Daily Archives: June 7, 2005
The Bergen Record’s Steve Popper writes a great column on the evolution of Mike Cameron Professional Center Fielder to Mike Cameron Off-season Trade Bait to Mike Cameron Everybody’s Favorite Right Fielder…
Also, the Journal News’ Peter Abrham helps us understand how Jose Reyes has matured from the player he was last season, to the player he is now…
…i love off days, because it tends to bring the best Mets writing out of the best Mets writers, see jenkins in my previous post, as well…
…thanks, guys…your hard work is always appreciated…
Good money seems to be on the Mets taking St. John’s right-handed closer Craig Hansen with the ninth pick in this year’s draft…
Both Jonathan Mayo at MLB.com and John Sickles of MinorLeagueBall.com put Hansen to the Mets…
…it’s a crap shoot…i know…but, given the realization of groomed college relievers, specifically huston street in oakland, this could be a big deal…
For those interested in what this kid is all about, MLB Radio talked with Hansen a few days ago about being a groomed closer and his expectations for tomorrow…
…i think what i like best about this kid is that he’s a new yorker…so he understands what he’s getting himself into by pitching at shea…and from what i’ve seen, that’s about 80 percent of being a closer in this city…whether he can handle it is an entirely different story…
However, the ultimate source for all things draft, Baseball America, who’ve spent the last few days talking with agents, scouts, general managers and fellow experts, believe that the Mets will pass on Hansen and select Wichita State University’s Mike Pelfrey…
BA writes…
Boras advises the top three pitching prospects in this draft in Pelfrey, Hochevar and Hansen. Pelfrey is looking for the same kind of contract as the others, and he looks like the only one of the three who won’t have to drop down in the first round to get it. If he does prove too rich for the Mets, they’d turn to [Jay] Bruce. GM Omar Minaya was poised to draft Townsend last year while with the Expos, but has backed off after Sunday’s workout at the Mets’ spring-training complex…
According to BA, Hansen will end up being selected with the twenty-third pick by the Red Sox, while Bruce will go to Reds a few picks after the Mets…
To listen to Pelfrey, MLB Radio talked with him on-air back on May 5…
…i like the idea of drafting a closer…however, as long as they draft a pitcher out of college, it’ll be fine by me…as i’ve stated in the past, my goal is to one day see the mets draft, groom and promote a top pitcher to the major leagues…is it hansen or pelfrey…could be…maybe not…maybe it’s humber…maybe it’s some kid who’ll they’ll draft next year, or the year after that…point is, i want another shot at dwight gooden…
On Bruce, BA compares him currently to Marlins OF Jeremy Hermida, with a ceiling of a Cardinals OF Larry Walker, noting he is better in right field than in center, a long swing, hits to all fields, has the ability to hit 30 homers in the Majors and has average speed…
On Hansen, BA describes his stuff as ‘electric,’ further adding he works consistently with a mid-90s fastball, which will reach as high as 97, which is complimented by a mid-80s slider. BA writes of Hansen, who is originally from Long Island and pitches for St. Johns, “He prefers pitching in pressure situations and has an inclination to dial up his velocity with a game on the line.”…
BA, however, lists Pelfrey as the top pitching prospect in the draft. On Pelfrey, they say, he excels with a 90–mph fastball known not only for it’s velocity but for its sink. They describe Pelfrey as the perfect pitcher, more or less. His one flaw, according to scouts who’ve talked with BA, is his agent, Scott Boras…
…tough choice…
“You take the best player, that’s all,” Mets GM Omar Minaya tells Newsday. “If you take the best talent, you can’t go wrong.”…
MLB Radio will begin their live draft coverage at 12:30 PM EDT…
…enjoy…
