Minors Report - Rain, den Dekker, Spin, Wheeler

• Both the Buffalo and Binghamton games were rained out yesterday, so I will not have any game information today on the site. 

 • No one is pushing the panic button over the Andres Torres injury and you should continue to see some strange names playing center in the next couple of days. Frankly, most of the chatter is who is #2 on the CF depth chart and, though you won’t see the name, don’t be surprised if it isn’t Matt den Dekker. Most Mets brass believe Matt is defensively ready to excel in the pros and the team would be willing to sacrifice any rookie drop in offense to stabilize an already shaky outfield.

 • Some interesting insight from one of our “unnamed” readers: 


             "Hmmm, so I hear "Spin's" getting a look in CF, what a great idea...lol Terry Collins also has resolved to give left fielder Jason Bay and infielder Jordany Valdespin exposure to the position. Valdespin has played only one minor league game in the outfield. During winter ball in the Dominican Republic, Licey manager Rafael Landestoy had Valdespin take fly balls in the outfield pregame, but Valdespin never made it into a game. Landestoy also is the Mets' international field coordinator, but Collins said the winter-league decision to have Valdespin get some outfield exposure was coincidental and not a Mets directive. "I can play outfield, too, because I practiced in the offseason taking fly balls in left field, center, right," said Valdespin, who hit a combined .294 with 17 homers, 60 RBIs and 37 steals in 55 attempts between Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Buffalo last season. "I want to play in the big leagues. So no matter where I play, I want to play in the big leagues and help the team." 

 • The twitter world went… well, twittering yesterday afternoon when Adam Rubin reported that Mets pitching prospect, Zack Wheeler, hurt his ankle while walking down the stairs of his apartment (why not a hotel room?). Wheeler himself set things straight later on his own tweet: 


             Zack wheeler‏@Wheelerpro45 – “The ankle is fine everybody. It's nothing serious. I threw on it today. And we are just taking it easy. It's Spring training. Still early.”