No Post-Season, But A Good Year For Port St. Lucie Mets

Port St. Lucie’s season ended Sunday with a 16-0 trouncing over the Jupiter Hammerheads.  In the first half of the Florida State League regular season, the Mets posted a 37-30 record, but finished second, eight game behind the Fort Myers Miracle.  In the second half, Port St. Lucie posted a 34-30 record, and again finished in second place, this time 3.5 games behind the Charlotte Stone Crabs.  Overall, the Port St. Lucie Mets were 71-60, with a final second place finish in the FSL South Division.  They were one of only three Florida State League teams to record seventy wins or better and recorded the circuit’s third highest win percentage, yet they will not be participating in this year’s post season after making two straight appearances.

Mar 14, 2013; Clearwater Beach, FL, USA; A detail of a major league baseball at Clearwater Beach. Spring Training for MLB is held throughout the Florida from early February to late March annually. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

However, the Port St. Lucie Mets have nothing to hang their heads about.  This was the third consecutive season they broke seventy wins, after four consecutive season below seventy.  In fact, they have only won seventy or better in four of their last ten seasons.  Of course, last year they set a franchise record with eighty-three wins.  The St. Lucie Mets last won the FSL championship back in 2006 while managed by the late Gary Carter.

Although he only batted .260 this season, Dustin Lawley was the team’s undisputed offensive leader.  He dominated the team with thirty-three doubles, twenty-five home runs, and ninety-two runs batted in.  On August 28th, he received a well deserved albeit late season promotion to Las Vegas, but not before being named the Florida State League Player of the Year.  Travis Taijeron topped the team with a .564 slugging average, a .396 OBP, and a .303 batting average.

Randy Fontanez led the PSL Mets with nine wins, all in relief.  As a team, they ranked fifth with a 3.61 ERA, and a 1.31 WHiP.  They struck out the second most batters in the circuit, but St. Lucie’s starting pitchers were not overwhelming.  Last season’s graduating class of fire balling Brooklyn Cyclones, Rainy Lara and Hansel Robles were cooled down if only somewhat against better competition, but still handed in effective seasons, while Luis Mateo only managed four games all season due to injury.  The PSL Mets benefited earlier in the season by having Noah Syndergaard around until his promotion.  Matthew Bowman turned in a solid season with a 6-4 record, and 3.18 ERA.  He struck out ninety batters in 96.1 innings pitched.

Elsewhere in the Mets organization, Las Vegas, Binghamton and Savannah have all clinched playoff berths.

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