Come On Irene (Close Enough) Applesauce: No Baseball Makes People Sad, Scary Weather is Scary, Minor Leaguers Play

What do you do when there's no Mets baseball for two days and you're confined to your home due to a hurricane? That's the magic question, I guess. In my case, you watch the news on television and listen to crazy people on the radio freak out about the storm. There's a reason why that's not America's national pastime. With games up and down the east coast canceled, there isn't a whole lot of new news to report on this Sunday morning. If you're reading this right now, you probably have electricity (or a smartphone with a strong battery) and you've survived the worst of the storm that hit this morning, so hooray for you! You did it! And if you're not reading this, then presumably you either have no electricity or you're tending to more important matters, which makes sense in this trying time. Whatever you're up to this morning, good luck and make sure you keep safe. We care about you here at Weekend Applesauce!

There were minor league games in the system on Saturday. Among the notable performances, Brandon Nimmo put together his best game as a professional, as he went 3-3 with his second pro home run and a pair of walks in the season finale for the GCL team. RHP Michael Fulmer pitched two innings in that game, although the MiLB.com box score did not record it. Strange. I'll just have to #BlameIrene for that one (and by #BlameIrene, you know I really mean #BlameBeltran). At High A St. Lucie, Zack Wheeler threw five more shutout innings, allowing just three hits, an HBP and a wild pitch. He didn't walk a batter and he struck out three in a 1-0 victory over Bradenton. And in Binghamton, Jose Reyes played in what's likely his final rehab game. If there's a game on Monday against the Marlins, Reyes will rejoin the team then.

Looking forward to next year, Lucas Duda has grabbed opportunity by the throat and forced his way into the team's future. Is Angel Pagan inching his way out of the plans or is he the best option for CF in 2012? Newsflash: It's the latter.

Around the NL East

With the Mets, Braves, Marlins and Phillies games all postponed on Saturday, the Nationals were the only team active and they fell to the Reds 6-3.

The Marlins are planning for Josh Johnson to return by the end of this season, even if he only makes one or two starts at the end of September.

Tommy Hanson has a small undersurface rotator cuff tear, something commonly found in pitchers' shoulders and something the Braves are optimistic that he can pitch through.

Around the Majors

Baseball was played in other places around the country this weekend. Justin Verlander became the first pitcher in 2011 to reach the relatively meaningless 20 win plateau, as the Tigers beat the Twins 6-4.

The Rays beat the Blue Jays 6-5 in the "Battle of the Turf Fields". BJ Upton hit a big three run homer in the seventh and the Rays withstood a late surge from Toronto in the seventh and eighth innings to hang on.

Finally, a federal judge denied Barry Bonds' motion to dismiss or retry his obstruction of justice conviction and the much maligned former major league slugger could face a sentencing hearing soon.