Adam Rubin

  (12:00 PM)

Thanks for joining me. It's 9 a.m. out here in San Francisco. I'm at the ballpark. We can chat for about a half-hour. Then it's off to the clubhouse ...

Marc (Buffalo, NY)

Which OF prospects in the system project to be possible impact players (offensively) in the future? And how far away are they?

Adam Rubin

  (12:02 PM)

Impact? Not sure. As far as potential major league outfielders, in the near term, you'd probably have to start with Matt den Dekker at Buffalo. Like Kirk Nieuwenhuis, he hits lefty. And, like Kirk, there's no guarantee he's an everyday major leaguer. May be a platoon guy. But he's got a chance. Scouts have always quietly liked Juan Lagares at Double-A Binghamton. A ways off, Brandon Nimmo was the 2011 first-round pick out of high school. He's only at Brooklyn, though.

Max (NJ)

Adam, is there any realistic way that Bay will be off the team by the end of the season, be it by trade or outright release?

Adam Rubin

  (12:03 PM)

End of 2013 season? Not sure. End of 2012 season? Not foreseeing release. The best-case scenario for a fan who wants Bay out is for it to mimic what happened with Oliver Perez and Luis Castillo. The Mets ate a combined $18 million on those two during spring training of the final year of their contracts. Unless there's some really bad contracts changing hands and a trade this offseason, I'm pretty positive we'll see him in spring training. And given the lack of impact outfield talent knocking on the door, I can definitely see him getting a shot to start next season as well.

Brian (NJ)

Is Dickey on short rest inevitable at this point?

Adam Rubin

  (12:06 PM)

Maybe. Terry Collins made it sound like it's pretty much set in stone. He said he and Dan Warthen wrote out separate plans, and now they just have to hash it out. Sandy Alderson was a little more circumspect/noncommittal. Frankly, I don't get it. If you're making a legit playoff push and want to maximize his starts, OK. But he's not young. And the Mets, if you accept reality, are not in a playoff race. Are they really doing Dickey extra starts in order to make fans think there are meaningful games in September? And at what risk to Dickey's health that could impact 2013? And if the goal is to give Johan and Chris Young extra rest, strategic spot starts by Jeremy Hefner can achieve that.

Chocolate Boisclair (Brooklyn)

Have we seen the last of Lucas Duda? Name the starting outfield in 2013.

Adam Rubin

  (12:06 PM)

I'm pretty positive we'll see Lucas Duda in September.

Chris Fiegler (Latham,NY)

I am Just Curious is Mets Minor League P Zach Wheeler & Dan Wheeler Related?

Adam Rubin

  (12:06 PM)

Nope.

Truman (Pennsylvania)

Hey I know i had a question earler but do you think jason bay can still be a facter like he was in pittsburgh. sorry for the extra question

Adam Rubin

  (12:07 PM)

I hate to pronounce someone's career over, but there's no evidence this week turn around. I know Terry Collins keeps citing how few ABs he's had this year, but the decline is not a one-year phenomenon with Bay.

Brian (NJ)

Is a fair comparison for Kevin Plawecki maybe a Paul Lo Duca type player? Good hitter, rarely strikes out, solid defense.

Adam Rubin

  (12:08 PM)

I've only been to one Brooklyn game this year, so I'm not equipped to say that. Plawecki has that kind of body type it appears. And he's an OBP guy. Doesn't strike out, at least in college.

Richard (San Antonio,Tx)

Now that the trade deadline is over do you feel like the Mets will pick up someone to help in the bullpen? Will they look to get rid of bay thru a trade or what? Who is the next person do you see being call up from the minor before the roster expansion?

Adam Rubin

  (12:09 PM)

Not really seeing much changing at this point. The players who largely get through waivers and can be traded in August are guys with enormous contracts that go unclaimed. So, for instance, no one would dare put in a claim on Jason Bay -- because the Mets can just dump the contract on the other team. So Bay would be eligible to be traded. ... As for pre-September call-ups, Frank Francisco is coming back Friday in all likelihood, so Elvin Ramirez goes down. Not sure they'll be adding anyone else before rosters expand Sept. 1.

Rob (Queens)

The mets did not make any moves at the trade deadline or before to improve the team, yet they still want to start dickey on 3 days rest. This makes me the feel that the management thinks they can still make a run? or do they just want to keep it entertaining for the fanbase? or other?

Adam Rubin

  (12:11 PM)

If the claim is the first thing you cited, they're either delusional or disingenuous. My suspicion is it's the meaningful games in September thing to change the "perception" of the organization, as if this were some market where the fans aren't savvy and 82 instead of 78 wins looks good.

Bill (Syracuse NY)

Will the Mets be relocating their AAA franchise again after this season? If so where are some possible destinations?

Adam Rubin

  (12:13 PM)

It's Buffalo's call. The Mets would like to stay. I don't know how to precisely handicap it, but there's a decent chance Buffalo chooses to be affiliated with the Blue Jays instead. In that scenario, the Mets would be searching for a new partner. It could end up Rochester then. Syracuse isn't a free agent. It's locked up with the Nationals for two more seasons. Otherwise, it might be back to the dreaded Pacific Coast League. It is interesting that one primary motivation for Zack Wheeler making his first Triple-A start Sunday, as opposed to his previous outing, is because it means the debut will be in Buffalo rather than on the road. And all but one of Wheeler's starts the remainder of the season should coming in Buffalo. Mets are trying to do what they can to mend relationship. It may be too little, too late. We'll see.

Drew (New York)

When do the Mets plan on extending Dickey's contract? And is it possible that they Wright get away in the coming years?

Adam Rubin

  (12:16 PM)

Both Dickey and Wright are under the team's control for next season through options. I'm sure there will at least be discussions with both this offseason about an extension. There have been columnists opining that Wright very much wants to remain a Met. I'm not so sure him staying beyond 2013 is a slam dunk. Look, it's always about money. But there would be very generous offers elsewhere as well. And people who know Wright well think it very much will be about the prospect of winning, too. And that's why I believe it's not a slam dunk. For the longest time, part of me has been thinking I could see him in a Braves uniform at some point in his career.

Alex (Long Island)

Who are some under the radar prospects in the Mets system?

Adam Rubin

  (12:16 PM)

I've talked a lot about RHP Collin McHugh at Buffalo, so perhaps he's not that under the radar. But Justin Turner brought him up to me last night again. And Justin said the same thing I've heard from scouts -- Dillon Gee clone.

Hunter (Missouri)

When Santana comes back off of the DL, do you see Hefner or Harvey getting sent back to AAA?

Adam Rubin

  (12:17 PM)

Jeremy Hefner would be bounced from the rotation, but I bet he goes to the bullpen, not the minors. TC basically said as much yesterday. So Elvin Ramirez likely gets bounced for Frank Francisco's return. And you could see Manny Acosta bounced for Hefner staying, I suppose.

Ron (Tempe)

If/when Dickey & Wright get extended - what will be left to spend for next year?

Adam Rubin

  (12:19 PM)

That's the rub. I haven't heard any figures, but I don't think the payroll is going dramatically higher next year. And there is not a ton of money coming off. You're talking Jon Rauch, off the top of my head, at $3.5 million maybe being the largest contract that is up. So beyond extensions, if they materialize, I don't see major free-agent spending. Obviously the dollars -- again -- will need to go to the bullpen. And to a righty-hitting catcher. And to outfield, to a certain extent.

Ira (Long Island)

Im starting to worry about Sandy's mindset. Does he truly believe that fans care if the team loses 80 games instead of 90? I guess I must not be a real fan either

Adam Rubin

  (12:19 PM)

Duly noted. I actually don't think I'm in the minority in thinking 83 vs. 78 wins doesn't matter. But he seemed to suggest otherwise.

jim (levittown, ny)

Was waiting to call Matt Harvey up in July a purely injury replacement situation? Or was there Super Two consideration? I know people have mentioned that the new CBA rules may cause teams to wait till July instead of June for prospect call ups?

Adam Rubin

  (12:22 PM)

He wasn't ready. And, frankly, although I'm getting crucified now on Twitter by some people, I still believe he'll gravitate more to a middle-of-the-rotation starter during his career. Some fans jump on bandwagons of players like Jordany Valdespin or Kirk Nieuwenhuis because of early success. And then the books tend to get out on those players and they settle in as major leaguers, but at a notch below their original performance.

Jeff (Bronx)

Can you lease explain way some teams were able to trade draft picks? Do you see MLB expanding this to allow teams to future trade draft picks in a trade?

Adam Rubin

  (12:22 PM)

I don't have the rules memorized, but there are new draft picks now -- extra picks between the first and second rounds, and between the second and third rounds, that are given to small-market and low-revenue teams. Those can be traded, I believe.

Mitch (Hawthorne, NY)

Have the Mets finally decided Josh Thole is not the future?

Adam Rubin

  (12:23 PM)

Well, since they need a righty-hitting catcher too, and since Thole is very affordable, I'm pretty positive you'll see Josh Thole in 2013 as well. Hard to fathom they'll have two new catchers next year.

Eugene (Union, NJ)

What are the Mets' long-term plans for Jeurys Familia and Jenrry Mejia? Starter? Setup Man? Closer? Would you expect either to be with the club in 2013?

Adam Rubin

  (12:24 PM)

Mejia's handling is a little bizarre, since it's two organizations now that shuttle him back and forth between starting and relieving. Even though Mejia is starting now with Buffalo again, it strongly seems like even the organization concedes he'll be a reliever in the majors. Familia continues to start, and he definitely projects as a reliever as well.

Gabe (Tallahassee)

Does Spin's gameday and locker room attire (t-shirt) have a long term affect on his status with the team? I know he's young and immature on the field, but this doesn't appear to help with his progession off it either.

Adam Rubin

  (12:26 PM)

He's actually behaved better in the majors than as a minor leaguer. But he's not going to win a popularity contest. Rookies usually don't blast music on planes, either.

Francis (Buxton)

You get crucified on Twitter because you take pleasure in annoying Mets fans and because you constantly harp on the negative and bypass or make passing reference of positives. How's that?

Adam Rubin

  (12:27 PM)

You must not ready to weekly farm reports that glowingly talk about prospects. Anything critical is viewed as being negative. If you haven't noticed, this team is likely headed for a fourth straight losing season, after two collapses. Four legs good, two legs bad.

Adam Rubin

  (12:27 PM)

Anyway, on that note, I'm going to head down to the clubhouse. Thanks for joining me.