November 30th Minor League Report! AHern!

Licey 3, Estrellas 0

Anderson Hernandez (2b) 3 for 4, 2 runs, 2b, .290

Escogido 0, Cibao 6

Carlos Gomez (cf) 0 for 3, .224

November 29th Minor League Report

11/26
Escogido 5, Estrellas 6
Carlos Gomez (cf) 1 for 3, run, K, .239

11/28
Licey 2, Azucareros 1
Anderson Hernandez (2b) 1 for 4, run, .271

More Carp Info!

These are outtakes from the Yankees/Mets comparison of 1b prospects.

Carp is the most complete first base prospect

The Mets have a pair of first baseman, Mike Carp and Nick Evans, both young prodigies with plus power potential and both have made tremendous strides in the development of their defensive game around the bag.

The Mets have sluggers like Brett Harper (36 home runs in 2005), Mike Carp (17 home runs in the Florida State League this past season), and Nick Evans (15 home runs in low-A ball). But outside of those three, only Binghamton's Michel Abreu (17 home runs in double-A) has a chance of sniffing the 20 home run plateau. Junior Contreras has some power potential, but many scouts are extremely down on his poor conditioning and not only doubt his ability to remain at first base, but question whether or not he has the work ethic to reach even the upper minor league levels.

Hitting For Average: Listed at 27-years old, many doubt the Mets' Michel Abreu's age, prompting some to even speculate the Cuban is already in his thirties. While he can really rake the baseball with the best of them, he isn't a legitimate prospect. Outside of Abreu, the only Mets' first base prospect many scouts consider a good bet to hit for a high average at the big league level is Mike Carp. Carp has made marked improvements in cutting down his strikeouts and taking the ball to the opposite field. While he hit .287 as one of the youngest positional players in the Florida State League, there are some scouts who believe Carp is primed for a David Wright-like breakout sometime soon. Nick Evans also worked very hard on improving his approach at the plate, but he simply doesn't walk enough to project as a high average hitter. Brett Harper has shown to be a high average
hitter, but his sub-par defensive ability at first base has many questioning whether or not he'll remain at the position.

Defense: The Yankees had a clear advantage over the Mets defensively at first base a year ago, but with the rapid defensive progression of Mike Carp and Nick Evans, that gap is quickly closing. Once projecting as an average first baseman, Carp worked tirelessly on his agility, even taking ground balls at shortstop this past season to work on his footwork and hands. The hard worked paid off as he was voted the Best Defensive First Baseman in the Florida State League.

Like Carp, Evans also worked extremely hard to become a complete first baseman. He too dramatically improved his range and footwork around the bag and he has improved his stock as a result. But outside of Carp and Evans, the Mets don't really have
another solid defensive first base prospect.

Overall Potential: Among all the first base prospects in both the Mets' and Yankees' farm systems, Mike Carp is the only safe bet to project as an everyday big league first baseman. His offensive ceiling is nearly as good as Eric Duncan's, and with his defensive prowess, he's easily the most complete first base prospect.

The Yankees' Eric Duncan and the Mets' Nick Evans not only are behind Carp projection-wise, but both have enough defensive shortcomings at first base to open up enough speculation that they may have to move to another position down the road. Duncan's offensive potential should keep him in the mix and the same could be said of Evans.

Highest Ceilings: Mike Carp (Mets), Eric Duncan (Yankees), Nick Evans (Mets), Gerardo Rodriguez (Yankees), Angel Fermin (Yankees)

Best Power: Shelley Duncan (Yankees), Brett Harper (Mets), Eric Duncan (Yankees), Mike Carp (Mets), Nick Evans (Mets)

Best Average: Michel Abreu (Mets), Cody Ehlers (Yankees), Mike Carp (Mets), Eric Duncan (Yankees), Gerardo Rodriguez (Yankees)

Best Defense: Kevin Smith (Yankees), Mike Carp (Mets), Cody Ehlers (Yankees), Kyle Larsen (Yankees), Nick Evans (Mets)

August 9th, 2006

1B Mike Carp: What a difference a year has made for the young left-handed slugger. While nobody questioned his legit Major League power potential, there was some nay-sayers in regards to his ability to hit for a high average and even more critics of his defensive play at first base. Carp, who just turned 20 at the end of June, had only hit 11 home runs in the Florida State League - a notorious pitching friendly league – through his first 107 games. But with a .295 average during that time and now widely regarded as one of the elite defensive first baseman in the league, Carp is gaining national recognition as a quickly evolving prospect.

August 16th, 2006

St. Lucie report: Carp cleaning up

St. Lucie first baseman Mike Carp is enjoying one of his hottest stretches of the season, sparking the Mets' offense with four multi-hit games, a home run and seven RBI over the past week. The 20-year-old Carp is batting .295 with 12 home runs and 73 RBI in 118 games for St. Lucie, numbers that have risen with a strong start to his August.

Regularly serving as the Mets' cleanup hitter, the left-handed batting Carp is batting .320 with two homers and 10 RBI through 14 games in the season's fifth month, following a scorching July in which he batted .349 with four home runs and 20 RBI.

On Friday, Carp went 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI against the Vero Beach Dodgers, a contest the Mets won, 6-3, in heroic fashion when Caleb Stewart slugged a walk-off three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning. Carp followed that performance on Saturday by helping the Mets overcome a 5-1 deficit after six innings, stroking two hits - including a two-run double - as St. Lucie rallied for seven late runs to topple Vero Beach.

Ranked as the Mets' No. 5 prospect coming into the 2006 season by Inside Pitch Magazine, Carp helped out in a pair of losses to Clearwater on Monday and Tuesday. He went 2-for-3 with two RBI in Monday's 7-3 loss to the Phillies and hit a two-run homer in the ninth inning of Tuesday's 8-5 defeat. His 73 RBI are the most of any farmhand in the Mets system, leading Hagerstown's Nick Evans by nine.

Mets boast top talent despite recent trades -- Humber, Pelfrey highlight young pitching prospects

Considering how much talent was traded away during the offseason a year ago, the Mets farm system didn't have a half-bad year.

Don't use the .477 overall winning percentage as a guide. On the flip side, the St. Lucie Mets' title, while a nice addition to Gary Carter's impressive Minor League managing resume, shouldn't be seen as a tremendous omen either.

To get Carlos Delgado and Paul LoDuca, the Mets had to give up a fair amount of depth. They've also given up a fair share of draft picks (last year for signing Billy Wagner, the year before for Pedro Martinez and Carlos Beltran), so they haven't been able to restock as well as other teams.

That being said, they did get a number of contributions to the big-league club courtesy of the farm in 2006. Lastings Milledge made his highly anticipated debut, and while he had some issues in the clubhouse and on the field, his skill is evident, even if he's traded to help make that last step to the World Series in 2007. Most of the help, though, came on the mound. Mike Pelfrey rose quickly, making four starts after signing late, Philip Humber quickly recovered from Tommy John surgery to make his big-league debut, and Brian Bannister looked impressive before injuries cut short most of his season.

That trio alone should have Mets fans pleased about the future. Throw in some interesting young outfielders and perhaps more pitching on the way, and the Mets should be able to retool quickly -- whether it be by promoting homegrown talent or using said talent to actively partipate in offseason trade talks.

Five Faves

At the start of the season, MLB.com identified five prospects to keep an eye on. Here's how they fared in 2006:

Lastings Milledge, OF
On the one hand, 2006 was a big success for the Mets' top position prospect. After impressing in Spring Training, he headed to Triple-A for the first time and started out like gangbusters. Milledge hit .357 in April with seven steals and it seemed a matter of when, not if, he'd get his first callup. That moment came on May 30 and the 21-year-old stuck around enough to pick up 166 big-league at-bats and even made some positive contributions (four homers, 22 RBIs in 56 games). On the other hand, Milledge may have gone from untouchable to trade bait after rankling the feathers of more than one veteran for what was perceived to be an unrookie-like attitude. His future with the Mets this offseason is very much up in the air, especially since the 2007 outfield once again looks crowded.

Philip Humber, RHP
Humber made his first game appearance on June 22 after coming back from Tommy John surgery, but he made up for lost time in a hurry. After one outing in the Gulf Coast League, he made seven starts in the Florida State League (3-1, 2.37 ERA) with uncharacteristic command for someone just coming back from surgery. He had similar results in six Double-A starts -- 2.88 ERA, .195 batting average against -- which resulted in a surprising September callup. He made his big-league debut on Sept. 24 and finished the season with two scoreless innings of relief work. He headed to the Arizona Fall League to get some more work in, but was shut down after just two innings as a precaution because of shoulder tendinitis. If he's healthy next year, he should contribute in New York at some point.

Carlos Gomez, OF
The Mets seem to be growing young outfielders with Milledge hitting the big leagues and teen sensation Fernando Martinez making it to the Florida State League. Gomez sits between them in his development. He leapt from the South Atlantic League up to Double-A and played well in the Eastern League at just 20 years old. He hit .281 and led the organization with 41 steals (tied for second in the EL). Clearly the Mets have high hopes for him as they added him to the 40-man roster this offseason. Some time in Triple-A wouldn't hurt, but he could be pushing for a callup at some point in 2007 should the need arise.

2006 Organizational Record
LEVEL AAA AA A (Adv) A SS R	LEAGUE IL EL FSL SAL NYP APP GCL	TEAM Norfolk Binghamton St. Lucie* Hagerstown Brooklyn Kingsport Mets TOTAL:	W 57 70 77 58 41 34 23 360	L 84 70 62 82 33 33 30 394	PCT .404 .500 .554 .414 .554 .507 .434 .477
* Won League Championship

Anderson Hernandez, 2B
After a breakout 2005 season that saw him hit a combined .315, there were hopes Hernandez might even take over second base chores in New York in 2006. He did break camp with the big club and got in 41 at-bats in April (hitting .146). He went back to Norfolk and stayed there until September thanks to Jose Valentin's renaissance and his own lackluster offensive performance. Hernandez hit just .249 in 102 Triple-A games while playing more at shortstop than second. He did end up on the Mets' League Championship Series roster and could still find a way to be a handy utilityman in the future.

Brian Bannister, RHP
Things started out so well for Bannister, with the right-hander winning the Mets' No. 5 starter spot thanks to a splendid Spring Training. But he ended up appearing in just eight games (six starts), going 2-1 with a 4.26 ERA over 38 innings. He went 2-0 with a 2.89 ERA in five April starts, but was shut down with a hamstring injury. He didn't hit the big leagues again until the end of August (he tried to come back in May, but it was a no-go). He made five starts in Norfolk in August after two in St. Lucie in July to get himself ready to rejoin the Mets. He's making up for lost innings in Mexico this offseason and has pitched reasonably well. He could be in the mix once again in 2007.

2006 Organizational Leaders
Average Home Runs RBIs Stolen Bases ERA Wins Strikeouts Saves	.341 21 88 41 2.13 12 142 31	Corey Coles Jesus Flores Mike Carp Carlos Gomez Michael Devaney Michael Devaney, Evan MacLane Jonathan Niese Carlos Muniz
Complete MiLB statistics

Cinderella Story

Mitch Wylie, RHP
Wylie has been through a lot since being drafted back in 1998 by the White Sox, but it looked like he might get the chance to finally break through to the bigs after the Mets took him from the Giants in last year's Rule 5 Draft. But he was at the end of Spring Training and offered back to the Giants, who turned him down. He headed to Norfolk, hit the disabled list early with a sore shoulder, tried to come back, went back on the DL and missed nearly six months with a shoulder strain. He also missed a couple of weeks with a blister problem in late July. When he was on the mound, he pitched pretty well, with a 2.96 ERA and 53 K's in 48 2/3 IP. But he'll be 30 next year, so he'll need a real Cinderella story to make it up in the future.

Breakout Year

This player was pegged as a breakout candidate before the season began. Did he live up to expectations?

Shawn Bowman, 3B
The 21-year-old headed back to St. Lucie with the hopes of building on what had been a good offensive stretch before a back injury -- a broken vertebrae, to be exact -- hijacked his season. He started slowly, hitting just .220 in April, but was hitting .324 with three homers and 11 RBIs in 10 May games before the back stepped in again -- breaking the same vertebrae in the same place for the second straight season -- and ended his season. He didn't need surgery and spent the rest of the year rehabbing with hopes of a 2007 return.

2006 draft recap

1. Kevin Mulvey, RHP
The Mets didn't have a first-round pick due to the signing of Billy Wagner, so Mulvey was their top pick in the second round. The Villanova product moved quickly, finishing the year in Double-A before heading to the Arizona Fall League. He only threw 15 1/3 Minor League innings, but gave up just two earned runs and 11 hits in that span. He got in 15 more innings in Arizona and should be able to pitch in the upper levels of the system for his first full season with a fastball that sits in the low-to-mid 90s.

2. Joe Smith, RHP
After posting a 0.45 ERA and 28 strikeouts (vs. just two walks) in 20 innings for Brooklyn, the Wright State product moved all the way up to Binghamton. There he appeared in 10 more games and scuffled a little more, though he still struck out nearly a batter an inning. The side-armer throws a pretty good fastball and a nasty slider.

3. John Holdzkom, RHP
Holdzkom can throw extremely hard, but he doesn't always know where it's going. That was fairly clear in his pro debut in the Gulf Coast League, where he struck out 23 and walked 20 in 23 1/3 innings. But Major-League ability runs in the family as the 6-foot-7 right-hander's brother, Lincoln, has logged some time in the bigs. Holdzkom will have to prove that some issues as an amateur -- including being academically ineligible for part of his senior year of high school and dropping out of junior college after a problem with a coach -- are things of the past.

4. Stephen Holmes, RHP
Holmes did nothing but win in Rhode Island, setting that university's record for career winning percentage and earning Atlantic 10 Pitcher of the Year and third-team All-American status in his final season. He signed and was assigned to Brooklyn but didn't end up throwing a professional inning this past summer.

5. Scott Schafer, RHP
Schafer, a Texas high-school right-hander, went in the sixth round. He didn't pitch much after signing, but did manage to get his pro debut out of the way, yielding a hit and two walks while striking out three in a two-inning stint for the GCL Mets at the end of June.

2005 draft recap

1. Mike Pelfrey, RHP
It seems the late signing didn't affect his development, did it? After not making his pro debut until Spring Training (and pitching well there), he pitched at three Minor League levels and put up a combined 2.43 ERA while striking out 109 and walking only 33 in 96 1/3 innings. He also made his big-league debut in his first pro season, making four starts for the Mets in July and August. From there, he went to the AFL for some fine-tuning, getting in four innings before being shut down with "general soreness."

2. Hector Pellot, 2B
Taken in the fourth round, Pellot didn't make his pro debut until this year after signing a 2006 contract. The second baseman played 100 games for Hagerstown and struggled in 359 at-bats, hitting just .189 and striking out 95 times while finishing the year on the DL with a sprained knee. On the plus side, he did draw 41 walks and he's only 19 years old. He headed home to Puerto Rico for some winter ball work and might have to return to Class A in 2007.

3. Drew Butera, C
The son of former big-league catcher Sal Butera, the Central Florida backstop continued to show that it'll be his defense that will carry him anywhere. he hit just .186 in 295 at-bats with Hagerstown, bringing his pro career average down to .198. He then went to Hawaii and hit .232 in 21 games there. He did make nine errors with the Suns, but also threw out 47 percent of would-be base stealers. As impressive as that is, though, he's probably going to have to swing the stick a little better to keep advancing in the system.

Mike Carp Named Mets Player of the Year for the FSL

Carp named Player of the Year

Mike Carp had 88 RBI in 2006.

Mike Carp took in the experiences a New York Mets player would have every day, surveying the home clubhouse at Shea Stadium and soaking up the big league lifestyle.

It was his kind of scene, Carp - the Mets' 2006 Sterling Minor League Player of the Year - decided.

"I could get used to this someday," Carp said. Carp, a 20-year-old first baseman, was tabbed as the Mets' top minor league player after a standout season at Class-A St.
Lucie of the Florida State League. A left-handed batter, Carp hit .287 with 69 runs scored, 27 doubles, one triple, 17 home runs and 88 RBI in 137 games for Gary Carter's club, which sealed a Florida State League title by sweeping all five games they played in the postseason this month.

Sharply outfitted in slacks and a dress shirt, Carp was presented with his award in a ceremony before Saturday's 12-6 Mets victory over the Washington Nationals.
A ninth-round selection in the 2004 draft, Carp ranked second in the FSL in RBI and batted .350 (7-for-20) in the postseason to help the Mets past the Palm Beach Cardinals and the Dunedin Blue Jays.

His defense also earned rave reviews, improving by leaps and bounds this year. Carp was named the best defensive first baseman in the Florida State League. The performance has Carp headed on his first-ever trip to Hawaii - not on vacation, but as a participant in the Hawaiian Winter League.

"I was surprised," Carp said of his selection. "I was planning on going to the Instructional League (in Port St. Lucie, Fla.) or maybe down to the Dominican. When they invited me to Hawaii, it didn't take long for me to decide."

Carp has pointed to his development as a more complete hitter as a major reason for his continued success. A .249 hitter with Class-A Hagerstown of the South Atlantic League in 2005, Carp has worked on using the entire field as part of his hitting approach, leading to a 38-point increase in his batting average this season.
"I think it has paid off," Carp said recently. "Overall I [had] a pretty good year. I'm going with the pitches more, hitting them where they're pitched, and not being so one-dimensional now."

Today's Featured Prospect: Mike Carp

We here at MPH know that the lean months, between December and February, are notoriously quiet, so we have procured some articles for your enjoyment. We'll do our best to get you up to date on some of the prospects in our farm. Today, it's a Carp kind of day.

We feel that Carp is primed for a HUGE breakout season next year, and we're not alone in that assessment. But what is Mike Carp all about? Here it is:

Carp Maintaining In His Development

Mike Carp isn't looking to change anythingBy Patrick Teale

Two and a half years after being selected in the ninth round of the 2004 MLB Draft, first baseman Mike Carp has quickly evolved into one of the top Mets' prospects. He has made marked improvements to his approach at the plate, cut down on his strikeouts, and transformed his defensive game at first base. Now all he wants to do is maintain his game as he most likely moves up to double-A in 2007.

When Mike Carp was drafted, the Mets thought they were getting just a left-handed pull hitter with power potential who might struggle with strikeouts. An outfielder and first baseman in high school, nobody was even sure which position he would play
professionally.

Fast-forward to the end of the 2006 season and he has quickly made adjustments in all aspects of his game. Once a dead pull hitter, even as recently as a year ago with the Hagerstown Suns, Carp became a much better all-around hitter in the Florida State League this year.

"We've worked a lot this year on getting me to use the whole field and I think it has paid off," Carp told InsidePitchMagazine.com. "Overall I [had] a pretty good year. I'm going with the pitches more, hitting them where they're pitched, and not being so one-dimensional now."

After hitting .249 with the Suns in 2005 and striking out 96 times in just 313 at-bats, Carp finished the 2006 season hitting .287 with 107 strikeouts in 491 at-bats and he credits
his opposite field mentality for his turnaround.

More than just a slugger now, utilizing the entire field rather than seeing how far he can hit it down the right field line, Carp's power numbers were not as good as a year ago, but
he isn't concerned at all.

"The power will come," Carp said after hitting 17 home runs with the St. Lucie Mets this year, compared to 19 home runs in less at-bats in 2005. "It's a big league park. Balls don't fly as good as they did last year, but I think the average is a big thing for me this year. The power is down but everything else, the run production and stuff, is still the same. Balls just aren't going over the fence."

With home runs not coming at the same rate, some prospects might ditch their new batting philosophy in favor of hitting more home runs. More patient at the plate these days, Carp is also becoming patient in his development. He is confident his
power numbers will only get better.

"I'm only 20 years old and I had a good showing last year," said Carp. "I think that [the power] will take care of itself. I'm just going to go up [to double-A] and do the same things I've done this year. The balls seem to carry better the other way and it's funny, that's where my power is now. If I keep the same approach, it will take off."

Along with his improved approach in the batter's box, the other noticeable difference in Carp's game is his incredibly improved defensive play at first base. Once considered a below average first baseman at the rookie level two years ago, he was named the best defensive first baseman in the Florida State League this past season.

"We worked a lot from Instructs to Spring Training and I think it has paid off a lot," Carp said of his improved defensive game at first base. "There's still a lot I can do to improve
that but I think it has done real well for me this year.

Aiding his defensive turnaround in such a short period of time has been his strong commitment to getting in better shape. Once your typical slugging first baseman, known more his power than nimble feet, Carp has morphed his body into that of an athlete.

"We worked on that through Instructs and Spring Training, trying to slim me down," he admitted. "I feel a lot better athletically. It's not so much weight loss. I've maintained the same weight. I've toned up a bit and the body fat has gone down."

Increased athleticism has helped him progress defensively, no doubt, but a strong conviction to put in the extra hours of work around the bag has made all the difference in the world. Carp and the Mets have even instituted unconventional drills
to improve his defensive play.

"I'm pretty good at picking the balls up out of the dirt," said the 20-year old. "Range is something we've been working on lately, trying to get my footwork a little quicker. Actually I've been taking balls at shortstop to go back and forth to improve my range. That's helping now and I'm starting to get balls easier that I don't [normally] get to."

Carp, who played the majority of the 2006 season as a 19-year old in the Florida State League, realizes he is following the same career path as Mets' third baseman David Wright and some scouts believe Carp could be primed for a similar double-A breakout.

"I feel like the Mets have given me a real good opportunity," Carp told us. "I'm in high-A and I'm 20 years old - you can't ask for much more and hopefully I'll be in double-A next year and try to improve there."

Making marked improvements to his entire game and with the results proving his hard work is paying off, Carp is not looking to change anything in his current game. Rather, he
just wants to maintain the lessons he has learned.

"Just maintaining," Carp listed as the next stage in his development. "If I stay healthy, and if I continue to do what I've done the whole year, things will be good."

November 25th Minor League Report

Licey 3, Aguilas 10
Anderson Hernandez (2b) 1 for 3, run, 2b, RBI, BB, K, .272, BDP (1) What is a BDP?

Escogido 2, Estrellas 3
Carlos Gomez (cf) 0 for 2, BB, 2 Ks, .233

Combined Stats for the regular season + AFL/HWL

Mike Carp (1b) age: 19/20 Bats: L, Throws R (St. Lucie, North Shore)
173 games, 612 ABs, 178 hits, 86 runs, 35 2b, 3 3b, 17 HR, 109 RBI, 62 BBs, 135 Ks, .291/.356/.441 with a .797 OPS

Dustin Martin (of) age 22 Bats, Throws L (Brooklyn, North Shore)
101 games, 341 ABs, 102 hits, 36 runs, 23 2b, 7 3b, 3 HR, 48 RBI, 10 SB, 7 CS, 35 BBs, 70 Ks, .299/.364/.434 with a .798 OPS

Drew Butera (c) age 22/23 Bats, Throws: R (Hagerstown, North Shore)
117 games, 356 ABs, 70 hits, 30 runs, 19 2b, 5 HR, 43 RBI, 44 BBs, 95 Ks, .197/.285/.297 with a .577 OPS

Fernando Martinez (of) age 17/18 Bats L, Throws R (Hagerstown, St. Lucie, Mesa)
106 games, 424 ABs, 115 hits, 62 runs, 24 2b, 4 3b, 13 HR, 50 RBI, 9 SB, 8 CS, 27 BBs, 86 Ks, .271/.315/.439 with a .754 OPS

Kevin Mulvey (sp) age 21 Bats, Throws R (GCL Mets, Binghamton, Mesa)
9 games, 30.1 IP, 28 hits, 12 ER, 13 BBs, 18 Ks, 2 HR, 3.56 era

Blake Eager (sp) age 23/24 Bats, Throws R (GCL Mets, St. Lucie, Binghamton, North Shore)
30 games, 124.2 IP, 125 hits, 51 ER, 26 BBs, 88 Ks, 12 HR, 3.68 era

Bobby Parnell (sp) age 21/22 Bats, Throws R (Hagerstown, St. Lucie, North Shore)
33 games, 134.1 IP, 132 hits, 74 ER, 66 BBs, 131 Ks, 13 HR, 4.95 era

North Shore 5, Waikiki 1
Dustin Martin (lf) 2 for 4, run, 2 2b
Mike Carp (1b) 1 for 4, RBI, BB
Drew Butera (c) 2 for 5, 2b, K
Blake Eager 4.2 IP, 3 H, ER, BB, 2 Ks, HR

North Shore won the HWL title. I'll be doing a compilation of our players stats from the regular season plus the winter leagues in the next couple days (for the AFL and HWL)

Escogido 2, Ciboa 7
Carlos Gomez (of) 2 for 4, .244, SB (7)

*The DWL stats are very hard to do, because the offical compiler of the stats seems to do them about 40% of the time. The rest of the time, I have to dig into the overall stats and then figure out what the players have done by subtracting.

November 22nd Minor League Report

North Shore 0, West Oahu 4
Dustin Martin (cf) 0 for 1, K, .269
Mike Carp (1b) 0 for 2, LOB, .299

Licey 1, Estrellas 9
Anderson Hernandez (ss) 1 for 4, .270


*Carlos Gomez is now batting .211 (8 for 38)
*Jason Vargas is playing for Escogido (the team Gomez is on), and is sporting a 2.13 era in 12.2 IP, 10 apperances. He's allowed 7 hits, 3 runs, while walking 2 and striking out 8. He's held opponents to a .163 average.

And how did that HWL game end? November 21st Minor League Report! Carp

North Shore 9, West Oahu 4
Dustin Martin (lf) 0 for 5, K, 2 LOB, .273
Mike Carp (1b) 2 for 4, 2 runs, 2b, RBI, BB, .305
Drew Butera (c) 2 for 4, 2 runs, 2 2b, RBI, 2 Ks, LOB, .232
Bobby Parnell 3.1 IP, 3 H, 2 BBs, 3 Ks, 6.21 era, W (2-1), 60 pitches, 39 strikes, 21 balls

With the victory, North Shore wrapped up the West Division title, and a spot in the Championship Game on Wednesday.

HWL update, Carp!

In the North Shore-West Oahu game tonight in the HWL, North Shore is up 8-3 in the 7th inning
Carp is 2 for 4, 2 r, 1 2b, 1 rbi, .305 avg
Dustin Matin is 0 for 4, 1 k, .276 avg
Butera is 2 for 3, 2 r, 2 2b, 1 rbi, 1 k, .236 avg

Parnell has pitched 3.1 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K's

Look for the full report tomorrow sometime when Tejesh does it

Gomez put on the 40 man roster

Carlos Gomez-OF- Mets Nov. 20 - 11:58 pm et

Mets purchased the contract of outfielder Carlos Gomez.

Just one addition for the Mets. Gomez, 21, put together a strong finish at Double-A Binghamton to gain recognition as one of the NL's top outfield prospects. In Lastings Milledge, Gomez and Fernando Martinez, all three of the Mets' top offensive prospects are outfielders.

Mets trade Owens, Lindstrom to Marlins for 2 young arms

Jason Vargas-R- Mets Nov. 20 - 6:01 pm et

Mets acquired LHP Jason Vargas and LHP Adam Bostick from the Marlins for RHP Matt Lindstrom and RHP Henry Owens.

Mets GM Omar Minaya thought it was worth giving up two guys who throw in the mid-90s to see whether Vargas can regain the form that made him look like a future No. 3 starter entering the season. We think it's a pretty good gamble. Odds are that one of Lindstrom and Owens will turn out to be a quality reliever for a few years, but Vargas is the one pitcher here with a chance of having a 15-year career. The 2004 second-round pick out of Long Beach State will probably open next year in Triple-A Norfolk's rotation. If he bounces back, he'll be an alternative for the Mets come May or June.

Jason Vargas

Assets
Low-mid-90s heat and strong slider and change-up, backed by impressive poise and command for a young pitcher. That slider is killer against left-handed hitters.

Flaws
Still needs to work on his approach to right-handed hitters, as well as his endurance.

Career potential
Good mid-rotation southpaw.

Bostick looks like he could be a solid bullpen arm, possibly a back of the rotation starter and should start the year in a crowded AAA pitching staff.

Great trade by Omar, Vargas is still very young and has very good stuff, but had a disappointing 2006 season. He dominated in the minors in 2004 and 2005, and had a very nice stint in 2005 with the Marlins big league club. He should start out in AAA, and possibly have a shot to crack the rotation if he rebounds nicely.
I'll give this trade a B+ and the MPH seal of approval
Great trade Omar.

November 20th Minor League Report! Carp

North Shore 5, West Oahu 11
Mike Carp (1b) 2 for 4, run, 2b, K, .297

Licey 11, Escogido 0
Anderson Hernandez (ss) 1 for 5, run, 3b, 3 RBI, K, .271

Yes, all is quiet on the Western Front. And yes, Carlos Gomez is wasting his time "playing" for Escogido. There is just one game we care about tonight, and that's North Shore.

November 19th Minor League Report

North Shore 2, Honolulu 3
Mike Carp (1b) 0 for 4, 2 Ks, 3 LOB, .287
Dustin Martin (ph) 0 for 1, .292
Drew Butera (c) 1 for 3, BB, K, .212
Blake Eager 2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, ER, K, 3.47 era

Licey 0, Azucareros 5
Anderson Hernandez (2b, ss) 0 for 4, K, .275

Alou signing, what does this mean for the youngins?

Well, now that the Alou signing is all but done, what does this mean for Milledge, Gomez, and the rest of the young outfielders in our system? The way I see it, Alou is a stop gap, with only 1 year guaranteed, and with Milledge and Gomez not quite yet ready to produce on the level the Mets need, but very close. Alou could be a very good signing for the present and the future.

It could also mean that Milledge is on his way out for a pitcher, but I somehow doubt that, unless the right deal for the right pitcher like a Peavy or Willis comes along. But if we have to go to war with Alou-Beltran-Green as our OF, then so be it. It definitely wouldn't be a terrible outfield, in fact it could be a very productive outfield offensively, maybe not so much defensively. But it would be a nice place holding outfield until Milledge and Gomez are fully ready and mature enough to become every day outfielders in the MLB.

In 2008, we could be looking at Milledge-Beltran-Gomez as the outfield, which would not only be extremely young, fast, athletic, and great defensively, it would also be an outfield that could be part of the core of this team for a very long time. Maybe Alou is a better option than Soriano and Lee, because he doesn't want the long contracts with no trade clauses, and maybe Alou will be almost as productive without blocking Milledge and Gomez. This could turn out to be the best route we could take, not just for 2007, but for far beyond 2007 as well.

November 18th Minor League Report! Carp, Bannister

Culiacan 4, Hermosillo 1
Brian Bannister 7 IP, 5 H, ER, BB, 5 Ks, 3.68 era, W (3-2)

North Shore 5, Honolulu 2
Mike Carp (1b) 2 for 4, 2 RBI, K, .301
Dustin Martin (dh) 1 for 4, K, 3 LOB, .296
Bobby Parnell 1.2 IP, H, 2 BBs, 2 Ks, 7.01 era, 35 pitches, 21 strikes, 14 balls

Licey 6, Azucareros 5
Anderson Hernandez (2b, ss) 1 for 4, run, .289, E
Henry Owens 1 IP, H, R, 2 BBs, 0.87 era, SV (9)

*Also, Carlos Gomez is batting .229 (8 for 35) in 17 games with Escogido. As you can tell, he is not getting regular playing time, which, IMO, is doing more to hurt him then help, at this point. He's got a .243 OBP, and 6 steals. 0 BBs and 13 Ks.
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Just an aside, the Arizona Fall League season is done, and the Hawaiian Winter League will be ending in 4 days, with the championship game. I fully expect our North Shore Honu to make the game, seeing as it's just the divisional winners, and the Honu are 2.5 games up on the West Oahu Canefires. Mike Carp is leading the HWL in batting with his .301 average, and Dustin Martin would be 3rd, if he had enough ABs to qualify. That is impressive considering the top 4 pitchers all have ERAs lower then 1.35. Carp ranks 3rd in RBI with 16, and 4th with a .398 SLG.

Licey is once more a powerhouse in the Dominican Winter League, they're 17-8, good for a 3 game lead over 2nd place Gigantes (the team I call Ciboa).
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November 16th Minor League Report! Anderson Hernandez and Mike Carp!

North Shore 7, West Oahu 4
Dustin Martin (lf) 0 for 3, run, BB, K, LOB, .299
Mike Carp (1b) 2 for 4, run, RBI, 2 LOB, .291
Drew Butera (c) 1 for 3, BB, K, 2 LOB, .204

Licey 3, Aguilas 4 in 11 innings
Anderson Hernandez (2b) 3 for 5, RBI, .292

Escogido 1, Estrellas 4
Carlos Gomez (cf) 1 for 4, RBI, K, .241

Mesa 0, Peoria Saguaros 5
Blake McGinley 3.1 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, BB, 2 Ks, HR, 2.70 era
Bobby Malek (cf) 0 for 3, LOB, .227

November 15th Minor League Report! Dustin Martin!

Dustin Martin (above), went 2 for 4 yesterday, as North Shore defeated West Oahu, 3 to 2. Martin (22), had a double, run scored and RBI, raising his average to .315. He was the 26th round selection of the New York Mets in the 2006 draft. He hit .315 for short season Brooklyn.

Mesa 5, Grand Canyon 14 (November 14th)
Michel Abreu (1b) 2 for 4, run, HR, 2 RBI, .281

Licey 7, Estrellas 6
Anderson Hernandez (2b) 1 for 5, .269

Henry Owens 1 IP, H, 2 BBs, 2 Ks, 0.87 era, SV (8)

Escogido 3, Ciboa 7
Carlos Gomez (cf) 1 for 2, K, .240, E (3)

North Shore 3, West Oahu 2
Dustin Martin (rf, lf) 2 for 4, run, 2b, RBI, K, LOB, .312

Bobby Parnell 2.1 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 2 BBs, 4 Ks, 7.50 era, 45 pitches, 29 strikes

Mesa 5, Scottsdale 2 (November 15th)

Michel Abreu (1b) 1 for 4, RBI, K, LOB, .280

Bobby Malek (cf) 1 for 2, 2 BBs, K, .235

Say bye to Heath Bell and Royce Ring

The pair of ill-fitting relievers have been dealt to the San Diego Padres for 25 year old OFer Ben Johnson (.263/.344/.434 in AAA, .250/.333/.425 in the majors) and 29 year old journeyman reliever Jon Adkins (1-0, 1.38 in AAA, 2-1, 3.98 in the majors).

Neither player the Mets acquired will make any significant contribution, and I can't for the life of me see Johnson stealing Milledge's spot in the OF.

Barry picking, Mets now focusing on Zito

Barry picking
With Matsuzaka gone, Mets now focusing on Zito
Posted: Tuesday November 14, 2006 12:25AM; Updated: Tuesday November 14, 2006 12:42AM

The guys from Queens surely know by now they've lost out to the Red Sox despite what they thought was a strong bid for Japanese League star Daisuke Matsuzaka (though not as strong as Boston's -- it's now believed the Sox bid a stunning $45 million-plus). And the Mets don't believe Jason Schmidt, the other top-of-the-rotation starter, would seriously consider playing in New York.

The Mets do believe Zito is the remaining pitcher who 1) fits the profile they're looking for, and 2) is gettable. While they might not be willing to meet agent Scott Boras' asking price of about $105 million for seven years, they're expected to make a serious offer for five or perhaps even six years for the free-agent left-hander.

Mets general manager Omar Minaya didn't wish to discuss specific targets, but said, "With Pedro (Martinez) out, we're looking at how to try to improve our pitching. We're OK, we've got numbers. We've got guys to go to. But you have to consider pitching."

The Mets are still hopeful Tom Glavine will choose to remain with them rather than return to the Braves. But for now, there are no certainties to fill the front end of the rotation. Though the Mets have expressed the hope that Martinez could be back by the second half next year, that seems to be a best-case scenario. He had a serious shoulder surgery, and while Mets people won't say so publicly, there's certainly some doubt as to whether he will pitch at all this coming year.

While the Mets may take a peek at Carlos Lee (their well-respected bench coach, Jerry Manuel, loves Lee) for left field and will still definitely look at second-base options (Brooklyn native Julio Lugo is a possibility) even after deciding to bring back Jose Valentin, pitching is their clear priority. It is believed they started by making a very viable bid for Matsuzaka, only to have Boston blow everyone out of the water.

The Mets didn't pursue Zito in a trade last summer but only because they didn't want to deal top young players to only rent a pitcher, knowing there was no likelihood of a quickie long-term deal. But they aren't opposed to giving a multiyear deal to the pitcher who's thrown as many innings as anyone except Mark Buerhle over the past several years.

Zito also appears to be someone who'd like to go to New York rather than someone who has to be talked into it. Friends say he loves big cities, and all things being equal, New York and Los Angeles would seem to be his most likely landing spots. While money is the key factor in any of these competitions, it can't hurt that their pitching coach Rick Peterson is extremely close to Zito, going back to even before Peterson joined Zito in Oakland.

With Matsuzaka no longer an option, the Mets met here with Boras, who's saying there are a very large number of teams bidding on Zito -- as many as 12 to 15 -- which shouldn't be surprising considering the small number of top-flight starters who are free agents. There's a big dropoff after Matsuzaka, Zito and Schmidt to the next tier, which includes Gil Meche, Vicente Padilla, Ted Lilly, Jeff Suppan and Jeff Weaver.

The trade market isn't exactly bursting with possibilities, either. One of three White Sox starters -- Freddy Garcia, Javier Vazquez or Buerhle -- could possibly be available in trade. But last summer, the White Sox wanted young pitcher Mike Pelfrey and more for Garcia, and the Mets consider Pelfrey "untouchable." Pelfrey's status is also the reason they'd have trouble prying Dontrelle Willis away from Marlins even if Florida should make Willis available.

The Angels are another team that's expected to aggressively pursue Zito, and the Cubs, Rangers, Yankees and anyone else who lost out for Matsuzaka will also look at the lefty. The Yankees will consider Zito but may not be as inclined as their crosstown rival to meet the monetary demands. However, if the Yankees don't play for Zito, they're going to have trouble finding a strong response to Boston's ultra-aggressive start to the winter.

Mets to make STRONG play for Zito--

Barry Zito-S- Athletics Nov. 14 - 12:58 am et

The Mets are intending to make a strong play for Barry Zito, SI.com's Jon Heyman reports.

Agent Scott Boras is believed to be asking for a seven-year, $105 million contract for Zito. Heyman says the Mets are willing to go five years or maybe six. The Rangers, Angels, Dodgers, Padres and Cubs could also be among the high bidders for Zito. Heyman doesn't seem to believe the Yankees will seriously pursue him.

Source: SI.com

Heilman to White Sox for Javier Vazquez?

Javier Vazquez-S- White Sox Nov. 14 - 12:49 am et
Sources told the Chicago Tribune's Phil Rogerts that there have been preliminary talks between the White Sox and Mets about a Javier Vazquez deal.

Vazquez is owed $12.5 million next year and is then arbitration eligible in 2008, as he won't be eligible to file for free agency because of his trade demand a year ago. Among the Mets being mentioned are Aaron Heilman, Mike Pelfrey and Philip Humber. If the White Sox acquired Heilman, they could then perhaps use him in an effort to get the outfielder they want. Potential targets would include Carl Crawford and Coco Crisp.

Source: Chicago Tribune

Back from Vacation, Mets Prospect of the Day(11/13/06) -Deolis Guerra-

Sorry guys, was on vacation in Arizona, but im back now

Mets Prospect of the Day 11-13-06

Deolis Guerra P R R 6′ 5″ 200 17 04-17-1989

Guerra was one of top 2 International prospects secured by the Mets last year. The Mets inked the 16 year old Guerra in July 2005 for $700,000, and he made his professional debut with Hagerstown on May 6, 2006. He actually signed the same day as fellow prospect Fernando Martinez. OnDeck ranks Guerra as the 8th Mets prospect. His pitches include a 91-92 mph fastball, and a developing change-up. It’s hard to judge a 17 year old playing organized ball, but Hagerstown has purposely limited Guerra’s pitches this season. The SAL’s youngest player, Guerra never allowed more than two earned runs in any of his 17 outings. The Mets did keep him on tight pitch counts, but his 2.20 ERA still would have ranked third in the league if he had enough innings to qualify. He excelled at age 17 mainly on the strength of his changeup, showing an advanced feel for the pitch. The changeup has plus arm action on it which is very rare for a person this young. It is fairlt straight, but has a little fade and parachutes at the end. His fastball is already in the 87-91 range and should add velocity as he matures. Gotham Baseball updated their Mets prospect list in August 2006 and Guerra was ranked 7th.

Deolis Guerra, Mets
Age: 17.4 H/9: 6.75 BB/9: 4.39 K/9: 7.18

His ratios aren't great, but this is a guy born in 1989 (feel old yet?) who is already in the Florida State League and holding his own. Sitting at 89-91 mph with plenty of projection thanks to a 6-foot-5, 200 pound frame, Guerra's changeup is already a solid offering and his curveball has made great strides. The Mets need to slow down his development, but his ceiling is sky high.

Deolis Guerra (RHP) - Minaya gambled that Guerra was going to make Mets fans (or at least the ones that follow the minor leagues) forget all about Gaby Hernandez. So far, he’s been proven right, The 17-year old is far more polished than the departed Hernandez, and so far, seems to be the pitcher with the higher upside. An ERA under 2.20 in 17 starts in the offensive-minded, tiny ballpark-having SAL doesn’t hurt either.

Deolis Guerra, RHP (17 years old): Throws a 88-91 mph fastball with an above-average change that eventually will be a plus pitch. He’s only 17 and is very projectable, so there is no reason not to think he can’t add another 2-3 mph to his fastball and make that a plus pitch as well. The Mets had him work on his breaking pitches in instructional league. Next season he will probably start at St. Lucie. He’s on the fast track, but remember that he’s only 17 and still needs to build up arm-strength (i.e., so he can pitch an entire major league season) and needs to develop his breaking pitches, so I wouldn’t expect him at Shea until late-2008 or early 2009.

MPH Take- This kid was amazing in 2006. Like Fernando Martinez, he tore up Mid-A Hagerstown and was called up to High A. A 2.20 era for a 17 year old player is amazing, especially in Mid A. His change up is absolutly filthy, which is pretty crazy for someone as young and raw as him. His fastball touches 91-92, and he could add a few more mph to that before its all said and done, which should become a plus pitch. He is also working on a couple breaking pitches as well. He should start out in High A St Lucie next season and could be called up to AA towards the end. He is looking at a late-2009 arrival to the Mets, and could be an Ace for us for years to come. Watch out for this kid, he could be realllllll good.

Licey 6, Azucareros 4
Anderson Hernandez (2b) 0 for 5, 2 Ks, .274
Henry Owens 1.1 IP, H, R, BB, 2 Ks, SV (7)

Culican 2, Guasave 7
Brian Bannister 5.1 IP, 8 H, 6 ER, 2 BBs, 4 Ks, 4.25 era, L (2-2)

North Shore 4, Honolulu 1 in 7 innings
Blake Eager 3 IP, 3 H, 3.38 era

Mesa 5, Phoenix 5, suspended after 11 innings
Michel Abreu (1b) 2 for 6, run, RBI, 3 LOB, .271
Bobby Malek (rf) 1 for 6, 2 Ks, 3 LOB, .229
Blake McGinley 2 IP, H, BB, 3 Ks, 1.35 era

11/12 Minor League Report! Dustin Martin!

North Shore 2, Honolulu 3
Mike Carp (1b) 0 for 4, K, 2 LOB, .280
Dustin Martin (dh) 3 for 4, LOB, .300
Drew Butera (c) 1 for 4, 3 Ks, 5 LOB, .196
Licey 11, Escogido 4
Anderson Hernandez (2b) 2 for 4, run, 2b, RBI, .298 (Licey)
Carlos Gomez (cf) 0 for 1, K, .217 (5 for 23 - Escogido) - they refuse to play him everyday! I wanna find that manager and shoot him repeatedly!

HONOLULU--Players in Hawaii Winter Baseball still can't believe their good fortune to be assigned to play in paradise. With two days off a week most weeks, players have found a lot of down time for hitting the beach or sightseeing."It's tough playing baseball in Hawaii," joked New York Mets farmhand Mike Carp with a smile.Recently, Carp has had a lot to smile about. In a league where the top five pitchers in earned run average is under 2.00, Carp is fifth in the league in batting at .283 (as of Nov. 8). After starting off trying to pull the ball, the North Shore Honu's lefthanded hitting first baseman reverted to what made him hit .287/.379/.450 with high Class A St. Lucie: going the other way."He tried to pull everything," Hono hitting coach Mike Lum said. "Now he has a better idea of what to do."Carp went hitless in four of the Honu's first six games. He got his first hit in the seventh game of the season to start a modest six-game hitting streak. Lum said some of Carp's biggest hits in HWB have come when tried to use the whole field."Mike Lum really knows his hitting," said the 20-year-old Carp, a ninth-round pick by the Mets in 2004 out of Lakewood (Calif.) High. "He's helped me out when I struggled when I started off."Carp hopes to improve on what his best pro season. His batting average at St. Lucie was a career-high, as were his 27 doubles and 88 RBIs. His 17 home runs were one shy of what he hit at low Class A Hagerstown in 2005. His performance got him ranked as the eighth-highest prospect in the Florida State League by Baseball America."I just want to improve on what I did, using the whole field and getting more at-bats," he said.Although the pitching in the league has made it hard on the hitters, Carp likes the challenge."The better the pitching (you face), the better chance you have of moving up the next year," Carp said. Carp has definetly found his groove in the land of beaches and bikinis.

Editoral Comment: He sounds more and more like David Wright everyday. Think about Wright's slumps, it's when he gets pull happy. Carp is going to be a beast. And he doesn't turn 21 until mid season next year. We're set with Delgado's replacement. You can book it.

November 11th Minor League Report

North Shore 6, Honolulu 5
Mike Carp (1b) 2 for 4, run, 2b, RBI, K, .296
Bobby Parnell 3 IP, H, BB, 2 Ks, 7.48 era, 39 pitches, 23 strikes

Licey 1, Aguilas 11
Anderson Hernandez (2b) 0 for 3, run, BB, .283

Mesa 10, Peoria Javelinas 12
Michel Abreu (1b) 2 for 4, run, 2b, RBI, BB, LOB, .266
Fernando Martinez (cf) 0 for 1, .253

*Nando is not hurt*

11/10 Minor League Report! Nando's 10 game hitting streak!

North Shore 2, Waikiki 3 in 10 innings
Dustin Martin (rf) 1 for 3, 2b, 2 Ks, 3 LOB, .268

Mike Carp (1b) 1 for 4, 2b, RBI, K, LOB, .284

Mesa 1, Phoenix 2
Bobby Malek (rf) 0 for 4, 2 Ks, 2 LOB, .192

Fernando Martinez (cf) 1 for 3, K, LOB, .256 (10 game hitting streak)

Blake McGinley 1.2 IP, H, 2 Ks, 1.93 era, 24 pitches, 17 strikes

11/9 Minor League Report!

Licey 5, Ciboa 9
Anderson Hernandez (2b) 0 for 4, BB, .300

Escogido 6, Azucareros 5
Carlos Gomez (lf) 1 for 3, RBI, K, .227, CS (1)

North Shore 0, Waikiki 2
Mike Carp (1b) 1 for 3, BB, 2 Ks, .286
Dustin Martin (rf) 0 for 3, 2 Ks, LOB, .264
Drew Butera (c) 0 for 3, 2 Ks, .195

Mesa 5, Phoenix 4 in 11 innings

Michel Abreu (1b) 2 for 5, run, 2 RBI, BB, K, 3 LOB, .253
Bobby Malek (rf) 0 for 5, K, LOB, .247
Fernando Martinez (cf) 1 for 4, run, BB, 2 Ks, .253

Omar Knows Best

Two years ago at this time, the Mets were in disarray, literally. Fresh off the Scott Kazmir debacle, the team was losing, there was little to no excitement at Shea Stadium, and the minor leagues? Pretty barren. Fast forward two years, and Omar Minaya has transformed the Mets into a powerful juggarnaut, built to win for years. How? Through shrewd trades, bold free agent signings, and an eye for talent that is second to none. And he's slowly built up a farm system that is rising through the ranks.

Yes, he does deserve credit for the signings of Carlos Beltran and Pedro Martinez. Why? Mr. Fred Wilpon didn't seem all too interested in taking a discount to sign A-Rod, and he didn't seem at all interested in signing Vlad. Omar got into Wilpon's head, and convinced him to make big investments for future gains. All about that time value of money which is drilled into my head every semester by my finance professors. Make an outlay now, recoup that and more later.

But more then that, Omar has transformed the farm system into, if not a raging flood of prospects, then a large lake. True, he's only been at it for two years, but look at who he's brought in. Fernando Martinez, Deolis Guerra, Mike Pelfrey, Jonathan Niese, Kevin Mulvey, Joe Smith, Josh Stinson, and many many more. He completely overhauled the scouting department twice. Yes, the previous administration got us Mike Carp (the first baseman who we really like here at MPH), Phillip Humber, Jose Reyes, David Wright, Lastings Milledge, etc. It's not all Omar. But Omar is nurturing that talent in a way previous administrations didn't.

The lesson? Second guess him at your own peril. Personal? You bet. I didn't like the Carlos Delgado trade. I loved what I saw from Mike Jacobs. I routinely made a case for Jake = 80% of Delgado at a fraction of the cost. I was dead wrong. I loved Jeff Keppinger. He's gone. Did Omar screw up on that one? I think so, but we'll see (hopefully if KC gets their heads out of their asses and plays him, and Gordon, and Butler, and oh my they're loaded). I loved Victor Diaz, what he pulled this season felt like a personal betrayal by a friend. He screwed himself over, but Omar isn't without fault there.

When you look at the "present and future" banner David's put up, though, most of that is Omar's hard work. We're not saying they'll all pan out. But at least Omar's built up a farm system, something that was sorely lacking since the failed Gen K in the mid 1990s. All Hail Omar, Renaissance Man.

PS: I still love Jake ;) And Kepp, and Diaz. And I still wonder about the