17
2012
Torres Will Be Everyday CF Upon Return, Back To Buffalo For Nieuwenhuis
An article by 
Terry Collins raised some eyebrows before tonight’s game when he told reporters that once Andres Torres returns from the DL, the plan is as follows:
1) Andres Torres is immediately reinstated as the everyday centerfielder
2) Kirk Nieuwenhuis will go back to Buffalo and not remain in a reserve role.
Looks like Mike Baxter’s job is very secure.
Original Post 4/14
Here’s a beautiful shot from our new photo partners of center fielder Kirk Nieuwenhuis making a sensational leap and grab off the bat of Brian Schneider in today’s 5-0 win over the Phillies. You can click it to enlarge.
Here’s a question to ponder…
What do we do with Kirk Nieuwenhuis once Andres Torres comes off the DL and expects to reclaim his spot in center field?
Do we Wally Pipp him, or does Captain Kirk get beamed up to Buffalo?
Nieuwenhuis is batting .294 with a .368 on-base and .471 slugging in seven games with the Mets. He looks cool as a cucumber at the plate, and you all see how well he’s handling himself in center…
You cant keep him on the Mets unless he starts and gets regular at-bats, so should he stay or should he go?
I’m thinking we should send Torres to the bench as our 4th outfielder, and waive goodbye to Mike Baxter.
I really have zero interest in sending Nieuwenhuis back to Buffalo, especially if he continues to perform like this.
About the Author: Joe DeCaro
I'm a lifelong Mets fan who loves writing and talking about the Amazins' 24/7. From the Miracle in 1969 to the magic of 1986, and even the near misses in '73 and '00, I've experienced it all - the highs and the lows. I started Mets Merized Online in 2005 to feed my addiction. Follow me on Twitter @metsmerized.
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That was an absolute Nieuwen-heist in center and I expect to see plenty more of that this year. By that I mean I don’t need to see Torres back in CF when he comes off the DL.
The kids are doing just fine for the Mets. The team might as well continue to play them all together.
“Nieuwen-heist” very nice! I’d copyright that one.
As far as Torres no sense in getting ahead of myself wondering about that yet. Let’s see where Capt. Kirk is and the team overall when Torres gets close to getting back and take it from there.
That’s genius! Nieuwen-heist!
The Mets have done a lot of dumb thing in the last few years, but I can assure you Kirk is here to stay. No way in hell do they send him back to Buffalo when Torres comes back. I think they realize that youth is the best way to market this team and guess what, all the doomsday prophets that said nobody would show up at Citi were wrong. The attendance opening week was higher than last year by a big number, not lower. The youth movement is working.
With Kirk, you either have 2 choices when Torres returns:
Option A: DFA Miguel Batista
or
Option B: Platoon Torres with Bay in LF and have Torres face RHP.
Either way, the Mets cannot afford to send down Nieuwenhuis the way he’s playing.
actually, the one that makes most sense is C: send baxter down. With torres back, he has no role at all.
I completely forgot about Baxter. That’s how non-existant he is to me, I guess. Yeah, that would be the best choice.
6-2 Mets! April is a great time of year. September isn’t nearly as kind. Or in our case, June.
Torres is a #4 OFer at best…keep him around as just that. Hairston is valuable because he plays IF as well as OF…so, survey says: get rid of Baxter.
True and Jason Bay is at best a 4th outfielder on a minor league team.
They should let the kid Nieuwenhuis stay and continue to get acclimated to the big leagues as they did with Duda last year.
Especially since we’ll have 2 openings in the outfield next year(CF, LF)…IF and only if the Mets play this thing right with Jason Bay and not allow him to reach the at bats incentive in his contract that will stick us with his dead weight for another year.
they are already stuck for 2013. The option year is 2014.
But I still think he won’t be around next year no matter what.
Keep him up ,and option Baxter. The way Collins has been managing there are lots at bats for everyone. Tejada is hitting well in leadoff so Torres has lost that aswell.
Agree, let Kirk play every day, even when Torres returns. If it appears he needs more seasoning, Kirk can always be sent down and Torres can return to his starting job. Meanwhile, this makes Torres take on the role he is more suited for – the 4th outfielder.
Yes, this also means cutting somebody from the 25 man roster but with our bench being what it is, that shouldn’t create much of a problem unless money is an issue despite recent claims to the contrary.
meant to say that if Kirk is sent down and therefore which creates an opening on the roster that should not be filled by having a call up sit on the bench, filling that slot should be of little problem unless money is still an issue.
If history truly repeats itself (this time in our favor), I expect a set back in Torres’ rehab. Problem Solved!!! If that doesn’t happen Baxter is gone.
I would think Torres becomes the 4th outfielder and Baxter is shuffled off to Buffalo.
Wasn’t the plan to bring up Capt Kirk anyway? All that happened was the timetable was accelerated by a few weeks.
Why not just do what was going to be done if Torres hadn’t missed time?
It’s not just the timetable that’s changed. I think what’s changed slightly is that Torres has outperformed Bay in his very limited time. It’s not as cut and dry as the earlier notion that Kirk plays CF when he’s ready and Torres becomes the 4th OF. So do Torres and Bay platoon? That’s a wrench no one had accounted for as an option. If Duda continues to struggle, does HE platoon with Bay and Torres plays RF? Would Kirk play RF? Could the Mets begin actively shopping Bay and/or dump him and play Torres, Kirk and Duda with Hairston and Baxter?
Lots of options.
I actually wrote my own blog post about this yesterday too (not knowing that you had written something). Unfortunately for me, my blog isn’t live yet, so it’s just content at this point for me. Anyways, I completely agree! Kirk’s value on this team is much higher than Baxter’s, and I want to watch Kirk play. It’s fun to see a team of homegrown young guys out there, and I want Kirk to stay in CF. He looks comfortable, calm, playing solid defense, and stroking the ball well. Andres would be a perfect 4th outfielder for this team, who could serve as a good late inning defensive replacement in times where we need it.
I disagree Keith.
I think the thought as was described by TC is, Kirk needs to be playing everyday and having him in NY where he won’t do that, does nothing for him. Yes he is more valuable than Baxter but that doesn’t mean he should be on the Mets sitting on the bench ya know? I’d rather him start in Buffalo
No brainer! Andres Torres was nothing but a glorified 4th outfielder to begin with and was a terrible choice to bat leadoff. Get rid of Baxter, he brings nothing to this team.
this is easy. Keep him up, send Baxter down.
Torres was just keeping CF warm anyway, and is really just a very good 4th OF>
So, Kirk stays, gets primary time with select off days vs. tough LHP, and Torres plays all over the OF. Has the extra advantage of getting Bay off the field more often.
Good to see Kirk in there against a lefty. I didnt like the fact he was being platooned and want to see what he can do on a regular basis. As for Torres? Hasta la vista.
WRONG QUESTION! CORRECT ONE IS WHAT TO DO WITH PIPP?
ERRR, I MEAN TORRES
MY FREUDIAN UNDERGARMENTS(SLIP) WERE SHOWING…LOL
TC should just pipe down and cross that bridge when they get to it. If Niewenhuis continues to play well why would you send him back down. Play him every day and let Andres be the 4th OFer, and DFA Batista or Baxter. If Niewenhuis starts to struggle then thats a different story. no need to make that decision now.
don’t agree, but not set in stone of course. Besides, torres won’t be back for a while.
No reason that Torres deserves to get a job back that he never really showed much at anyway.
So no, Kirk does not have to be a reserve if he stays.
Terry Collins I know this much. Just cause he says something doesn’t mean it’s set in stone. For the most recent example look only at Ruben Tejada who is batting leadoff.
Who knows what the situation will be by the time Torres is ready to come back.
The kids are alright! Only wish Stinson was a part of it.
TC also said that the Mets brought in Andres Torres for a reason- to give the Mets a speed, SB element atop the order and good defense in CF and Torres should be given a reasonable chance. However, I still disagree with TC. None of the Mets starting OF – Bay, Torres or Duda right now deserves to be starting everyday instead of some sort of 4 man rotation in the OF with Kirk. As Xtreemicon said above, it shouldn’t be as cut and dried as Torres or Kirk in CF.What about Kirk getting some starts in LF for Bay vs. RHSP. What about some starts in RF for the struggling, shaky defensive Duda. Kirk can play all 3 OF spots and adds more to the Mets than Mike Baxter unless he rots on the bench like Baxter- then of course it doesn’t make any sense to keep him up.
Why? Is this Collins decision or is this being forced on him by higher up? Torres is pretty much garbage so why use him if Captain Kirk can play? We all know Kirk has more potential than Torres. Maybe Torres will just get injured again (probable) and Kirk can stay.
I believe that a manager should keep those comments to himselves till time come to make any changes, Colin is letting the reporters to play him. careful .
I totally agree, Collins should just wait until Torres is back and from what I’ve read he’s not doing so well rehabbing.
Maybe he is trying to see what happens if Kirk knows this and see his playing reaction. Okay, make me want to keep you here.