LHP Mike Antonini took the start and pitched 2.2 innings before the rain moved in with the B-Mets up 3-1 in the third. He allowed just one hit and one unearned run while striking out two.

C Josh Thole had an RBI single in the first and LF Frank Diaz added another run in the second with a sacrifice fly. The third run came by way of  DH Josh Petersen’s RBI double later in the inning. The B-Mets will take on the Springfield Cardinals tomorrow in Jupiter.

The Bisons/New Orleans Zephyrs contest was canceled do to rain. Buffalo is scheduled to play Memphis tomorrow in Jupiter, FL.

Ted L asks:

If Parnell makes the bullpen this year (and it’s looking pretty likely) does this hurt his chances of ever becoming a starter?  Or do his lacking secondary pitches fit him into the bullpen anyway?

Ted, it’s more the latter than the former. The scouts who saw him in 2008 generally put an overall 45 number on him on the 20-80 scouting scale where 50 is MLB average. Fourty-five is a classic middle reliever number. Parnell’s repertoire – strong fastball, slider with nice movement, and a changeup that’s well behind the other two pitches coupled with so-so command, dictates a bullpen role.

Nate W asks:

The other day Gee and Antonini were used for 1 inning each in a big league
spring game.  I assume the two are also working as starters to get ready for
the minor league season.  Can you talk a little bit about this dual use and
what purpose it serves.  Also you might be able to educate us on how minor
league starters prepare for a season in ways that differ from the big league
starters who seem to be on very defined throwing schedules.

An interesting series of questions. I think the Mets just want to see their young pitchers throw against the best competition available for as long as possible.  Moreover, the pitchers (Gee, Antonini) get the benefit of the big league experience (including learning from sage veterans) and coaching, while the MLB coaches get a chance to learn about some of the young talent.  It’s a win all around.

As far as getting stretched out for the season so that the pitcher is ready to go on Opening Day, most likely, after throwing in the MLB game, the pitcher would head down to the bullpen to continue throwing.

As you point out, MLB pitchers are put on very defined throwing programs early in the spring with a team’s goal to win as many major league games as possible. However, in the minors, as we talk about a lot, winning takes a back seat to development. In this case, that means that minor league pitchers often break camp with shorter pitch counts – say 75 – than their MLB counterparts.

Joshua M writes:

Next time you answer questions can you discuss Dylan Owen?  I
understand that he is an undersized righty, who lacks velocity, but he
has progressed like Gee, Antonini etc.  I was surprised that he didn’t
make the top 41 at all.  thanks.

First a note about the rankings: Owen just missed. Could he have landed at #41? Absolutely. The gap between the last five guys to make the list and the next five is pretty small.

On the substance, Josh pretty much covered the Dylan Owen question for me. Owen is an undersized righty with a below average MLB fastball. I have trouble coming up with an MLB role for him. Find me a right-handed starter below 6’0” who doesn’t throw 90 and didn’t upon his arrival in the big leagues. Having eliminated starting, the question is whether his breaking ball is the dominant type that would play in short outings as a middle reliever out of the ‘pen. And it just might or it might not. However, I believe that the players ranked ahead of Owen have higher ceilings or better chances to contribute to a first-division team.

Monday, the Mets signed LHP Ken Takahashi to a minor league contract.  The 39-year-old Takahashi had been in camp with the Blue Jays.  He had spent 14 years with the Hiroshima Toyo Carp culminating in a 8-5 record with a 3.50 ERA in 21 games, 20 of which were starts in 2008.  In 115.2 IP, he yielded 124 hits, 42 walks and fanned just 71.

Takahashi’s career stats are here.

I joined Buffalo Bisons voice Ben Wagner on the most recent edition of the Buffalo Bisons preview show.  Ben also talked to Mike Harrington, the Buffalo News beat writer and Adam Rubin of the New York Daily News.

Listen here.  The full archive of past shows is here.

Minorleaguebaseball.com’s Benjamin Hill wraps up his “At Home With…” Series on the promotional side of the minor league game by talking to Brooklyn Cyclones Media Relations Director Dave Campanaro, who has been with the club since its inception in 2001.

MiLB.com: How has the internet affected the way your team is run?

DC: The internet has changed the whole game for us. In 2001, we had a Web site that consisted of about 15 pages, and we updated it a few times a week (a few times a month in the offseason). Now, our Web site is the focal point of our marketing efforts, and we’ve supplemented it a variety of additional online entities, like an email newsletter, a blog, a Facebook page, a YouTube channel, live streaming audio, online chats and a branded multimedia center. Thanks to all these uses and more, our online reach is well into the millions.

Our online presence is also the most controlled and effective way for us to convey our messaging, and to keep our fans interested and entertained. Our Web site has become a destination and our social network has become an online community. Our blog has become a cult favorite with questionable humor and way too much inside information).

On the Brooklyn Baseball Blog, Dave notes that:

….Kevin M. just correctly pointed out that we are so cutting edge that my answer regarding the ways we use the internet is already outdated.

I think he left out the Cyclones new Twitter feed. That might be a finable offense.

Will Sommer of Mets Fans Forever caught up with Omar Minaya at Tradition Field for a quick, insightful interview. 

Will Sommer: What are the worst/best acquisitions you have made in your career as GM?

Omar Minaya: The one I regret the most is not protecting catcher Jesus Flores from the Rule V draft. That one is all on me. Pedro put the Mets on the map but my best acquisition was Carlos Beltran. He is a gold glover and brought much needed offense to the team. Beltran also brought the Mets another all star and attracted more fans.

Sommer: Whatever happened to Nathan Vineyard?

Minaya: Nathan Vineyard had shoulder surgery and has been dealing with personal problems. We hope he does come back.

The Memphis Redbirds (Cardinals) beat the Buffalo Bisons 5-3 on Sunday afternoon in Port St. Lucie as Buffalo fell to 0-4-3.

Fernando Martinez was 2-4 with an RBI double.

Rob Mackowiak and Michel Abreu each added RBI doubles of  their own.