Fall Ball

[Edgy MD]

Autumnal Mets begin play for Scottsdale tonight, joining prospects from the Braves, Giants, Pirates, and Yankees.

Mets suiting up for the Scorpions include:

[list:1enrwn74][*:1enrwn74]Jeurys Familia, sp, rp,[/*:m:1enrwn74]
[*:1enrwn74]Chasen Bradford, rp[/*:m:1enrwn74]
[*:1enrwn74]Hansel Robles, sp [/*:m:1enrwn74]
[*:1enrwn74]Cody Satterwhite, rp[/*:m:1enrwn74]
[*:1enrwn74]Cam Maron, c[/*:m:1enrwn74]
[*:1enrwn74]Aderlin Rodriguez, 3b, 1b[/*:m:1enrwn74]
[*:1enrwn74]Cory Vaughn, corner of[/*:m:1enrwn74][/list:u:1enrwn74]

I could tell you something about most all of these guys, but until a minute or two ago, I'd never heard the name Cory Satterwhite. Debuted with the Tigers in 2008, missed the 2010 season, presumably with a shoulder injury. Released following 2011. No record of him playing in 2012. Played indy ball in at the start of this season and dominated. He was purchased from Sioux City and joined the Met system and pitched effectively for St. Lucie at 26 years old.

Second round pick. To read the internets, some folks think the Tigers go a little too crazy with drafting relievers.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Mets seem to be using this AZ league more strategically than maybe they used to. I kinda thought of this as a "showcase" league where team's best prospects get a shot against one another, the Mets this year seem to be challenging some of their middle-up prospects to rise or fall against the other guys' best.

Maybe.

[Edgy MD]

What I think of the AFL as being for:

1. Guys (particularly pitchers) who missed most of the season, but finished healthy, so need to get more reps in during the fall to keep from falling behind.
   
   
2. Guys (like Satterwhite in the park) who have already fallen behind, and so need reps to catch up.
   
   
3. Guys who aren't considered prospects, but had an impressive year, as a chance to see if they're for real against big-league bound talent.
   
   
4. Guys who are considered prospects, but had a crap year, as a chance to redeem a lost season and finish on a positive.

I pretty much place it in that order. The last one is rare enough, because sometimes, if a guy has a bad year, you want to leave it alone until next season, because it allows you to keep him off the roster without worrying about him being plucked away in the Rule V.

[Vic Sage]

Familia is coming back from injury and needs the work, and Robles needs to show them some reason to keep him on the roster. Satterwhite and Bradford are obscure relievers; i guess they just want to see what they have with these guys. But Maron, Rodriguez and Vaughn are all decent prospects eligible for the Rule V draft... why would the Mets showcase them like this unless they've already decided to add them to the 40-man?

[Edgy MD]

Maybe not Maron. I mean, you get to keep two catchers on your roster. I doubt anybody is going to be too into using one of those slots to carry a guy all season who went .235 / .327 / .295 // .622 in the Florida State League last year.

[bmfc1]

I enjoy Cam Maron's WTF podcast.

[Frayed Knot]

Edgy MD wrote: Maybe not Maron. I mean, you get to keep two catchers on your roster. I doubt anybody is going to be too into using one of those slots to carry a guy who went .235 / .327 / .295 // .622 in the Florida State League last year.

As a comparison, Jesus Flores was a year younger and hit .266/.335/.487 in the Fla St Lg the year he was plucked from the Mets roster via the Rule 5 draft. And that NYM mgmt that year was quite surprised that he was taken.
Turned out to be a nice pick for the Nationals ... for a while anyway. After two years he got hurt and missed an entire season. After returning he hit .212/.249/.325 across two seasons (2011-12) and 400 PAs, then spent 2013 as a part-timer in two different AAA orgs hitting even worse [.174/.213/.241].

[Vic Sage]

ok, maybe not Maron (i didn't realize he was that bad this season); i guess he goes in the same category as Robles. But Aderlin Rodriguez and Cory Vaughn are still good hitting prospects. Vaughn's upside alone makes him one of the few decent OF prospects we have.

[Edgy MD]

That upside may have not have gotten unpacked yet. Season opens with a rollicking 6-5 win over Salt River, as the Scorps rally for three runs in the top of the ninth to go ahead.

That rally ended as Cory Vaughn struck out with a runner on second. Vaughn had a dreadful game, going 0-5 with two whiffs.

Coming on to nail the game down in the bottom of the ninth, however, was Cory Satterwhite. I'll be danged if he didn't get them one-two-three.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Scottsdale and your Autumnal Mets are facing off against Salt River (and the Jays/Rays/D'Backs/Cards/Rox kids) right now on MLB Network; it's 3-2 in the fifth as I type.

Blue and Orangers (Vaughn, Rodriguez, Maron) are 5-for-7 so far tonight, with two 2Bs.

[Theoldmole]

Don't the Mets have enough marons in their organization?

[MFS62]

Juan Legares is leading the Dominican Winter League with a .400 BA. (65 AB)
Do we need a separate thread for Winter Ball, or can the title of this thread be changed to be all inclusive?

Later