Didn’t you notice a better bat and speed than any other outfielder?

And his errors last year was at SS not outfield.

Yes we will save the best attitude award.

LF – Duda (on short leash + 100 AB’s as starter)
CF – Cowgill
RF – Byrd

4th OF – Valdespin (can take over LF if Duda stinks it up)
5th OF – Baxter (he can back up all 3 OF positions (spot starts in CF against tough righties)

Neweiheuis LF in AAA (needs more work but maybe can become a player)
Den Decker CF in AAA (i really hope his bat adjusts in AAA – if so he can be a great CF for years to come)

I agree with you 100%. Its not fair to stick the kid out in a tough RF without any experience. I think he should start the season in AAA to learn the position. Also He needs to learn to not try to hit the ball out of the park every time up. He is definitely not leadoff material at this point. It would be great if he could learn to bunt and use that speed to max effect. Another concern is what if he is given the RF job on the big team and he struggles. How will his psyche withstand being sent down after a month or 2 in the bigs. Not very well, i expect.

and Cowgill is a good example of one where a number of people have immediately dumped all over him, while cutting slack to a guy like Kirk, when in reality, they are pretty much in the same position.

so yes, any of the younger/low ML service time guys should be treated the same.

That’s all i’m saying and no need for a back and forth argument on semantics.

A journeyman is a journeyman is a journeyman.

He had 8 HRs in 206 PA….
5 of them as a Pinch Hitter in 47 PA

3 HRs in 159 PA as an actual player….a HR every 53 PA

Duda hit 15 Hrs in 459 PA a HR every 30.6 PA

I’m sure not going to throw away the power of Duda for some appearance of power by Valde when most of it was as a Pinch Hitter and not as a guy playing the field.

Valde’s good showing as a PH fits his Hyped up personality regarding himself…
Rested he is going to make a showing…But when actually played he doesn’t seem to play with the same energy as he does when he gets into a game he sisn’t actually start.

Until Duda shows he lost it and can’t hit those HRs anymore I go with the hope that Duda can improve on what he did in a BAD Sophmore year (remember Hetwards slump?) and hope he hits his cieling because on a power level Duda’s ceiling is 30+ to 40 and I don’t see that from Valde….

And Valde has the speed to play RF where Duda does not…
So let him make his bones there and then if Duda loses the job you can put Valde in his spot.

He DOES have a bit of an attitude…Most kids do! Many Kids here have it!

It’s not a real problem because people grow up eventually. The Question is not what has he done but what will he DO if that attitude is not kept in check….

Lets be clear here this town will eat you up alive if you give it even the slightest opportunity to do it. And when that happens you had better have a lot of friends on the team to support you…

If (and I can’t say he has) POed some Vet Teamates he will not get that support and all that talent will be wasted or traded only to be regretted once he gets the mentoring he needs somewhere else.

Because we keep drafting Shortstops? LOL

Thats the only point I was trying to make….

Kingman used to hit 20 out of the park in BP but then when the Pitcher was trying to get him out he hit one after we were down 5-0! LOL

ALL I’m trying to get accross here is as good as he looks now most of that is a product of him playing Baseball ALL WINTER…He is still in game shape and sharpness.

Not true for Duda and the Pitchers he is facing at this time.

Yes he HAS the potential to win the job from Duda but considering those 15 HRs and 55RBI Duda had last year it’s still his job to lose until the last weeks of ST where the Pitchers are closer to Game State and results are a little closer to what reality is when the games start to count.

If Valde hit Righty it might be a very different picture cause then you could platoon for awhile.

And yet we hand the job to Lucas Duda. And talk up Kirkkkk as a platoon. Both of those players got the full audition last season and failed. I hardly think they should be handed jobs, since it’s reasonable to have serious doubts about both of them.

In addition, Collin Cowgill should get a shot at the full-time job in CF. Why relegate him to the bench against RHP?

I know there are issues with Valdespin. He’s not popular in the clubhouse. But he’s undeniably athletic. He just played outfield in the WBC.

Then we watch Brown try to move out there in RF and, frankly, it’s just unthinkable that the Mets could put another lumbering clod out there. If you build around pitching, let’s support it with quality defense.

I don’t believe Mike Baxter can hit, btw. Nice guy, terrific guy, no pop.

I’m glad that Valdespin has forced his way into the conversation, regardless of how inconvenient that might be for some in the organization. It’s troubling that he’s only an afterthought. I don’t know if he wins the job or not, but it’s ludicrous to relegate him to 2B where there’s no need at all — Flores should be 2B in Vegas.

Lastly, look at it as an investment. Even if some don’t like Jordany, his market value will double if he demonstrates an ability to hit in the bigs. There’s upside. Maybe he becomes a chip down the road.