In part three of a four part series, BP gives their picks for which player’s stock rose or fell the most in each organization.

For the Mets organization, Fernando Martinez was selected as the player who shined the brightest in terms of where he was and where he is now.

While he was limited to just 76 games due to a pair of
injures to his wrist and thumb, 17-year-old Fernando Martinez sparkled
in his pro debut, batting .333/.389/.505 for Low Class A Hagerstown and showing
surprising power.

Honorable Mention: Last year, catcher Josh Flores
had a .589 OPS in the Sally League, this year he tied for the Florida State
League home run crown with 21. Philip Humber returned from Tommy John
surgery earlier than expected and pitched better than expected–getting a
September call-up after limiting opposing hitters to a .199 average in 14
starts.

The Bergan Record has a story with Lastings Milledge and Phil Humber, who were just added to the Mets expanded 40 man roster, and two different points of view on their roles.

Milledge is hungry to be part of this year’s postseason, while Humber is just excited to have a chance to join the club for whatever period of time it may be.

Check out the full article here.

The Mets are set to make a number of call ups today, and most notable of those is Philip Humber, the Mets 2004 first round draft pick.

Dave Williams was also recalled and will start tonight. Brian Bannister, Lastings Milledge, Ricky Ledee, and Kelly Stinnett were called up as well.

Mike Pelfrey is headed to St.
Lucie where he will be treated for a minor back problem.

From Adam Rubin's Daily News Blog…

Mike Pelfrey, Phil Humber and Deolis Guerra all made it on to Baseball Prospectus' Future Shock list of the top 20 right handed pitching prospects in baseball…

7. Mike Pelfrey, Mets

Age: 22.6 H/9: 7.57 BB/9: 3.08 K/9:
10.18

The most well-paid pitcher in the 2005 draft, Pelfrey signed too
late to make his debut last year, but he reached the big leagues this season
after just 88 pro innings. At 6-foot-7, Pelfrey gets a strong downward plane
on a sinking 92-95 mph fastball that has touched 98, and he commands the pitch
well when many young and tall pitching prospects struggle to find a consistent
release point. For anyone who saw his four big league starts, in which he had
a 5.48 ERA and a sub-standard 13/12 K/BB ratio in 21.1 innings, Pelfrey's
issues were clear. While the fastball is plus-plus, both his curveball and
changeup are no more than average, and he lost confidence in the pitches,
learning a difficult lesson about the need for a three-pitch arsenal. He's
expected to get another look in September as the Mets put things into cruise
control, so we'll see if he's made any adjustments. The secondary pitches
don't have to be great, but he will need them to keep hitters on
their toes.

14. Phil Humber, Mets

Age: 23.7 H/9: 6.99 BB/9: 2.52 K/9:
9.65

Another one of those pitchers who had Tommy John surgery,
returned quicker than expected and has looked as good as he ever did, if not
better. Pitching very well in Double-A, both he and Pelfrey will compete for
Opening Day rotation slots in 2007.

19. Deolis Guerra, Mets

Age: 17.4 H/9: 6.75 BB/9: 4.39 K/9:
7.18

His ratios aren't great, but this is a guy born in 1989
(feel old yet?) who is already in the Florida State League and holding his
own. Sitting at 89-91 mph with plenty of projection thanks to a 6-foot-5, 200
pound frame, Guerra's changeup is already a solid offering and his curveball
has made great strides. The Mets need to slow down his development, but his
ceiling is sky high.

Here is a rundown of yesterday's minor league action, courtesy of the always amazing Toby's Mets Minor League Report….

• Yusaku Iriki won and threw six shutout frames. 
  He struck out four.
• Edgardo
  Alfonzo launched a HR, his third for Norfolk,
  and two doubles while driving home three.  
• Rashad Eldridge, had one of
  his better nights in Norfolk
  going 3-5 with a HR and 4 RBI.  
• Lastings Milledge had a
  couple of hits at the top of the order.
• Rueben Gotay (.235/.286/.375 in 37 G) added
  a 2-5 evening with two RBI.
• Brian Bannister throws Wednesday.

Mack's Mets posts an interesting article of minor leaguers who might have worn out their welcome in the Mets system and might be clogging up the system. Mack gives a list of players who might be good candidates for a flushing to make room for new talent.

Mack also makes a great observation that, although the Mets seemed to have some issues right now with their starting pitching, soon they could have a surplus of young major league ready arms.

Norfolk Tides website reports…

Bannister would be a dark horse candidate to replace Pedro in the rotation should he need extended rest for his strained calf.

Toby's Mets Minor League Report reminds us that Bannister would be on short rest to replace Pedro's scheduled start, not a particular good idea considering Bannister is coming off an injury.

Toby reports that Evan MacLane pitches today for the Tides at 2PM and Phil Humber throws tonight for Binghamton.

Phil Humber returned to Binghamton for the first time since his season ending Tommy John surgery last year. Humber gave up 4 runs on 6 hits and 3 walks while striking out 5, but felt pretty good despite the results.

“I wouldn't call it a full outing. Stuff wise,
everything was good. I had good bite on my fastball, and my breaking
ball was good. It's just location was the main thing I was missing.”

Matt Lindstrom and Henry Owens each pitched a scoreless inning in the game.

Here's what some of our favorite bloggers are talking about today…

Faith and Fear in Flushing was happy at least it was over quickly.

Matt @ Mets Blog discusses the state of the Mets rotation.

Mets Guy In Michigan on his sudden fear of Taxi's.

Mets Walkoffs tells us the Mets have only one pinch hit, come from behind walk off home run by a rookie, cause well, Mets Walkoffs knows these things and the Marlins did it against the Mets last night.

Metsquire quotes one of my favorite Jeff Buckley songs and reminds us that love is not a victory march.

In case you missed it, check out Mike's Mets thoughts on the fallout from the trade deadline.

The Metropolitans sing the praises of Phil Humber.

Pick Me Up Some Mets advises Billy Wagner to get out the kinks.

With a heavy heart, Mets Grrrl removes X from her i-pod.

…and Mets Geek is concerned about Tommy Glavine.

Friend of the Foot, Matt Cerrone on Mets Blog is reporting that Philip Humber will be promoted to Double-A Binghamton today.

It was nice to see this kid pitch again, let alone show such development so soon after Tommy John surgery. Congratulations kid, seize the opportunity.

Phil Humber, Mets 2004 #1 draft pick, is featured in Baseball Prospectus' Ten Pack…

RHP Philip Humber, High-A St. Lucie (Mets)

Now, if you're looking for a Florida State League comeback that's real,
here you go. Humber has been receiving rave reviews of late, and he
looks to be all the way back from Tommy John surgery, showing the same
stuff that made him the third overall pick in 2004. On Saturday, the
former Rice star struck out seven over five shutout innings, and in his
last four starts, he's giving up just one earned run in 23 innings with
twice as many strikeouts (22) as hits allowed (11). The Mets have no
need to rush Humber; he'll likely finish the year with a handful of
starts at Double-A Binghamton, where he was pitching last year when the
elbow finally snapped. While mid-2007 as a date for a big league debut
seemed far too optimistic a month ago, it sounds about right now.

Here's some highlights of last nights minor league action courtesy of Toby's Minor League Report…

AAA

• Royce Ring blew his second save of the season.
• Chris Basak,
  who took over for Keppinger was 2-2, with a solo HR.

AA

• Carlos Gomez doubled twice and has now
  hit safely in 12 straight games to improve his season line to
  .261/.325/.390.  Over his streak he’s
  raised his batting average from .225 to .261 and has doubled six times.
  
• Michel
  Abreu was 3-3 with a double and a pair of walks

A+

• Philip Humber, as we reported yesterday by way of Metsblog, dealt five shutout innings while allowing four hits
  and striking out nine without issuing a walk.

  Kevin Goldstein from Baseball America had this to say about Humber before the start…

  Righthander Philip
  Humber has returned from Tommy John surgery and earned some rave
  reviews. “He has two big power pitches with the fastball, which is 90-94
  mph, and that curve which is just a hammer and a real out pitch,” said one
  National League scout about the third overall pick in the 2004 draft. “He
  also has a power changeup–and I love those–it's not a touch/feel pitch; its
  velocity is in the 80s so it gets there with some speed and just bottoms
  out.” Having just returned after missing nearly a year, Humber
  still struggles with his location, but the scout didn't see it as a long-term
  concern. “It's really going to depend on command and control with
  him,” the scout added. “It has to improve, but that's always an issue
  for guys coming back from TJs–there's no reason it shouldn’t improve.”

• Jesus Flores led St. Lucie’s offense
  with a 2-3 that included a solo HR in the first inning.

Metsblog reports that Baseball America's Matt Meyers profiles Mets LHP Jon Neise

Mike Pelfrey held New
Hampshire to one run on two hits while striking out 11 and walking
three in seven innings in a 6-4 B-Mets win.

Adam Rubin reports that observers of recent performances say Pelfrey still needs to work on his
breaking pitch, which is in-between a slider and curveball. Pelfrey
said he’s trying to improve the plane on the pitch, getting it to act
more like a true curveball. “I feel like I’m getting better every time
I go out there,” Pelfrey said

Toby reports that Philip
Humber worked four innings yesterday, allowing solo HR to the first two batters he faced,
and nothing after that. He struck out
two and didn’t walk a batter while working around 3 Mets errors in his four
IP.

Toby also reports that with the
Tides down 3-2, Lastings Milledge
came to the plate with the bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth inning.  Playing his first game in Norfolk since his return from NYC, Milledge
cleared the bases, driving home three with a go-ahead double.  He finished 2-4 and was the only Tide hitter
with multiple hits.

Royce Ring picked up the save, his
seventh for his one scoreless inning of relif. 
Ring has thrown 24 scoreless innings over his last 21 outings and the
Tides website points out that the Norfolk scoreless innings record is 24.1 set
by Ober Moreno in 2003.

Be sure to keep a close watch on Toby's blog for all Minor League Mets action, he does a fantastic job of recapping the events on all levels of the Mets minors on a daily basis.