Opening Game Line-Up:

CF- Juan Lagares

DH- Josh Satin  2/3, 3 runs scored

C – Travis d’Arnaud   2/3, four runs scored, 1 rbi, 2 walks

2B – Wilmer Flores   3/3, double, 2 rbi

RF- Andrew Brown   1/2, double, 4 rbi

3B – Zach Lutz   1/4, 1 rbi

LF – Jamie Hoffmann

1B – Eric  Campbell

SS – Omar  Quintanilla   1/4, triple

*SP – Zack Wheeler

FINAL SCORE – Las Vegas 10; Sacramento 5

Las Vegas kicked off the 2013 regular season Thursday with a resounding victory over the Sacramento River Cats.  The 51′s started the game’s scoring right away with two runs in the first inning.  Juan Lagares opened the game with a single, but proceeded to get picked-off first, and thrown out at second.  Satin drew a walk, then d’Arnaud doubled.  Wilmer Flores followed with a single, scoring Satin from third and moving d’Arnaud over.  Travis then scored on Andrew Brown’s sac-fly.

March 16, 2013; Port St Lucie, FL, USA; New York Mets catcher Travis d

With a pair of River Cats on base in the bottom of the second, Wheeler helped move them up ninety feet with a wild pitch.  The runner from third eventually scored on a (five to three) fielder’s choice, making it a 2-1 game.

Las Vegas struck for two more runs in the third inning.  A single by Satin, and walks to d’Arnaud and Flores loaded the bases for Andrew Brown, who promptly doubled to left, making the game a 4-1 affair.  However, in the bottom of the frame, Sacramento picked up a second run, with a double, and single off Wheeler.

The 51′s blew the game open in the fifth.  A double by d’Arnaud drove in Lagares with the first of four runs in the inning.  Wilmer Flores drove in Satin with a sac-fly.  Zach Lutz later doubled with one out to drive in d’Arnaud.  Andrew Brown, who reached via HBP, eventually scored on a wild pitch, to give Las Vegas an 8-2 lead.

In the seventh inning, d’Arnaud scored on Andrew Brown’s sac-fly.  In the eighth, Omar Quintanilla tripled, and scored on a throwing error, to give the 51′s a 10-2 lead heading into the ninth.  Last year’s division champs still had a little fight in them.  Sacramento struck for three runs, but no more.  Las Vegas won their first game of the season by a 10-5 final score.

Zack Wheeler did not pitch as well as hoped.  In earning a no-decision, he pitched 3.1 innings, allowing two earned runs on three hits.  He walked three and struck out three.  Wheeler gave way to Gonzalez Germen, who pitched 1.2 innings, and picked up the win.  Greg Peavey was third in.  In 1.2 innings pitched, he allowed two hits, walked one, and struck out one.  Justin  Hampson was asked to pitch to one batter in the seventh, whom he struck out.  After Armando Rodriguez successfully negotiated the eighth inning, Coach Backman let him go out for the ninth.  The first three batters he faced touched him for a double, single, and a three run home run.  That forced Wally Backman to dip into the bullpen for a fifth time.  Robert Carson inherited two runners, then induced his first batter to pop out, and his second batter into a game ending double play.

Tonight, Chris Schwinden will pitch for Las Vegas in game two of their four game series versus the Sacramento River Cats.  Game three’s starter is still to be determined, as Aaron Laffey was called up to the big club.  Or, Wally could move Collin McHugh and Carlos Torres up a spot, and fill the back end of the rotation with Dylan Owen.

The 51′s home opener at Cashman Field will be next Friday, April 12th, against the Colorado Springs Sky Sox.

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The league is comprised of sixteen teams, broken up into two conferences, with two divisions in each, and four teams per division.  Las Vegas plays in the Pacific Conference/ Southern Division along with the Sacramento River Cats (OAK), Fresno Grizzlies (S.F.), and the Tuscon Padres (S.D.).  Last season while fielding Toronto’s prospects, the 51′s finished in second place with a 79-64 record, 6.5 games behind Sacramento.  The Reno Aces are the 2012 defending PCL champs.

Pacific Coast League 2013 Season Preview

The circuit as a whole can be a hitter’s nirvana and a pitcher’s nightmare.  Hot air and high altitudes mean elevated offensive numbers and bloated ERA’s.  Fly balls can drift and drift, while groundballs  scoot on sun baked infields more quickly, as if skidding along old-fashioned astroturf.  For Mets fans, the dynamics at Coors Field and the heat of the Mojave have been suggested to be loosely accurate characterizations of the Pacific Coast League.

Feb 23, 2013; Port St Lucie, FL, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Zack Wheeler (65) throws in the third inning during a spring training game against the Washington Nationals at Tradition Field. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

The (Area) 51′s play at Cashman Field, which opened in 1983, and was named after a local business benefactor.  What kind of crowds will Mets prospects be playing for?  The park holds just under 10,000 fans.  Cashman Field surpassed 300,000 fans in every season since 1983.  When you consider how attendance plummeted in Buffalo during their four year affiliation, the Mets have their work cut out for them this time in trying to shake their recent reputation, and maintaining at least Las Vegas’ attendance standards.  Last year the 51′s drew 311,516 fans.  Over seventy-one dates, that worked out to an average of 4,388 per game.  This season, they are set to welcome their ten millionth fan to Cashman Field.

Certainly to start the season, fans in Las Vegas will be treated to what many think will become a formidable battery for years to come.  On Thursday, April 4th, Mets top prospect Zack Wheeler, 22, will pitch Las Vegas’ regular season opener in California against the Sacramento River Cats.  He is presently showing no lingering effects from an oblique injury suffered while taking batting practice back on February 27th.  In his only previous AAA action last season at Buffalo, Wheeler made six appearances, and struck out thirty-one batters in thirty-three innings pitched.  His catcher will be Travis d’Arnaud, 24,who played in Las Vegas last season as a member of the Toronto Blue Jays organization.  It was playing for the 51′s when d’Arnaud originally injured his knee.  Otherwise, he might already be a major leaguer.  Leading up to his knee injury last season, Travis was batting .333 and slugging .595 after 279 plate appearances.  He had sixteen home runs and fifty-two RBI at the time.  Hopefully, Travis can school the incoming Mets prospects on some of the do’s and don’t regarding life in Sin City; Vegas.  Both former first round draft picks, Wheeler and d’Arnaud are tentatively scheduled for a bus trip to Queens some time during the summer.

*  The following preview is based on who I ultimately believe will be on the team.  For a few players, the currently listed Las Vegas roster, posted Mets transactions, and supporting articles conflict.

CATCHER

Landon Powell, 31,who signed as a free agent in January, is a five season PCL veteran.  He also will be able to impart some knowledge of the league.  Landon will start the season backing-up Travis d’Arnaud.  If and when Travis gets called to Citi Field, Anthony Recker; presently John Buck‘s back-up on the big club; could possibly find himself sharing time with Powell later this season.  As a new member of the 40-man roster with less than five years in the league (consent rule), the Mets will be able to move Anthony Recker freely.

PITCHING

After pitcher Jenrry Mejia serves his remaining time on the disabled list (a/o March 22, elbow inflammation) he might report to Las Vegas.  Although the Mets have used Jenrry out of their bullpen, he has primarily been a starter in the minors.

Tentatively joining Zack  Wheeler in the starting rotation will be Chris Schwinden, 26, who is entering his third season of AAA-ball.   Collin  McHugh, 25, is entering his second AAA campaign.   Carlos Torres, 30, who spent the 2011 season in Japan, is entering his fifth AAA season.  Left-hander Aaron Laffey, 27, appeared in eleven games last season for Las Vegas.   A six year major league veteran, he can both start and pitch out of the pen.  He strikes me as the first responder to any S.O.S. out of Flushing.

*  TUESDAY MORNING UPDATE – With Shaun Marcum’s announced setback, Aaron Laffey or Collin McHugh might already be on their way.

Both Armando Rodriguez, 25, and Gonzalez Germen, 25, each have exactly one game of AAA experience.  They are tentatively listed on the 51′s roster, but I’m not ruling out one, or both start at Binghamton yet.

The 51′s tentatively only have two left-handers in the bullpen – Robert Carson and Justin Hampson.  After just ten games at AAA last season, Robert Carson, 24, was pressed into hasty service in Queens.  So he probably stands to benefit most from another season in the minors.  Justin Hampson, 32, is a long time minor leaguer who was reclaimed from the independent leagues, and spent his last two full seasons in Buffalo.  Carson and Hampson could be joined in the bullpen by Greg Peavey and Dylan Owen.  Greg Peavey, 24, will be getting his first taste of AAA ball this year.  At twenty-six years old, Dylan Owen’s long six year quest to become a major league starter may be coming to an end.   He has never been able to replicate the effectiveness he exhibited in 2007 while pitching in Brooklyn.  Dylan’s conversion began last season as Wally Backman used him increasingly more out of the pen.

Do you remember Danny Herrera?  Well.., you can forget him now.  He was released.  Herrera, 28, came to the Mets as part of the Francisco  Rodriguez deal.  In 2011, he pitched eight innings for the Mets, allowing seven hits and one run.  He walked two and struck out five.  He also pitched another six innings at Buffalo.  Although he missed all of 2009, Daniel Herrera, 28, posted very solid AAA seasons as a reliever between 2008 and 2011.  Back ailments however have compromised him since.  On April 1st, the Mets released the southpaw pitcher.

INFIELD

While Zach Wheeler and Travis d’Arnaud initially dominate all the attention, I believe the next greatest development in Vegas is the promotion of Wilmer Flores.  He made his first venture into the AA-Eastern League last season.  In sixty-six games and 251 at-bats for Binghamton, Wilmer batted .311 with eighteen doubles, eight homers, and thirty-three RBI.  He slugged .494 while keeping his strikeouts limited to an impressive thirty.  With little chance of uprooting David Wright from third, or Ike Davis from first base, Wilmer Flores, 21, is now listed as a shortstop.

Wilmer Flores remains on the 40-man roster.  However, second baseman Reese Havens, 26, finally lost his 40-man roster protection.  Over the last few years, many saw this coming.  Reese was the twenty-second overall pick of the 2008 draft.  In his defense, a back injury has hampered his progress through the years.  Havens just never managed to regain the level of play he exhibited in 2010 during a season split between St. Lucie and Binghamton.  His 2012 season at Binghamton resulted in a career low .215 batting average in 325 at-bats.  As such, he was exposed to waivers (along with Dan Gorski – assigned to Binghamton), and cleared as of last Friday.

Third baseman Zach Lutz, 26, bears the distinction of being the last cut before the Mets headed north.  He is now a three year AAA veteran.  Last season for Buffalo, Lutz appeared in seventy-two games.  In 244 at-bats, he batted .299 while sporting a nice .410 OBP.  He hit ten homers and drove in thirty-five runs.

At first base, Eric Campbell, 25, was the Mets 2008 eighth round pick.  He spent his last 2 1/2 seasons at Binghamton where he posted a combined .273 batting average in 978 total at-bats.  Drafted in the sixth round of the same year, the more familiar Josh Satin, 28, returns for a third AAA season.

Filling out the infield corp, Brian Bixler, 30, gained a measure attention with his Grapefruit League play.  Alas, he did not make the first cut.  Omar Quintanilla, 31, started out hot too, then tailed off.  They will be joined by Brandon Hicks who is twenty-seven years old.

OUTFIELD

As most know by now, outfielder Matthew den Dekker, 25, broke his wrist during a Grapefruit League game on March 24th, attempting a catch against the Detroit Tigers.  He will not require surgery, and stands to miss games through mid-May.

Andrew Brown, 28, is yet another Sandy Alderson January free agent signing who will roam the Vegas outfield.  He is also no stranger to the Pacific Coast League.  While Andrew has 134 combined major league at-bats with St. Louis and Colorado, he spent the majority of the past two seasons playing in AAA.  In 390 at-bast last season playing for Colorado Springs, Andrew Brown posted a .308 batting average, and a .597 slugging average.  He hit twenty-four home runs, and drove in ninety-eight runs.  Colorado claimed him off waivers from St. Louis in 2011, and granted him free agency a year later.  Coming from the PCL and playing in Colorado seemed like a natural fit.  So what gives?  Maybe the fact he struck out one hundred times in one hundred games last season factors in?  The progress of Andrew Brown definitely warrants a mindful eye.

Brown could be joined by Juan Lagares and Jamie Hoffman.  Juan, 24, hails from the Dominican Republic, and was signed by the Mets in 2006 as a free agent out of high school.  He spent the last 2 1/2 seasons at Binghamton.  He batted a respectable .283 last season.  A season at AAA will serve him well.  Jamie Hoffmann, 28, was granted free agency last November by the Orioles, and promptly signed by Alderson fifteen days later.  His first taste of the bigs came with the Dodgers.  Before Baltimore, he was a three year product of the PCL when with the Dodgers organization.  His best minor league season came in 2011, when he batted .297 in 475 at-bats, with twenty-two home runs and eighty-four runs batted in.

Corey Patterson was released.

MANAGER

The question I’m asking is – if Terry Collins‘ contract had been extended last year, would Wally Backman have agreed to manage the Mets AAA affiliate for a second straight season this year?  Was Wally  Backman effectively given the inside track in the next race to become Mets manager?

Wally started his Mets managerial career in 2010 with the Brooklyn Cyclones, in which he led the Brooks to the New York-Penn League title round.  Wally moved up to manage the Binghamton Mets in 2011, then AAA Buffalo in 2012.  He was one of a few candidates who interviewed for the vacant job after Jerry Manuel‘s firing, when Sandy Alderson eventually settled on Terry Collins.  Terry was an in-house hire met with general approval.  However, at the moment, Flushing’s field manager might be the biggest lame duck manager in baseball.  Unsigned beyond this season, Sandy Alderson has refused to open negotiations on a new pact.  That coincides with the Mets having only two players under contract beyond the 2014 season.

Wally  Backman’s previous employment before rejoining the Mets was a rocky road through the White Sox system, and more famously in Arizona’s system, where he won a Manager of the Year award, and was then fired from the D-Backs job before ever managing a game.  After a stint managing Independent baseball, Wally Backman returned to the Mets fold and has found favor within the organization again.  A bad start may doom Terry Collins this season.  A mid-season firing is never out of the question.  There are no (none) indications yet, but there is every chance Wally Backman can possibly join Zack Wheeler and Travis d’Arnaud when their services are summoned to Queens.  I’d suspect, Wally’s first venture beyond the top step of the dugout as manager of the Mets would be met with thunderous applause.

For now, that’s all entertainingly hypothetical.  This however, is sure – heading into the 2013 regular season, the Las Vegas 51′s, in my opinion, have a very good manager on their hands.  I also believe this team is very well stocked with quality players.  I think the fans of Las Vegas baseball are in for a pleasant surprise.  Of course, injuries can always ruin the best laid plans for the 51′s, the Mets, or both.

40-MAN ROSTER

Robert Carson – Gonzalez Germen – Collin McHugh – Zack Wheeler

Travis d’Arnaud – Wilmer  Flores – Zach Lutz – Juan  Lagares.

FREE AGENT ACQUISITIONS

Brian Bixler – Jamie Hoffmann – Andrew Brown – Carlos Torres

Aaron Laffey – Landon Powell – Omar Quintanilla – Brandon Hicks (purchased from A’s)

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What’s important to note, is that Flores is still only 21 years old.  He’s played the majority of his minor league games as one of the youngest players in each respective league (he actually appeared in a game for Low A Savannah when he was 16 years old).  With David Wright entrenched at third base, the Mets are attempting to find out whether Flores can be adequate defensively at second base.  Flores is the one bat in the minor league system that is both close and potentially of the impact variety.  Here’s what John Sickels had to say about Flores’ 2012 season:

Flores’ cachet as a prospect has depended on his bat. Scouts have always liked his swing, but until this year he didn’t hit for much power or draw many walks. On the other hand, he always made contact well,and has shown the ability to deal with both fastballs and breaking stuff, even when he’s overaggressive. The hope was that he would show more power as he gained strength and physical maturity. That has happened this year: he’s driving the ball more effectively to all fields, while maintaining his proclivity for contact.

Over 130 games last season between High A and AA, Flores hit .300 with a .349 OBP, to go along with 18 home runs, 30 doubles, and 75 RBI’s.  Mets fans have yearned for the team to move Flores to the outfield, but every scout has stated that Flores is simply too slow to be even passable out there.  If Flores is going to make an impact with the Mets, it’ll most likely be at second base.  Last night, most Mets fans got their first glimpse of Flores at the position.

July 8, 2012; Kansas City, MO, USA; World player Wilmer Flores throws to first base during the 2012 All Star Futures Game at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports

On the first ball that came to him, Flores fielded a grounder near the bag and made a perfect flip to start a double play.  On the second play that involved him, Flores gloved a poor throw from David Wright at the bag and threw on to first for another double play.  He displayed some range on his third play as he ran to his left, made a sliding stop, spun and threw to first for the out.  He showed decent range going to his right and unleashed a strong  flat footed throw during the fourth play that involved him, but the throw just missed getting the runner at first base.

Flores played only 27 games at second base last year, and last night was his first taste of second at the big league level.  It’s impossible to draw conclusions from one game.  Last night, however, is all most Mets fans have to go by, and what Flores displayed was all positive.  His hands looked soft, his arm was strong, and his footwork and instincts around the bag both looked good.  Throughout his minor league career, Flores has been viewed as someone who would make all the defensive plays he got to.  So, it appears his ability to stick at second base may come down to whether he has enough range for the position.

As of now, the Mets are saying Flores will split time in the minors (likely AAA Las Vegas) between second base and third base this season.  If I were the Mets, I’d scrap that and allow Flores to play second full time.

Flores is not ready to play second base in the majors, but he just may be able to if he gets some more experience at the position.  If Flores can simply be adequate at second in the majors, it has the potential to change the entire dynamic of the team.  His bat has always been viewed as special.  If you put him at second base, his bat becomes that much more valuable.

Daniel Murphy is the second baseman of this team, and there’s no chance Flores could or should take that from him before the season begins.  The Mets, however, would be doing both Flores and themselves a disservice if they didn’t give him every opportunity to prove that he can play second base.  If it turns out that he can, a decision will have to be made.  Until then, we wait.

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