Sometimes it all comes together.  Saturday, in LA, not only did I get to watch the Mets sweep the Dodgers from the Playoffs from the upper deck at Dodger Stadium, I was lucky enough to do it with my best friends.  The only blemish on an otherwise perfect day was some brutal behavior and vandalism from Dodger fans.  Dan, Ben, Tom, Megan and Jung thank you.  I’ll see you in Oakland for the World Series. 

            If Cliff Floyd can’t play in the NLCS, I think Lastings Milledge should get the nod over Rickie Ledee or Anderson Hernandez, but I honestly don’t think the Mets will put Milledge on the postseason roster from the feel of this Marty Noble story. 

            Believe it or not, the minor leaguers just keep on playing ball.  The youngest report to the instructional league (instructs) in Florida, while some head to Hawaii, and the elder, elite prospects head to finishing school in the Arizona Fall League. 

            In the Hawaii Winter League, the North Shore Honu, with five Mets farmhands is 5-1.  The winter league which returned this year with a revised format, mixes American and Japanese minor leaguers and is supposed to fill a nice niche as more competitive than the instructional leagues, but for players who aren’t yet ready for the Arizona Fall League.  It’s only six games, but Dustin Martin is off to a hot start hitting .545 (6 H/11 AB) with two doubles and a HR.  Drew Butera who didn’t hit much this summer, is sitting at an even .400 (4 H/10 AB) with a double, after three games behind the dish.  Mike Carp is still looking for his first Hawaiian hit after an 0-10 start with 5 strikeouts. 

            The Mets two relievers pitching for the Honu, Blake Eager and Bobby Parnell have both been effective in their two appearances.  Eager has struck out four in his three scoreless innings. 

            The Arizona Fall League begins play on Tuesday.  Last year the League streamed a “game of the day” online, but I can’t tell if they’re doing that this year. 

            Sunday, the New York Times ran a piece on the Ditch the Black campaign spearheaded by Paul Lukas of the unparalleled uniwatch.  I like my black hat with the blue brim, and the new black drop shadows, particularly on the away jerseys, but the Mets definitely need to wear their blue pinstripes and blue hats more at home. 

            Baseball America named Mike Carp the eighth best prospect in the Florida State League, and the third best position player in the pitching heavy circuit.  BA praises Carp’s “advanced approach” and gives him high marks for looking “first to use the opposite field rather than try[ing] to pull everything.”  The 20 year-old hit .287/.379/.450 with 27 2B and 17 HR is the Mets firstbaseman of the future, make no mistake about it, but I’m not even sure he was the best position player on his own team.  JJ Cooper, who ranked the players for BA, called Jesus Flores the best catching prospect in the league.  He, Flores and not Cooper, like Carp, has impressive power, and is a “solid” receiver.  Flores is a year older, 21 to Carp’s 20, but he plays one of the two most demanding defensive positions on the diamond.  Flores clearly “can be pitched to” as his .266/.335/.487 line suggests, but he drilled 32 2B and 21 HR, tied for the league lead.  Which is more valuable, an everyday catcher or an everyday first baseman?  Maybe I’m just a big Flores fan.  That’s possible. 

            The Mets placed two more players in the BA’s Eastern League top 20 as well.  BA slots Mike Pelfrey in at #3 behind two more big righties with gas: Philip Hughes and Matt Garza.  As we all know, BA points out that Pelfrey needs to improve his secondary offerings, but that his FB is one of “the best ones in the minors.”  Alan Matthews also has a new tidbit when he explains that Pelfrey “rotates his lower half too much in his delivery,” which sometimes causes a little bit of wildness.  I hadn’t heard that before. 

            CF Carlos Gomez earned his mark at #8 by being the youngest and the “toolsiest” player on the BA list.  Yes, he’s got tools: pop, “plus speed”, plus arm, plus range in center.  Now the question will be whether he improves his aggressive approach.  Scouts can be very funny, and of Gomez one said, “he swings out of his ass.  He really takes a hellacious cut.”  Based on his position, stats, size and age, I had a really tough time coming up with a good comp for Gomez, and no one I’ve talked to has really had a good one either.  Can you come up with one?  I’ll be curious what PECOTA spits out if Nate Silver runs one for Gomez. 

            Neither Philip Humber nor Alay Soler pitched enough in either the FSL or the EL to qualify for BA’s lists, although Humber would have been top 20 in the EL with enough innings. 

            RHP Gabby Hernandez, part of the Carlos Delgado trade, was ranked 13th in the FSL.