28
2011
How Many Is Too Many?
An article by XtreemIcon
The Mets haven’t developed a second baseman since Edgardo Alfonzo. In the eight seasons since his last appearance with the team, fans have watched Luis Castillo, Jose Valentin, Anderson Hernandez, Kaz Matsui and Roberto Alomar’s doppelganger try and man the position with very little success, but finally there’s some hope for the future of that position. Sandy Alderson has lined up several young players with something to prove to compete for the position, and while that’s generally a positive, I fear he may have overloaded Terry Collins with too many options.
I know, too many options at second base doesn’t register with Mets fans, but I counted EIGHT players that will be invited to camp that will require playing time at that position. And in a month and a half of spring training, is that enough time for Collins to give each player enough of a shot to prove his worth?
Daniel Murphy, Luis Castillo, Brad Emaus and maybe even Justin Turner seem to have the leg up on the competition, but Ruben Tejada will see some time there and so will Chin-lung Hu and Luis Hernandez, despite not having much of a shot to be the opening day second baseman. So, too, will Jordany Valdespin, who for the life of me, I can’t understand why he’ll be in Port St. Lucie.
Due to the volume, I wouldn’t even have Valdespin in camp. He’s only played 28 games above A ball, and has been ok with the bat, to the tune of a .277/.328/.406 slash line in 1,001 plate appearances. But the 28 errors in 175 games in his minor league career at second base doesn’t instill a ton of confidence. To compound his defensive misadventures, he’s not much of a shortstop, either, with an unfathomable 17 errors in 47 games. A decent offensive output coupled with atrocious defensive numbers for a kid who’s spent 88% of his time in the low minors is simply taking playing time from a better, more conceivable option.
Hu has the best odds of going north, I think, because he seems best suited out of all the competition for a necessary position, the backup middle infielder. It’s because of this I’d give him a little less game action than the others, as he doesn’t have as much to prove than the others. Luis Hernandez is another waste of a spot as far as I’m concerned, as he’s been a moderately good shortstop with no other position and steps up to the plate wielding a wiffle ball bat. He’s 26, not a spring chicken, and a ten-year veteran of pro ball. If anyone sees an Angel Pagan-type season from him in 2011, then I applaud your optimism.
Tejada’s tricky for me. I like the idea of Tejada playing shortstop in AAA, as Reyes may or may not be back in 2012 and not having viable alternative is the shortsighted problem that’s plagued the Mets recently. Because of that shortsightedness, the team had to waste a year of his control proving he’s not a major leaguer yet. But I love his potential. He’s very athletic and very smart, but he needs figure out how to catch his body up to his mind and make the plays on the field he’s making in his head.
That leaves Murphy, Castillo, Emaus and Turner as the four remaining candidates to fight for the starting job. Management has gone on record as saying Castillo won’t be with the team in any other role than as the starting second baseman, and Murphy has very little experience at the position, though is likely the best option offensively speaking. Minor league statistics show that Turner is a better hitter than Emaus, but Emaus is better with the glove and is probably a better overall player. It also has to be kept in mind that one of the two also has to be capable to back up third base, which eliminates Castillo and doesn’t give any of the other options an advantage, as it appears Emaus is simply the lesser of three evils.
That’s a lot to for Collins to deal with, and wouldn’t it make sense for each candidate to have as large as sample size as possible to judge?
About the Author: Jesse Elgarten
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NL East Standings
| Team | W | L | Pct. | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Braves | 25 | 18 | .581 | - |
| Nationals | 23 | 21 | .523 | 2.5 |
| Phillies | 21 | 23 | .477 | 4.5 |
| Mets | 17 | 24 | .415 | 7.0 |
| Marlins | 12 | 32 | .273 | 13.5 |
Last updated: 05/19/2013
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this is what I was saying last night on another post. Castillo, Emaus, and Murphy are the only three realistic possibilties in my mind. And I still think it’s going to be Emaus with Murphy as a super-utility and LH bat off the bench because we don’t really have one of those other than Willie Harris, and that’s if he even makes the team.
I agree with Chris about those 3, with Turner getting a little bit of action fighting for the utility role.
Hu is on hand for SS duty, and I think they already are comfortable he can play 2B. Not, however, in the mis as a starter.
valdespin, send him to MiL camp from the start.
hernandez can join Hu getting PT here and there.
Emaus and murphy need the most time to actually win a job. Castillo just enough to show if he even has a little left in the tank.
Quite possible that castillo will get his time later in ST, and then only if the other favorites are spitting the bit.
I think Daniel Murphy will win the job as a starter. Emaus will be on the bench. Murphy will show good defense and will hit 20 HRs this season.
Jerry, Jerry, Jerry,
It’s NOT gonna happen. Come back down to earth – i know you want to have faith but blind faith is a different animal. Can you picture Murphy leaping over a sliding runner and pulling off a throw to 1B? Not gonna happen.
If anything it will be the other way around if anything. I have not seen Emaus yet to be fair but I HAVE seen Murphy. Murphy will be on the bench and will make our bench stronger.
Murphy will NOT be a starting 2B for this team or for ANY team. Period.
The truth will be in the pudding. Lets wait and see ST and you will see a Murphy good at defense. You want Emaus fine, but are you willing to put him against major league pitching. He has no expierance in the majors and Murphy is the more rounded player with his year in the majors. He had to adjust to pitchers and learned how to do it. He will hit 20 HRs and you can book that number.
I didn’t say I want Emaus, I personally want Tejada, I have no opinion on Emaus until I see him. That being said I’m certainly not gonna award him the 2B job like some people here already have. Emaus could even but CUT!
But I’ve seen enough of Murphy and his physicality to know that this guy will not be starting at 2B for any team anytime soon.
Jerry, you keep on talking about his offense but his offense can be picked up by ANY team needing a backup. You want the Mets to win? Then you better have SOLID D up the middle. The Mets already have a potential solid lineup, they may be able to go with a lighter stick at 2B if that person is the best defensive option they have. We’ve gone that right before and won – remember Ordonez? And I think Tejada will be a better hitter and have a longer career than Ordonez.
Bayonne, your man Tejada is a nice kid. But
he may never develop the offense you predict. I think a guy named Peter had a Principle which tells us a lot about your lack of insight at the elite level.
Your ‘lighter stick’ may not even have enough stick to make it at AAA. I wish him well but facts are facts.
Hey Bayonne you should join Sylow59 at Mets Blog. You both dont think much of Murphy. He will prove you wrong and you may eat humble pie as they say.
murphy should be the guy. He has grit, hustle, heart, and is clutch.
and that is worth way more than actual talent, right?
Yes it is.
You’re not going to make it very far at this level without those qualities.
Aside from your sarcastic tone – YES, grit,, hustle, & heart and clutch can go a long way in making personnel decisions.
And what’s that got to do w/my discussion on Murphy?….u just wanted to be a wise guy.
Murphy has a lot of those qualities, yes, and I haven’t seen him enough to determine if he’s clutch or not…
BUT – he’s not a starting 2B for ANY team. Grit & heart can also apply to backups and p/t players too.
Don’t play wise guy w/me. You should know better buddy.
what if you have so much talent you can play awesome without any real hustle? isnt the point just to play well, regardless of how you do it? and isnt good play measured by stats?
Oh man your just hunting for bear aren’t you? LMAO
“what if you have so much talent you can play awesome without any real hustle?”
Every player in the major league is extremely talented, even the worst players in the league are. In the majors, it’s more about character than about talent.
So maybe in little league that could happen, but not in the majors.
fine, then read my post again then substitute the word character for hustle.
isnt the point to play well, not to display character? cant we just look at the numbers? what does it matter why a player is good? character or talent, or both? you dont need character, you need good play. and good play is measured by stats.
“In the majors, it’s more about character than about talent.”
Sorry Vinny, with all due respect to you and HOF GM Pat Gillick who made a very similar statement. I do not agree.
Marin, you need to get out of the clouds. Let’s have the rubber hit the road. With regards to the large field of potential candidates, who would you say could ‘play awesome without any real hustle.’ Is it the null set or do you have a candidate in mind? I suspect you’re just making an abstract point which has no relevance to any actual candidate.
my point, des, is that it doesnt matter who hustles or has character and who doesnt. the numbers matter.
i have to agree. it takes a special type of defensive player to handle a middle infield position in less than a year.
i don’t see murphy as that guy.
he would be a pretty sweet hitting 2B, but it’s going to take alot for him to get to that level.
how long has uggla been at second ? five ? ten years ?
you never know, but the odds are with bayonne on this one.
all anyone has really asked is for him to get a shot in ST to see if he can do it.
and none of us have ever seen him play 2B, and the recent reports from experts have been that he was doing OK.
opinions are fine, that is what he are all here for! but neither side (including Bayonne) can make a definitive statement about what he can or can’t do.
Jerry, I HOPE Murphy wins the job. He’s a nostalgic favorite of mine, as he always seemed to have been derailed unexpectedly right before given his actual shot. But he has to prove it in camp. If he wins it, it’s because he deserves it, and that’s what I’m hoping for.
You may have left one out. Russ Adams hit 16 home runs for the Bisons last year and I believe he was signed to a minor league contract for 2011, perhaps with a spring training invitation.
Al, I went by the 40 man roster, which Adams is not on. It’s impossible for him to win a job, but it’s unlikely. Remember, K-Rod still has to be added to the 40, and I’m hoping he won’t be until the end of camp, after Castillo is cut. That doesn’t leave room for Adams unless the team tells Hernandez to take a long walk off a short plank and replace him with Adams, which I’m totally ok with.
In a perfect world, Reese Havens Finally Stays Healthy and has the season he is capable of having and pushes the Mets to bring him up in September and takes 2b for the next ten years.
Amen, brother.