Cyclones still in cellar as Mets first draft pick comes to Brooklyn

After losing three games straight to slip further into last place in the McNamara Division of the New York Penn League, the Cyclones busted out for an uncharacteristic 15 hit 10-2 win over the Aberdeen Ironbirds before leaving for their last six game road trip before the end of the season. The win finally sent the fans home happy after the three home losses, a pattern which has become emblematic for the Cyclones in the second half of the season.

Commenting on the team’s downward spiral for the second half of the season to last place, Cyclone Manager Tom Gamboa pointed out that the offense ranks last in team batting at .217 and first in strikeouts at 577, as the team often puts up double digits going from 10 to as high as 17 strikeouts a game. Not for a lack of trying, but a lot of the team’s young players have failed to make the necessary adjustments to coaching instruction to hit at this level, a key factor in the team’s slowly eroding offense according to the manager.

However Gamboa did note one bright spot on his roster of position players – shortstop Alfredo Reyes who raised his average from .145 to .219. “It may not seem like a lot, but he’s learning to hit the ball up the middle and to the opposite field so he can get on base and steal. That’s what we’re looking for.” In addition to his improved plate performance, Gamboa believes Reyes to be “the best shortstop in the league” based on his second half performance on defense. After telling Reyes to stop “hot dogging it” in the field, the young Dominican infielder has played errorless ball.

As the Mets commonly do each season, their number one draft pick usually makes a stop in Brooklyn. This season the Mets decided to bring up their 2015 first pick as outfielder Desmond Lindsay made his debut on August 26. After batting .304 in the Gulf Coast League, the 18 year old high school graduate from Bradenton, Florida was inserted into the lineup at centerfield.

Noting that he will be initially overmatched with Penn League pitching, Gamboa sees Lindsay’s potential for success. “He’s got good bat speed and can hit the fastball, but he’s never seen the breaking ball before from these college pitchers. It will take a few at bats for his eyes to catch up to a breaking ball.” On his field performance Gamboa commented, “It’s been exciting to see him play. He made a great sliding catch to keep us in the game. It’ll be encouraging to watching him for these last two weeks.

As for the standings, the Staten Island Yankees enter the last week of the season at 34-32 tied with the Hudson Valley Renegades for first place in the McNamara Division, while the 34-33 Aberdeen Ironbirds hang on to second place as the Cyclones still hover in last place with a record of 31-35.