BROOKLYN - It has been a good season for the Mets' minor league system. Of the seven affiliates, three [Norfolk, Hagerstown and Gulf Coast] have clinched playoff spots and two others [St. Lucie and Brooklyn] are still alive in their respective races. There have been some surprises and some disappointments. NY Sports Day, recently had the chance to sit down with Mets’ minor league field coordinator Tony Tijerina and we discussed the system with him. 

NY Sports Day: Are you satisfied with the way the season so far?

Tony Tijerina: Yeah, it has been a good season. We have three teams locked in for the playoffs now and hopefully we have two more with Brooklyn and St. Lucie in the running. The top team, Norfolk, has clinched it. The bottom team, Gulf Coast, has clinched it. And our middle team, Hagerstown, has clinched it. So it tell you through the system, we are doing things right and we hope those other clubs have good second halves and finish the season strong.

NY Sports Day: Are the Mets looking to call up Lastings Milledge or sending him to the Arizona Fall League?

TT: Milledge is slated for the Arizona Fall League. As far as any call-ups, I have no information and I am not involved with any discussions with that. In fact, with [Mike] Jacobs last week, it was a surprise to me as well.

NYSD: Is Jacobs also slated for the AFL?

TT: No. We are trying to get him into winterball. Not Arizona.

NYSD: So who has been the biggest surprise to you in the Mets system this year?

TT: Darren Watts is an older guy and he is a solid team guy. The thing was we always knew he had that ability, but with numbers, we never had that opportunity. With numbers and guys getting injured, he has been able to get his opportunity to show what he can do at higher levels and he answered to that very well.

Brian Bannister, where he was, kind of came out of nowhere and earned his way to AAA. Another guy in AAA, Jason Scobie, has been one of the biggest surprises.

NYSD: I see you are moving a lot of AA guys to AAA.

TT: Getting those guys up there and surrounding them with some veteran type guys is a big plus. And they earned it. I think it has given them the opportunity to ease into the role and ease into the supporting cast. It’s been a big plus, because we haven’t had to rush anybody to the big leagues. Heath Bell has been a huge surprise by the way he showed he could pitch up there. And Victor Diaz is another young who has gone up and showed he could hold his own.

NYSD: Do you have any plans for Diaz this winter?

TT: We have him at first base and trying to get him to play more positions. Obviously his bat is his tool and we have to find the way to get his bat in the lineup. Guys like him and Jacobs have that bat, it’s just finding them a role in the National League lineup.

NYSD: I don’t know what’s going on with Mike Piazza next season, but if he isn’t coming back, will Jacobs be in the mix next year for catcher?

TT: He’s gotten a serious look. This year he played first, but we will need to revisit where he is going to play. Is he going to be a catcher or a first baseman? We need to come up with all the evaluations and he proved he could play both. If we want his bat in the lineup, we will find a place to put it.

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