Hitting .270 going to into the second half of the season, Sam Honeck was a New York Penn League All-Star, but hit a disastrous .176 after the break.

Clones outfielder Luis Rivera had 66 hits in as many games and amassed an uber solid OBP of .402.

In spite of only playing in 49 games this season, outfielder John Servidio shared the team lead in homers with Nick Santomauro with six. Santomauro only played in 45 games.

In spite of setting a new team record with 17 saves this season, Clones Clones Mike Powers have up eight earned runs in his last ten outings.

Leading the team in RBI, hits, runs, on-base percentage and extra-base hits, Luis Rivera will be a key component for the team’s playoff run, hitting .306 since the All-Star break, Rivera looks to go into the postseason on a consistent note. So no sports betting for him.

Clones DH and catcher Ralph Henriquez is hitting .354 over his last ten games.

Matias Carrillo has walked only three hitters in 28 plus innings this season.

Richard Lucas has started his stint with the Brooklyn Cyclones hitting safely in his first eight games and is currently hitting .351 this season with the Cyclones, Kingsport and the Gulf Coast Mets with four homers and 30 RBI.

Jordany Valdespin has hit safely in eight of his nine games with the team and has a homer and four RBI during that span.

In other news:

Alex Gregory bounced back from a mediocre July, where he hit .240, and is currently hitting .315 in August with 15 hits in 15 games.

With his save on the 27th, Mike Powers has surpassed Robert Paulk as the single season saves leader with 16.

Mark Cohoon- Gave up on four hits in eight innings during his last outing and currently has 73 innings of work under his belt. The team record is 83.2 by Tobi Stoner in 2006.

Jim Fuller- Gave up five earned runs in just one inning of work on Friday.

Sam Honeck- Continues his horrible August, hitting .184 with only seven hits in 38 at-bats

Mike Powers- Has four saves in his last four appearances and is just one away from tying the single season team record held by Robert Paulk.

Sam Honeck’s struggles this month continue, as he’s hitting only .180 through 50 at-bats.

With 12 saves this season, Clones closer Michael Powers is just three away from the single-season team record held by Robert Paulk in 2003.

Nicholas Santomauro is hitting .286 with five RBI in August after hitting .232 in July.

The Cyclones top four starting pitchers of Mark Cohoon, Collin McHugh, Brandon Moore and James Fuller have a record of 21-11 and have given up only 200 hits in 249.1 innings this season.

Photo by Ron Hatcher.

Jake Eigsti made his return to Brooklyn last week, making him the only player on the team to have played parts of four seasons with the Cyclones. In his eight games with the club so far, he’s hitting .258 with eight hits and an RBI.

Sam Honeck is hitting .243 over his last ten games, cooling down after an excellent July, where he hit .333. For August, the slugger is hitting just .156

Brandon Moore continued his excellent season on Thursday, giving up just one earned run in six innings, lowering his ERA for the season to a stellar 2.40.

After giving up three earned runs against Batavia on Tuesday, Cyclones closer Mike Powers bounced back and earned his tenth save of the season.

Photo by Conroy Walker.

Quickly amassing a 16-5 record this season, due to a more than healthy combination of hearty hitting and fiery pitching, the Brooklyn Cyclones were riding high atop the NY-Penn League Standings when their first taste of reality began to hit home.

With a 2-7 record over a nine game stretch in mid-July, the baby Mets weren’t nearly as dominant as they were earlier in the season.

Nevertheless, they believe the experience has been productive one and one that will help them find the continuity they need to keep their lead in the McNamara Division with a hot Staten Island Yankees team behind them.

Bouncing back over the past week, winning four out seven games, it looks like the Clones are back in the driver’s seat.

“We’re human,” said reliever Mike Lynn, who has rebounded marvelously after spending most of last season with arm problems, posting a 2.79 ERA through his first six appearances. “We got off to a great start, but everyone was still getting to know each other. It’s just a matter of how fast we can turn it around.”

Taking the series with the Yankees this past weekend, it seems they may have been doing more than spouting clichés during the week when they were grilled about their lack of production.

Getting quality pitching has always been a trademark of the team and over the past three games, the team’s pitching staff has returned to the form they had earlier in the season.

After giving up 11 earned runs through his last three starts, rotation ace Collin McHugh hurled five shutout innings to lead the team to a 1-0 win last Friday. Despite scattering nine hits the next day, Clones hurler Mark Cohoon gave up just two runs in an 11-3 win. Making just his third start of the season on Sunday, Darin Gorsk threw six innings and gave up just two runs, allowing Brooklyn to sweep the series and get back on track.

“I don’t think it’s too much adversity,” said Cyclones closer Mike Powers, who has five saves and a stellar 1.59 ERA in nine appearances this season. “Things went our way earlier in the season and we’re not getting too caught up in the highs and lows. We have a talented and experienced team and that’s what’s going to shine through in the end.”

The pitching staff hasn’t been the only thing clicking as of late. Despite not being as explosive as they were earlier in the season, Brooklyn has managed more timely hits, resulting in more wins.

Picking up the slack on offense has been the fresh-faced Tyler Vaughn, who has four hits in his first nine at bats with the team. The Clones have also gotten pick-me-ups from former major leaguers Andy Green and 2003 MLB rookie of the year Angel Berroa, who have spent time over the past two weeks with the team on conditioning assignments. While Berroa has only appeared in two games with two hits, Green has been sound, hitting .307 in seven games. Regulars Sam Honeck [.323 BA, 12 RBI] and Luis Rivera [18 RBI, .310 BA] have continued their stellar play as well, giving the team just enough offense to get over the hump.

While the team will obviously need more offense down the stretch if they want to stay in the win column, the timely hitting and excellent pitching are proving to be more than enough to get them by.

You can doubt them all you want, but according to the young team, ‘they told you so.’

“We’re like a family,” said McHugh. “This is the most fun I’ve ever had on a pro team, but it’s baseball; you’re going to win some and you’re going to lose some. We all get along though and we’re going to keep up what we were doing earlier in the season.”

Photo by Patrick Hickey Jr.

Mark Kohoon is 5-1 in six starts this season. Opponents are hitting just .233 off him. In 40 innings pitched, he also surrendered just seven walks.

James Fuller has a 3-3 record, but has a sparkling 1.75 ERA in six starts. He’s also pitched six innings in five of his appearances and has 40 Ks.

Brandon Moore has administered just three walks in 41 innings pitched. Hitters are batting just .190 against him.

Michael Powers has six saves in 10 appearances and has given up just nine hits in 12.1 innings.

Hitters:

Catcher Juan Centeno only has two hits in his last 33 ABs.

First baseman Sam Honeck has 14 hits in his last 40 ABs. He’s also hitting .349 in July.

Luis Rivera currently leads the team with 19 RBI, five stolen bases and a .417 on-base percentage.

Despite hitting .120 on the road this season, John Servidio has six homers, 14 RBI and a .282 BA at Keyspan Park this season.

Confident and unwavering on Wednesday, McHugh believed he was ready to get back on the right track.

“You come into work every day and you work through these things,” he said. “It’s nothing I’m worried about.”

Hurling six shutout innings yesterday, McHugh bounced back well and is now 4-1 with a 3.94 ERA in just six starts.

“I feel good,” he said. “This is a long season, so it’s just a matter of dealing with things as they come.”

Photo by Patrick Hickey Jr.

Giving up five earned runs in his last start on July 6, McHugh ran into his first stumbling block of the season, but was saved by his offense and managed to stay undefeated.

The combination of Cohoon and Moore have given up only 39 hits and a paltry seven walks in 47 innings.

Fuller has also been extremely solid, walking only two hitters in 19 innings and hasn’t given up an earned run yet this season.

While the trademark of the Cyclones over the past eight plus seasons has always been it’s pitching staff, it’s doubtful anyone could have possibly predicted this team would be this good on the mound this season.

If things continue to fall this way, the ‘Clones may be able to bring home their first sole NY-Penn League Championship.

Editors Note- My apologies on the lack of updates through the first three weeks of the season. I’ve been battling a wicked bout of the flu and that combined with a hectic work schedule have forced me to play catch up.

Starting next week, I’ll start updating with more regularity.

Photo by Patrick Hickey Jr.

As a matter of fact, he’s pretty antsy.

Working hard all offseason, Lynn has put his hard luck rookie campaign behind him and is focused on excelling in ‘09.

“I had surgery in September,” he said. “Some bone spurs and scar tissues in my elbow. It wasn’t a serious surgery, but I did need about six months to rehab it. It feels good to finally be healthy.”

Being used in a seventh inning relief role so far this season, the Louisville-native is happy to have an opportunity to prove himself and has responded marvelously, hurling three scoreless innings in two appearances this season.

With an added confidence and comfort in ‘09, Lynn has set some lofty goals for the team- a NYPL championshp.

“I’m healthy and excited to be back here,” Lynn said. “Brooklyn hasn’t won a championship in a while and it’s more important here than anywhere else in the minors. Playing in front of these fans at home, we want to do our best for them. Winning a championship is something we are shooting for.”

Above all else however, he’s focused on becoming a leader.

Called down to Brooklyn before the season started after starting the season in Savannah, Henriquez knows exactly what the organization is looking for in him.

“They told me when they sent me here that it wasn’t a demotion, that it was a promotion,” Henriquez said. “I love it here and I’m happy to be back. I learned a lot from last season and I’ll do whatever I have to do to help the team.

Showing up to camp this season in much better shape and 15 pounds heavier, the now bulkier, yet toned backstop is ready to leave his best on the field.

Despite being just 22 years old, Henriquez has been in professional baseball since 2005. The son of Atlanta Braves roving catching instructor Ralph Henriquez Sr., the youngster comes from a good pedigree and is ready to cash in on his promise after a few mediocre seasons.

“I’m here to win a championship,” Henriquez, who has a homer and three RBI in just 28 at bats so far this season, said. “The added weight has helped a lot. I feel a lot stronger. In this game, strength means a lot. I feel much better [than he did last year] and I have a lot of confidence.”

This season however, Carrillo is hoping for things to be different.

Gaining velocity on his fastball, [which sat around 88 MPH last season] and junking his curveball in favor of a slider is one way to do it.

He’s worked on a few other things as well.

“I added a couple of miles to my fastball; it’s at about 91 MPH now,” said Carrillo. “I’m very happy with my stuff right now. I’ve worked a bit on my mechanics a bit too; my arm angle is a bit different; I have a higher release point.”

Even though the curveball was an effective pitch for the 22-year-old last season, he feels the slider is even better.

Only time will tell how right that decision was though.

For the time being, it’s a choice he’s more than happy with.

“I started using it in the winter and I’ve gotten a lot of outs with it,” he said. “I think it’s going to help me with my consistency and help me get to higher levels.”

Photo by Ron Hatcher.

A two-way player in College, Turgeon was used to playing the field and then coming in to pitch. Now a full-time pitcher in the minor leagues, the Florida-native is still refining his game.

He even got help from an unlikely source this offseason.

“I worked out at this place called the Winning Inning this offseason,” he said. “I worked out with [Chicago White Sox pitcher] Gavin Floyd. He taught me his curveball; I owe a lot of it to him. Aside from that I just went hunting a few times and worked out all offseason. Last year was more about throwing the ball; this year I’m more a pitcher and I’m ready to go in at any time.”

Appearing in 11 games with Brooklyn last season, Turgeon was dynamic at times, striking out 23 hitters and walking allowing five in 16.1 innings while in a middle reliever role.

This season, Turgeon is splitting the closing duties with Mike Powers, a job he says he’s ready for.

“Closing is one thing that really gets me excited,” said Turgeon, who is also throwing a two-seam fastball this season to compliment a lively four-seam fastball, a changeup and curveball. “I’m looking to doing well there.”

He was a star all by himself.

On his game all night, the second-year Clone gave up just four hits in seven scoreless innings of work, leading “Baracklyn” to a 7-3 win over the Hudson Valley Renegades.

“I’ve been in a groove since extended spring training,” said Moore. “It just carried on to today. I felt great out there.”

The Cyclones coaching staff was pleased with his performance as well.

“He’s made big strides from last season in Kingsport,” said Clones skipper Pedro Lopez. “It’s unbelievable.”

The Renegades pitching staff was not solid however, as Glenn Gibson, Jordi Amargos and Jeffrey Cinadr gave up seven runs on seven hits and an error, courtesy of RBI hits by John Servidio, Matt Bouchard, Ralph Henriquez, Alex Gregory and Juan Centeno.

Wes Wrenn came into the game for Baracklyn in the eighth and gave up three runs the rest of the way, but kept it together to get the final out and ensure a 7-3 Clones win.

“Tonight was an outstanding game,” said Lopez. “I just told the guys that we have a good thing going here.”

Photo by Patrick Hickey Jr.

An All-Ivy player during all three seasons he played at Dartmouth, Santomauro hit .372 with eight home runs, 40 RBI and 13 doubles this season, while ranking among the league’s top 10 in eight separate offensive categories to earn the Player of the Year award.

“It’s exciting,” he said while in the Cyclones dugout before the game. “I told my parents not to come tonight because I haven’t been activated yet. I can’t wait to get started.”

Photo by Patrick Hickey Jr.

“For right now, it’s going to be be between Powers and Turgeon,” said Lopez after the team’s opening day win on Friday. “Hopefully I can use those guys every other day. If they work well and can close out games, I can use one in the eighth and one in the ninth. If that’s the case, we’re going to be in good shape.”

Photo by Ron Hatcher.

A fan favorite due to his hard-nosed work ethic and mega-watt smile, the 23-year-old is looking forward to getting an opportunity to show what he can do in a starting role, something he lost last season after the Cyclones brought in Sean Ratliff and Seth Williams to add depth to the outfield.

“I’m looking to set personal highs, be consistent and injury free,” he said. “I’ve never got a ring before either, so that’s another goal.”

Getting plenty of ABs in Extended Spring Training this season, Cyclones manager Pedro Lopez has liked what he’s seen so far from the Barry University-alumnus as well and plans to use him in a variety of roles.

“He’s a big part of our team,” said Lopez, who also mentioned that he likes Servidio in the lead-off spot due to his versatility. “He did a great job through extended Spring Training with us.”

Photos by Patrick Hickey Jr.

“I feel like Centeno was a better fit tonight,” Lopez, a former minor league catcher himself, said Friday night. “He’s retained a lot of information during the past two months in extended Spring Training. He runs well and handles the bat well and does a good job calling the game. It’s too early to say who the starter he, but he’s earned another start.”

Despite playing in only 39 games professional, Lopez has confidence in his young backstop.

“Last year in Spring training we really saw him as a number one guy somewhere,” said Lopez. “But there were little bumps in the road for him to get to St. Lucie. He’s putting everything together now.”

Centeno, on the other hand, is thinking too much about the future.

“I have a chance to play every day,” he said. “I just want to do things right. I’m so happy where I am right now.”

Hope you enjoy it.

After being no-hit for the first two innings by Staten Island Yankees hurler Ardonis Vizcaino, the Cyclones rallied for three runs in the third. Clones center fielder Seth Williams crossed the plate after a Vizcaino balk that tied the game. Vizcaino continued to lose control in the frame and gave up RBI hits off the bat of Matt Bouchard and Nick Giarraputo.

On the other side of the mound, Brooklyn starter and birthday boy Collin McHugh gave up two runs on five hits in innings of work.

“My fastball was working, I was getting ahead of many of the hitters,” said McHugh. “I could finish some of them off though. It was a battle. My arm felt good though.”

The Baby Mets got help from their cross-bridge rivals however, as the Yankees made two errors through the first four innings.

McHugh then lost control in the fifth, hurling a wild pitch that allowed a Staten Island run to score and make it a 3-2 game. He then beaned Luke Murton to load the bases with two outs. He was lucky enough to get Kyle Higashioka to fly out to Bouchard to end the inning though, keeping the Brooklyn lead in tact.

“He was outstanding. He did it for us over in extended and in St. Lucie,” said Cyclones skipper Pedro Lopez of his starting pitchers performance. “That’s one of the reasons why he was the number one guy for us tonight.”

John Servidio launched a lead off dinger off Vizcaino in the fifth, giving Brooklyn their two-run lead back.

Leading the team in RBI for a spell last season before a season-ending arm injury, Servidio looks to be a leader this season.

“I’m looking to have the best season of my career this year,” he said. “I’m really happy to be back. I love it here.”

Just like Servidio, Bouchard too is looking to lead. His third stint as a Cyclone, he’s hoping this one won’t be for long.

In the sixth, another holdover from last season, Mattias Carrillo, came in to pitch and responded by throwing three scoreless innings.

19-year-old catcher Juan Centeno extended the lead with an RBI triple in the sixth. He also notched an RBI single later that stretched the lead to 6-2.

“People think I can run because I’m a catcher,” said Centeno. “But it’s a big part of my game.”

Mike Powers came into the game in the ninth and got the three outs needed to end the game, earning his first save and the team’s first win in the process.

“It was everything I was looking for,” said Lopez of the win. “It was a close game and I think our boys responded. You hear a lot of things about the rivalry between these two teams and tonight was a good test for both of us. It was fun for me and it was fun for the guys. A good ballgame all the way around.”

Notes-

Mark Cohoon is scheduled to start tomorrow at Staten Island, while Angel Cuan is on the slate for Sunday in Brooklyn.

Flub of the night- Cyclones shortstop Luis Nieves misjudged a fly ball that ended up landing in for a hit. After looking like he had the ball under control, he dipped away to only have the ball drop about 15 feet behind him.

“I asked him if the ball took a bad hop up in the air. I’m going to see if I can get a rake and rake the air a bit,” said Lopez. “He hasn’t played many night games, he hasn’t played under the lights very often. We didn’t have much pop up practice because of the rain and the last time the wind was blowing in. Tonight, the wind was blowing out and he forgot. Things like that are going to happen and I’m not going to second guess him. I’m not worried about him, he’s a great shortstop with good tools. He’s going to make mistakes, he just has to learn from them.”

Attendance for the game was 9,284.

http://nybaseballdigest.com/?page_id=9070

While they got one answer to their questions when Pedro Lopez was announced the team’s new skipper a few months back, the jury is still out on how dominant the team will be this season

If you ask Lopez though, he believes his team will be energetic and quick on the base paths, producing a high-octane product that is sure to induce thrills at Keyspan Park this summer.

“I’m aggressive and I like the running game,” said Lopez. “Fonzie did a great job here and hopefully I can continue where he left off.”

With 10 returning Cyclones, including fan favorites Erik Turgeon and John Servidio and seldom-used, but highly effective hurler Jim Fuller on the roster as well, Lopez has plenty of players to evaluate this season. As a matter of fact, Lopez has already saw his fair share of players that have caught his eye.

“We have this exciting kid [Luis] Nieves,” he said. “We’re trying to decide whether he’s going to start at shortstop on Friday or not. We have a 19-year-old, [Juan] Centeno behind the plate too. We have a lot of exciting players.”

Last managing in the Texas Rangers system in 2007, Lopez also has an impressive minor league playing resume under his belt.

A .249 career hitter over 877 games in the San Diego, Houston and Milwaukee systems, his best season came in 1991 when he hit .284 with eight homers and 57 RBI in 102 games at the A-level Waterloo Diamonds. During his 12-year minor league career, the catcher was also a teammate of big leaguers such as Tim Worrell, Lance Painter, Joey Hamilton, Keith Lockhart and Kevin Maas.

That experience he feels will help him plenty this season.

“I just want my guys to feel that they can go out there and play the game without making mistakes,” Lopez said. “They’ll play and we’ll talk after the game. I’m not going to second guess them. My coaching staff isn’t going to do that either. We’re going to create the best atmosphere for them and give these fans the best show ever.”

Sure, his batting average cold be a bit higher, but I’m sure the Mets are more than happy with his on-base percentage and his RBI totals, especially considering the fact that he’s sharing third base duties with another former Cyclone in Matt Bouchard. In just 125 at bats, Lutz is fourth on the team in RBI and has the highest OBP of any player with more than 100 ABS. 12 of his 32 hits have also been for extra bases, making him a more than ample extra base threat. I said it before and I still feel the same way; if Lutz can stay healthy, he’s one of the best hitting prospects in the Mets system and someone that could be another Daniel Murphy-type player for the Mets in the future.

Scott Shaw- 2-3, 3.43 ERA in 11 starts with St. Lucie.

As always, Shaw is Mr. Steady and continues to have the type of control that will get him noticed as he climbs up the ladder. In 63 innings, the southpaw has 18 walks, not too shabby. Opposing hitters are hitting .246 off him as well. Is a call-up to Double-A in his cards sometime soon? As of right now, as signs point to yes.

Nick Carr- 2.82 ERA, three saves with St. Lucie.

After a miserable season in 2008 as a starter, Carr seems to have taken to the reliever role quite nicely.

Emmanuel Garcia- .279 BA, three dingers, 24 RBI with B-Mets.

Another guy who is bouncing back from a mediocre season last year. With dynamic speed and an Ichiro-like demeanor at the plate [he gets out of the box in a hurry], Garcia has the capability to be an excellent lead-off hitter. However, his strikeout totals remain too high. He simply has to take more pitches, or else, he’ll be more of a Lance Johnson-single-machine type. His 15 extra base hits and 47 singles so far this season are a testament to that.

DJ Wabick- .306 BA, one homer, 29 RBI with B-Mets.

A good contact hitter who can play the outfield and first base, Wabick has the potential to be a useful bench player in the big leagues one day. Needs to draw more walks and hit better against left handed pitching before that happens though.

Brad Holt- 4-1, 3.02 ERA in nine starts between St. Lucie and the B-Mets.

Last season, I said that I saw Holt as a starter for the foreseeable future, mainly due to the fact that not many knew what his secondary pitches were capable of. On top of that his power curve showed significant problems and came an amazingly long way in just a summer of hard work. This season is obviously still foreseeable and Holt has been excellent, averaging over a strikeout an inning and keeping opposing hitters to a measly .203 batting average. With his last start at the AA level yesterday, the future looks to be getting brighter by the way for the youngster.

Kirk Nieuwenhuis- Eight homers, 20 RBI and five steals in 47 games.

Overall, Captain Kirk is proving he can survive on the High-A level and has shown that he has more power than people gave him credit for last season. With his excellent defensive ability as well, I think a call up to AA is an inevitable one at some point this season. Nevertheless, he has to cut down on his strikeout totals and improve his ability against left-handed pitching. Otherwise, he’ll project more as a fourth outfielder than the starting outfielder many thought and still believe he can be when they watched him in Brooklyn last year.

Dylan Owen- 0-5, 6.97 in 10 starts in AA.

It seems that Owen’s start power has diminished a bit and he’s come back to earth. Maybe a stint in St. Lucie can revitalize him.

Ike Davis- .283, four dingers, 21 RBI.

Aside from an alarming amount of strikeouts, Davis is making a believer out of many who thought he jumped the shark in Brooklyn last season. On pace for a solid 15 homer, 70 RBI season, Davis projects to be more like the Lyle Overbay-type player I projected him to be everyday.

Jenrry Mejia- 4-1, 1.97 ERA in nine starts in St. Lucie.

Just called up to AA, Mejia, just like Holt is proving he may have what it takes to move up through the system at a pace not many expected. Many questioned his maturity at times last season, so it’s important to see how he handles his first rough patch with the B-Mets. Nevertheless, at 19, he’s quickly becoming one of the best prospects in the system.

Photo by Ron Hatcher.

July 3, 2007- Throwing out the ceremonial first pitch before the Cyclones took on the Hudson Valley Renegades last Sunday, Danny McDevitt, the pitcher who threw the last pitch in Brooklyn Dodgers history, alongside the catcher who was behind the plate, Joe Pignatano, reminisced on their time at Ebbets Field.

“I don’t remember a whole lot, but this thing has become something special as time has gone on and it’s very important to me now,” said McDevitt, who had one of his best seasons in 1957 as a rookie, going 7-4 with a 3.25 ERA. “Back then, I was just a dumb left-hander.”

Coming back to Brooklyn, where he was born and raised after his playing days were over in 1962, Pignatano still feels that the greatest moment of his career was playing in Ebbets field during his rookie season. It may have been 50 years since he was in a Brooklyn Dodgers uniform, but Pignatano’s eye shined with the exuberance of a young major leaguer when recollecting the early days of his career.

“I was happy as a pig in you know what to be here,” said Pignatano, who also played for the Athletics and the Mets during his career. “We were a family and our captain, Pee Wee [Reese] kept us together and working hard. It was just super.”

While it was obvious that both McDevitt and Pignatano loved their time in Brooklyn and despite the fact that they both would have liked to stay there, they understand why Dodgers owner Walter O’Malley moved the team to Los Angeles almost 50 years ago.

“The atmosphere was great and the fans were great. They were so knowledgeable. We were like their babies and when we left, you’d think they lost their kids,” said Pignatano. “Did I want to leave here? No, this was my home. I had friends and family here and this is where I wanted to stay, but I was a major leaguer and I was going to play with any team that game me a sweater. So in order to play, I had to go to LA.

“If I was in his [O’Malley’s] position, I probably would have done the same thing, regardless of if I lived here or not.”

Despite having similar feelings about the move to Los Angeles, McDevitt felt that the atmosphere in Brooklyn was one that thrived on baseball and brought the best out in the players.

“Making the move to LA probably took 15 years off of my career,” he said jokingly. “This was such a good baseball town and the players really got involved in the community. All the players were family men and they cared in the community. If you read Carl Erskine’s book, he mentions his grocery man, barber and butcher a lot. Those types of things just don’t happen anywhere else.”

Leaving Brooklyn was obviously tough for both of the New York natives, but their day at Keyspan is something they’ll never forget.

“I grew up a mile from here, born and raised,” said Pignatano. “And the team I played sandlot ball with was called the Cyclones, so to me it means a lot. There’s nothing better than being here today.”

Photo by George Napolitano

Seven years ago, Joshua Prager had just landed his dream job writing human interest stories for the Wall Street Journal. Six weeks later, the Yankees and Mets both found themselves in the World Series. Feeling the need to find out something about the Subway Series’ of old for the Journal that no one else knew about, Prager single-handedly uncovered the truth behind one of greatest moments in baseball history.

The Giants stole signs in the famous playoff series with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1951 and were doing so for almost four months beforehand.

Growing up a baseball buff with a picture of the ’55 Dodgers in his room and a photograph of Lou Gehrig over his bed, Prager realized the magnitude of this fact.

“At the time, baseball was the undisputed king of sports, there was nothing even close,” he said. “New York was the greatest city in the world and was home to the greatest sport in the country, making this the biggest moment in baseball history at the time. It was also the first nationally televised sporting event; it meant something to everyone.”

Taking four months to uncover the truth, Prager eventually had enough information to turn his article into a tell-all book. Released in Oct. 2006, “The Echoing Green: The Untold Story of Ralph Branca, Bobby Thomson and the Shot Heard Round the World,” tells the behind-the-scenes story of how the Giants cheated.

The story of how Prager got hold of the information is an interesting one, as well.

“I wanted to see if there was anything new I could write about an old Subway Series that hadn’t been written about,” Prager said. “So I called a guy named Barry Halper, a famous baseball memorabilia collector, and I asked him if there was anything interesting in the Subway Series of the past that he could tell me that not many people knew about.”

Figuring that he would find something juicy from his source, Prager kept the conversation rolling, but never thought he’d hear what he did.

“After he mentioned about a billion names and things, he mentioned the rumor that the Giants stole signs [in the 1951 playoff game against the Dodgers],” Prager said. “I asked him if it was true and he said ‘no way.’ I asked why not and he told me that Ralph Branca had told him and he thought that Branca, the pitcher who lost the game, had something to gain by telling him this and that it was baseball’s greatest moment. It would have been proven by now.

“To me, that represented a huge challenge and I needed to find out.”

Embarking on a four-month journey that took him all over the country, Prager did extensive research on the Giants and eventually got a list of players and their contact information from the Sporting News archive.

“During that time, I literally spoke to everyone that was on the Giants, even the ones that had the proverbial cup of coffee,” he said. “From Francis ‘Red’ Hardy and Spider Jorgensen to Willie Mays and Bobby Thomson. That’s how I got to know this team and got enough information to write the book.”

However, it wasn’t until he talked to a particular player that he felt he was on his way to cracking the case.

“Finally, I got to the team’s captain and shortstop Alvin Dark,” Prager said. “He got very angry and kept repeating that he knew nothing. After he hung up on me, I was convinced he knew something about it and there was something more there.”

At that point, many journalists would start feeling the pressure of a deadline looming over them. Prager, however, knew he was in his element and kept digging.

“There was a lot of pressure, because I knew that with all of this time, I had to deliver. I was working on this for a while, but I never let it really bother me,” he said. “Everyone has their strengths as a reporter. My great weaknesses are covering a beat, trying to cover something that everyone else is covering and dealing with competition. What I’m better at is writing long human-interest stories.”

Slowly but surely, Prager got what he had set out to get.

First he learned that in mid-July of 1951, Giants third base coach Herman Franks was moved into the manager’s office over center field, which was to the right and above of the Polo Grounds bullpen. Replaced by Giants manager Leo Durocher, Franks was assigned to look out Durocher’s window over centerfield and steal signs from the opposing catcher. Using infielder Hank Schenz’s telescope, Franks would steal the sign and press a button, once for a fastball and twice for an off-speed pitch. That button, which was installed by Polo Grounds electrician Abe Chadwick, was connected to a buzzer that was next to the bullpen phone in center field. Once the buzzer rang, bullpen catcher Sal Yvars would then either cross his legs or throw a ball in the air, signaling the pitch to the hitter, who was looking in that direction anyway.

While this may seem like a long and complicated process, Prager insists that by October 3, 1951, the Giants had been practicing it for almost four months and could pull it off in a few seconds.

“Little by little I got little clues as to what was going on,” he said. “So as the days, weeks and months rolled by, I knew what I was doing. Once I found out it was true, I knew I could take my time.”

Despite finding out the truth, Prager doesn’t know for sure if it contributed to the Giants pennant win, but believes that it played a huge part in the players’ lives.

“While the effect of the cheating is debatable, the effect of keeping the secret of the cheating is undeniable,” he said. “After my book came out, both Thomson and Branca were on several radio and TV shows and Thomson said he felt like he had just got out of prison. For me to play a small role in that is very thrilling.”

Rather than force people to come to conclusions and possibly tarnish this phenomenal moment in baseball history, Prager said it’s best for baseball buffs to look at the facts and then decide how they feel.

“A lot of people wanted me to tell them how to feel about it,” said Prager. “I can’t do that. All I can do is tell you that this moment is slightly different from the way most people see it. All I can tell you is what really happened.”

Now recognized for his part in this great debate, Prager’s relentless efforts at reporting this story have changed the way the world looks at what is arguably the most memorable moment in baseball history.

“For me to contribute a part to this moment and discussion is very rewarding for me,” he said. “It goes to prove that if you work hard and keep peeling back the layers, you can find something special.”

Enjoy.

Winning 149 games during his 10-year Major League career, Don Newcombe was not only a baseball legend who will always be a fan favorite in Brooklyn, he was one of the first African-Americans to ever play in the big leagues. A three-time 20-game winner with the Brooklyn Dodgers in the 50s, Newcombe was one of the best pitchers of his era.

Dem Brooklyn Bums: While many people are familiar with you from your playing days in Brooklyn, you played a few years in the Negro Leagues, what was that like?

Don Newcombe: The Negro leagues were great because it was the only place where I could play at first because I was a black man. We got a great start playing against guys like Josh Gibson, Buck O’Neil, Cool Papa Bell and some of those other guys. It was a great experience. Those guys were great ballplayers and I wish they would have gotten the chance. Luckily, somebody got that chance and it was Jackie Robinson, Roy Campanella, Larry Doby and Don Newcombe.

DBB: What was it like playing with Jackie Robinson?

Newcombe: He was a great man; Jackie was the greatest to be around on and off the field. He was an inspiration to me; he taught me to be a winner. One day he told me to take my uniform off and go home if I didn’t want to pitch today and if I didn’t like what he had to say, we could go into the clubhouse and settle it. I wasn’t about to go into the clubhouse and settle anything with Jackie Robinson. Being around a person with an attitude and a work ethic like that made me a winner. I’ll never forget that man for as long as I live.

DBB: Not many people know that you played in Japan once your playing career was over, what was that like?

Newcombe: I enjoyed my time in Japan. I was the first former Major leaguer to play in Japan and I really had a good time there. It needed to be done and I did it. I had a pretty good year that year too. I wanted to come back the next year, but they never called me when I went back home.

DBB: You won both the CY Young award and the MVP in 1956. Many baseball analysts still consider that one of the best seasons ever by a major league pitcher. How much does that season still mean to you?

Newcombe: I was 9-5 in 1956 at the All-Star break and didn’t make the All-Star team. It doesn’t take a mathematical genius to know that I went 18-2 during the second half the year; I don’t think anyone in baseball has ever done that before. And the two games I did lose, I lost 1-0 and 2-0. Don Newcombe must have been a pretty good pitcher in 1956; they had to give me something.

DBB: What were the fans in Brooklyn like when you played here?

Newcombe: The fans here were so special. They were a lot like the fans that are here today, loud, but supportive. Those people were proud to be Dodgers fans, they were true blue.

Photo by Martin Bromberger.

Get a few big bats- Over the three seasons that I’ve covered the team, the Cyclones have rarely had a bona fide power hitter [too bad I missed Caleb Stewart] and have relied on pitching to ensure their winning ways. Sure guys like Jason Jacobs, Dustin Martin and Kirk Nieuwenhuis have had great years, but they are far from the type of offensive seasons some other players in the NYPL have put up over the past few seasons.

I’m sure the injuries and inconsistencies of Reese Havens and Ike Davis last season played a part in that trend continuing as well. I mean, who could have predicted Davis could have had that much of a problem with NYPL pitching? No one, that’s who. The same thing goes for the array of injuries Havens was forced to deal with. Perhaps I’m looking into this too much, but I think Keyspan Park plays a huge role in this, as the wind kills a large percentage of the fly balls hit. Nonetheless, a good extra-base hitter with solid speed, in the mold of an Ambiorix Concepcion, with a bit more power, would be a perfect addition to the team.

As well, it would compliment the always strong pitching staff and perhaps give the team enough steam to win it’s first real NYPL championship.

Keep the draft pick trend alive- Last season, the Mets brought a plethora of their draft picks over to Brooklyn. For the first time in a while, fans and media alike were completely happy with the moves the team made. Over the first two years I covered the team, fans on various message boards often complained about the players either chosen to play in Brooklyn at the start of the season or the ones that eventually made their way there. Last season, the team had a chance to grow together and that in itself was something very enjoyable to watch.

If that trend continues, I’m sure the fans at Keyspan will continue to voice their happiness about it.

It would also continue to cement the team’s notion of watching the future stars of the Mets before the hit the big leagues. In the end, isn’t that why fans head out to Keyspan in the first place?

Enjoy!

Anyone who knows anything about Brooklyn baseball still re­members the name Ralph Branca. Sure, everyone knows he was the pitcher who gave up the infamous Bobby Thomson home run in 1951 that cost the Dodgers the pennant, but few remember what a pivotal part of those successful Brooklyn teams the right-hander was, along­side Jackie Robinson, Sandy Kou­fax and Pee Wee Reese.

Throwing out the first pitch before the Cyclones took on the Jamestown Jammers this past Sunday, Branca looked back on his career and shared some of his favorite memories about his playing days in Brooklyn, reveal­ing just how much the game has changed since he hung up his cleats in 1956.

A key member of several Dodg­er teams that always found a way to win, Branca, 81, feels that because the team stuck together for so long, the fans in Brooklyn were able to connect with them in ways that aren’t possible anymore, due to free agency and the huge salaries pres­ent in today’s game.

“Brooklyn will always hold a special place in my heart,” said Branca. “The fans in Brooklyn were the greatest. However, I know those great times also had some­thing to do with the team I played for, which had so many great guys. They were so competitive. We won six national league championships and lost three more on the last day; we could have won nine out of 13 after the war.”

The reason why many believe that the Dodgers were somehow always involved in the chase for the pennant every season, despite injuries, was because the organi­zation at Brooklyn paid very close attention to the mental makeup of the players they signed, rather than their raw ability on the field. While Branca never knew what the inter­nal philosophy in the organization was when signing players, he did notice the team was always ready to play, loaded with a cast of char­acters with enough levity and cha­risma to star in a major motion pic­ture.

“I don’t know if he [Dodgers GM Branch Rickey] judged them on intelligence or playing ability, but we always had good teams,” said Branca who is a graduate of New York University. “We were all genuinely nice guys that were team-oriented. It was a great group of gentlemen, to be truthful. It was all basically led by Pee Wee [Re­ese]; he set the example. He and Jackie were really like the co-lead­ers of the club. So I don’t know if our team was brought together by those guys or by Rickey looking for intelligence or something else.”

As a matter of fact, Branca be­lieves it was just a coincidence that the Dodger teams he played on had an uncanny amount of character and respect for the community and be­lieves that all baseball players dur­ing the late 40s and early 50s had to be smart cookies to make it in the world of professional baseball.

“You had to be smart to play this game in the 40s, to remember all the stuff about the other teams. There were no computers back then, so this [pointing to his head] was your computer,” said Branca, with a laugh. “We never had any­thing written down; you’d just re­member what you pitched to guys and their reactions to certain quirks you had. I think it was all just part of the game and I think back then you needed to have that intelligence to be a good player.”

Despite the togetherness, intel­ligence and moxie that he and his fellow teammates exhibited on the field, Branca’s career was never the same after a terrible off-field accident that limited the former 20-game winner to only 22 starts and 12 victories over the last three years of his career. Instead of feel­ing sorry for himself, the straight-shooting Branca admits he didn’t take care of himself the way he should have during his career, but also feels that if sports medicine was a little more advanced dur­ing his time in Brooklyn, he could have played longer.

“At that time, they didn’t have anything in sports medicine that could have helped me. I went vir­tually untreated. When I went to Detroit (he was claimed off waiv­ers by the Tigers in 1953), the trainer worked on me really hard and he sent me to the Detroit os­teopathic clinic and they found out my back was really thrown out of whack, my pelvis was tilted and my left side went up an inch and a half,” said Branca, who was also a three-time All-Star during his 12-year career. “I could throw hard on some days, but not on others. In the end, all I really needed was a stilt on my shoe to prop me up a bit. I just wasn’t smart enough to take care of myself.”

However, what Branca misses more than the All-Star appearances and big games, are the Brooklyn fans.

“Dodger fans were just the greatest. They understood the game and respected the opposition. Stan Musial was called ‘Stan the man,’ that nickname was given to him by the fans in Brooklyn,” said Branca, whose eyes still burn with the in­tensity of a major leaguer. “When he came to bat, they gave him a standing ovation. I don’t think that happens anymore. The other aspect of it was the ballpark. Ebbets Field was just so intimate. It was built very tight on the field, there wasn’t much room in foul territory and because of that, I don’t think there was a bad seat in the house. You were always on top of the action.”

If the love of the fans in Brook­lyn was important to Branca during his playing career, the rivalry be­tween the Dodgers and the Giants may be a close second. However, back when he played, every team treated every opponent like a hated rival.

“We never talked to the oppo­sition, especially the Giants,” said Branca. “Just ‘hi and hello,’ and that’s it. If they weren’t on Brook­lyn, I didn’t want anything to do with them. That’s how it should be. Nowadays, they get on first, they have a conversation and then once they get to second, they have an­other. It’s different now, they’re in a union; they’re all brothers. Because of free agency, the guy you run into a few times this week could be your teammate next season.”

For some people, imagining baseball without multi-million dollar television and endorsement deals, video games and DVD box sets, highlighting every past glory and achievement, is almost un­imaginable.

But for Branca and a small con­tingent of fans, this is what baseball was and hopefully what it could be again sometime in the future; a game played at 110 percent by great athletes, that care about the community they live in and have the time to talk to their barber and butcher on the way to work every day.

Nowadays, the chances of see­ing A-Rod or Tom Glavine and their wives at the same church on Sunday with the average Joe is as unlikely as seeing the Dodgers come back to Brooklyn.

Branca would not only have gone to the church service, he would have shook your hand afterwards, the same way he’d shake it today – with conviction and benevolence.

Photo by Wikipedia.

In this interview done in September 2007, Rodriguez talks about the transition to first base and the interesting way he planned to improve his footwork at the position.

As always, you can listen to the interview here @

http://media.switchpod.com//users/dembrooklynbums/TheLostInterviewsJoaquinRodriguez.mp3

Photo by Daniel Wos.

New York Mets

Pitchers

Bobby Parnell

Outfielders

Ryan Church- rehab stint, Daniel Murphy

Buffalo Bisons

Pitchers

Dillon Gee, Junior Guerra, Eddie Kunz, Carlos Muniz

Infielders

Nick Evans, Jon Malo

B-Mets

Pitchers

Nick Abel, Mike Antonini, Eric Brown, German Marte, Roy Merritt, Dylan Owen, Jake Ruckle, Tobi Stoner

Infielders

Matt Bouchard, Shawn Bowman, Lucas Duda, Emmanuel Garcia

Outfielders

Josh Peterson, Caleb Stewart, D.J. Wabick

St. Lucie-

Pitchers

Nicholas Carr , Matias Carrillo Jr., Stephen Clyne, Jose De La Torre, Bradley Holt, Jenrry Mejia, Eric Niesen, Edgar Ramirez, Brant Rustich, Scott Shaw, Nick Waechter

Infielders

Ike Davis, Jake Eigsti, Reese Havens, Luis Rivera, Zach Lutz

Outfielders

Kirk Nieuwenhuis,Seth Williams

Savannah

Pitchers

Eric Beaulac, Rhiner Cruz,Jimmy Johnson, Jeff Kaplan, Manny Olivares, Wendy Rosa, Chris Schwinden, Erik Turgeon

Catchers

Luis Alen

Infielders

Eric Campbell, Wilmer Flores, Jose Jimenez, Juan Lagares, Josh Satin

Outfielders

Rafael Fernandez, Sean Ratliff, Raul Reyes

Now that these rosters are available, fans will begin to have a much better idea of who may be headed to Brooklyn this season.

Here are a few notables that are missing from these rosters:

Pitchers

Pedro P. Martinez, Tim Stronach, James Fuller

Catchers

Jordan Abruzzo- DL, Caesar Cordido, Doc Doyle

Infielders

Kyle Suire, Matt Smith-DL, J.R. Voyles

Outfielders

John Servidio

Photo by Ron Hatcher.

However, after the season was over, Schilling and the organization parted ways and Schilling hasn’t played in the pros since.

In this interview conducted over the first week of the 2007, Schilling discussed his new role and where he saw himself fitting in with his new team.

You can download the file here @

http://media.switchpod.com//users/dembrooklynbums/MicahSchilling625.wav

Photo by Daniel Wos.

However, in the early part of the 2007 season, the 6′1 righty was an unknown 21st round pick trying to get noticed.

In this exclusive interview, a timid Gee talks about how he was making the adjustment from college ball to the pros.

You can download the file @

http://media.switchpod.com//users/dembrooklynbums/DemBrooklynBumsBlastFromthePastDillonGee72007.mp3

Photo by Jim Dolan

Jimmy Johnson- Easily one of the best middle relievers in the NY-Penn League last season, Johnson, who came out of nowhere after being drafted in the 28th round, sparkled with excellent control and was able to consistently get himself out of jams. He also only gave up 20 hits and 11 walks in 36 innings of work. Without an explosive fastball however, Johnson will be tested much more at Savannah, where I see him at least starting the season due to the fact that former Cyclones skipper Edgar Alfonzo loved his game and used him a ton. There, he can gain some confidence before he heads up to St. Lucie.

Wendy Rosa- Unlike Johnson, Rosa’s biggest weakness is his control, which was a huge reason why he was demoted to Brooklyn last season. There were times when it looked like he had his problems solved, but overall, he still has serious work ahead of him before he can move up the organizational ladder. Expect a full season in Savannah, where he can earn some bumps and bruises.

Roy Merritt- Expect the same for Merritt, who will be asked to continue to develop his secondary pitches at either Savannah or St. Lucie after a marvelous season in Brooklyn last year. His slider aside however, Merritt isn’t equipped to handle the everyday pressures of Double-A and until he can either develop another pitch or find a niche in a Mike Myers-esque role, facing one hitter in the lineup and then calling it a night, he’s going to have problems at higher levels.

Yury Santana- At 26, despite an excellent season last year, time is running out for the fiery righty. He needs a big season at St. Lucie and some time in Double-A. In order for that to happen though, he’s going to have to find a way to not only be consistent on the mound, something that was a problem at times last season, but he’s also going to have to learn to take it easy on himself. Showing Carlos Zambrano-esque fits at times, Santana was usually unable to put the pieces back together on the mound after a few bad at bats. If that continues, he may find himself out of the game all together.

Edit- Santana was released earlier in the month. Sorry for the confusion guys, as I am currently swamped covering the EPHL’S Brooklyn Aces.

Jeffries Tatford- 11 homers, 50 RBI in Savannah with a cup of coffee in St. Lucie. After wasting away in Brooklyn for two seasons, many believed he was going to eventually be released. However, he was called up to Savannah and responded marvelously, hitting .276 with 12 RBI in 30 games. If Ike Davis is promoted straight to St. Lucie this season and doesn’t hit Savannah first, Tatford will get more playing time and will continue to move up the organizational ladder.

Sean Ratliff- 15 homers, 55 RBI in Savannah and St. Lucie- Despite alarming strikeout totals, Ratliff showed some power towards the end of the season last year in Brooklyn and much like Servidio, showed an ability in the outfield that any team in the organization would be happy to possess. Simply put, Ratliff has the ability to be a star, he just has to find some sort of consistency at the plate. If that happens, expect those numbers I have posted up there. If not, expect a low batting average and high strikeout totals.

Eric Campbell- eight homers, 60 RBI in Savannah and St. Lucie- While he didn’t put up the power numbers many thought he would last season, Campbell is a good contact hitter with a penchant for clutch hits. He also has good patience for a youngster, a trait that is almost impossible to teach and something that should benefit him as he moves up the ladder. His ability to play a few infield positions and left field also make him extremely versatile and make it that much easier for him to get in the lineup. As well, his defense and speed are much better than most people give him credit for. If he can hit in the sixth spot and has a few guys in front of him that can get on base, Campbell will have a very good year this season.

While Dan Murphy and Nick Evans are currently hitting over .300 and positioned atop the teams leader board in hitting this spring, several other former baby bums have been swinging well as well.

Even four Cyclones from last year got a call, as Sean Ratliff, Zach Lutz, Kirk Nieuwenhuis and Ike Davis have garnered plate appearances, with mixed success. Lutz and Nieuwenhuis each have a double a piece in three combined at bats, while Ratliff and Davis have gone hitless in four at bats.

It should be very interesting to see what happens with Lutz, who despite showing remarkable poise at the plate in his minor league plate appearances, has had tremendous problems staying healthy over the past two seasons. A good and injury-free showing in the Grapefruit League could help get him back on track.

The same thing goes for former Cyclone Angel Pagan, who looks ready to rock again after spending most of last season on the shelf after a fast start and is hitting .467 in 15 at-bats.

On the pitching side of things, Dillon Gee has looked decent in three appearances, but doesn’t seem ready for the show as of yet. Some more seasoning in Double-A with a stop in Triple-A before his big league debut should do the trick for him. Carlos Muniz also seems like another pitcher that could use a bit more seasoning, but at 28 years old, you wonder if he’ll ever be able to reproduce the stellar numbers he put up in Brooklyn, in Queens.

2005 Cyclone Bobby Parnell looks a bit more polished than he did in his small cup of coffee with the team last season and could be someone to keep an eye out for as well.

Other notables include Mike Antonini and Roy Merritt, who have also seen time in Spring Training with much different results. Antonini has thrown two scoreless innings this Spring, while Merritt, who is still developing his secondary pitches to compliment an excellent slider and a average fastball, is still finding out what he needs to do in order to be successful. In just a third of an inning of work, the lefty-side-armer has given up three runs and two hits.

Photo by Ron Hatcher

Brad Holt- 12-6, 2.95 ERA, while averaging a strikeout an inning in St. Lucie; expect a mid to late season call up to the B-Mets as well. It’s a big assumption to make, but I do think that Holt will continue the success that he had in Brooklyn, but won’t be as dominant. His ERA last season was 1.87 and this season, I feel it’ll go up another full point. Nevertheless, the way his breaking pitches progressed last season, he’s still going to be successful and yes, he will still be a starter [well, in my crazy mind anyway]. That may change when he gets comfortable in Double-A though.

Dillon Gee- 15-9 3.50 ERA combined with B-Mets and Buffalo, while eventually making his MLB debut. Watching this guy pitch in Brooklyn in 2007 was a blast as he has some phenomenal control and pitched great in tight spots. That success has carried over into higher levels as well as he was rock solid with both St. Lucie and Binghamton last season. Unlike Owen, who relies on the strikeout more to get out of jams, Gee induces a ton of ground balls in addition to getting a decent amount of K’s. Because of that type of versatility, I expect a ton of success from him in the future. Remember, you heard it here first.

Jenry Mejia- 8-13, 4.75 ERA in Savannah, with some time in St. Lucie. Let me just say for the record that I love this kid’s off-speed pitches. His fastball also has a ton of pop at 96 MPH. He’s got a ton of talent, but he’s still extremely green. Watching him walk a half dozen hitters in a row one game in Brooklyn last season proved that more than anything. Nevertheless, he’s got so much natural talent that you can never count him out. In spite of that, I see him going through some growing pains this season as he learns to become more of a complete pitcher both on the mound and off. Reminding me a lot of a young Jose Lima or Carlos Zambrano, Mejia lets his emotions get to him at times and it will be something that he’ll have to learn to control before he can truly be successful.

Photo by Daniel Wos.

Ike Davis- .270 BA, 15 HR and 75 RBI combined with Savannah and St. Lucie. Contrary to what many think, I don’t see Davis making his major league debut until sometime in 2010, most likely in August or September. His swing still has a few kinks in it and I think spending some time in A-Ball before heading up to High-A will help him address those concerns. When I spoke to Savannah manager Edgar Alfonzo after the instructional leagues were over this past Fall, he believed Davis had come a long way. Rather than push him through the system quickly, I think the Mets, who still have Carlos Delgado at first, will make sure Davis matures into the extra base hitter and slick fielder he’s supposed to be. I see that process beginning this season.

Kirk Nieuwenhuis- .300, six HR, 60 RBI, 30 SB with St. Lucie. Notice the higher batting average than last season? That’s because Nieuwenhuis has the tools to be an excellent professional outfielder and I believe this is the season that he begins to show it. If he can cut down on his strikeout totals from last season as well, he’ll be able to produce even more and may even warrant a call up to Double-A.

Josh Satin- .285 18 HR 59 RBI with Savannah. Eventually showing the tools of a solid second baseman last season, I think Satin would have shown a lot more if the Cyclones made the playoffs. Patient at the plate with a great approach, Satin will make a full-season team out of Spring training and begin to show some promise.

Jordan Abruzzo- .295 14 HR 55 RBI with St. Lucie and B-Mets. Not only is Abruzzo a great catcher that has the skills and attitude to manage a pitching staff at any level of professional baseball, he’s an extremely clutch hitter. While he’d secure himself a spot in Double-A right now if he could hit for more power, I think that after about 30 games this season, you’ll see him in Binghamton where he’ll earn his stripes and show why the fans at Brooklyn loved him so much. Good defensive catchers that can switch hit for power don’t grow on trees and Abruzzo can do it all. This will be the season, unless injuries slow him down, that he shows what he is truly capable of.

Photo by Ron Hatcher.

“We are excited to welcome a new staff to Brooklyn,” said Cyclones’ General Manager Steve Cohen on the team’s official website. “Each year, we have been fortunate to have coaches who work tirelessly, both on the field and in the community and we look forward to continuing that tradition.”

For longtime Cyclones fans, seeing a coaching staff or even a player roster without an Alfonzo present [Alfonzo's son, Edgar Jr., played with the team in 2004 and 2005] may take a bit of time to get adjusted to, but in time, they should feel comfortable in the hands of Lopez.

Last managing in the Texas Rangers system in 2007, Lopez also has an impressive minor league playing resume under his belt. A .249 career hitter over 877 games in the San Diego, Houston and Milwaukee systems as a player, Perez has plenty of first hand experience at the level to be an adequate teacher to whoever the Cyclones bring to Keyspan this summer. His best season came in 1991 when he hit .284 with eight homers and 57 RBI in 102 games at the A-level Waterloo Diamonds. During his 12-year minor league career, the catcher was also a teammate of big leaguers such as Tim Worrell, Lance Painter, Joey Hamilton, Keith Lockhart and Kevin Maas.

However, the appointment of Lopez was not the only move the team made to shake up the coaching staff.

Pitching Coach Rick Tomlin joins the organization and replaces Brooklyn favorite Hector Berrios, after spending 20 years in the systems of the Washington Nationals, New York Yankees and Minnesota Twins.

Hitting Coach Jack Voigt, who was originally supposed to be the team’s hitting instructor in 2006 joins the the team after three seasons in the Mets organization. Voight is also the only member of the coaching staff to have spent time in the big leagues [92-97, 99] . His best season came in 1997, when he hit eight homers and 22 RBI in 72 games with the Brewers. He was so popular during his time in Milwaukee that he got a drink named after him, which consists of Amaretto, banana liqueur and spiced rum.

Coach Joel Fuentes joins the club after coaching in St. Lucie last season. As a player, he spent seven seasons in the San Francisco Giants organization before retiring in 2003.

Photo by Ron Hatcher.

Simply put, Alfonzo looked like he needed a break.

Nevertheless, as soon as the season was over, Fonzie was out coaching the very same players he spent the summer with, at the team’s instructional leagues, doing whatever he had to in order to help them climb up the proverbial food chain in the Mets organization.

You see, dedication and maintaining a top-notch work ethic are things that Alfonzo takes very seriously.

So despite the fact that he probably was in the need of a shave of a Red Bull, Alfonzo went to instructional league and ended up enjoying himself.

“These guys are working very hard and are learning a lot,” Alfonzo, who has served at several different positions in the organization over the past decade, said via telephone in . “I’ve had a lot of fun with them here. Guys like [Cyclones outfielder] Sean Ratliff and [Cyclones first baseman] Ike Davis have shown me a lot. They are absorbing all the information and are playing very well.”

A few months later, Alfonzo’s name still appears on the team’s website as the team’s skipper, but unlike previous years, where announcements were made at this time in the season, the team has yet to make a decision on who will be behind the bench.

In spite of how last season ended, with the team missing the playoffs for the first time in three seasons and the first time with Alfonzo at the helm, Fonzie was rewarded for his time and energy and was appointed as the head coach of the Savannah Sand Gnats a week and a half ago.

That doesn’t mean he didn’t enjoy himself in Brooklyn though.

“Aside from the big leagues, Brooklyn is the best place to manage in the Mets organization,” said Alfonzo. “I don’t know what the organizations plans are for me next season, but I know that I’ve really enjoyed my time there.”

However, with Alfonzo now in Savannah, who will manage the Cyclones?

Many fans feel that Donovan Mitchell, former Cyclones coach and lifetime .275 hitter over 780 minor league games is the front runner. Coaching at Savannah last season and Kingsport in ‘06 and ‘07, Mitchell definitely has the charisma and resume to coach in Brooklyn.

The only question is, will he?

Chatting with DBB on the phone from California on Feb. 4, Satin talks about his offseason, what it was like playing Brooklyn last season and what he expects from himself in the future.

You can listen to the file here:

http://www.switchpod.com/users/dembrooklynbums/DemBrooklynBumsPodcastJoshSatinInterview204.mp3

Or go to the site’s page on I-tunes and listen there:

http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=284456470

Opening Day Massacre 2006- Not only did the Staten Island Yankees destroy the Cyclones’ pitching staff, it was my first game covering a team as a beat writer. No more one-time assignments where I could do my interview with a player and leave before the game started, this was my team to cover. I still remember the tingling feeling in my feet during the national anthem or the instant messages I made to my girlfriend and father. I also remember how Jose Reyes got lit up, giving up seven runs over just 1.3 innings pitched. It was the beginning of a metamorphosis for that team as well, as after a week or so, wholesale changes were made to get the team back in the win column.

Jordan Abruzzo’s Two Dinger Night- Not many Cyclones have hit two homers in a game, and Abruzzo hit one from each side of the plate on August 31, 2008 to keep the team’s playoff hopes alive. One of the best backstops the team has ever had, Abruzzo cemented his spot in the team’s history that night powering a 3-1 over the Hudson Valley Renegades. The team’s vocal leader that season, Abruzzo seemed to always come up big when the team needed him to.

Dylan Owen’s five innings of no-hit ball- Just by the numbers alone, many Mets fans in the future will believe that Owen was the prince of the Cyclones staff in 2007. While they would be true, the way he got there was the real story. Beginning the season as the team’s extra starter, it looked like Owen was going to be used sparingly. But after Todd Privett blew out his arm and need Tommy John surgery, Owen was thrust into the rotation and didn’t disappoint. In his first start as a pro on June 27, 2007, the Georgia native threw five-innings of no-hit ball and gave the fans in attendance a sneak preview of an assortment of pitches that would captivate them for the rest of the summer.

Photo by Conroy Walker

Doc Doyle- With Jason Jacobs and Jordan Abruzzo being the guys behind the plate to lead the team in the locker room and on the field the past few years, a guy like Doyle [who's timid nature doesn't give his hard-working attitude on the field it's due] is a bit of a weird choice as the starting catcher in Brooklyn next season. Nevertheless, his offensive prowess and business-first attitude make him someone that can and will flourish in Brooklyn if given an opportunity. A .300 hitter in Kingsport, Doyle can reproduce those numbers in Keyspan.

Kyle Suire- Spending a cup of coffee in Brooklyn last season, Suire was nursing a sore hamstring and was never capable of showing the league what he was truly capable of. A more than solid hitter, I see Suire as a dependable six hitter and someone that will not hurt the team on the field. Not an amazing fielder, Suire does have good range and a capable arm, but makes the plays he has to, very similar to one of my favorite second baseman’s in Cyclones history, Jon Schemmel. If Wilmer Flores starts the season in Brooklyn like many expect him to, the Cyclones will have a middle infield that can hit and play the field with anyone in the NY-Penn League.

Mike Powers- Leading the K-Mets in saves last season, Powers, who was close to a strikeout an inning in 21 frames of work, may be one of the only players from Kingsport’s bullpen to be a real member of the Brooklyn staff next season.

Jonathan Sanchez- The former Cyclones outfielder had a solid season with the GC Mets last season and may make his return as a middle reliever. If that is the case, you can expect a few stories on his progress throughout the season. Extremely confident in his first go round with Brooklyn despite sub-par numbers, it’s be interesting to see how the tides of time have changed the youngster.

Stefan Welch- Aside from Suire and Flores, Welch was one of the K-Mets best hitters. Able to play both corner infield positions and the outfield should make him one of Edgar Alfonzo’s favorite players and should give him the type of versatility that put former Cyclone Eric Campbell in the lineup so much last season. Should be an interesting guy to watch.

Photo by Jim Dolan.

In June, the team will have a promotion in which they will wear jerseys sporting a combination of Brooklyn and the first name of our current President-elect for one night. While some people think it’s a great idea and are huge supporters of this promotion, I have a serious problem with it for one simple reason.

You don’t mix politics with sports.

As a guy that thoroughly enjoys the looks on the players faces when they have to wear some of the jerseys the Cyclones produce for promotions, I love the fact that this jersey, unlike some of the old ones in the past [anyone remember Hawaiian Night in 06?] actually looks good. I also love bobble heads, as they are a great collectible and something that all baseball fans love.

However, I can’t escape the feeling I have in my stomach right now, a feeling that gets scared when they see a person’s name and a politician’s name at that, on the jersey of a professional baseball team.

It feels like something you’d see in in a bad post WWII propaganda film. And guess what, it wouldn’t be the US doing it, it would be out socialist and fascist enemies. I can see it now, the Cuban Castros or something along those lines.

To me, baseball is a sport that transcends politics. It’s the only place where a Republican, Democrat, Independent or even a Liberal can talk freely and not feel forced to beat the living crap out of each other. It’s also the only place where religion isn’t a factor as I, an agnostic, have been to baseball games with people of all types of faith and there has never been a religious war in the bleachers.

Why?

Because the game is one of the most powerful things in this country and people understand that. Simply put, they come to the game to forget about all of those things and have a good time for a few hours.

In these tough political times, sports are the one solace left for people just looking to escape the reality of the everyday nonsense and what it entails.

It’s a very delicate balance and it should not be tampered with.

Another reason is because the trend of hyping up Barack Obama to the point where he’s already achieved an iconic-like status without spending a day in office is a complete joke. The college that I teach at has flyers all over the school for a History Club meeting a few weeks ago asking if he’s the next Abe Lincoln. Are you kidding me? What makes this guy so special that he deserves this type of treatment? Is America this desperate for a leader?

Maybe yes, maybe no. However, this post wasn’t supposed to be about politics.

The game shouldn’t be either.

Photo by the Brooklyn Cyclones.

Lucas Duda- “The Dude” was another amazingly consistent offensive threat during his time in Brooklyn, where he hit .299 with 34 RBI. Last season in St. Lucie, Duda drove in 66 runs in 483 Abs, which both led the team. Not an amazing defensive player, Duda does possess a strong throwing arm and the desire to cover more space than people give him credit for. However, if Duda does make the big leagues one day, it won’t be because of his defense. Capable of putting up similar numbers to Ryan Church in his last season with the Nationals, Duda is a doubles machine and is excellent at taking advantage of a pitcher’s mistakes. He also draws his fair share of walks, which is always a good thing and something that isn’t teachable to most young players. I expect to see him do that a lot this season as a matter of fact and even feel he’s capable of hitting for more power. If he starts off hot, expect some serious time at Binghamton and maybe even a cup of coffee in September.

Raul Reyes- This kid was one of the best defensive outfielders I’ve ever seen. Great arm, range and hustle. However in like of that, many people were scared off by his lack of patience at the plate, which in all honesty, was somewhat scary at times. He had that all or nothing Rob Deer-like swing that you hate to see in a youngster, but at only 22 years of age, you have to like what you’ve seen from him thus far. Nine homers and 34 RBI in 71 games aren’t bad numbers for short-season A-ball, so at the very least he still proved he could be productive in spite of his patience. Hitting .298 through just 13 games and 48 Abs last season with Savannah, Reyes spent the rest of the season on the shelf, making this upcoming season that much more important for him. If I was a betting man, I’d put a few bucks on Reyes having a huge season in 2009.

Photo by Daniel Wos.

Matt Smith- Stay healthy and consistent. His first dozen games with Brooklyn this season, Smith was an on-base machine. He drew long counts and wasn’t scared to take a pitch in a hitter’s count. He was so good that after about a week, it seemed like the Clones had found their temporary replacement Reese Havens. However, after about 50 ABs, he started to swing a bit more than he was before and all of a sudden, his batting average was under .200 and his on-base percentage was average, rather than stellar. Playing through a few injuries during the time, Smith’s season was finished, leaving the Aces to look for another shortstop in what turned out to be an injury-riddled season for both Smith and Brooklyn. If healthy, he can and will be a solid middle-infielder at the Double-A level and perhaps even higher, despite being known more for his glove than his bat. It’s just a matter of him getting in the at-bats he needs to show the Mets what he’s truly capable of.

Nick Carr- Bring down those walk totals. 5-2 with 74 K’s and a respectable 3.80 ERA in 2007 with Brooklyn, Carr was starting to look like a sleeper prospect. Shedding 25 pounds before the season, the 2005 41st round pick seemed to be beginning to understood what it took to be succesful in professional baseball. That seemed to go out with window last season in Savannah and St. Lucie, where his walk totals were beginning to become a bigger problem than they were before. Never having amazing control to say the very least, Carr was averaging a K an inning in Brooklyn and less than a hit an inning as well, which made up for his mediocre at best control. Last season in St. Lucie, not only were his strikeout totals down, but his walk numbers were up as well as his hits allowed. In order for him to continue to develop into a solid power pitcher at higher levels, those numbers will obviously have to change.

Luis Rivera- Hit for more contact. Aside from hitting .318 with the B-Mets in 2007 in just 17 games, Rivera hasn’t hit over .260 since he hit .272 with the Cyclones in 2007. Already a great defensive player, all Rivera has to do is get himself over .260 and he’ll be able to get himself to stick in double- A. After that, he just has to continue to work hard at the plate and who knows what could happen. Once looked at as a more than solid contact hitter after hitting over .300 in every season he spent in college and both seasons he spent in the Cubs organization, Rivera hasn’t been the same offensive player in nearly two seasons.

Photo by Ron Hatcher.

Ike Davis- Teach this guy to change his approach at the plate. Unlike Reese Havens, who realizes very quickly he wasn’t going to be a power hitter in pro baseball, Ike Davis was fighting himself the entire season in Brooklyn this past summer. The result? Zero homers. In spite of that, it seemed like the last three weeks of the season that Davis was beginning to see how effective he could be hitting balls up the middle and in the gap. As I’ve said before, I see him as a Lyle Overbay type, and not as a power hitter. There’s nothing wrong with that though either. However, if he doesn’t continue to stay back and be smart at the plate, he’ll project as nothing more than a bench player.

Wilmer Flores- Give him some time in Brooklyn to develop before calling him up to higher levels. Still only 17-years-old, Flores looked out of place in Brooklyn after his hot start. Still getting used to pitchers with good off-speed pitches, Flores would benefit a ton from proving himself in the NY-Penn League. I know it’s the Mets mentality know to push these kids ahead to see how they deal with adversity, but this kid is still developing at too rapid a pace. He needs to build confidence and some kind of consistency. He also needs to learn English and make friends on the team’s he plays on, rather than be thrown around the organization like a rag doll. At his age, he’s way too delicate emotionally as well and could benefit from some camaraderie.

Roy Merritt- Help him develop another off-speed pitch to compliment his slider and changeup. At the NY-Penn League level, this guy was simply dynamite. However, even his uber-supportive pitching coach, Hector Berrios agreed last season that he has to work on something else this offseason to keep hitters guessing. I personally think a decent sinker, that he can use just to mix things up a bit would do the trick, especially since his slider moves like a curveball attached to a frisbee.

Josh Satin- An injury-free 2009. Easily one of the best hitters on the team when healthy, Satin fought a smörgåsbord of injuries in 2008. Solid on the field and at the plate, I like this kid’s major league chances if he can stay healthy.

Joe Smith- I’ve already spoken at length about how good Smith was in Brooklyn, so I’ll spare everyone the brown-nosing. In his rookie year, Smith was overused by Mets manager Willie Randolph, but still put up solid numbers, going 3-2 with a 3.45 ERA. Last season, despite some bumps and bruises, the kid pitched in 82 games and had a 3.55 ERA. Simply put, I think he’s got the ability to be one of the best situational relievers in the game. It’s too bad the Mets gave up on him before that really happened.

Ezequiel Carrera- This was one of those late-season call-ups in 2007 that everyone knew was going to mean something in the future. Hitting over .300 in 20 games with Brooklyn that year, every reporter knew that Carrera pretty much earned himself a promotion to either Savannah or St. Lucie for 2008. A .283 hitter with 50 steals in only 179 minor league games, Carrera has the tools to be an Endy Chavez type-player down the line and maybe even more. His defense is solid, even though I dig his range much more than his arm. His 83 strikeouts last season with St. Lucie where a bit alarming, but overall, I like his patience at the plate and his speed is too damn good to deny him a spot at the bigs in the next few seasons.

Evan Maclane- One of my good buddies and Home Reporter writer Jim Dolan’s all-time favorite Cyclones and for good reason, he can pitch. Given up in the Shawn Green deal, Maclane was 9-8 for Norfolk when the Mets traded him to the D-Backs. He’s had some problems over the past two seasons with Tuscon, the AAA affiliate of Arizona, especially with the gopher ball, but he’s got great control and I think would another guy who could be a great situational reliever at the MLB level.

Notes- It would have been too obvious to mention a guy like Scott Kazmir in this post. As far as I’m concerned, you guys deserve much more than the obvious.

Last week, I shared my thoughts on a trio of pitchers I thought would provide some interesting stories for the new season.

Here are my best bets as far as infielders go.

Reese Havens- Spending all of that time injured in Brooklyn last season didn’t diminish his star power one bit if you ask me. In the limited time he was there, he showed he can be a more than a solid gap to gap hitter and can even thrive in the leadoff spot if given a chance. The only question is, what position will he play? For that reason alone, I think this upcoming season will be an interesting one for him.

Wilmer Flores- There’s no way I could have had this list and not put him on it. Simply put, the kid is built like a god and is only 17. He’s got quick hands and even though he’s shown a lack of composure against off-speed pitches, he in no way, shape or form is a Pedro Cerrano [the dude from “Major League” that needed the power of VooDoo to hit a curveball] clone. Unless he gets injured, I expect a more than solid season from the kid, hopefully in Brooklyn, where I can keep my eyes on him.

Emmanuel Garcia- This guy really showed me something when he was here a few summers ago. However since then, he’s been average at best. Nonetheless, I really think he’s due for a good season in 09. Good pitch recognition skills and excellent speed don’t run on trees and luckily, Garcia has both.

On another note, I just want to say that I would have really liked to put two other players on this list, but I feel that for their own reasons, may be too tough to judge. One is Ike Davis, who in spite of playing excellent defensively all season in Brooklyn last season, just never put it together with his bat. Before I saw him play, I heard a few people comparing him to someone like Derek Lee, but for my money, I see him in more of a Sean Casey, Lyle Overbay or Sid Bream [old reference, I apologize to some of my younger readers] role in the bigs. Rather than being a 30 homer and 100 RBI guy, I see him as a 15-80, .275 type of player that may eventually be shifted to the outfield if the team can find a slugging first baseman once he gets to the bigs. Nothing wrong with that if you ask me, it’s just not what the Mets ordered when they saw him on the draft menu last season.

The other player is Zach Lutz, who I feel that when healthy, is a top 10 prospect in this system. The only problem is getting him healthy and if he’ll ever really have that chance to show how talented he really is. If he does, you heard it here first: lock up your daughters and watch out; this kid has the goods.

Photo by Patrick Hickey Jr.

Eric Brown- Simply put, the guy has exhibited phenomenal control over the course of his professional career, walking only 94 hitters in 433.1 innings. Add in an excellent sinker and a solid fastball and it’s easy to see why Brown didn’t play in Savannah and right to St. Lucie in 2007. Nevertheless, his secondary pitches, his slider and seldom used changeup, were nothing special for the first few years of his career, even in his best season as a pro, in Brooklyn 2006. Nevertheless, a year or two can change things a lot and despite the fact that he went just 6-9 with a 5.05 ERA last season, a little more work on his secondary pitches could easily make him a Steve Trachsel-esque pitcher at the big league level.

Jenry Mejia- His name may have more spellings than Tommy Lee has ex-flings, but the teenager can flat out pitch. After looking like he was getting sent to Kingsport just a few weeks before the All-Star break, Mejia transformed himself into a more than solid professional pitcher. Fueled by a deceptive 12-6 curve and a 94-96 mph fastball, Mejia has the stuff to be dominant, he just has to maintain his composure. A few times during the season, Mejia lost control on the mound [both physically and emotionally] and every time, it was obvious he wasn’t going to turn things around. However, when he was on, he was one of the most dominant starters in the league. If he can keep his walk totals down, this guy will be a tour-de-force in Double A sometime next season.

Eddie Kunz- Another guy that will depend on having more than solid control if he wants to be a force. However, unlike Mejia who has a very good fastball and an excellent off-speed pitch, I see Kunz being much more versatile, working off his fastball and heavy as a lead zeppelin sinker in combination with his changeup and a slider that still needs some work. If he can throw all four of this pitches for strikes and establish his sinker as an effective out pitch, he may be hanging out in the Citi-Field bullpen this season.

Photo by Conroy Walker.

Jason Jacobs- Probably my all-time favorite Cyclones position player, Jacobs was the feel-good story of 2007. After sharing catching duties with Danny Cummins in 2006, Jacobs blossomed in 2007, leading the team in both home runs and RBI. However, there was so much more to Jacobs than his game. A true professional, Jacobs too was a guy that was always available to the press, regardless of the situation. When he came back for a few games when the team was dealing with injuries in 2008, I told him I hoped I never saw him in Brooklyn again. In a Cyclones uniform that is.

Dylan Owen- When Owen first joined the team in 2006, he was a spare part. However after injuries partially ravaged the Cyclones staff he was thrust into action and responded by putting together one of the best seasons in team history. So quiet and timid at first, Owen eventually warmed up to life in Brooklyn and despite his southern accent, was a full-blooded New Yorker by September. Humble in spite of his success, Owen always remains gracious of his time in Brooklyn and of the opportunity to had to prove his worth.

Joe Smith- Smith’s month in Brooklyn went by so quickly that many fans don’t remember it very well. Nevertheless, the Mets reliever is without a doubt the most dominant closer in the team’s history. After fouling up his professional debut against the Yankees, giving up a bunch of unearned runs, Smith responded and quickly became a force to be reckoned with. Combining a wicked slider and a 94-mph fastball, Smith was a blast to watch as well. Calm and cool in the clubhouse, Smith was another guy that was always fun to talk to after a game.

Scott Shaw- Easily one of the smartest players I’ve ever interviewed, Shaw could describe his performances with such detail that you almost wondered if he even pitched. It was almost as if he watched someone else pitch and described what he saw. It was a different type of experience for me as a reporter, as my recaps during the games that he pitched possessed a certain amount of depth that I never thought was possible before. I also always liked that he made eye contact with the reporters that asked him questions, letting them know that he was extremely serious when being interviewed. If his class in the clubhouse wasn’t enough, the guy had a great arsenal of pitches and was one of the most efficient pitchers I’ve ever seen in person.

In other news, my Islanders site, TheDriveForFive.com, has been nominated for Islanders blog of the year on YesIslanders.com. However, in order to win, I need votes from you, my readers! If you wish to support me in my quest to become an award-winning blogger, just click the following link and then register [They won't spam you, I promise]. It’s easy!

Thanks in advance!
Photos by Conroy Walker, except the Turkey .

After his first few games with the team that season, I remember the Brooklyn Papers had a story in there, where a then 17-year-old intern Nick Pauly, who’s now a good friend of mine and a damn good writer, was interning for a local paper and wrote a piece about how Gamero, as a part of his pre-at-bat ritual, wrote in the batter’s box before every at bat. Happy with the piece, Pauly then sent the article to his editor, who tinkered with it and changed the kicker, or the last few lines of the piece. What was originally a feel-good story about the struggling outfielder was morphed into some opinionated drivel about how Gamero should be writing his batting average, which was .143 at the time, in the batter’s box instead.

While Gamero never saw the piece and there was real no negative outburst from it, the piece did speak to the hearts of certain fans who wanted the guy to produce and were sick of his underachieving, which was going on for nearly a year and a half. So with that being said, expect how those fans felt when he was called back to help the team make the playoffs that season.

However, after hitting over .400 the final week of the season, Gamero became a cult hero and almost single-handedly powered the Cyclones offense over Joshua Paplebon and the Lowell Spinners. I can still remember the look on his face after a few of those games. It was almost like he finally started to understand what he had to do at the plate in order to be succesful. It was almost like you were seeing a player come into his own right before your very eyes.

Unfortunately, Gamero disappeared after that season and I haven’t heard any news about him after that. Finishing the ‘06 season as strong as he did, it would have been interesting to see where he could have ended up.

Nevertheless, he’ll always remain in the team’s history as a player that for one magical week in September, shined brighter than ever before and fueled an unlikely playoff birth.

Photo by Conroy Walker.

10- Ezequiel Carrera- Even though he only had a small cup of coffee with the team in 2007, Carrera was like a mini-Ichiro Suzuki, hitting .300 and stealing six bases in 20 games. Stealing 28 bags with St. Lucie last season, he’s definitely someone to watch out for in the future.

9- Corey Coles- Regardless of what I’ve heard about his temperament with the media, it would be unfair to include Cole son this list who hit .278 with ten steals in 2004. Coles hit .342 with St. Lucie a few seasons ago and was part of the deal that brought Angel Pagan back to the Mets. A lifetime .304 hitter at the minor league level, Coles at 25, needs to make an even bigger splash soon if he wants to get to the big leagues.

8- Dante Brinkley- A new York Penn-League All-Star in 2004, Brinkley was one of the backbones of that team that season, hitting .316 with 14 steals and 30 RBI.

7- Kirk Nieuwenhuis- One of my all-time favorites. What Nieuwenhuis lacked in sheer power last season, he made up for with speed, great defense and a great attitude. Tying the team’s single season record in hits, Nieuwenhuis is another player to keep an eye on in the future.

6- Joe Holden- One of the team’s most popular players, the speedy Holden won the Sterling Award as the team’s top player in 2005 and then came back in 2006 and showed the fans he had some pop in his bat.

5- Caleb Stewart- Big Stew is a power hitter, no doubt about it. In a season and a half in Brooklyn in 2004 and 2005, the behemoth hit 10 homers and drove in 57 RBI.

4- Dustin Martin- Of all the guys I’ve mentioned so far, Martin may have the brightest future. The only real offensive force for the Clones in 2006, the trade that sent Martin and Drew Butera to the Twins for Luis Castillo may go down as one of the worst trades in Cyclones and maybe even Mets history. This kid is a stud and once he gets to the bigs, he’ll be a more than solid outfielder who can steal bags and hit for contact.

3- Ambiorix Concepcion- The enigma. Everyone knew that Concepcion was going to have a hard time duplicating the numbers he had in Brooklyn in 2004, when he hit .305 with eight homers and 46 RBI, but no one thought he’s be middling his way through the organization.

2-Angel Pagan- The team best overall outfielder in my min, Pagan was a singles machine in Brooklyn with 75 hits in 2001. He’s also the team’s all time single season stolen base leader with 30…in only 62 games.

1- Frank Corr- Say what you want about this final choice, but this guy was the team’s Frank Thomas [the white guy that played for the 62 Mets that led the team in homers]. Their first power hitter, Corr hit 13 homers and drove in 45 with 21 doubles in only 62 games in 2001. If that isn’t impressive, I don’t know what is.

Photo by Conroy Walker.

The names of the people have not been changed for their protection.

In the summer of 2006, the Brooklyn Cyclones started their season so miserably that they were forced to make wholesale changes in an effort to get the team going offensively. Alongside guys like Jon Malo and Joe Holden, right fielder Jonathan Sanchez was called up as well.

Big mistake.

Hitting .235 with nine homers and 27 RBI and 11 stolen bases in 85 games with the Hagerstown Suns that season, Sanchez was expected to provide a jolt on offense. Billed as a potential five-tool player, many thought of the guy as a solid prospect in the system and someone that at the very least could spark an otherwise flaccid offensive attack.

What he did instead was provide the Brooklyn coaching staff with headache after headache.

Not only was the guy a strikeout machine, getting called out on strikes 48 times in only 45 games, but he was a lolligagger on defense as well. Owning a gun for an arm, Sanchez felt it necessary to jog for balls hit into shallow right field and use his arm to get himself out of trouble, rather than simply hustle like the rest of the team. Add in the fact that he rarely hit the cut-man from right field, and it’s fair to say he was one of the laziest outfielders I’ve ever seen in pro ball.

Aside from his strikeout habits, Sanchez had problems keeping the ball out of the air, popping out with runners in scoring position at an almost routine basis. With runners in scoring position, where his speed could have been a huge factor, Sanchez’s uppercut swing destroyed any opportunity he had at hitting line drives or any balls on the ground.

In the end however, his attitude was perhaps his most detrimental factor.

After striking out four times one night at Keyspan Park, I asked him what was going on at the plate. I still talk about that moment with some of the other reporters that covered the team that year because even though I knew what answer I was going to get, I was sick of the fact that he consistently avoiding reporters all season, even when he was playing well. After numerous efforts from my fellow reporters to talk to another player, I ended up asking him about his game that night. He got so confrontational that two younger and much smaller reporters were forced to hide behind my 6′4 and 320 pound frame for cover.

In the clubhouse, Sanchez was a bit different. Quiet and keeping to himself most of the time, it was a weird situation, but that was mainly do to the fact that he had a picture of himself in his locker.

I wish I was making this up.

By the middle of August, it was obvious the Sanchez experiment wasn’t going to work, and he was sent back to Hagerstown.

Hitting under .200 the next season in Savannah, Sanchez ironically spent the 2008 season the Gulf Coast League, as a pitcher, going 1-2 with a 3.60 ERA in 15 games. At only 23 years old, who knows, maybe he might end up in Brooklyn again.

Maybe he might have a new picture to put in his locker as well.

Photo by Conroy Walker

Here are a few notables:

2007, 2008 Cyclone Jordan Abruzzo is hitting .196 with three RBI in 13 games for the Honolulu Sharks. Banged up towards the end of the season, I was originally surprised to see him playing winter ball, but simply put, this kid is a warrior who loves to play the game. Hopefully he turns things around.

2008 Cyclone reliever Roy Merritt is also playing with Abruzzo on the Sharks and just like the beefy catcher, isn’t enjoying the same amount of success in winter ball as he did in the NYPL. Working on his secondary pitches for the most part, it’s safe to say that Merritt is better than his 4.70 ERA in 11 games indicates.

2007, 2008 Cyclones catcher Caesar Cordido is just getting started with Navegantes del Magallanes in Venezuela, going 0 for 3 in three games. Considering the fact that he was never given a great opportunity this season in Brooklyn, he should be a guy to keep an eye out for.

The same thing goes for reliever Mattias Carrillo, who has a 6.23 ERA in seven games with Tomateros de Culiacan. Again, a guy that was still developing as a pitcher and was never really let off the leash so to speak, it should be interesting to see how his season ends up as well.

2006 Cyclones reliever German Marte has one scoreless appearance under his belt with Gigantes del Cibao.

2004 Cyclone Ambiorix Concepcion is hitless through seven games with Leones del Escogido.

2004, 2005 Cyclone Edgar Alfonzo has 1.59 ERA in five appearances with the Navegantes del Magallanes.

Site Notes-

As some of you may know or may not know, I am in the process of writing a book about the Cyclones 2008 season. In order to do this, I have to interview several players, coaches and even fans and parents so I can tell the story the way it deserves to be told. With that being said, you can expect to see some new interviews over the next few weeks and months on the site. Like I said before, just because baseball season is over doesn’t mean this site will not be updated at least once a week, so stop by and check us out!

Photo by Ron Hatcher.

DemBrooklynBums.com: What has this season been like for you so far?

Ralph Henriquez: It’s been a bit weird actually. At first, I thought I was going to be in Kingsport, but then I found out that I was ineligible to play there because I played a certain amount of games on a full season team last season. So then I got sent here. It was kind of a last minute thing. I really didn’t know what to expect. Since then, things have been OK I guess.

DBB: Do you feel you have certain expectations to live up to, considering you were traded for one of the Cyclones best relievers last season?

Henriquez: Not really. A bunch of my friends told me that he was a really good pitcher with some good stuff, but you can never think like that.

DBB: Considering that you were rushed here last minute, how have been getting acclimated to Brooklyn?

Henriquez: It’s really different from the Key West. It’s like a completely different world. There’s so many people driving here that it’s hard to get used to at times. Over there, I’ve never gone over 30 miles per hour. There was never any need to. I don’t think there’s a speed limit here. The park is really nice here though and even though it’s most of the same thing wherever you play this game, I’m enjoying my time here.

DBB: Tell us a little bit about your game.

Henriquez: I’m a real energetic catcher and like to take charge. I pride myself on being a leader as well. I like Victor Martinez a lot and I try and mold my game after him.

DBB: Just for the fans at home to get a better idea of what kind of player you are, what do you think your numbers would be if you played a full season?

Henriquez: I really have no idea. I just want to be behind the plate every single day. If that happens, then I’m happy.

DBB: If you got an opportunity to face Vinditte again, would you do anything different?

Henriquez: I’d go up there left-handed and see what happens.

Photo by Patrick Hickey Jr.

At 23 years of age and only one year of pro baseball under his belt, Suire is someone fans may see back again next year as well, as he tries to move up the long ladder of the organization. Who knows, looking into next season, he could be someone Brooklyn fans grow attached to quite quickly. A 35th round pick in the 2008 draft, Suire has already shown the drive and moxie to make himself more than just a filler prospect.

Chatting with DemBrooklynBums.com the day he was called up Suire was excited to make the jump to Single-A and was more than happy to talk about his game.

DemBrooklynBums.com: How do you feel being in Brooklyn?

Kyle Suire: It feels good every time you get called up, but to be here in Brooklyn and help this team win their division, or even a championship is really exciting. While I’m here, I’m going to everything I can to help this team win.

DBB:To be frank, you were hitting the crap out of the ball in Kingsport. What do you think you bring to this team?

Suire:I play the game hard. I’m a gamer. I give it everything I got. I look out for my teammates and I’m always there when they need me. I’m here to be a part of this team. That’s what I offer.

DBB:Do you compare yourself to anyone at the major league level?

Suire: No. You can’t really do that if you want to be successful. Those guys are at a different level. All I can do is go out there and do my best when I’m on the field and just be myself. That’s all I can do.

DBB:Do you consider yourself more of a power hitter or a contact guy?

Suire: I would say I’m more of a gap to gap hitter, but everyone in a while I get lucky and take a ball deep.

DBB:What about your play on defense?

Suire:I’m kind of banged up now with my hamstring and my range isn’t what it’s supposed to be, but I’m feeling better every day. When I’m healthy, I think I’m solid on defense. I’m very dependable.

Photo by Patrick Hickey Jr.

Dem Brooklyn Bums: How has Brooklyn been treating you so far?

Mike Lynn: I’ve been dealing with a bunch of injuries, but it’s been a really good experience. Playing here in Brooklyn is second to none and something you really appreciate it when you go on the road. We have 8,000 fans here every night and you go to some other places and they barely have a thousand; it just doesn’t compare.

DBB: What kind of injuries are you dealing with?

Lynn: Just some elbow soreness. I saw the doctor today and there’s no tears or anything. I had Tommy John surgery in 2004 and I just wanted to make sure I didn’t re-injure that. I also got a cortisone shot today and should be throwing in the next couple of days. [his last appearance of the season and next appearance after this interview ended up being on August 14 with GCL Mets, where he pitched one inning of shutout ball in spite of giving up two walks.]

DBB: Where did the soreness start?

Lynn: It started in mini-camp. I threw a ball down the line on a bunt play and I felt something; it hasn’t felt the same since. It’s been hard to sit here on the bench because I want to pitch.

DBB: Do you think the injury has played a role this season?

Lynn: Absolutely. I haven’t felt right this season and my recovery time in between appearances isn’t what it should be. Any time you’re injured, it’s really hard to get in a groove. It’s tough, especially as a reliever. It’s not easy.

DBB: Considering the injuries, you haven’t been able to really show the fans what you’re made of. With that being said, can you tell us a little bit about your game? Is there anyone in the big leagues you try to pattern your game after?

Lynn: There’s not a major leaguer that I try to emulate, but I do think that I’m a power pitcher. My fastball was 90-94 in college. I pitch with a lot of energy and I work fast on the mound. I’m very aggressive too and I wish I could show fans what I’m made of. It’s killing me not to be out there on the field.

Photo by Patrick Hickey Jr.

Forgive me for feeling a little musical today.

The Lisa Loeb “Do You Sleep?” Award-

No real need for nominees here, since 99.9 % of the team had no problem getting to sleep this season except for one person.

The winner is… Chris Schwinden.

For those who forgot about the piece I wrote about him a month and a half ago, the guy spent more time playing video games in his dorm at night than sleeping. Nevertheless, he was a vital cog on the staff and someone that will be worth keeping an eye on for the next few years.

The Matt Costa “Long December” award… given to the player that needs the most overall work on his game.

Nominees-

Ike Davis- Problems at the plate for most of the season played a huge part in the team’s lost playoff hopes.

Mike Lynn- Aside from battling injuries, Lynn never looked comfortable on the mound at Keyspan.

JR Voyles- Despite starting out strong again in his second season with the team, Voyles again managed to leave something to be desired on defense and at the plate down stretch.

And the winner is… JR Voyles.

Last season, Voyles battled a slew of injuries so his falter down the stretch last year was excusable. This season however, Voyles’ play was questionable and was void of the consistency that made him a cult hero his first two months with the team last season.

The Metallica “Sad, But True” award… given to a player who had an unavoidable run of bad luck during the season.

Nominees-

Reese Havens- The team’s most enigmatic hitter, Havens battled injuries to his elbow and groin and was never truly capable of showing what he was capable of.

Zach Lutz- The team’s offensive MVP through the first 20 games of the season, Lutz was never fully healthy during the season, but that didn’t stop him from hitting over .330.

Matt Bouchard- hit .294 before going down with a lower back injury and missing the rest of the season.

And the Winner is… Zach Lutz.

Simply put, Lutz is one of the best pure hitters to ever wear a Brooklyn Cyclones uniform. Losing him for the second season in a row wasn’t good for Lutz or the organization.

The Donna Summer “Hot Stuff” Award…given to the pitcher with the best overall repertoire.

Nominees-

Scott Shaw- Fastball, Changeup, Curveball, and Slider. All are capable of being out pitches

Jenrry Mejia- 95-97 mph fastball and a sweet 12-6 curveball.

Yury Santana- A plus fastball and a slider that ranks better than many major leaguers.

And the winner is… Scott Shaw. I really considered Brad Holt as a nominee, but I think he’s someone that in time will develop a great repertoire of pitches. Right now, Shaw has a great compliment of pitches that should get better as he progresses.

Update- 12:00 Sunday

I have just founded a new site, AcesOverBrooklyn.com, which will chronicle my coverage of the Brooklyn Aces, the borough’s first pro hockey team. If you like this site, you’re sure to love this one as well!

Photos by Ron Hatcher

Before we get too serious, here’s a fun one.

The Foreigner started out “Hot Blooded,” but ended up “Cold as Ice” Award:

Nominees-

JR Voyles- hit .050 over his last 11 games of the season.

Jose Jimenez- hit .093 over the last 12 games of the season and hit .073 with runners in scoring position.

John Servidio- hit .117 in August before going down with a hand injury.

And the winner is… Jose Jimenez.

Voyles started out very strong, but fizzled the same way he did last season. Servidio was injured and led the team in RBI for a big chunk of the year, so he’s not right for the award either. Jimenez, however, was so unreliable at the plate that he was relegated to bench duty by the end of the season. Like I’ve said in older posts, he’s got a ton of power, so he is going to be fun to watch in the future, However, he shouldn’t be happy with the way his season ended.

OK, on to the serious stuff.

Best Off-Speed Pitch

Nominees

Brad Holt’s power curve ball

Jenrry Mejia’s 12-6 curve ball

Roy Merritt’s slider

And the Winner is… Roy Merritt’s slider.

Nothing against Holt or Mejia, but Merritt’s slider is amazing. Sweeping through the strike zone like a Frisbee, Merritt needs to add another pitch to his repertoire to compliment his fastball and changeup and I think he’ll eventually be ready to pitch in the Mets bullpen. Remember where you heard that first boys and girls, it’s something I’d feel comfortable betting on.

Best Swing

Nominees

Wilmer Flores

Kirk Nieuwenhuis

Zach Lutz

And the winner is…Wilmer Flores

In the three years I’ve covered the Cyclones, I’ve seen some very nice swings, but Flores’ is so quick through the hitting zone that I think he’s going to be a great ballplayer one day despite his relatively young age and someone to definitely watch next season.

And lastly…Team MVP.

Nominees

Kirk Nieuwenhuis

Brad Holt

Jimmy Johnson

And the winner is… Brad Holt.

Nieuwenhuis played great ball all season and Johnson was amazing out of the bullpen, but Holt was the bee’s knees. After watching guys like Joe Smith, Eric Brown, Dylan Owen and Dillon Gee in year’s past, I never thought I’d see anything better than that, but Holt surpassed all expectations.

Photos by Ron Hatcher

Jordan Abruzzo- The team’s leader in the clubhouse and the calming factor behind the plate. Simply put, Abruzzo didn’t have to be in Brooklyn. He hit over .300 in St. Lucie and Savannah and is excellent at managing a staff. While it was obvious he wasn’t exactly thrilled to be in Brooklyn, he played his heart out and was a driving force in their success. Struggling at times, Abruzzo eventually proved why he was so successful at higher levels and even flashing some serious power from both sides of the plate as well. Combined with his other stops in the organization, Abruzzo hit .290 with 14 homers, 131 hits and 59 RBI in 122 games and 451 at-bats. Next season, he’s a guy that I see starting in High-A and ending up in Double-A. When it’s all said and done, he’s got the drive and tenacity to be a success wherever he plays. Now in winter ball with the Honolulu Sharks, it’s obvious this kid wants to play in the bigs.

Final Grade- A

Luis Alen- Another guy with a ton of desire, but unlike Abruzzo, his bat never materialized and was forced to deal with a variety of injuries. Making stops in New Orleans and St. Lucie by season’s end, Alen is someone that will benefit immensely from time off to heal. Nevertheless, his solid game-calling abilities aside, Alen wasn’t very impressive in Brooklyn this season.

Final Grade- D

Caesar Cordido- He was a pleasant surprise after being called up from Kingsport last season and while his defense was especially solid most of the season, his bat was often sporadic. He did hit .320 over his last 10 games to somewhat solidify his presence in the organization, but I truly believe that Cordido is someone that has to start everyday to see what he’s truly capable of. 74 at bats is just not enough for him. He’s pushing 24 and needs more playing time.

Final Grade B-

Ralph Henriquez- Another guy that needed more playing time. Much like Abruzzo though, Henriquez showed some pop from both sides of the plate, but never got enough of an opportunity. Traded for Josh Appell before the season started, many saw Henriquez, a former second round pick, as the team’s starting catcher this season. That obviously didn’t happen. However, after leaving Brooklyn, he hit .273 with Savannah, but in the end, only accumulated 95 AB’s by the end of the season. If this guy is going to move up in the organization, that’s going to have to change fast.

Final Grade- D+

Photos by Ron Hatcher

Despite finishing with an impressive 45-30 record this season, the Mets Single-A affiliate failed to make the playoffs for the first time since 2005 and the first time in Alfonzo’s three years as skipper.

Dealing with injuries to stars Zach Lutz and Reese Havens and the ineffectiveness of 2008 top pick Ike Davis, Alfonzo’s high-energy style as coach seemed to be wearing thin by season’s end. Usually jovial to reporters in his customary post-game press conferences, Alfonzo looked emotionally exhausted by September.

However, in typical Alfonzo fashion, the former NY-Penn League manager of the year has been outspoken about his team’s play this offseason, saying that he was pleased with the fortitude his young team showed on the field and was ultimately proud of the way they performed down the stretch.

“I told these guys all season that it’s not about how you start, it’s about how you finish,” said Alfonzo via telephone from the Mets Instructional League in Florida. “We had so many injuries to deal with and they really came together in the end. We had the Wild Card spot until the last day of the season; we were right there. I was frustrated at times because of the injuries, but I know that these guys gave me everything they had.”

After the team’s last game of the season on September 5, Alfonzo joked that he needed a break from coaching, saying that he told Mets fielding coordinator Kevin Morgan he needed a month off. Three weeks after that statement and ten months from the start of the 2009 NY-Penn League season however, Alfonzo is back at it, coaching various prospects in the organization, most of them from Brooklyn.

“These guys are working very hard and are learning a lot,” Alfonzo, who has served at several different positions in the organization over the past decade, said. “I’ve had a lot of fun with them here. Guys like [Cyclones outfielder] Sean Ratliff and [Cyclones first baseman] Ike Davis have shown me a lot. They are absorbing all the information and are playing very well.”

Before Alfonzo’s return in 2007, the team had a different manager every season of their history and since then, has become a fan favorite in Brooklyn and is synonymous with the team’s success.

In spite of that, Alfonzo himself said that he doesn’t know if the organization will ask him to come back to Brooklyn and while he refused to say what his own intentions are for next season, he did say that he’s loved every minute of his time at Keyspan Park.

“Aside from the big leagues, Brooklyn is the best place to manage in the Mets organization,” said Alfonzo. “I don’t know what the organizations plans are for me next season, but I know that I’ve really enjoyed my time there.”

Photo by Ron Hatcher.

Grade- B-

Will Vogl- Before being released in July, Vogl was serving as the team’s fifth outfielder and despite not getting much playing time, was solid on defense and produced at the plate when he had to. Getting on in years, the former St. John’s star lost his starting spot and never seemed to recover from a late August slump in 2007. A good clubhouse guy and a hard-nosed player, Vogl may be able to catch on somewhere else if he can bounce back.

Grade- D

Sean Ratliff- The team’s right fielder for most of the season, Ratliff moved to center field and showed he had the range, speed and arm to be a great outfielder at any level he plays at. Nonetheless, great defense all season long is one thing, but a ton of strikeouts hurt his overall stock. He did develop some power as the season went along however, which was definitely encouraging, but he still has a long way to go offensively before he can be a legitimate blue-chip prospect.

Grade- C+

John Servidio- Leading the team in RBI most of the season, Servidio was a leader in the locker room and on the field. That doesn’t mean his play was exemplary however, as his play at the plate was mediocre. In spite of that though, his defense was extremely solid and combined with Ratliff and Nieuwenhuis, gave the Cyclones one of the best defensive outfields in the NY-Penn League. However, a hand injury ended his season prematurely, limiting his offensive production.

Grade- C+

Kirk Nieuwenhuis- Easily the Clones best offensive player, Nieuwenhuis was also something to behold on defense as well, making spectacular plays at both center and right field. Offensively consistent most of the season, Nieuwenhuis really started to come into his own after the all-star break and there it was he solidified his role as a catalyst at the plate and someone the tam could really depend on. His strikeout totals were a bit alarming, but considering the fact that he tied the team’s single season record with 79 hits, you’d be out of your mind to ask for any more from the youngster.

Grade- A

Photos by Ron Hatcher.

Jimmy Johnson: At one point, he tried to shy away from contact, but after a while he looked like a veteran out there. He has three pitches he can throw for strikes. He started the season as more of a lefty specialist, but ended it as someone who is very dependable in late innings.

Roy Merritt: He came down to his arm angle and really took to it. He was probably the biggest surprise we had here all year. He’s got good movement and has the same thing Joe Smith had when he was here. His pitch speed fluctuates to the point where you’ll see a fastball at 84 and then one at 89. That’s why it seems why hitters have trouble with the same pitches every night. He’s very good at what he does. Remember he was a center fielder a few years ago; he just picked this up and ran with it.

Wendy Rosa: He wasn’t anywhere near the strike zone and wasn’t on a team out of spring training. But through hard work at Extended Spring Training, he got called up to Savannah and then back here and he was a different pitcher. He’s another guy that just went out and surpassed our expectations. He can throw three pitches for a strike and is another one that can find himself in the big leagues with that plus slider and plus curve ball that he has.

Mattias Carrillo: He’s more of a specialty guy who has to change speeds and be where he wants to be in the strike zone. He has a good changeup to the lefties and a good curve ball to the righties. With that being said, he has to really rely on his command to be good. He did it this season

Jim Fuller: To me, it’s a little disappointing that we didn’t get to see him very much, because he has so much talent. A really small guy with a power arm that can hit 91,92 and 93 miles per hour. He gets a lot of swings and misses at this level and is a guy to keep your eye on. He may be a special guy in the big leagues one day. He’s one of our best workers too and has been a pleasure to coach.

Eric Turgeon: He was a position player at UConn and came here with minimal experience, but he worked hard. He was one of those guys that was always pulling at my coat and wanted to work with me. He ended up giving us some tremendous outings that bridged us into the eighth and ninth innings.

Stephen Clyne and Yury Santana: We had Clyne’s experience on the mound and Yury’s ability to throw a secondary pitch for strikes this season and it helped us a lot. Santana’s slider scored a 65 out of 80 on our rating scale. It gets up to 84-85 miles per hour at times and that’s why you saw all those swings and misses.

Notes-

For some reason, the team’s stellar long man, Jeff Kaplan, wasn’t mentioned in this interview even though his name was brought up a few times. Can’t blame Berrios however, he was pretty much cornered by a four or five reporters and asked to spill his guts.

Aside from that, you have to like what he said about the pen. The only question is who makes it to the bigs from this staff?

For my money, I go with Roy Merritt. The guy’s slider is amazing and just like Berrios said, he mixes his speeds up so well that hitters can’t explain why they can’t hit a 85 mile an hour fastball. A characteristic like that just cannot be taught.

However, considering the fact that this is indeed Single-A ball, we’ll have to wait a while to see if my prediction holds water.

Photographs by Ron Hatcher.

Note- These are for players that either spent the majority of the season in Brooklyn or are important prospects worth watching. Considering how many shortstops this team had this season alone, this post could be longer than the declaration of independence.

Matt Smith- .198 BA, 2 HR 9 RBI- Despite his low batting average, Smith was a solid leader in the clubhouse, played adequate defense and drew a ton of walks before injuries derailed his season. With a host of players making the jump to the bigs this season in Binghamton and Smith already having some AA experience, he figures to start the season there.

Grade- C

JR Voyles- .223 BA, 3 HR, 15 RBI- Last season’s cult hero couldn’t cut the mustard in his second season in Brooklyn and it was easy to see that he wasn’t the same player. His defense wasn’t as sharp either, as several errors cost the team games down the stretch. However, if my memory does serve me correctly, the team won 29 of their 45 games after he was called up in mid-July, making him their honorary good luck charm. It’s still unknown how much his play had to do with that success though.

Grade- D+

Jose Jimenez- .212 BA, 4 HR, 16 RBI- He started off so strong, but ended abysmally, hitting .081 in his last 37 ABs. His 42 strikeouts in only 136 ABs were also a huge detriment to the team, going along with a less than mediocre .272 OBP. However, his power is still solid enough to land him at higher levels and if he can be a bit more selective at the plate, he can still develop into a solid infielder.

Grade- D

Ike Davis- .256 BA, 0 HR, 17 RBI- Joining the team after the first week of the season, Davis was supposed to be the team’s savior on offense. However, things just never materialized. Even with a .368 average through his last ten games, Davis was still a huge disappointment at the plate. Nevertheless, after a long college season, the youngster may need some rest. During the season, Davis also admitted he had a rib injury that was bothering him when he swung. With that being said, next season seems to look like the real test for Davis, as his time in Brooklyn will be remembered as mediocre. Aside from his less than stellar play at the plate however, Davis was something to behold on defense, making sensational plays all season, somewhat making up for his ineffective bat.

Grade- D

Reese Havens- .247 BA, 3 HR, 12 RBI- While 12 RBI in only 85 ABs isn’t too shabby for a guy tormented by injuries all season, everyone in the press box at Keyspan knew that Havens wasn’t himself, as he was dealing with injuries to his elbow and his groin all season. In spite of that, his patience at the plate and ability to hit in the gaps at Keyspan Park makes you think that once he’s healthy, he’ll be a more than adequate run producer.

Grade- B

Juan Legares- .250 BA, 1 HR, 7 RBI- Kind of hard to argue with 18 hits in 19 games for a 19-year-old in his second season of pro ball. His smarts on the base paths and rocket arm are also going to be fun to watch once he develops. In spite of all of that however, he needs to develop more patience at the plate before he can really show what he is capable of.

Grade B-

Eric Campbell- .260 BA. 4 HR, 28 RBI- One of the team’s most dependable bats this season, Campbell was unable to stay hot for a long period of time and had the epitome of a roller coaster season at the plate, hitting under .200 in September. It’s hard to knock his .313 BA and 23 RBI with runners in scoring position however and his dependable, but not flashy defense. His ability to play decent left field and sneakily solid speed may also increase his stock as his career progresses.

Grade- B

Josh Satin- .280 BA, 4 HR, 13 RBI- Another guy that was dependable whenever he was in the lineup and someone that could have benefited from his teammates being able to get on base a little bit more. Injuries however caused him to be miss a ton of time, and it felt like he was lost in the shuffle for a big part of the season as the team was trying to find it’s offensive identity. As it turns out, while many thought Satin was replaceable at second base, he ended up with the highest BA among players appearing in over 40 games. Steady on defense, the former All-American looks to have an interesting future ahead of him.

Grade- B+

Zach Lutz- .333 BA, 3 HR, 12 RBI- If this guy remained healthy all season, he was easily the team’s MVP on offense, maybe the league. A warrior at the plate and on the field, Lutz was also playing at 70-75 percent the entire season, making you wonder how effective he could have been if he’d be able to run more on his injured foot. 2009 will be an important season for him and it’ll be interesting to see where he ends up in the organization.

Grade- A

Wilmer Flores- 267. BA, O HR, 1 RBI- He started off uber solid in his first few games, but then showed an inability to hold his own against pitchers with more than a fastball. However, with his smooth and compact swing and some more experience, Flores may find himself on the fast track to the big leagues. His defense also could use a bit more polish as his lanky body was making up for instinctual mistakes that just don’t happen with older players. Some time at instructs and another summer in A ball may be the best step in his development as well, perhaps splitting time at Savannah and St. Lucie.

Grade B+

Photos by Ron Hatcher.

As well, the post proceeding this one will be the final portion of my interview with Hector Berrios, which too will discuss the Brooklyn bullpen.

Enjoy!

Jimmy Johnson- No one expected this guy to be half as good as he eventually turned out to be. A solid assortment of pitches, combined with pinpoint command made him the king of the ‘Clones bullpen. How he’ll fare at higher levels is hard to determine, but you have to like the way he’s pitched in clutch situations this season. Things like that you just can’t teach.

Final Grade-A+

Roy Merritt- Much like Johnson, Merritt exceeded expectations and showed remarkable poise out of the pen. That, combined with a slider, with movement that can only be compared to a Frisbee, Merritt figures to be a pitcher worth watching next season. Considering the fact that he was drafted by the Cardinals in 2005 as a center fielder, it’s amazing how far he’s come in such a short time.

Final Grade-A+

Stephen Clyne- The guy has a great assortment of pitches, a great makeup and had very solid numbers in Brooklyn. However, numbers can be somewhat deceiving, as he lost most of his closing duties to Yury Santana by the end of the season. Work on his mechanics can solve some of his control problems [13 walks in 22.1 innings] and with all the natural talent the guy has, I still expect him to project as a major league reliever in the next few years.

Final Grade- B

Wendy Rosa- The Mets organization was worried about Rosa’s control at the beginning of the season and considering the fact that he didn’t make a full-season team, his stock was definitely in limbo. His 23 walks in 31 innings were a bit scary, but his 48 strikeouts may be a sign of better things to come.

Final Grade- B

Yury Santana- Very similar to Clyne, Santana’s numbers don’t tell the whole story. Blazing fastball and good slider aside, Santana had serious problems at times this season and wasn’t dependable in crucial situations. His age [26] may be a hindrance as well, making him expendable come draft time when the organization is restocked with young arms. For the time being however, Santana remains an interesting guy to watch.

Final Grade- B+

Mattias Carrillo- Despite a huge lack of playing time, Carrillo was extremely solid as a middle reliever. However, like Clyne and Rosa, his control is questionable and he needs to start developing his other pitches. Otherwise, he’ll be nothing more than a decent minor league reliever.

Final Grade- B

Erik Turgeon- A converted infielder from Uconn, Turgeon made serious strides this season and began to develop his off-speed pitches. Still a long way to go in his development, Turgeon’s live fastball, excellent control, eagerness to learn and team-first mentality could play a huge part in his overall development. Much like Merritt and Johnson as well, not many expected a solid season from the youngster. Chances are however, he’ll continue to surprise people over the next few years.

Final Grade- A-

Jeff Kaplan- After losing his spot in the rotation and battling arm fatigue, Kaplan became a commodity out of the bullpen. He’s got a great repertoire and is even better at maintaining control on the mound, which in my mind, make him someone who can definitely survive at higher levels. Add in a laid back personality and a few months to rest his tired arm and I think 2009 may be the best season of his young career.

Final Grade- B+

Jim Fuller- Someone who looked very solid, had great numbers, but didn’t pitch enough to really establish himself. Because of that, he may find himself in Brooklyn next season, but considering his college numbers and how well he fared at Keyspan Park in limited duty, he’s a guy that can easily be penned into the starting rotation in Savannah next season.

Final Grade- B+

Photos by Ron Hatcher.

Brad Holt- His secondary pitches came such a long way during the season and he proved he’s much more than a fastball pitcher. His curve ball has the potential to be a devastating pitch as well and his changeup needs some work, but is progressing steadily. As far as his potential goes, I see him as someone who could round out the last two spots of a starting rotation or be an excellent setup man or reliever, kind of like an old New York favorite, Dave Righetti. His fun-loving, yet professional attitude with the media and in the clubhouse could also make him a fan-favorite in a jiffy once he gets to Brooklyn.

Final grade- A+

Pedro P. Martinez- Earlier in the season, Martinez seemed like a different pitcher. He was hitting corners and whim and even when he was missing, was missing low in the zone. As the season progressed however, it was obvious his arm was tired and he wasn’t nearly as effective. Very similar to Mejia, Martinez still has a lot to learn, but when he’s sharp, he does whatever he has to in order to get outs. With good size and a nice delivery, Martinez has the raw talent needed to advance to higher levels, but needs to develop his secondary pitchers more before he can be more than just a prospect.

Final grade- B-

Chris Schwinden- Every season in Brooklyn, there’s a player who relies on command and ends up having a monster year. In 2006, it was Eric Brown. In 2007, it was Dylan Owen and Dillon Gee. Simply put, Schwinden is a sleeper prospect with a great attitude that I see rising through the organization. Is he the next Brian Bannister, Joe Smith or promising prospect to get to the Mets in a year or so? Probably not, but he’s still going to fun to watch develop.

Final Grade- A

Scott Shaw- If there was a “bizarro world” version of Steve Trachsel, it could only be Scott Shaw. Not only does work quickly on the mound, he gives up a ton of ground balls, is extremely efficient with his pitch count and has excellent control. Not a strikeout pitcher by trade, Shaw benefited from having four pitches [fastball, curve ball, changeup and a slider] he could throw for strikes in the NY-Penn League and doesn’t figure to be one in higher levels. Big, strong and with a great work ethic, Shaw is going to be another pitcher worth following.

Final Grade- B+

Jenrry Mejia- Jekyll and Hyde. When this youngster is off, he leaves the ball up in the zone and lacks the poise needed to get professional hitters out on a consistent basis. However, when he’s on his game, he mixes in a more than solid 12-6 curve with a 95-97 MPH fastball and gets outs via the strikeout at a solid pace. Considering his age, Mejia is definitely worth keeping an eye on and with plenty of confidence and charisma on the mound already, should develop into a major league caliber pitcher if he learns to develop some sort of consistency.

Final Grade- B

Photos by Ron Hatcher.

With many of the local newspapers covering the team are all done with their Cyclones coverage this season, the information he gave was for journalists’ ears only. However, since the beginning, I decided that at DemBrooklynBums.com, fans could come for year-round information on the team. With that being said, the next two posts will be dedicated to giving Mr. Berrios an opportunity to discuss his staff.

First up, the starters:

Brad Holt: “Holt has a power arm. He hit 100 miles per hour on the radar gun in Aberdeen and it was the first time I saw it live. That was impressive. We had a report on him that he threw 147 fastballs out of 152 pitches in a start in college. In the beginning, he told me, ‘I don’t even know what I throw.’ I told him, just throw whatever you have and we’ll take it from there. It turns out he has a power curve, 79-81 miles per hour with a big break. He also started to incorporate his change up. He’s very athletic and he’s constantly learning. He’s got a world of talent and with that type of power, especially considering how far he’s come with his secondary pitches in such a short amount of time, the sky is the limit. I think in two or three years, he’ll be a guy on the front end of the Mets rotation.”

Scott Shaw and Chris Schwinden: “These guys are both tacticians on the mound and they rely on spotting the ball. Their game is being able to locate their pitches and change speeds. They did an impressive job of that this season. I think Shaw was one of our most underrated pitchers and if you take two or three bad innings away from him, he was the best pitcher in the league this season.”

Pedro P. Martinez: “He was in the top 10 in the New York-Penn league up to his last few starts. But because of his youth, he was unable to sustain it. He still had a heck of a year though.”

Jenrry Mejia: “To be here at 18 and playing so well at this level is really impressive. He sits on 94 miles per hour and can get up to 97. He doesn’t quite have the extension of a guy like Holt has, but considering how young he is, I think he has a lot of potential.”

Photos by Ron Hatcher.

DemBrooklynBums.com: What kind of affect has pitching coach Hector Berrios had on your game?

Matias Carrillo: He’s helped me a lot mentally this season. Many times I came into games this season with us being ahead by one-run and it’s stressful out there. You can’t make mistakes. Every once in a while, I’d have to come in and pitch three or four innings and as the season went on, I got really relaxed out there. I think he had a lot to do with that.

DBB: Considering that you haven’t pitched at Keyspan much this season, many fans may still be unfamiliar with your game. Can you tell us what pitches you throw?

Carrillo: Two-seam Fastball, curve ball, sinker and changeup. I use either my changeup or the sinker as my out pitch. My fastball is only 86-89, but I get good movement.

DBB: Because of your role in the bullpen this season and the fact that you rely more on command than most of the other pitchers on the staff, did you feel you were under a lot of pressure to succeed this season?

Carrillo: I wouldn’t say it was pressure, I just knew I had a job to do. Like I said before, you come into the game in a really tough situation and all you can do is get the outs. It felt good when I did.

DBB: Have you had a good time with the guys this season?

Carrillo: I had a lot of fun with these guys this season, the chemistry was great and everyone got along well.

DBB: What was your favorite moment of this season?

Carrillo: There was this one time in Aberdeen when I came in with one out and the bases loaded. I struck out the only two hitters I faced. It was a great feeling.

DBB: Do you think the coaching staff grew to value what you did out of the pen as the season wore on?

Carrillo: I think so. I think they put me in a good situation to grow and go to higher levels in the organization. I know I have things to work on, like keeping the ball down more and away from hitters, but they gave me an opportunity to pitch a lot and I think I got better. I feel like a different pitcher than I was before.

Photos by Ron Hatcher.

Ask any journalist in the world how that feels and they’ll all say the same thing: amazing.

With that being said, I was thrilled once the season started because I could finally cover the team the way I truly wanted to. I could challenge myself to not only write, but report on the same team, everyday of the season. It was something that I was pretty close to doing the previous two years I covered the team, but once the team went on the road, I wrote about the offseason goings on of the Islanders, Jets and Nets. This season, while I did write more than my fair share of pieces on those teams, I was the only reporter covering the team that wrote everyday about them. I scooped every local newspaper and website I don’t write for several times in the process. I know the past few sentences sound a bit arrogant, but it feels good to truly know that you did a good job.

When I decided to embark on a journalism career almost five years ago, I knew the hours were going to stink and that I wouldn’t have as much time to spend with my friends and family. Nonetheless, I went down this path because I felt it was my duty to write for the people. This season, this blog’s mission was the same. Over the years, I’ve seen so many horrible articles written about this team, from local newspapers that don’t even go to the games or good ones by great writers such as Jim Dolan, Elio Velez and Ed Shakespeare that never get the credit they deserve because of small circulations and mediocre websites.

With that being said, I knew that if I reached out to the Cyclone fan base and gave them a daily-updated site, chock full of my work, they’d read it. Dozens of my friends thought I was crazy for it, but in the end, we all proved them wrong, right? This team was so much fun to write about and each and every player took time out for me to interview them. Some of them weren’t the talking type, but together they trusted me to tell their story and I appreciate it. At certain points of the season, it was obvious they didn’t want to talk to anyone, but they acted like true professionals and allowed me to get the information I needed out to you guys. There are no words I can ever say that can truly grasp how important that was to the development of this site.

These guys play 76 games in 81 games and on top of that are asked to have smiles on their faces [Sean Ratliff will always be the king of funny faces though] and be cordial to the media. It’s not an easy job guys. Despite the fact that I truly believe this team had the talent to “win the whole damn thing,” they were all classy guys and I’m sure we’ll see a few of them in the big leagues in the next few years, making this year one of the best in the team’s history, even if they didn’t make the playoffs.

Anyway, this went a little longer than expected. Hope I didn’t put anyone to sleep.

Notes-

Just because the season is over, don’t expect this site to just shut down either. I have done so many interviews this season and have so much information that I plan to post 1-2 articles a week to keep you guys in the loop. I also have dozens of numbers of former Clones that I will interview over the winter and spring, which should satisfy any hunger you have for Brooklyn baseball.

I am also working on a book on the team this season, which I plan to have finished by the end of the year. Over the next few months, I will be putting all the pieces together so everyone knows as much about this season’s team as humanely possible. They were a great group of guys from all over the country and the funny stories and situations they were in was like something out of “Bull Durham.” I am confident that his book will bring all those funny and entertaining moments together in a work that will be one of the most comprehensive works ever written about a minor league baseball team.

My photographer, Ron Hatcher is also working on a picture book, filled with all the great photos he took this season, in coffee-table book format, for of course, your viewing pleasure.

When they are released, you guys will get all the details.

As well, I will be appearing on Mike Silva’s NY Baseball Digest @ six P.M. tomorrow. You can listen online at NYBaseballDigest.com. I will be discussing the team this season and whatever Mike wants to chat about.

This year didn’t end the way many of you guys would have liked it, but it was a fun year nonetheless.

To everyone that commented on the site or e-mail me during the season to tell me how much they enjoyed my writing or Ron’s pictures, thank you. For everyone else, thank you as well, you pushed us to work even harder and made us better people and professionals by season’s end.

Photos by Ron Hatcher.

With Kirk Nieuwenhuis, their best hitter all season at the plate in the bottom of the tenth, an absolute bomb off the third round pick’s bat was torn from the sky courtesy of Hurricane Hanna-inspired winds, right into Aberdeen outfielder Jacob Julius’s glove in right center field.

Seconds later, the last Fireworks show of the summer at Coney Island started, symbolizing a beautiful season that in the end, just wasn’t meant to be.

A half inning afterwards, an error from closer Yury Santana opened the door for a two-run Aberdeen 11th, effectively euthanizing the Cyclones 2008 playoff hopes.

“I’m sad, but I’m happy,” said Cyclones manager Edgar Alfonzo. “Everyone got better this year and when you are 15 games over .500, it’s a successful season regardless.”

The Cyclones got on the board in the first after an Eric Campbell sacrifice fly scored Nieuwenhuis and gave them a 1-0 lead. The Mets Single-A affiliate continued to produce in the second as well after a Josh Satin single scored Seth Williams and a Jose Jimenez sacrifice fly [his second RBI since the All-Star break] scored Satin, putting Brooklyn up 3-0.

With an early three-run lead, Cyclones starter Scott Shaw was solid and despite some control problems in the third, kept Aberdeen scoreless and the lead intact. In the fourth however, Ironbirds third baseman Tyler Kolodny brought the shutout bid to end with an RBI single. A passed ball and a sacrifice fly later in the inning allowed two more runs to score, tying the game at 3-3.

Reliever Wendy Rosa replaced Shaw in the fifth and pitched 1.2 innings of shutout ball before walking a pair of hitters. Mattias Carrillo then came out of the Brooklyn bullpen and got the final out of the inning and pitched two shutout innings before leaving in favor of Jeff Kaplan with two outs in the top of the eighth. Getting the final out of the inning, Kaplan kept the score at 3-3 going into the ninth.

The Brooklyn offense could not come through in the bottom of the ninth however, sending the game into extra innings.

Kaplan’s night then came to an end in the tenth, as he lasted only one out into the inning after allowing a walk to Calvin Lester and a sacrifice bunt. Alfonzo was then forced to bring in Santana and things got interesting after that, as Lester stole third with only one out. Santana was on his game though, retiring both hitters he faced to keeping the game tied going into the 11th.

Santana was again on the mound after Brooklyn after the Baby Bums couldn’t produce at the plate in the tenth. This time however, the 26-year-old wasn’t as sharp and committed an error on a routine dribbler down the first base line, which opened the door for a TJ Baxter RBI single later in the inning that put Aberdeen ahead 4-3. Santana then walked the next hitter he faced and was replaced by Roy Merritt with the bases loaded. Despite striking out the first hitter he faced, Merritt soon ran into trouble of his own, walking home a run before ending the inning with the Ironbirds up 5-3.

Continuing to have problems against Aberdeen pitching, Brooklyn couldn’t get back in the ballgame, as catcher Caesar Cordido grounded into a double play after a lead-off walk in the bottom of 11th. Pinch-hitter Sean Ratliff was then retired on strikes to end the game 5-3.

With the loss, the Cyclones are eliminated for post-season play and will not make the playoffs for the first time in three seasons.

“It disappointing,” said Nieuwenhuis. “But we all worked hard this season and we played great baseball down the stretch.”

Notes-

Winning 13 of their last 16 before Friday night’s game, Brooklyn’s offense mustered only eight hits on the night.

With his 79th hit tonight, Nieuwenhuis tied the Cyclones single-season hit record with Dustin Martin and Ambiorix Concepcion.

“I had no idea,” he said. “I would have liked to get one or to more today, but the wind got them.”

Nieuwenhuis also tied the Cyclones single-season record for most games played, set by Ian Bladergroen in 2003.

Even if Brooklyn would have won on Friday, things would have remained tricky in assessing their playoff hopes. Because of the remnants of Hurricane Hanna, which has already begun to hit Brooklyn, the Cyclones may not have been able to play today’s game. Then, if Batavia would have won their season finale today and Brooklyn was unable to play due to the weather, Batavia would have made the playoffs as the wild card due to a higher win percentage. However, if Brooklyn didn’t play and either Batavia or Jamestown lost, Brooklyn would have made the playoffs for the third consecutive season.

Update: 1:30 P.M.

Today’s season finale has been canceled.

Photos by Ron Hatcher.

With three RBI on the night, the Jordan Abruzzo-powered Clones kept their magical playoff carpet ride alive for another night, defeating Hudson Valley 5-3.

“We’re in good shape right now,” said Abruzzo. “We’re confident and everything is coming together right now. You can see it coming.”

Hudson Valley got on the board in the top of the first after a Jacob Jefferies RBI single off Brooklyn starter Chris Schwinden that scored lead-off hitter Robi Estrada and gave the Renegades an early 1-0 lead.

Not looking like the same pitcher that made the NY-Penn League All-Star team a weeks ago early on, Schwinden knew he had to make a few adjustments.

“The wind was blowing pretty good and I was trying to nibble at the hitters,” said Schwinden. “After the first, Fonzie told me to pitch to contact and it ended up working for me.”

The Clones got some help soon after, as Hudson Valley starter Chris Andujar coughed the lead over the next half inning, giving up a pair of RBI singles from Eric Campbell and Abruzzo and putting the Mets Single-A affiliate up 2-1.

After Schwinden and Andujar threw scoreless frames in the second, Hudson Valley catcher Frank Mollicone got tied the score at 2-2 in the third with a RBI single. The Baby Bums then answered back quickly in the fourth, after a Kirk Nieuwenhuis RBI double scored Josh Satin and gave Brooklyn a 3-2 lead.

In the fifth, the Clones added to their lead with an Abruzzo two-run homer off Hudson Valley reliever Neil Schenk, which put them ahead 5-2.

“I told Schwinden earlier in the game to pitch to contact because of the wind,” said Cyclones manager Edgar Alfonzo with a laugh. “I didn’t think anyone was hitting it out tonight. After Abruzzo hit his homer, he came to me and asked me to ’say that again.’”

After giving up two runs in his first three innings, Schwinden settled down and hurled scoreless innings in the fourth, fifth and sixth, before leaving favor of Jimmy Johnson in the seventh.

“When he’ good, he attacks the zone,” said Abruzzo of Swinden. “He made adjustments tonight and was very good for us.”

With a three-run cushion supporting him on the mound, Johnson pitched a scoreless seventh and eighth, but gave up a run in the ninth and left the game with two outs and runners on first and second. With the winning-run at the plate, lefty side-armer Ron Merritt came out of the Brooklyn pen and retired Hudson Valley’s Jason Tweedy on a line drive to second baseman JR Voyles, cementing a 5-3 Cyclones win.

Winners now of 13 of their past 16 games, Brooklyn’s confidence seems at a season high. However, despite the win, Brooklyn failed to separate themselves from Jamestown, who won their game over Batavia 13-4.

Nevertheless, the Baby Bums seem determined to keep their miracle season going.

“We’re playing incredible baseball now,” said Schwinden. “We can’t play any better than we’re playing right now. The chemistry is there and we want to keep this going.”

Notes-

In my three seasons covering the Cyclones for pretty much every local newspaper in the area, I have never had a fan approach me after a game and tell me to put them in my story for the night. That is until tonight, when little Sol Ayal wanted to share his thoughts on the Cyclones play as of late.

“They’ve been awesome,” he said. “And of course, they are making the playoffs. I think they are going to win it all.”

Well, if Sol said it, it must be true.

On a more journalistic note…

After rejoining the Brooklyn lineup on Sept. 1 against Aberdeen, Reese Havens was taken out of the lineup the next game and hasn’t been there since. After Thursday’s game, Alfonzo said Havens was out for the season.

“He’s done,” he said.

Photos by Ron Hatcher.

Playing a pivotal part in the Cyclones playoff run over the past few weeks, the coaching staff sees a bright future in front of the 21-year-old.

Sporting southern good-looks, a trademark smile and a vicious fastball that has reached 98 miles-per-hour on occasion this season, Holt seems to be tailor-made for a life in baseball in New York City.

“This kid is a warrior,” said Cyclones manager Edgar Alfonzo. “Whenever he’s on the mound, he gives me a lot of confidence because he just brings so much to the table. He has a great fastball, breaking ball and changeup and he wants to pitch nine innings every time he goes out there. He knows we have him on a pitch count and he still wants to go out there and pitch as much as he can. Guys like that are very rare today.”

What is even rarer however is the attitude Holt has on the field and in the clubhouse. Like a magician, Holt can go from a tough as nails competitor on the mound one second to a fun-loving teammate, without missing a beat.

The end result is a player that has the polish, determination and mindset of a future major leaguer.

“I don’t know how he does it,” said former Cyclones third baseman Zach Lutz via phone from Port St. Lucie Florida. “He understands the game and works very hard, but he loves to have a good time in the dugout. Because of that, he’s a great guy to play with.”

Things didn’t originally start Holt’s way this season though, as a bevy of walks surrendered through his fist handful of starts had many scouts worried about his control. Over his last six starts however, Holt has 12 walks over 34.2 innings pitched, a vast improvement over the 21 walks he gave up over his first eight starts of the season.

Despite those momentary bumps in the road this summer, Holt has always maintained an air of confidence and hasn’t been able to wipe the smile off his face.

“Baseball is all about winning, but there’s no reason why you can’t have fun too,” Holt, who has been accused of putting bubble gum on several of his teammates’ hats this season, said, with a smirk. “I like to keep things light. I like having a good time. I’ve been this way since High School.”

Obviously impressed with Holt’s resiliency and attitude on the mound this season, Cyclones pitching coach Hector Berrios likes other things about his game and has been pleased with his development.

“The thing I like about him is the extension he gets on his fastball and other pitches,” Berrios said. “What looks like a 94 and 95 mph pitch looks like a 96 or 97 out of his hand because he releases closer to the hitter. For example, Jenrry Mejia throws at the same velocity, but doesn’t get same amount of swings and misses. Obviously, Holt is a bigger guy, but he gets closer to the hitter and that’s why he gets more swings and misses.”

Soft-spoken and honest, Holt isn’t one to brag about his play this season.

Instead, he’ll let his numbers do the real talking.

“It gives me confidence knowing everyone has confidence in me,” said Holt. “I can only control how I pitch though and I think I’ve done a good job of that this season.”

Link-

Box Score to Last Night’s 9-6 Cyclones win.

Photos by Ron Hatcher.

Jeff Kaplan: In the beginning of the year, I came from pitching a lot of innings in college and I was on a strict pitch count from the start. We had seven guys who could start and the organization thought I was worn out a bit and decided I’d be more effective out of the bullpen. So this season I’ve been trying to get my arm strength back to were it was when I was in college and I feel that I have. So far, so good.

DBB: What do you think of Brooklyn?

Kaplan: It’s fun to play in front of all of these people. It’s really a test and it takes some people some adjusting to get used to playing here. I played in front of some big crowds in college though [Cal State Fullerton] and I love this. The atmosphere is great here.

DBB: You have this really laid back attitude, almost stoic on the bench, but on the field, you’re a pretty tough customer. Where did that attitude come from?

Kaplan: My persona changes when I step on the field. I’m the kind of guy that doesn’t like to talk a lot. I just like to do my job and I do whatever I have to do to help the team win. It’s a switch that I’ve learned to turn on when I have to go into a game and with the switch from starting to relieving this season, I’ve had to work on that as well, so my mind is right when I get on the mound in a tight situation.

DBB: Stephen Clyne has that type of mentality as well. As a matter of fact, he looks downright mean on the bench sometimes. Has he helped you at all wit that or is that something you had before?

Kaplan:It’s something that I’ve had pretty much my entire life. Stephen is very similar to me though. It’s funny because we’ll talk about things and we usually have the same opinions. I’ve learned a lot from him on the mound though and in the bullpen this season. He’s a great guy.

DBB: What do you think of the team’s playoff chances?

Kaplan: We have to concentrate on what we do and win games. We can’t worry about what the other teams do. If we make it ,great, if not, then we don’t. But it won’t be because we didn’t work hard enough out there.

Link:

Box Score to last night’s 5-1 Cyclones Loss.

Photos by Ron Hatcher.

If he’s 6′3,175 pounds and has braces, it’s Mets prospect Wilmer Flores.

Going through seven other shortstops this season, due to a combination of inconsistent play and chronic injuries, the Brooklyn Cyclones got the baby-faced middle infielder on Aug. 28 from the Mets other Single-A affiliate in Savannah, where he played just one game and collected three hits. Before being sent to Savannah, Flores was starring for the Mets Rookie league team in Kingsport, where he was hitting .310 with eight home runs and 41 RBI.

That’s a lot of traveling for anyone, nevertheless a 17-year-old.

With seven hits in his first four games in Brooklyn however, he’s already become a fixture in the starting lineup. Because of that, it looks like his traveling days are over this season.

“You watch him hit and you know it’s something you can’t teach,” said Cyclones manager Edgar Alfonzo. “He’s very young, but after you watch him in batting practice, you see that he has a routine and he sticks with it. He’s going to be a very good player.”

Because of all the praise he’s received for his play on the field and maturity off of it this season, Flores is having an absolute blast in his first year in professional baseball.

“I always dreamed to be here, but I never thought I’d be here this fast. It’s been amazing,” he said through a translator. “The traveling is part of my job. I have to do it, but it’s been fun too. I’ll play wherever they want me to. I love to do this.”

Playing with players up to nine years older than him this season, you’d expect the youngster, who still has a good four years before he can legally drink a brew after a game, to feel a bit out of place.

In spite of his age and the ages of his teammates though, Flores is looking forward to proving himself in Brooklyn and loves being around older players.

“There were a lot of younger players in Kingsport and in Brooklyn, there are more experienced guys,” he said. “It’s a tougher league and I’m learning from my surroundings. It’s good for me to be in this locker room. In Kingsport, the pitchers threw a lot of fastballs, but here, I’ve been seeing curve balls, change-ups and sliders too. It’s a good test for me.”

Considering how large Flores is and how many years he has left to grow, one would expect him to end up a first baseman or a corner outfielder by the time he makes it to the big leagues. Right now however, Flores is focusing on being the best shortstop he can be.

Already showing solid range and a more than adequate arm on the field in his short stint in Brooklyn, Flores doesn’t want to think of moving to another position right now.

“Right now I’m playing shortstop,” Flores, who models his game after Derek Jeter, said. “And that’s what I’m going to continue to do. If they want to move me later that’s fine. I just want to play baseball. This is what I love to do.”

Nevertheless, while idolizing the current Yankee shortstop, Flores doesn’t see himself becoming a playboy any time soon.

Because for him, baseball comes first.

“I’m not worried about any female fans,” Flores said. “I’m here to play baseball.”

Link-

Box score to last night’s 5-2 Cyclones win.

Photos by Ron Hatcher

Powered by a two-homer night from catcher Jordan Abruzzo, the Baby Bums kept their playoff hopes alive with a 3-1 win over the Hudson Valley Renegades Sunday night, climbing to just a half game behind the Jamestown Jammers for the NYPL Wild Card spot.

“It feels like we can’t lose,” said Cyclones starter Scott Shaw. “But we can’t stop there. We have six games left and we have to keep winning.”

Despite giving up eight hits, Shaw limited the Hudson Valley offense to only one run over 5.1 innings pitched.

Hudson Valley starter Shane Dyer was just as solid early on, but gave up an Abruzzo solo-homer in the fourth that gave Brooklyn a 1-0 lead.

Looking for their eighth win in a row, the Cyclones admitted they would have liked to give Shaw some more offensive support, but loved his perseverance on the mound in spite of it.

“When a pitcher doesn’t have his best stuff and pitches that way, you have to be proud,” Cyclones skipper Edgar Alfonzo said. “He gave us a chance to win tonight.”

Showing the moxie of a playoff team, the Clones got the lead right back in the bottom of the sixth after an Ike Davis single and an error by Renegades right fielder Kyeong Kang allowed Eric Campbell, who reached on an error earlier in the inning by Hudson Valley shortstop Robi Estrada, to score and give them their one-run lead back at 2-1.

Johnson continued to pitch for Brooklyn and twirled scoreless frames in the seventh and eighth, while Abruzzo added his second homer in the bottom of the eighth to put the Mets Single-A affiliate up by two runs with only one inning left to play.

Johnson then returned to the mound on the ninth and retired the side in order, giving the Baby Bums their eighth consecutive victory.

With losses by Staten Island and Jamestown on Sunday, Brooklyn is now three games out of first place in the McNamara Division and a half game back of the Wild Card.

Nevertheless, Brooklyn knows they can’t afford to count their chickens before they hatch and must continue winning in order to secure a post-season birth.

“We keep this up, who knows what could happen,” said Johnson. “We’re making it interesting. That’s for sure.”

Notes-

While the Cyclones coaching staff said on Sunday that Reese Havens’ return could be as soon as today, with the Mets first round pick taking batting practice on Sunday and looking like he’s awfully close to 100 percent, the team still feels like it may keep him out of the lineup longer.

“He’s ready to play, but I don’t know,” said Alfonzo. “In terms of his career, it’s not important for him to play right now. Maybe he’ll DH or pinch-hit here and there, but we don’t want him to go out there and get hurt and miss more time. We need to be careful.”

With Wilmer Flores thriving in Brooklyn [seven hits in his first four games], the Mets Single-A affiliate could have an interesting situation develop over the final week of the season.

Cyclones first baseman Ike Davis is hitting .351 over his past 10 games and has a nine-game hitting streak.

“I hope he keeps hitting this way,” said Alfonzo. “We need him hot over the last six games.”

Update 9:30 P.M.-

With 12 strikeouts tonight, Cyclones starter Brad Holt has broken the record for most K’s in a season by a Brooklyn pitcher. The previous record was 93 by Kevin Deaton in 2002.

Photos by Ron Hatcher.

That reason however is an easy one- pitching coach Hector Berrios.

Entering his tenth season as a pitching coach and his fifth with the Cyclones, Berrios has consistently taken young pitchers to the top in Brooklyn. This season is no different.

Coming into the season, everyone in the organization knew that supplemental pick Brad Holt was going to be the bee’s knees, but no one could have possibly pondered how successful relative unknowns Jimmy Johnson, Chris Schwinden, Erik Turgeon and Roy Merritt were going to be. All picked in the 22nd round or later in the 2007 and 2008 drafts, many believed these youngsters were simply needed to fill out the roster.

Instead, they’ve been stalwarts on the mound and have played an integral part in the team’s success, thanks in part to the hard work of Berrios behind the scenes.

“It’s been a real pleasant experience with these guys this season,” he said. “Once these guys got their feet wet this season, they all really took off. You’re seeing it right now.”

In his five years in Brooklyn, Berrios has kept the Cyclones in the top three in team ERA every season and has consistently made heroes out of the most unlikely. Take the 2008 22nd round pick Schwinden for instance, who came into the season coming out of the bullpen sparingly, to only find himself one of the team’s dominant starters by the All-Star break.

For players like Schwinden, Berrios is an angel that makes their first year in professional baseball a dream come true, rather than a nightmare.

“Hector is an amazing pitching coach,” said Schwinden, who made the NY-Penn League All-Star team this season under Berrios’ tutelage. “He’s always there for us and you know he’d take our side in a fight if he had to. He’s gives us so much information and he always leaves it up to us to take it. He prepares you for so many things on the mound and by doing that, he makes you a better pitcher than you were before.”

A ninth round pick of the San Francisco Giants in 1983, who played parts of two seasons at the Triple-A level, Berrios knows how tough life in the minors can be.

That alone has played a huge part in his success as a pitching coach.

“Your the first guy that they learn from and that experience lasts a lifetime,” said Berrios. “I don’t like to do this just so they get to the big leagues. I always try and make sure that they know I care about them and I’m very passionate about their success. That creates a real bond and I don’t think any of them ever forget Brooklyn and what they learned here.”

Becoming a father figure to the players he coaches, Berrios has put together quite a resume for himself over the past half decade in Brooklyn, as Florida Marlins reliever Matt Lindstrom, Royals starer Brian Bannister and current Mets relievers Eddie Kunz and Joe Smith have all passed through his bullpen in Coney Island.

That, Berrios said, is something he’ll never forget.

“It’s been an awesome ride and it’s great that I get calls back from guys that feel that comfort and they know they can talk to me when things are going bad or even when they are going good.”

The way the team has pitched this season, it’s fair to say that he’ll be getting plenty of phone calls this winter.

“I don’t even want to think about where I’d be without him this year,” said Turgeon. “I was so lucky that I got the chance to come here and work with him.”

Link-

Box Score to last night’s 5-4 Cyclones Win.

Photos by Patrick Hickey Jr. and Ron Hatcher.

After reliever Jeff Kaplan inherited a one run lead in the fourth and pitched his best game this season however, that thread just got a little longer.

Beating Oneonta 3-2 behind Kaplan and a two-RBI night from Seth Williams, Brooklyn, who have now won six in a row, aren’t laying down and are focused on stealing a playoff spot anyway they can.

“I feel like they know what they need to do now to win games,” said Cyclones manager Edgar Alfonzo. “A couple of weeks ago, it was scary. Right now though, everyone is ready to contribute.”

The Cyclones got on the board first on a Sean Ratliff RBI double in the second that scored Wilmer Flores and gave them a 1-0 lead. Williams then stretched the lead even further in the second after an RBI single that scored JR Voyles and Kirk Nieuwenhuis and put them up by three.

The Mets Single-A affiliate saw their lead shrink the next half inning however, after a Brent Wyatt single down the third base line [that was argued by Alfonzo to no avail] scored two runs and made it a one-run ballgame at 3-2.

“That hit really got in my head and I lost my concentration because of it,” said Martinez through a translator. “Other than that, I thought I was okay.”

Giving up six hits in 3.1 innings, Martinez was replaced by Jeff Kaplan with runners on the corners in the fourth. Getting the finals two outs of the inning, Kaplan held the lead and pitched 4.2 innings, giving up only one hit. Losing his spot in the rotation earlier in the season, Kaplan has been a revelation in relief over his past seven outings and has given up only two earned runs in 19.2 innings pitched.

“I knew if I threw strikes, my defense would help me out,” said Kaplan. “I pitched my game.”

Jimmy Johnson came out of the bullpen and replaced Kaplan in the ninth, but lasted only two outs after giving up a lead-off single and an error by Flores.

With the winning run on first base for Oneonta, Alfonzo called in closer Yury Santana, who retired the only hitter he faced via strikeout and gave Brooklyn their 40th win of the season.

Despite the win however, Brooklyn failed to gain any significant ground in the playoff race, as both Batavia and Staten both won their respective games, putting them one and half games out of the Wild Card and four back of the McNamara Division lead. Nevertheless, Kaplan and the Clones know that they can’t control how other teams play and are focused on winning their remaining games.

“We know that we have to win,” he said. “We can’t worry about what everybody else does and we’re not.”

Notes-

Wilmer Flores had three hits again for Brooklyn and by the smile on his face on the field, he seems to be enjoying Brooklyn immensely. [By the way, just to answer a fan's e-mail yesterday, yes, Flores still has braces.]

The coaching staff is enjoying his play as well.

“He’s played well these two games,” said Alfonzo. “This kid is doing good and he has a routine.”

Clones shortstop Reese Havens was seen during batting practice on Friday looking very much like a player very close to returning to the lineup. The Cyclones however, refuse to rush the first rounder back.

“We don’t want to think about it now,” said Alfonzo. “As of right now, we’re still wait and see with him.”

Video-

Havens fielding during BP yesterday.

[youtube ch3JWIxYcso]

Photos by Ron Hatcher. Video by Patrick Hickey Jr.

If they’re the Brooklyn Cyclones, they win.

Powered by 12 hits and a solid starting pitching performance from Jenrry Mejia, the Mets Single-A affiliate defeated the Oneonta Tigers 6-0 Thursday Night and kept their ever-shrinking playoff hopes alive.

“From now on, every win is important,” said Cyclones skipper Edgar Alfonzo. “We’re playing good baseball lately and today was crucial.”

With Mejia keeping the Tigers scoreless through the first three innings, Brooklyn grabbed a four-run lead after RBI singles by Eric Campbell, Jordan Abruzzo, Juan Legares and Ike Davis. Recent addition Wilmer Flores also got in the action, adding an RBI single of his own that capped a five-run Brooklyn third.

Pitching with a rare multi-run lead behind him, Mejia responded with another scoreless frame in the fourth and got even more support after Abruzzo singled in another run to put Brooklyn up 6-0.

Walking three and scattering five hits over five innings pitched, Mejia wasn’t at his best, but he pitched well enough to win his first game since Jul. 25.

“I had confidence and I was comfortable,” said Mejia through a translator. “I didn’t think I was that good, but I had the support I needed. I was lucky tonight. I’m happy I got the win though.”

Reliever Wendy Rosa replaced Mejia in the sixth and kept the shutout bid alive, pitching 3 2/3 shutout innings, giving up only two hits and striking out seven. Erik Turgeon then came into the game with two outs in the ninth and got the last out, cementing a convincing 6-0 Brooklyn win.

Still trailing both the Staten Island Yankees and Batavia Muckdogs for first place in the McNamara Division and the Wild Card after the win, Brooklyn isn’t ready to throw the towel in just yet.

“It’s not over,” said Alfonzo. “We have to win and see what happens. All we can do is go out there and do the best we can. I really like the way we’re playing right now.”

Notes-

Flores went three for four with an RBI in his Brooklyn debut and showed a more than adequate arm at shortstop. However, Alfonzo also stated that Flores was only filling in at shortstop for Juan Legares, who was the designated hitter on Thursday due to soreness in his throwing arm. Nevertheless, he did admit to liking what he saw from the 17-year-old Mets prospect.

“He’s still a kid, but he’s good,” said Alfonzo. “He’s not flashy and he’s still young, but he’s going to be okay here. He can catch all the routine balls and he can hit a little. Having him here gives us some flexibility.”

Update- 7:00 P.M.

Video- Wilmer Flores in BP this afternoon.

[youtube WYRNLR4HKnU]

Photos by Ron Hatcher. Video by Patrick Hickey Jr.

Getting another quality outing from staff ace Brad Holt and clutch hitting from Sean Ratliff, the Baby Bums looked recharged indeed and scratched out a hard-fought 3-1 win.

“The way we played tonight, I feel like this team is relaxed and ready,” said Cyclones manager Edgar Alfonzo. “They know what they have to do now and I believe in them.”

Things didn’t start Brooklyn’s way however, as after hurling four scoreless innings, Holt gave up two hits and threw a wild pitch in the fifth that allowed an Oneonta run to score and gave the Tigers a one-run lead.

“I started off well,” said Holt, who threw 90 pitches on the night. “My changeup was good all night, except for the one that spiked past the catcher and gave them the lead. Other than that, I think I was alright.”

The Clones wasted no time getting back into the game however, as a Ratliff a solo bomb off Oneonta hurler Trevor Feeney in the bottom of the fifth tied the score at 1-1.

Lefty reliever Roy Merritt came out of the Brooklyn bullpen in the sixth, replacing Holt and kept the score deadlocked at 1-1 through the eighth. The Mets Single-A affiliate then broke the game wide open the following half inning, getting a bases-loaded single from Ratliff that scored Ike Davis and Jordan Abruzzo and put the Clones ahead 3-1.

“I got a changeup I was able to hit over the second baseman’s head and get us the lead,” said Ratliff, who has four homers in his past 10 games. “I’ve been feeling great out there lately and it feels good to help the team in a clutch situation like that.”

After getting their first lead of the night in the eighth, Jimmy Johnson was summoned out of the bullpen and wasted no time, retiring the side in order, earning the first save of his professional career and securing a 3-1 Brooklyn win.

Winning their fourth game in as many days, the Baby Bums know that with only 10 games left to go, the winning ways must continue for their playoff dreams to come true.

“We’re rolling right now,” said Ratliff, who also made a pair of diving grabs in keep the game tied. “We really want to keep this going.”

Notes-

Clones starter Chris Schwinden, who was forced to leave his last start after being hit by a ball on his upper thigh in Tri-City, told reporters today that he’s fine and should be ready to pitch when his turn in the rotation comes up.

“I’m a little purple,” he said of his thigh. “But I’ll be okay. I was pretty lucky”

Update 5:15 P.M.-

Mets 17-year-old prospect Wilmer Flores has been sent to Brooklyn and will be hitting seventh tonight against the Oneonta Tigers. Hitting .310 with 48 RBI with Kingsport this season, Flores is one of the fast-rising prospects in the organization and should be able to do more than just fill in for first round pick Reese Havens.

Photos by Ron Hatcher.

There was just one problem though.

He couldn’t hit well enough to stay in the lineup everyday.

A lifetime .197 hitter through his first season in professional baseball, Santana knew that in order to make his big league dreams come true, he’d have to do something incredibly drastic. Known for his defensive skills and amazing arm, Santana and the Mets organization decided it was in his best interest to become a pitcher.

He hasn’t looked back since.

“In the beginning it was tough and all I could do was throw hard,” he said. “[Former Met] Randy Niemann worked with me a lot and showed me how to throw strikes and taught me to not focus on throwing hard. I used to get in trouble a lot because that’s all I could do. Now, I feel like a pitcher.”

Things didn’t originally start out the way the 26-year-old would have liked however, as he was lost for most of the 2006 and 2007 seasons after Tommy John surgery. Originally signed as a free agent by the Mets in 2003, Santana knew that his 2008 season would have to be a special one or his career would most likely be over.

Making the NY-Penn League All Star team after leading the team with 10 saves and striking out 28 hitters in only 20 innings this season, Santana has not only cemented his spot in Brooklyn, but he’s become a prospect worth watching.

Seeing his development throughout the season, Brooklyn pitching coach Hector Berrios has loved what he’s seen from the fiery reliever and believes that despite his age, he has a bright future ahead of him.

“He’s got three pitches he can throw for strikes, but it’s more about the mental game with him,” Berrios said. “He’s not used to being in the pitcher’s shoes yet. When he does well, he as high as a roller coaster ride, but when he does bad out there, he’s really hard on himself. That’s what we’ve worked on this season with him. He’s come a long way in a short period of time.”

Under the tutelage of Berrios, Santana has thrived out of the Brooklyn bullpen and quickly become a leader in the clubhouse. Giving Berrios credit for his swagger on the mound and the development of his slider, Santana doesn’t want to think about where he’d be without his pitching coach’s help this season.

“I’ve worked with Hector a lot,” said Santana. “With his help, I have become a much better pitcher. We’ve worked everyday on my slider and it’s made a big difference on the mound.”

With the confidence and experience of a veteran and the work ethic of a rookie with everything to prove, Santana isn’t ready to let his feel-good story come to an end just yet.

“I love having the game in my hands,” he said. “I love being a closer. I’ve worked really hard this year in Brooklyn and I think I’m ready to pitch in Double-A next season. I just have to keep throwing strikes. It’s the same ball there, nothing different.”

Link-

Box Score to last night’s 7-2 Cyclones Win.

Update- 5:45 P.M.

Second baseman Kyle Suire and center fielder Rafael Fernandez were added to the Cyclones roster from Kingsport today. Suire was hitting .297 with nine homers and 36 RBI in only 48 games. Fernandez was hitting .259 with four dingers and 31 RBI in 57 games. Neither will be in the starting lineup tonight.

Photos by Patrick Hickey Jr. and Ron Hatcher

DemBrooklynBums.com: You were hitting very well down in Kingsport, can you tell us a little about your game?

Dock Doyle: I started off a little slow this summer, I guess it was the transition from college ball and the metal bats to the pros and wood. It just took some time. Now I’m here in Brooklyn and ready to experience the game with the Brooklyn Cyclones.

DBB: To give the fans at home a better idea of what kind of player you are, is there a player at the major league level that you try and emulate?

Doyle: I like watching guys like Jorge Posada and Jason Varitek catch. Mets fans may not like that though.

DBB: What do you take more pride in, calling a game, or hitting?

Doyle: I’m a hitter, I love to hit. I enjoy being behind the plate and helping pitchers and I really like to lead as much as I can when I’m out there, but hitting is definitely my favorite part of the game.

DBB: Has the organization told you what to expect as far as playing time is concerned? Do you have any expectations?

Doyle: I don’t know, I haven’t heard anything from anyone, so I’m just going to enjoy the rest of my summer and see where it takes me.

DBB: Josh Satin and John Servidio spent some time in Kingsport earlier in the season, did you hang out with them at all? Do you know any of the other guys?

Doyle: They were there for a few nights and we went out to dinner a few times. They were a lot of fun to be around. Erik Turgeon was my roommate down there to and I know Seth Williams from when he was there. I haven’t met most of the other guys though.

Link-

Box Score to last night’s 5-4 Cyclones Win.

Photos by Patrick Hickey Jr. and Jim Dolan

For the first few weeks of the season, things seemed to be going according to plan, as he was outshining every player on the team, including the trio of Mets first round picks, Ike Davis, Reese Havens and Brad Holt.

Coming into the season with a vastly redefined upper body, Lutz appeared to be in the best shape of his life.

Looks can sometimes be deceiving though.

Currently rehabbing in Florida after re-injuring his foot a few weeks ago, Lutz was hitting .333 with three homers and 12 RBI in only 24 games with Brooklyn this season and admits now that he was only playing at 75-80 percent during that time. Skeptical of his return to Brooklyn this year, Lutz has been told by the organization to put this season behind him and focus on 2009.

“I hate to say this, but from what we’ve been talking about, the focus is really on the long-term,” he said. “The organization and I really don’t want to come back and risk anything. I want to play more than anything right now and everybody knows it, but everyone is telling me to look out for myself and my future. It really hurts when you hear something like that, but when you sit down and think about it, it makes perfect sense.”

Seen icing his foot after nearly every home game this season in Brooklyn, many reporters wondered just how hurt Lutz actually was, but considering how exceptional his play was on the field, no one thought it was anything more than soreness from a year on the shelf.

Things were a lot worse than they seemed however.

“Every three or four games, I’d have to sit out because it [his foot] was acting up,” said Lutz. “There were times after games this season where I couldn’t even walk without it hurting. Right now, I really don’t know what the point would be in trying to come back because I’m not even at the level I was at when I was there. I don’t feel I’m even close to that level now. I have a walking boot on now and I still have problems with my quad.”

For a 22-year-old that has been a star at every level of baseball he’s played at, staying away from the game may be a bit tougher than it seems. A student of the game, Lutz spent the offseason in 2007 throwing baseballs with his mother and working out his upper body with his father, all while keeping his foot elevated like the Mets wanted him to, for nearly five months. By doing so and playing injured this season, Lutz has proven he’s a warrior that wants to succeed in professional baseball, perhaps more than anyone else in the sport today.

Knowing that, the next few months may be difficult ones for him.

“When I was in college, I’d have a game at three right after school and by six, I’d be home running or have my mom throw golf balls at me,” Lutz said. “I’d have a class the next day at 7:45 and I’d be up at 5:30 running and hitting. This is what I love to do and it hurts so bad not to be able to do it. I just have to be patient now. I’m only 22 and I don’t want to risk losing my career. There’s nothing I can do. ”

Nevertheless, Lutz is focused on coming back a better player and one that is completely healthy.

“I’m going to come into Spring Training in great shape,” he said. “I want to get back to where I was before and I’m going to everything I can to get there. I know I was doing well when I was in Brooklyn, but I know I could do more. When I would hit a ground ball toward the line at third, I know that I could run it out if I wasn’t hurt. The same thing goes for some of the singles I hit that could have been doubles. I stole a bunch of bases in college too and to not be able to do that was really frustrating. I want to make sure it never happens again.”

Link-

Box Score to last night’s 8-3 Cyclones Win.

Photos by Jim Dolan and Ron Hatcher.

Leaving six runners on in the game’s first two innings and committing two errors in the top of the ninth, the Clones ruined another fantastic pitching performance from their staff, resulting in a 2-1 loss.

“This is a tough one to swallow,” said Cyclones skipper Edgar Alfonzo. “Our pitchers did a great job and we didn’t help them. We had plenty of chances.”

After amassing only two hits on Friday against Lowell starter Kyle Weiland, Brooklyn got three in the first inning off Bryan Price, including a bases-loaded RBI single from Juan Legares that scored Seth Williams and gave the Cyclones a 1-0 lead.

Price’s struggles continued into the second and after two more hits and a fall on the mound after a single by Caesar Cordido, he was replaced in favor of Dennis Neuman. The Spinners reliever was then fortunate to get himself out of a bases-loaded jam after a Jose Jimenez fly out in right field and a outfield assist from Luis Sumoza that nailed Cordido at the plate, keeping the score 1-0.

Continuing the recent stretch of stellar starting pitching for Brooklyn was 18-year-old Jenrry Mejia [2-1, 3.63 ERA], who kept the Boston Single-A affiliate hitless through the game’s first four innings. Limiting Lowell to just 1 hit in six innings of work, Mejia bounced back from a few bad starts and put himself in position to win his first game since Jul. 25.

“I felt great out there,” said Mejia, through a translator. “My fastball was really working.”

Jimmy Johnson replaced Mejia in the seventh and continued the one-hit bid by getting Lowell in order. Stephen Clyne pitched the eighth and gave up a hit, but kept the score at 1-0. Continuing to pitch in the final frame, Clyne walked a batter and surrendered another hit, but a pair of errors, one by Lagares and the other by JR Voyles allowed two runs to score and gave Lowell their first lead of the night at 2-1.

Robert Romero made his season debut for Lowell in the ninth and got the Cyclones in order, securing the 2-1 Cyclone loss.

Losing the final game of the series with the Spinners, Brooklyn now has three games on the road with the Tri-City Valley Cats before coming back home for a three-game series with Oneonta on Wednesday.

Still confident of their playoff chances with only 13 games remaining, Brooklyn knows the bats have to start producing more.

“You can’t expect your pitchers to bail you out when you only score one run,” said Williams. “There’s nothing else they could have done. We know what we have to do.”

Notes-

Third baseman/Left fielder Eric Campbell was replaced by Sean Ratliff in the third. After the game, Alfonzo said it was a “manager’s decision” and refused to comment further on it.

Clones Outfielder John Servidio, who was leading the team in RBI for a large portion of the season, will be out for the rest of the year, according to a source inside the team. Injuring his hand a few weeks ago, it is reported that Servidio will undergo the same hand surgery that Mets prospect Fernando Martinez and MLB great Ken Griffey Jr. have had in recent years, this offseason.

Tim Stronach [2-5, 4.05 ERA] was sent to St. Lucie before the game.

Photos by Ron Hatcher and Jim Dolan.

That, however, is exactly what the Brooklyn Cyclones and Lowell treated the 7,341 fans in attendance at Keyspan Park to on Friday, but unlike the night before, it was the Spinners who were on the winning end, edging out the Baby Bums 2-1 in a game that produced only six hits between both clubs.

“Tonight was tough,” said Cyclones manager Edgar Alfonzo. “You have to tip your cap to the way they pitched tonight.”

After Scott Shaw and the Brooklyn bullpen limited Lowell to only one-hit on Thursday, Mets first round pick Brad Holt was more than solid against the Boston Red Sox Single-A affiliate as well, throwing two scoreless innings to start the game. Holt [4-3, 1.75 ERA] ran into trouble in the third though, giving up a pair of hits, including an RBI double by Ronald Bermudez that put the Spinners ahead by one.

Those two hits were all Holt, who had 10 strikeouts on the night, gave up, but it wasn’t enough for to come out with a victory.

“A lot of the time, they weren’t even swinging,” said Holt. “They were just watching.”

As good as Holt was, Spinners starter Kyle Weiland was that much better, limiting the Mets Single-A affiliate to only one hit in five innings of work.

Righty reliever Charle Rosario replaced Weiland in the sixth, but Brooklyn was still unable to muster any offense in the inning. The Clones did catch a break however when Mitchell Herold came into the game in the seventh for Lowell with a runner on third with two outs. The first hitter he faced, Jordan Abruzzo, hit a routine ground ball to short, which should have ended the inning, but first baseman Ricardo Burgos couldn’t stretch out far enough to grab the throw, allowing Kirk Nieuwenhuis to score and tie the game at 1-1.

“It felt good to get that run in the eighth,” said Nieuwenhuis. “But it just didn’t happen for us tonight. Their pitchers were keeping us off balance all night.”

Clones closer Yury Santana replaced Holt in the eighth and kept the game at 1-1 until he gave up a monstrous solo home run off the top of the Keyspan Park scoreboard courtesy of Luis Sumoza in the ninth, giving the Spinners their one-run lead back at 2-1.

Seth Garrison then closed the game out for Lowell and retired all three hitters he faced, putting the finishing touches on a 2-1 Cyclones loss.

“If you don’t hit, it’s hard to win,” said Alfonzo. “Tonight was the first time in a long time that we only had two hits. We have to go out tomorrow and beat these guys.”

Notes-

Ike Davis continues to struggle this season and has hit .207 in his last ten games.

There is still no timetable on the return of Reese Havens or Matt Smith, who are suffering from groin and calf injuries respectively.

Havens is however expected to run the bases in practice tomorrow and will be evaluated again.

Video-

Brad Holt strikeout.

[youtube FLPcOuEv0ac]

Photos by Ron Hatcher. Video by Patrick Hickey Jr.

Winners of eight of their last 11 games, Brooklyn knows that as long as the victories keep coming, their season is far from over.

“We have the pitching staff, we just need to keep winning,” said Cyclones manager Edgar Alfonzo. “We have a good chance, if everything continues to go the right way.”

Behind solid pitching from both starters, Lowell’s Yeiper Castillo and the surreptitiously-quick Shaw, the game remained scoreless through the fourth inning.

“I was locating my fastball and that’s always the key to success,” said Shaw [5-2, 2.76 ERA]. “When I pitch well, I also work very fast and I don’t throw a lot of pitches. That’s exactly what happened tonight.”

The stalemate was finally lifted in the fifth however, after a Josh Satin solo-homer in the fifth that gave Brooklyn a 1-0 lead.

“I’m starting to swing the bat better,” said Satin, who is hitting .333 over his past ten games. “I feel more comfortable at the plate and right now, it feels like something just clicked.”

Striking out ten and allowing only one hit, Shaw was again solid for Brooklyn and kept the Lowell bats dormant through his 6.2 innings of work.

“He had a good tempo going,” said Cyclones catcher Jordan Abruzzo. “The hitter’s were uncomfortable and they didn’t have time to think tonight.”

Roy Merritt came into the game with two outs in the sixth and a runner on first base and kept the Spinners off the scoreboard in the seventh, while Satin got his second RBI of the night on a double that scored Sean Ratliff in the bottom of the inning and gave Brooklyn a 2-0 lead.

After Merritt threw a scoreless inning in the eighth, Stephen Clyne came in and pitched a scoreless ninth, earning his ninth save of the season and inducing a hard-earned 2-0 win.

Winning the first game of the three-game series with Lowell, Brooklyn knows their season is hanging in the balance, but sees their pitching staff as the key to their playoff birth.

Giving up just one-hit as a staff on Thursday, it’s safe to say the Baby Bums are confident in their post season chances.

“I don’t see us slowing down,” said Shaw. “And if we don’t make the playoffs, it’s going to take a heck of a run by the teams in front of us. We’re going to catch them. I don’t see a way we wouldn’t.”

Notes-

Satin, who hit ninth on Thursday, was surprised where he hit in the lineup, but believes it’s because of the team’s depth and not because of any struggles on his part.

“I never hit lower than fourth in my life,” he said with a laugh. “Our team is just so good from top to bottom though. It’s one of those things that it doesn’t matter where you hit, you just have to capitalize when you get the chance.”

Video-

Josh Satin RBI Double

[youtube 1vesQ4NvLs4]

Update- 5:25 P.M.

Catcher Ralph Henriquez was optioned to Savannah. As a result, Dock Doyle was called up from Kingsport, where he was hitting .308 with 20 RBI in 41 games.

Photos by Ron Hatcher. Video by Patrick Hickey Jr.

Looking at his stats, you’d think Turgeon would be a huge mass, armed with a plethora of tattoos, a Fu Manchu mustache and handle-bar sideburns.

Striking out 19 and walking only four in 14 innings this season for Brooklyn can do that kind of thing.

However, the “real” Erik Turgeon looks more like a young soap opera star, sporting a scruffy black mop on his head and a trademark smile. Despite his unassuming and almost pretty boy look on the mound however, Turgeon has proved to be a commodity for a Cyclones team that depends on their pitching staff to win ballgames.

“He’s been very good for us this season,” said Cyclones manager Edgar Alfonzo. “He has good command of his fastball and hits his spots. All of our guys have had a chance to pitch in all types of situations this season and they’ve proven themselves. He’s definitely done that as well.”

Coming from U-Conn after the draft, Turgeon knew he had to learn and adapt to get his game to the next level and wasted no time doing so. Dedicating himself to learning the art of pitching under the Confucius of pitching himself, Brooklyn pitching coach Hector Berrios, Turgeon feels he has transformed himself into a different player under his guidance.

“Hector has worked with me everyday,” Turgeon, who was originally drafted by the Red Sox in the 49th round in 2005, said. “This is my first season in professional ball and my first as just a pitcher and without him, I don’t want to think about where I’d be. Everything you see me doing on the mound, I’m working on in the bullpen. It’s been a year of changing things up, while working with the things that got me here. It’s been hard, but it’s been fun too.”

Now with the tools to succeed at the Single-A level, Turgeon doesn’t even want to think about what his game was like just a few months ago in U-Conn.

1-0 with a 6.67 ERA in 28.1 innings with the Huskies this season, before being drafted in the 25th round of the amateur draft by the Mets, Turgeon has grown by leaps and bounds as a player in a very short time.

“In college I threw a curve ball freshman and sophomore year, but they shut it down,” he said. “My junior year, I was throwing a slider, but it wouldn’t slide. It was like a straight 84-mph fastball. Now I’m throwing the curve ball and the slider and I still have my changeup. My go to pitch is still my fastball and I’m still learning, but I know I still have to develop more.”

Nevertheless, despite his struggles in college ball, Turgeon does use them as a reference point.

Refusing to stop developing his pitches, Turgeon has vowed to never be unprepared on the mound again.

Becoming a better pitcher everyday he’s on the mound, Turgeon has exhibited the arsenal of pitches and overall toughness to be a competent reliever at any level he performs at.

He doesn’t need a Fu Manchu mustache or handle bar sideburns to prove it either.

“Pitching in college, all I had was a fastball,” said Turgeon. “Aluminum bats and fastballs aren’t a good combination, especially when they know it’s coming. Here, I’ve worked on my off-speed pitches and in college I just threw them. Here, I have to also make sure I always work down. I’m happy it all got me here, but I’m happy college is over and I’m glad I’m here.”

Photos by Ron Hatcher.

By the time the eventual selections were made however, only Brad Holt, Chris Schwinden and Yury Santana managed to garner All-Star honors.

That doesn’t mean anyone in Brooklyn is upset though.

“They all deserve it,” said Cyclones manager Edgar Alfonzo in reference to his entire pitching staff. “But those guys in particular have worked really hard this season. As far as I’m concerned, we have the best pitching staff in the league and they’re a very big reason why.”

The Mets first pitcher selected in the 2008 draft, Holt had some mighty expectations put upon him before the season began and hasn’t let anyone down yet, going 4-3 with a microscopic 1.98 ERA and a league-leading 69 K’s.

Humble and modest throughout the season, the likable Holt tried to not make too much of his appearance in the game, but couldn’t seem to wipe the smile of his face.

“I figured maybe, but it was wait and see,” said Holt. “I’m having a decent season, but I wasn’t expecting to be anywhere.”

While many believed that Holt was a lock to make the team, many of the media were a bit surprised with Schwinden’s selection to the team, not because of his stats, but because lack of a clear-defined role on the team for most of the season. Second in the league with a minuscule ERA of 1.31, Schwinden has been in the starting rotation for barely a month, after working as the team’s long reliever for most of the season. Nevertheless, Schwinden’s ability to make the most of opportunities has gotten him a deserved All-Star nod.

A 22nd round pick by the Mets this season, Schwinden has battled adversity all season and it’s paying off.

“It was a big surprise,” said Schwinden. “I just barely started in the rotation. I’m excited to be there and it’s a great opportunity to show people what I have.”

However, of all the three Brooklyn players selected to the All-Star game, Clones reliever Yury Santana is easily the most intriguing. A converted shortstop, the 26-year-old is making the first All-Star game appearance of his professional career. Originally losing his closer’s spot to Stephen Clyne halfway through th season, Santana has battled back to regain that role and is currently sitting fourth in the NYPL with 10 saves.

A fun-loving and energetic player, Santana was thrilled when he found out the news.

“I feel great,” said Santana. “This is something I never would have thought about before. I was surprised because there are a lot of guys playing well right now.”

Photos by Patrick Hickey Jr., Ron Hatcher and Jim Dolan

As a matter of fact, he was younger than many of the players that currently play in the borough today with the Mets Single-A affiliate, the Cyclones.

Despite his rural upbringing, Erskine quickly found a home in Brooklyn and carved out a successful 12-year, 122-win tenure with the Dodgers, helping them win the World Series in 1955, where he went 11-8 with a 3.79 ERA in 194 innings of work. A few years later in 1957, he and his teammates were shipped off to Los Angeles, where he played the final two years of his All-Star career, but it was never the same for hard-throwing righty, as he won only four games in his final two seasons.

During his time in Brooklyn, the borough became his second home and his second family, the players he shared a clubhouse with in Ebbets Field for ten years, slowly left the team once they got to Los Angeles via trade or retirement.

“The Brooklyn team that I came up with in 1948, basically stayed together until 1958,” said Erskine. “It wasn’t until we moved to Los Angeles that they started making changes. On our off days, the whole team would go on picnics together and our children were raised together. In the Ebbets Field clubhouse, before every game, Roy Campanella would stand up and say ‘The same team that won yesterday is the same team that’s going to win today,’ He put that in our minds and we knew that’s what we had to do.”

Coming back to Brooklyn on Aug.17 to have his number 17 honored by the Cyclones, Erskine, now 81, was thrilled to be back where his major league career began over 60 years ago.

The Brooklyn fans turned out for the occasion as well, as a standing-room only crowd of nearly 8,000 filled with many of whom grew up watching Erskine hand-cuff hitters as children, stood and watched their childhood idol talk about his playing days in Brooklyn.

“Even with all the World Series experience and playing on all those great teams, I think this is probably the cream on the top of everything,” Erskine, who had a street named after him in Brooklyn in 2002, said. “To be back on Brooklyn soil after all these years and in a ballpark in Brooklyn is very meaningful to me. It’s almost like a fantasy.”

Spending time with some of the Cyclones before the game started, the two-time author shared some of his knowledge of the game with them as well. Considering them “his grandchildren,” Erskine was happy to give advice to the youngsters and “continue the bloodline of Brooklyn baseball.”

“There are two things we don’t know about life,” he said. “One is when we are going to die, which is a good thing. The other thing is we never know what we can really accomplish in life if everything went right and we push ourselves as hard as we can. Look at me, I got more out of this skinny little body because I played on a great team and no one tried to change who I was. You have to believe who you are is better than something you read about or something you’ve seen somewhere else.”

Looking back on his career, Erskine couldn’t help but smile when remembering how he felt when he first found out he was coming to Brooklyn.

Originally worried that he’d have a hard time adjusting to life in the borough after growing up in Anderson, Indiana, Erskine was surprised at how accommodating the place really was.

“I was a skinny kid from Indiana, who could throw hard. But to be picked out of the Midwestern culture and placed in a big city like Brooklyn was unbelievable,” Erskine, who also threw two no-hitters during his career, said. “Only to find out that Bay Ridge, Brooklyn was exactly like my hometown. I knew the barber and the butcher and everyone knew me. If I pitched a good game, I’d come home from Ebbets Field and be in the middle of a street party, with balloons in the trees and the whole nine yards. It was amazing.”

Like all good things in life though, Erskine’s playing days had to come to an end, as arm troubles plagued an otherwise solid major league career.

Ironically however, his playing days also played a big part in his life after baseball as well, as his natural abilities as a leader played a big part in his future success as a college coach at Anderson College, where he won four championships in 12 years and several successful business ventures in his home state of Indiana.

Because of that, Erskine has no regrets and is grateful for the opportunities playing in Brooklyn has afforded him.

“It would be unreal for me to say there was something I didn’t get to do,” he said with a smile. “I stayed in the big leagues for 12 years and even though I didn’t get into Cooperstown, how many guys have a street named after them in Brooklyn? I guess a lot of people in the safety department are still Dodgers fans. How could you wish for anything other than that?”

Photos by Patrick Hickey Jr., Ron Hatcher and Jim Dolan

Powered by a two dinger night from Sean Ratliff and three costly errors by their opponents, the Baby Bums kept their playoff hopes alive with a 6-5 win over the Valley Cats and go into this week’s All-Star game with a renewed sense of purpose.

“They are playing better now,” said Cyclones skipper Edgar Alfonzo. “I hope we continue to play the way we have been. It’s not over yet. Anything can happen.”

Things didn’t start Brooklyn’s way however, as the Valley Cats jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first after a Jason Castro two-run homer off Brooklyn starter and NYPL All-Star Chris Schwinden. The Mets Single-A affiliate stormed right back in the bottom half of the inning however, getting four hits and a RBI single and sacrifice fly from Eric Campbell and Jose Jimenez, tying the score at 2-2.

With the score still tied in the bottom of the fourth, Brooklyn got the lead on a Ratliff solo homer and kept it behind stellar pitching from Schwinden. Hurling four scoreless innings after the rocky first, the 22nd round pick looked to be in prime position to earn his fourth win of the season.

Things abruptly fell apart for the 21-year-old in the seventh though, as an error by JR Voyles allowed a run to score to tie the game and a RBI double by Ronald Ramirez put the Valley Cats ahead 4-3.

“I was attacking hitters pretty well,” said Schwinden. “But I was throwing my curve ball too much to some hitters and they capitalized. You can only get away with things for so long.”

With two outs in the seventh, Schwinden was replaced by Yury Santana, who gave up a RBI single from JT Shuck that gave Tri-City a two-run lead with only two and a half innings left to play.

The Mets Single-A affiliate came right back in the game in the bottom half of the seventh again after a solo homer from Kirk Nieuwenhuis. Santana kept Tri-City scoreless in the eighth and Roy Merritt pitched a scoreless ninth, giving the offense every opportunity to get back in the game and keep their playoff hopes alive.

Brooklyn did just that in the ninth, as Ratliff homered again, tying the game at 5-5.

“I got some good wood tonight,” said Ratliff. “It feels real good to start hitting balls hard now. Hopefully, it continues.”

After Merritt hurled another scoreless frame in the tenth, the Cyclones offense got cooking again, as Seth Williams lead off the inning with a single, while Jordan Abruzzo reached on an error and advanced to second to put two runners in scoring position with no outs. After a Jimenez strike out, Ike Davis was intentionally walked, loading the bases for Juan Legares.

What looked like an innocent double-play opportunity, after Legares grounded right to Tri-City pitcher Ashton Mowdy, turned into a disaster for Tri-City when Valley Cats backstop Castro threw the possibly inning-ending out into right field, allowing Abruzzo to score, giving Brooklyn a 6-5 win

Still five games out of first place after the victory, the Clones feel confident going into the All-Star break and feel they still have a shot at nabbing a post season birth.

“It was a huge win tonight,” said Ratliff. “It’s good to gain ground and to go out on a positive note before we come back to work after the All-Star break.”

Notes-

Brooklyn Dodger Carl Erskine was honored before the game and played the National Anthem on his harmonica.

Reese Havens groin pull will apparently keep him out of the lineup for the foreseeable future, as Alfonzo had no time table for his return.

“We’re trying to be careful with him,” he said. “We don’t want him to get hurt again.”

New Podcast!

Interview with Sean Ratliff after the game. Like always, you download it here on I-Tunes or stream it on the web here. Enjoy!

Pics by Jim Dolan and Ron Hatcher.

Five games back of the McNamara Division leading Yanks after the split, the Clones know they still have enough time to surprise a few people before the season’s climax.

“We know that there is time left and we’re playing well,” said Cyclones skipper Edgar Alfonzo. “We’re right in the middle of everything.”

Jose Jimenez got the Cyclones on the board in the first on a RBI double off Tri-City starter Shane Wolf that scored JR Voyles and gave Brooklyn an early 1-0 lead. Recent addition Juan Lagares then added an RBI single, giving the Mets Single-A affiliate a 2-0 advantage after only one inning of play.

After giving up two hits in the first inning, Brooklyn starter Jenrry Mejia threw two scoreless innings in the second and third, but wasn’t able to get himself out of a base-loaded jam with no outs in the fourth. Giving up a run on a Jonathan Gaston RBI single, Mejia was saved by a double play that got him out of the inning with the Cyclones still ahead by a run.

The Baby Bums got the two-run lead right back after a Kirk Nieuwenhuis RBI single in the bottom of the fourth, but Mejia got himself into another bases-loaded dilemma with two outs in the fifth and walked in a run that made it a one-run ballgame once again. Yury Santana was then summoned from the Brooklyn pen and got the Clones out of the inning with the score still 3-2.

“He was very inconsistent today,” Alfonzo said of his 18-year-old starter. “He was all over the place. I think he was trying to do too much out there today.”

Santana had problems of his own as well and left in the sixth with no outs and the bases-loaded for Stephen Clyne, who gave up a sacrifice fly that tied the score at 3-3. A J.B. Shuck ground out then sent another Tri-City Valley run across the plate, giving the Valley Cats their first lead of the game at 4-3.

The Clones offense wasn’t able to come back in the sixth and after a Caesar Cordido strike out, Alfonzo was ejected for arguing the called strike three with home plate umpire Matt Jones.

“I wasn’t upset about the call,” said Alfonzo. “I was mad that he made the call before the pitch got to the catcher. The ball was halfway there when he called it a strike. I don’t think it was right. I was disappointed about it.”

Clyne continued to pitch in the seventh and hurled a scoreless inning, but it wasn’t enough, as Brooklyn left the tying run on first base, after a Jimenez strike out ended the game with Valley City victorious 4-3.

Game two of the twin bill started eerily similar to game one, as the Cyclones jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first courtesy of RBI doubles by JR Voyles and Eric Campbell. In the second, the Mets Single-A affiliate got two more runs after a Nieuwenhuis single and error by Tri-City starting pitcher Jarred Holloway, stretching the lead to 4-0.

Clones starter Pedro P. Martinez supported his teammates by allowing only one run and striking out six in 5.2 innings of work.

“He had a good sinker and breaking ball tonight,” said Alfonzo. “All season-long he’s pitched well for us.”

With Martinez baffling Tri-City, Campbell padded the Cyclones lead in the bottom of the fifth with a two-run bomb that put the Mets Single-A affiliate ahead by five runs.

U-Conn product Erik Turgeon came into the game in the sixth with two outs and gave up a run in the seventh, but pitched well enough to secure a 6-2 Brooklyn win.

Splitting the series, the Baby Bums will look to win the rubber game tomorrow before taking a three-day breather for the NYPL All-Star Break.

Still hanging around a playoff spot with 18 games remaining, Brooklyn knows how important the next stretch of games are in determining their post-season hopes.

“This is very exciting,” said Alfonzo. “We’re right in the middle of things for the wild card and I know these guys are playing hard.”

Notes-

Lagares had hits in both games of the twin bill and until Reese Havens is completely recovered from another groin injury he suffered on the road this week, Lagares figures to be the team’s starting shortstop.

“He brings a lot to the table,” said Alfonzo. “He can hit, run and he’s very smart. I hope he keeps doing what he’s doing.”

Brooklyn Dodgers legend Carl Erskine will be at Keyspan Park tomorrow and will play the National Anthem on his harmonica in addition to having his number retired by the team.

Photos by Ron Hatcher.

Anyone that knows anything about the Brooklyn Cyclones or baseball history knows that Warner Fusselle is the former voice of “This Week in Baseball” and the only play-by-play announcer the Mets-Single-A Affiliate has ever known.

But many haven’t the slightest idea that one of the biggest passions of the Louisville, Kentucky-native’s life is music.

“I’ve always been interested in music and I have all of the records I ever got since I was a little baby child,” said Fusselle. “I think I have the best music record collection that I have ever seen. I mean some people have more records than I do; some disc jockeys have more, but I have about 15,000 albums and records. I’ve got sports and rock mostly, but I have a little bit of every type of music and because of that I was contacted by a record company and I put out a couple of records, ‘Baseball’s Greatest Hits’ and ‘Baseballs Greatest Hits: Lets Play Two’ and then a video and a book came out of that.”

As a youngster, Fusselle spent much of his adolescent days listening to Harry Caray and Jack Buck calling St. Louis Cardinal games on KMOX radio in the 60’s, but also developed a love for rock n roll and the blues. However, despite his love for music, Fusselle unfortunately could never master an instrument and recollected how painful his childhood experiences were with the piano.

“I couldn’t do that [play any instruments],” said Fusselle. “I took piano for a few years, I tried to play piano, but I didn’t like it. I probably shouldn’t say this, but one of the ten happiest days of my life was when my piano teacher recommended I quit playing.”

Spending a majority of the Cyclones season on the road, Fusselle sometimes has the time to kick back and enjoy some music and loves every second of it.

“It’s funny, I don’t like to put the headphones on when I’m on the bus” said Fusselle. “I carry around all my CDs with me and it seems every year I would have all of these CDs, but every time I pull out Pink Floyd and I listen to it over and over and never get tired of it. On the bus late at night, I get tired and put some Pink Floyd on and get comfortably numb.”

Fusselle is even playing to go to a Pink Floyd concert later this month, but that’s only if the Cyclones season is over. If not, he’ll be right back up in the cat bird seat calling all of the action for everyone to enjoy.

“I want to go,” said Fusselle. “But see, it’s either that or if the Cyclones are in the playoffs, there could be a championship game and certainly I would pick that. That’s just a back up for September 13. It’s Roger Waters, who was in Pink Floyd and he’s going to do his concert and the second act he’s going to perform the entire album, ‘The Dark Side Of The Moon,’ which is one of the greatest albums ever and sounds like something I’ve got to see.”

With the Cyclones currently in the playoffs, Fusselle may not be able to see Waters perform, but he will be able to grace thousands more with a play-by-play performance that can’t be heard anywhere else.

Notes-

By the way, just because the game was postponed, that doesn’t mean there wasn’t fun to be had at Keyspan Park.

Check out these pics:

Storm Troopers at Keyspan Park last night!

Ike Davis fishing from the dugout? Yes!

Photos by Patrick Hickey Jr. and Ron Hatcher

After seven years in the sport, six of those with the Mets organization, Malek was released by the Los Angeles Dodgers and seemed out of options.

That’s until the Mets called and gave the 27-year-old’s career a second life.

A lifetime .262 hitter through 2,286 at bats at the minor league level, Malek was far from a superstar, but was a hard-working and gritty player that never gave up on the field. Because of that desire and perseverance on the field, the Mets gave him an opportunity to help coach their affiliate in the Gulf Coast League.

“I think because of the way I handled myself on the field when I was playing, they asked me if I wanted to come back as a coach,” said Malek, who had only 57 at bats in 28 games this season with the Dodgers Double-A affiliate before rejoining the Mets organization. “I did the right thing off the field and I played the game the way it should be played. I think that’s why they called me. Before that, I didn’t even consider getting into coaching.”

With Cyclones hitting coach Guadalupe Jabalera tending to personal matters last week, an opening at Brooklyn sent Malek back to the team he started his professional career with in 2002, making him the first former player in the team’s short history to ever coach in Brooklyn. While he only played 28 games with the Baby Bums that season, the lore behind his arm in right field is one of legend. Despite only spending a week with the team before heading back to the Gulf Coast, Malek has been a positive influence on them.

Seen spending time with Cyclones outfielder Kirk Nieuwenhuis, who was on top of his defensive game while Malek was with the team, making several solid catches, it’s obvious he’s gotten through to the players.

“I knew how to play the game right and I was smart,” Malek, who had his best season in the minor leagues in 2004 when he hit 13 home runs and 58 RBI with St. Lucie, said. “I feel like I got the most out of my ability and I had some great coaches. I feel like I could have played in the big leagues defensively with my arm and because of that, I have a lot of knowledge to share with these guys.”

Quickly making the transition from player to hot-shot coaching prospect, Malek is focused on becoming the best coach he can be.

If the reputation he had on the field during his career is any indication, he’ll be just fine.

“I had a really good player career; it was an enjoyable seven years,” he said. “I put my blood, sweat and tears into getting to the big leagues, but it just didn’t happen. I feel like if I looked myself in the mirror now, I know that I gave it everything I had. Considering that, I thought it was time to move on. Now, I’m looking forward to making it to the big leagues one day as a coach. I know this is a learning experience, but I feel like I’ve gotten off to a good start.”

Link:

Box Score to last night’s 9-1 Cyclones win.

Update- 5:36 p.m.

Juan Lagares will be starting tonight’s game in place of injured the Matt Smith, who was ironically taking the place of an injured Reese Havens.

Photos by Patrick Hickey Jr., Jim Dolan and Ron Hatcher.

Brooklyn pitcher Chris Schwinden however, actually prefers to burn the midnight oil on a consistent basis.

As a matter of fact, he even believes it makes him a better pitcher.

“I don’t know why, but I do pitch much better when I don’t get a lot of sleep,” said Schwinden. “If I get too much sleep, I feel lazy on the mound and usually get hit pretty hard. When I don’t, I’m more energized out here and I win.”

So what does he do during all those late nights, you ask?

“Our catcher Ralph Henriquez has a Playstation 3 and I stay up playing MLB:08 The Show or Tiger Woods a lot of the time,” he said. “Most of the guys usually head to bed around 1 am, but I stay up a few hours longer than them.”

You’d expect a ballplayer who stays up all night exercising his thumbs and index fingers on Sony’s newest video game console to be a bit lethargic come game