Francisco Alvarez, Photo by Dan Fritz
On Thursday afternoon, I was fortunate enough to talk to Ed Blankmeyer, the manager of the Brooklyn Cyclones. The twenty-five-year veteran from St. John’s University was hired back in 2020, right before the global pandemic hit. With Minor League Baseball being back, Blamkmeyer is getting his first opportunity to coach at the professional level with Brooklyn.
Things are certainly different when it comes to coaching at the professional level instead of the college level. “The way you go about day-to-day work is different. You have to realize; Minor League Baseball isn’t always about winning; it’s about development.” Blankmeyer’s primary goal is to have his players “stay in the process” and “compete to get better.”
Coach Ed Blankmeyer talking about the differences in coaching at the college level compared to the Minor League level. #Brooklyn #Cyclones #Mets #MetsTwitter pic.twitter.com/TdROIL7Eed
— Joseph Langan (@JosephLangan2) June 12, 2021
The Brooklyn Cyclones have three legitimate Major League talents on their team with Francisco Alvarez, Ronny Mauricio, and Brett Baty. With most, if not all, eyes on them, Blankmeyer is tasked with keeping his team together and preventing bad blood from forming around them. When asked about how he manages this complex situation, he said:
“The team knows their legitimate prospects, and it’s important for them to know that. They have to step up around them, though; they can’t carry a whole team. We play with nine guys the last time I looked. The best part about it, though, is that these guys don’t walk around like they’re anointed. Their good teammates, they work hard, and have a great relationship with their teammates.”
Blankmeyer continued his talk about the top three hitting prospects, going on to say that he’s “amazed by the lack of games played and the significant improvement they made.” Ed was able to see Ronny, Baty, and Francisco towards the back end of the alternate site held in Brooklyn. “You could tell they had the raw talent… but it’s a credit to them and the coaching staff for putting in the time to make that significant improvement.”
Was able to get a fantastic interview with @BKCyclones manager, Ed Blankmeyer. This is only part of my interview, but here he reflects on his thoughts on Álvarez, Baty, and Mauricio. I will be posting more clips throughout the day from this interview! @Metsmerized @Mets_Minors pic.twitter.com/T5rzXV2fow
— Joseph Langan (@JosephLangan2) June 11, 2021
This Brooklyn Cyclones team seems to get better each time it goes out there, some even performing way above expectations. Blankmeyer was asked if he thought anyone might get the bump to Double-A sooner rather than later. Jokingly, he responded, “well, that’s above my paygrade, but I’ll tell you this they’re certainly talented enough.” Adding, “as a manager, I would love it if we could keep those guys around, but I always want what’s best for the players and the organization.”
https://twitter.com/JosephLangan2/status/1403759702824165379?s=20
It’s safe to say that this Brooklyn Cyclones organization is in excellent hands with Ed Blankmeyer as their manager. His focus on player development is perfect for the High-A level, and he will continue to push all of his players to the best of their abilities.
