The only questions about Flores are when and where.

Infielder Wilmer Flores and first baseman Allan Dykstra are headed to their respective league’s all-star games this year – Flores in Triple-A and Dykstra in Double-A. Each player took a different path to get to where they are now, and may still take a different path to the majors. Let’s take a look where these two might end up in the Mets plans.

Wilmer Flores

Flores has steadily grown more comfortable at the Triple-A level, and he’s starting to make it look easy. On Tuesday, he went 5-6 with 2 doubles. He’s hitting .320/.357/.520 this year with 27 doubles, 4 triples, 10 home runs, and 64 RBIs. Sandy Alderson considers him a propsect, and that’s not going out on a limb.

The 6’3″, 190 lb Flores was signed out of Venezuela at the ripe old age of 16. It feels like he’s been in the Mets farm system forever, but even after 6 seasons in the minor leagues, he’s still only 21 (turning 22 on August 6th).

He projected to fill out into a Miguel Cabrera-type frame, and that still may be a possibility. He doesn’t have Cabrera’s power as of now, but there’s no question he can hit. And his 41 extra base hits this year shows that he’s no slap hitter.

In case you missed it, Ike Davis was sent down to Triple-A Las Vegas after another embarrassing sweep at the hands of the Marlins. Mike Baxter and Rob Carson joined Davis on the trip to Sin City.

In their place, the team is expected to recall 1B Josh Satin (who is having a tremendous year, but needs to be added to the 40-man roster), OF Collin Cowgill, and LHP Josh Edgin. Cowgill and Edgin will begin their second stint with the Mets – neither did very well their first time around.

In addition, Rick Ankiel was given his walking papers following the 20-inning game on Saturday.

Davis had practically the same numbers this year as he did last year at this time. But the Mets stuck with him in 2012, and he went on a tear in mid-June.

This is the first mass demotion since 2004.

Sandy Alderson is finally making some moves, but are they too conservative? Should Zack Wheeler come up sooner than the road trip in Atlanta, for instance? Should he send down the rest of the team?

If it were possible, should the Mets trade Davis and move Lucas Duda to first?

Cesar Puello is a Mets farmhand who may get a cup of coffee in Queens before all is said and done. He’s tearing up the Eastern League with a .326/.401/.606 slash line, while belting 13 home runs and stealing 17 bases. He’s also under suspicion for PED use tied to the Miami Biogenisis Clinic.

First round pick Dominic Smith took batting practice at Citi Field yesterday.

The drama never stops in Flushing. Like my mother says, watching the Mets is like watching a real-life soap opera. Stay tuned to Mets Today for all the coverage.

On Saturday, the Mets more than made up for their two consecutive rainouts by playing 20 innings of baseball. They fell to the Miami Marlins, 2-1 (Box Score).

28 games are in the books in 2013 – 28 embarrassing, encouraging, disastrous, delightful, hopeless and hopeful games.  One night, a fan could go from swearing off his beloved Mets for good, while another game brings about a glimmer of hope.  But the Mets have given us no reason to believe that 2013 edition of this team will deliver anything more than a glimmer.

Can the Mets afford Wright AND the rest of the team?

I’ve been avoiding the subject of contract extensions for David Wright and R.A. Dickey because A) I don’t feel like speculating about if every single day, especially when I know next to nothing about what’s going on behind closed doors – like everyone else, and B) Everyone else has already chimed in on it.  But now, because an offer has been REPORTEDLY made, and I’m feeling narcissistic today, I will chime in.

According to various sources, the Mets made an offer to David Wright that consists of 7 years at about $20 million per.  My immediate reaction?  If they can afford Wright at that price while still keeping money in the coffers to fill other positions of need, then let’s do it.  If they’re breaking the bank for one player, and we have to have another year of Josh Thole behind the plate, an outfield of Lucas Duda/Kirk Nieuwenhuis/Mike Baxter, and Frank Francisco closing games, then don’t.

However, since I’m writing stream-of-consciousness…

David Wright is off to a great start.

28 games into the season, the Mets are 15-13, sitting in third place in the NL East.  And if it weren’t early May, I’d say something like, “if the season were to end today, the Mets would be the second Wildcard team.”  But it is only early May.  With that said, let’s take a look at the current state of the team.

Positives

First, the good news.  The Mets are exceeding expectations.  Yes, the expectations were low, but expectations are being exceeded nonetheless.

They went 13-10 in April, which isn’t bad in and of itself.  However, according to the May 7th issue of Sports Illustrated, they faced the 4th toughest schedule by winning percentage (.535) in the major leagues.  Meanwhile, the Dodgers and Nationals, teams that got off to screaming hot starts,  faced the 30th and 29th toughest schedules, respectively.

Individually, several players are off to great starts in 2012.  David Wright is off to one of the best starts of his career, hitting .375/.481/.545 with a team-leading 14 RBI.  Daniel Murphy is hitting .315/.358/.378.  The Mets need more extra base hits out of Murphy, but it’s hard to be dissatisfied with his average and OBP.  In addition, he’s played a surprisingly competent second base.  He hasn’t been without errors, but like his team, he has exceeded expectations.  Similarly, Josh Thole (.282/.356/.372) has performed well at the plate, while showing improvement behind it.

The Houston Astros polished off a sweep of the Mets by Schmacking Chris Schwinden, and accosting Manny Acosta.  The starting rotation is now very much in doubt now that Mike Pelfrey is out for the year (There’s a switch – he’s usually the reason the rotation is in doubt).  And Acosta, Francisco, Ramirez, and Batista haven’t done anything to give a Mets fan confidence in the bullpen either.  But, wins cure everything (including the flu?), and the Mets look to get well with some home cooking this weekend.

Let’s see what the Blogs are cooking up:

• MLB Trade Rumors examines what options the Mets have to fill their injured roster.  (Hint: not many)
• MMO reports that Zach Wheeler is on the AA 7 day DL with a torn fingernail.  He had been pitching to a cool 1.75 ERA before he got hurt.
• Real Dirty thinks a more effective breaking ball would cure what ails Schwinden.
• Mets Police has a picture of R.A. Dickey playing wiffle ball.  Wonder what a wiffle knuckler would look like?
• WFAN says the Bill Buckner/Mookie Wilson ball is up for auction in Dallas.  Rumor has it J.R. wants to add it to his collection.
• Amazin’ Avenue breaks out the arrows for its perform-o-meter.

Keep your arrow pointed right here on Mets Today for the latest happenings in Metsville.

The Mets wrap up their thus-far disappointing series in Houston today.  It’s not a shock that they seem to be having a “let down” series after three exhausting games in Colorado.  On top of that, the flu bug is propagating its way through the Mets locker room like the trollop it is.  But the team looks to rise from the ashes today before they head off to Phoenix.

The Blogs take their Zicam:

• Adam Rubin says Terry Collins is confident in his decision to pinch hit for Jonathon Niese in the fourth inning last night.
• Daily Stache thinks it would be wrong not to sign David Wright.
• Seedlings to Stars has the Mets picking a high school pitcher in their mock draft.
• Bleacher Report brings us the tale of the tape between Kirk Nieuwenhuis and the Nats’ Bryce Harper.
• Rising Apple examines Ramon Ramirez, and wonders what we should really expect from him.
• Metstradamus reminds the Mets that they’re playing the Astros, and hopes they avoid Cooter’s bar this time around.

Take plenty of vitamin C, and perhaps some antacids – it is the Mets after all.  And this is Mets Today.