Pen went to paper way back in 1843. Even so, the classic holiday novella, “The Christmas Carol” resonates with readers today as one of Charles Dickens’ most important literary contributions. No other character in the beloved novella captures the fascination of readers and viewers like Ebenezer Scrooge.

Many times, my mind shifts to Ebenezer Scrooge when I hear New York Met fans and members of the media characterize Met General Manager Sandy Alderson. For me, it’s almost like many who root for or write about the Mets, have stolen a page from Dickens when they reference the Met GM.

Think about it. Like Scrooge, Sandy Alderson is often vilified as a cold, reclusive figure, a definitive “low temperature guy,” stoic and self-contained. Dickens painted a portrait of Ebenezer Scrooge as a Victorian like miser, a character who symbolized the rich, the elite, protecting only their interests at the expense of the suffering poor.

Fast forward to modern times and consider how many Met fans depict Sandy Alderson. Ditto. In their world view, Sandy Alderson was planted in the Met front office by Commissioner Bud Selig to protect the interests of his friend, multi-millionaire Met owner Fred Wilpon. Like Scrooge, Alderson is presented as shrewd and cunning, a tight-fisted, emotionless hoarder, a guy fixated on protecting the interest of his boss while at the same time immune to the suffering of fans who live and die for the Mets.

To read some comments on Met blogs and fan sites it would be easy to come away believing Sandy Alderson is a synonym for a covetous, grasping, possessive guy with no soft edges. A man who defers to logic and sabermetrics to avoid the warmth that comes with feelings and emotion.

The Sandy Alderson popularly typified by many Met fans and the press is not the Sandy Alderson I met at a Binghamton Met game in early September of 2011.

It was the final weekend of Double-A baseball, and I was in a foul and Grinch-like mood myself. Hurricane Irene had just devastated the tiny Catskill Mountain town where I lived, Binghamton Met baseball would soon be ending, and I was in desperate need of a mental reprieve. I hunkered down in a seat in the top row behind home plate and went about my pre-game statistical recordings that come with keeping score at a baseball game.

I’m obsessive about keeping score when watching a ballgame. Batting and pitching statistics are recorded before the game and then every pitch and every play is charted. For the most part, I’m not approachable as I madly jot down notes in the moments before a baseball game begins.

On this particular day, I was aware someone had appeared in the aisle outside my row. I was sitting in the third seat and glanced up to note a gentleman studying his ticket stub, clearly deciding where he was supposed to sit. An odd feeling of recognition flooded my senses, but I struggled to match a name with the face. This stately fellow sent a ‘hello’ my way as he settled into the aisle seat, which I returned with a nod. Deferring to my statistics, I decided to try and figure out if I knew who this Met fan might be when the final pre-game stats had been logged.

Turning back toward the stranger I was certain I should know who he might be. He was clearly a man who cared about his appearance, trim and neat as a pin. He traveled without scorebook, notepad or camera, somewhat unusual for a solitary fan sitting in the part of the park where scouts representing major league franchises often assemble. He was busy on a cell phone, tweeting I assumed.

Age has a way of slowing name recognition, but it wasn’t long before the name Sandy Alderson surfaced. Oddly, that presented a dilemma of sorts. I have always followed a belief that people of celebrity deserve some privacy in public venues. Sandy Alderson was at NYSEG Stadium to watch Met baseball prospects not to engage in conversation with me. Yet, it’s always my habit to introduce myself to the folks who sit around me at a baseball game. The social aspect of watching baseball is one of the pleasures of the game. I wasn’t sure how I wanted to handle that divergence.

It was a Juan Lagares at-bat in the bottom of the first inning that was the icebreaker. The B-Mets were playing the Fighting Phils from Reading, and Lagares was the B-Met rightfielder that night. Lagares was on a tear, ripping Double-A pitching at a .370 clip after his arrival to Binghamton. I would later come to believe it was Lagares and Reese Havens that Sandy had really come to see.

Lagares pieced together an uncanny at-bat that lasted 13 pitches with the outfield prospect flying out to the warning track in left field on the final pitch. I leaned towards Sandy and said, “Now that was a major league at-bat.” Knowing what I know now about the Met organizational approach to hitting and the role average number of pitches in an at bat means when evaluating prospects, I would have predicted Sandy’s response to my comment. It was like the flood gates opened and conversation flowed easily between the two of us for the rest of the night.

I made a conscious decision that night not to broach controversial topics swirling around Met land at the time, the hottest issue whether Sandy would resign Jose Reyes. I wasn’t a reporter looking for a sports scoop. My goal was to enjoy Sandy’s company as I enjoyed the company of any new neighbor at a baseball game.

Far from self-contained, Sandy surprised me by peppering me with questions. He had a curious mind and wanted to know everything he could about me. His first line of questions concerned my relationship with the B-Mets. How often did I attend games? Was I a season ticket holder? When Sandy learned I had purchased a game pack, he wanted to know how that worked. What kind of statistics did I take? Did I do anything with them after the game? Where did my interest in baseball and the Mets originate from?

When Sandy learned I lived some two hours from Binghamton and the town where I lived had been hit hard by Irene, the line of questioning shifted. Sandy had seen news clips about the devastation and was clearly concerned. There was much he wanted to know. Was anyone lost? Were folks displaced? What was the extent of the damage? His questions addressed the clean-up, possible damages of my home and property, lodging and provisions for people effected by the storm, anything and everything related to the storm and its impact.

Before long word spread that the Met GM was in the house. A steady stream of Met fans stopped by to chat with Sandy or hawk an autograph. Sandy couldn’t have been more accommodating. He treated each Met fan with the same curiosity and graciousness he showed in his conversations with me, asking people their names or asking questions about them, always obliging, always amenable. I was struck with the sharp contrast between the image of Sandy painted by his distractors and the guy seated alongside me at this B-Met game.

I laugh when I read frustrated Met fans accusing Sandy Alderson of not caring about the team he puts on the field. That is not the Sandy I met. Sandy wasn’t shy about asking my opinions about B-Met prospects. He chatted about some of the younger players in the system, and we talked in general about the Mets. The Met GM was constantly on his cell phone getting Met game updates, reporting the score to me with any commentary that had been passed his way. I remember Sandy was especially pleased to report rookie pitcher Josh Stinson had registered an inning of scoreless relief toward the end of the game.

The things about Sandy that most impressed me that night were his wit, his dry sense of humor, and his genuine appreciation for all the unusual things that take place at a minor league baseball park. No two minor league baseball venues are the same. Every minor league park is distinct. Each minor league franchise has it’s own discrete culture with during the game entertainment events that help define what makes them special.

In Binghamton’s case three between innings game events come to mind. Binghamton is a city nicknamed the “Carousel Capital of the World.” To celebrate that fact, the B-Mets have a Carousel Horse Mascot ridden by a Cowboy who throws hot dogs over the screen to screaming fans. “I remember telling Sandy to prepare himself for something he had never seen at a baseball park before and unless he returned to Binghamton would likely never see again.” He laughed heartily at the mayhem that followed.

With a twinkle in his eye and a smile from ear to ear, Sandy was riveted during a mid-game break when a gate in the fence along the left field stands was opened and hundreds of kids poured out on to the field racing across the outfield to exit through another gate on the right field side. Sandy talked about how important it was to connect baseball with young people and you could tell he approved of the youngster’s lap in the outfield.

The clincher came during the seventh inning stretch. I whispered to Sandy that he was in for a real Binghamton treat. During almost every B-Met home game since the franchise began in Binghamton 21 years ago, an elderly gent called ‘Jingles’ dances to his own lively signature song during the break between the halves of inning seven. Jingles stage is located directly behind where Sandy and I sat. Sandy loved it, clapping to the rhythm and cheering loudly with all the other B-Met fans when ‘JIngles’ completed his jig.

In fact, Sandy was so inspired, as he sat back down in his seat, I watched him fish around in a pocket and pull out his ticket stub. Sandy jotted something down on the stub, turned to me and said, “Here. Take this. If you ever get to New York City call this number, and I’ll make sure you have a good time.”

Stunned would be an understatement. By the time the game had ended, Lagares would add a basehit to his 13-pitch at bat. And Reese Havens went 2-5 with a double and RBI. Sandy and I shook hands and headed our separate ways.

Unlike the cold, solitary, uncaring Sandy Alderson portrayed in print, I experienced the polar opposite. The Sandy Alderson who watched a baseball game with me at NYSEG was curious, welcoming, fun-loving, and generous, nothing like Dicken’s Ebenezer Scrooge.

Oh, you probably want to know if I ever called the number on the ticket stub. Not during the remainder of the 2011 season. The Mets were limping along at the end of the year, so I reasoned I might make better use of Sandy’s offer early in the 2013 campaign.

As luck would have it, my son who resides in Los Angeles, came east for a cousin’s wedding. I hadn’t seen him in a year and asked if he would like to catch a game at Citi Field. A huge Met fan, who only sees his team on west coast swings, my son had never visited the Mets new ball park and was eager to make the trip.

I called the number. It hooked me with Sandy’s office. His secretary was great. She made the arrangements for us to see the game. When my two other children learned they hadn’t been included they were not too pleased with Dad. So, tail between my legs, I called back and inquired if there was a chance that there might be four tickets instead of two.

The end result – a magical night for me and my family. The Mets rolled out the red carpet, and we had a blast. It was an evening none will forget.

When we returned home I wanted to do something personal for Sandy in way of thanks. The Catskills and our mountains are famous for maple syrup. I sent Sandy and his secretary containers of home made syrup with a lengthy hand written thank you letter explaining how much the night meant to me and my family and, of course, expressing my thanks. Like the first President Bush, famous for his hand written thank you notes, Sandy impressed me as a similar kind of guy.

Several days later, when I returned home from my morning errands, I had a message on my answering machine from Sandy’s secretary to call his office. I did. After a pleasant chat, she told me how much she appreciated the maple syrup. She added that I had not left a return address on the package, and Sandy had asked her to call and get my address. I chuckled not expecting a thank-you for a thank-you, but sent along the information.

Not long after, a handwritten thank-you from Sandy on New York Met stationary arrived. It read:

John,

Thanks for your letter and the maple syrup! Both will help me through the month of September as we try to get back on a positive note here at Citi. I’m glad you enjoyed the trip here and look forward to seeing you again in Binghamton when I return there.

Regards, Sandy

I hope good fortune brings me together with Sandy Alderson again some day. Far from the Ebenezer Scrooge-like character unhappy Met fans portray him to play, the Sandy Alderson I met is everything Scrooge is not; a self-confident, fun-loving, genial, and generous guy. In the spirit of the Christmas season, I wish Sandy good fortune and good health and the joy that comes with a winning Met baseball season in New York.

An MMO Flashback from December 24, 2013.

The post A Christmas Carol: The Sandy I Met appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Oh No, Ho Jo…

New Seattle Mariners hitting coach Howard Johnson watched Zack Wheeler and Rafael Montero from the opposing dugout while coaching in Triple-A last season, but it was Mets prospect Jacob deGrom who impressed him the most at Triple-A Las Vegas last season, according to what he told Adam Rubin.

“I saw deGrom. I like him a lot,” HoJo said. “As a matter of fact, at David Wright‘s wedding, I mentioned deGrom to the front office. He pitched one game against us, and he pitched very well. And the things I saw, I liked. He was the guy that I remember, for sure. And we saw them all — Wheeler, Jack Leathersich and some of the other guys.”

DeGrom was added to the 40 Man Roster by the Mets and will be in big league camp vying for a spot on the Opening Day roster.

Reese’s Pieces?

Remember Mets second baseman of the future Reese Havens? Well Adam Rubin reports that the former 2008 first-round pick has decided to hang them up after a professional career that was fraught with one injury after another. Havens played six minor league seasons in all, and finishes with a career .252/.355/.423 batting line in 345 games played. What a shame for a kid who was oozing with so much talent and promise, but couldn’t find a way to stay on the field. Fare well, Reese… We hardly knew ye…

Vaughn For The Road…

Our Minor League Analyst Teddy Klein weighs in on Cory Vaughn who he says needs to stay on the field and get hings going.

“Because of his injury, I could see Cory repeating at Double-A, but just for a moment. At 24, Vaughn is on the cusp of losing prospect status, turning 25 in May. He will join his other outfield counterparts such as Darrell Ceciliani and possibly Alonzo Harris in Triple-A this year afterwards, and likely have a shot at making the bench if Chris Young or Cesar Puello falter. Long Shot, I know.”

Three more weeks until pitchers and catchers report…

The post Mets Minors: HoJo Loves deGrom, Weighing In On Vaughn, Havens Retires appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Here is the rest of my interview with Lynn Worthy, who covers the Binghamton Mets as the regular beat writer for the Press & Sun Bulletin. Lynn provides some great insight on

Which player’s performance has impressed you the most thus far and do you believe it will eventually translate well in the majors?

The most impressive so far would have to be Rafael Montero because of the command he’s displayed. Cesar Puello’s recent play has made it a close call, but Montero has performed so well all season. While his stuff isn’t at the level of Matt Harvey or Zack Wheeler, he has consistently demonstrated remarkable control beyond what I saw from either Harvey or Wheeler at this level.

It’s a very interesting question to consider how well Montero’s actual stuff translates to a major-league level. I’m not sure. I would tend to think his margin for error will be even smaller against those hitters. There could be a real possibility of him getting hit hard at times. This certainly isn’t an exact comparison, but Collin McHugh had tremendous success and command of multiple pitches in Binghamton and also pitched well at Triple-A. His first start in the big leagues was also stellar, but he has also been hit hard at times.

Montero’s command will be a big plus, and I do think he’s shown a strong ability to work through a lineup a second or third time and keep hitters off-balance. On several occasions he has racked up the majority of his strikeouts after the first time through the lineup. It will be interesting how he gets used if/when he does reach the big league level.

Joe D. – Sandy Alderson spoke very highly of Montero on Monday during his WFAN interview, and we may see him skip a Triple-A assignment and jump straight to the big league team.

“Montero went up and pitched one game at Triple-A, and pitched very well. He’s got 23 or 24 straight scoreless innings at Binghamton. There has been some conversation. Look, he won’t need to go to Triple-A, but very soon we’ll either decide to leave him at Binghamton or promote him to Las Vegas. If we decided to leave him at Binghamton, you could probably infer from that that he could join us directly from Binghamton.”

Is there a player you’re most excited to see promoted to Binghamton from the lower levels?

I’m very interested to see righthander Noah Syndergaard pitch. It looks like, based solely on statistics, that he is another strike-thrower. His strikeout to walk ratio seems impressive. He’s been a highly-touted prospect in both the Mets system and the Blue Jays system prior to the trade.

I’m also curious to see the power Aderlin Rodriguez has in person. I’m not sure how soon he’d be promoted. When it does happen, it will be interesting to see how he adjusts to Eastern League pitching. Specifically, can he make adjustments when pitchers get an idea of what his strengths and weaknesses are. The pitchers certainly make adjustments in the Eastern League.

Joe D. – Syndergaard has been making quite a name for himself since joining the Mets and more than one scout has told me he will ultimately be the prize from the Dickey trade and not Travis d’Arnaud. Syndergaard was the only pitcher from a very talented St. Lucie rotation to be named to the FSL All Star game.

With players like Puello, Leathersich, Montero, and Verrett getting a lot of attention, which B-Mets player is flying under the radar and impressing you with their play?

Darrell Ceciliani has really hit well as of late. He batted just .228 in April, but he was just under .300 in May and is hot lately. He is an exciting player at the plate because he has good speed and can blast balls into the gaps for doubles or triples. He has made some mistakes on the bases (getting picked off), and he does strike out. He is also just an energetic guy who definitely has fun playing the game.

Allan Dykstra has tremendous power as a left-handed hitter. He works counts well and draw a lot of walks. Though he’ll strike out a lot too. If he would go the other way once in a while, I think he’d be a nightmare.

Wilfredo Tovar’s defense has been eye-opening since he got here. His offense shows flashes at times, but those are flashes that come and go.

Satish – Wilfredo Tovar is quite the young player. He is the most talented defensive player in our system but has trouble mustering even below-average offensive skills. If he can find his way with the bat, he would immediately jump into real prospect status in my eyes. Otherwise, I can’t say that I’m that crazy about him right now. I’m also on the fence about Allan Dykstra, but in a bit more of a positive fashion because he has shown consistent flashes of talent. His ’11 season saw him slug 19 home runs and 22 doubles in 475 plate appearances, resulting in a .474 slugging percentage. His numbers this year have improved on that, with eight home runs and 17 doubles already through only 209 plate appearances. Although you usually hope for more power from a first baseman, prospects like Dykstra or Jayce Boyd could turn out to be solid stop-gaps until we get a player of that caliber.

Who was your favorite player that you’ve covered and do you maintain friendships with many of the players that you get to cover?

The players who have been here for multiple years or who have been here for an entire season usually get to be fairly friendly. In some cases, I may drop a line to via social media to the guys who have gone on. I’m not sure if I have a favorite guy, but there are several I’ve enjoyed just talking to about things that weren’t directly related to their own play.

I’d list Rob Carson, Greg Peavey, Erik Turgeon (now retired) and Reese Havens among those. Mark Cohoon is back here this season, and he’s a great guy to cover. McHugh was always good to talk baseball and pitching with. I’m sure I’m forgetting some.

Looks like Travis Taijeron is off to a nice start, but wow… Cesar Puello is on fire. What can you tell us about him?

Cesar Puello has been in one of those stretches where he hasn’t missed his pitch many times, if any. He had a three-game series here against Trenton where he went 7-for-12 with two doubles, four home runs, eight RBI, four runs scored, and only ONE strikeout.

He’s had several reporters like myself ask him about the reports that he could possibly face suspension because of Biogenesis, but he hasn’t let any of it distract him. He regularly talks about being faithful and reading the Bible. I believe one time I saw him carrying a Bible in the clubhouse.

He talked to me a few times about working on getting on top of the ball more instead of upper cutting, and allowing the strength in his legs and lower body to generate power.

He really seems locked in to the point where he is looking for a particular pitch or location, and he’s not giving in and chasing other pitches early in the count as he may have done earlier in the season.

Satish – Puello enjoyed perhaps the best week of his MiLB career last week when he crushed six home runs in just 25 at-bats. He posted a .600 average, going 15-for-25, with three doubles, six home runs, and 15 RBIs. He also stole three bases. Puello’s recent hot hitting has catapulted him to the front of our outfield prospect corps. By the way, Puello is day to day with a bruised finger after being removed from last night’s game in case you were wondering why he was pulled.

* * * * * * * * * *

I want to thank Lynn for taking some time to answer a few questions for us. Follow him on Twitter at @PSBLynn and make sure to read his daily coverage of the B-Mets at the Press & Sun Bulletin or PressConnects.com.

The post Montero and Puello Headline An Exciting Crop Of Prospects Knocking At The Door appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

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

The post Collin McHugh Dominates, Josh Satin Homers In Vegas WalkOff Win appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Tacoma 8, Las Vegas 2

For Collin McHugh on Saturday night, it was a tale of the first inning…and the rest of the game. McHugh allowed six hits in a row, three of them extra base hits, in the first inning which led to five earned runs. Remember that the ball tends to carry a little more in Las Vegas before you make a judgment on that. I have openly admitted to being on the “Bring McHugh To Flushing” bandwagon with Joe D. and this start does not change that for me. After the rough go in the first inning, he flipped a switch and went the next six innings allowing only a double and a walk over that span.

So after that horrible first inning, Collin McHugh‘s line was 6.0 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 0 ER, 4 K. In fact, after allowing the six straight hits to open the game, he retired the next 16 batters straight before walking Mike Zunino – and proceeded to induce a double play. Of course, we couldn’t remove that first frame from the game no matter how hard we wished, so the 51s were fighting an uphill battle from the start.

Greg Peavey ended up on the hook for three runs in the top of the ninth, but only one of them was earned – and Sean Henn had allowed his two inherited runners to score on Peavey’s account.

The Vegas offense consisted of Kirk Nieuwenhuis and Andrew Brown launching solo home runs. It’s nice to see Kirk settle in already in AAA, while Brown continued to stay hot with a two-hit game. Reese Havens also had a multi-hit game.

Key Stats

Kirk Nieuwenhuis: 1-for-3, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 R, 1 BB

Andrew Brown: 2-for-4, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 R

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

Reese Havens: 2-for-2, 2 BB

Collin McHugh: 7.0 IP, 7 H, 1 BB, 5 ER, 4 K

Justin Hampson: 0.2 IP, 0 H, 1 BB

Greg Peavey: 0.2 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 1 K

Sean Henn: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 1 K (2-2 Inherited runners scored)

The post Vegas Can’t Overcome Five First Inning Runs In 8-2 Loss appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Las Vegas 10, Sacramento 6

On the mound, Darin Gorski got the start and had a decent outing. He fared much better than he had in his previous start, but finished just a third of an inning shy of getting a quality start. The lefty allowed three earned runs and struck out four, en route to his first win of the season. Gorski did not allow a walk in the game, which was a nice improvement after he walked four batters in each of his first two starts of the season.

In the bullpen, the recently demoted Greg Burke pitched a scoreless frame, as did Dylan Owen who closed out the game. Armando Rodriguez and Gonzalez Germen both continued to struggle as they combined to give up three earned runs.

After starting out slow on offense the past few games, the 51s flipped the script and jumped on the River Rats early and often. Andrew Brown replaced Travis d’Arnaud in the cleanup spot, and had three hits, including a triple that drove in Juan Lagares in the first. Brian Bixler scored on a wild pitch in the second, and Eric Campbell and Bixler had RBI singles that plated three more runs the third inning. Wilmer Flores, who has been heating up lately, hit his first home run of the season, drove in three runs, and is now batting .304. Reese Havens doubled in his fifth run of the season, and Juan Lagares was once again a factor at the top of the order scoring two runs and driving in another.

As we reported on Thursday, Juan Centeno has been promoted and will take over the majority of the catching duties while d’Arnaud is out.

Key Stats

• Wilmer Flores: 2-for-4, HR, 3 RBI, BB, 2 R
• Juan Lagares: 2-for-4, 2 R, RBI, 3B, BB
• Andrew Brown: 3-for-5, 2B, 3B, RBI, 2 R
• Eric Campbell: 2-for-5, 2 R, RBI
• Darin Gorski: 5.2 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 4 K,

The post Andrew Brown and Wilmer Flores Lead Offense in 51s 10-6 Victory appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Las Vegas 5, Colorado Springs 4

It took 11 innings, but the Las Vegas 51s were able to escape yesterday’s ballgame with a victory on the strength of a Reese Havens, bases loaded knock to win it in walk-off fashion.

Top-prospect Zack Wheeler took the hill for the 51s and put together one of his more solid efforts in what has been a shaky start to the season. Wheeler went 5 1/3 innings allowing three runs on six hits while walking none and punching out eight, taking a no decision. Wheeler let up a solo shot to Tyler Colvin to draw blood first in this game. Then in the top of the fourth, Corey Dickerson led things off with a triple, immediately followed by an RBI double off the bat of Nolan Arenado to bring Colorado Springs within a run. Wheeler gave up a base hit to Arenado with one out in the sixth before being pulled for Justin Hampson. Arenado would later come around to score on a two-out triple by Ben Paulsen to tie the game at three a piece.

In the bottom of the seventh, Las Vegas regained the lead on a Juan Lagares bomb to left field. That lead would be short lived as Colvin would mash his second homer of the game and send things into extras.

After Armando Rodriguez came on and pitched a scoreless eleventh, the 51s began o rally in the bottom of the frame. Lagares drew a leadoff walk, followed by an intentional pass to Travis d’Arnaud. Wilmer Flores bunted the runners over and Andrew Brown was given the free pass as well to load the bases. Josh Satin went down looking in a seven pitch affair, leaving it all up to Reese Havens. Havens launched one on the second pitch of the at-bat to left enter and score Lagares to hand the 51s a win with some excitement, winning the walk-off 5-4.

Key Stats

Juan Lagares: 2-for-5, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 2 R, 1 BB

Jamie Hoffmann: 1-for-4, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 1 R, 1 BB

Zack Wheeler: 5.1 IP, 6 H, 0 BB, 3 ER, 8 K, ND

The post Wheeler Bounces Back, Lagares and Hoffman Homer In Vegas Victory appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Colorado Springs 11, Las Vegas 6

In a game where the two teams combined for thirty hits, the Las Vegas 51s dropped this one to the Colorado Springs Sky Sox 11-6.

It was trouble out of the gate for Vegas in this one, as designated starter Darin Gorski was only able to last two innings in this late-night affair. Gorski struggled from the start, and faced all nine hitters in the Colorado Springs lineup in the first inning, where he allowed three runs. He allowed back-to-back RBI doubles in the second inning, and although he got out of the jam, he was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the bottom half of the inning. Gonzalez German was brought on, and he pitched the next three frames while allowing two runs in the top of the fourth.

Robert Carson allowed an inherited runner from Dylan Owen to score in the seventh on a wild pitch, but had an overall line of an inning and two-thirds pitched without allowing a hit and striking out three. Justin Hampson struggled in his inning, allowing five hits and three earned runs in the eighth, but he managed to strike out two batters. Jeurys Familia rounded out the pitching for the 51s, and pitched a hitless ninth while setting two down on strikes.

It looked like this could possibly have been a higher scoring affair, but Las Vegas was only able to score in bunches – three in the third and three in the fifth. After an RBI ground-out by Travis D’Arnaud in the third inning, Andrew Brown drove home Wilmer Flores on an RBI double, and was promptly sent home on a Josh Satin RBI single. Satin was not finished, however, as he drilled his fourth home run of the campaign in the sixth – a two-run shot that scored D’Arnaud, who had reached base after ripping an RBI double.

Vegas had the bases loaded in the seventh inning with none out, but failed to score any runs as Zach Lutz and Jamie Hoffman flew out and Reese Havens followed that with a strikeout.

Key Stats

Wilmer Flores: 2-for-5, 2 2B, 2 R

Travis D’Arnaud: 2-for-5, 2 2B, 2 RBI, 1 R

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

Darin Gorski: 2.0 IP, 6 H, 4 BB, 5 ER, 0 K

The post Gorski Gets Rocked, Satin Stays Hot In 11-6 Vegas Loss appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Colorado Springs 6, Las Vegas 1

Fans who attended Opening Night at Cashman Field Friday were treated to a dominant performance — just not from the home team.

Behind seven strikeouts and only one earned run from former second-round pick Tyler Chatwood, the Colorado Springs Sky Sox downed the Las Vegas 51s, 6-1, in the team’s home opener.

The 51s’ bats were non-existent for most of the night, including the first four innings. It wasn’t until they had one out left in the fifth inning that the 51s notched an extra-base hit.

Left fielder Jamie Hoffman doubled and pinch hitter Reese Havens drove him in with a line drive to center field. The 51s offense once again fizzled after that.

Las Vegas’ four most ballyhooed hitters — catcher Travis d’Arnaud, first baseman Josh Satin, second baseman Wilmer Flores and third baseman Zach Lutz — went a combined 1-for-15.

The Sky Sox set the tone with three runs in the first-inning. Third baseman Nolan Arenado, the top prospect in the Colorado Rockies organization according to Baseball America, doubled and drove in a run in his first at-bat.

Colorado Springs scored one run in three of the next four innings, including a solo home run from ex-Chicago Cub Tyler Colvin in the fifth.

A crowd of 9,247 fans watched as Las Vegas fell to 5-4 on the year while Colorado Springs improved to 5-3. The 51s host the Sky Sox for the next three days in a row to complete the series.

Key Stats

Omar Quintanilla: 2-for-4

Carlos Torres: 3 IP, 9 H, 3 BB, 5 R, 3 ER, 1 HR

Greg Peavey: 2 IP, 0 H, 1 BB, 1 K, 0 R

Binghamton 15, New Hampshire 7

The B-Mets tied a franchise record by scoring 11 times in the fourth inning en route to a 15-7 victory over the New Hampshire Fisher Cats Friday night at NYSEG Stadium.

Trailing 5-1 entering the bottom of the fourth, Rhyne Hughes got the inning started by launching his first home run of the season over the left field wall. Hughes was the first of nine consecutive batters to reach base safely to start the inning. They also all eventually came around to score. Binghamton scored eleven times, collected seven hits, and used the help of five walks and two Fisher Cat fielding errors in the decisive inning.

New Hampshire had their way offensively as well. They began the game with three consecutive hits, and scored twice in the first inning. On the night they finished with seven runs on eighteen hits, however they left 16 men on base.

Binghamton’s first run was scored in the bottom of the second inning, as Cory Vaughn doubled home Juan Centeno. Both Centeno and Vaughn finished with three hits and three runs apiece, with Vaughn tallying four RBI as well. As a team Binghamton collected 14 base hits by seven different players, and 14 RBI by eight different players.

Mark Cohoon (2-0) got the win in relief. He pitched two innings after replacing starter Tyler Pill, and gave up one run on four hits.

Key Stats

Alonzo Harris: 2-for-6, 3 RBI, 1 R,

Juan Centeno: 3-for-5, 3 R, 1 3B, 1 RBI

Cory Vaughn: 3-for-4, 3 R, 4 RBI, 1 BB

Tyler Pill: 4 IP, 10 H, 5 ER, 1 BB, 3 K

(Team Reports)

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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.

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