Nov
17
2011

Mets Telling Teams Murphy Is Available

An article by Hojo's Mojo

A source has told ESPN’s Adam Rubin that Daniel Murphy is available.

In conversations with other teams at the GM Meetings in Milwaukee this week, a source confirmed the Mets informed other teams that Daniel Murphy is “available.”

This goes against an earlier report that said the front office sees Murphy as the starting second baseman if they cannot retain Jose Reyes.

But then again, that could have just been the team trying to do some quick PR work for a player who missed the rest of the season after sufering a knee injury back in early August.

There is no doubting Murphy’s ability with the bat. When he went down last season he was second in the National League in batting and he has become a doubles-hitting machine. It’s his lack of a true defensive position that makes Murphy so hard to figure out. His natural position, third base, is manned by David Wright, and his second best position is occupied by Ike Davis.

In 109 games last year, Murphy hit .320 with a .362 OBP, six homers and 49 RBI in 390 at-bats..

He would seem to be a perfect fit for the AL or a team that could use a third baseman, but with his value so low because of the injury, I still see him with the Mets in 2012.

If I’m wrong and the Mets do sell low on Murphy, I do believe they will come to regret it. Murphy can hit with the best of them and would thrive with regular playing time.

About the Author: Rob Johnson

17 Comments + Add Comment

NJstuckinTX November 17, 2011 at 11:19 am

Wasn’t it made known that everyone was available?

Anyway, yes, I agree with you that moving him could be selling low on him. Then again, if it helps you get Danks or Gio Gonzalez or something along that line, you can’t think that he should be held onto so he can build up his value. If Gee, Fmart, Murphy + another get you one of those pitchers, I’d think you’d have to consider it, no?
Paul S. November 17, 2011 at 11:50 am

What about Seattle as a trading partner? A trade revolving around Murphy for Pineda?
- francis November 17, 2011 at 7:08 pm
  
  Seattle would never do that.
RickeyBobby November 17, 2011 at 12:25 pm

Well he def more of an AL player, not that we cant use his bat..i think we should DEF be able to get back QUALITY player for Murph, i dont hink we’re selling low off batting .320, young, cheap, proved he’s adequate at multiple positions, Murph’s a gamer and pure hitter, will garner interest…would miss him thou…
Trade Wright for Nolan Arenado November 17, 2011 at 12:42 pm

Wouldn’t it be more newsworthy if someone on this roster was NOT made available?
- Squidoo November 17, 2011 at 2:30 pm
  
  Three terrible seasons in a row. Why shouldn’t everyone be available? I only hope we get to move some of these guys and get some new faces in here because quite frankly this team is tiring to watch.
  - Alex68 November 17, 2011 at 3:48 pm
    
    you know, 2009 was ALL injuries, by 2010 we all knew that minaya was gone and the wilpons had this lawsuit and weren’t gonna spend on anybody good, and not only that, but terrible season by bay killed any little hope if we had one.. remember at one point we were 2 games ahead in the wild card by june.. also, EVERYbody starting getting hurt, so 2009 and 2010 were bad season mixed with bad luck… but 2011 was the worst season the mets have had since 2003.. the by far, the GM had the WORST OFFSEASON I HAVE EVER SEEN as a met fan, and this one might top last year horrorfest… but hey, be patient guys, we signed val pascucci back ok.. it takes time, that’s what sandy tells people, then please don’t call the fans about renewing season tickets or tell fans to go to the game..
    - Kay November 17, 2011 at 5:42 pm
      
      The Alderson Hate parade is at it again.
      
      What acquisitions going into 09 and 10 made the teams so much better then what Alderson did going into 11 with the LIMITED budget he had because the previous administration wasted so much of it? Funny it’s ok to make excuses for Omar.
      
      Has any team signed Reyes
      Has any team signed Pujols
      Has any team signed Fielder
      
      If that is the worst off season you’ve seen as long as you’re a Mets fan, you haven’t been around very long.
      
      Same song, different day.
      
      Armchair GM’s behind a keyboard that know everything…….
      - Des November 17, 2011 at 7:40 pm
        
        Enjoy the turmoil, Kay. It’s just people saying what they think. Also remember that the nights are getting longer and a full moon is powerful.
      - Joe Diaz November 17, 2011 at 10:45 pm
        
        You’re not kidding Kay.Not one of those guys got more than a one year deal to consider them as being part of the worst offseason.Except DJ Carrasco who’s not going to cost you a roster spot because of his salary IE Bay,Castillo,Perez. This years offseason hasn’t even began for most teams.Very little activity so far.Some people aren’t happy unless they’re complaining about something and it’s way too easy to blame the current situation on the ownership and the last 3 GM’s who’ve never built much of farm system to produce players. So it’s open season on a GM who’s been here exactly one year and took over a team in financial turmoil,bloated contracts and no immediate help on the horizon from the farm system.The best pitcher on the team didn’t throw a pith last season and cut his previous 2 seasons short in August and the big free agent signing in 2010 Jason Bay hasn’t done a damn thing in 2 years.Who in their right mind would even want the job.
- Metsie November 17, 2011 at 3:37 pm
  
  No but it might be newsworthy if they were ready to deal someone who did NOT hit below .300 last year!
  - Metsie November 17, 2011 at 3:38 pm
    
    Sorry below should read above!
    Disextic untie!
steve November 17, 2011 at 2:42 pm

What about T.B or Toronto?? Murphy and Pelfrey for Nestor Molina and Anthony Gose? Or Murphy and Schwindon to Tampa for Wade Davis??
Sach November 17, 2011 at 3:43 pm

I think it makes sense if Sandy isn’t going to actively pursue a trade for Wright this offseason for a nice prospect package, then he might as well try to package Murph with Pelf or a Met prospect or possible prospect deemed not really part of the Mets future for a CF prospect and C prospect. I think most of us feel (myself included) that Murph can’t play 2B in the bigs and Murph does have some trade value as a poor man’s DH or 1B and is a controllable player which always interests most GMs. I also said in a previous comment that I just have this gut feeling, if Reyes leaves, that Sandy, TC, Hudgens,Teufel, Morgan and Backman might give a long look and evaluation to Jordany Valdespin at 2B in ST to see if he could possibly be the Mets starting 2B next season to try and replace some of Reyes’ athleticism, SB,HR pop, above average range and arm at 2B and some of Reyes’ pizzazz with Turner being pegged for more of a bench role- back-up 2B,SS,3B. Reese if finally healthy might also move fast in the minors next year.And with Reese most likely being added to the Mets 40 man roster by tommorrow to protect him from the Rule 5 draft, exactly how many 2B- Turner,Murphy,Valdespin,Reese can Sandy protect on the 40 man roster?
- Des November 17, 2011 at 7:38 pm
  
  Who knows what the future brings? We’ve got some good kids, Valdespin is great offensively. But Valdespin has to be able to catch the ball, something that’s not going to happen overnight. He stabs at the ball. Huh? Right now he’s not a competent MLB defensive player. He has to grow up ‘above the shoulders’ too. So he has two areas to improve.
  
  Let’s say Jose (against my own hopes) leaves and Tejada goes to SS. That means 2B is up for grabs. As a total player (offensive, defense, smarts, etc.) Reese Havens, after a month or two at AA or AAA, would likely replace Daniel Murphy at 2B. Backman thinks Havens is ready offensively right now. According to Wally, Havens was a major league hitter last year. So when it was said that Murphy would go to 2B, I saw it as a stopgap until (and if) Havens was totally rehabbed and hits as expected.
Lifelongmetsfan November 18, 2011 at 10:00 am

I can’t shale this feeling that Murphy may just be a perennial threat to be in the top 10 of the batting title every year. Why would you trade that now? Murphy can realistically only play two. maybe in time three positions, 1st base, 3rd base and w/ a few years of hard work, left field.
We want Davis, Wright, Bay and Murphy all in the line up at the same time. hat is not a bad heart of the order at all if those mentioned produce.
Projection for 145 games each:
David Wright .300 avg 24 home runs 100 rbi’s 110 runs scored
Ike Davis .263 avg. 28 home runs 94 rbi’s 91 runs scored
Jason Bay .268 22 home runs 87 rbi;s 90 runs scored
Daniel Murphy .320 15 home runs 90 rbi’s 95 runs scored

Murphy hits #3
Davis hits #4
Wright hits #5
Bay hits #6

If only we had Reyes with this group.
So the problem remains, how do we get all four into the lineup consistently, every day?
Murphy can only play either 1st base or 3rd base… Wright or Davis would have to move to the out field. Unless, ofc ourse Murphy plays 2nd base… But that’s would leave us with a middle defense made up of: Thole, Murphy, Tejada and Pagen. That’s about the worst in the major leagues!

F it! just put Bay in RF and Murphy in LF. What difference does it make? We are going to be a 4th or 5th place team anyway.
- Donal November 18, 2011 at 10:09 am
  
  You forgot Duda

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