Minor League Tracker: Brett Harper

Adam Rubin at Surfing the Mets, writes about Brett Harper and his 21 game hitting streak:

Brett Harper’s hitting streak, the longest in the Eastern League, ended at 21 games Thursday. Still the first baseman is on a roll at Double-A Binghamton after missing all but 19 games last season because of surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right throwing shoulder in May of 2006.

Harper’s hitting streak was the longest by a B-Met since Mike Jacobs had a 22-game hitting streak in 2005 en route to the Eastern League MVP Award. (Jacobs’ streak is still active, by the way, since he was promoted to the Mets and never returned to the minors.) The Binghamton record belongs to Jay Payton, with 25 in 1995.

“I’ve put some good swings on balls,” said the 25-year-old Harper, who had a .284 average, seven homers and 33 RBI through 176 at-bats. “But as far as being totally back and locked in, I haven’t quite got there yet, even though my numbers are pretty good. I know I’m even better than I’m showing right now.”