Future Outfielders Show Promise

Marty Noble at Mets.com, writes about the future of the Mets outfield and how they are doing:

He is listed at 6 feet and 180 pounds. The height may be a bit generous. When Fernando Martinez swings, though, he looks significantly taller. His left-handed bat moves easily through the strike zone and he drives to ball to all fields.

His power to left-center field is extraordinary for a player of any size, but one of his size and age -- he's 18 -- isn't supposed to reach the places in the outfield Martinez regularly reaches in batting practice.

He creates something of a dilemma for the Mets. Who should they gush about? Martinez is as talented as he is young. But fellow outfielder Carlos Gomez is more advanced and likely to reach the big leagues sooner, maybe even by the end of the 2007, but certainly by the end of the 2008 season.

The club's whispered fantasy is to have Martinez (probably in left) and Gomez flanking Carlos Beltran when the new ballpark, Citi Field, opens in 2009.