he’s fallen into a myriad of bad habits that preclude good at-bats. Davis anticipates getting a month to work out of his funk, but how much lower will the Mets sink in that time?

For the past three years, the Mets had to settle for lousy at-bats and performance from Jason Bay because of his salary. Currently, Alderson plans to have the Mets settling from horrid performance from Davis despite a manageable contract.

OK, Brown is out, but what about Zach Lutz? What about making a move and adding Josh Satin to the 40-man roster?

It doesn’t matter what they do, except for standing pat, and Alderson hasn’t given a good reason for choosing that route. That decision is doing a disservice to the Mets and not helping Davis any, either.

Thoughts from Joe D.

What a waste of a month it’s been for Ike Davis. Had Davis been sent down to the minors at the end of April when I first called for such a move, he could of been back by now and contributing to the team again. But instead he continues to deteriorate statistically and it’s dragging the team down offensively AND defensively.

Check out this screenshot of his last ten games:

This is further evidence that Davis is still in a downslide and not making any progress at all. He has struck out in more than a third of his at-bats in his last ten games. His average has sunk from an already woeful .190 to .152 after batting just .080 in his last ten games.

What’s worse is how negatively this has affected him defensively. He’s stabbing at balls, lost much of his range, and mishandling throws to him.

He looked completely out of it yesterday when he was called for obstruction. His instincts are shot. His head is not in the game.

Send him down already before the situation becomes completely unsalvageable.

Last Night’s Quick Scores

• Las Vegas defeated Omaha, 7-3.
• Binghamton took down Portland, 6-3.
• St. Lucie was edged by Bradenton, 5-4.
• Savannah was one-hit by Augusta, 11-0.
  

Prospect Pipeline

• Jenrry Mejia made his first “real” rehab start in St. Lucie last night where he lasted three innings. He threw only 61 pitches, and threw 41 of them for strikes, which was a good sign. He allowed five hits and three walks, which led to two earned runs, and struck out six batters. Striking out six batters over three innings is encouraging, although the three walks over the same span is not. I’m very much on the fence with how I think the organization should proceed with Mejia. I get the feeling he will end up being a bullpen arm – and a good one at that, but since we have the time, we might as well work him back as a starter. I’d like to see him rehab and work his way into the starting rotation at Binghamton.
• It might be old news by today, but Zack Wheeler hit the 7-Day DL and should only miss one start – which would have been today. Matt Fox, recently claimed on waivers, was added to the team to bolster the rotation in his absence, and did his job last night. He allowed two home runs over five innings, but held the opposition down to only three earned runs. Josh Edgin looked very impressive in his inning of work, lighting up the radar gun and striking out three batters in his inning of work.
• Cesar Puello has tried to turn it up an extra gear recently and is batting .306 over his last ten games, with three multi-hit games in his last four starts – including one last night. Puello is in the midst of a solid campaign, batting .294 over 109 ABs with five home runs, seven steals, and 24 runs driven in.
• Fellow B-Mets outfielder, Alonzo Harris, managed to put together a nice game as well with two steals. He now has 13 on the year. He has been batting eighth in the lineup recently as opposed to leadoff because of a heavy slump, but it looks like the move down has sparked the Sterling Award winner once again.
• I highlighted Dustin Lawley for his streaky work earlier in the year – and right now, he’s on a torrid hot streak. His last ten games have seen him bat .349 and go deep four times. Lawley is actually second in the FSL with nine home runs, behind only Miguel Sano‘s 11. Aderlin Rodriguez is fifth in the league with seven home runs after he hit another home run last night.
• Jeff Walters struck out the side for his 11th save last night in Binghamton and lowered his ERA to 0.57. We may actually have some potential future depth in this young man.
• On an unhappier note, Phillip Evans is really struggling in the field, as he made his 12th error of the year last night.

Stat Line of the Day

Dustin Lawley: 2-for-4, 1 3B, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 2 R

Transactions/Updates

• Zack Wheeler and Kai Gronauer were both placed on the 7-Day DL in Las Vegas.
• Brandon Hicks and Matt Fox were added to the 51s team roster in corresponding moves.

Photo of the Day

Yes, Matt Harvey is truly becoming the new King of Queens… (Photo credit goes to Gordon Donovan)

Last Night’s Quick Scores

• Las Vegas dropped to Omaha 5-4.
• Binghamton had the night off.
• St. Lucie lost to Brevard County in the bottom of the ninth, 3-2.
• Savannah topped Augusta in eleven innings, 6-0. 
  

Prospect Pipeline

• Rainy Lara — the name Rainy is fitting considering the fact that opposing teams are probably hoping for rain every time this kid steps on the mound. Last night’s stat line is utterly ridiculous, as he pitched eight complete innings, holding the opposing offense to two hits and one walk. He added in nine strikeouts for good measure. He leads the organization with a miniscule 1.17 ERA, and is second in the SAL for ERA. Aside from one shaky start where he gave up eleven hits and four runs, Lara has been brilliant all year. He should be rewarded with a promotion soon.
• Noah Syndergaard was outdone by Lara last night, but he still showed off why he is a top five prospect in the organization. The curve ball was knee buckling, the change up was keeping hitters off balance, and the fastball was humming by hitters at 96 mph — the result: ten strikeouts on the night. This kid is nasty. A couple of more starts and this guy will be moving on up.
• Jayce Boyd continues doing woodwork, and added two more hits last night. As I stated yesterday, Boyd is one of the prospects I am most impressed with this year. He now trails Kevin Plawecki by .02 in batting average (Boyd .360, Plawecki .362). He has a very advanced approach at the plate, and I’m still super impressed with him having more walks than strike outs this year.
• Jenrry Mejia makes his season debut tonight. He will be on the hill for the St. Lucie Mets.
• MMO’s newest family member, Matt Musico, thinks it’s time to give Zach Lutz a look while Ike Davis struggles. “A guy who is on the 40-man that is hitting right now is Zach Lutz. The corner infielder is hitting .260/.340/.407 with four homers and 20 RBIs. Those numbers aren’t exactly eye-popping, but he’s currently riding a seven-game hitting streak. Over the last week, he’s hitting .444 with three homers, seven RBIs, and two doubles.” I think everyone’s patience has run out with Davis. He looks completely lost at the plate and reminds me of a kid trying to hit a curve playing wiffleball at this point.

Stat Line of the Day

Syndergaard’s line was good, Lara’s was better…

Rainy Lara: 8.0 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 0 ER, 9 K

Transactions

Jonathan Clark assigned to St. Lucie Mets from Brooklyn Cyclones.

Quote of the Day

Ike Davis on his poor performance:

“As far as this trip — besides today — it’s probably the best I’ve hit the ball, but I just didn’t get any hits,” Davis said. “Obviously it’s not good to strike out four times in any game, so definitely a bad day today.”

Ike, I hate to break it to you, but saying you’re hitting the ball the best you have, but just not getting any hits, doesn’t make it any better. There is no such thing as a good hitter that doesn’t get hits, no matter how hard they are hitting the ball. Try getting your head out of your backside and trusting your hands again. Focus on shooting the left-centerfield gap instead of trying to pull everything. Get back to the basics.

Tweet of the Day

Barring injuries, the #Mets rotation will include Harvey, Wheeler, Synergaard, and Montero in the near future…scary

— Mitch Petanick (@FirstPitchMitch) May 16, 2013

The early season struggles of Ike Davis have been well-documented. Following his second four-strikeout game of the season yesterday against the St. Louis Cardinals, he’s now hitting an awful .157/.245/.268 in 127 at-bats. That line is hard to look at, but it gets even harder when you realize it only includes four home runs, nine RBIs, and 45 strikeouts.

I’ve been in favor of sending Ike down to the minors for a couple weeks now because it’s been painful to watch how lost he is at the plate. I understand that in order for him to bust out of this slump, he has to play. While some think the best solution is for him to figure it out in the big leagues, I just can’t watch it anymore.

I’ve been watching a handful of Las Vegas 51s games these last two weeks, and I’ve been impressed with the performance of Josh Satin and Zach Lutz at the plate. The PCL may favor the hitters (as we’ve seen with the call-ups of Juan Lagares and Andrew Brown), but the approach throughout their at-bats has been sound. Satin is currently hitting .297/.412/.478 with five homers and 20 RBIs. More importantly, he’s collected 10 doubles in 37 games. I would love to see Satin get a chance instead of Ike right now, but it’s would be difficult since he’s not currently on the 40-man roster.

A guy who is on the 40-man that is hitting right now is Zach Lutz. The corner infielder is hitting .260/.340/.407 with four homers and 20 RBIs. Those numbers aren’t exactly eye-popping, but he’s currently riding a seven-game hitting streak. Over the last week, he’s hitting .444 with three homers, seven RBIs, and two doubles.

If the Mets were to make a move with Ike and actually send him down, Lutz should be the one getting a call. I really liked the call-up of Lagares, but was frustrated when he wasn’t inserted into the lineup consistently when he arrived. He was hitting .346/.378/.551 in Las Vegas prior to making his MLB debut, and I thought Terry Collins would try to ride that hot streak. If Lutz gets promoted, it would make sense for Collins to immediately insert him into the lineup to try and reap the benefits of his hot streak.

Collins said he’s committed to having Davis bat cleanup this weekend in Wrigley against the Chicago Cubs. If he doesn’t show any signs of life in his bat, a move needs to be made. Honestly, I don’t think the Mets will actually send Ike to the minors, but when he looks as lost as he has (especially yesterday), it’s tough getting excited when he walks to the plate in the middle of a rally.

Omaha 5, Las Vegas 4

D.J. Mitchell struggled and allowed ten of of Omaha’s 11 hits over his five innings of work, which led to four earned runs crossing the plate. At the time of his departure from the ballgame, Las Vegas had scored three runs.

Eric Campbell was responsible for all of them with an RBI single in the second and a two-run single in the third. Gonzalez Germen came on to start the sixth and recorded the next six outs without any problems, picking up two punchouts along the way.

Josh Edgin allowed a run in the eighth when Chad Tracy grounded out to score Anthony Seratelli. Seratelli doubled earlier in the frame.

Andrew Brown scored a run in the ninth after he lead-off the frame with a triple, but Kirk Niewenhuis struck out with the bases loaded to end the game.

Key Stats

Josh Satin: 2-for-4, 1 2B, 1 BB, 1 R

Andrew Brown: 2-for-4, 1 3B, 1 BB, 2 R

Zach Lutz: 2-for-4, 1 2B, 1 BB

Eric Campbell: 3-for-3, 2 RBI

D.J. Mitchell: 5.0 IP, 10 H, 1 BB, 4 ER, 3 K

Gonzalez Germen: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 2 K

Josh Edgin: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 1 K

Albuquerque 8, Las Vegas 5

It was a tough night for Chris Schwinden, who was knocked around for four runs in the first inning, and this left the 51s in a defecit that they would never look back from. Schwinden would be on the hook for five earned runs in his five innings of action. Greg Peavey had no more luck than he did in his two innings of work, as he allowed two earned runs as well.

Vegas dropped a two-spot in the first inning – thanks to Eric Campbell, who drove in a run with an RBI Triple and then scored on a fielding error. Collin Cowgill drove home Brian Bixler in the bottom of the fifth to make it 5-3 at that point.

The 51s made a last ditch effort in the bottom of the ninth, with Wilmer Flores ripping an RBI double and scoring on a Zach Lutz RBI single, but Eric Campbell struck out to end the threat.

D.J. Mitchell is scheduled to start tomorrow for Las Vegas.

Key Stats

Wilmer Flores: 1-for-2, 1 2B, 1 R

Zach Lutz: 3-for-4, 1 BB, 1 RBI, 1 R

Eric Campbell: 2-for-5, 1 3B, 1 RBI, 1 R

Brian Bixler: 1-for-4, 1 2B, 1 R

Chris Schwinden: 5.0 IP, 7 H, 1 BB, 5 ER, 4 K

Greg Peavey: 2.0 IP, 3 H, 1 HR, 2 ER, 1 K

Armando Rodriguez: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 0 ER

Sean Henn: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER

Albuquerque 5, Las Vegas 2

I wonder if I lit a fire under Carlos Torres when I questioned his employment status with the 51s when I covered his last start in disappointment. Torres was actually quite impressive on Monday evening, lasting six innings and allowing just four baserunners over that span. He allowed a run to cross the plate in the first on a ground-out, but was otherwise in control for his time in the game. The bullpen, however, did not experience similar success.

Dylan Owen was in trouble after he loaded the bases with one out and was removed from the ballgame. Justin Hampson took over, but allowed all of them to score. Hampson also allowed an earned run on his own accord, as he allowed two hits and walked a batter of his own without recording an out. Gonzalez Germen and Armando Rodriguez combined to finish the game with 2.2 IP scoreless combined.

Vegas scored their first run off a Zach Lutz home run, and their second on a fielding error on a grounder from Wilmer Flores.

Kirk Nieuwenhuis left the game after being hit by a pitch on his right leg. More on that as it surfaces. And in other 51s’ news, they were sold to a group that plans to move them to a new stadium in Summerlin.

Key Stats

Jamie Hoffmann: 2-for-4, 1 2B

Collin Cowgill: 3-for-4, 1 2B, 1 R

Zach Lutz: 1-for-4, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 R

Omar Quintanilla: 3-for-4, 1 2B

Carlos Torres: 6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 BB, 1 ER, 3 K

Dylan Owen: 0.1 IP, 1 H, 2 BB, 3 ER, 2 K

Justin Hampson: 0.0 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 1 ER, 3-3 Inherited runners scored

Gonzalez Germen: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 0-2 inherited runners scored

Armando Rodriguez: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 BB

Las Vegas 4, Albuquerque 3

Last night I was at Cashman Field to witness the ace of the Las Vegas 51s and prized prospect Zack Wheeler on the mound. In many ways Wheeler lived up to the hype and pitched as expected. However, what I did NOT expect was the competitive spirit he displayed. His poise is more expected of a crafty veteran than a kid three weeks shy of turning 23.

Wheeler pitched well, keeping Albuquerque batters on their toes all evening. He tossed 7 1/3 innings, the longest of any 51s pitcher this season, allowing 2 runs on 6 hits. He fanned 7 while walking just 1. 61 of his 99 pitches went for strikes.

Albuquerque scored in the first. With Elian Herrera on 2nd and two outs Rusty Ryal singled hard to right. Eric Campbell fired a rocket to the plate. Herrera was out by ten feet. However, he avoided the swipe tag by Las Vegas catcher Juan Centeno. Ryal took second on the throw home. Wheeler, however, was unfazed. He turned it up a notch and fanned the next batter. No opposing batter reached second base again until the seventh inning.

In the seventh, with Wheeler and the 51s leading 2-1, he delivered a first pitch fastball that Matt Angle promptly sent high into the Vegas night. Wally Backman showed faith in Wheeler. He didn’t come out to settle him down. He didn’t wave to the bullpen. He gave Wheeler a chance to show what he’s made of and the young pitcher answered the call by striking out the next batter on a knee-buckling curveball.

Eric Campbell’s home run to lead off the home seventh put Vegas back on top, 3-2. Wheeler gave way to Justin Hampson in the eighth after allowing his one and only walk of the night. In the ninth, Hampson squandered the lead and Albuquerque tied the game at 3-3, therefore giving Wheeler a N/D.

The 51s won the game in the bottom of the ninth on a lead-off single by third baseman Zach Lutz followed by a walk to Eric Campbell. A fielder’s choice moved the runners to 2^nd and 3^rd. Omar Quintanilla was intentionally walked to load the bases. Backman had Reese Havens pinch hit. He fell behind quickly in the count, 1-2, but managed to work out a walk. A walk-off walk.

After watching him tonight, it’s clear—as we’ve all been reading and hearing—that Wheeler has “the stuff.” What I learned, however, is that he also has the make-up. He did not get rattled. He did not get flustered. When he had to reach back for something extra, he succeeded.

Another interesting observation about Zack Wheeler is the efficiency he pitches with. He keeps the game moving at a quick clip. He doesn’t take a lot of time between pitches. This obviously keeps the fielder’s sharp. Steve Trachsel he’s not.

2bman Wilmer Flores hit his 3^rd HR of the season in the 4^th and almost hit another in the 6^th, sending the OF to the wall. He also flashed some leather, making a nice diving catch in the hole in the 7th.

It seems like every few years we Mets fans hear about ‘the next’ Tom Seaver or Jerry Koosman. We hear it so much we become numb. Am I saying Zack Wheeler will be the next Koosman to Matt Harvey’s Seaver? No.

However, after seeing Harvey pitch over the last month and personally witnessing Zack Wheeler last night, maybe, just maybe, there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Key Stats

Wilmer Flores: 1-for-3, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 R, 1 BB

Eric Campbell: 1-for-3, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 R, 1 BB

Zach Lutz: 1-for-4, 1 R

Zack Wheeler: 7.1 IP, 6 H, 1 HR, 1 BB, 2 ER, 7 K

Justin Hampson: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 1 K

Round Rock 12, Las Vegas 6

The Las Vegas 51s surrendered 20 hits Friday in a 12-6 loss to visiting Round Rock at Cashman Field in the final game of a four-game Pacific Coast League series.D.J. Mitchell struggled in this one, allowing six earned runs over just 4.1 innings pitched.

Eric Campbell went 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs for Las Vegas, which also received two hits from Zach Lutz and Kirk Nieuwenhuis.

Las Vegas scored four runs in the third inning to take a 4-1 advantage, but Round Rock scored six runs over the next three innings to take the lead for good. Round Rock put the game away in the ninth inning with four runs — all scoring before Las Vegas recorded an out.

Lutz had a run-scoring double and Campbell plated a pair of runs with a single in the 51s’ four-run third inning.

Las Vegas and Round Rock split the series, winning two games each. Saturday, the 51s open a series against the Albuquerque Isotopes, the Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Top-prospect Zack Wheeler is scheduled to start Saturday for the 51s, looking to build on a pair of solid starts last week. He went 2-0 at Reno and Sacramento, combing to pitch 12 and 2/3 innings with 12 strikeouts and a 0.69 earned run average.

Key Stats

Kirk Nieuwenhuis: 3-for-5, 1 R, 1 SB

Zach Lutz: 2-for-4, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 R

Eric Campbell: 3-for-4. 1 HR, 3 RBI, 1 R

D.J. Mitchell: 4.1 IP, 7 H, 1 HR, 4 BB, 6 ER, 1 K

Greg Peavey: 1.0 IP, 4 H, 2 BB, 4 ER, 1 K

Justin Hampson: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 K

(Team Report)

Las Vegas 6, Round Rock 5

Zach Lutz and Wilmer Flores hit solo home runs Thursday for the Las Vegas 51s, helping them take down visiting Round Rock, 6-5.

Lutz, who also homered Wednesday, started the scoring in the second inning with a home run to right-center field. The 51s scored two more runs in the frame, on an RBI single from Juan Centeno and another when Eric Campbell scored on a wild pitch. Flores homered in the third inning to give the 51s a 4-0 advantage. After being relatively silent at the plate through the initial six innings, Round Rock batted around in the seventh to score five runs and take the lead, 5-4. But Las Vegas scored two runs in the eighth to win the game, taking the lead on a run-scoring double from Collin Cowgill and an RBI single from Josh Satin.

Chris Schwinden started this game and pitched relatively well, allowing just three earned runs while pitching into the seventh. Greg Peavey vultured the win out of the ‘pen. Greg Burke picked up his second save of the season in the ninth, getting Round Rock’s Engel Beltre to ground into a double play to end the game.

Key Stats

Collin Cowgill: 2-for-3, 2 2B, 1 RBI, 2 BB, 1 R

Josh Satin: 2-for-4, 1 RBI, 1 BB

Wilmer Flores: 1-for-5, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 R

Zach Lutz: 2-for-3, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 R, 1 BB

Juan Centeno: 2-for-2, 1 2B, 1 RBI

Chris Schwinden: 6.1 IP, 7 H, 1 BB, 3 ER

Gonzalez Germen: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 2 BB, 2 ER

Greg Peavey: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 1 K

Greg Burke: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 BB

(Team Report)

Las Vegas 3, Round Rock 2

Collin McHugh took the mound tonight and pitched a heck of a game. He continued his tremendous start to the season tossing seven scoreless innings. The righty threw 90 pitches (59 strikes), allowed just five hits, struck out five, and left the game with a 1-0 lead. McHugh came into the game leading the 51s with a 3.57 ERA, but after tonight’s masterful performance, he lowered his ERA to 2.98.

McHugh was in line for the win when he left the game heading into the eighth inning, but the combination of Gonzalez Germen and Justin Hampson squandered the lead allowing the tying run to score. Greg Burke took the ball in the top of the ninth up 2-1, but was unable to nail down the save. He allowed a double followed by an RBI single, and saw his ERA balloon to 5.19.

The Vegas offense was held to just three hits on the night, but was highlighted by Josh Satin hitting his fifth home run of the season, and an RBI single by Juan Centeno. Eric Campbell had a very patient night at the plate, accumulating three walks, and scored the go ahead run in the bottom of the eighth inning to give Vegas a 2-1 lead.

In the bottom of the ninth, Reese Havens singled to lead off the inning, and was moved to second on a ground out by Satin, before being pinch ran for by Brian Bixler. The next batter Zach Lutz struck out swinging, but the ball hit the dirt and had to be blocked by the catcher. Bixler plated the winning run on an errant throw by the catcher attempting to throw out Lutz at first base.

Key Stats

• Wilmer Flores: 0-for-2, BB
• Josh Satin: 1-for-3, HR, R, RBI, BB
• Juan Centeno: 1-for-3, RBI
• Reese Havens: 1-for-4
• Eric Campbell: 0-for-1, RBI, 3 BB
• Collin McHugh: 7 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K, ND

Sacramento 3, Las Vegas 0

Sometimes…you just have those games where nothing goes right for you on offense – even in the PCL. This was one of those games for Las Vegas, who mustered only three hits as a team, and they were all singles. Jamie Hoffmann, Juan Centeno, and Zach Lutz were the men who provided the singles, yet Sacramento induced double plays after two of those singles to erase most of the 51s’ chances. Las Vegas had only one at-bat with a runner in scoring position all night.

In terms of pitching, somebody give a gold star to Juan Centeno, who somehow pulled a decent start out of Chris Schwinden. Schwinden has been in the middle of a really tough year in AAA, giving a handful of runs in almost all of his starts, but he went the first five innings today and allowed just two earned runs. He was lifted in the sixth after giving up a solo home run to Michael Choice and a single right after. Justin Hampson handled the next four outs with ease, but Sacramento would tack on another run at the expense of Gonzalez Germen. Germen allowed three hits, and was removed with two runners on base in favor of Sean Henn, who allowed one to cross the plate.

Although I sing the praises of Juan Centeno’s defense a lot, he did get saddled with his first error of the year last night – along with his second passed ball. On the other side of the spectrum, Captain Kirk made a ridiculous catch that I will try to get up in the MiLB report as a video.

Key Stats

Jamie Hoffmann: 1-for-3

Zach Lutz: 1-for-3

Juan Centeno: 1-for-3

Chris Schwinden: 5.0 IP, 8 H, 1 HR, 1 BB, 2 ER, 5 K

Justin Hampson: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 BB

Gonzalez Germen: 0.2 IP, 3 H, 1 ER

Sean Henn: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 1-for-1 inherited runners scored

Reno 5, Las Vegas 1

It wasn’t exactly a bad outing for Collin McHugh on Thursday night, but he never really found his groove against Reno. He allowed four earned runs over the course of five innings off seven hits (one home run) and two walks. Four of his seven hits went for extra bases, and although this was not an implosion of an outing, Vegas was put in a hole that they could never climb out of.

The fifth inning brought trouble for McHugh, where he allowed a triple and a subsequent two-run home run with two outs before inducing a ground out to end the inning. The 51s struggles to come through to back him up, however, going only 1-for-8 with RISP.

In fact, their only run came on a Wilmer Flores RBI single, which plated Josh Satin who had advanced on a fielding error on the previous play. The 51s scattered their eight hits and five walks, and never really found that big hit to break them back into the game.

Greg Peavey and Armando Rodriguez combined to finish out the game for Las Vegas, with Peavey allowing an earned run over his two innings of work.

Worth noting from the game is that Josh Satin started in the outfield, and that Landon Powell got the start over Juan Centeno again. The 51s’ third catcher on the roster, Kai Gronauer, was called upon for a pinch-hitting opportunity in the game as well – and he singled.

Key Stats

Josh Satin: 1-for-3, 1 R, 2 BB

Wilmer Flores: 2-for-4, 1 2B, 1 RBI

Zach Lutz: 1-for-3, 1 BB

Collin McHugh: 5.0 IP, 7 H, 1 HR, 2 BB, 4 ER, 4 K

Greg Peavey: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 3 K

Armando Rodriguez: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 3 K

Las Vegas 14, Reno 8

Carlos Torres got the start tonight and wasn’t very sharp. Torres had traffic on the base paths all night long, allowing a total of 12 base runners. The 30-year-old gave up a hit and a walk to start the game, but was saved by a pickoff at first base.  In the second, he loaded the bases to start the inning, but limited the damage and gave up just two runs. He pitched scoreless frames in innings three through five, but faltered in the sixth, and after giving up a solo home run, was removed from the game.

Justin Hampson relieved Torres and closed out the sixth inning without any further damage. Sean Henn started the seventh and loaded the bases with nobody out, eventually allowing four runs to score. Gonzalez Germen pitched a spotless eighth, and Greg Burke closed out the ninth, but gave up an RBI ground out after a lead off triple.

The Andrew Brown show continued on Wednesday night with three more hits. The 28-year-old outfielder cranked his second home run of the year, drove in three more runs, and raised his team leading batting average to .367. Juan Centeno, who was promoted when Travis d’Arnaud was injured, finally broke out. The backstop recorded four hits, including a double and a run scored. Josh Satin got back on track, reaching base three times with two hits and a walk, and Wilmer Flores added two RBI. Eric Campbell hit his second homer of the year, and drove in four RBI on the night.

Game Note: The Vegas offense once again tallied over 10 runs, which marked the eighth time they have done that already this season.

Key Stats

• Wilmer Flores: 1-for-4, 2 RBI, BB, R
• Josh Satin: 2-for-5, 2 R, BB
• Andrew Brown: 3-for-5, HR, 3 RBI, 2 R, 2B
• Juan Centeno: 4-for-5, 2 2B, R
• Omar Quintanilla:: 3-for-6, R, RBI, 2B
• Eric Campbell: 2-for-5, HR, 4 RBI, R, BB
• Kirk Nieuwenhuis: 1-for-4, R, RBI,
• Carlos Torres: 5.1 IP, 7 H, 5 ER, 5 BB, 3 K, W

Las Vegas 9, Reno 5 

D.J. Mitchell‘s last start was marred by bouts of wildness, but tonight’s outing was much better, as he did not allow a run over the first five innings. He dodged in, and out of trouble a few times, including a bases loaded no out jam in the second inning. After two singles and a walk, Mitchell buckled down and got a pop out, strikeout, and a ground out to end the inning. He ran into trouble again in the sixth inning, and was eventually lifted in favor of Sean Henn.

The bullpen struggled once again, and Greg Peavey was the main culprit tonight. Peavey, allowed three runs to score in the seventh, and what was a 9-0 lead heading into the sixth, quickly became 9-5 through eight. Justin Hampson came in and pitched a spotless ninth to shut the door.

On offense, Andrew Brown and Wilmer Flores once again led the way. Brown tallied two more RBI, added a double and a triple, and leads the 51s with 21 RBI and a .360 batting average. Flores also had two hits, including a double, and drove in two. Kirk Nieuwenhuis had just one hit in five trips, but it was a triple, and he also produced an RBI ground out. Travis d’Arnaud‘s replacement Landon Powell had two hits himself, as he doubled and scored a run.

Key Stats

• Wilmer Flores: 2-for-4, 2 RBI, 2B
• Andrew Brown: 2-for-5, 2 RBI, 2B, 3B, 2 R
• Josh Satin: 0-for-3, 2 BB
• Brian Bixler: 1-for-5, R, 2 RBI, BB
• Zach Lutz: 2-for-4, 2 R, 2B, BB
• Landon Powell: 2-for-4, R, 2B
• Kirk Nieuwenhuis: 1-for-5, R, RBI, 3B, BB
• D.J. Mitchell: 5.1 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 3 K

Las Vegas 12, Tacoma 13 

The night did not look promising for Zack Wheeler as the first two hitters led off the game with back-to-back doubles, and before you could blink, the 51s were down 1-0. Wheeler settled down after that and retired the next three batters in order, including two strikeouts.

Wheeler cruised through the next three innings, as he did not allow a hit and surrendered just one walk.

In the fifth inning, Wheeler’s control issues resurfaced. The big righty let up a leadoff home run, and then proceeded to get the next two batters out. Wheeler then allowed four straight batters to reach base. Two walks and a single loaded the bases, and a double plated two runs, before a strikeout ended the inning. In the sixth, he gave up another leadoff homer, followed by a hit batter, and was pulled from the game.

The bullpen came in and was initially solid, as Gonzalez Germen struck out four over two innings in relief of Wheeler. Greg Burke struck out both batters he faced after replacing Germen, and has not allowed a run since being sent down.

However, the ninth inning was a different story, as the implosion began when Justin Hampson allowed the first two runners to reach base.  Greg Peavey came in and just did not have any command, walking three batters, giving up a hit, and allowing three runs to score, before being lifted without recording an out. Armando Rodriguez came in with the bases loaded and nobody out, and allowed four more runs to cross the plate, giving Tacoma a 13-10 lead that they would not relinquish.

Offensively, Andrew Brown continued his torrid pace, driving in three more runs tonight, and is now batting .351. Brown trails only Josh Satin, who leads the 51s batting .362. Satin had three more hits tonight, and scored two runs, while driving in another. Flores doubled and scored a run batting in the five-hole, and Omar Quintanilla hit a three-run shot. Two runs scored in the ninth on a throwing error after Zach Lutz hit a grounder, but the rally fell just short.

The recently demoted Kirk Nieuwenhuis did not have a great night at the plate. He was able to get the barrel on the ball for an RBI single in a four-run second inning, but ended the night wearing the golden sombrero, striking in his final four at-bats.

The offensive onslaught continues, as the 51s have now plated 10-runs for the fourth time in their last five contests,

Key Stats

• Omar Quintanilla: 1-for-3, HR, 3 RBI,
• Wilmer Flores: 1-for-5, R, 2B
• Andrew Brown: 2-for-4, 3 RBI, BB
• Josh Satin: 3-for-5, 2 R, RBI, 2 2B
• Zach Lutz: 2-for-5, 2 R
• Kirk Nieuwenhuis: 1-for-5, R, RBI
• Zack Wheeler: 5 IP, 6 H, 5 ER, 7 K, 3 BB

Las Vegas 3, Sacramento 2

Carlos Torres gave the team five solid innings and held the River Rats to two runs on the night while striking out ten batters. He allowed eight base runners on seven hits and a walk. Torres left the game down 2-0, but the bullpen shut the door after that allowing the 51s to come back and win the game. Adam Kolarek, Greg Peavey, and Robert Carson combined for four shutout innings.

Offensively, the 51s were quiet until the seventh inning when their bats finally came alive. Wilmer Flores led off the inning with a walk and Zach Lutz singled to put runners on the corners with nobody out. Omar Quintanilla doubled to right field to plate the first run, and Brian Bixler tied it moments later when he hit a sharp grounder to third, which caused an errant throw as he hustled down the line. Omar Quintanilla was the hero of the night, as he won the game with a walk off single in the bottom of the ninth inning.

Game Note: There is some concern over Travis d’Arnaud after he was pinch-hit for by Landon Powell in the sixth inning. D’Arnaud was pulled from the game after taking a pitch off his ankle while behind the plate. He finished the inning, but was replaced at the bottom of the sixth. We will continue to monitor this situation and update you as soon as we learn more. It could be nothing and just precautionary.

Key Stats

• Omar Quintanilla: 2-for-4, 2 RBI
• Wilmer Flores: 1-for-3, R, BB
• Brian Bixler: 2-for-4, RBI
• Zach Lutz: 2-for-4, R
• Carlos Torres: 5 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 10 K, 1 BB

Las Vegas 14, Fresno 3

The 51s bats were in full force, putting the game out of reach by the first inning with a five-spot.

—

Collin McHugh had a great outing today, going seven innings and allowing four hits while being charged with two unearned runs. He walked nobody and struck out five. McHugh had the offense behind him for the duration of the game so it was just a matter of not imploding and he did more than that. Jeurys Familia pitched the eighth inning and gave up two hits while striking out one. Robert Carson pitched the ninth and allowed one run on one hit and a walk.

Offensively, the 51s were firing on all cylinders. There were crooked numbers across the board as the first three innings yielded five, four, and three runs respectively. Vegas put across two more in the sixth, but after the first inning explosion, all of the rest was just insurance. Only one player (Omar Quintanilla) did not manage a hit. You could blame it on the PCL, but only two home runs were actually hit today. Some shoddy defense did, however, aid Vegas Thursday night.

Key Stats:

Juan Lagares – 3-for-6, HR, RBI, 2 R
Travis d’Arnaud – 2-for-5, 2 RBI, 3 R, K
Zach Lutz – 2-for-5, HR, R, 5 RBI (Grand Slam)
Collin McHugh – 7 IP, 4 H, 2 R (0 ER), 6 K, 0 BB

Travis d’Arnaud, along with Zack Wheeler headline the Las Vegas 51s roster.

The Mets changed Triple-A affiliates this offseason, going from Buffalo to Las Vegas and from the International League to the Pacific Coast League. The biggest storyline for this team will be how the move affects development. The Pacific Coast League, especially Las Vegas, is notorious for inflated power numbers. It may be harder to judge how well a player is developing because hitters will have more home runs and pitchers will see their ERA shoot up as well. It will be interesting to see how the prospects react as well, with the top two prospects in the system set to play at least the first month with Las Vegas.

The Big Names

• Zack Wheeler (RHP)- It’s only a matter of time before the top Mets prospect gets called up to the majors. Wheeler should only be with the 51s for a few months, coming up in July at the latest. 
• Travis d’Arnaud (C)- d’Arnaud was the centerpiece of the R.A. Dickey trade last December, and for good reason. d’Arnaud looks like the complete package, both at the plate and with the glove. His power has developed over the past two years into one of his best tools. Last year, he hit 16 homers in 67 games in Triple-A before a torn PCL ended his season.
• Wilmer Flores (INF)- After struggling in the lower minors for a few years (as a result of being rushed), Flores had a resurgent season last year for Advanced-A St. Lucie and Double-A Binghamton. The long-awaited power numbers finally came, as Flores slugged .479 with 18 home runs in 130 total minor league games. In his third year in St. Lucie, he hit .289/.336/.463 with ten home runs in 64 games, earning himself an FSL All-Star Game selection. He was then promoted to Binghamton, hwere he hit even better, batting .311/.363/.494 with eight home runs in 66 games. He is still young for the league, currently the seventh-youngest player in Triple-A and the fourth youngest in the Pacific Coast League. If Flores can keep it up, all that’s left is finding a position.
• Jeurys Familia (RHP) Note: Familia was sent down on Saturday and will be with the 51s for the foreseeable future- Familia had a down season last year with the Buffalo Bisons, struggling as a starting pitcher. He made 28 starts and had a 4.73 ERA, along with a very concerning 4.8 walks per nine rate. His poor performance finally convinced the Mets that he belongs in the bullpen, which is where he will be this season for Las Vegas.
• Matt den Dekker (CF)- Note: Broken wristThe former fifth-round pick den Dekker tore the cover off the ball in half a season with Binghamton, but struggled to hit .200 in the second half with the Bisons. He batted .340/.397/.563 with eight home runs in 56 Double-A games. After moving to Triple-A, he hit just .220/.256/.373 in 77 games. His stirkeout and walk rates were awful, as he struck out in 28.4% of his Plate appearances, while walking only 4.4%. Those numbers are among the worst in his minor league career. Den Dekker must cut down on the strikeouts if he will ever play regularly in the majors. His incredible defense isn’t going to carry him to success. Den Dekker has shown a trend throughout his short career of needing an adjustment period to each new level, which has some people very hopeful that he will start to hit again once he comes back from a broken wrist later this season.

The Sleepers

• Juan Lagares (OF)- The speedy and versatile Lagares hit .283/.334/.389 between St. Lucie and Binghamton last season. He can play all three outfield positions, making him a possibility for the Mets bench late this season if things go right.
• Andrew Brown (OF)- Brown was a longshot to make the team in spring training, and was cut before the season started. However, Brown still has a chance to make some noise with his power. He has put up consistent power numbers throughout his minor league career and could play a role on the Met bench as a power-hitting pinch hitter if someone gets hurt.

Other Names to Watch

• Reese Havens (2B)- The seemingly always hurt Reese Havens was finally cut from the 40-man roster in the week leading up to Opening Day. Havens, 26, has never played a full season without injury and in his six-year career, has only played in 308 games. If he can stay healthy and the power that scouts have been talking about since he was in college finally shows up, there is still a chance he has a role with the big league club.
• Collin McHugh (RHP)- McHugh profiles as a long man or back-of-the-rotation type of pitcher. He had a solid season in the minors last year, posting a 2.91 ERA in 25 starts with Binghamton and Buffalo, walking 2.8 batters per nine and striking out 8.2. He struggled in a short stint with the big league club, allowing 21 runs (18 earned) in 21.1 innings over eight appearances.
• Zach Lutz (3B)- Lutz has put up solid numbers for most of his minor league career, and almost made the team out of spring training. He hit .295/.404/.496 in 78 minor league games last season.

Bobby Parnell struck out the side in the ninth inning of the Mets 6-2 win over the Astros last night. He lowered his ERA to 2.31 for the spring in 12 appearances. Parnell looks to be in mid-season form as he prepares to take on the closer role for the Mets. I believe this was the plan all along even if Frank Francisco hadn’t gotten hurt.

Pitching coach Dan Warthen is confident that Parnell will rise to the occasion this time and that he is ready to shine as the team’s closer saying he’s “just short of excellent.”

“I think he’s thrown the baseball as well as he wants to, his breaking ball has gotten better, he’s starting to use his changeup a little bit now — which most people don’t recognize — and also he’s locating.”

Parnell, who has struggled in the role before, says his confidence is high and that he was able to relax and focus on his pitching knowing that the job was his from the start of camp. .

“I felt like I could focus on pitching instead of having to work to earn a spot. To have their confidence and be able to relax during spring training is big.”

Part of his success this spring stems from the curveball he worked on last season. The hard-throwing righthander is using the curve more often rather than relying predominantly on his plus fastball, and it has made a big difference and made him more effective.

If his success in camp carries over into the regular season, Parnell could have a breakthrough season in 2013.