Today: RHP Graham Stoneburner (1-1, 1.86) vs. RHP Collin McHugh (4-2, 3.75)
Tomorrow: LHP Shaeffer Hall (10-5, 4.23) vs. RHP Matt Harvey (3-8, 6.33)
Thursday: LHP Steve Garrison (3-8, 6.33) vs. RHP Brandon Moore (9-7, 3.93)

Pregame stuff: On the way in Trenton was hit with quite possibly the biggest storm since I've been here (four years). The streets were flash-flooding to a degree I've never witnessed. That said, it seems to have slowed, and the tarp was on, so I wouldn't bank on a postponement just yet.

Austin Romine is still on the shelf with what his agent called "inflammation in a couple of disks in his back." Jose Gil and Ryan Baker will be the catching duo in his stead, with Addison Maruszak filling the role of emergency catcher.

Dellin Betances is scheduled to spin on Friday in Harrisburg, where he'll face one Bryce Harper, a prospect of note and enthusiast of terrible mustaches.

Good news for the Thunder on a couple of fronts. They are facing the B-Mets, who are a league-worst 47-68, and who are underwhelming against southpaws as a whole. On the season, Binghamton hits just .248/.328/.386 against lefties, which is good news for both Shaeffer Hall and Steve Garrison.

The Thunder haven't been caught stealing in seven attempts in August. The last Thunder runner to get caught was Melky Mesa, who was nabbed by Akron catcher Raul Padron on July 27 at Canal Park.

In sporadic playing time, utilityman Yadil Mujica has a modest five-game hitting streak, the longest of any hitter on the team.

Today, in Baseball America's latest round of minor league transactions, a number of notable names were optioned to the Eastern League. And although the assignments aren't final, they allow an approximate glimpse at some of the prospects that the Thunder should face this season.

Here's what BA reported this afternoon:

Baltimore Orioles
Optioned to Triple-A: RHP Brandon Erbe, RHP Chorye Spoone, LHP Troy Patton, LHP Pedro Viola, 1B Joe Mahoney

Optioned to Double-A: RHP Luis Lebron, SS Pedro Florimon

Boston Red Sox
Signed: C Matt Spring
Released: RHP Doug Wogee
Optioned to Double-A: RHP Stolmy Pimentel, 2B Oscar Tejeda

Cleveland Indians
Signed: 1B Nick Johnson
Released: 1B Chris Kersten
Voluntarily retired: 1B Andrew Kinney
Optioned to Triple-A: RHP Corey Kluber, RHP Zach McAllister, RHP Hector Rondon, 3B Jared Goedert, OF Nick Weglarz
Optioned to Double-A: LHP Kelvin de la Cruz, LHP Nick Hagadone

Detroit Tigers
Optioned to Triple-A: RHP Lester Oliveros, RHP Jose Ortega, LHP Duane Below, LHP Andy Oliver, 3B Audy Ciriaco, SS Cale Iorg, OF Ryan Strieby
Optioned to Double-A: RHP Jacob Turner

Minnesota Twins
Signed: RHP Gerardo Ramirez, RHP Gonzalo Sanudo, LHP Andrew Albers (Quebec (Can-Am))
Optioned to Triple-A: RHP David Bromberg, RHP Eric Hacker, RHP Anthony Swarzak, OF Rene Tosoni
Optioned to Double-A: RHP Deolis Guerra, 1B Chris Parmelee, OF Joe Benson

New York Mets
Signed: RHP Manny Alvarez*
Optioned to Triple-A: RHP Manny Alvarez, RHP Josh Stinson, 3B Zach Lutz, SS Ruben Tejada, OF Fernando Martinez
Optioned to Double-A: 2B Jordany Valdespin
Optioned to high Class A: RHP Armando Rodriguez

Philadelphia Phillies
Released: C Ryan Gugel, 1B Robb Quinlan
Optioned to Triple-A: RHP Drew Naylor
Optioned to Double-A: RHP Justin De Fratus, RHP J.C. Ramirez, 1B Matt Rizzotti, 2B Harold Garcia, SS Carlos Rivero
Optioned to high Class A: 2B Cesar Hernandez

Pittsburgh Pirates
Optioned to Triple-A: RHP Bryan Morris, LHP Daniel Moskos, LHP Tony Watson, OF Gorkys Hernandez, OF Alex Presley
Optioned to Double-A: RHP Ramon Aguero, LHP Jeff Locke, LHP Aaron Thompson
Optioned to high Class A: RHP Kyle McPherson

San Francisco Giants
Optioned to Triple-A: RHP Henry Sosa, LHP Alex Hinshaw, LHP Clayton Tanner, 3B Conor Gillaspie, OF Thomas Neal
Optioned to Double-A: SS Ehire Adrianza, OF Francisco Peguero
Optioned to high Class A: RHP Jose Casilla

Washington Nationals
Signed: RHP Garrett Mock*, LHP Atahualpa Severino*, C Lou Santangelo
Released: RHP Cla Meredith
Optioned to Triple-A: RHP Adam Carr, RHP Garrett Mock, LHP Atahualpa Severino
Optioned to low Class A: OF Bryce Harper

Every Thursday, Minor Matters will unveil its Top 10 opposing players for the 2011 season. Yes, the Thunder are clearly the most interesting topic on this blog, but wouldn't be nice to hear about the next Matt Wieters, Carlos Santana or Stephen Strasburg to come through the Eastern League. Yeah, I thought so too.

No. 1 - Reese Havens

Bio: A second baseman, Havens was selected by the Mets with the 22nd pick of the 2008 draft, a class that included such notables Gordon Beckham, Buster Posey, Brian Matusz, Pedro Alvarez, Ike Davis, Andrew Cashner, Justin Smoak and Ryan Perry.

2010: Havens earned a quick promotion from St. Lucie to Binghamton, but after just 18 games with the B-Mets he re-aggravated a strained oblique (while playing in Trenton) and missed the rest of the season. Still, in just 32 games between High- and Double-A, Havens homered nine times in 125 at-bats, and put together a slash line of .312/.386/.978.

What People Are Saying:

"Havens has the kind of power and patience rarely seen in a middle infielder. His quick, compact swing generates plenty of power, with some scouts seeing him as a Dan Uggla light-type player capable of 20-plus home runs per year."
-- Kevin Goldstein, Baseball Prospectus

"Havens has good power for a middle infielder and slugged 14 home runs in the pitcher-friendly Florida State League. He also has an advanced idea of the strike zone and recognizes pitches well, though he has batted just .247 in each of his two seasons."
-- Baseball America, Adam Rubin

When You Can See Him: Havens and the B-Mets come to town on May 12-15, June 10-12 and August 9-11.

In the second game of the Thunder's series with Binghamton, Mets top prospect Jenrry Mejia got the call. He began the season in the big league bullpen, but was recently shipped back to begin re-developing as a starter. He then got hurt, and had to work his way back up the ranks. Here are some videos from that game, including warm-up work in the bullpen and at-bats against the Thunder's top four hitters. Enjoy.


Warmup



Krum



Christian



Joseph



Romine

PITCHING MATCHUPS*

RHP David Phelps (3-0, 1.21) vs. RHP Eddie Kunz (3-2, 6.99)
RHP Lance Pendleton (1-2, 5.28) vs. RHP Dylan Owen (2-1, 3.34)
RHP DJ Mitchell (3-2, 5.23) vs. RHP Brad Holt (0-2, 9.72)
RHP Ryan Pope (1-3, 5.11) vs. RHP Scott Shaw (4-1, 8.02)
* (of course, this is all subject to weather)

WHO'S HOT

The Thunder in general. Trenton is riding a six-game winning streak, and have moved to two games above .500 for the first time since April 24. During that stretch, starting pitchers have claimed four of the six victories. Wilkins Arias recorded the other two. ... Over his last five games, Dan Brewer is 7-for-18 with three RBIs and three stolen bases. ... Marcos Vechionacci has four hits and three RBIs in his last seven at-bats. ... Tonight's starter, David Phelps, has permitted just four earned runs all season, and has a league-best 1.21 ERA to show for it. His 0.88 WHIP is second only to Richmond's David Mixon, the EL's reigning Pitcher of the Week.

Notes: The Thunder's last six wins have come against teams with sub-.500 records, one against Akron, three against Bowie and two against New Britain. The B-Mets are 19-14, and one spot ahead of Trenton in the EL East, so this series could be huge.