Jordan Zakarin

Zakarin: B-Mets in the News
By Jordan Zakarin - Apr 20, 2008 12:49 pm

Binghamton’s talented roster is starting to garner some major attention. In addition to all the hype and hoopla surrounding Teenage Hitting Machine Fernando Martinez, the B-Mets’ mashing middle of the order trio and the team’s closer are making waves, and each were featured today in stories in the New York media.

First, in his blog at the Daily News, Adam Rubin talks about 1B Nick Evans, 3B Dan Murphy and 1B/DH Mike Carp, who are bashing their way through the Eastern League. Focusing especially on Evans, Rubin talked to Mets’ assistant GM Tony Bernazard about the young slugger:

“He’s a very good athlete, very good potential as a player,” Mets VP Tony Bernazard said about Evans, a fifth-round pick by the Mets in 2004 out of high school in Phoenix. “The ball jumps off his bat. He has a lot of power potential. He can hit the ball in the gaps. He’s very smart, a leader-type player. A quiet leader.”

On the season, Carp leads the team with a .435 average and five homers, and is second with five doubles and 16 RBI. Murphy sits at .426 with 13 RBI, and is tied for the team lead in doubles with six. Evans is hitting a mere .355, leading the team with six doubles, two triples and 18 RBI.

At the NY Post, Tim Bontemps profiles RHP Eddie Kunz, the 2007 supplemental first round pick whom the organization has projected as its potential closer of the future. Bernazard, being the go-to-guy for any and all minor league stories, tells Bontemps that the team would not be afraid to call Kunz up straight from Double A this year.

Bontemps also spoke to an AL scout, who gave his take on Kunz’s stuff:

“[Kunz] gets good leverage and velocity behind it, and it really explodes at the plate… A hard sinker in the low 90s like that is a pretty devastating pitch.”

The scout also liked Kunz’s slider, which hits 83-84 on the radar gun. “At times, when he would throw it right, it would just disappear. If we’re just talking stuff, Eddie’s going to be an All-Star. You only have to watch him throw a couple pitches to see there’s some pretty special pitches coming out of that arm.”

Kunz is 1-0 with three saves and a 4.26 ERA on the season, thanks to one spotty outing; he hasn’t been scored upon in four out of his five appearances. He has allowed three hits and four walks while striking out four in 6.1 innings.

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98 Comments »

Comment by stumped1
2008-04-20 13:04:23

the 2008 hype season has begun

Comment by toomanyuniforms
2008-04-20 14:19:48

All for it, given that as of two weeks ago, we had supposedly stripped our system bare and had all of one hitting prospect and Kunz.

Truth was, we had a lot of talent at the lower levels. You just never know what happens when you elevate them to a tougher league. So far, returns are fine.

 
 
Comment by metsfan119
2008-04-20 13:12:00

Good to know there is a potential first baseman waiting in the wings in case the Mets can’t outbid (they won’t) the Yankees for Tiexiera this off-season.

Comment by CitizenSnips
2008-04-20 14:31:10

The Yankees have Shelley Duncan. They don’t need Tiexiera.

Comment by metsfan119
2008-04-20 15:12:55

You’re kidding, right?

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Comment by Mookie 1986
2008-04-20 15:28:07

Yes, because Willie is all about giving rookies a shot at being everyday players.

 
 
Comment by mavicario
2008-04-20 13:32:20

Can anyone tell me why Ron Darling is on TBS?

Comment by boozermetsfan
2008-04-20 13:39:42

bizarre.

Comment by beltran the warrior
2008-04-20 13:48:22

tbs does national games now. darling got picked to do them.

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Comment by metsfan119
2008-04-20 13:49:59

I’ll take Ron over Chip Carey. I’d take Charles Manson over Chip Carey.

 
Comment by Mingo
2008-04-20 15:05:18

I’d take Marlee Matlin over Chip Carey

 
Comment by Slob
2008-04-20 15:44:56

I’ll take Pol Pot over Chip Caray.

 
Comment by jcervone7
2008-04-20 16:41:54

It’s good to see Ronny going national. He deserves it.

 
Comment by Danny1986
2008-04-20 18:17:19

I’ll take Chris Berman with Gilbert Godfrey as a color analyst over Chip Carey.

 
 
 
Comment by Mookie 1986
2008-04-20 15:29:08

Surprised SNY allows him to do this.

 
 
Comment by Midtown
2008-04-20 13:33:21

Boy, Delgado can’t get out of New York quick enough. I can’t wait to see what that trio can do in the majors.

Comment by beltran the warrior
2008-04-20 13:43:26

all three won’t be here.

danny murphy would have to change positions because we know he’s not playing third. the ourfield will be full so either carp or evans play first and at least one of the three gets traded.

we all should hope they continue mashing because these are our trading chips for the deadline for either that right-handed bat or roy oswalt/cc sabathia.

Comment by Midtown
2008-04-20 14:29:46

Murphy has been playing some left-field, and I wouldn’t mind seeing him out there next year if F-Mart needs another year (the guy isn’t even 20 yet).

As for the other two, if they keep hitting like they are, I wouldn’t mind seeing them platoon at first next year. Obviously getting all three on the roster is tough, but it’s very doable, and if they stay on fire the entire year, I don’t see any reason not to give them a shot.

Sabathia and Oswalt are going to require a lot more than these three though. Especially since both those teams are essentially set at 1st Base.

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Comment by Nate W.
2008-04-20 14:50:12

If Murphy can be a Ty Wiggington type player who wont be a detriment moving around the field then he will have a place on the Mets. Damion Easley may still look 25, but he cant play forever…

 
 
Comment by ae41h
2008-04-20 16:28:24

they won’t all be coming up, At least not all here. Plus, i wouldn’t want Roy Oswalt. The guy is no longer an elite starter and is definitely in a downturn. (That being said he is still pretty good, but his value is more based off his name than his talent) And C.C. scares me. Theres just way to many similaritieswith bartolo colon

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Comment by MealTicket
2008-04-20 13:46:58

I suspect they’ll pick up Delgado’s option for 09, unless he really reeks for the rest of this year. But how about a platoon with Nick Evans (the only right-handed hitter of the three, though–weirdly–all three are right-handed fielders)? It would ease Evans into the majors, setting up either a new platoon in 2010 or one of the three taking over altogether.

Comment by metsfan119
2008-04-20 13:48:54

uggghh, why? Use that extra money to get a good first baseman

Comment by Gina
2008-04-20 13:54:37

Or call up one of these guys to take over the first base spot, or two of them to platoon, and spend the money on pitching. Or just don’t spend it.

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Comment by beltran the warrior
2008-04-20 14:03:15

can’t platoon evans and carp, they’re both lefties unless you’re including murphy? either way this means one of them is getting traded.

 
Comment by Maddogcf
2008-04-20 14:29:58

actually Evans is the righty of the three so a platoon of Carp/Evans would work. Murphy has got some time at first also and since he’s not going to be playing third for the mets I’m kind of considering him to be a 1st base prospect also. Between the 3 of them, if they keep raking in AA, we should be able to find someone to replace Delgado next year. Now if they all hit .250 the rest of the year….it looks like we are stuck with another year of delgado

 
Comment by nrmax88
2008-04-20 14:30:46

evans bats righty.

 
 
Comment by adropofvenom
2008-04-20 14:00:59

Unless he has an MVP caliber season this year, it’s unlikely that he’ll have enough to turn the option from 12 million to 16 million. So lets just assume it’ll be 12 million.

Factoring in the 4 million buyout (Which we’d be paying either way), it’s essentially only an 8 million option. If he’s at least decent this year, I could see him getting that. I really don’t think the Mets want 2 rookies breaking into the Majors at the same time when they’re trying to win now. So if they do let him go, they’ll likely look into a Scott Hatteberg type Free Agent to stop-gap until the kids are truly ready.

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Comment by Nate W.
2008-04-20 14:55:09

This is where most people cant put the performance in perspective as it relates to the money.

But you do make sense, the Mets will be hard pressed to replace Delgado’s production with an 8 mil player. Fortunately the salary structure isnt position by position so they can make up for it elsewhere.

Hopefully the Mets can fill 1B or LF with a service time player next year (Pagan, FM, Evans) and spent the money saved on Delgado and Alou on one FA bat to play either position. Or best case they fill both positions and spend the $ on replacing Perez and Pedro.

 
 
Comment by Danny1986
2008-04-20 14:14:54

It makes little sense to have Delgado back next year. Even if, buy some miracle, he boosts his highly dominate .311 slugging percentage to a respectable range and flirts with 100 RBIs this year, why bring him back in 2009? We are likely adding another lefthanded bat in the lineup next year with FMart replacing Alou, so it is imperative that Minaya gets a righthanded bat to play 1st base next year.

Texeira is the likely candidate. Hell…I’d take Nady at 1stbase over Delgado anyday.

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Comment by Midtown
2008-04-20 14:26:32

Hah, it sounds like you’d be settling for Nady over Delgado, when Nady has 4 homers, 15 RBI’s, and is batting around .333. Who wouldn’t take Nady over Delgado any day?

I don’t know too many fans who can put up with Delgado for another season. I don’t know where 06 Delgado went, but he’s not coming back. I’d rather see Carp and Evans platooning, or one of them platooning with a stop-gap 1st baseman.

Also, Murphy has been getting time in left-field, so he’s an option out there in 09 if F-Mart needs another year.

 
Comment by Danny1986
2008-04-20 14:59:20

didn’t want to appear as if i would ’settle’ for Nady over Delgado….it’s just that Nady is an outfielder and would be somewhat of a risk at 1st base. THough he is a good athlete and certainly cannot be anymore of a liability than Cerrano currently is at fielding the position.

Nady’s bat is clearly more preferred over Delgado’s. It’s not even a debate.