After a blazing start to the year for the Reds, former Mets 2B Jeff Keppinger left tonight’s Marlins-Reds game in the 4th inning with a fractured left patella.

Keppinger was batting .323 with 3 HRs and 21 RBIs. 

Here's some highlights of last nights minor league action courtesy of Toby's Minor League Report…

AAA

• Royce Ring blew his second save of the season.
• Chris Basak,
  who took over for Keppinger was 2-2, with a solo HR.

AA

• Carlos Gomez doubled twice and has now
  hit safely in 12 straight games to improve his season line to
  .261/.325/.390.  Over his streak he’s
  raised his batting average from .225 to .261 and has doubled six times.
  
• Michel
  Abreu was 3-3 with a double and a pair of walks

A+

• Philip Humber, as we reported yesterday by way of Metsblog, dealt five shutout innings while allowing four hits
  and striking out nine without issuing a walk.

  Kevin Goldstein from Baseball America had this to say about Humber before the start…

  Righthander Philip
  Humber has returned from Tommy John surgery and earned some rave
  reviews. “He has two big power pitches with the fastball, which is 90-94
  mph, and that curve which is just a hammer and a real out pitch,” said one
  National League scout about the third overall pick in the 2004 draft. “He
  also has a power changeup–and I love those–it's not a touch/feel pitch; its
  velocity is in the 80s so it gets there with some speed and just bottoms
  out.” Having just returned after missing nearly a year, Humber
  still struggles with his location, but the scout didn't see it as a long-term
  concern. “It's really going to depend on command and control with
  him,” the scout added. “It has to improve, but that's always an issue
  for guys coming back from TJs–there's no reason it shouldn’t improve.”

• Jesus Flores led St. Lucie’s offense
  with a 2-3 that included a solo HR in the first inning.

Metsblog reports that Baseball America's Matt Meyers profiles Mets LHP Jon Neise

Always Amazin' reports that a Jeff Keppinger deal could be coming down soon, as referenced in two difference sources. The deal appears to either be with Pittsburg or KC. Ruben Gotay is rumored to be the player coming from KC.

MLB Trade Rumors reports Roberto Hernandez returning to the Mets for Keppinger and may expand to include Oliver Perez.

Gotay, 23, is batting .264 in 87 games at Class AAA Omaha after spending parts of the two previous seasons in the big leagues and batting .242 in 130 games.

Keppinger, 26, is batting .297 in 85 games at Class AAA Norfolk. He batted .284 in 2004 in 33 games for the Mets.

Adam Rubin reports that Royce Ring is en fuego in Triple-A Tidewater. Ring extended a scoreless streak to 21 innings last night with Triple-A Norfolk.

Having taken over the closing role since Heath Bell – the
lone bullpen call-up this season – departed Norfolk, Ring has a 2-0
record, 1.54 ERA and five saves. He hasn’t allowed a run since April
17. Opponents are hitting only .202 against him – lefties .135 and
righties .255.

“I’m getting righthanders out too, which is nice to show,” Ring said.

Ring worked so hard to correct his drop-down mechanics during extra
bullpen work, and spent so much time in the gym early this season, he
was out for two weeks beginning in late April with a strained shoulder.

Ring has not had the opportunity to join the big league club because the Mets bullpen has been so solid there hasn't been any need to request support from the minor league system.

Ring, bypassed for a promotion in September last year, hopes he’ll
earn one this time around. That is, if he’s not summoned sooner.

“That would be nice,” he said.

Philip Humber allowed four runs in four innings for the Gulf
Coast League Mets on Thursday in his first rehab start from Tommy John surgery.

Here are some more highlights from Rubin's blog…

Willie Collazo was named Eastern League pitcher of the week.
He shut out New Britain, then limited Trenton to two runs in seven
innings in a no-decision five days later. After earning the award,
Collazo had a rough start Friday. He became the first B-Met pitcher in
10 games to fail to last five innings – allowing a season-high eight
runs while falling one out shy of that mark

Fernando Martinez, the 17-year-old outfielder who received a
$1.4 million signing bonus last summer, returned from a wrist injury
that sidelined him for a month in early June. But Martinez – a South
Atlantic League All-Star selection, who is hitting .321 at low-A
Hagerstown – played only three games before suffering a knee injury
that has sidelined since June 10

Florida State League All-Star Ambiorix Concepcion, who was tied for the league lead in doubles with 21, was promoted from St. Lucie to Binghamton. Catcher Yunir Garcia was demoted to make room

The only thing cooling off Jeff Keppinger is the birth of his son, which caused him to leave the Tides to be with wife Morgan.
Since June 7, Keppinger has gone 20-for-49 (.408) in 13 games. That
stretch has included seven multi-hit games, and five starts in left
field.

Henry Owens is 1–1 with a 0.83 ERA, sporting seven walks and 41 strike outs in
21.1 innings pitched since returning from an elbow injury.

For a rundown of last nights minor league action, check out Toby's Minor League Report.