10
2012
MMO Mailbag: Can Wilmer Flores Be A Fit In The Outfield?
An article by 
Nikki asks…
I have a question that hopefully you guys can answer. Has there been any consideration to playing Wilmer Flores in the outfield? He seems to be the only righthanded hitter in the upper minors that seems to have any upside, and the Mets also seem to be in much better shape in the infield than they are in the outfield in both the majors and minors. I haven’t heard any talk about him playing the outfield, but he has been moved all around the infield, and from all accounts, hasn’t been stellar at any of those positions despite having a pretty strong arm. I just think it would be prudent to start playing him in left field at the very least, I don’t think he can be any worse than Duda in the field, I just think it would make a lot of sense, but wanted to know what you thought about it?
Sean replies…
Wilmer Flores is the most well-rounded hitter in the Mets system, and the closest to the majors with the potential held in his bat. 2012 saw Flores play first, second and third finally ending the experiment that saw him still playing at shortstop. Flores in the outfield is an interesting idea and has been debated almost as hotly as trying Flores at catcher among bloggers.
Flores had his best professional season last year, hitting 30 doubles and 18 homers across two levels. If those stats were to remain as is, from an offensive standpoint Flores wouldn’t fit a prototypical LF mold. However, he just turned 21 and is still growing and learning to tap into his power. With an uptick in his numbers, it could make some sense.
Defensively, Flores has been getting a crash-course at every infield position. It seems as if the Mets are trying to eliminate positions Flores cannot play systematically and so far he’s only washed out of shortstop. With David Wright desiring to be retained and Ike Davis at first, Flores’ path to the majors defensively is in the outfield or at second base. Flores isn’t the fastest player nor the most agile and has never played the outfield professionally. It still remains a question if he possesses the athleticism to play in the outfield at all.
It is an interesting thought, but I think this organization will play Flores at a position that is open, and seeing him steal at-bats from everyone would not be a surprise, possibly platooning with Ike at first and Murphy at second. If Flores is MLB ready he should be playing daily, and if that means taking some reps in the outfield, I am all for it. But a full-scale conversion from IF to OF? I’d hold off on that.
About the Author: Sean Kenny
Sean Kenny is a student/writer currently attending school at the City College of New York. For more Mets news, notes and thoughts follow him on twitter @TheSeanKenny
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Hopefully he is better than Murphy was.
Murphy’s outfield problem was the same as his infield problem – sometimes he thinks a routine play means don’t correct anything.
Flores is fleet of foot by NO means, and even if he worked himself to passable…I could never see him getting to above average, despite a solid throwing arm.
Jesus christ, no. He’s a corner infielder. Trade Wright and give him 3b in 2014.
Trade Dickey to Texas for Olt. Put Olt at 3rd and trade Wright. In 2014 put Olt at 1st and Flores at 3rd. Sign Ike to an extention this winter so you could have a great trade chip next winter. Or even in July next year when Flores does great at AAA next year. To me Ike has more value in July next year because when you are a team in the hunt of a play off spot I assume they are willing to offer much more just to get the missing piece.
If it only was this simple………….
Edit…… Olt alone will not be enough for Dickey. A package with Olt and……..
Matt, the CORE salute you… Exactly my whole point about having that choke artist for years to come when we can have someone fresher at 3B for many, many years
Alex, why are so down on the best player on the team? If the Mets trade Wright, where are his 20+ jacks and 90+ RBI gonna come from? Is Flores better than Wright now? NO! Can he grow to be better than DW? Maybe (I doubt it), but right now, I’d take #5 at 3B for years to come over this kid.
Can someone please tell me when we will be done drafting IFers and playing them in OF?
At this rate we will be having a Cechinni in LF conversation in a year’s time!
Can Wheeler or Harvey play the OF?
Most IFA’s wind up moving off their position pretty frequently. Miggy was a SS, then 3B, then LF, then 1B. Pujols was drafted as an SS, same rotation. Its more common thn you’d imagine
Most of you who follow the draft here know my feelings on Gavin Cecchini and how the Mets will regret passing over Courtney Hawkins similar to how they passed over Reggie Jackson.
The early results are coming in:
Baseball America ranks Hawkins #2 and Cecchini #13.
Cecchini: 196 AB – 23 RS – 13 2B – 2 3B – 1 HR – 22 RBI – 5 SB – .628 OPS
The 18 year old played the whole season in Rookie League and was promoted to short season for 5 games where he went hitless.
Hawkins: 229 AB – 39 RS – 15 2B – 3 3B – 8 HR – .32 RBI – 11 SB – .820 OPS
The 18 year old vaulted up three levels finishing the season in High-A where he batted .294.
http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/rankings/league-top-20-prospects/2012/2614085.html
That was not the only screw up Maniac.
Have you seen what Jose Fernandez has done?
Already in Hi-A and 19. His fastball was rated best in professional baseball 12.5 K/9, 2.3 BB/9 and missing bats like crazy with 100 mph heat that’s still growing. Marlins grabbed him right after we took Nimmo.
http://www.theinsidemag.com/index.php/the-sports-page/197-jose-fernandez-the-best-untold-story-in-baseball
He was 6’3″ when they drafted him and 6’5″ now 18 months later. SI.com says he’s major league ready.
http://www.theinsidemag.com/index.php/the-sports-page/197-jose-fernandez-the-best-untold-story-in-baseball
As for Hawkins, I agree. That was a huge mistake and this time they cant use the crutch that they wanted someone that was high ceiling because Cecchini’s ceiling is average MLB SS at best. And they didn’t draft for need either because the year before they paid 5 times over slot to sign Phil Evans at short who has a much higher ceiling than Cecchini.
I dont think Courtney Hawkins fits the profile of the type of guy the wilpons look to as the future of the franchise
What worse Maniac is that even if they had the same numbers offensively the guy we took plays a position we need the least!
Meant to say #12 not #13 on Cecchini.
But while I’m here, maybe the DePo group didn’t think the Mets needed any help in the outfield with Andres Torres patrolling centerfield and Mike Baxter and Lucas Duda putting up nig numbers!.
I have seen flores playing second in Venezuela, is the finest plays defensive and offensive as to what is far better than murphy, certainly would be an improvement … That should be his position until he grows a little more physically and touch move ike the gardens or something, but it lasts a long time for that to happen
Move Ike to RF (a position he played in college) and give 1B to Flores. Then we’ll have two MVP’s (Ike and Flores) I know they haven’t proven anything but MMO resident genius talent evaluator Alex68 has deemed it so to counter our “Choke Artist” (Again his words) regardless of the fact that he’s proven the opposite over and over.
Defensively, Ike is a proven commodity at 1B….Wilmer is not…
Wilmer can compete with Murphy at 3B if the Mets get a stud SS
Ike’s biggest value is at 1B and I think at this point him playing RF is something that will never happen. Ike lacks speed and mobility.
And FYI …in terms of RANGE..
2005: 461 chances
2006: 414 chances
2007: 452 chances
2008: 418 chances
2009: injured
2010:451 chances
2011: injured
2012: 384 chances
Tejada’s range at 2B is almost a full point higher than it is at SS….and almost a full point higher than Murphy’s is at 2B….
IMO – I think having Ike at 1B, Tejada at 2B…a stud SS who is fast and has range….and move Murph over to 3B….
getting a top shelf 3B does nothing to help relieve the SS/2B lack of range…if anything, 3B is where u can hide a weaker glove or someone who lacks range…there is no one to the 3B right…and a premier SS will help cover up for his lack of range to his left…
a 2B with limited range will affect both the SS and the 1B…this is why putting Murphy at 2B places the met infield at a bigger disadvantage than at 3B….
So now Murphy is a better option than David Wright too?
On the 20-80 scale, he scores a 20 on running. That’s why he hasn’t and will never, play the outfield. Not even good jumps on fly balls could help him. He’d have to start running as the pitch was thrown and hope he was running to the right spot in order to catch a long fly ball. Davis gets traded, Duda takes over, then in 2014 Flores takes over.