Zack Wheeler has 40 strikeouts this season (in 36 IP), tied for second in the Pacific Coast League. However, he has also walked 17, tied for fourth-worst in the PCL.

This one comes from Jay via email:

When do you think Wheeler will get the major league call up and how large of an impact do you see him having on this season?

If Zack Wheeler continues to mix his pitches and keep hitters guessing, which made him so devastating last year, he will be with the Mets sooner rather than later. According to all accounts, he failed to mix up his pitches over his first few starts, becoming predictable and hittable, something he has reportedly improved on in his last few starts. There is no question about talent. This guy’s got it. He has the pure stuff to match up against most major league pitchers right now. It will be control of those deadly pitches that will determine the path of his career.

As for the immediate future, my best guess is Wheeler makes his debut in late June or early July, for a few reasons, the first being his MLB-readiness. After his struggles early on, it’s clear that Wheeler isn’t quite ready for the majors yet. The staff in Triple-A 9s still tinkering and perfecting his mechanics, which may have been a contributing factor to his control problems in early April. Once he gets those last few kinks out, he will be ready, but he isn’t ready yet.

The second and probably most significant reason long-term for the Mets, is the cost of bringing Wheeler up too early. You see, if he’s brought up any time before mid-June, he may be eligible for Super Two status. That means he gets an extra year of arbitration. That doesn’t mean the Mets keep him for another year, it just means that one of his pre-arb years in which the Mets would determine his salary would be eliminated and replaced with an etra year of arbitration. Why is that significant? Well, the cost adds up. If he is a success like the Mets hope he will be, his fourth (and last) arbitration year could be very costly. Overall, Super Two players cost their organizations an average of $12 million more than a non-Super Two player, according to Amazin’ Avenue. In an organization where value is very important, the Mets aren’t going to rush Wheeler, especially in a year where the playoffs are probably out of reach regardless of what the Mets do with him.

To answer the second part of your question, his impact could be significant. Once he comes up, he will certainly jump into the rotation full-time, so he will have a big impact whether he is a success or not. How good will he be? That, however, is the most important question and unfortunately, the only one that can’t be answered.

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I feel the Mets should not pick up either of their options unless within the final two months of the season they are able to prove that they have significant value with no signs of holding back because of their injuries. The barometer should be their pre-surgery velocity coupled with their command. If they rise to the occasion on both those levels, than pick up the options and trade them. If they are truly healthy, than it would be no problem getting significant players in return. The Mets have too many holes and questions to have the luxury of an $8 MM+ setup man. That money would be put to better use toward getting a top of the rotation starter or a bonafide cleanup hitter.

If our prospects are too good to trade for all star caliber players like Victor Martinez, Cliff Lee and Roy Halladay, why are we calling up mediocre players like Cory Sullivan and Argenis Reyes?

Not everyone believes the Mets farm system is a s good as Minaya says it is, and that includes me. Most of our better prospects are under 20 years old, and many, many years away from being major league ready if that even comes to fruition. The organization has tried to rush their top pitcher, Brad Holt, who now seems to be struggling at AA. The reason we’ve seen players such as Cancel, Berroa, Switzer and the two you mentioned, is because they represent the best that the Mets have right now. The Mets top two affiliates in Buffalo and Binghamton, are a combined 55 games under .500, and are the worst teams in their leagues. That doesn’t happen by accident. Some say the Mets depleted their farm with the Johan Santana trade, but the fact is they gave up very little to get Johan, and if those players were still in the Mets system, it wouldn’t change their circumstances much. The reason we haven’t traded any prospects for quality major league players, is not to protect the system, but because the Mets are broke and can’t take on any more salary.

A – Eddie Kunz was considered to be the Mets closer of the future, but that label began to wear toward the end of the 2008 season.  He didn’t impress the Mets after a brief cup of coffee last season, and he was completely ineffective when he made the jump from AA to AAA last season. He is currently closing for the Buffalo Bisons and has a 2.38 ERA in six appearances. He has no saves, but save opportunities have been rather scarce in Buffalo these days. He still ranks at number ten among all Mets prospects, but with K-Rod in the house, Kunz may surface as setup man or short reliever in the future, most likely 2010.

Q – Why don’t the Mets trade Brian Schneider and call up prospect Josh Thole who is tearing it up in the minors?

A – First, Brian Schneider can’t be traded while he’s on the DL, and even if the Mets could trade him they won’t get much in return for a catcher in his walk year who is batting below the Mendoza line. As for Thole, he was recently converted to catcher a little over a year ago and has a way to go in refining his defensive skills before making the jump to the Majors, however he’s a quick study and has impressed. His bat has been explosive so far in AA, batting a blistering .370. In 2008, Thole had an all-star year for St. Lucie, hitting .300/.382/.427 in 347 at bats. Thole has always shown a good eye at the plate and great patience. He has 133 walks and 131 strikeouts in his minor league career. He may still be a year away, but the Mets believe in him and he looks like a keeper to me. Baseball America ranks him at 23 among Mets prospects, but I suspect he’ll soon be in the top ten if he’s not already.