Mets' Fans Shouldn't Fret Too Much Because. . .

the Phillies, to a degree, are in the same boat.

A caller to New York's WFAN recently blasted Mets' executive Tony Bernazard for running the Mets' farm system into the ground. He noted that there are a bunch of old players (late 20's, even early 30's) on the Mets' AA roster. He cited that point as a sign that the Mets' farm system is in real trouble.

Well, I checked the AA and AAA rosters of the Phillies, and, truth be told, most of the guys on those rosters won't make the majors. Only a few are bona fide prospects, some might have a chance to fill in at the back of the bullpen or in a pinch-hitting role, but most are career minor-leaguers who are older than 27 and many who are about 30. It seems that this is the way of the minor leagues, so Met fans shouldn't despair at the proliferation of career minor leaguers on AA and AAA rosters. It makes sense, given that not everyone can make the majors, to have some good players at AAA and AA to provide good proving grounds for the elite prospects on their way up and a holding pattern for players who could serve as insurance policies down the stretch.

Where the Mets' fans have reason to be upset is that their farm system only has 3 top prospects according to the guys on the FAN. That's not enough, especially when compared to the nearby competition 90 miles south in Philadelphia. Still, the Phillies' fans aren't too giddy, because for many years their farm system wasn't any good. Now, it's bearing fruit, but it wasn't always that way.

Met fans also shouldn't be so hard on their team. How many teams could lose Carlos Beltran, Jose Reyes, Carlos Delgado, a good starter (John Maine) and their set-up man (J.J. Putz) and contend? The answer is none. You could have the best G.M. of all time and he couldn't heal those wounds. So, be patient, your team will revive itself, if not this year, then next.