Final: Sand Gnats 1 – Crawdads 6

Boxscore

The Sand Gnats offense has been just AWFUL and things aren’t going to get any better after today.  Leadoff hitter Darrell Ceciliani was forced to leave the game due to a leg injury.  An update on his injury has not been released yet, hopefully it is not serious.  I am not going to pretend to know anything about Chase Huchingson or what he throws, but he did a very nice job in long relief striking out five in 4.1 innings and giving up just 2 hits.  He was the only effective pitcher on the night.

Stars of the Game: Chase Huchingson (3pts)  2.  Alonzo Harris (2pts)  3. Javier Rodriguez (6pts)

Final: Sand Gnats 1 – Crawdads 9

Boxscore

Not quiet the debut the Mets were hoping for from Erik Goeddel one of the few overslot draft picks in recent years.  Goeddel had been relieving at UCLA and dealing with arm injuries so the transition may be slow, but he definitely has the stuff to succeed and showed glimpses of that tonight despite getting hit around with the 4 k’s and ground balls he generated.  The offense did next to nothing mustering up only 3 its.  The Gnats offense has struggled greatly out of the gates failing to get anything going no matter who the pitcher is. One of the only hits tonight was a homerun from Javier Rodriguez(pictured) who has shown so far the power numbers in Kingsport weren’t a fluke.

Stars of the Game:  1. Javier Rodriguez (3pts)  2. Darrell Ceciliani (2pts)  3. Wilfredo Tovar (1pt)

Final Game 2: Sand Gnats 0 – West Virginia 2

Boxscore

A much more competitive game, but just as power of performance from the offense.  The offense got just one runner into scoring position in the 4th inning when Robbie Shields walked and Cory Vaughn singled to get him to second.  Sam Honeck grounded out to advance both runners, but that was the closest they would come to getting a runner across the plate.  In five of the seven innings the Sand Gants went 1-2-3 and fifteen of the 21 outs in the game were recorded on the ground.  They were simply dominated and could not get anything going.

Yohan Almonte(pictured) pitched very well in his first above rookie ball.  He got a “complete game” giving up 2 runs in 6 innings of work.  Almonte had one hiccup in the 5th inning in which he allowed two singled to start the game and then proceeded to balk both batters over.  He threw a wild pitch to allow one of the runners to score and the other one would later come in to score on a single.  Outside of the 5th inning Almonte allowed just 2 baserunners.

Players of the Game: 1. Yohan Almonte (3pts) 2. Cory Vaughn (2pts) 3. Wilfredo Tovar (1pt)

Final Game 1: Sand Gnats 1 – West Virginia 9

Courtesy of UT Sports

Boxscore

The Sand Gnats got shelled n the first game of the double header.  Starting pitcher Ryan Fraser had to leave the game in the 4th inning when a comeback liner hit him in the arm forcing him to leave the game. Guillaume Leduc came in to relieve him and was pitiful.  Leduc allowed both inherited runners to score as well as 5 of his own never making it out of the inning.  The inning included 2 wild pitches and a hit batsman by Leduc and a stretch with 4 consecutive hits.

Another struggling offense in the Mets system.  The whole offense came in the second inning with back-to-back doubles by Javier Rodriguez and Blake Forsythe(pictured).  They had more chances to score, but went just 1-for-9 with runners in scoring chance.

Players of the Game: 1. Blake Forsythe (3pts) 2. Javier Rodriguez (2pts) 1. Darrell Ceciliani (4pts)

Final: Sand Gnats 8 – Power 0

Darrell Ceciliani (Steve Solomonson)

Boxscore

A great all-around performance from the Gnats who on paper have the best team they have had in years.  Reading Mike Newman’s Scouting the Sally will be that much better with quality and depth on the team this year so stay tuned to his blog.

The tandem of Darrell Ceciliani and Cory Vaughn picked right up where they left off in Brooklyn.  Ceciliani was locked in with his power stroke early on in the game hitting a double and 2-run homerun in the first two innings.  Vaughn drove in two runs on two singled and reached base a third time by drawing a walk, still showing more advanced patients than scouts predicted from him.  The only players without a hit were Albert Cordero and Wilfredo Tovar.

Greg Peavey might turn in a season for the Gnats similar to Mark Cohoon‘s legendary last season if this first start was any indication of what’s in store.  Considered more of a polished product in college he still has very good stuff and demonstrated both showing no nerves in his first professional appearance.  He allowed just three base runners on two hits and walk.  Peavey struckout the first five batters he faced in his career and eight overall. Six of the struckouts were swinging strikeouts.  He knows how to miss bats.

Stars of the Game:  1. Darrell Ceciliani (3 pts)   2. Greg Peavey  (2 pts)   3. Cory Vaughn (1 pt)

Sean Ratliff Needs Facial Surgery + More Minor League News

Adam Rubin brings us some prospecting news today….

  • The first tidbit is regarding top outfield prospect Sean Ratliff who was struck in the face with a foul ball while standing in the on deck circle during a minor league spring training game that will require facial surgery.  Ratliff broke six bones in the eye and sinus area that need repair.  He also needed fifteen stitches. It is still uncertain whether or not he will need a plate inserted although on a positive sign his vision has been unaffected.
  • Mets prospect Sean Ratliff in St. Lucie

  • In a bit of sad news the Mets officially released center fielder Manny Garcia.  I was a big fan of Garcia’s and thought he had a really bright future as a shortstop in the league who played good defense and caused havoc on the base paths.  It is pretty obvious things never really worked out for Garcia because of some on the field and off the field issues.  Wish him the best of luck in whatever he winds up doing.
  • The Mets seem prepared to be converting Brooklyn Cyclones closer Ryan Fraser to a starting role for the Savannah Sand Gnats this upcoming season.  Fraser saw time both in the rotation and in the pen in college and because of the great success he had after being drafted year with his plus fastball and slider it makes sense why the Mets would like to give him a shot in the rotation, but ultimately he probably winds back up in the pen.
  • A rare occurrence took place as Brad Holt fired five scoreless innings in his last spring training tune up start.  If there was ever a make or break year for a prospect it is this year for Holt.
  • In major league news Jason Isringhausen agreed to remain in extended spring training for a few more weeks.  The more arms the better.  In a way I hope the Mets will need him so I didn’t learn to spell his name for no reason.

Mark Cohoon Goes to AA, Huge Roster Changes for Gnats

Mark Cohoon, who has dominated the SAL and whom I talked about before, has been promoted.  Instead of going to HiA St. Lucie the Mets decided to promote him straight to Double-A Binghamton.  I think this is a good call by the Mets.  He is an older, smarter pitcher who probably would have dominated the Florida State League just as he dominated the South Atlantic League so why not give him the biggest challenge for a minor leaguer which is the move to AA.

There was a plethora of other moves made to go along with this  including top prospect Wilmer Flores getting the bump from LoA Savannah to HiA St. Lucie.  There were 6 other Sand Gnats who became St. Lucie Mets today; Juan Lagares, Brandon Moore, Rafael Fernandez, Kai Gronauer, Erik Turgeron, and Michael Fisher.

To make room for all these players a lot of players had to be shifted around:

  • Wilfredo Tovar was transferred from the St. Lucie roster to the Savannah roster.
  • Brandon Sage was activated and placed in Savannah roster.
  • Juan Torres was transferred from the St. Lucie roster to the Savannah roster.
  • R.J. Harris was transferred from the Brooklyn roster to the Savannah roster.
  • Ryan Mollica was transferred from the St. Lucie roster to the Savannah roster.
  • Gabriel Zavalawas added to the Savannah roster.
  • Travis Ozga was transferred from the Kingsport roster to the Savannah roster.
  • Marcos Tabata was transferred from the St. Lucie roster to the Savannah roster.