AAA – Inter
national League
Norfolk Tides 3, @ Buffalo Bisons 1
Once again, for the most part the Buffalo pitching staff - Nelson Figueroa, Eddie Kunz and Connor Robertson, did their jobs, but the offense was MIA.
Figueroa (0-3, 2.57) gave up two runs on six hits in seven innings, walking two and fanning two. Kunz gave up a run on two walks and two hits in the eighth.
For the second straight day, when down multiple runs, the Buffalo offense managed its only run in the bottom of the ninth.
Argenis Reyes (.328/.431/.426 in 61 AB) continued his recent tear by going 2-3 with a double and a walk. When April came to a close, Reyes was hitting but .244/.367/.268. In May however, Reyes is 10-for-20 with three doubles, a triple, three walks and no strikeouts.
The Bisons simply aren’t getting any production from their corner players aside from the mercurial RF Fernando Martinez (more on Martinez Monday). Sunday, Michel Abreu (.186/.200/.322 in 59 AB) started at first, Mike Lamb (.098/.140/.171 in 41 AB) started at 3B and Nick Evans (.093/.218/.227 in 75 AB) played in left. Evans has now played 1/7th of the Bisons season and has just seven hits!
Not pretty. But IMO abreu and Lamb are just fodder to fill out the roster, and also old (or aging) guys that are not likely to ever sniff the Majors.
Evans though is a strange case. He was looking pretty good at the end of last season, holding his own with the Mets.
I wonder if it is mental (or approach)? Maybe since he got sent down, he is trying to become a big HR guy, and swinging for the fences too much? After all, that seems to be the message he was sent about getting to the big club.
Who knows. The Mets could call him up tomorrow and start him every day , and he could easily fit well. BB is a starnge game to predict.
Evans had a great spring, and probably should’ve made the team. I got to believe its all mental with him..
its better he is going through adversity in the minors instead of attracting attention to his struggles in NY.
On another note, with all the OF’ers the Mets have right now and with FMart finally primed for his first call up this season, there doesn’t seem to be a place for Evans in NY in the imminent future.
Well if they need a righty bat who else would they call on first?
Martinez is likely passing Evans this year, but unless something happens to Church or Murphy I doubt they call on Fernando before Sept.
So, elephant in the room, at what point does Nick Evans get sent back to Binghamton to figure things out?
So what’s “murcurial” about Fernando Martinez? Is he copping attitude? Isn’t it “mercurial”? And the only time I’ve heard that used word in baseball was to described the attitudes of Manny Ramirez, Vince Coleman and Albert Belle, so that can’t be good.
I simply meant streaky.
Don’t scare me like that, Toby. Here I was starting to think that he did something Vince Coleman-eque that would take some luster of of him and prevent us from possibly trading him for a #2 starter later in the year.
That said, it seems like Martinez, Holt plus one B-type prospect would need to be in a package to land a top pitcher like Oswalt or Peavy.
Question – would you do that trade to land an Oswalt or Peavy? If so, why?
If not, what package would you offer that you think would get it done?
I myself would probably do it and I HATE trading away top prospects, but both are still in the prime and are what Holt MAY become. As for Martinez, well you don’t get something good without giving up something good.
Interesting questions. I have to think about it some more … I’d really like to avoid trading Martinez and Holt in the same deal … that’s a lot of talented cost controlled player to give up.
One thing about Peavy – he’s owed $52 million over the three years after 2009. That presumably will dampen his market…. so I don’t think it’ll take Martinez and Holt.