Mets Minor League Report: 8/24

The major-league Mets remain in first place in the NL East, though you wouldn’t know it from the Twitterstorm that ensued when the Mets rotation-juggling (allegedly) cost them a game in Baltimore last week.

Manager Terry Collins refused to let reliever Logan Verrett pitch in the seventh, despite the fact that he’d only thrown six pitches in the sixth. That’s because Logan Verrett stepped in to start on Sunday in place of Matt Harvey, a move intended to limit Harvey’s innings in his first year back from surgery. Fans may have been upset in the short term, but it’s hard to argue that the move didn’t work out. Verrett kept the Colorado Rockies to only one run and four hits across his eight innings, and the Mets rode that wave to a 5-1 victory.

“It was kind of funny,” Verrett told the New York Times. “I joked with Matt the other day — I said: ‘Why is everybody freaking out? Don’t they know I’m a way better pitcher than you are?’ He laughed.”

Verrett isn’t the only one to get a shot at the big time. David Wright spent some time in St. Lucie rehabbing, and he’ll be moving back up Monday for his first MLB game since April 15. Steven Matz is also in the minors, rehabbing. Despite limited moves, there’s a lot going on – and there’s reason to expect some activations, demotions, and more next week. Let’s catch up.

Signings and Roster Moves

8/15: The Mets sent LHP Steven Matz on a rehab assignment in St. Lucie.

8/16: RHP Erik Goeddel was sent to Double-A Binghamton for a rehab assignment

8/17: OF Kirk Nieuwenhuis was sent to Triple-A Las Vegas for a rehab assignment (he had already been rehabbing in St. Lucie since 8/13).

8/18: The Mets put RHP Bobby Parnell on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to August 17. Parnell has right shoulder tendonitis.

– The Mets recalled Logan Verrett from Triple-A Las Vegas to take Parnell’s spot on the roster.

8/19: The Mets released RF Cesar Puello.

– The Mets signed free agent RHP Raul Jacobson to a minor-league deal.

8/22: The Mets recalled Dario Alvarez from the Las Vegas 51s.

8/24: The Mets sent LHP Steven Matz on a rehab assignment in Binghamton.

– The Mets optioned LHP Dario Alvarez to Las Vegas 51s.

Around the Minors

After a rough week, Las Vegas is starting to pull ahead once again after going 5-4 since the 15th. Most of their recent defeats can be attributed to unlucky breaks, though, as three of those four losses were decided by just one run. The squad gained OF Kirk Nieuwenhuis, who’s rehabbing.

The Double-A Binghamton Mets are 4-4 in a strange week that has seen a postponed game, a double-header the next day, and a cancelled game the day after that. When they weren’t waiting out the Binghamton rain, though, the Mets’ Double-A players showed some encouraging signs. LJ Mazzilli continues to hit well, collecting four hits and a pair of RBIs in a win at New Britain.

Brooklyn’s season is winding down (they’re the short-season affiliate). They’re 3.0 games back in the McNamara division, but they’re also last of four teams in that division. To add insult to injury, the cross-town Staten Island Yankees lead it.

Other News

It’s finally happening: David Wright is back from the disabled list. But in order to make room for him, the Mets had to send someone else down to the minors. So who bit the bullet?

Logic says that OF Michael Conforto should have been sent back. He’s a position player (the Mets should want to maintain their balance of position players, starting pitchers, and relievers on the major league roster), and he’s also quite young. Being fresh out of the minors and still a developing talent, he’s the player that would benefit most from being sent back down. Instead, though, reliever Dario Alvarez ended up being bumped down without seeing any game time. Only time will tell if Conforto will make proper use of his second chance, however.