SCRANTON, PA -They are the feeder team for the Mets and many of the faces on the Norfolk Tides can expect some time in New York this season. With most of the younger Met prospects playing at lower levels, Norfolk will rely on players with Major League service time, who hope to get back to the show.

"We try to get the guys, who played in the Big Leagues, back to the Big Leagues," Tides skipper Ken Oberkfell said. "And we try to find ways they can help our Major League club."

The Tides have become more of a feeder team to the Mets in recent years; so the emphasis is to keep the players ready in order to help the parent club if the need arises. Already, New York has plunked outfielder Victor Diaz and pitcher Aaron Heilman off the AAA roster, and Oberkfell expects more of that to happen this season.

"Our job is to give to the Big Leagues," the manager said. "That’s why we’re here."

The Mets have an assortment of familiar names to choose from. In the outfield, veterans Gerald Williams and Ron Calloway stand ready to be called up along with youngster Angel Pagan.

There are also a number of first basemen on the team, who also spend time in the outfield, including former Red Sox Brian Daubach, prospect Craig Brazell - who hit a walk off homer last year for the Mets against the Cubs - and slugger Luis Garcia, who played in the Dodger organization in 2004.

"We don’t have a lot of speed, but we do have a lot of power guys, so we sit back a little more," Oberkfell reported about his lineup. "I like the way we swing the bats."

Even with all his home run hitters, the skipper did say he would still employ speed when the situation calls for it. That’s to be expected from a man, who played for eight seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals and won the World Series with Whitey Herzog as his manager.

"Whitey is the guy I try and mold myself after," he said. "In the past, I had more speed, so I took more from Whitey. It depends on the hand I am dealt."

So expect Pagan to be running like he did last year for Oberkfell at AA Binghamton, when he had 28 stolen bases.

Chris Basak, Jeff Keppinger, Rodney Nye and Jed Hensen round out the Norfolk infield and veteran Major Leaguer Mike DiFelice assumes the duties behind the plate.

On the mound, the Tides have a younger look with some prospects in the rotation. Bob Keppel, a former first round pick, anchors a staff with lefty Neil Musser, erstwhile Met starter Jae Seo and former Kansas City Royal Jose Santiago also in the rotation.

Oberkfell said he was very happy with his starters and his bullpen also gives the manager some options with righties Health Bell and Juan Padilla joining southpaws Steve Colyer, David Lee, Blake McGinley, Royce Ring and Scott Stewart. It’s a versatile pen and with the Mets bullpen problems, many will see Major League time this season.

With all this talent on the team, Oberkfell is very pleased with what the organization gave him.

"I have no concerns about this team; they are going to be fine," he said. "We have veteran players, who know how to play the game."

And if the Mets do come calling, the Tides will be ready.

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