Figueroa named International League Pitcher of the Week

In another notch for Nelson Figueroa’s case for a promotion, he was named Pitcher of the Week for the International League.  According to SmallBall USA, it was the second time Figueroa has earned the honors this year.

Here’s the release, via Surfing the Mets…

The International League announced that the Bisons' Figueroa has been named the league’s Pitcher of the Week for the period of July 16-19. It’s the second time Figueroa has been given the weekly honor by the IL, having also won Pitcher of the Week from June 8-14.

Figueroa began his week on Wednesday night as he pitched a scoreless inning for the IL in the Triple-A All-Star Game. The veteran righthander worked a scoreless eighth, allowing a hit and striking out two in the IL’s 6-5 win over the Pacific Coast League.

The All-Star returned to Buffalo to throw a seven-inning shutout in the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader sweep of the Toledo Mud Hens. Figueroa allowed seven hits and no walks while striking out five in the Herd’s 2-0 win. With Jon Niese’s shutout in Game 1 the Bisons had their first doubleheader shutout sweep since 2006.

Figueroa’s gem lowered his season ERA to 2.32, the second-lowest mark in the International League behind only Charlotte’sCarlos Torres(2.20). Figueroa has won six decisions in a row and has allowed more than two runs in only two of his 15 starts with the Bisons this year.

Adam Rubin also notes that Brad Holt was named Pitcher of the Week for the Eastern League while pitching for the Binghamton Mets.

Funny job posting for the New York Mets

Just days after it was announced that the Wilpon’s lost $700 million or so to Bernie Madoff’s diabolical plan, a job posting popped up on MLB’s Open Job Board…

Finance: Accounting/Finance other
Staff Accountant - New York Mets (Flushing, NY)

The Mets need a new accountant?  Why am I not surprised?

The next 14

The Mets have 14 very important games coming up. If the season outcome hasn’t already solidified, it will be soon.

The Mets kick off in Washington tonight for a three game series, then on to Houston for three more.  They return home next Monday for four games against Colorado and four more against Arizona.

Those 14 games, coming against the good and the bad of the National League, will be the the true sign of the Mets season.

If the Mets can make some sort of run here, they might just have a shot.  If they flounder like they have been for all of June and July, then the nail is officially in the coffin.

The next two weeks, 14 games in 15 days, will determine if the team has a shot in 2009.  If it ends up like most fans think it will, the Mets might actually become sellers. 

Wouldn’t that be weird to see?

What about Niese AND Figueroa?

A few hours ago I wrote about the choice the Mets would have to make between Nelson Figueroa and Jon Niese.  Now, what if I told you I don’t think the Mets should make that choice.

I think they should call them both up.

Bring up both Niese and Figueroa.  Replace Tim Redding and Livan Hernandez.

Redding, we know, has struggled the entire season.  He’s 1-4 with a 7.16 ERA and a WHIP of 1.681.  Just not good at all.

Hernandez, over his last six starts, has allowed 47 hits in 33 1-3 innings, to the tune of a 7.56 ERA and a WHIP of 1.963.  (In his last two starts, where he pitched seven innings combined, his WHIP is 4.142.  Woah.)

Yes, Niese and Figueroa have been collecting their stats at Triple-A Buffalo, but they’re also pitching for the worst team in the International League.

Send Redding on his way while eating the $2.5 million owed to his and move Livan somewhere else.  He’s been eating innings but he’s not really helping the Mets. 

Bring up both of the players from Triple-A Buffalo.  It can’t get much worse.

Tracking David Wright [Day 10]

Oops.  Missed a few days.  Let’s pick this up again.

David Wright, 7/19: 0-3, BB, K

AVG: .322 (Change from previous game: -.002, Change from Game 81: -.004)

OBP: .411 (Change from previous game: -.002, Change from Game 81: -.003)

SLG: .457 (Change from previous game: -.004, Change from Game 81: –.013)

Nieve hurt; Niese or Figueroa will get chance

Another day, two more Mets losses.  One gets notched up in the loss column, the other scratches a player off the roster.

Fernando Nieve went down in the bottom of the second inning trying to leg out a groundball.  His foot landed on first base awkwardly and he went down in heap on the first base line.  He was said to have a right quadriceps strain, but more will be revealed after an MRI today.

One has to feel terribly for Nieve who was making the most of his chance at the big league level.

Now, the Mets have a choice to make: Nelson Figueroa, the journeyman pitcher they’ve designated for assignment twice in 2009, or Jon Niese, the young prospect who has seen the majors with little success so far, but is mowing down the International League.

Figueroa, who pitched once for the Mets in 2009, despite being called up twice, turned in a quality start against the Milwaukee Brewers before being DFA’d the first time.  For Triple-A Buffalo, Figueroa was the team’s lone All-Star representative.

For the months of June and July, Figueroa made eight starts, winning six of them.  His ERA was a miniscule 1.41, with a WHIP below 1.000 at 0.998.

Niese made two starts for the Mets in 2009.  In 10 2-3 innings, he surrendered 14 hits and seven earned runs.  But over June and July for Buffalo, he was equally impressive as Figueroa.

In the past two months, Niese has made nine starts, winning five.  His ERA over the past three games is an unbelievable 0.41, as he allowed only one earned run in his last 22 innings.

If the Mets choose Figueroa to fill the roster spot, I feel that it will signal that they still believe they can compete in 2009 and want a “veteran” to come up to fill the spot.  If they opt for Niese, it would seem that they are planning ahead for 2010 and will let Niese progress at the major league level, a la Mike Pelfrey a few years ago.

Though the Mets have two solid options waiting in upstate New York, whichever player they choose will show their attitude for the 2009 season.

Manuel’s Musing

“We still have 24 other players.  We still can get some things done.”

-Jerry Manuel on Mets injuries

Weekend away; Twitter updates

I’m out and about and there is no Internet where I am.  I have cell service, so I will be tweeting updates and news about the Mets until Sunday night.

Manuel’s Musing

“They're calling it cramps . . . surgery on Thursday.”

-Jerry Manuel (jokingly) on Gary Sheffield’s injury

Thanks, Kerel!

Lugo soon?

Julio Lugo is working out at the Mets camp in the Dominican Republic and could join the Mets as soon as he is released, according to Adam Rubin.

The Mets need to wait until he is officially released by the Boston Red Sox before signing him to some sort of contract.  Rubin also notes that Tim Redding would likely be the player cut from the roster.  The Mets seem willing to eat his $2.5 million contract.

I wrote yesterday that this would be a bad move, especially with Angel Berroa recently in the fold.  How many middle infielders can the Mets really bring in?