Omar Minaya and the Mets realized that the cost was just too high to bring ML proven talent at the deadline. I believe they were right. And they’ve been signaling that the future they refused to part with will need to be part of the reason they suceed this season. Dan Murphy’s promotion to AAA New Orleans and quick move to New York is further evidence of the path the Mets have chosen.

Adam Rubin points out today that some in the organization feel that it is Murphy and not the still very young Fernandon Martinez who is the top hitting prospect in the organization. When he Mets were prompted to place Marlon Anderson on the DL, the club hastened its plan for Murphy. The left-handed hitting Murphy’s best position seems to be 3rd, but he has played LF, 2B and 1B in his career. More on Murphy from Toby Hyde.

Murphy is a player without a clear position - unless it 3B. He was moved to 2B in AA for some games, but its still too soon to run him out there now. He can hit, and its why he’s here. Roy Oswalt, a righthander, starts tonight. Maybe Jerry Manuel will get him his first ABs tonight and play him in LF. Tough first night though. The club needs more extra base hits from the OF than it’s getting now. Murphy might be able to do this.

So we come to Jon Neise. A date is open August 11 and John Maine will not make his next start. Neise seems certain to get a start at some point. If he does well, it will be more than a few. The Mets need for his audition to go well with the likely departures this off season of Pedro Martinez and Oliver Perez.

Eddie Kunz was 42nd player taken last June form Oregon State University. He’s been on a fast track to New York as had Joe Smith. He’s used to a big stage having pitched in the College World Series. The Mets need a fresh arm for the pen and Kuntz will see some time on the ML roster probably before the month is over. It cannot be expected that he can shut down a inning at the big league level just yet.

So there it is. The players they would not deal will be seen this season. If any one of the three can supply the kind of lightening in a bottle the Mets had hoped to get at the deadline, the decision not to deal makes even bigger sense that it does on paper.

* If John Maine said all the soreness is gone in the back of his shoulder that tells me he’ll be ok.

*I wish the Mets would either use Nick Evans more or send him down. Maybe here they can get an OF off the waiver wire.

* If Maine is ok and Neise can cut its when he gets here why not try Pedro in a setup role?

* I’ll say this again. It makes sense to get Jerry Manuel under contract through at least next season.

See Toby Hyde’s Mets Minor League Blog

Few of the experts are mentioning the Mets doing anything. With the emergence of Jon Niese as ML ready, it looks like the Mets might look to him this season if he is needed. Without question next season,but he will not be dealt.

I find the talk of Scott Schoeneweis’ inclusion in trade talks curious as I thought the club was looking for bullpen help.

Jon Niese’s promotion to AAA New Orleans is a possible signal he’s being fast-tracked for starts this season for the Mets. Niese is scheduled to start tonight for the Zephyrs.

As the MRI of John Maine’s shoulder revealed a strain in his rotator cuff, its likely he will miss at least a start. The Mets may indeed even DL him. Pedro Martinez continues to be a shaky alternative for scheduled starts. The Mets may have concluded that their best acquisition could be Jon Niese.

Both Martinez (last contract year) and Oliver Perez (free agent) will likely be gone after this season. The discussions that occur between powers that be have probably concluded now that Niese is one of their best options for the rotation and maybe he’s going to be needed this season.

So it looks as if Jon Niese will not and cannot be dealt. Along with Fernando Martinez, Niese represents the future and the badly needed chance for the Mets to get younger. Unless a Raul Ibanez or Randy Winn can be acquired for a secong tier prospect, the Mets will play with this hand and pray that the corner OF tandum of Fernando Tatis, Endy Chavez and Nick Evans (2-4, 2 runs scored last night against a lefty last night) continues to provide as it has.