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.

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 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.

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Photos by Ron Hatcher. Video by Patrick Hickey Jr.

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.

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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

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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.

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

In 2008 however, the Mets Single-A affiliate’s play at home has been less than inspiring, evidenced by a mediocre 5-7 record at home through their first 12 games there.

Three games out of first place in the McNamara Division, a place where they’ve grown quite accustomed to being on top of over the past few years, having four division championships to their credit, the Baby Mets can’t seem to get on the right foot at home this season.

“I’ve spoken to the players about it a few times now,” said Cyclones skipper Edgar Alfonzo. “They know they have to start playing better baseball at home. I’m starting to get a little worried. I don’t understand why we can’t hit here.”

Despite getting more than adequate pitching this season at Keyspan being the arms of Brad Holt, Pedro P. Martinez and Scott Shaw, Brooklyn’s offense has been problematic. Scoring only 31 runs at home so far this season, Alfonzo and his coaching staff have tried several different hitters in the lead off spot to give the team’s bats a jolt. However, in spite of their willingness to tinker with the lineup card, the team’s problems with the bats has only been exacerbated.

Losing two of their last three games at home over the past week, the team is quickly running out of excuses as to why they can’t produce offensively at home. Knowing that, the team understands they are in a situation that needs to change very quickly.

“We have a great team and we know everything is going to turn around,” said Brooklyn catcher Luis Allen, who hasn’t recorded a hit this season in five games and 19 at-bats. “Things are rough now, but we know we’re going to start winning here.”

Away from home this season, the Cyclones have looked like a completely different team. On a recent road trip to Williamsport from Jul.2 – Jul.4, the team rocked the Cross Cutters for 25 runs in a three game sweep. Away from Keyspan Park this season, the team has a 6-5 record and have scored 49 runs in only 11 games.

With a die-hard fan-base cheering ardently for them every night and Keyspan Park being one of the best minor league ballpark’s in the country, you’d expect the Cyclones to be more than comfortable playing half their games there.

“In all the time that I have spent with this team, we’ve always scored runs and won games at home,” Alfonzo, who is in his third season with the team and is attempting to win his third McNamara Division Championship this year. “I hope we figure this out and start to score some runs. Right now, they’re trying too hard to make something happen.”

With 24 games left at home this season, Alfonzo, like his team, is confident the team will come around offensively though.

“We have too many good hitters on this team for this kind of thing to go all for a long time,” he said. “I know this team can hit and I know they will. I think it’s just a matter of them getting comfortable and doing the little things. Once they do that, I think this team is going to hit very well.”

Photos by Ron Hatcher.