Yesterday, Corey Oswalt took the mound for the Binghamton Rumble Ponies. Over six brilliant innings, Oswalt limited the Portland Sea Dogs to just one run on three hits. In this dominant effort, he struck out nine, and he earned his 11th win of the season, which has him tied for second most in the Eastern League.
While wins have become increasingly devalued, Oswalt’s win total is indicative of how well he has been pitching this season. Overall, the right-hander is 11-5 with a 2.37 ERA, 1.191 WHIP, and a 7.7 K/9. His ERA is the best in the Eastern League, and he ranks in the top 10 in many statistical categories.
He is ranked third in complete games (2) and second in shut-outs (1). He’s tied for 10th in innings pitched (129.1). He’s fourth in WHIP and fourth in strikeouts (111). Taking all of the statistics into account, Oswalt could not only be considered the Rumble Ponies ace, he could also be considered the best starting pitcher in the Eastern League. It’s not a stretch to believe that is the case when Oswalt was the starting pitcher in the All Star Game this year.
This has been a breakout season for Oswalt, and it has come at the right time too. It has come at the right time because his pitching has helped propel Binghamton into the postseason in their inaugural season as the Rumble Ponies. It has also come at the right time because the Mets 2012 seventh round draft pick is Rule 5 Draft eligible after this season. Certainly, pitching as well as he has will only serve to raise his profile. He could do that even more by following a terrific regular season with a similarly great postseason.
Regardless of what the Mets do, Oswalt has had a terrific season in Double-A. It is a large reason why he was recently ranked by MMN as the Mets 14th best prospect. It is an even bigger reason to believe in him going forward.
Nice to see him put it together this season.
No brainier to be added to 40 man roster. I hope they bring him up after the Bingo playoffs and let him start for Tommy Milone…………………what am I saying, 2 or 3 starters will be on the DL by early September.
LGM!
40 man is going to get very crowded. WIl be some tough decisions to make. They need to protect about 4 of the relievers they traded for, as well as some other people becoming rule 5 eligible. A lot of the guys that are currently on the 40 man will be cut when they remove guys from the DL
40 man crunch is gonna be crazy, Oswalt, Guillorme, Callahan, Uceta, Gerson Bautista, all have to be added and there are some like Nabil Crismatt, David Roseboom, Phillip Evans, and a few others that could be scooped up if not protected. Not sure how they’re opening up that many spots
It always seems like its going to be crazy. But it almost never is. The Mets lose a couple pf players to Rule 5 every year. And they’re seldom or never anyone significant.
That said, you’re overstating on a couple of those names (and leaving some off). Crismatt has struggled a bit lately and teams seldom take A players unless they stand out in a big way.
Evans is past Rule 5 now – he is eligible for free agency. If he isn’t added to the 40-man, he’ll very likely be gone.
Little chance of Roseboom being protected or taken given his vague injury and undefined return date.
He’ll have reached (or be very close to) his innings limit by the itme Bongo’s season ends don’t see much point or purpose to calling him up for just one start or so. He’s had a good, very solid AA season. Its still a big jump from there to the majors.
You’re forgetting that every team has a 40-man limit and has prospects that they also need to protect. Some of the guys you’re so high on aren’t as big in the eyes of other orgs. in particular, orgs are reluctant to draft guys who are in A ball. Its a concern every year, and every year the damage is minimal.
Not sweating the Rule 5 that much. Mets never really lost a guy that way that moved on to greatness. Matt Bowman was blocked by many starters and wasn’t going to get a chance on Mets barring many injuries plus didn’t have a tool that was so needed to be kept. The guys they hang on to they feel could be picked up and can be useful to the club moving forward. I could see Roseboom getting left off and picked up due to being lefthanded but you’re right on the injury part so he may not be picked up.
Bowman was’nt blocked so much as he was actually performing badly for the Mets his last couple of months and had been demoted to the pen until injuries got him starting again. Scouts had always said he did not have the stuff to get thru a lineup more than twice, if that and the PCL proved them right. In short, Bowman probably owes his career to the Cards pitching coaches.