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.”

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 time, but with a 3-1 record and a 1.09 ERA in 10 appearances this season,Schwinden is one of three Cyclones appearing in the New York Penn-League All-Star game next week.

Armed with four pitches, a 92 mile-per-hour fastball, changeup, curve ball and slider, Schwinden has baffled hitters consistently this season, striking out 45 hitters in 41 innings with only six walks, indeed making it look like he’s playing a video game, rather than facing professional hitters. Allowing only 28 hits in that time as well, Schwinden hasn’t given his teammates on the field much work to do, making up for the fact that he keeps some of them awake with his late-night gaming escapades.

“He’s easy to play behind,” said Cyclones third baseman Eric Campbell. “He comes ready to play every time his name is called upon. The main thing with him is that he throws strikes. I think he has the best control of any pitcher on our staff.”

While his teammates have to deal with his late-night habits, the coaching staff only sees the 21-year-old’s successes on the mound. Starting the season as the team’s spot starter and long reliever out of the bullpen, Schwinden got an opportunity to start and hasn’t faltered yet. Pitching into the sixth inning in each of his last three starts, Schwinden has proved he belongs in a rotation consisting of hot shot prospects such as Brad Holt and Jenrry Mejia and has quickly become a cornerstone of the pitching staff.

Schwinden has been so good as of late that the coaching staff sees him in the rotation for the rest of the year, something that appeared quite unlikely for the 2008 22nd round pick when the season first began.

“He’s worked really hard to get to where he is right now and he deserves it,” said Cyclones manager Edgar Alfonzo. “He’s one of my starters now and I’m happy for him.”

The Visalia, California-native is pretty proud of his accomplishments on the field this season as well and as a result, has vowed to continue playing video games this season.

As a matter of fact, Schwinden has already been talking about picking up a new game in the near future: Madden 09.

“A bunch of us have been talking about getting it,” said Schwinden on August 11, a day before the game was released to the public. “I’m looking forward to playing it soon.”

Notes-

Got word of a few Cyclones currently nursing injuries such as John Servidio, Ike Davis and Reese Havens. However, there is no clear word on the what the actual injuries are. When th team comes back home on Friday, expect an update after the day’s article.

Link-

Box Score to last night’s 3-1 Cyclone loss.

Update-

New Podcast up!

Interview with Ralph Henriquez on 8-10.

You can download it from I-Tunes here, or stream it from the web, here. Enjoy!

Photos by Patrick Hickey Jr. and Jim Dolan

On Sunday, he proved good things come to those who wait.

Going two for four with two RBI, Havens played a pivotal role in a crucial 6-5 Brooklyn extra-inning win and answered any questions about his ability on the field.

“He looked really good today,” said Cyclones manager Edgar Alfonzo. “He was ready to play and so was the team. I had faith in them.”

Jordan Abruzzo got the Cyclones on the board in the first with an RBI double that was followed by a two-run triple by Havens and an Eric Campbell sacrifice fly that gave Brooklyn an early 4-0 lead.

Continuing to add to their lead in the second, the Baby Bums got another run on a stand-up triple by Kirk Nieuwenhuis that scored John Servidio and stretched the lead to 5-0.

Cyclones 18-year-old starter Jenrry Mejia [2-1, 4.03 ERA] wasn’t on his game however and gave up three runs in five innings of work, but nevertheless left in the sixth with Brooklyn still ahead 5-3.

“He was working very slow today in between pitches,” said Alfonzo. “He wasn’t hitting his spots with his fastball or breaking ball either.”

Lefty side-armer Roy Merritt then made his 16th appearance of the season and kept the Muckdogs scoreless through the sixth, but left the game in the seventh in one out and runners on first and second.

Yury Santana, who made his first appearance after straining a muscle in his throwing arm on the road, wasn’t able to clean up Merritt’s mess though and allowed a pair of RBI singles from Colt Sedbrook and Shane Peterson that tied the game at 5-5.

After a scoreless eighth, Stephen Clyne pitched the ninth for Brooklyn and kept the score 5-5. Havens led off the bottom of the inning and was sent down swinging, while Eric Campbell and Ike Davis were also retired, sending the game into extra-innings.

With Clyne coasting, Alfonzo was confident of Brooklyn’s chances.

“When Clyne came in and pitched the way he did, it made me feel confident,” said Alfonzo. “I knew we were going to win.”

Clyne continued to silence Batavia’s bats in the tenth and that’ when the Clones were able to put something together offensively for the first time since the second inning.

After a Sean Ratliff lead off single and a sacrifice bunt by Servidio, Nieuwenhuis singled for his second hit of the game to score Ratliff, giving the Baby Bums a hard-earned 6-5 win.

“Any time you can lead off an inning like that, you feel like it can end it with a swing of the bat,” said Ratliff. “I was happy I got on base and when Servidio moved me over, I knew we were in good shape. Kirk [Nieuwenhuis] took care of the rest.”

Winning the second game of the three-game series, Brooklyn currently finds themselves three and a half games behind the Yankees, who had today’s game canceled due to inclement weather.

Winners of four of their last five games, they know they’ll have to keep up the pace in order to stay in the playoff hunt.

“There’s plenty of baseball left and we’ve been playing well,” said Ratliff. “We just have to keep it going.”

Notes-

Josh Satin is still recovering from a bone bruise on his right knee and is expected to be out for another week.

Alfonzo was asked for an update on Clones third baseman Zach Lutz and said that he hadn’t heard anything from Florida where the 2007 fifth round pick is rehabbing.

Alfonzo also said he was a little worried about Havens when he legged out a triple in the first, but believed he got more comfortable with him as the game went on.

“I wasn’t used to seeing him at shortstop either,” he said with a laugh. “I’m happy he’s on the field with us now.”

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

But after just two appearances, it was apparent that something was wrong with the southpaw, who threw a whopping 93 innings and compiled an impressive 9-3 record at Southern Connecticut State University before being drafted this season. Suffering from a strained left arm for over a month, Fuller’s absence created a void in the bullpen that the team never fully recovered from.

However, since making his first appearance back with the team on Aug. 2, where he threw two scoreless innings, Fuller has proved that good things come to those who wait. During the outing, Fuller showed just how thrilled he was to be back in the lineup by fielding a pair of ground balls and firing them over to first baseman Jason Jacobs with an intensity that could only be described as “energetic.”

Obviously happy to be back on the mound, Fuller is ready to be a influential member of the Brooklyn staff and seems fully recovered from the arm problems that took him off the roster for most of the first half of the season.

“It was the first time I was out there in a month, so I was really anxious to get started,” said Fuller, who’s fastball clocks in at 92 miles-per-hour. “It’s hard sitting on the bench for a month not knowing when you’re going to be ready to come back. All you can do is stick with your rehab and do whatever it is you have to do to get back out there and that’s exactly what I did. I’m so excited to be back”

Aside from his fastball, Fuller also throws a curve ball, slider and a changeup, which gives him an uncanny amount of versatility out of a Brooklyn bullpen that hasn’t been very solid over its past few games.

Looking for more depth in the middle of a pennant race, the Cyclones coaching staff is fully aware of what Fuller brings to the table and plan to use him accordingly.

“We’re happy to have him back and healthy,” said Cyclones skipper Edgar Alfonzo. “We don’t know where he fits in right now, but I do know that we’re going to be working him in as much as we can the rest of the season. He’s going to get plenty of innings.”

Despite the coaching staff’s fondness of his repertoire and poise on the mound, Fuller knows with crafty relievers like Roy Merritt, Chris Schwinden, Wendy Rosa and Jimmy Johnson in the bullpen that playing time may be harder to come by than the coaching staff thinks.

Nevertheless, he’s focused on making the most of what’s left of his season.

“It feels great to know that this team is going to give me an opportunity to prove myself ,” Fuller, who models his game after Mets closer Billy Wagner, said. “I want to help this team win and we’re playing well right now, so it’s good that I get to be a part of all of this. I want to contribute as much as I can.”

Notes- According to a source, former Cyclone Bobby Malek was coaching first base in place of Guadalupe Jabalera, who has left the team for personal reasons. To my knowledge, Malek is the first former Clone to ever serve as a coach.

Link-

Box Score from last night’s 7-0 Cyclone win.

Update-New Podcast up!

Interview with Jordan Abruzzo on 8-04.You can download it from I-Tunes here, or stream it from the web, here. Enjoy!

Photos by Patrick Hickey Jr. and Ron Hatcher.

When reliever Eddie Kunz is on the mound for the Cyclones, it’s easy to see the beads of sweat drip down his face while the crowd cheers his name and the hitter wonders what pitch he’s going to get.

Hell, even a small part of Kunz probably has trouble deciding.

Will it be the slider that’ll dance through the strike zone a split second after it leaves his hand, or will it be the changeup that’ll put the poor hitter into the ground like he’s attached to a screwdriver? Or worse yet, will it be the fastball that will sting his hands like a bee if he manages to make contact?

While this chess game goes on inside the hitter’s mind, Kunz doesn’t hear the sound of the crowd. All he sees is his target.

Since making his professional debut with the ‘Clones on August 4, Kunz has four saves in eight games. with his opponents hitting .222 against him, proving he hits his target more times than he misses.

“This place [Keyspan Park] is really high energy, but I don’t hear anything when I’m out on the mound, I’m just in the zone and focused,” said Kunz. “The last time I was out and I got the save, people were cheering my name and I had no idea until my parents called me up and told me they heard it on the radio.”

The Mets first pick in this year’s draft, Kunz has had some bumps in the road this season, giving up six runs in two outings against Aberdeen and Vermont, the main reason why his ERA is an unusually high 8.59. However, in his six other appearances this season, he hasn’t given up a run and has shown the confidence and unbridled determination a good closer needs in order to be successful.

“I knew I had some good stuff, but I didn’t know how good I was until I faced a couple of batters,” said Kunz, who has six strikeouts in 7.1 innings of work this season. “Now that I’ve done that and I see how much success I’ve been having, I’ve been trying to build on that success every time I go out there. By doing that, I think I’ve proven to myself and the organization that I do more than hold my own at this level and that I’ll be ready for hitters at higher levels when they decide to move me up.”

With all of the competition in the ‘Clones pen this season, Kunz was originally expected to share closing duties with Brant Rustich, Dan McDonald and Stephen Clyne, but after dominant performances against Mahoning Valley and Auburn, Kunz looks to have taken sole position of Brooklyn closers gig for the time being. Nevertheless, Kunz believes that while he would prefer to stay as the team’s main closer, he’ll do whatever it takes to help the team win.

“I was a little scared at first,” said Kunz. “There are four of us in the pen that can come out and close at any time. I’m just really happy that I’ve gotten a chance to show my ability and prove that I can hold down the closer role if they need me to. In all honesty, I don’t feel that any of us are any better than another, it just depends on what the coaches want to see.”

Feeling that the coaching staff in the end will play the biggest part in his success, Kunz, who compares himself to Eric Gagne, is grateful for getting so much playing time after taking six weeks to iron out his contract and get his professional career started.

“I’ve been pitching really well lately because the coaching staff has been giving me an opportunity to throw and I’ve been making the most of it,” said Kunz. “I’ve been handling the closing duties really well and all of my pitches are really working. I’m hitting my spots really well with my fastball, changeup and slider right now, but I’m just really happy to be here and making the most out of the opportunity the organization has given me.”

Photo by Patrick Hickey Jr.

Dem Brooklyn Bums: You were the closer in Brooklyn a good chunk of last season. How does it feel to be back in that role this season?

Stephen Clyne: It feels great to be back. They brought me back because they were having problems late in ballgames. When I was in St. Lucie, they told me they got a call from management saying they needed me here and they wanted me to be their guy so I packed my bags and headed here. I was starting to pitch much better in St. Lucie and I’m hoping I can convert that into some success over here as well.

DBB: How are you a different pitcher from last year?

Clyne: I’m smarter. I’m a lot smarter. I respond better in different situations and I know that I’m a pitcher now, not a thrower. Being able to think my way through situations on the mound has helped me a lot in St. Lucie and again, I hope I can use it to my benefit here.

DBB: Do you have any idea if you’re going to spend the rest of season here or if your assignment is temporary?

Clyne: I have no idea. Like I said, I was brought in to help this team in the late innings and that’s what I’m going to do.

DBB: How were you getting along in St. Lucie?

Clyne: Things were going great. I loved the coaches down there and I had a good relationship with them. I put in a lot of work down there. I didn’t have a very good first half. It was really bad actually, but I managed to get myself back on track and started pitching really well. I think that’s why I’m here now.

DBB: You said you started off weak this season. What do you think was the turning point?

Clyne: I started off the season with a bunch of little mechanical problems and I think it got to the point where my hard work started to pay off. They had me doing a lot of drills that made me stay back more. Before, I was trying to throw as hard as I could. Now, I’m a pitcher and I feel a lot better on the mound.

Link:

Box Score to last night’s 2-1 Cyclone win.

Photo by Patrick Hickey Jr.