“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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.