Mets Minors MiLB.tv Series Preview: Portland Sea Dogs @ Binghamton Mets

Dates: May 4-7, 2015

Current Record: 14-9, 2 GB of New Britain

Probables

All times are EST

Monday at 6:35 PM

Mike Augliera (0-4, 8.00 ERA, 3.90 FIP, 16.8 K%: 8.4 BB%, 0.5 HR9)

@ John Gant (1-1, 3.86 ERA, 3.39 FIP, 15.9 K%: 10.1 BB%, 0 HR/9)

Tuesday at 6:35 PM

Mike McCarthy (2-2, 6.63 ERA, 7.19 FIP, 14.3 K%: 10.7 BB%, 2.37 HR/9)

@ Seth Lugo (1-0, 1.38 ERA, 2.15 FIP, 24.1 K%: 3.7 BB%, 0 HR/9)

Wednesday at 6:35 PM

William Cuevas (3-1, 3.44 ERA, 3.35 FIP, 20.5 K%: 11.5 BB%, 0 HR/9)

@ (Rainy Lara, 2-0, 2.91 ERA, 3.13 FIP, 16.1 K%: 8.1 BB%, 0 HR/9)

Thursday at 6:35 PM

Luis Diaz (0-1, 5.63 ERA, 3.96 GIP, 20.8 K%: 8.9 BB%, 0.83 HR/9)

@ Gabriel Ynoa (2-1, 3.97 ERA, 5.44 FIP, 14.9 K%: 11.9 BB%, 1.19 HR/9)

Last series for B-Mets

Won 2/3 at home against New Hampshire: W 2-1, W 2-1, L 12-11

Top prospects of the Boston Red Sox playing for Portland

Organizational rankings are from the 2015 Baseball America Prospect Handbook

Carlos Asuaje, 23, LHH 2B/3B/OF

Ranked #25, BA Grade: 45, Medium risk

            At 5’9”, Asuaje is not going to break out with more homerun power anytime soon, so he’ll have to continue to show gap power and an ability to hit for a high average. Defensively, he’s serviceable at 3B, but better suited for 2B or LF according to BA, which seems like an unusual mix. Without any standout tools, he looks like more of a future utility guy at the highest level, but he’d be valuable in that role if he can keep hitting like he did in 2014.

Justin Haley, 23, RH SP

Ranked #28, BA Grade: 45, High risk

            Haley got a late season promotion to Portland last year and dominated the EL over his 6 starts (1.19 ERA/3.73 FIP), but has not had nearly as much success to start 2015. His control, which had been an issue in 2012-13, is worse than ever, with his BB-rate up to 16.3%. Haley’s best pitch is probably his fastball that sits in the lower 90’s, touching 94. He surprised people with his performance in 2014, which earned him a spot in the BA top-30 with ‘potential number 5’ upside, but he’ll drop right back off the list if he doesn’t turn it around soon.

Henry Ramos, 23, SH OF

Ranked #29, BA Grade: 50, Extreme risk

            Ramos was off to a 4-18 start for Portland before landing on the AA DL, although I didn’t see what injury sent him there. He was having a breakout season with Portland through 48 games in 2014, hitting .326/.368/.431 with 13 extra base hits before fouling a pitch off his left knee and missing the rest of the year – hopefully that’s not what knocked him out this year. BA really liked his defense in the OF, saying, “His plus range, plus arm and average speed in RF suggest a player who could fill an extra outfielder role in the big leagues.” One NL evaluator was quoted as saying, “If he hits at all, he’s a starter.”  Get healthy soon Mr. Ramos.

Pat Light, 24, RH RP

Ranked #30, BA Grade: 45, High risk

            It’s been an uneven start for Light in his AA career, as he has an impressive 32.7 K%: 5.5 BB%, but has allowed 3 homeruns in just 13.1 IP. Homeruns were an issue for him in 2013 too, but he was starting back then, and they weren’t an issue in 2014. This is his first season as a full time reliever, and his numbers look good other than the SSS HR-rate (two homeruns were allowed in his first appearance). His fastball has reportedly touched triple digits in short bursts, but he topped out at 94 MPH as a starter, so the Red Sox are wise to try him out in the pen. If the triple-digit velocity is real, he could potentially be a pen option for the Red Sox at some point this year, depending on the state of their relief depth.

Recent Injuries/Transactions

            The B-Mets activated T.J. Rivera off the 7-day, and re-assigned Jairo Perez. Jon Velasquez was promoted to the closer role for Las Vegas so Michael Fulmer could join the B-Mets rotation. Matthew Koch takes over for Velasquez in the bullpen. Jayce Boyd appears to be over his back issues from last week.

Storylines

            Jared King, Brandon Nimmo, Josh Rodriguez, Dustin Lawley, and Gavin Cecchini all finished April very hot at the plate, so hopefully the B-Mets can keep getting strong pitching to match with this potent offense. The bullpen’s scoreless innings streak was snapped Sunday at 20+ innings, and then things snowballed. Hopefully it’s just a blip, but there are some questionable arms out there.

            How much longer will Nimmo stick around, and how much longer until Michael Conforto joins the team? Conforto has cooled down lately, with only 5 hits in his last 27 AB, and 6 K: 0 BB in that span. Nimmo has been hot since starting the year with no hits over his first 3 games. Conforto might have the higher upside bat, but he’s not a finished product yet, so just have patience with where he is, and trust that the front office has a plan for him.

            The addition of Michael Fulmer to this rotation makes it a very talented group, and he held the Fisher Cats scoreless over 4.2 IP in his first start Sunday, before they connected for a 2-out rally against him.

League Leaders

R: Dustin Lawley, 8^th (15); Gavin Cecchini, t-9^th (14); Josh Rodriguez, t-9^th (14); Jared King, t-12^th (13)

H: Brandon Nimmo, t-13^th (25)

2B: Dustin Lawley, t-3^rd (8); Jayce Boyd, t-13^th (6)

HR: Josh Rodriguez, t-1^st (5); Dustin Lawley, t-9^th (3); Aderlin Rodriguez, t-9^th (3)

RBI: Josh Rodriguez, t-4^th (17); Jared King, t-10^th (15); Gavin Cecchini, t-18^th (12)

SB: Dustin Lawley, t-9^th (5)

AVG: Josh Rodriguez, 5^th (.333); Xorge Carrillo, 13^th (.310)

OBP: Josh Rodriguez, 4^th (.434)

ISO: Josh Rodriguez, 4^th (.261); Dustin Lawley, 6^th (.224)

BB%: Josh Rodriguez, 11^th (14.5%)

K%: Jayce Boyd, 11^th (12%); Aderlin Rodriguez, t-19^th (13.9%)

wRC+: Josh Rodriguez, 2^nd (193)

ERA: Luis Cessa, 13^th (2.14)

FIP: Luis Cessa, 2^nd (1.98); Rainy Lara, 14^th (3.13)

K%: Luis Cessa, 10^th (22.7%)

BB%: Luis Cessa, 5^th (3.4%); Matthew Koch, 6^th (4.1%)

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— Fábio Tamai (@fabinhotamai) May 4, 2015