Beating the Bushes is counting down to the start of the 2010 baseball season, which will take place at Fenway Park April 4, when the Yankees take on the Red Sox.
In the first part of our season preview, Bushes will look back at Baseball America’s Top 10 prospect lists for the Mets and Yankees organizations from 2000-2009. Today, we’ll look at the 2001 lists.
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The Mets’ 2001 list is dominated at the top by many of the same names from yesterday’s 2000 list, including the top three prospects. There are a couple of names on this list that should bring back some memories – both good and bad – for Mets fans.
10. Dicky Gonzalez, RHP – For more information on Gonzalez’s forgettable career, check out the 2000 list.
9. Tsuyoshi Shinjo, OF – The colorful Japanese outfielder played three seasons in the major leagues – two with the Mets – after coming over from the Hanshin Tigers before the 2001 season. Shinjo hit .268 with 10 homers and 56 RBI for the Mets in 2001, before the Mets dealt him to the San Francisco Giants for Shawn Estes after the season had ended. Shinjo played for San Francisco in 2002, and then came back to the Mets for a final go-round in 2003.
8. Billy Traber, LHP – A first-round pick by the Mets in 2000, Traber was dealt as part of a package that included Alex Escobar and Matt Lawton for Roberto Alomar after the 2001 season. That trade was more notable than anything that went on in Traber’s major league career, which ended up with a 12-14 record and a 5.64 ERA.
7. Nick Maness, RHP – Maness, who was drafted out of high school by the Mets in the 12th round in 1997, never made it out of the minor leagues in his career. He spent parts of the 2000-03 seasons with Double-A Binghamton, and never progressed past that point.
6. Enrique Cruz, SS – For more information on Cruz’s career, check out the 2000 list.
5. Grant Roberts, RHP – For more information on Roberts’ career, check out the 2000 list.
4. Timo Perez, OF – All Mets fans remember Perez, who burst onto the scene late in the 2000 season, for his lack of hustle in Game 1 of the Subway Series, when he was thrown out at the plate in a close game the Mets eventually lost. Perez eventually settled in as a fourth outfielder, spending four years with the Mets before being dealt to the White Sox for Matt Ginter. He then bounced from the White Sox to the Reds to the Cardinals to the Tigers, before playing last season in the Mexican League.
3. Brian Cole, OF – For more information on Cole’s career, check out the 2000 list.
2. Pat Strange, RHP – For more information on Strange’s career, check out the 2000 list.
1. Alex Escobar, OF – For more information on Escobar’s career, check out the 2000 list.
tbontemps@nypost.com