The Tides (Still) Wait For No Man

[Willets Point]

I'm planning on seeing the Tides in Pawtucket on Memorial Day. Who should I be keeping my eye on?

[Guest Rotblatt]

]I'm planning on seeing the Tides in Pawtucket on Memorial Day. Who should I be keeping my eye on?

There's this young outfielder called "Lastings Milledge" whom I think might be good . . . ;-)

Actually, check out how he works pitchers. He's continued to draw walks, even while struggling to get hits. He's batting .277 but has a .435 OBP and a 31/35 BB/K ratio, which is pretty damn good.

Tagg Bozied (1B) recently got signed and has been hot over his first 6 games--3 doubles and a HR over six innings.

He's 27 and spent his career in the Padres minor league system--drafted out of college in the 3rd round 2001. He crushed AAA pitching in 2004, then it looks like he got injured in 2005--he had only 99 AB that year.

He's had one cuppa, where he hit .182 with a HR and a couple walks.

They're really is about it, though. Everyone else is struggling, except for MacLane & a bunch of relief pitchers.

Hernandez is batting .350 but with zero power. Lambin will have a good game, then struggle for a week. Diaz is batting .242 with zero power.

[Frayed Knot]

BA:
Norfolk righthander Evan MacLane won his fourth game in five Triple-A starts on Monday, allowing just four hits and one run in seven innings. The southpaw got 11 groundouts in his victory, dropping his Triple-A ERA to 1.93 .

[MFS62]

="Frayed Knot"]BA: Norfolk righthander Evan MacLane won his fourth game in five Triple-A starts on Monday, allowing just four hits and one run in seven innings. The southpaw got 11 groundouts in his victory, dropping his Triple-A ERA to 1.93 .

BA , get with the program. He's a lefty.

LAter

[Guest Edgy DC]

The Tides beat Pawtucket 3-2 last night.

Passing through waivers and throwing six scoreless innings: Jose Lima.

[Frayed Knot]

Met fan contacts ASK BA wanting to know about Evan MacLane

Q: Mets fans have been hearing about Mike Pelfrey and, to a lesser extent, Philip Humber as potential future stars in the New York rotation. However, I've noticed that a prospect I'm not familiar with, lefthander Evan MacLane, has put up very impressive AAA numbers this year and was rated by Baseball America as having the best changeup and control among Mets prospects. What can you tell me about him and his ceiling?

Josh Marker - San Francisco


A: MacLane has a humble draft pedigree. A 25th-round pick out of Feather River (Calif.) CC in 2003, he went 23-10, 2.74 in the lower minors and reached Double-A in mid-2005. He seemed to hit a wall there, going 3-2, 4.14 in nine starts. MacLane didn't fare any better in six starts at Binghamton this year, but he has been lights-out since arriving at Triple-A Norfolk, posting a 6-0, 2.11 mark in seven starts. His other numbers (47 innings, 42 hits, 14 walks, 33 strikeouts) aren't as impressive as his record.

MacLane, 23, is a typical finesse lefthander. His mid-80s fastball and his curveball are fringy pitches most notable for his ability to locate them in the strike zone. His changeup is his best offering and he has little margin for error. He'll probably pitch in the majors but I don't see a huge ceiling. He looks more like a middle reliever than a starter to me.
-- Jim Callis

[Frayed Knot]

More MacLane:

'Southpaw Evan MacLane suffered his first Triple-A loss in seven decisions Thursday. The soft-tosser is a combined 9-2 between Binghamton and Norfolk this season. He has a career .714 win percentage (35-14)'

also

'Lefty reliever Royce Ring extended his scoreless innings streak to 19 Thursday. Ring has taken over the closing role with Heath Bell’s promotion to the big leagues. His fourth save came Tuesday in 1-0 win against Pawtucket and ex-Met Matt Ginter'

-- Adam Rubin

[MFS62]

Anyone who considers him a "soft tosser" should have to stand at home plate while that 88 MPH soft toss is aimed at his head.

Later

[Willets Point]

Bump for Tides update.

[Elster88]

Royce Ring: 2-0 2.76, 32.3 IP, 23 H, 15 BB, 32 K, 1.16 WHIP, 0 HR, 3 HBP

[Frayed Knot]

Oliver Perez: 7 IP, 1 H, 2 BB, 11 K (wasn't there a bet along these lines?)
- plus a perfect inning/2 K save from the newly demoted Heath Bell

Doesn't sound like Williams's injury would prevent him from a next start and tonight's performance was certainly enough to earn him another go around.
But if he can't go we should have 2 other choices ready for Petey's next slot (prob Fri): either Perez or Bannister (who was just on the wrong day to go this time)

[Guest Edgy DC]

YOU COMPLETE ME: Monday night's complete game victory for Evan MacLane was Norfolk's first complete game of the season, and first since Pat Strange hurled a nine-inning complete game on August 9, 2004. The complete game win was the first for Norfolk in 302 games, and gave MacLane his 12th win this year, the most among Mets' Minor Leaguers this season. MacLane didn't have much time to enjoy his accomplishment, as he was traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks organization on Tuesday in exchange for outfielder Shawn Green and cash considerations. MacLane made 20 starts with the Tides this season, going 9-8 with a 3.86 ERA.