Cutnpaste: - Juan Urbina, Wilmer Flores, Johan Santana, Collin McHugh, Blue Walls

10-27-11: - http://metsmerizedonline.com/2011/10/mmo-top-20-mets-prospects -17-juan-urbina-lhp-exclusive-interview.html -   In his last 7 GS of 2011, Juan Urbina went 4-3 with an ERA of 4.00, giving up 36 hits in 36 IP, while striking out 34 and walking 8. Although the overall numbers weren’t so great for the year, it was clearly not a lost season for Urbina. He fought through adversity to turn the season from a negative, into a positive, and learned from the experience. Urbina, now 18, has a clean, effortless delivery and at 6’2″, shows excellent mechanics and good command. His fastball and change-up are his best pitches, though the curveball still needs refinement. If he can sharpen his breaking-ball and miss some bats with it, he can move quickly through the system

10-26-11: - http://www.metstoday.com/7132/mets-minors/a-look-into-the-future-top-shortstop-prospects   -  Wilmer Flores -  DOB: 8/6/1991  Birthplace: Valencia, Venezuela  Height: 6’3”   Weight: 175  R/R -  I know it is not fair to write off a player at the age of 19 (cough, cough, cough Nelson Cruz) but I have to. By now, Flores is supposed to be Detroit Tigers first basemen Miguel Cabrera. He’s supposed to be knocking over 20 homeruns, showing great plate discipline. But it’s just not there yet. I think Flores is not responsible for the disappointment. You can blame publications like Baseball America for over-hyping someone, as they did with Alex Escobar and Fernando Martinez. Flores had a pretty decent season at high-A St. Lucie, hitting 9 homeruns while driving in 81 runs. He hit .269, which was a bit disappointing. That’s all I really have to say about him. I hope he proves me wrong. He will not be at shortstop if he makes it to the big leagues. He’ll be in a corner outfield spot due to his lack of speed and mobility. He’ll be 19 at the start of the 2012 season, presumably back in St. Lucie. This will be a huge test to determine if he is indeed the future of the Mets.

Johan Santana: Nobody knows how healthy he is, which means he’s staying put for now. Should Santana come back and be solid and healthy in the first half, you could see the Mets trying to deal him if they aren’t in contention. Even if they were, they might pull the trigger on a trade to free up salary. This bears watching, but not until June and July.  http://www.newyorkmetsreport.com/2011/10/25/mets-have-precious-few-pieces-to-trade

10-26-11: - http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2011/10/26/colemans-corner-mets-position-players-shining-in-arizona-sun   - At St. Lucie, Collin McHugh pitched in 9 games, making 6 starts. He went 1-2 with a 6.31 ERA while the league hit .318 against him. Not great. He was then bumped to Double AA Binghamton and again started slow. At the All-Star break, he was again 1-2 with a 5.06 ERA, giving up 39 hits in 37 innings with a 2:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio. But manager Wally Backman saw something he liked in McHugh, worked with him, and he took off from there. After the Double AA All-Star break, McHugh was undefeated – 7-0 with a 1.53 ERA – yielding just 34 hits over 47 innings, with a 5:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio (54K’s-11BB). But McHugh has had his problems in Arizona. He’s 1-2 again in 3 starts and 1 relief appearance – but this time with a hefty 8.18 ERA, surrendering 18 hits in 11 innings

This morning, Matthew Cerrone reported that the Mets have finally discussed making the outfield walls blue. It makes sense; I personally think the orange foul poles clash with the mossy green outfield walls. Making the outfield walls blue could be the latest effort to Metsify Citi Field after many fans have complained that it was too reminiscent of Ebbets Field. Me? I was just happy that the Mets Hall of Fame museum wasn’t hidden anymore. Efforts have been made to pay tribute to Mets history over the past two seasons; the installation of the entrance shadows, the ’69 and ’86 teams being commemorated, and my favorite feature: the Topps baseball cards with that day’s starting lineup. Since the Mets can’t rebuild Citi Field to look like a giant blue cupcake, the least they can is make the outfield walls blue like Shea…because I miss the giant blue cupcake. http://itsallmetstome.wordpress.com/2011/10/27/the-metsification-of-citi-field

The Gamers vs. The Gifted: McHugh vs. Familia

Getting to the top of the list and at this point we're getting to some gifted pitchers who are simply SO good that beating them is a tall order. The flip side is that some of the upper-level gamers are nearly ready to assume duties of becoming a major league starter (albeit sometimes in the back end of the rotation).

Full Name: Collin Alexander McHugh

Born: 06/19/1987

Birthplace: Covington, GA

College: Berry Col

Height: 6' 2"

Weight: 195

Bats: R

Throws: R

Sometimes, like with Gorski, a player emerges from the ether. You don't see things coming they're just suddenly there. That isn't REALLY the case with McHugh. He had a strong 2009 in Brooklyn, a strong 2010 in Savannah and after skidding a bit in St. Lucie he flew high in Binghamton.

Like one or two other names I listed on the "Gamer" side of the table. McHugh fringes on the level of being "Gifted". His fastball DOES touch 93, he has five pitches and his breaking stuff isn't bad. He's just not in the league of raw talent with some of the other Met pitchers around him.

McHugh will be the #2 pitcher in AAA to start 2012 and could see a call due to injury at any point. The Mets will be less concerned about protecting McHugh due to his lack of "Gifted" status and that is JUST FINE with me. I can see McHugh being better than a #4 pitcher if things break right.

McHugh's Scouting Report:

• 6’2, 195 lbs. A better athlete than what he looks. He could add more muscle to his frame, soft body.
• Unorthodox motion. Very long on the arm take back, but gets his arm up in plenty of time as his front foot plants.
• He has cleaned his mechanics, which has helped him gain some velocity to his FB.
• Repeats his mechanics very well with little effort at release. Gets momentum going to the target, helping him throw strikes consistently.
• Over the top delivery. Gets good downward plane with extension to the plate.
• Fastball: 89-92 with some glove side run, topping out at 93 once or twice. Commanded it well in, out, up and down. Last year his fastball was mostly 87-90.
• Curveball: 71-74. 11-5 break. Slow looping, not hard sharp bite. Plays up a bit due to command. Uses it as a get me over pitch as well as a chase pitch in the dirt.
• Slider: 84-86. Best offspeed pitch he throws for me. Gets late bite to it with some depth and tilt. The late bite is the key for hitters not being able to recognize it and square it up. Throws it with confidence. Best swing and miss pitch.
• Cutter: 84-86. Very similar to his slider only lacked the downward action. Used it to get in on lefties. Threw a couple of front-door cutters to righties too.
• Change-up: 80-81. Did not use the change-up often. Tried to guide it instead of letting the grip do the work for him at times. Had some fade to the glove side.

Full Name: Jeurys Familia

Born: 10/10/1989

Birthplace: Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

Height: 6' 3"

Weight: 185

Bats: R

Throws: R

For all the Harvey and Wheeler hype, I think we forget which of the gifted pitchers in Generation 2K is CLOSEST to the majors. Familia was promoted to AA before Harvey, he's not injured (like Mejia) and control... is REALLY not an issue.

So... why is Familia listed BELOW Harvey? Well... while he clearly has two PLUS pitches... he lacks that third pitch. I'm hoping that 2012 is the year of the change-up for Jeurys and he learns to throw it for strikes as well as a swing and miss offering.

Like Mejia and some other pitchers I've heard that a move to the pen is "inevitable". These words that smack of finality upset me. You can't say that anyone will absolutely succeed or fail at anything until you see them do it. Take a look at Brandon Belt's "Can't Miss" rookie campaign.

Familia's Scouting Report:

• Big strong physical body with more room to add bulk (6’3”, 185lbs). Long arms and big hands. Ideal power pitcher’s frame and physique.
• Good mound presence. Very calm demeanor on the mound.
• Fastball: 94-96 with life in the zone and arm side run. When he gets extension, the ball explodes out of his hand. A true plus fastball when it is good.
• Slider: 78-83. When he gets his release point out in front, the slider is really good. Tends to get a little slurvy at times. Good arm speed. When good it has sharp downward bite, swing and miss pitch.
• Change-up: 80-82. Worst offering by far. He babies this pitch, telling me he lacks confidence in it. Key pitch to attack lefties and for his development as a starter.
• High ¾ release point. Could add more velocity with more leg drive and effort.
• Great attitude and work ethic. Very pleasant young man to talk with.

If you asked me which pitcher was a better overall package I'd go with Familia. His stuff and control make him a straight-up better pitcher than McHugh. HOWEVER if you ask me who has a better shot to be a major league starter... I have to go with McHugh whose 5 pitches are just as meaningful as a fastball that tops 95 with regularity. So McHugh wins? No... I'm going to shy away from this one and call it a tie.

Cutnpaste: Jose Reyes, Collin McHugh, Mike Cameron, Dan Muno, Tidewater Tides

If I were a General Manager of an organization looking to upgrade at shortstop, (Jose) Reyes would be an obvious choice. However, position scarcity will force teams to pay more than what would be in my personal comfort zone of 5 yrs/85 mil due to concerns about his problematic hamstrings. With so much of Reyes’ value tied to his legs, the chance of attrition in his mid-30′s is just too much of a risk to stomach through six or seven years. - http://scoutingthesally.com/new-york-mets-shortstop-jose-reyes-free-agent-2012-contract  

9-3-11: - http://metsmerizedonline.com/2011/09/prospect-pulse-buffalo-2012-help-on-the-way.html  - SP3: Collin McHugh - I am quite certain that the sole purpose of the Mets sending McHugh to the Arizona Fall League, is so he can be better prepared to make the jump to AAA in 2012. Don’t look for him to be promoted anytime next year to the bigs however, as he needs to establish himself in Buffalo and show the kind of consistency he has had in 2011, before he gets a call-up ahead of Harvey or Familia. He pitched Thursday night and had his best game of the year, to go 8-2, in his final AA start: 9 IP, 5 hits, 1 ER, 11 K’s and 2 BB’s.

Marlins released OF Mike Cameron. Cameron battled hamstring, wrist and knee injuries during his tenure with the Fish, and hit just .239/.333/.423 in 163 total plate appearances. The 38-year-old veteran outfielder might simply decide to hang up his cleats for good. - http://www.rotoworld.com/headlines/mlb/341610/baseball-headlines?r=1  

9-13-11: - http://www.minorleagueball.com/2011/9/13/2423288/2011-minor-league-ball-interesting-short-season-hitting-prospects  - Dan Muno, SS, Mets: Eight-round pick out of Fresno State this year destroyed the New York-Penn League, hitting .355/.466/.514 with 43 walks and 23 doubles in 220 at-bats for Brooklyn. At age 22 he doesn't have the long-term projection of other guys on the list, but he's very polished and could reach the majors rapidly as a utility type.

In 1987, the Tides won the International League South Division Title. Mike Cubbage led the team to an 81-59 record. Future Mets shortstop Kevin Elster spent most of the season with the Tides, where he hit .310 with 8 home runs and 74 RBI. Several other past or future Mets role players were part of the team, too. Unquestionably the biggest star to wear the Tides’ ugly orange jersey in 1987 was Doc Gooden, who made four starts for Tidewater as he prepared to return to the Mets following drug rehab. Gooden is included in the team’s card set; though if you’re really looking for a Gooden minor league card you’d probably want the 1983 Lynchburg Mets team set instead.- http://randombaseballstuff.com/2011/09/13/minor-league-tuesdays-1987-tidewater-tides-team-set-tcma  

Cutnpaste: - Matt den Dekker, Eris Peguero, Randy Meyers, Collin McHugh, Jeff Francoeur





8-21-11: - http://metsmerizedonline.com/2011/08/prospect-pulse-left-handed-hitters.html  - Matt Den Dekker – Den Dekker was the Mets 2010 5th round draft pick, out of the University of Florida. He started this, his second pro season, at St Lucie, high A. After 267 AB’s and a .296 BA, he was promoted at mid-season to Bingo. He started out in AA struggling mightily, and only recently has begun to hit the way he is capable. After 210 AA AB’s, he is hitting .245 with 8 HR’s and 25 RBI’s, but is hitting .290 over his last ten games. The biggest problem for him is the strikeout. In 477 total AB’s this season, he has struck out a staggering 134 times, with only 47 walks, for an OBP of .347. Den Dekker is a very good fielding center-fielder, but if he is going to keep climbing the ladder he must cut way down on his strikeouts, increase his walks, and thereby bring up what is an abysmal OBP for a lead-off hitter.

8-23-11: - DSL 2011 End of Season Wrap-Up - http://www.nyfuturestars.com/community/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=35808&sid=e8719b8eddffd9bc033d0ab708d8aff5  - Eris Peguero, 21, OF - Peguero had a .308/.376/.392 line with a homer, 4 3Bs, and 20 RBIs. He stole 30 bags and had 3 outfield assists while playing mainly CF and LF.

The Mets have always been known to have some of the best left-handed relievers in baseball history. Randy Myers was one of them, as he became the Mets' closer in the late 1980s and one of the better left-handed relievers during his career. Myers was drafted by the Mets in 1982 and made his major league debut at the very end of the 1985 season. He pitched two scoreless innings in his only appearance of the season. In 1986, Myers made just 10 appearances with the Mets while spending more time in the minor leagues. He had a 0-0 record and a 4.22 ERA in the 10 major league appearances. Although the Mets won the 1986 World Series, Myers was left off the postseason roster. - http://bleacherreport.com/articles/822566-new-york-mets-top-10-relievers-of-all-time#/articles/822566-new-york-mets-top-10-relievers-of-all-time/page/6

9-2-11: - minorleaguebaseball.  - (Colin McHugh struck out 11 during the first nine-inning complete game of his career on Thursday in the Double-A Mets' 2-1 victory over the Erie SeaWolves. The effort also represented the time this season that a B-Mets' starter earned a complete-game win. McHugh (8-2) allowed a run on five hits -- including Rawley Bishop's RBI bunt single in the seventh -- while walking two. He retired the final eight batters he faced and recorded 10 total outs on the ground. The 24-year-old right-hander, an 18th-round draftee in 2009, ended the regular season on a seven-game winning streak. He last lost on July 5, in his seventh Double-A start, not long after being promoted from Class A Advanced St. Lucie.

Career hit No. 1,000 was a big one for the Royals' Jeff Francoeur. Francoeur belted a 0-1 pitch from Tigers rookie Jacob Turner, a 20-year-old right-hander, into the left-field seats in the second inning of the Royals' 11-8 victory on Thursday. His 16th homer of the season came with Eric Hosmer on base after a leadoff single. "He told us he was going to get it in his first at-bat and he did, he didn't mess around with it," manager Ned Yost said. - http://kansascity.royals.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110901&content_id=24049324¬ebook_id=24057746&vkey=notebook_kc&c_id=kc