3
2012
There’s A Chance Nieuwenhuis Could Break Camp With Mets
An article by 
The Mets are reportedly considering outfielder Kirk Nieuwenhuis for a spot on the opening day roster according to Mike Puma of the New York Post. If he makes the club out of Spring Training it will be in a bench role as an extra outfielder.
The Mets are intrigued by Nieuwenhuis, but would prefer that he gets regular at-bats, meaning he would start the season in Triple-A. If he makes the club he would mainly be featured in a pinch hitting role, as well as filling in on a day off for one of the regulars.
The most likely scenario at this point is that he will start the season at Triple-A so he can play everyday. If Torres struggles out of the gate, that may force the Mets hand to call up Nieuwenhuis. In that case Nieuwenhuis would be the starter and Torres would be a defensive replacement, which is his specialty anyway.
While I hope that Torres plays well, I am more hopeful to get to see Nieuwenhuis get some regular at-bats in Queens this season. In a season of transition I want to see as many young guys as possible so they can get experience and the front office can decide if they have a future with the club.
About the Author: Dan Valis
I am a staff writer for Mets Merized Online. I am a Mets team analyst with a focus on the minor league system, as well as the major league club. I am a lifelong New Yorker who was born and raised to be a Mets fan. The ups and downs of being a Mets fan is what makes following this team so much fun, but at times so frustrating. You can follow me on Twitter @BgAppleMetsTalk.
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Well if they aren’t going to start him I say keep him in AAA!
But all of this talk is premature if you ask me.
All dependent on him playing so well they can’t possibly send him down!
And if that happens why bother cooling him off on the bench? Play the kid!
Let Torres beat him out for the job!
If Kirk is fully healthy and tearing it up in AAA and Bay’s still struggling vs. RHP I can easily see Kirk coming up to platoon with him and then sliding over to RF late in games we have a lead for defense with Bay coming into play LF.
We are currently short an OFer on the 40 man roster though. Duda, Bay, Torres and Hairston are 4, Lagares and Puello aren’t ready yet so that leaves just Kirk without taking a guy off the 40.
It may be in his hands but Bay could even be in trouble here in ST if he doesn’t show anything. What would you do, take a guy like Flores, Puello, Lagares, Armando Rodriguez, Valdespin, Lutz or Satin off the 40 if you think it’s a pretty good chance Bay stays the same as he has?
Dumping him this year if you make that determination would hopefully mean your not on the hook for his option vesting if he were to get 500 AB’s this year and next or 600 in 2013 alone so that could be a very viable strategy to not only get better play in the present but avoid a 16 M commitment in 2014 as well. For those who say ST alone is not enough time you may be right but he’s had two years here as well.
That would also let Duda move to LF and Kirk in RF.
I’m all for that though no chance they cut bait on Bay as early as ST.
And I really think that it will go in stages. Starter, platoon, bench/released. Assuming of course they never manage to work out a trade for him.
Well I don’t see them platooning Bay until next year the earliest. If they truly want to fix the payroll they need to do everything they can to make him worth something so they can get someone to bite in trade!
Bay gets hurt and Kirk comes in and plays well is about the only scenario where Kirk takes significant time away and maybe forces Bay to WIN his job back full time.
But barring that I don’t see anyone taking major playing time away from Bay even in a platoon!
I would but then again I’m not cutting his checks!
I think they will do everything and give him every opportunity to take advantage of those new fences because if he has respectable HR numbers again he also becomes tradeable again!
Agree with some of that Metsie.
Obviously getting production out of Bay would be the best case scenario. That would help now and could facilitate a trade of the K-Rod variety though, not Beltran.
Should his bat not come around by June 1st I’m afraid he will be a serious candidate for a platoon with Kirk or even Lowen. Other events could keep him on the field full time though including injuries to the OF or Davis’ illness, Torres ect but baring those situations come June 1st a non productive Jason Bay probably has about 10 days till he’s on the short end of a platoon and defensive replacement and not just to avoid 500 AB’s and the option but just in general to help the team win.
Come 2013 Duda, Kirk, Lagares, Den Dekker and even Ratliff could be here or 2 months away so if he’s not looking like he’s ever going to turn it around the hook could be quick.
We would be lucky if we get ANY kids in a deal for Bay!
If we managed to get then to pay half his salary without player compensation I would call that deal a win!
Amen.
I agree with you on that 100%. I want to see the kid play, if Torres is only a stop gap anyway what’s the point!
Were playing kids at virtually every other position anyway other than 3B and LF so why not
Unless Torres gets hurt I have to believe for now until I hear otherwise that the Mets are not planning on having Nieuwenhuis join the team in a bench role. Puma never quotes a Met on the record or off and doesn’t even say he is reporting this according to a source. Personally I put very little stock in this mostly because it is coming from Puma.
I wrote it off as another marketing attempt to show how bright the future might to hide the fact they are all wearing underdog T-Shirts!
LOL
But even if someone did say it thats today’s story tomorrow it will be completely different one!
I agree. The only reason I would want Nieuwenhuis to be up here is if he’s playing everyday. The Mets have done that to too many good players, and they’ve fizzled because they have no idea where they’re supposed to fit.
I would love to see him, but I think I would rather Torres play well right now. It’s always good to have a problem of too many players for one position, rather than too little.
I don’t know if i want Capt Kirk up here yet – I haven’t seen him play on Spring Training game – and neither has anyone else.
Do I hope he makes it? Yes.
Let’s see him play some games first. He might bomb out, nobody knows yet, but they’re already talking about what’s gonna happen to him.
Reading that Hairston has a strained left oblique – which is apparently the same injury he had late in last season.
Given the fact that those type injuries can take several weeks to heal, wonder if that helps Kirk’s chances of making the team to start?
would think it makes it more likely they will need another RH hitting OF though. But, still plenty of time in St even if it takes 2 weeks to heal. not like Hairston even plays much.
though ig anything, if Scott can’t go, could make it more likely Kirk gets a starting gig and torre is the bench guy?
I guess we shall see though.Does weaken the bench, and would leave Bay as the BU CF (if Hairston isn’t able to play and they don’t add another CF)
Just normal what if/conceptual talk from early ST. Never really means anything, other than to indicate which guys the team is high on, and who is likely to be next in line if they need to call someone up.
specific to Kirk, I really can’t see them keeping him for a PH role. But, it is very possible for a LH hitting OF to get a lot of PT with the Mets. Start a couple times week in LF for bay and CF for torre. Defensive replacement in RF some days. Not FT PT, but well more than what a Willie Harris would get.
Still, more likely (and my preference) to have him start in AAA and pile up the ABs (he did miss 1/2 the season last year). By say 6/1, you will pretty much know what Bay or torres can give you, and at that point can make a move if the relative performances warrant it.
Well, if Davis is struggling with this Valley Disease, and Duda fills in at first, having Capt Kirk up may be a necessity.
I called it the other day when I said that I wasn’t buying Collins’s projected starting lineup. If Kirk exceeds expectations, he will be the starting CF come Opening Day. I doubt they want another Jacobs/Ike scenario again in which the wrong guy makes the team, despite obviously showing that he belonged. Torres would be the most likely and makes the most sense to be on the bench. Still, let’s see what happens.