THE FLYING TIGERS ... Lakeland enters the series with a 21-23 after taking three of four games at Palm Beach. The lone loss came in Tuesday’s game, 2-1, despite a 10-strikeout performance by L.J. Gagnier. The two teams were a combined 0-for-24 with runners in scoring position in the final game. The Flying Tigers are now in fourth place, 9.5 games out of first. This series matches the team with the third lowest batting average (Lakeland at .239) against the team with the third best ERA (2.98) in St. Lucie.
THE METS ... Like Lakeland, the Mets took three of their last four games in a series against Clearwater, losing Tuesday night’s game 4-1. The loss drops St. Lucie to 24-23 on the season, 6.5 games behind Division-leading Ft. Myers and 1 game behind the second place Charlotte Stone Crabs.
THE METS AND THE DRAFT ... Bradley Holt (RHP) was the Mets’ 1st round pick (33rd overall) in the 2008 draft ... Brant Rustich (RHP) was NY’s 2nd round pick in 2007 out of UCLA and was also drafted by Cleveland (2006) and Minnesota (2003) ... Ike Davis (1B) was a 1st round pick of the Mets in the 2008 draft out of Arizona State and was also selected by the Rays in 2005. His father, Ron, pitched in the majors from 1978-88 ... Hector Pellot (2B) was a 2nd round pick back in 2005 by the Mets.
WHAT A LONG STRANGE TRIP IT’S BEEN ... Met outfielder Matt Watson began his pro career with the Expos back in 1999 and was traded to the Mets in 2002. He made his MLB debut in 2003, but was claimed off waivers by Oakland in Oct. 2003. He was later sold to Chiba Lotte of the Japanese League in 2006 and made his way back to the USA in 2007 as a member of the Blue Jays organization. He then was signed by Doosan Bears of the Korea Baseball Organization before coming back to America with St. Lucie.
THE SERIES ... This is the first meeting between the two clubs in 2009. Last season, Lakeland won five of the eight contests including three of the four played in St. Lucie. In the Lakeland series, games one and three were postponed due to rain with the two clubs splitting each of the ensuing doubleheaders.
LAKELAND PROBABLES … June 3: Andrew Hess is 1-3 in his last five starts with the lone win coming back on May 21 in the first game of a doubleheader at Tampa. Hess has pitched 6.0 innings in three of his last four starts. He ranks 8th in the FSL with a 2.36 ERA ... June 4: Matt Hoffman is 1-1 in his brief career at Lakeland with the one win coming as he tossed a seven-inning shutout in his first start on May 21 at Tampa in game two of the doubleheader. His second start wasn’t as successful as he was tagged for nine runs (six earned) in just 3.1 innings on May 29 against Jupiter ... June 5: Thad Weber was 3-3 in his first six starts but has not had a decision in his last three thanks in large part to Mother Nature as rains halted two of those starts in the second inning ... June 6: Trevor Feeney made his first start of the season on May 31 at Palm Beach working 5.0 innings in a no decision despite holding the Cardinals to just three hits and one unearned run.
LAKELAND MANAGER ANDY BARKETT … Andy Barkett is in his second season with Lakeland with an 88-93 record (67-70 in year one). In his rookie season as manager, he led Oneonta to a 44-32 record in the New York-Penn League in 2007.
BATTERING BERTRAM ... Michael Bertram continued his hot-hitting with a pair of singles on Tuesday to make him 10x24 (.417) over his last six games and 16x41 (.390) his last 11 games. The two hits marked his seventh multi-hit game of the season.
COZY CONFINES OF JOKER MARCHANT? ... Don’t tell Chris Carlson that Joker Marchant Stadium is the biggest ballpark in the Florida State League. The Flying Tigers’ leading home run hitter has slugged all six of his homers at home this season. Carlson is now 9x23 (.391) in his last seven games.
ADRIAN LIKES IT HERE AS WELL ... Catcher Adrian Casanova has a .253 batting average and four home runs at home this season and is hitting just .164 with no homers on the road.
SANTO’S DANDO ... Third baseman Santo De Leon is 5x16 (.313) since rejoining Lakeland on May 29 with his in each of his four games played.
‘PEN SHUTTING 'EM DOWN ... The Flying Tigers’ bullpen proved its worth in the Palm Beach series, working 17.1 innings. Combined, the pen sported a 3-0 record and a a 2.08 ERA and a 3-0 record with one save.
TWO TIMIN’ TIM ... The 2009 season marks Tim Teufel’s second stint as manager of the St. Lucie Mets. Teufel, who played 11 seasons in the majors from 1983-93, also coached St. Lucie in 2004 and 2005. Teufel played for two seasons for the Tigers’ Class AAA affiliate Toledo Mud Hens in 1982 and 1983.
BLOGGIN’ HESS ... Flying Tiger pitcher Andrew Hess has been writing about his experiences during the 2009 season in his own blog at www.tigersminors.com/category/andrew-hess/
LAKELAND INSIDE THE NUMBERS … The Flying Tigers are 11-13 at home this season and 10-10 on the road. Tuesday’s one-run loss was Lakeland’s 11th game decided by one-run this season and the team is 4-7 in those games. The game also marked the 21st time Lakeland has been held to three or fewer runs and the squad is just 1-20 in such games.
FSL FUN FACT … There has not been a 20-game winning pitcher in the FSL since Eugene Nelson was 20-3 for the Ft. Lauderdale Yankees in 1980. The league record for wins is held by Stanley Karpinski who was an amazing 29-5 for the 1949 St. Augustine Saints (Cubs) with an incredible 1.57 ERA over 315 innings.
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Views expressed in “Mission Notes” are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the Lakeland Flying Tigers.
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