May Stat Review: Las Vegas 51s

T.J. Rivera

Wally Backman’s crew went 14-12 in the month of May

            The Las Vegas 51s offense has climbed to second on the PCL OPS leaderboard, but the team ERA has dropped to second worst – interestingly enough, El Paso is the only team with a better OPS and only team with a worse team ERA. The 51s are 2 games behind the Chihuahuas in the PCL Pacific Southern division, with the Salt Lake Bees right on their tail for second place. The biggest problem has been the bullpen, so I wouldn’t be surprised if there is a pen shakeup in June. Below I’ve posted everyone’s May statline, with some comments added for each player.

May

MVP: T.J. Rivera. Rivera and Brandon Nimmo had similar offensive output by OPS last month, but Rivera was an RBI machine for Las Vegas and did it over an extra 30 PA.

Cy: Gabriel Ynoa has been the 51s ace so far and he finished May with more innings pitched and fewer runs allowed than any other Las Vegas starter.

Fireman: Josh Edgin hasn’t had his best fastball yet, but his slider has been a weapon for him, and he’s yet to allow a run in the PCL.

April Stats

Offense

Jeff Glenn - 3 PA, 0.333/0.333/1.333, 1 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 K, 15.4% SwStr, 28.6% Whiff/Swing, 4.3 Pitches/PA, 0 BABIP

The 9^th round draft pick from 2009 picked up his first Triple-A homer of his pro career and pitched an inning during his limited duty

Ty Kelly - 80 PA, 0.394/0.462/0.592, 13 R, 8 2B, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 8 BB, 1 HBP, 10 K, 1 GIDP, 2 SB, 2 CS, 4% SwStr, 10.4% Whiff/Swing, 3.8 Pitches/PA, 0.441 BABIP

Kelly’s hot hitting at the plate turned into a major league callup, but he hasn’t been able to get going yet in the majors

Brandon Nimmo - 107 PA, 0.326/0.421/0.565, 15 R, 8 2B, 4 3B, 2 HR, 13 RBI, 15 BB, 16 K, 1 GIDP, 2 SB, 3 CS, 10.8% SwStr, 21.6% Whiff/Swing, 4 Pitches/PA, 0.378 BABIP

Nimmo’s bat came alive in May and he was as good at the plate as I’ve seen him. He looks closer to the player who came up to Binghamton midway through the 2014 season than the guy who tried start hitting for power last year. He looks really comfortable at the plate and is spraying line drives to all fields, just hitting the ball where it’s pitched. He missed a week in May with some soreness, but didn’t miss a beat in his first game back, when he launched a solo blast to CF

T.J. Rivera - 138 PA, 0.373/0.413/0.548, 22 R, 5 2B, 1 3B, 5 HR, 31 RBI, 7 BB, 3 HBP, 2 SF, 18 K, 1 GIDP, 2 CS, 10% SwStr, 19% Whiff/Swing, 3.3 Pitches/PA, 0.400 BABIP

Rivera is wearing out the PCL at an impressive clip and opponents’ announcers are happy to see him leave town. He’s not going to walk often, but he has a good contact rate, and doesn’t beat himself by chasing out of the zone very often

Daniel Muno - 53 PA, 0.308/0.491/0.436, 6 R, 1 2B, 2 3B, 7 RBI, 13 BB, 1 HBP, 9 K, 1 GIDP, 2 CS, 6.1% SwStr, 18.1% Whiff/Swing, 4.6 Pitches/PA, 0.400 BABIP

Muno’s playing time has been cut drastically short this year due to the crowded Vegas infield and his flop in the majors last year, but he had a very nice May. Not only did he reach in nearly half of his PA’s, but Muno made some highlight reel plays at 3B and SS.

Travis Taijeron - 130 PA, 0.296/0.369/0.557, 20 R, 10 2B, 1 3B, 6 HR, 25 RBI, 12 BB, 2 HBP, 1 SF, 39 K, 1 GIDP, 13.4% SwStr, 32.3% Whiff/Swing, 4.1 Pitches/PA, 0.394 BABIP

Taijeron consistently posts a low contact rate in the PCL, but he makes up for it by crushing the ball whenever he can make contact, and has barely slumped in 600+ PA’s at the level. He’d almost certainly strikeout more than 1/3 of the time in the majors, but it’s tempting to see what he can do the rest of the time.

Gavin Cecchini - 60 PA, 0.370/0.424/0.481, 13 R, 6 2B, 7 RBI, 5 BB, 1 SAC, 9 K, 1 SB, 7.7% SwStr, 17% Whiff/Swing, 3.7 Pitches/PA, 0.444 BABIP

A sore back kept Cecchini on the DL for a couple of weeks because Wally Backman and the Mets wanted to be extra cautious about him coming back. When healthy, he was the same high contact, slap hitter who posted big numbers in the EL last year. He committed a flurry of errors over the final week of the season, but only one was a throwing error, and his fielding has not been the problem. Throwing and consistently had been the problems, and the consistency issue appears to be rearing its ugly head.

Dilson Herrera - 132 PA, 0.292/0.344/0.558, 25 R, 6 2B, 1 3B, 8 HR, 20 RBI, 10 BB, 1 SF, 1 SAC, 20 K, 3 SB, 3 CS, 10.1% SwStr, 21.8% Whiff/Swing, 3.9 Pitches/PA, 0.290 BABIP

Dilson was on fire to start the month but then cooled down during the 2^nd half of May. When hot, Dilson was aggressive in the zone early in the count and it led to a homerun flurry. As he cooled down, he started seeing more pitches and taking walks at a nice rate.

Nevin Ashley - 50 PA, 0.317/0.440/0.439, 10 R, 2 2B, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 7 BB, 2 HBP, 11 K, 1 CS, 6.9% SwStr, 18.4% Whiff/Swing, 4.1 Pitches/PA, 0.414 BABIP

Ashley is a PCL killer but doesn’t offer much behind the plate

Johnny Monell - 111 PA, 0.284/0.378/0.474, 18 R, 7 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 14 RBI, 14 BB, 1 HBP, 1 SF, 15 K, 7 GIDP, 1 CS, 10.2% SwStr, 22.8% Whiff/Swing, 3.6 Pitches/PA, 0.308 BABIP

Monell is a PCL killer but doesn’t offer much behind the plate

Kyle Johnson - 34 PA, 0.300/0.382/0.400, 2 R, 3 2B, 7 RBI, 4 BB, 7 K, 1 SB, 10% SwStr, 21.2% Whiff/Swing, 4.1 Pitches/PA, 0.391 BABIP

Johnson is back to full health this year and showing signs of improvement at the plate as the season progresses. He split the month between Double-A and Triple-A, so the rest of his May stats will be up in a separate post.

Marc Krauss - 97 PA, 0.193/0.299/0.458, 18 R, 4 2B, 6 HR, 13 RBI, 12 BB, 1 HBP, 1 SF, 28 K, 1 GIDP, 1 SB, 12.1% SwStr, 28.5% Whiff/Swing, 4 Pitches/PA, 0.200 BABIP

Krauss destroyed a few baseballs but is not squaring the ball up all that often right now

Roger Bernadina - 69 PA, 0.277/0.319/0.400, 8 R, 6 2B, 1 3B, 7 RBI, 4 BB, 20 K, 2 SB, 11.3% SwStr, 21.6% Whiff/Swing, 3.9 Pitches/PA, 0.400 BABIP

Bernadina missed some time on the DL with a minor injury but has been a nice player for Las Vegas

Niuman Romero - 45 PA, 0.268/0.333/0.268, 2 R, 2 RBI, 4 BB, 6 K, 2 GIDP, 1 SB, 5.6% SwStr, 12.8% Whiff/Swing, 4 Pitches/PA, 0.314 BABIP

Romero was given the bump to Las Vegas when promotions left the infield short, but playing time will likely be limited in June with some players returned to the 51s from the majors

Matt Reynolds - 60 PA, 0.155/0.183/0.241, 2 R, 5 2B, 5 RBI, 2 BB, 25 K, 2 GIDP, 0 SB, 1 CS, 14.5% SwStr, 30.5% Whiff/Swing, 4.6 Pitches/PA, 0.273 BABIP

The Mets gave Reynolds a major league look while Wilmer Flores was on the DL and it did not go well. That wasn’t really surprising considering how lost he looked at the plate before the promotion, as he is/was striking out at an unreal pace. He was swinging over breaking balls in the dirt and taking called strike 3’s on pitches right down the middle, which continued in his first game back on 5/31

Pitching

Starters

Gabriel Ynoa - 39.1 IP, 43 H, 14 R (13 ER), 7 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 61 TB, 12 BB, 21 K (17 K/Sw), 61 GB: 39 FB: 24 LD: 7 PU, 571 Pitches (364 Strikes), 39 Swinging, 103 Called, 6.8% SwStr, 14.9% Whiff/Swing, 14.5 Pitches/IP, 166 BF

Ynoa credits Frank Viola for his success to date, as Viola told him to start throwing his sinker more often before the season started, and the numbers speak for themselves. Ynoa actually improved his groundball rate a lot last season with the B-Mets, but the groundball rate has ticked up even further so far in 2016. His strikeout rate is alarmingly low, but he can succeed as a fifth starter with a low walk rate and high groundball rate. His sinker is generally sitting upper 80’s, but he’ll occasionally reach back for some low 90’s heat, presumably going to the fourseamer in those instances

Duane Below - 36.2 IP, 40 H, 15 R (13 ER), 9 2B, 2 3B, 3 HR, 62 TB, 9 BB, 29 K (19 K/Sw), 50 GB: 30 FB: 24 LD: 8 PU, 572 Pitches (391 Strikes), 60 Swinging, 88 Called, 10.5% SwStr, 19.8% Whiff/Swing, 15.6 Pitches/IP, 152 BF

Below is Sean Gilmartin without the 40-man roster spot.

Sean Gilmartin - 22 IP, 27 H, 16 R (15 ER), 6 2B, 2 3B, 4 HR, 49 TB, 3 BB, 18 K (11 K/Sw), 34 GB: 19 FB: 17 LD: 3 PU, 352 Pitches (234 Strikes), 40 Swinging, 77 Called, 11.4% SwStr, 25.5% Whiff/Swing, 16 Pitches/IP, 95 BF

Even though he won’t get many major league innings this season, Gilmartin is playing an important role as the first guy up when the Mets need him

Rafael Montero - 31.2 IP, 31 H, 17 R (17 ER), 8 2B, 5 HR, 54 TB, 17 BB, 32 K (25 K/Sw), 40 GB: 31 FB: 12 LD: 7 PU, 573 Pitches (349 Strikes), 63 Swinging, 93 Called, 11% SwStr, 24.6% Whiff/Swing, 18.1 Pitches/IP, 138 BF

A mixed month for Montero per the results, but the stuff is looking better. Had 3 great starts (1 R allowed over 17.2 IP in those 3) and 3 not so great starts. Biggest concern is that he’s still nibbling around the edges too much, so the walk rate hasn’t returned to the level it was at when he was considered a top prospect in the system

Seth Lugo - 33 IP, 42 H, 26 R (22 ER), 11 2B, 3 3B, 5 HR, 74 TB, 6 BB, 21 K (13 K/Sw), 49 GB: 37 FB: 22 LD: 9 PU, 550 Pitches (352 Strikes), 35 Swinging, 88 Called, 6.4% SwStr, 13.3% Whiff/Swing, 16.7 Pitches/IP, 147 BF

Lugo has had trouble avoiding the big inning in his starts and the PCL effect may be hampering his curve. That pitch was one of his best last year, but he just hasn’t used it as often this year, and Noah Syndergaard has said the high altitude environments made it tough for him to use his curve in the PCL. One thing I’ve noticed about Lugo is that he rarely throws the same pitch at the same speed or location twice in a row.

Relievers

Josh Edgin - 8.2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 3 TB, 4 BB, 11 K (8 K/Sw), 9 GB: 3 FB: 2 LD: 1 PU, 132 Pitches (77 Strikes), 19 Swinging, 22 Called, 14.4% SwStr, 34.5% Whiff/Swing, 15.2 Pitches/IP, 30 BF

Edgin went back to NY to get his arm looked at on the last day of May. They don’t think there is anything wrong, but he wanted to get it looked as a precaution. He’s only pitched on consecutive days once in the minors, and he faced just one batter both times. The Mets have made that an important test for rehabbing relievers in the past.

Chase Bradford - 12 IP, 18 H, 4 R (3 ER), 3 2B, 1 3B, 23 TB, 1 BB, 11 K (9 K/Sw), 20 GB: 8 FB: 10 LD: 2 PU, 188 Pitches (121 Strikes), 25 Swinging, 26 Called, 13.3% SwStr, 26.3% Whiff/Swing, 15.7 Pitches/IP, 53 BF

Bradford isn’t hitting 95 with his fastball this year, but he’s getting more sink sitting low 90’s, which has helped him regain the success he had with Vegas in 2014. One thing I love about Bradford’s game is that when right, he’s not going to walk anyone, because I hate seeing walks from the pen

Josh Smoker - 11 IP, 18 H, 8 R (8 ER), 2 2B, 1 HR, 23 TB, 4 BB, 14 K (12 K/Sw), 14 GB: 5 FB: 12 LD: 3 PU, 196 Pitches (126 Strikes), 27 Swinging, 30 Called, 13.8% SwStr, 28.1% Whiff/Swing, 17.8 Pitches/IP, 52 BF

His fastball still has great life and walks haven’t been a problem. Not concerned with a high ERA from a PCL reliever, especially over a one month sample

Paul Sewald - 12.2 IP, 16 H, 9 R (6 ER), 2 2B, 1 HR, 21 TB, 2 BB, 15 K (13 K/Sw), 12 GB: 11 FB: 14 LD: 1 PU, 200 Pitches (134 Strikes), 29 Swinging, 35 Called, 14.5% SwStr, 29.3% Whiff/Swing, 15.8 Pitches/IP, 56 BF

Sewald is the 51s closer but will probably be used more as a ROOGY in the majors. When right, he attacks the bottom of the zone with a good sinker/slider combo

Zach Thornton - 14.2 IP, 16 H, 10 R (8 ER), 5 2B, 1 3B, 23 TB, 3 BB, 11 K (7 K/Sw), 23 GB: 16 FB: 8 LD, 222 Pitches (151 Strikes), 18 Swinging, 33 Called, 8.1% SwStr, 15.3% Whiff/Swing, 15.1 Pitches/IP, 63 BF

Thornton has had a few good stretch with Las Vegas, but I have to wonder how much longer he’ll be in Las Vegas. There are several options in the B-Mets pen that look ready for a bump, and the 51s need to find reliable innings for their pen.

Dario Alvarez - 7.1 IP, 13 H, 12 R (12 ER), 2 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR, 22 TB, 5 BB, 10 K (7 K/Sw), 13 GB: 9 FB: 3 LD, 168 Pitches (111 Strikes), 14 Swinging, 39 Called, 8.3% SwStr, 19.4% Whiff/Swing, 22.9 Pitches/IP, 41 BF

Alvarez was DFA’d and lost to the Braves. The results weren’t there in Las Vegas, but that slider will get him looks as a LOOGY in the majors. Perhaps soon given how the Braves season is going.

Erik Goeddel - 13.1 IP, 15 H, 14 R (12 ER), 3 2B, 1 HR, 21 TB, 8 BB, 15 K (15 K/Sw), 18 GB: 13 FB: 7 LD: 2 PU, 239 Pitches (148 Strikes), 33 Swinging, 32 Called, 13.8% SwStr, 28.4% Whiff/Swing, 17.9 Pitches/IP, 63 BF

Um?

Jeff Walters - 11.2 IP, 25 H, 19 R (16 ER), 4 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 40 TB, 11 BB, 1 K (1 K/Sw), 23 GB: 22 FB: 8 LD: 3 PU, 276 Pitches (159 Strikes), 15 Swinging, 32 Called, 5.4% SwStr, 11.8% Whiff/Swing, 23.7 Pitches/IP, 69 BF

Walters velocity was back to good form in May, but the results speak for themselves, and the Mets DFA’d him to make room for James Loney

Stolmy Pimentel - 13 IP, 30 H, 26 R (25 ER), 5 2B, 2 3B, 39 TB, 10 BB, 12 K (11 K/Sw), 30 GB: 15 FB: 11 LD: 1 PU, 303 Pitches (173 Strikes), 30 Swinging, 34 Called, 9.9% SwStr, 21.6% Whiff/Swing, 23.3 Pitches/IP, 82 BF

He seems like a nice guy, but Stolmy has to be on thin ice at this point.

  

Chandra Flashback of the Day! N49B:
Supernova Remnant Reveals Magnesium in Abundance https://t.co/6dAOoUtxov pic.twitter.com/1xhmbi29Dt

— Chandra Observatory (@chandraxray) June 1, 2016