Sneakin w/ Sally Down the Alley (aka Hagerstown Suns 2006)

[metirish]

Head for Hagerstown now......

] Farm report: Dreamer alert General manager Omar Minaya promises to exhaust every option in trying to improve the Mets, and after this announcement yesterday by the Class-A Hagerstown (Md.) Suns, you have to believe him. The Mets are hosting open tryouts at the Suns' Municipal Stadium on July 20, with the chance to be selected to sign a professional contract. As the release states, "Individuals who desire to try out should be at the ballpark by no later than 9 a.m. to register and be prepared to possibly endure a challenging workout beginning at approximately 10 a.m. Entrants should come dressed and ready to play and will need to enter the ballpark at the stadium's main gates at the Hagerstown Trust Plaza. Participants should also bring their own appropriate baseball gear and equipment. The tryout session is free for participants and open to the public." So stop making excuses, grab your glove and get down to Hagerstown.

[Frayed Knot]

Mostly Hagerstown news from BA:

The [NYM] organization's next best four prospects are in Class A, but their performances over the last two days certainly have been impressive, and show signs that there is life beyond Milledge and Pelfrey.

Lefthander Jon Niese led that group, throwing a complete game shutout Wednesday for low Class A Hagerstown as the Suns thrashed Lexington 9-0.
“He was outstanding last night,” Suns pitching coach Shawn Barton said. “The use of his changeup was a big key for me. It is a pitch that has been lacking in terms of using it. Our goal was to mix it in and he established all three pitches early with command.
“He doesn’t use the change enough. We were forcing him to throw it last night and it was a great lesson as far as the value of that pitch."
The lefthander needed only 102 pitches to get through nine innings as he struck out nine and walked two while allowing three hits. Barton noted that it was the first time all season Niese had all three of his pitches working in sync.
“He recorded seven outs on his change and seven strikeouts on his curve,” Barton said. “The curveball had very good break, seven strikeouts on the curve and four of them were looking. When you get four guys looking on the curve like that, you know it is pretty sharp.”
As it has all year, Niese’s fastball was averaging 89 mph and touching 91. The performance improved his record to 9-6, 3.51 with 106 strikeouts and 50 walks in 97 innings.

Niese got all the support he would need from outfielder Fernando Martinez, who was playing his first game for the Suns since June 10 because of a sprained knee. The 17-year-old went 3-for-4 with his third home run and three RBIs.

Just under 800 miles away, Philip Humber was showing no ill effects as he recovers from Tommy John surgery. The third overall pick in the 2004 draft out of Rice threw five shutout innings for high Class A St. Lucie while allowing four hits and walking none.
Scouts have been giving strong reports on Humber, who has had his fastball sitting 90-94 mph while showing his trademark hammer curve and the occasional power change.
In 26 innings in the Florida State League, the righthander is now 2-1, 3.12 with a 25-5 strikeout-walk ratio.

Their outstanding nights came a day after righthander Deolis Guerra, another 17-year-old, had his best outing of the year for the Suns and lowered his ERA to 2.82 in 54 innings.
Guerra took a no-hitter into the fifth inning and allowed two earned runs over seven innings with eight strikeouts and three walks. Like Niese, it was the first time he had all three of this pitches working together.
“He had his curve going well, and he'd not had the curve going for him all season,” Barton said. “He threw 14 of 19 for strikes. It is a pitch he has been lacking confidence in, but he established it early and was able to throw it behind in the count.
“His change is his best pitch because he gets so many swings and misses on it with deception and great arm speed.”
Due to the changeup, Guerra is more effective against lefthanded hitters (.216 average) than righthanded hitters (.241).


Also, from a seperate BA Q&A:

Q: Now that Pelfrey'ss up, who is the Mets' top 5 prospects

A: 1 - Milledge; 2 - F. Martinez; 3 - Guerra; 4 - Humber; 5 - Niese.
I might need to move Humber up there. We have had very positive reports on him in the FSL since his return from TJ; 90-94, plus curve at times, plus change at times.

[Guest Edgy DC]

The correspondent is getting ahead of himself counting Pelfrey out of the mix after two starts.

If Milledge counts, then Pelfrey sure does.

[Frayed Knot]

Baseball Prospectus discusses prospects:

Fernando Martinez, OF

Martinez was the prize in last year's international signing period as the Mets won a bidding war to ink the toolsy Dominican for $1.4 million. In his brief pro career, Martinez has proven to be much, much more than just a raw package of athleticism; he has shown himself to be a very good baseball player as well. After missing nearly a month with a strained knee, Martinez hit .361 in 14 games for Low Class A Hagerstown to raise his averages to .333/.389/.505, earning a promotion to the Florida State League, an assignment nearly unheard of for a 17-year-old. He went 3-for-13 over the weekend in his first three games for St. Lucie, and led off Sunday's game with a home run. Although his reviews as a defender in center field are poor, his offensive accomplishments at his age move him into elite status.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Holy crap! He's playing with men.

[Frayed Knot]

BA:
As the season goes on, it becomes harder to believe that (RHP) Deolis Guerra was born in 1989. After an 11-strikeout gem Sunday night, Guerra has allowed just two earned runs over his last three starts. Since June 1, he has a 2.06 ERA in 66 innings with a 51-19 strikeout-walk ratio.

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

1989???

Holy crap.