Q & A with Toby Hyde of MetsMinorLeagueBlog.com

Author: Will Sommer

I recently had the chance to e-mail Toby Hyde a couple of questions about the Mets farm system.

Will Sommer: How would you rate the Mets farm system?

Toby Hyde: In some ways it's like the Mets MLB roster: there's some talent at the top, but there's not a lot of depth. 

Sommer: In your opinion, what is Brad Holt doing to attribute to his recent struggles? Why do people compare him to Mike Pelfrey?

Hyde: Holt's fastball command has not been good enough at AA.  It's that simple.  Of course, he doesn't have the faith in his secondary pitches, nor are they strong enough to survive that he can rely on them when he struggles to locate his heaters. 

    Holt gets compared to Pelfrey because they're both RHP who stand 6'3" or above with fastballs at 93-94 mph, drafted out of college.  I don't like the comparison.  Their fastballs have different actions.  Holt has shown a better breaking ball than Pelfrey did in the minors.  Even if you do like the comparison, it's not really that flattering.  Pelfrey has been a below average MLB starter for most of his career. 

Sommer: Who has the higher ceiling, Holt or Mejia?

Hyde: Mejia

Sommer: It seems that the Mets opinion of Eddie Kunz has changed dramatically, last year they saw him as a future closer, this year he's been beaten out of a promotion from the likes of Elmer Dessens, Pat Misch etc. What has changed about Kunz over the past year and a half?

Hyde: Simply, he hasn't changed, or developed. That's not good.  When Kunz was drafted, he owned a killer sinker, but 1. had trouble repeating his delivery and throwing strikes, and 2. need a second pitch to neutralize lefties who see the ball really early out of his low arm slot.  He's addressed neither of those concerns.  In AAA this year, working out of the Bisons 'pen, he owns a 4.59 ERA with 29 walks and 29 strikeouts in 51 innings.  Lefties have hit .282/.373/.408 against him.  There's nothing there to suggest that he would have success at the MLB level.

Sommer: Do you like the idea of Bobby Parnell starting? Long term, how do you see him, starter of reliever?

Hyde: Eh, starting Parnell doesn't do much for me.  Parnell doesn't have the command of his fastball or good enough secondary pitches to go through a lineup multiple times.  He's a reliever nothing more.

Sommer: Nick Evans-- everyday player, or bench player?

Hyde: Good question.  The power is real, but what else is there?  Is he going to hit for a high enough average to be an asset on the corners?  He still kills lefties, so at the least he should have a role as a platoon guy, who might have a chance to hit his way into a fulltime job.  Also, his defense isn't really an asset anywhere.  Looks like a bench guy to me.

Sommer: Any prospects Mets fans should get to know?

Hyde: Jeurys Familia.  Just 19 and in A-ball he's a big bodied RHP who's behind only Mejia and Holt among Mets pitching prospects.