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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Photo by Ron Hatcher.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Photo by Daniel Wos.

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

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

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

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

Photo by Ron Hatcher.

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.

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

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

Photo by Daniel Wos.

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

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

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

Photo by Ron Hatcher.

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

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.