AFL Bureau

[Guest Edgy DC]

The Mets class in the Arizona Fall League isn't as intriguing as in previous years, when they took top prospects on the fast track such as Lastings Milledge and Fernand Martinez and pushed them hard by sending them to the AFL as among the leagues youngest players to get six weeks of exposure against seriously more experienced players.

This year, the Mets seem to be mostly using the league as some other teams, to get more opportunities for talented guys who didn't progress this season, due to injuries, bad years, or --- as in Eddie Kunz's case --- signing late.

Kunz, the team's top 2007 pick is the top guy to watch, along with Carlos Muniz, trying to pitch himself into the team's 2008 plans.

Mike Nickeas is somewhat worth watching, since the Mets look to be scrambling at catcher, but his hitting in the minors was so rancid this eason that the best he could do is elevate himself to the fringes of the Mets catching picture.

Player	2007 Team	W	L	ERA	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	SO	GO/AO	AVG
Adam Bostick	NOZ	6	7	5.66	21	20	0	0	0	97.0	106	66	61	20	45	91	1.36	.283
Eddie Camacho	SLU	1	1	2.77	9	0	0	0	3	13.0	10	4	4	1	2	15	3.50	.213
"	BIN	0	0	0.00	5	0	0	0	1	11.2	9	0	0	0	3	10	1.89	.214
"	NOZ	2	1	4.44	32	0	0	0	2	46.2	52	26	23	6	14	42	0.92	.277
"	Total	3	2	3.41	46	0	0	0	6	71.1	71	30	27	7	19	67	1.29	.256
Eddie Kunz	BRO	0	1	6.75	12	0	0	0	5	12.0	8	9	9	0	8	9	8.33	.190
Carlos Muniz	BIN	2	4	2.45	44	0	0	0	23	58.2	43	20	16	2	17	62	0.51	.197
"	NOZ	0	0	0.00	3	0	0	0	0	5.2	4	0	0	0	1	4	0.44	.190
"	Total	2	4	2.24	47	0	0	0	23	64.1	47	20	16	2	18	66	0.51	.197
"	MLB	0	0	7.71	2	0	0	0	0	2.1	1	2	2	0	2	2	0.25	.125

Player	Team	AVG	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	TB	BB	SO	SB	CS	OBP	SLG	OPS
Mike Nickeas (c)	SLU	.208	26	77	6	16	7	0	0	4	23	17	20	0	0	.378	.299	.676
"	BIN	.217	65	212	26	46	10	0	1	15	59	18	37	2	3	.281	.278	.559
"	Total	.215	91	289	32	62	17	0	1	19	82	35	57	2	3	.309	.284	.593
Mike Carp (1B)	SLU	.250	1	4	0	1	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	.250	.250	.500
"	BIN	.251	97	359	55	90	16	0	11	48	139	39	75	2	1	.337	.387	.725
"	Total	.251	98	363	55	91	16	0	11	48	140	39	75	2	1	.337	.386	.722
Caleb Stewart (OF)	BIN	.252	125	433	63	109	14	1	16	69	173	36	102	4	7	.314	.400	.713

[Benjamin Grimm]

At this point I think Muniz interests me the most. The Mets will clearly need bullpen help next year, and it will be good to have a few internal candidates to choose from. I'd also like to see Joe Smith progress next year. I understand why he wouldn't be pitching in Arizona, though. His arm would probably be better served with some rest over the next few months.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Arizona isn't available to pitchers who've made more than a token Munizesque appearance or two in the bigs anyhow. Smith is clearly going to spend his offseason doing light reading.

[Guest Grote15]

I'll take Loduca over Nickeas...

[Valadius]

Nickeas at least has a decent arm. He threw out 26 of 58 base-stealers this year. He needs to hit a lot better, though.

[Guest Edgy DC]

The bad news for the legions of4 Scottsdale Scorpions fans is that they've flopped out of the gate, going 0-7.

The good news for Mets fans is that Caleb Stewart has proven an exception to this impotence, leading the team with a 1.371 OPS (two homers) through his first 13 plate appearances.

Mike Nikeas has a double and a walk in seven plate appearances.

Mike Carp has seen more PT than most and has a .756 OPS in 23 trips to the plate.

No disasters there. Not so on the pitching side of the ledger.

Eddie Kunz has been clobbered in the three innings he's worked, giving up seven hits, three walks, and eight runs. Deadly.

Adam Bostick (4.50 ERA) and Carlos Muniz (3.00) have each worked two innings wtih better results.

[Frayed Knot]

From BA:

Several scouts aren’t sold on Mets’ first baseman Mike Carp, a ninth-rounder out
of high school in 2004. “I don’t believe in the power at all,” said a scout from a National
League club. “He doesn’t make good, hard contact, he’s inconsistent in his approach and
swings and misses too much. And he’s not going to play anywhere else but first base.
His performance here defines what he is for me.” In 43 at-bats, Carp is hitting .256/.333/.349
with 10 strikeouts

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

"Did I mention what a complete douche he is?" the scout continued. "I mean, a total jizzbag. What kinda name is Carp? Carp? Fucking guy belongs in the aquarium though dolphins make better contact with the rubber ball than this dickweed would. He'd jump into the pool and miss, that's the kinda fuckup assclown dingbat this piece of shit is. Christ."