Back from a weekend hiatus from Down On The Farm, we return with the deck chairs completely shuffled on the Titanic as Matt Harvey has been called up to the Majors while Zack Wheeler has replaced him in Triple-A Buffalo.
Buffalo Bisons (56-58; 6 1/2 GB)
-The aforementioned Zack Wheeler makes his Buffalo debut today at Coca Cola Field against the Syracuse Chiefs with a look to avoid the series split in the four-game set with the Nationals’ Triple-A affiliate. The Bisons have gone 4-2 this past week but a week earlier went 1-6 as they have begun to fall out of the playoff picture.
-Mike Nickeas, yes that Mike Nickeas is actually leading the team in hitting through 16 at bats and has seven hits and a pair of walks. Too bad he can’t hit in the Majors right? The teams’ actual leader in hitting is Zach Lutz who has hit .412 with 10 RBI over his last 10 games to give him a .325 average on the year.
-With Matt Harvey now gone, the pitching leader is Chris Schwinden, yes that Chris Schwinden who has a 2.96 ERA in just over 97 innings of work in his time this year with Buffalo. Bullpen guys Pedro Beato and Justin Hampson have been pitching well down in the minors this year, which is confusing as to how Nickeas, Schwinden, Hampson and Beato all fare well in AAA and not the big leagues.
Binghamton Mets (54-59; 14 GB)
-The B-Mets have pretty much been eliminated unless they have an incredible streak in them in which they lose only two games or so in a three-week span. They still have three teams to leapfrog as well to catch first place Trenton. The team finishes off a road trip in Reading today before heading home to take on New Britain for four games in three days.
-All Star Game hero Eric Campbell leads the way offensively for the team as he has racked up a .312 average in 89 games and is second on the team with 43 RBI, behind the 49 of Jefry Marte. On the mound Mark Cohoon (3.58 ERA), Darin Gorski (4.09 ERA) and Golazez Germen (4.43 ERA) lead the pitching staff after the departed Wheeler and Collin McHugh.
St. Lucie Mets (20-23; Clinched Playoff Berth)
-Waiting for the playoffs to begin the Mets finish off a home stand against Fort Myers today before a day off tomorrow and then head to Palm Beach before a return trip to Fort Myers over the weekend. So far in the month of August the Mets are 1-for-4 as they look to get back to their winning ways and take a hot team into mid-September.
-Shortstop TJ Rivera continues to impress at St. Lucie with a .306 average which includes hitting .372 over his previous 10 games along with nine RBI in that same stretch. Next on the team in hitting among active players is Alonzo Harris who is hitting .272 with 33 RBI. Meanwhile, 2011 Draftee Tyler Pill is making his way through the ranks quickly as a starter with his first nine starts as a starter in St. Lucie he now has a 6-1 record with a 1.82 ERA for a season-ERA of 2.19 in 111 innings pitched.
Savannah Sand Gnats (18-25; 11 GB)
-It may only be 11 games back but the South Division is just that good as the Gnats are in the cellar during the second half of the season. This week the team has gone 2-5 and are just 2-7 over their last nine games as they continue to lose ground in the push for the playoffs.
-The Mets actually have some solid catching prospects albeit down in mid-level ‘A’ ball as Camden Maron is hitting .298 with 35 RBI in 282 at bats. Outfielder Dustin Lawley leads the team in several other offensive categories with 13 home runs and 59 RBI this year. 2011 Supplemental round pick Michael Fulmer has shown his worthiness in the Mets selecting him so high with a 2.58 ERA in just over 90 innings thus far in 2012.
Brooklyn Cyclones (28-18; 2 GB)
-Despite being 10 games over the .500 mark the Cyclones are still only in second place in the McNamara Division of the New York-Penn League behind the Hudson Valley Renegades.
-The most important things you need to know about the Cyclones are that Johan Santana is making a three-inning rehabilitation start today against the Auburn Doubledays. One other pitcher of note is Luis Mateo who is a strikeout machine after striking out 10 Oneonta Tigers on Thursday in a losing effort, having Jeff Reynolds who is a 3rd baseman playing 2nd base in his first professional season isn’t going well as the range for Reynolds just isn’t there as the Tigers had a handful of squibbers past second base.
Kingsport Mets (13-28; 15 GB)
-The Kingsport Mets who got off to an awful start this season are no longer in last place as the Bristol White Sox now occupy the basement of the division. It obviously isn’t looking good for the playoffs because..well..they’re 15 games back.
-The biggest news out of Kingsport, Tennessee is that 2012 First Round Draft Pick Gavin Cecchini broke the tip of his middle finger and will be forced to sit out until the injury heals. Cecchini was working on a five-game hitting streak prior to going down with the injury which included his first professional home run which was a grand slam on July 28 at home against Bristol.
