If Backman was never fired by the Arizona Diamondback and ultimately blackballed throughout affiliated baseball, would he have become one of the better managers in baseball or would he have just been a footnote on history or the Belmont Sportsbook.

It’s something no one would ever know, but now the 50 year-old Backman gets a second chance with his appointment by the Mets to helm the Brooklyn Cyclones next season.

“I take full responsibility for the things I did wrong, and I want to go forward,” said Backman, who had a number of problems in the past, including a DUI, domestic disputes, and a bankruptcy. “To start [over] here is good for me.”

Having Backman back with the Mets is a good thing for the organization, since the winning fire is missing. VP of Business David Howard said the team put a “zero-tolerance” clause in their new manager’s contract in order to protect the organization from any further transgressions and possible embarrassment.

That all sounds good and all, but is it really needed? The team did the right thing here by hiring Backman, a man who paid his price and ready to continue his career. But a person who does baseball betting feels it was long overdue.

This is not an indictment of the Mets, rather one of all affiliated baseball, which is filled with men of low moral character. With so many stars caught for steroid abuse and others – at least in the past – getting off basically scott free for drug abuse and digressions, why was Backman the one to be punished for his problems.

Backman, by his own admission, is a very flawed man, who encountered many off the field problems a decade ago. But does that make himself any different than Alex Rodriguez or Manny Ramirez, who were caught doing steroids? Or Pete Rose, who bet on the game and would probably use Belmont Betting? Or even fellow teammates Ron Darling and Darryl Strawberry with their reported problems with the IRS?

The only difference was that Backman was punished for his sins, which is not just unfair, but flat out wrong. Even with his problems, he still proved himself to be one hell of a manager, with a burning desire to win at all costs.

“We took winning and losing personally,” Backman said about the 1986 Mets. “I still do that. That might be why I’m a little bit too high strung at times. I like for the kids to try to take that stuff personal, too. I think it helps them throughout their career. If you can take a loss personal and use the proper energy the way it’s supposed to be used the next day, you end up winning a lot of baseball games.”

And that’s what the Mets hope for the Cyclones, one of their more important affiliates. The club always wants a winning franchise in Coney Island, and Backman pretty much assures that team will be competitive. Yet, this move should have happened a long time ago – again not just by the Mets, but throughout all of baseball.

Backman paid too long of a price for his sins. Now it’s time for him to take the first step on the rest of his career.

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

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

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

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

Hitters:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

That experience he feels will help him plenty this season.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Enjoy!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Photo by Wikipedia.

“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.

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

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

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

Photo by Conroy Walker

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

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

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

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

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

Photo by Jim Dolan.

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

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

Big mistake.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I wish I was making this up.

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

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

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

Photo by Conroy Walker

Forgive me for feeling a little musical today.

The Lisa Loeb “Do You Sleep?” Award-

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

The winner is… Chris Schwinden.

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

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

Nominees-

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

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

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

And the winner is… JR Voyles.

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

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

Nominees-

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

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

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

And the Winner is… Zach Lutz.

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

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

Nominees-

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

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

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

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

Update- 12:00 Sunday

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

Photos by Ron Hatcher

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.

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.

DemBrooklynBums.com: When you were originally drafted, did you have a conversation with your dad to talk about what to expect in pro ball?

Ike Davis: Well, I was originally drafted out of High School [19th round 2005 by the Tampa Bay Rays] and I know a lot of people at this level, so I really knew what to expect.

DBB: You have this aire about you, I wouldn’t call it cocky, but I think it revels between confident and self-assured. You seem to always know what you want to say before you say it. Considering that, do you think you were trained at any early age to become a pro ballplayer?

Davis: I wouldn’t say that, but I have been in the spotlight for a while and it’s just something that I’m used to now. I’ve done stuff like this a lot from a very young age and now I’m accustomed to it. It’s a lot easier then it used to be back in the day.

DBB: You weren’t flustered at all the first time you stepped on to the field here like many of the younger player either.

Davis: Not at all. Like I said, this is nothing new for me. I’ve played in front of 30,000 people before. But I do think there is something special here in the park and the fans though. They don’t give up on you and they’re there with you until the end of every game. Hopefully we can start playing a little better at home for them.

DBB: You started your season off very strongly and now you’ve tailed off a bit and you’ve been injured. Considering that, where do you see your season going? Any expectations?

Davis: Before I got hurt [fouling a ball off his ankle that caused him to miss a few games], I was driving the ball hard and I was really happy with that. I’m still adjusting to the strike zone in this league. The strike zone in PAC-10 is much smaller; it’s almost like the major leagues. It wasn’t helping matters that I was going out there and arguing calls every night. I just have to go out there and hit.

DBB: Despite your struggles though, you’ve remained pretty poised and have never thrown your helmet or vented on the bench. Guys in similar situations at the big league level would kill to have that kind of patience. Considering your outgoing personality, has being this calm and focused been tough for you?

Davis: I’ve wanted to [lose his cool] at times, all the time actually. But baseball is a game of failure and it’s never about what you just did. The more you hang on to that, the less successful you’ll be. I always try and focus on what I’m going to do my next at bat and that’s why I can remain calm when things don’t go my way.

Notes-

Reese Havens appeared fine on Monday, but was scratched from Tuesday night’s game. If he is injured, I’ll have an update later in the day. The same goes for Davis who was taken out of the game as well yesterday.

Links-

Box Score to last night’s 6-2 Cyclone win

Also…

For those who didn’t know, you can vote for your favorite Cyclones to play in this year’s All Star game. Click Here to cast your vote!

Update- 8:00 a.m.

According to the team’s official website, Brad Holt, Chris Schwinden and Yury Santana will represent the team at the NY-Penn League All-Star game.

Photos by Ron Hatcher.

Looking more like a reggaeton singer than a professional pitcher, with a big, curly, black afro sticking out of his cap and complete absence of facial hair, it’s easy not to think much of the baby-faced hurler when he’s on the mound.

Regardless of his appearance though, Mejia has proven he belongs in Brooklyn and has made a habit of fooling hitters this season. Going a combined 4-1 with a 2.86 ERA with the Cyclones and the Mets other minor league affiliate in the Gulf Coast League, the youngster has opened up the eyes of everyone in the organization.

“He has a bright future,” said catcher Jordan Abruzzo. “He has really dominating stuff and he has a lot of room to get better. He’s going to be a lot of fun to watch one day.”

His age may be one reason for concern, but Mejia, who hails from the Dominican Republic and idolizes Mets hurler Pedro Martinez, speaks barely a lick of English. His body language on the mound however, speaks volumes. Showing the intensity of a major leaguer after every strikeout or hit given up, Mejia’s teammates can never say his heart isn’t in the game.

Regardless of the raw emotion he often emits on the mound, after his first two starts in Brooklyn, where he gave up nine earned runs in eight innings, many scouts thought the youngster was in over head. Bouncing back the same way his team has over the past 20 games, Mejia hasn’t lost a game in over a month and is now a key member of the Brooklyn starting rotation.

“His first few starts, he was a different pitcher,” said Cyclones skipper Edgar Alfonzo. “He was throwing the ball, but now he’s a pitcher. He’s not nervous any more and now it’s obvious that he can pitch at this level. He’s just a tough kid that doesn’t like to lose.”

That kind of success the Brooklyn coaching staff believes has come from his ability to stand up for himself with his teammates and assert himself on the mound by throwing his fastball and breaking ball inside.

Like any teenager, Mejia appeared shy to the media upon his arrival in Brooklyn this season and couldn’t be found in the clubhouse for interviews after his first few starts.

“My first few starts, I was scared and hitters were taking advantage of my mistakes,” Mejia said through a translator. “It felt like they knew what pitches I was going to throw. Now, I know that I can’t just rely on my fastball and I have to work hard to be successful.”

Now comfortable in Brooklyn, Mejia has been seen slapping his teammates on the back in the clubhouse after games and goofing around in the parking lot by the team bus.

Opposing hitters have also felt his wrath, as Mejia has struck out 23 hitters in his last 21 innings pitched.

“He has the potential to be something special one day,” said Alfonzo. “When you have the tools and the heart and you know you’re good, you can play anywhere. I came here when I was 16 and didn’t know the language either and I made out okay. I don’t think it’s a concern for him.”

Still preferring to let his play on the field do the talking, Mejia is soaking up the experience of being a professional ballplayer.

Quickly becoming one of the top prospects in the Mets organization, Mejia’s play may land him in the major leagues much quicker than some think.

Not that it would make much of a difference to him right now.

“I feel like I’m in the big leagues,” said Mejia. “Pitching in Brooklyn has been like a dream come true for me.”

Link-

Box Score to last night’s 2-0 Cyclone win.

Photos by 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.

DemBrooklynBums.com: Most of the fans at Keyspan Park haven’t seen much of you this season. Knowing that, can you tell us a little about your game?

Seth Williams: Well, I’m a good defensive outfielder that has a big passion and love for this game. I’m not a real power hitter, more of a gap hitter with above average speed who likes to put the ball into play. I also love to win and I work real hard. In this kind of environment though, it’s not hard to get pumped up for a game. I’m loving it here. It’s really nice.

DBB: What’s so different about Brooklyn when compared to Kingsport?

Williams: When you think Minor Leagues, you think of really old stadiums with no one there. Kingsport is in the middle of nowhere and you get maybe a couple of hundred fans a night. You come here and it’s like the biggest stages and you have a lot of support. It helps a lot. In Kingsport, it’s harder to get locked in because there’s no nobody there. Here, there’s so much fan support and that makes it so much easier.

DBB: You said you pride yourself on being a good defensive outfielder. Is there someone at the Major League level that you try and emulate on the field?

Williams: That’s a tough question, but I’d have to say someone like Torii Hunter, who gives his all out there every night and isn’t scared of the fences and never gives up on the ball.

DBB: So you’re not scared of running into the wall for a ball either ?

Williams: No, but I’m happy it’s padded. That’s definitely a plus.

DBB: This outfield is kind of crowded now with guys like yourself and John Servidio playing reserve roles while Eric Campbell plays left field and Kirk Nieuwenhuis and Sean Ratliff sharing right field and center field duties. Where do you see yourself fitting in?

Williams: I was up here earlier in the season and I really liked it; I thought I fit in well here. I know I have to hit more though and I know I can. I’m just really enjoying the experience. I’m really happy to be here and looking to get a few more rips at the plate.

Photos by Patrick Hickey Jr. and Ron Hatcher

By the way guys, I sincerely apologize for posting two Q & A’s in a row, but just like the Mets Single-A Affiliate I write about everyday, I needed a break too!

John Servidio though has been the most consistent of the ragtag bunch of Brooklyn players that have kept the team in playoff contention this season.

Neverthless, in a move reminiscent of the 2006 Cyclones that some felt made more roster moves than their big league counterparts in order to win ballgames, the Barry University product was sent to Kingsport on July 11 in an effort to spark the offense that was collectively hitting just under .250. Scoring only eight runs in four games without their leading RBI man, Servidio was back in the Cyclones lineup on July 15, completing a wild four-day trip along the East Coast.

10-7 since Servidio rejoined the team, the coaching staff doesn’t see him going anywhere again this season.

“He was our best player the first few games,” said Cyclones skipper Edgar Alfonzo. “We’re happy to have him back now too. He makes us better and does a lot of things for us.”

Despite missing a few games while in Kingsport, Servidio is still leading the team with 16 RBI and is tied for the team lead with three home runs this season, which has cemented himself as the everyday right fielder in Brooklyn. Possessing a rocket of an arm in the outfield as well, Servidio has four outfield assists and has made several spectacular catches at Keyspan. That all combined with a big smile and boundless energy on the field have quickly made him a fan favorite.

For those reasons, Servidio originally had a hard time understanding why he had been demoted. However, he believes his time away from Brooklyn gave him a better understanding of how the business of professional baseball works and how things can change in an instant.

“There was a lot of different emotions running through my mind at first,” said Servidio. “I was really bitter at first, but ultimately it comes down to the way I play and it doesn’t matter if it’s the Gulf Coast League, here or anywhere else. I was upset at first because this is the first pro team I’ve ever played for and all the guys that have been here since the beginning bonded. I didn’t want to play anywhere else.”

Obviously never getting an opportunity to acclimate himself in Kingsport, Servidio is thrilled to be back in Brooklyn.

“I was happy and excited to pack my bags,” Servidio said. “Everything feels like it’s coming back together now. Over there [in Kingsport] is more like you’re put on the field every day to play, but here is more of like a college mentality. This team wants to win every day and we’re all really close. I really love it here.”

Now with an opportunity to continue to thrive with teammates he respects and cares for and fans that cheer for him as soon as he steps on to the field, the 23-year-old doesn’t have to be reminded to soak in every special moment.
Because to him, being able to play professional baseball everyday is a dream come true.

“I’m where I dreamed to be,” he said. “Even when I’m struggling, I’m not in a bad place. I know that I’ll work through it. I know I’m not here by accident, but I’ll never take it for granted that I’m here. I go to bed every night happy and I wake up every day ready to have the best day of my life.”

Link:

Box Score to last night’s Cyclones 3-2 win

Video:

Cyclones in Pictures July

[youtube BoeqC3jrS4Y]

Photos by Ron Hatcher.

At 6’2, 195 pounds, he already has the physical makeup of a future major leaguer, but it’s his patience at the plate and intensity in the outfield that may eventually send him there one day.

Watching him play, with his eyes steadily focused at the plate, or running full boar in the outfield, you’d expect him to be just as high energy off the field.

Right?

However, soft-spoken and unassuming, Nieuwenhuis is quietly carving up a solid season for himself, hitting .263 with 10 RBI, 17 walks and three stolen bases in 38 games.

“I’m definitely more laid back,” Nieuwenhuis said in comparison to some of the other players in Brooklyn this season. “We have a lot of high-energy guys here and they’re all good guys. They’re a lot of fun to play with. I’m a little bit more reserved and my personality is a little more quiet and calm. On the field though, I try and bring as much intensity and focus as possible.”

Despite not being a vocal leader in the clubhouse, the well-manned Nieuwenhuis lets his game do the talking. Leading the team in games played this season, the workhorse has had plenty of opportunities on the field to show the fans at Keyspan Park and his teammates how capable he is.

He hasn’t let them down yet.

“I try and set the bar as high as I can,” said Nieuwenhuis. “Fortunately, I’ve had a chance to show what I’m capable of and I’ve been injury free. I think that’s playing a big role in how I’ve played this season. I’ve had time to hit the weight room and I’ve kept myself in good shape.”

Beginning to heat up at the plate and in the outfield after a mediocre start, Nieuwenhuis sees himself producing even more as the season goes on.

“I’m finally starting to get comfortable offensively,” he said. “Right now, I’m just trying to hit the ball hard every at bat and taking it one pitch at a time. Defensively, it’s pretty much the same thing because I’ve only played outfield for a couple of years. In High School, I played the first and second, but I was getting too big for second and too quick for first. I tried the outfield and it’s worked for me. ”

With the team starting to come around after a weak start as well, it seems like the Clones are in fact mirroring the season of Nieuwenhuis.

If the 20-year-old has his way, he and Brooklyn’s best games this season haven’t been played yet.

“I think as long as we continue to work hard and pace ourselves, we’ll be fine,” he said. “I’m looking forward to playing down the stretch with these guys.”

Link:

Box Score to Last Night’s 5-2 Brooklyn Win.

New Podcast!

Click Here to Listen!

Photos by Ron Hatcher.

Giving up 15 runs on 17 hits, the Cyclones were put to bed early and tucked in without a bedtime story in an abysmal 15-2 loss to the Staten Island Yankees.

“They hit the ball all over the place,” said Brooklyn first baseman Ike Davis. “You can’t really do anything when a team is hot like that.”

Tim Stronach made his first start since July 10 and lasted only one out into the first, surrendering four runs on RBI hits by Brian Baisley, Addison Maruszak and Daniel Brewer before being replaced by Jeff Kaplan.

However, despite the new hurler, Brooklyn continued to have problems as Kaplan gave up a triple to the first hitter he faced, Michael Lyon, that scored another Staten Island run, giving the Baby Bombers a 5-0 lead before the Cyclones came to the plate.

“There’s nothing you can do about it when the team your facing is hitting everything you’re throwing,” said Brooklyn manager Edgar Alfonzo. “Our pitchers made a lot of mistakes tonight.”

Kaplan kept the score at 5-0 until the fourth, when Baisley stroked a grand slam that put the Yankees up by nine runs. Staten Island wasn’t done pummeling Kaplan in the fourth either, as Lyon added an RBI double to his resume, giving Staten Island a 10-0 lead.

Erik Turgeon was then summoned to replace Kaplan and wasn’t his usual solid self early on either, coughing up a Taylor Grote three-run homer that stretched the lead to 13-0.

14-3 this season after scoring the first run, the Yankees offense destroyed the Baby Bums’ pitching staff and thanks to stellar starting pitching from David Phelps, the Mets Single-A affiliate was held to just two hits through the game’s first five innings.

Turgeon kept the Yankees scoreless through the fifth and sixth, striking out four Yankees out in a row at one point, but the offense was unable to put anything together. Nick Asselin replaced Phelps in the sixth and like his Brooklyn counterpart, was solid, throwing a scoreless frame. His successor, Tim Dennehy, also kept the Cyclones bats quiet, but allowed a bases loaded walk to Brooklyn shortstop Matt Smith that finally got them on board.

“They did a great job of throwing first pitch strikes today,” said Smith. “They got ahead of us early and made us pay.”

Wendy Rosa replaced Turgeon in the eighth and gave up a pair of RBI singles from Ray Kruml and Jahdiel Santamaria in the ninth, which gave the Yankees a 13-run lead. Brooklyn’s offense did show a small flicker of light in the eighth however, after a Jose Jimenez solo bomb off Jacinto Gonell, but was silenced in order by Andrew Shive in the ninth, wrapping up an ugly 15-2 loss.

Losing their second in a row after winning three straight, the Cyclones have been unable to find the consistency needed to reassert themselves in the playoff hunt. Now six games back of Staten Island, Brooklyn knows they have to come back strong in the final game of the series.

“If we win tomorrow, it’s not that bad,” said Alfonzo. “I told the guys that they need to forget about this game and go in strong tomorrow.”

Notes-

The most runs the Cyclones have have ever given up in a game was 21 on August 21, 2006, against the very same Staten Island Yankees.

Check out the recap from that game here.

Turgeon had eight K’s in only 3.1 innings pitched.

“He was really good out there,” said Alfonzo. “He over matched those guys with his fastball. He threw some good sliders too.”

Davis had two of the five Cyclones hits on the night and has three hits in his past two games.

Video:

Josh Satin single

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Photos by Ron Hatcher. Video by Patrick Hickey Jr.

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.

That doesn’t mean that Lutz doesn’t understand the impact the Hall of Famer had on the game though.

“Growing up, my dad and I were huge Mets fans, but there’s no doubt, Mike Schmidt is the greatest third baseman of all time,” said Lutz who is hitting .429 with five RBI through the Cyclones first four games this season. “He’s a Hall of Famer for a reason.”

Stoic, yet passionate on the field, Schmidt, who was at Keyspan park on June 19 in conjunction with Prostate Awareness Night, was a huge fan favorite during his playing days and someone millions of kids growing up in the suburbs of Pennsylvania and mean streets of Philly aspired to be like.

“I respected the passion of the people in Philadelphia; it’s something they grew up with,” said Schmidt. “I’ll never be remembered as a get down and dirty Lenny Dykstra type, but I think I survived the test of time. What really impresses people is how long I lasted in the big leagues and it’s something that I’m really proud of.”

Even today, Schmidt’s reputation in Philadelphia and the baseball world is still one of legend. Growing up, Lutz, too, must have heard countless people tell him that he could be the next Schmidt.

“I’ve watched a lot of tape of him,” said Lutz, who was just barely three years old when Schmidt decided to hang up his cleats. “You’d be surprised how much you could learn from watching tape of someone that good.”

Still only five games into his professional career, Lutz knows that he still has a lot to learn, but already has shown the same kind of moxy that made Schmidt a star in the game, running hard on every ground ball he’s hit so far this season and showing remarkable range from third.

“We’ve been so impressed with the way he’s played this year,” said Cyclones skipper Edgar Alfonzo. “He’s worked so hard this offseason and it really shows on the field.”

While he didn’t get a chance to pick Schmidt’s brain before or after the game like he would have liked, Schmidt had some advice for him and anyone else that wants to make it to the big leagues one day. A game that looks much different than it did when he played 25 years ago.

“There’s so much more talent at every level of baseball today,” said Schmidt, who was also an 11-time All-Star during his career. “There were probably 100 players vying for my spot when I was at this level and it narrowed out as I climbed the ladder. Today, there are probably 2,500 players trying to vie for a spot on a big league team. To surface as the number one guy out of 2,500 means you’ve developed as a player far more than I did when I was playing in the 70s. Because of that, I have a lot of respect for these kids. The talent pool today is incredibly high, but if you work hard everyday and watch the great players and try and emulate them and spend time in the offseason to perfect your craft, you’ll be headed in the right direction.”

Notes:

Ike Davis signed?- According to a source in the Mets organization, first round pick Ike Davis is expected to sign with team by the MLB All-Star break at the latest.

Church in Keyspan?- The source also confirmed that Ryan Church will be joining the Cyclones on  Thursday.

Photos by Patrick Hickey Jr.

Links:

Box Score to last night’s 4-2 Cyclones win.