Tyler Who?

Usually when I get e-mail or an anonymous post, it is to tell me that I have the intelligence of insect larvae. This one was different, it actually asked a question. So, I'll drop in my two cents.

This was in response to my Off Season Primer in which I gave a preview of things to come. I had mentioned who the Mets had on the farm for certain positions and I had said Ian Bladergroen, Brett Harper, and Craig Brazell were the only ones of note at first base.

You mentioned Ian Bladergroen as a prospect for 1B... what about Tyler Davidson?

I like Tyler, but he is not really considered a prospect for me. Davidson was drafted in the eighth round of the 2002 draft. He started off in the Rookie League for the Kingsport Mets and turned some heads. He hit .337/.394/.669, with 10 homers and 35 RBIs in his first year of professional ball. He was 22 in that league and really was too old and should have destroyed that league like he did. He got a late season call up to Brooklyn where he played fifteen games and finished strong with a .307 average. This year, he turned 24 in September and has not played above Capital City - low A ball. He started off with Ian in Capital City in 2004 and they looked like the new bash brothers for while, but was demoted after slumping really badly. He finished his stint in Capital City by hitting .233 with five homeruns in 57 games. He finished the season at Brooklyn after being demoted and hit .295 with six homeruns, 45 RBIs, and .367 OBP. Not bad, but not good for a guy who is way too old for that league.

Ian on the other hand was 21 years old this season and went .342/.397/.595 with 13 homeruns, and 74 RBIs in 72 games at Capital City. Being that Ian is more than two years younger, more ahead of schedule, and put up bigger numbers at low A ball at a younger age than Tyler put up in the Rookie League, they do not even belong in the same sentence. Even if Tyler starts to progress though the minor league system, he'll be 27 or 28 by the time he is even going to be major league ready. I'm not sure he can really be classified as a top prospect at all. If Tyler was just entering AA at 24 years old, he would be on the old side and he is no where near AA at this point. Craig Brazell is only four months older and had played an entire year at AAA and Brett Harper is a over a year younger than Tyler and has played 45 games in AA. The fact that Tyler is so far behind schedule means he is a non factor for me. Maybe he'll turn out to be guy who finds major league success when he's nearing 30, but I am just not too optimistic about that. This past year was his chance to breakout and really be considered one the Mets top 1B prospects, but he did not repeat his numbers in low A that he was able to put up in Brooklyn and Kingsport despite his age and college experience. Nothing is impossible, but he has a long way to go before he opens some eyes in the Mets farm system again.

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The Mets are set to kick off the managerial interviews today with Carlos Tosca. Don Baylor is still the apple of the Philadelphia Phillies eye and will interview with them on Tuesday. Baylor was expected to be a long shot for the New York Mets job and really did not look like he was coming back in any capacity.


I bet he pees sitting down too.

Kevin Brown takes on the Twins in Minnesota today. A day when the Twins should be going for the jugular and sweeping the Yankees, the series is tied 1-1. Let's go Carlos Silva, win one for all that is good and wholesome in the world.

Boston looks to end the series today by sweeping the Angels behind Mr. Corn Rows himself, Bronson Arroyo. They will have plenty of time to rest up and take on whatever poor suckers have to face a well rested Curt Schilling followed by a well rested Pedro Martinez.

The Braves won in dramatic fashion last night that I care not to get into. Hey, maybe they can make is past the first round this year?