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B-Mets Reveal End of Year Awards
9/8/2009 (Source: Binghamton Mets)

In the Major Leagues, the men at the back of the bullpen, whom we’ve dubbed closers, are paid millions of dollars to throw one inning per night. It takes a special pitcher to close out games. Every young player dreams of hitting that home run in Game 7 of the World Series to win it for his team, but a select few dream of being the man 60 feet, 6 inches away on the pitcher’s mound that strikes out mighty Casey with the bases loaded to secure his place in history. When the game is on the line in the last inning, few possess the intestinal fortitude to secure the final out. However, one man separated himself among Eastern League hurlers early on as the B-Mets Most Valuable Pitcher.

With just six career saves entering 2009 and six relief appearances above short-season A Brooklyn, this Houston, TX native nailed down saves in each of his first eight appearances for the B-Mets in the chilly month of April. The Mets 29th-round pick in 2007 out of Southern University quickly cemented his status as one of the league’s elite at finishing games.

He was one of three Binghamton players named to the Eastern League All-Star Game and enters play tonight tied for the league lead in appearances with 55. This season, he has set new career highs in innings pitched (61.1), wins (4) and, of course, saves (13). Left-handed hitters are batting a dismal .211 against this southpaw. The 2009 Most Valuable Pitcher is Roy Merritt.

In the inaugural season of Binghamton Mets in 1992, the team honored a city councilman instrumental in bring professional baseball back to the Southern Tier by naming the B-Mets annual Most Valuable Player award in his name. In the 18-year history of the Binghamton Mets, nine of the 17 recipients of the William J. McGowan Jr. Award have realized their dreams of playing in the Major Leagues. Last season’s B-Mets Most Valuable Player Mike Carp made his Major League debut in 2009 with the Seattle Mariners. With a host of young players highlighting the B-Mets roster this season all aspiring to advance, one player separated himself from the rest.

This player entered the Mets system playing primarily first base after being drafted in the 13th round in 2005 by New York. After a 2007 season, where he failed to hit a single home run as a member of the Low-A Savannah Sand Gnats it became apparent that this player did not possess the pop to play at a premium offensive position such as first. Entering spring training in 2008, he feared that regular playing time may be a thing of the past at his current position. However, with St. Lucie last year, this individual made 75 starts behind the plate beginning his adaptation back to the position he played as a prep star for Mater Dei High School in Southern Illinois. Not only did he respond defensively to the change, but offensively, as he hit a career-best .300 with new career highs in doubles (25), homers (5) and RBIs (56).

In 2009, he was invited to Major League Spring Training and played in an exhibition game at Citi Field prior to the beginning of his season with the B-Mets. He quickly became a force at the plate for Binghamton, hitting in the middle of the lineup during his time in a B-Mets uniform. He was named to the Eastern League All-Star team in July, but had to forgo the game due to a dislocated left thumb.

On August 31, he received the call to join the New York Mets. He made his Big League debut September 3 at Colorado and singled in his first at-bat off Rockies starter Jason Marquis, after which he promptly stole his first Major League base. At the time of his promotion, he was hitting .328, second-best in the league, with 29 doubles and 46 RBIs. He is now the 10th B-Mets Most Valuable Player to play in the Major Leagues. The 2009 recipient of the William J. McGowan Award as the team’s Most Valuable Player is catcher Josh Thole.

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