Great series of articles and I really learned a lot about our prospects.

Though I agree Wheeler could be an ace, I have to disagree describing his acquisition “the one undeniably fantastic move that Sandy Alderson has pulled off as GM so far.” We were indeed making a push for the wild card and acquiring him under such circumstances undermined both the team and the fans by sacrificing the present for the future in order to dump salary. Had we not done so and had Murphy covered the bag properly, thus avoiding injury, there could have been meaningful games in August and maybe even early September. Even if that was not to be, it should have been left to the players to stumble, not the front office.

I understand Sandy had no choice and am glad he managed to obtain such a top prospect considering the disadvantage of other general managers knowing he had to get rid of Beltran. But that doesn’t make it “an undeniably fantastic move” but rather one in a series of many that has caused ownership to be the ridicule of baseball and the source of anger and despair among it’s fan base. I can’t recall any organization that gave up on it’s players when just five games out in the loss column after the all-star break like the Wilpons did last summer.

There are no better, more passionate, more knowledgeable or more intelligent baseball fans anywhere, than right here on MMO, and I’m proud to be one of you. Sure Harvey’s got a great curve, Familia is a sensational talent, no question. Any one of the three could have probably been ranked #1, when you consider how little separates them. And that you are really comparing apples to oranges, and that no one, no matter how good a scout they are, can predict what the prospect is actually going to do. They can only speak in terms of conjecture, which is far from a precise science.

The top five talents on the list, are in a special group talent-wise, after that it’s a real crap shoot, with most of the players ranked 6 through 20 pretty much interchangeable at this point, so if you want to mix em up and put them in your own order that is cool, I’d be interested in seeing what you got.

Any way, as far as what’s next MNJ, I think I’ll keep going, and put together a piece on prospects #21-30, with a blurb on each one. Then a 31-40, and a 41-50. I’ll keep sending some interviews out there too, as I complete them. And in Jan sometime I’m going to do a three-part series on the three crucial games that were the turning point for the ’69 Mets, one of the games I was at.

It’s always fun when we read about great young talent.

Att: THE CORE

Binghamton manager Wally Backman is already on record as calling Familia’s curveball the best he has seen since a young Dwight Gooden. Now he sounds ready to include Harvey, last year’s No. 1 draft pick out of North Carolina, in the same conversation.
“He got 16 swings at curveballs in his last start,” Backman was saying over the phone Wednesday, “and not one of them even made contact. I know it’s Double-A, but this kid has a big-league, swing-and-miss curveball.”

Backman’s voice was rising now, as he recalled Harvey’s seven-inning, 10-strikeout gem against Harrisburg last Thursday – the best start that the 22-year-old righthander has made since being promoted to Double-A Binghamton in late June.

“Bryce Harper is the real thing, believe me,” Backman said, speaking of the Nationals’ heralded outfield prospect, “but Harvey made him look so bad with that curveball. He struck him out twice with it and honest to God, the guy swung over one of them by at least a foot.”

It hasn’t been a fun summer for Backman, whose Binghamton team was 22 games under .500 going into Wednesday night’s game in Altoona, Pa. However, he is convinced he has seen the Mets’ pitching future arrive there, with both Familia and Harvey earning in-season promotions from Class-A Port St. Lucie.

“They can both be quality starters on a championship-caliber club,” Backman said. “They’re both No.2, maybe No.3 type starters and I’m telling you, they’re for real. I wouldn’t say it if I wasn’t sure about them.

“They’re pretty much electric. They both have mid-90s fastballs – Familia has a little more velocity. They both have those great curveballs and they’re both working on their changeups. Harvey could have won in the big leagues the way he pitched in his last start. It’s just a matter of becoming more consistent.”

Peter, MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!

Seriously, good job. Your profiles are really interesting reading.

One thing I disagree with though. I think you are short changing Harvey and Familia a little. While Wheeler is probably closer to a true ace than either of them, most stuff I’ve read say they look to be good #2s and maybe decent #1s. #1.5s I guess you could say.

In a utopian world, these 4 kids will be the future of the Mets. In my cynical mind, I’d say at least 2 of them will not hit their projection but that’s life of a baseball prospect.

These 4 though will be the true test of the Mets farm system. Keeping them healthy, helping them learn how to be a pitcher in the big leagues and not a thrower. Talent gets you so far.

Petey good job on all of this