But for the Brooklyn Cyclones, making the playoffs has basically been a perennial feat.

However, the 2013 summer short season ended without a postseason berth for the Cyclones for just the fourth time in the team’s 13-year existence.

It is important to note though that the team has now finished at or above .500 (38-37) in all 13 of its seasons, making the Cyclones one of only four teams in affiliated baseball – the Arizona League Giants, the Elizabethton Twins and the New York Yankees – to never finish below .500 since 2001.

Right from the start of the summer, it seemed the Cyclones just couldn’t find their rhythm. Though it’s by no means an excuse, the weather certainly didn’t cooperate at MCU Park in Coney Island the first few weeks.

Almost every home game, the Cyclones were forced to wait out one or even two rain delays. And in games where there were no weather delays, Brooklyn wound up playing a number of extra-inning games, including a marathon 16-inning game.

Manager Rich Donnelly continuously said, “That’s baseball, there is no clock,” in response to questions about how to deal with the delays and extra-inning games. But he did say that the start of this season was the strangest given the circumstances in all his years in professional baseball.

Despite not getting off to a great start, the Cyclones began picking up their game and were in the playoff hunt right until the end of the season. That’s all you can ask of a young team finding their way.

Mets’ great Lee Mazzilli’s son, second baseman L.J. Mazzilli, led the Cyclones with a .278 batting average. He sat above .300 for most of the summer, but a hand injury late in the season caused him to cool off down the stretch. He also led the team in RBI with 34.

Mets’ 2012 first-round draft pick, shortstop Gavin Cecchini, had a solid all-around season. His bat was a bit cool to start the year, but once he returned from a high ankle sprain, he was red hot offensively. He rattled off a 16-game hitting streak and began spraying line drives all over the field. He finished the year hitting .273.

But for Cecchini, his strength is his defense, and he showed that this summer. He has a great arm and gets to a lot of balls with his range. His glove can carry him to the next level, but he’ll have to maintain a steady bat.

After an extremely cold start, right fielder James Roche rebounded to take some strides offensively. He led the team with five home runs and displayed good power to the gaps. But he must cut down on his strikeouts to be considered a legitimate prospect.

While the Cyclones’ offense was streaky, the pitching really held its own this summer. Starting pitchers Miller Diaz (2.03), Rob Gsellman (2.06), Carlos Valdez (2.58) and John Gant (2.89) all recorded an ERA under 3.00. Diaz, Gsellman and Gant were each named to the All-Star team.

Diaz led the staff with seven wins and 87 strikeouts. He sometimes had trouble putting batters away, which led to some high pitch counts, but the talent is there.

Gsellman seemed to be the hard luck pitcher on the staff, as he barely received any run support. But he still pitched well enough to be able to make an impact at the next level next season.

Akeel Morris, who struggled in extended spring training, really impressed the Mets’ brass, so much so that Jeff Wilpon ventured to MCU Park to check him out. With a fastball sitting in the low-to-mid 90s, Morris could have a future as a big-league reliever.

It seems he still considers himself as a starter, but he thrived in a long-relief role this summer. He finished 4-1 with a 1.00 ERA.

Other relievers John Mincone and Johnny Magliozzi found success in the closer’s role. Mincone was named an All-Star after posting a 1.47 ERA and six saves, but a lower back injury ended his season early. Magliozzi stepped right in and saved nine games with a 1.17 ERA.

Though the Cyclones’ season did not continue deeper into September, the team still accomplished what it set out to do at the beginning of the season: provide an entertaining quality of baseball to an area of Brooklyn that was hit hard last fall during Hurricane Sandy.

The “Meaningful Mondays,” in which a portion of each ticket sold went to local charities aiding in Sandy recovery, were a nice touch to help the surrounding communities still in need from the superstorm.

For the 13th consecutive season, the Cyclones led the New York-Penn League in attendance.

It was a fun summer at Coney Island, and we’ll hopefully be seeing some of these faces at Citi Field in the near future – especially some of the talented young pitchers to go along with the already-talented crop of pitchers the Mets are developing.

The post Brooklyn Cyclones Season Recap appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

People from New York often think that Brooklyn is a completely different universe.

So imagine being Mets’ 2012 first-round draft-pick Gavin Cecchini. Not only is he a Louisiana boy playing in New York, but he’s also getting a close up taste of Brooklyn as the Cyclones’ starting shortstop.

Gavin Cecchini (Photo by Jim Mancari)

But Cecchini said that it really hasn’t been too much of a culture shock, especially since he spent a few weeks in Brooklyn last year for the Cyclones’ playoff run.

“It’s still the game of baseball and I’ve played it all my life, and that’s really all that matters,” Cecchini said. “Playing wise, you just go out and play the game hard to help your teammates out and be there for them, and everything is going to take care of itself.”

Cecchini was excited to be assigned to Brooklyn this season, especially since MCU Park with its new FieldTurf surface and the Cyclones’ fans are among the best in minor league baseball.

“It’s always packed here,” Cecchini said of the Coney Island stadium. “Right now, I don’t want to be anywhere else. This is a great place to play.”

After Hurricane Sandy, Cecchini felt compelled to make a $10,000 donation to the victims. He considers the Mets and all the fans to be his extended family, especially since he is so grateful to the Mets for selecting him in the draft.

“Coming from Louisiana where we always have hurricanes, I needed to do this for my extended family,” he said. “I’ve been there, and I’ve been in this situation that a lot of people are in right now from Hurricane Sandy. So I just felt the need to help out.”

That helpful attitude has made him a favorite amongst his teammates. Cecchini said he hopes to keep getting better and being a good teammate. He’s off to a bit of a slow start with the bat, but if he can go that going, he should have a great summer in Brooklyn.

And as for the culture shock, the game of baseball is played the same way in Brooklyn as it is in Louisiana.

“No matter where I’m at,” Cecchini said. “I’m going to have fun with it.”

The post Gavin Cecchini Adjusting To Life In The Big Apple appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

That’s because Hurricane Sandy wreaked havoc on the natural grass playing surface at MCU Park in Coney Island as well as affecting the clubhouses and offices in the stadium.

Rich Donnelly (Photo by Jim Mancari)

Cyclones’ manager Rich Donnelly, who is entering his third season at Brooklyn’s helm, was very emotional when speaking to the media about Sandy during the Cyclones’ preseason workout.

“When that happened, I felt like it was my family,” Donnelly said. “All we do is play baseball, and I saw what happened and saw the devastation to people I know.”

He said that the aftermath of the storm really hit him when he saw video footage of a trailer passing out supplies in a parking lot in Coney Island where he parks his car every day. He said that there are some people that work in the Cyclones’ front office that still don’t have their homes more than seven months after the storm.

“What we think is important is not; it’s not real life; it’s entertainment,” Donnelly said. “Yes, it’s a job, but what happened to them was incredible.”

The Cyclones installed a brand new FieldTurf surface that would be able to sustain another severe storm. But the field was not the only part of the ballpark that suffered damage.

“They told me stories that there was water over the dugout here,” Donnelly said. “We got all new dugouts and an all new field. I can’t even imagine what this place looked like. That’s something like you see in a movie.”

He kept saying that the Cyclones are his family and that it pained him to see his family members suffer, especially the people who lost their homes after living in the area their whole lives. He was involved in sending a few trucks worth of supplies to the area, but he still said he wishes he could have done more.

After what happened, Donnelly has a new outlook on this season.

“Our job this year is to provide some entertainment for those people that have been through hell,” he said. “If we can do that, it will be a great year. Wins or losses, forget it. Hopefully we don’t play so bad that it’s bad entertainment. Hopefully, it’s good entertainment so these people in the area can come out and enjoy themselves.”

He was sure to pass along a message to the fans that have helped the Cyclones become embedded in the Coney Island community for more than a decade.

“Just come out and enjoy yourself; you deserve it,” Donnelly said. “After what they’ve been through here, they deserve to come out here and have a good time. That to me is my goal for this team.”

The post Cyclones Manager Remembers Family Affected By Sandy appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

But even so, the players wore special blue jerseys to honor the area of the metro area affected by Hurricane Sandy.

Instead of the player’s name, the words “Breezy Point,” “East Rockaway ” and Coney Island, as well as the other areas, appeared on their backs.

Some of the jerseys were raffled off to fans after the game was called, and the others will be raffled off at a later date.

Check out the photos below, and stay tuned for a few feature pieces on the start of the season.

Shortstop Gavin Cecchini

Infielder Ismael Tijerina

Second baseman L.J. Mazzilli

Manager Rich Donnelly

The post Cyclones Wear Special Jerseys To Honor Areas Affected By Sandy appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The attendance for Opening Day at Citi Field was 41,053 and it was a complete sellout. The team later announced that another 1,000 tickets on top of that were given away to those affected by Hurricane Sandy. Newsday reports that it was the 15th straight year the Mets sold out their home opener.

You could see plenty of empty seats once the pre-game ceremonies got underway, but by the end of the second inning the place was packed and the throngs of fans were vocal and could be heard throughout the broadcast. The 42,000+ all got to see a great game.

The Mets have always reigned supreme when it came to Opening Days and yesterday’s 11-2 win was no different. In fact, the Mets improved their Opening Day winning percentage to an MLB-best .654 (34-18). Wow…

It was a lot of fun live-blogging Mets Opening Day, but boy was that exhausting. Next time we do one I’ll leave it for the younger guys to run it. 🙂

One good thing that came out of it was that when we we started the live blog we were at 4,967 followers on Twitter. But by the time it was over, we zoomed past 5,000 followers and that was definitely cool. If you’re not already, you can follow us at @Metsmerized.

Later today we will be posting our Metsmerized Online 2013 Predictions! You won’t want to miss that!

BEST PRICES ON METS TICKETS!

The post Mets Opening Day Sold Out As Fans Flocked To Citi Field appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The Cyclones’ Hurricane Sandy relief effort is under way. This summer on “Meaningful Mondays” the Cyclones will contribute $3.00 from every ticket sold to one of seven neighborhoods damaged by the hurricane.

Every Monday the Cyclones will also post stories of Hurricane Sandy at BrooklynCyclones.com. Help promote the effort to rebuild a region that inspires magical childhood memories for so many of us.

Below is the press release for the “Meaningful Mondays” initiative. Please feel free to support the cause or contribute in any way you can, or, just plan on making a trip out to Coney Island this summer, and make it a Monday night game!

CYCLONES ANNOUNCE

MEANINGFUL MONDAY INITIATIVE

Year Long Fundraising Effort Will Raise Money for Local Areas Affected by Hurricane Sandy

Last fall, Hurricane Sandy gave the New York metropolitan area its best shot, and this summer the Brooklyn Cyclones will help fight back with the all-new Meaningful Monday initiative at MCU Park.

Through this program, $3 from EVERY individual ticket sold will go to various local charities that focus on the recovery effort following Super Storm Sandy.  Each of the six Monday night games will focus on a different neighborhood that was severely impacted by the storm.  Here is the schedule for Meaningful Mondays:

• Monday, July 1 – Coney Island Night to benefit ConeyRecovers.org.
• Monday, July 8 – Gerritsen Beach Night to benefit Gerritsen Cares.
• Monday, July 22 – Nassau County Night to benefit the Nassau Hurricane Recovery Fund.
• Monday, July 29 – Red Hook Night to benefit the Red Hook Initiative.
• Monday, August 19 – Staten Island Night to benefit The Stephen Siller Foundation.
• Monday, August 26 – Breezy Point / Rockaway Night to benefit The Graybeards.

“Following the storm, we were overwhelmed by the generosity and support that we received from people who were concerned about our ballpark,” said Cyclones General Manager Steve Cohen.

“But as we went out into the community, we quickly learned that we were the lucky ones.  Our offices were impacted by the storm, but for so many other people they lost much more than that.  We hope that through our Meaningful Monday efforts, we can help the countless people still struggling to recover from the storm, recognize the heroes who were leaders in their communities during their time of need, and provide a night of fun and laughter at the ballpark as we all recover from Hurricane Sandy.

In conjunction with the Meaningful Monday campaign, the Cyclones will honor “Hometown Heroes” during each game of the 2013 regular season.  These individuals will be recognized for their heroism in the face of adversity as a result of Hurricane Sandy.  In addition, the Cyclones will be selling “comeBacK” t-shirts throughout the season, with all proceeds to benefit the Meaningful Monday charities.  They will feature the “comeBacK” slogan with the names of 24 specific communities that were damaged by the hurricane.

To kick off the yearlong celebration of recovery and rebirth, the Cyclones will wear special alternate jerseys on Opening Day, June 18th, that will be raffled off throughout the season.  These jerseys will feature the names of neighborhoods throughout New York City and Nassau County that were impacted by the storm.

“All of us on the Cyclones staff spent time volunteering in communities like Gerritsen Beach, Breezy Point, Oceanside, and Midland Beach,” Cohen said.  “By highlighting these communities on Opening Day, it is our way of letting the residents in these neighborhoods know that we are still thinking of them, and that we are all in this together.”

For more information on tickets, or how you can get involved with Meaningful Monday, call us at 718-382-2600 or visit BrooklynCyclones.com.

The post Brooklyn Cyclones Announce “Meaningful Mondays” appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Cecchini is from Louisiana, so the sites from Hurricane Sandy were all too familiar. He had already gone through it with Hurricanes Katrina and Rita a few years ago. He was only twelve at the time, but remembers Hurricane Rita devastating his town.

Cecchini went on further to say:

I was just watching the news and the pictures just hit me. I saw cars flooded and the homes. I saw a car blow up outside MCU Park. I’ve seen that before. I felt a connection. I was drafted by the Mets, this is my extended family now and I could do something to help… I knew I had been blessed with this talent and if I could use it to help my extended family, it’s what I wanted to do.

Cecchini is excited about one day being able to play his games at Citi Field, but it’s still going to be a few years before Cecchini is standing in front of the New York crowd. He should start the 2013 season with the Cyclones once again this year, and if he does, is worthy of his very first standing ovation from the Brooklyn crowd.

The post Gavin Cecchini Donates $10,000 To Hurricane Sandy Relief appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Today in Coney Island, Mets COO Jeff Wilpon and pitcher Johan Santana, distributed boxed lunches to residents in Brooklyn that were impacted by Hurricane Sandy.

Afterward, Jeff Wilpon spoke with reporters and said that the team’s top priority remains retaining both David Wright and R.A. Dickey.

Wilpon says negotiations are “on-going” with both players.

He also added that the team is exploring other options for Dickey, that trading him is only a backup plan and not their first priority.

Dickey, who could in his first Cy Young tomorrow, went 20-6 with a 2.73 ERA in 2012.

This just keeps getting interesting by the day. Although backup plans are generally a good thing.

The post Trading Dickey Is Only The “Backup Plan” appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

On behalf of everyone at Mets Merized Online we would like to take some time to remember and honor all of the brave servicemen and women that have served and continue to serve our great country.

Each Veteran’s Day we have an opportunity to recognize all the amazing men and women who make up the greatest military in the world. They faithfully protect our borders and our freedom and our way of life.

With the Manhattan VA shutdown after damages suffered during Hurricane Sandy, tens of thousands of veterans are now being served by the Brooklyn VA where I go for treatment and sometimes volunteer. The lines there are unbelievable now as I was there on Friday. It’s going to be that way for 6-8 months until Manhattan opens again. It’s very tough right now. With many of the active duty troops coming home and needing help physically and psychologically, you can imagine how crammed it is, and the shortage of beds is a growing concern. So hug a veteran today and just say, thanks…

God Bless you all for your unwavering loyalty, patriotism, strength and courage.

Happy Veteran’s Day!

https://youtu.be/oBMT3OMEPwk

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Five Time All-Star “Pitches In” to Aid New Yorkers in Need

During his 17-year major league career, David Cone took the mound in big spots for the Mets, Yankees and three other teams. However, on Thursday, November 15, 2012, he’ll be “pitching in” to help New York area residents impacted by Hurricane Sandy.

The popular broadcaster and former star pitcher will put his mixology skills to the test at Foley’s NY Pub & Restaurant (18 W. 33rdSt.) on November 15 from 6-9 pm as a guest bartender at a fundraiser quickly organized to aid victims of Sandy’s destruction.

Foley’s will donate 100% of its sales from 6 pm to midnight, including proceeds from the drinks that the former five-time World Series Champion and YES Network analyst pours. In addition, all of David’s “tips” will go to the cause.

“Many friends and customers are suffering because of Hurricane Sandy. Seeing the devastation in Staten Island, The Rockaways, Long Island and New Jersey, I wanted to do something to make a difference. We reached out to David Cone, and he jumped at the opportunity to help,” said Shaun Clancy, owner of Foley’s, which houses one of the country’s most extensive public displays of baseball memorabilia.

“David won the Hutch Award in 1998, which is given to the MLB player who best exemplifies fighting spirit and competitive desire. He’s a personification of New York’s fighting spirit during a time that has been difficult for so many people,” Clancy added.

David Cone has long been a fan favorite in New York. During his career with the Mets (1987-92), a legion of “Coneheads” supported him in the stands at Shea Stadium. He went on to win a World Series with the Toronto Blue Jays in 1992 and the Cy Young Award with the Kansas City Royals in 1994 before collecting four championship rings with the Yankees as an essential part to the team’s rotation from 1995-2000. Cone also pitched the 16th perfect game in baseball history at Yankee Stadium on Yogi Berra Day (July 18, 1999) with fellow perfect game hurler Don Larsen watching in the stands. David Cone finished his career with a 194–126 won–loss record, 2,688 strikeouts, and a 3.46 lifetime ERA.

“Although we will have fun at Foley’s, we are all trying to help a serious cause,” said Cone, now a broadcaster on YES Network. “I invite all my friends in New York — Mets fans and Yankees fans alike — to come out and support this effort to help some of our neighbors who are in great need right now.”

Foley’s NY Pub & Restaurant (18 W. 33rd St.) is home of the Irish American Baseball Hall of Fame.A popular destination among baseball players, executives, umpires, media, and fans, Foley’s is located across from the Empire State Building. The “Irish Bar with a Baseball Attitude” features walls adorned with 2,500+ autographed balls, hundreds of bobbleheads, game-worn jerseys, stadium seats and other artifacts that make it the premier baseball bar in New York and one of the best sports bars in America. For more information, call (212) 290-0080 or visit www.foleysny.com or www.facebook.com/FoleysNYPub.

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